Triad Princess

The next episode of My Secret Terrius wasn't downloaded and I didn't want to wait, so I thought I'd try a shorter drama (40 minutes an episode) for a shorter exercise session anyway. So I tried out Triad Princess. I'd had it on my list for a while as it looked ridiculously silly but fun and people had been posting how funny it was on Twitter.

I didn't actually realise it was a Chinese one vs. a Korean one until the first line of dialogue as I hadn't paid much attention when I'd seen a clip (without sound). So that was a little surprise, but okay. I've been having better luck with the newer Chinese dramas than old ones.

I knew going in that, somehow, the daughter (Eugenie Liu) of a triad gangster type winds up being a bodyguard of some pop star/Idol/actor type (Jasper Liu). That was about all I knew. I'd thought it might be a good one to watch with the little dude as it looked like a fair amount of physical comedy from the clip I'd seen.

Wouldn't say I know a lot more now after the first episode, though they've thrown in an impending marriage (for the daughter...her dad wants her to marry the son of another triad leader to help consolidate their power) and her trying to exert her independence. And a potential sort-of triangle where there's another actress who is just friends with the male lead (played very cutely so far by Jasper Liu) and their agent is making it look like they are dating, even though they're not.

It looks promisingly funny, but I've given up on the idea of showing it to little dude as there's already bits I'm like....eh....no. Like the fact that all the daughter's previous boyfriends were all cheating scumbags and her latest one is too, and she sends a bunch of henchmen to throw him in the river (though, of course, they accidentally kidnap pop star dude from the hotel instead because the hooker told them the wrong room, though the daughter's got no idea that the pop star she crushes on is the guy she just had nearly drowned). Little dude might be okay with that, but, eh, there's a lot of shows we could watch together that don't have cheaters and hookers, so...

I wouldn't say I'm totally sold on it yet, but I can see it has possibility. Definitely one I want to see a few more episodes of before I decide.

Anyway, looks like an option on days I'm going for a 40 minute workout instead of an hour.

Edit: Ok. Ugh. So. There were just six episodes on Netflix and I thought, oh, maybe it's one of those super short series. Considering the plot, I wouldn't have been surprised. It's kinda light and rushed, like some of the web dramas I've seen. BUT NO. NO. Apparently, this was just a first season. And who knows when a second season will be.

But...it was a first season with only SIX episodes and they're only about 40 minutes each (really more like 30-something when you skip through the credits.

Anyway. I finished the episodes that are out. And...well...I can't say that I love it. I mean, I liked both the leads pretty well. Eugenie Liu had a bit more to do than Jasper Liu -- he's terribly adorable, but they didn't give him too much to work with. And while they had nice chemistry together (ha, and since it's Taiwanese rather than Korean, they did more than some stiff-lipped kissing), I didn't really find the romance all that believable. It was w-a-y too fast. And then, the last two episodes were all about Jasper being a noble idiot. And then they ended on a cliffhanger.

And the introduction of the probable villain for the second season -- Eddie Kim, the fiancé from the other triad gang in Hong Kong she hasn't seen in 10 years that keeps telling her "I only want you to be happy" and is now no longer fat, but fit. But he's not happy about her being in love with another dude. I'm never fond of these storylines. Why would he think he's in love with someone he hasn't seen since he was a little kid and who has made it clear she only thinks of him as a friend? It just doesn't make sense. And her happiness doesn't seem like it's actually on his radar.

And there's the guy holding the other actress' son hostage. He just WILL NOT DIE. Go away already, you over-actor.

Anyway, I'm not gonna rehash it all. It doesn't make a lot of sense and when the second season comes out, I probably won't be watching it, even if I did like the leads. I'm not sure if it should take itself more serious or go the opposite direction, but it's trying to balance somewhere in the middle and it just wasn't really working for me. I will keep an eye out on for the actors though. They just need a better story.

Bonus, though, for having a whole sub-plot about one of her henchman dudes and her best guy friend having a romance. I was actually rooting for them.