Love Myself or You: U Make Me Smile

I don’t know why I’m so picky of late. But I don’t want to watch melo, medical, thriller, or suspense. This leaves very few options from the current crop of dramas. A little romance, a little funny-bone tickling, a little piggybacking here and there. Is that too much to ask? But I’ve finally found one that puts a loony grin on my face. Even though there’s not an “Oppa!” to be heard. It’s the latest Taiwanese offering, Love Myself or You (AKA Pleasantly Surprised, but that title is too innocuous and irrelevant to the plot to be taken seriously).

It stars Puff Guo (currently appearing in the latest We Got Married: Global Edition) as the prickly French chef, Kai Qi, who relates more to the food she prepares than the living, breathing people around her. Enter the sunny, optimistic, and deeply dimpled new intern, Zi Jie, who is actually the wealthy son of the restaurant owner incognito (of course, he is). He remembers Kai Qi from a childhood connection, and makes it his personal mission to turn this touch-me-not back into a human being.

Don’t call me cute

I met the adorable force known as Puff Guo in last year’s scintillating Just You. Her chemistry with Aaron Yan registered super high on the Squee Scale, and I still bemoan their lost chance to repeat this duo in the currently airing Fall in Love with Me because of her We Got Married shooting schedule. *Mini-rant: I watch FILWM every week for two reasons: Aaron & Yan. But it’s kinda depressing seeing him sizzle up his half of the screen alone. His costar is adequate. Unoffensive. But it’s like watching two people try to move a couch when one of them is only pretending to lift their half. You just want to yell, “Would you please get with the program !”* I would love to see Puff and Yan together again, but I have to say that this part is way better for her. In Just You, she played the typical “Oops, did I do that?” kind of heroine with lots of charm and little brain matter. This Kai Qi character is crabby, driven, and rude to everybody. Seriously, I don’t think she’s cracked a genuine smile in two episodes. But she’s also talented, resilient, and fiercely protective of the ones she cares about. She’s got lots of love hidden somewhere. And I look forward to watching our determined hero peel her like a steel-armored onion.

Could you BE any cuter

Speaking of our knight in shining white apron, when this guy smiles I find the corners of my lips tugging up in a knee-jerk reaction. He’s just too, too adorable. It’s like his dimples shoot invisible, happy rays. Dramas repeatedly recycle the story of the plucky, positive girl saving the jerky, closed-off guy from his life of self-imposed isolation. It’s nice to see the gender roles switched for a change. He’s got a great relationship with his doting parents, lots of money, a fancy education abroad and no first-love trauma involving amnesia, cancer, or switched identities (at least, not so far). His character might not have as much meat from a development standpoint, but who cares. Look at the dimples!

Gourmet goes glamour shots

Any fans of the quirky, food-centered Let’s Eat should enjoy all the steamy, drizzly close-ups of French cuisine in this show. It may be fish eggs on a skinny piece of asparagus, but the slo-mo, camera work even makes that ludicrous combination look yummy. Since both main characters put their heart and soul into cooking, I’m hoping for some chemistry in the kitchen that doesn’t just involve hollandaise sauce.

Just Rip My Heart Out Already

I’m all about the romance, but a show stealing relationship may be the one between Kai Qi and the child of her deceased sister. She flatly rejects the idea of him living with her when the jerky father drops him off with grandma like an unwanted sack of potatoes. Kai Qi marches him back to his father’s place and insists he take responsibility. A heart-twisting detail is her nephew reaching out to her, but grabbing her purse strap instead of her hand, like he’s afraid to make contact. The deadbeat dad informs her that he’s getting married and wants children with his new wife, and she finally accepts the inevitable and takes her nephew back home. I love how she initially fights against any added burdens tooth-and-nail, but when she accepts the situation, she immediately does everything she can to take care of the little boy. Her personality lacks any natural warmth or nurturing, but she tries her best to make him happy in her own stilted way.

