[Drama Review] "A Love So Beautiful": a saga of lifetime friendships and love

October is coming to an end and the autumnal vibes are really sinking in with the chilly wisps of Halloween just around the corner. Recently, I had the pleasure of indulging myself in nights of "Netflix and Chill": the typical beer-in-one-hand-chicken-leg-in-the-other sort of nights spent in the sanctuary of my bed. To be honest, 'A Love So Beautiful(致我们单纯的小美好)' had been on my Netflix "Because you watched *insert k-drama here*" and "Top Picks" list for the longest time but I never got around to watching it. This month, however, I had extra time on my hands thanks to a week of fall break - which I know, is probably set right before midterms for an obvious reason I nonetheless decided to ignore - and thought why not give it a try? I pressed play... and just like that, the week was over, and so was the series.

The cast of "A Love So Beautiful"

'A Love So Beautiful' was my first-ever Chinese drama experience. Bilingual in Korean and English, I practically grew up watching K-dramas and American television shows. I also watched some Japanese anime like the acclaimed 'Howl's Moving Castle (2004)' and the recent hit 'Your Name (2016)', mostly because they oftentimes topped Korean box offices as I grew up. But I never had the chance to familiarize myself with Chinese productions or its distinct culture. In fact, the closest I had got was the Taiwanese romance film 'Our Times(2015)', the only Mandarin movie I had sat down to watch in full.

Although I can't pinpoint the reason behind my lack of experience in C-dramas despite being an avid drama viewer, my guess is that it has something to do with the difficulty in accessing them for non-Mandarin speakers and how it's even more difficult to find one with decent subtitles. In this aspect, I personally believe it's a positive turning point to the Asian cinema industry that Netflix and other major streaming services are beginning to offer a larger platform for Chinese films, presenting more of them to the international community of drama-lovers.

Anyhow, following is a review of 'A Love So Beautiful' - with minimal spoilers (none pertaining to the plot) - and a brief account of my first-impression on Chinese drama. Feel free to comment and share your thoughts on the series or this review. Chinese drama/movie recommendations are also always very welcome!


A Love So Beautiful: a saga of lifetime friendships and the cutest romance

Genre: Romance Drama Series
Tags: youthful, school, comedy

1 Season, 24 episodes

The initial chapters of 'A Love So Beautiful' plays out in a local high-school background. Jiang Chen (Hu Yitian) and Chen Xiaoxi (Shen Yue), are childhood friends. Raised in the same neighborhood, their families are well-acquainted and they literally live next doors to each other. Chen Xiaoxi is the cheerful, friendly type of girl who loves to draw but doesn't seem to have a knack for studying - unlike Jiang Chen, who has exceptionally good grades. And not only does Jiang Chen have good grades, but he's also famous for his good looks. He's that guy in high school that everyone drools over. At first, this type of character setting, in which the girl with mediocre looks and grades falls in love with the smart, handsome guy seemingly indifferent to the girl's affection, seemed a little cliché. We've all seen this at least once; if you're a fellow K-drama lover, this concept might remind you of the 'School (Hak-gyo 2013, 2015 & 2017)' series. But I came to realize that what really adds flavour to this story, so to speak, is the portrayal of the lively Chen Xiaoxi. Actress Shen Yue, who plays Xiaoxi, does a remarkable job in illustrating the intricate emotional roller coasters of a high school girl in unrequited love. Xiaoxi isn't your everyday naïve girl-next-door; she's genuine to her friends and to her emotions and although she frequently finds herself in tough situations, she finds her way around in her own dynamic, resourceful ways.

Shen Yue ( 沈月)

Shen Yue, with bangs and a cute bob haircut, is the quintessence of Chen Xiaoxi. She loves, is lovable, and loved (just not by her crush). She may be small, but she's not one to mess around with. I especially love the character's endurance: that she would try and try again, whether for love or for her life goals. She's also candid with her emotions; she cries when she's sad, she sulks when she's jealous. She is truly one of those characters difficult to not-love, and Shen Yue perfectly embodies the young, high-spiritedness that is Xiaoxi.

The dynamic relationships and chemistry the cast shows off on-screen is engrossing, to say the least. The story line revolves around the five main characters who are the aforementioned Hu Yitian, Chen Xiaoxi, and ...


