Somewhere Only We Know

 In my continuing quest to find Chinese shows to watch, I tried out Somewhere Only We Know. 

It's from China and I gotta say that I am having more luck with it than the last couple of Taiwanese shows I've tried. The description says: "Ph.D. candidate in Physics Mu Cheng He catches a third-year student in English Xue Tong cheating on an exam. When he even becomes the substitute teacher in her elective course Russian and makes her study with him after classes, her hatred for him only grows. Over time, however, Xue Tong discovers Teacher Mu’s true character and comes to secretly love him." though that's incorrect in an important way -- she wasn't cheating, though he thought she was (it was her friends who were). He winds up helping to prove her innocence.

It also leaves out an important character note -- Xue Tong's father was a normal man who died a heroic death and she's been living her life "as the hero's daughter" when she'd rather just have a father. 

It's actually been a week or two since I watched the episodes (I'm 3 in) and I've watched some other things since then. I can't say that I loved the beginning of this one, though it was leaps and bounds better than the Taiwanese ones I'd tried right before it. 

It reminds me in many ways of Put Your Head on My Shoulder, but it's a bit...pale in comparison? It's bit more over-act-y than that one and I don't like the main leads nearly as well (either of them--they aren't as engaging or sympathetic, nor does this show have the same level of humour). That said, it isn't bad. I've read some reviews that said the first few episodes were the worst, so that might be it. I am willing to give it another episode or two to see if it will grab me either with story or character and not be something I watch just to listen to Chinese.