Hooray for Piggybacks

Any show that gives me a piggyback in the very first episode is already scoring major brownie points. But Episode 2 caught me hook, line and sinker with the elevator bit. Dimples (it’s so much easier to call him that) tries to make a connection with Kai Qi but is rebuffed at every turn, until he picks up on her competitive nature. He uses this to elicit actual human reactions from the otherwise robot-like woman, and starts making everything a challenge for her. The big showdown happens one morning at the elevator. He races to get in ahead of her, and presses the button before she can get to it. But Kai Qi does not give in so easily, taking her fingers and lighting up every floor on the panel. Then she leaves him to his neverending ride, and takes the other elevator. Her self-satisfied expression changes however when her car stops at the next floor to find that Dimples got out of his car and waited to hitch a ride in hers. Maybe I’m immature, but I stinking love childish stuff like that.

It’s been a long, dry spell in Dramaland the past few months. But Love Myself or You tastes like a sweet draught of lemonade with just the right amount of tart for flavor. I hope for many delicious scenes in the future.

We Got Married Global: First Impressions
Just You: Just For a Change

WGM Global: 1st Impressions

Hmmmmm. Not sure about this new season, yet. It's entertaining enough to keep me watching, but lacks the spark of its predecessor. Maybe I'm just missing Gui Gui, cause that girl was hilarious. The two new couples cavort through the expected hazards of language barriers and forced romantic setups in the usual manner, like so many We Got Married stars before them. Time will tell if they can distinguish themselves from the pack with either a heart-flutteringly good or train-wreckingly bad relationship.

The Roll-with-it Couple

The suit in this picture should be a clue that Super Junior member, Kim Heechul, is no wallflower. He tries to convince the audience in his interview that he's oh so shy. Yet, some of his first words to his pretend wife are "Where are you, Baby?" Pfffft. I can tell he's just a shrinking violet. His other half, Taiwanese actress and singer Puff Guo, has been forewarned of his playful personality and takes it all in stride. (I looked forward to her appearance on WGM, until I learned that she couldn't do Aaron Yan's latest drama Fall in Love with Me, because of it. Now I'm bitter. I loved them together in Just You, and think their chemistry could have livened up the so-far, so-so FiLwM. Seriously, I think it took me four tries to finish the first episode.) The newlywed's first conversation takes place over the phone as Heechul tries to locate his wife, and his inability to admit he can't understand her mix of English and Chinese bodes well for future hilarity. She rattles away directions and he keeps repeating Hao-Hao like he's fluent. He hangs up and then calls her right back. She gives more directions and he throws in more Hao-Haos for good measure. Heechul hangs up and then calls her back again. Rinse and repeat. Believe it or not, he does eventually find her and they linguistically stumble through their first date in a precarious but good natured manner. I like them together. Both singers appear confused but up-for-it.

The Awkward Couple

SHINee member, Key, seems more happy about starring in We Got Married than about meeting his new bride. He's been lobbying for it awhile and he finally has his heart's desire, but he's in for a few surprises. His partner is Japanese model, Yagi Arisa, who informs him that she is in her third year of High School. Cue panicked look of horror on Key's face. What's the proper way to welcome his barely legal wife? Why teach her the proper way to drink in Korea, of course. (He does so with a bottle of soda, but still. Does not compute.) Language proves less of a difficulty for these two as they switch comfortably between Japanese and English. It's obvious their relationship will be more PG than the other couple's.

Ironically, the Roll-with-it Couple looked more comfortable with each other at the WGM press conference. It could be the difference in personalities, the older ages, or the fact that Heechul just grabbed his wife around the waist and pulled her to him. Yes, he's soooooo shy. The Awkward Couple possesses better communication tools, yet seems a little stilted standing next to each other. But both couples are interesting, and I look forward to plenty of culture sharing, hearts-and-flowers faking, and Hao-Haoing in the future.

If you want to check out We Got Married Global: Season 2, you can find it at www.dramafever.com.

Just You: Just For A Change

We Got Married Season 1: Fake, but Funny