Completed - 4/23/2022 - 8.25

“Be My Princess” is an interesting drama in a sense that I thought going in that this is a light, rom-com with lots of funny scenes. This is due to the fact that we have an amnesiac male lead thinking he’s a character of a drama. When you have a premise like this, one needs to forgo some common sense to be able to fully enjoy this drama. You can’t use the logical thinking that it is a totally bad idea to let ML continue to live in this fantasyland for a year and really not do anything to help him out, but let him fall in love with FL and vice versa. But give this is a fantasy rom-com, let’s just enjoy the ride.

What I Enjoy:

1. Jeremy Tsui - Probably with most viewers, we watch this because of the handsome Jeremy Tsui playing the male lead. I’ve previously seen him in “Novoland: Sky Castle 2” and the recently aired “Autumn Ballad”. His acting is definitely great here. He has the most interesting and expressive big eyes that can smize (got the Tyra Banks reference? LOL) at you and make you melt. In his previous role, he often plays the cool and aloof character. But here as Mun Yun, we see a sweet, cute, caring and slightly playful side of him. I am just as impressed and really, how can anyone not fall for the Grand Tutor who dotes on you like a princess? But then, I still can’t ignore his slightly slouching and protruding of his neck posture.

2. Ming Wei (FL) - Zhou Jie Qiong plays the character of Ming Wei pretty decently. There’s something about her acting that I am not totally sold on, but I wouldn’t say she’s bad. Maybe just not as natural? I can’t pinpoint. However, I really like the character of Ming Wei. She is somewhat quiet, not the loud, happy-go-lucky female lead. But there’s a quiet strength and stubbornness in her. She really has gone through so much in this drama, yet she remains honest to herself, rational and confident. She is no pushover and will fight back with punch lines that hit you thinking how a girl like her can come back with that! Gosh, I didn't expect to cry with and for her so much in this drama. The middle episodes just kill me! I was bawling worrying with her and for her about what’s to come, and we know what will come for sure.

3. Supportive parents - Hooray for supportive parents in a C-drama!! Haven’t we seen enough of parents emotionally abusing their adult children? Not here! FL’s parents are the sweetest and the most supportive parents. FL’s father dotes on his wife and his two daughters, and treats them like princesses. He’s so cute and sweet, and becomes a tiger when you mess with his daughters. ML’s parents might not be as sweet, but they are also supportive of ML when he has his amnesia and doesn’t recognize them at all. That has to be heartbreaking, yet they give him the space and time to heal.


What I Don’t Quite Enjoy or Feeling Lukewarm:

1. Main Romance - I don’t think there’s enough development between FL & ML and FL & 2ML for both guys to really fall in love with her. FL and 2ML barely have any interaction. FL and ML might have more scenes together, but I don’t think for a cool and aloof guy, there’s enough to justify his actions/affections in helping FL in the beginning episodes. What do these guys see in her already to be so smitten? I can understand the romance after ML becomes the Grand Tutor and is obsessed with protecting FL and then falls in love with her. Those episodes were the most fun and sweetest. As I mentioned, who doesn’t want to be protected and loved by the Grand Tutor? But the amnesiac episodes last too long for my taste. It doesn’t leave enough time for the last part when he wakes up. I want more episodes of him waking up and having a more complicated relationship with FL, and eventually wooing her back. The last segment feels rushed and I am not satisfied.

2. Pacing and Minor Plots - As mentioned above, I think the amnesiac plot is too long and the last arc is not long enough. I also feel that the last few episodes involving the Ming and Xu families are unnecessary. It doesn’t really add anything to the main plot and just wastes time. It seems to be creating conflict for the sake of it, and to fill more episodes. This drama could have been only 24 episodes + 2 extras.

3. Secondary romance - I am lukewarm about Ming Qiao and Xiao Zhao’s romance. They are OK together. I also don’t see why Xiao Zhao will fall for a young girl like Ming Qiao. Their scenes together are ok but not cute enough, interesting enough or fluffy enough. Just OK.

4. Dubbing - How I wish this is not dubbed and we can hear Jeremy’s sexy voice. But I have come to terms with that. Watch “Autumn Ballad” for the real actors' voices. I was hoping that in a modern drama, it won’t be dubbed. But what I dislike the most are the voices of the two female leads. They both have very young and cute voices. I just don’t see our mature and mellow FL having such a young voice. Maybe that’s why it takes me a little time to like Ming Wei/Zhou Jie Qiong.


Other Observations:
1. I usually find love lines and love declarations quite cringey (words spoken by Mung Yu). But for some reason, when it’s spoken by Mung Yun, the Grand Tutor, they become sincere and lovely. I totally fell for it. There’s this innocence in him that I love.
2. Why are the shoes clacking sounds so loud in this drama?
3. The first drama about the Grand Tutor seems to be a typical historical C-drama: lovers can’t be together due to politics, married someone else but still in love with each other after all these years.
4. I like the honest conversations FL has with Mung Yu.
5. I find the whole drama too bright.
6. Only one annoying character in the drama.
7. OST - there are a few lovely songs in this drama, but I feel they are overplayed sometimes.
8. Episodes 1-28 are the real drama. Episodes 29-30 is the story of the drama, The Grand Tutor.