The World Owes Me a First Love aka Lucky's First Love

So...I wasn't feeling like any of the dramas I'm currently watching (Accidentally in Love and Revenge Note being too...well, young and Let's Eat not being romance-y enough and the others on my "currently watching" (i.e. haven't yet given up on) list being a bit too angst-y) so I...of course...started a new drama.

I'd been hearing lots of buzz about how adorable The World Owes Me a First Love aka Lucky's First Love was. And also that it was very low angst and cute. Which I could use right now. Did I mention that the insurance has declared the car a total loss? Which means we'll be paying at least £3000 and possibly more AND have to buy a new car? So. Yes. I need some VERY LOW ANGST right now. Seriously. I know I'm stressing. I can feel it. My blood pressure has been wonky. My stomach has been iffy. I think I'm getting an ulcer again. So. Yes. Let's get back to the drama. The fictional drama, that is.

It is, indeed, pretty adorable so far. I'm just one episode in. Xing Yun (played by Bai Lu with hair that I feel must be a wig because it is so strangely unmoving, but is adorable nonetheless) is a hard-working and (so far) capable employee...in fact, the first employee (? there must be a story there) of TIG, a game company owned by Xia Ke (played by Xing Zhao Lin). I'm going to ignore all of the fluff blurb on Viki because it makes it sound like she's a new employee and "hijinks ensue" but that was disproved in literally the first two minutes of the show. Anyway, he can seem taciturn but as soon as no one is looking at him (especially Xing Yun...who's name means "lucky"), he gets some adorably goofy smiles on his face. He obviously finds her indispensable. It might be the whole "lucky" thing but it's obviously more.

He goads her into having a date with someone (the new game they are developing that she wants to work on is an otome, it seems) and is immediately jealous when it seems like it might have been a success. So jealous, in fact, that he even dreams about her leaving the company and having children. Oh, yeah, we all know where this is going.

I'm sure there will be antics. He's an ultra-eligible bachelor that everyone's after. Rich, good-looking, smart, etc. She's sweet but also seems to stick up for herself (thank god) and seems to have an ok head on her shoulders (other than a marked lack of dating experience). Xia Ke has a brother (really a brother?) and a sister that I think are going to play a big factor too.

At any rate, so far it looks like a keeper. Seems sweet. Funny. It's a Chinese one too, and I am trying to broaden my Korean-watching horizons, so that's good. I hope it stays as light and fluffy as it feels.

Edit: Watched the second one last night after little dude went to bed. Still funny but now so confused! So the lady I thought was his sister is maybe his ex-wife? And they have a kid together (unseen as yet) BUT the guy that Lucky is dating was together with the ex-wife and they still have feelings for each other? That seems a crazy coincidence...er, um...yeah.

Some cringeworthy scenes as Lucky goes on her second date with the dude (Chu? Eh, whatever, I know it started with a C) and his parents are there and the mom is WAY pushy for marriage. Poor girl. So she ducks out of there with a work excuse but then almost winds up kidnapped. It's all crazy. Anyway, still enjoying it. Just confused.

Edit after episode 3: Thought I might post briefly after each episode. Still confused. Is the kid his son? Can't tell. Everyone's always Uncle or Auntie so no idea of the actual relationships. But he doesn't treat Xia Ke like his dad at all. And the ex, if she is his ex, doesn't really treat him like an ex either. It's very weird. And he doesn't treat her like his ex either. So no clue what's going on. Lucky is kind of a strange character. Is she smart or dumb? It's kinda hard to tell. She's definitely awkward and doesn't think before she speaks. Methinks she's going to regret pretty much all of the things she's blurting out later on. Not sure what I think of the Chu Nan guy, though it seems he'll wind up making up one of the couples with the (maybe) ex of Xia Ke. Can't tell yet what kind of a person he is. Is he nice? Shady? Got a star-crossed love thing going on? Is he the dad? I dunno.

Edit, after episode 4: Okay, she is the big sister. Which is what I thought originally. Dunno if the kid is his or not, as the kid calls him "Uncle" but that may just be because he's illegitimate and he doesn't know who his dad is? Dunno. Anyway, still enjoying it, though Lucky really needs to grow a bit of a brain. Mostly I'm liking Xia Ke's reactions to everything.

One kinda weird thing that SO doesn't jive with my own (non-mainland) Chinese upbringing -- boy, everyone is pushing her to sleep with Chu Nan, including her mom (and his) after they'd literally had ONE date (that was cut short). It's kinda weird. I mean, I guess it's pushed her for the funny aspect of it, but it's weird. My family is so the opposite of this.

Edit, after episode 9: Yeah, I didn't bother updating after each episode. Wasn't feeling very good today and so I have vegged out. The weather is also utter crap, which doesn't really help. My brain feels like mush and I have a headache. One of those not-quite-a-migraine things. Anyway.

Lucky finally got the news that Chu Nan wasn't into her -- and, boy, his reason (which this part she doesn't know or else she'd really have to kill him...) was because he wanted to marry her and then divorce her so that he would also be a divorced person...which was the reason that his mom objected to him marrying big sister of Xia Ke. And one good thing that big sis has done is slap the heck out of him when she heard what he was up to. Good for her. Somehow, I imagine she'll wind up with him by the end of the show BUT he deserves ALL the slaps.

