Review: A Love So Beautiful starring Shen Yue, Hu Yitian

The first time I saw the teaser of A Love So Beautiful (top billed by Shen Yue and Hu Yutian) I thought it looks like It Started with a Kiss of Ariel Lin and Joe Cheng.  Now that I finally finish to watch this Chinese Web Series, I can confirmed that yes, it’s similar to ISWAK, but it has different flavors that you still want to watch it.

I will not make my A Love So Beautiful Review too long. So here are the good and the bad points about this series that also features Gao Zhi Ting, Sun Ning, and Wang Zi Wei

The Good points

• Your unusual ideal girl and her lovely interest- if there’s realistic and relatable character for me in the series/ or any C-drama is Wang Zi Wei’s Lin Jing Xiao.  I like the idea that she’s not your typical honor student.  She’s strong,      almost boyish, but lovable and beautiful. I want to be like her if I am still a student.  She also represents the way young girl students express their hidden admiration and friendship with their cliques.

• The perfect in imperfection-  When it comes to characterization and acting, I like Hu Yitian portrayal of  Jiang Chen ( at some point even more from  Joe Cheng ‘s Jiang Zhi Shu) . His character/ acting brings me to his journey of being a lover to Xiao Xi and overcoming his life struggless.  Yutian gives soul to his role that you hate him, like him, want to punch him, forgive him, and love him even more.  His height is also cute for Shen Yue that sometimes I imagine their physical struggles (hahaha) because of this.

• Happy vibe of cinematography - If there’s powerful factor that makes this series looks light and happy- that's cinematography.  I watched via TV, computer, and mobile phone and the aura is still the same.  The lighting is magical, the color is dramatic, and the beauty of the settings/locations are remarkable. It even give lives to windows, rooms, and grass fields. 

In the last scene when Xiao Xi and Jiang Chen are walking hand-hand. If I am traveler or ordinary passerby, I don’t think that area is special.  But thanks to cinematography and visual effect that became cinematic.

• A sidekick/ love interest - Sun Ning’s Lu Yang is the male version of Xiao Xi and Yuan Xi. But Lu Yang is not only extra especial because of that. Sun Ning’s portrayal is cute, consistent, and believable lover. You will definitely fall in love with him in the end.

• The light long love story - Overall I am satisfied with the story of A Love So Beautiful. If there loopholes they are not too many and too distracting to knock down the entire series. In fact, this is the anchor to make every part of the show so appealing. 

Yes this is the story of ordinary girl who meets handsome intelligent boy again.  But hey, Jiang Chen is not perfect and rich.  If you’re not into someone like him or he’s not handsome for you, he’s actually very ordinary. But since she’s the love interest of Xiao Xi, whatever good traits he has become so cool.  They actually complement each other and projected a story you can't resist.

• The music is also enchanting especially the OBB

Here the cool English version/interpretation (that I saw so far) of the OST " I like You So Much, You'll Know It" 

• The strong points of Xiao Xi/ Shen Yue as the lead actress. Pardon me if I am obviously a fan of Ariel Lin and It started with a Kiss (actually more on They Kiss Again). But I can say that Shen Yue and Xioa Xi has strong points too, especially given the idea that the actress is a neophyte to begin with.
• She’s convincing as someone who should be weak, slow, and desperate over her love interest.   She impressively embodies Xiao Xi (but not all the time). So with this, I want to see her in Meteor Garden version 2.0.
• She’s cute and bubbly.   Her beauty is refreshingly unique and  youthful. She can also easily transform from old to young Xiao Xi and vice versa.

Bad Points

•          Woke up like cheesy. I think as a TV star and actress, Shen Yue (Chen Xiao Xi) has potentials to become even more popular in Asia. But like other new stars,  she has to be insatiable in learnings to hone her acting skills. It's good if a director who handles her is an "actor-director," but based on different Asian dramas I already saw there are only few. Thus, she needs to do self study especially in character profiling. But  again I emphasize she's very good in A Love So Beautiful. 

I don’t particularly like her acting in the episode 23 where she woke up, walked, and hug Hu Yutian (Jiang Chen) from behind.  The acting is so artificial and cheesy. Very far from what she already delivered in other episodes.

•          Unbelievable. Gao Zhi Ting’s Wu Bo Song is another example of “a no match third wheel character.” But in fairness, I actually love the idea that Jiang Chen is good in academic, while he’s good in sport. I even agree to Chen Xiao Xi’s argument in their school debate, where she used Wu Bo Song’s story as a defense---

That academic excellence in school doesn’t automatically mean success.  Students whether good or slow in their classes can define their success in the future through hard work and skills/ talents.

                Wu Bo Song’s story is touching and properly established in the series, but I don’t why he still looks like so pathetic. This make the story so predictable.  He was supposed to put a good fight, but the visual execution and acting projected differently. He’s not believable swimming champion and popular commercial model. Is he too humble to imbibe the aura of a well-known celebrity?  I don't think so. Or is it about the budget? Probably yes. 

Jin Yuan Feng of Jiro Wang in ISWAK is an obvious no match third wheel too, but the actor delivered good acting and you will eventually sympathize with his character. It came to a point that you would wonder "what if Jiro Wang and Ariel Lin team up in new series?"

 I learned that this is the first acting chop of Gao Zhi Ting so it’s understandable. But I hope when I see his next time, he becomes better. He has attractive smile by the way, better than Hu Yutian.

• Full of boundary.  Aside from the lead characters, I like Wang Zi Wei’s Lin Jing Xiao.  Maybe that's also the reason why I gave attention to Zhang He Hao Zhen and his Dr. Li Shu role.  If Gao Zi Ting is very raw, his acting is very early 2000s.  You know the type of role and acting that dull as doll.  I saw this type of persona especially in the earliest Chinese and Taiwanese series I watched. They just talk and talk without expression at all. Good thing Lin Jing Xiao ended up with Lu Yang. Thank you! 

Another character that so cliché for me is the school headmaster/ principal- the role is overbearing and the portrayal is overacting.