The first thing that pops up in my mind after watching all the 40 episodes of My Bargain Queen is that it is just too long. Many episodes are unnecessary. I think the whole drama would have much better pacing if the producers have cut it down by 10 episodes or so. For instance, it is pointless to introduce Xia Qan’s father into the drama for a few episodes and then have him fade away from her life again. Just like Sunshine Of My Life and Love Designer, you will have to be prepared for draggy patches after a fairly good start.

The plot itself is nothing new. It has the enemies-turned-lovers flavor with a smart and handsome executive falling for a professional bargainer with each wanting a different outcome for a deal initially. The good thing is he is not another cold and emotionless CEO like in Unforgettable Love and The Trick Of Life And Love. At least, My Bargain Queen moves away from those tropes. Apart from the romance, the story also has a business aspect to it which means it takes a more matured leaning compared to your usual rom-coms.

Romance Fizzles Out
If you like to watch a romance-heavy drama, I certainly don’t think My Bargain Queen is a good choice. This is because the romance seems to fizzle out for the next 10 to 15 episodes after the couple got together. It is rather bland to me in the middle part of the drama where the main couple’s relationship is concerned. They are not as cute like the couple in Forever And Ever and neither are they full of passion like Qiao Qing Qing and Yu Tu in You Are My Glory.

I see Zhe Ning and Xia Qian’s relationship as very ordinary. But it is also closer to reality with no over-exaggeration and hype. They have their sweet moments but nothing over the top. The downside to this is that their interactions don’t leave a lasting impression either once the drama is over.

With the main couple’s romance being largely stable for a substantial part of the drama, the focus also shifts to the side couples to fill the 40 episodes. This is another potential pitfall where My Bargain Queen is concerned.

Side Couples May Not Be Likable
There are 2 sides couples in the drama. Shuang Shuang and He Bo is a couple with a large age gap between them. While the age difference may not be a problem, I’m just not sure if viewers could feel the chemistry between them. Furthermore, He Bo started off as a villain and Shuang Shuang betrayed Xia Qian to help him out at one point. So, this couple’s story may not be one that viewers could feel invested in although it really depends on your taste for age-gap romance.

The other side couple is Ning Meng and Zhi Jun. Ning Meng is definitely an annoying character in the drama. Hence, I doubt anyone would be rooting for this couple. As the side couples are unlikely to appeal to a majority of the audience, the drama ends up being draggy with their stories especially when they occupy quite a big chunk of the screen time as the drama progresses.

The Leads’ Chemistry
Personally, I think Wu Jin Yan has better chemistry with Johnny Huang in Something Just Like This than Kenny Lin in My Bargain Queen. Her personality in these 2 dramas is kind of similar. So, if you enjoy watching her in Something Just Like This which is also a business drama, chances are you would also like her in My Bargain Queen. Wu Jin Yan brings out the gutsiness and enterprising spirit of Xia Qian’s character rather well.

On the other hand, Kenny Lin’s Zhe Ning has a calmer and more cautious personality. When you put both of the leads together, the chemistry doesn’t have that explosive feel. It is good enough for a romance-cum-business drama but nothing extraordinary to make the romance a really memorable one for me when I reached the end. The same goes for the side couples. Thus, I do wonder if they have got the casting right because with better chemistry, this could have been a much more enjoyable drama.

My Verdict – Watchable With Some Skips
I think My Bargain Queen is one of those dramas that you can watch with some skipping in between. For instance, you can skip the side couples’ story if you find them to be uninspiring. It is really a bore if you were to watch all the 40 episodes from start to finish. That is why the pacing could have been much better if the production team had not lengthen the drama unnecessarily.

While the plot is hardly unique, this drama is watchable for those who like a good balance of romance and business. It is also good if you prefer multiple couples in one drama. It has a few annoying characters and some sad moments but nothing too stressful or melodramatic. The romance has a more matured feel and a big plus is that the main couple has no trust issues and silly quarrels. However, the kisses are not of the sizzling kind despite the maturity of the couple unlike what you would find in Love Is Sweet. So, if you like plenty of passion in your romance, this drama would not meet that need.

For this My Bargain Queen review, I would give it a score of 7/10. It is not too bad overall if you don’t mind some boring stretches in between. At least, the story flows along logically and is easy to understand. The characters too are well-developed and there is growth in some of them by the end of the drama. The concept is great but it all boils down to how much boredom and skipping you can tolerate in the middle before the story picks back up towards the last quarter of the drama.