Wu Bosong (played by Gao Zhi Ting 高至霆）

I often find myself suffering from second lead syndrome and if this also sounds like you, beware and good luck, because Wu Bosong's second lead game is strong and on-point.

Gao Zhi Ting

While going through other online articles of 'A Love So Beautiful', I came across a memorable comment that read along the lines of: "Everyone needs a Wu Bosong in his or her life". He's loyal to his love and isn't shy or subtle at all in expressing his emotions. Oftentimes, this includes buying things for his crush, going around her back to help her, and standing up for her in unfortunate situations. But most of it is simply being there by her side - always, and through every up and down - which I feel is an act of love that is too often overlooked of its worth. (Wu Bosong is also a swimmer, which means you get to see a lot of shirtless Gao Zhiting. Enough said.)

Wu Bosong is also Chinese actor Gao Zhi Ting's debut role. Although a rookie, he already has over 2 million followers on Weibo and has a fast growing international fanbase. (To my knowledge, he doesn't have Instagram or other social networking accounts.) He's also busy shooting and promoting his new - now airing - drama series 'The City of Chaos'. It's a thriller, action drama and his role here is drastically contrasting to that of Wu Bosong: all tough and fierce. He also landed a main role in the upcoming drama 'Stray Birds' that is expected to start airing in 2019. He's really killing it out there and a fangirl couldn't be more happy for him :)

Lin Jingxiao (played by Wang Zi Wei 王梓薇)

Bestfriend to Chen Xiaoxi, Lin Jingxiao shares Xiaoxi's value of friendship and is somewhat fiercely protective of her friends. She's also an elite student of the school like Jiang Chen and a bold, straightforward and robust woman. Her character goes through her fair share of ups-and-downs through high school, but with her willpower and a little help from her friends, there's nothing she can't overcome.

Wang Zi Wei as Lin Jingxiao on set of ALSB

Lu Yang (played by Sun Ning 孙宁)

Lu Yang is the loud, chatty friend that's equally annoying and funny at the same time. He always lights up the scene with his somewhat offbeat, but still cute, prattling. We get to watch his character fall in love, mature as an individual who constantly has to deal with physical issues, and transform into a more considerate, tolerant young man.

Sun Ning as Lu Yang on set of ALSB

And last but not least, to add a little on our beloved male lead, I'd like to include a few photos of the actor Hu Yitian as Jiang Chen.

     

'A Love So Beautiful' being his third drama series to star in, actor Hu Yitian gained wider recognition in China, winning 'Most Promising Actor' at the 2017 Tencent Video Stars Awards and 'New Generation Young Actor Award' at the 9th China TV Drama Awards. He's also a global ambassador of Versace and has a vast international fanbase as well. Currently, he's filming 'Handsome Siblings' and 'Go Go Squid!', both highly anticipated upcoming web dramas.

Overall, 'A Love so Beautiful' was a delightful first-encounter with C-drama. It made me laugh and cry both tears of joy and heartbreak along with the characters and pulled me into a pool of nostalgia. The characters are relatable and well-portrayed by the brilliant - not to mention gorgeous - actors. Another interesting attribute of the drama is that their stories are told on a rather plain, outspoken note, which personally I believe makes the ups and downs in the plot all the more captivating.

'A Love So Beautiful' consists of 24 episodes and it spans the full story of high-school freshmen surviving their school years, graduating university, struggling in their respective professional careers, and eventually getting married. Hence, the audience gets to watch the characters grow from their innocent high-schooler days to becoming wedded adults with their own families - something uncommon in the K-drama or American drama world. Compared to that of K-dramas, which usually tells a scenario expanding over a few months or sometimes a few years (3-5 yrs max) in 16 to 20 episodes, it's a long story to tell. Regardless, it never gets dull. Each episode is vibrant with the characters always busy dealing with new adversaries and concerns in life. The pace of which the plot runs by is also set pretty quick; time really flies watching 'A Love So Beautiful'.

If you love the genres of youth, romance, and light rom-com, then this is the series for your next drama-binge-watching session. And if you generally enjoy K-drama, I promise this Chinese one won't disappoint. The show is available with English and Korean subtitles on Netflix.


You can watch the official trailer here: