Daebak K-Rambles

Re-watch value: 0 out of 5 stars

Synopsis

*From DramaList*

Bei Er Duo, a girl from an ordinary family, dreams about studying in Japan to be a professional voice actress. However, her mother wants her to marry rich whilst she is young, leading to continuous blind dates which irritate Bei Er Duo. In her desperation to raise funds for studying overseas as well as helping her best friend Tang Li out of a crisis, Bei Er Duo joins a couple reality program, encountering top violin maker Ye Shu Wei. Ye Shu Wei is from a family of artists and has a low-key, mysterious, and genius character in both the composing and violin industry. He was forced to join the reality program having lost a bet to his nephew Yu Sheng. In fact, the actual reason that attracted Ye Shu Wei to participate in the show is not his bet with Yu Sheng. Instead, he seeks to identify the person who correctly answered his audition question. Because the reality show is faced with the crisis of integrity, Bei Er Duo and Ye Shu Wei start a lively and funny cohabitation life, and spontaneously fell into the fate of a wonderful romance together.

Rambling

[SPOILERS AHEAD]

It’s been a hot minute since I finished this show, so forgive me if the details are hazy. I’ve been putting off writing it because I feel like I’ve had such bad luck starting shows that I lose interest in and then never finish: The Last Empress, Korean Odyssey (or Hwayugi), Oh My General (C-drama), Radio Romance.

This show was an easy watch, sure, but was it any good? I’ll say that it hit the typical sweet spots, but ultimately, there was no new ground covered, no originality whatsoever.

Our main leads go on a reality dating show. Bei Er Duo needs tuition money to study abroad and agrees to help her best friend Tang Li, the producer on the show, who had a couple drop out at the last minute. Ye Shu Wei loses a bet with his nephew Yu Sheng, the owner of the entertainment company producing the show. The reality TV show and the netizens are concerned about the sincerity of their relationship after Er Duo lets it slip on air that they just met, rather than saying a planned and elaborate fake meet-cute, and thus cohabitation ensues.

I would say a little more than half the show goes into great detail on each reality TV show episode and the on-screen shenanigans they get into, as it’s basically a game show—best couple wins. The couples reality show wraps, Er Duo moves out of Shu Wei’s house, and then the show goes for a second season, so Er Duo moves back and then we don’t really get any second season episodes shown. They breeze through the second season of the couples reality show, which I thought made the pacing weird.

As I just said, Er Duo moved in and out once, but they kept doing that over the last few episodes. I hated that. It felt confusing to me as an audience member to pinpoint where the hell is Er Duo living at the moment?

She was living with Tang Li. Then she moved in with Shu Wei. Then she moved out into her mom’s house. Then she moved back. Then she slept over at her mom’s house. Then she visited Tang Li. Then she slept over Shu Wei’s for a few days. PICK A HOUSE DAMMIT!

Chemistry. This couple had it, but I just can’t stand the tsundere character of Shu Wei. I feel like I’ve outgrown that trope. Anytime a male lead is indifferent, stoic, nonchalant, unaffectionate, content to leave things unsaid, which leaves room for misunderstandings… it’s like nails on a chalkboard to me. So I muscled through this iteration of tsundere, but I need to be more choosy with my shows in the future because I don’t think I can take another sweet girl falling for an ass hole with no damn emotions whatsoever.

More than anything, I was living for Tang Li’s story arc. Her character was hung up on her boss, fuckboy Yu Sheng, for a long time, but then she decides to quit her job and quit the boy. I loved that she had so much agency, so much career drive, and understood how she’d been strung along for years. I liked that she wised up and got her life in order. Yeah, she did marry that random Italian violinist pretty quickly, but that didn’t diminish the happiness she exhibited during and after the wedding ceremony. She let go of a whining, controlling, macho bastard who never could make up his mind if he wanted to be with her. Gotta give credit where credit is due.

Does our main couple end up together? Yes. Was it sweet? Sure. Your cup of tea? Then be my guest.

What did you think of I Hear You? Tell me in the comments below!