And to complicate that, her first husband is back. Seems he disappeared on her some years back (presumably while she was pregnant, as he didn't seem to know until recently that he had a son) after a car accident that he thought would leave him disabled (and maybe I mis-read it as this part went by fast and I was too lazy to go back and check--but Xia Ke was involved in the accident somehow?) So far, his excuse seems to be "I didn't want to burden you." So, yeah, he doesn't deserve anything from her. I suspect there's more to it than that.

Lucky was mad at Xia Ke for all of a hot minute about his role in keeping the truth from her. Honestly, a bit bothered that he really didn't apologise or try to excuse his behaviour at all. Anyway, at the point in the story where he's finally thinking whoa, maybe I like her...do I like her? I dunno...what should I do? to which I'm, like, duh, dude, you've liked her since the beginning you big idiot. And since the path to love in a drama can never be a straight line, He (the one who I thought might be a brother but turns out is probably just a university friend? He Yu) has popped back into the picture and is chasing after Lucky. Not sure why. She's definitely not his normal type, which, I suppose might be why. Though, really, we know the real reason is that something's gotta force Mr. CEO to figure out his feelings (and her, too, I suppose, since she's dumb as a post when it comes to love and reading signals). Also newly popped up is another old friend from university -- this one a girl -- who has a crush on Xia Ke but will undoubtably wind up with He.

Is that everything? I think that's mostly everything. I'm still enjoying it but there's a lot that doesn't make logical sense. But that's okay. That's not what this type of thing is for.

Edit, after episode 13: Ah, Xing Zhao Lin is doing such a good job as Xia Ke. He's finally admitted to himself and to his big sister (liking her more now, though still doubtful that Chu Nan actually deserves to be with her...and yes, there was more to ex-husband...he was having an affair way back when that she didn't know about but Xia Ke and his grandmother conspired to get him out of the picture with money (which he was more than willing to take) and now she finally knows and is with Chu Nan...mostly I feel sorry for the little kid who nearly got kidnapped/ransomed...I knew that was coming but ah, well.) that he likes Lucky. But He Yu is pushing hard, even though Lucky's really not feeling him as anything more than a friend she bickers with. But, of course, Xia Ke thinks there might be something there and goodness knows he's not a character to actually, you know, talk to people.

But, at any rate, great scene where she's drunk and angry at him and he's all at once confused and reluctant and desperate and needy, and like a drowned man, and they kiss. He did such a great job at the scene and really showed the longing. Now I'll have to look out for that actor in other stuff. Bai Lu, the actress, is decent too, but mostly her job is to be adorably clueless and there's no weight to her.

This is a very stereotypical drama in SO many ways, but it's fun even in it's predictable-ness.

Edit, after episode 14: Aw, man! This is why I don't usually watch stuff that's not fully released yet. Episode 15 is out, but it isn't fully subbed yet. Episodes 17 and 18 will be released today, and probably won't be subbed for a few more days. ARGH. Just when you think, okay, finally Lucky has told He Yu she really, really doesn't want to date him and Xia Ke is finally, finally about to say something to her...now they introduce a whole new subplot where they're accusing her of selling company secrets. I mean, I knew this was bound to happen because she met some guy at a conference that was trying to get info out of her (but she didn't give him any) but I was kinda hoping it wouldn't because that was so long ago and I just want to get to the part where they have some requited love already! Also didn't realise how many episodes it was going to be. I thought it was going to be 16, so I figured I was really close to the end and the payoff. But no...

Crap. Just looked it up on MyDramaList and it looks like there will be 24 episodes. Frickin frack.

Edit, after episode 22: I saved up until a bunch was translated and now I've just got two episodes to go (one of which is subbed, the other will probably be done tomorrow) and I'll wait and watch them both together.

Anyway...I have to say I liked the first half a bit better than this latter half where it's gone all typical storyline -- Noble Martyr (Lucky leaves the company because she thinks that's the only way to get the investment to go through & does so by pretending to date He Yu), He Yu misleading her and trying to make a relationship when she's clearly not interested, Late introduction of bitchy manipulative past girlfriend + now the manipulative and conveniently ill/dying grandma who believes lies of past girlfriend + wants Xia Ke to take over the family company + probably more Noble Martyr stuff to come. Makjang Chaebol stuff...except the Chinese version, whatever that would be called.

I mean, I like the main characters. But it has devolved into same-old-same-old. The few pluses are the other best girl friend that had the unrequited crush on Xia Ke being the one to force the stalemate and that Lucky at least USUALLY stands up for herself.

But.

Sigh.

I wanted more than the typical out of this one because so many of the other elements were so good. It's not that it's bad and it's on par with a lot of other shows I've watched -- seriously, these are the storylines that FREAKING ALWAYS TURN UP. But I did want it to turn some new corners and instead it took a 180 into bog standard.

The best bits are with the two leads together. More of that, please.

Edit: Okay, I finished it and contrary to all the clues, the last two episodes were remarkably Noble Idiot free. Thank goodness. Actually even a few satisfying bits, where the evil Ex was trying so very, very hard to screw things up and get Lucky to come unglued, but instead she rose to the occasion (in a not-bitchy way). And Xia Ke never  went down the O woe, I must give up all that I love to take on the family business (instead, older sis was the new chairwoman). So while there was some angst, it was all managed in far better a fashion than I had any expectation of. So even though they introduced all the old tired storylines, they actually at least handled them in a fresher way.

So I'm happy with that. Lucky even pushed him to accept her as a full partner rather than as a behind-the-scenes-someone-I-must-protect person, which was also refreshing. They even gave us a double wedding at the end and a cutesy ending scene. So, thank you, Chinese writer person, whoever you are. I thought you had failed me, but you prevailed.