Duration: 45 minutes per episode; total of 49 episodes (on Netflix)/ 50 episodes (on TV)
Type: Drama
Synopsis: The story centers around an ordinary girl, Dong Shancai, who is accepted into the most prestigious university in the country, Ming De University. Shancai is a girl from a family that barely makes ends meet. Due to the nature of her personality, she immediately clashes with F4, an elite clique composed of the four most popular boys in the institution, especially its spoiled, rich and arrogant leader - Daoming Si. Gradually, Daoming Si falls deeply in love with Shancai, only to realize that she is in love with one of his best friends, Huaze Lei.
Eventually, the four boys begin to acknowledge Shancai's unyielding personality that is like her namesake: a weed that can never be brought down. Shancai begins to see the good in the boys, paving the way for friendships and an eventual romance. However, Daoming Si's mother strongly disapproves of Shancai due to her social status and family background, thus the former doing all things in order to break Shancai and Daoming Si's relationship.
Reasons for Recommendation:
Cover: 5/5 - The cover poster is part of the drama's beautiful aesthetic, which revolves around shooting stars/comets. Although the poster looks peaceful, the drama is far from it! There are plenty of twists and turns that'll leave you on the edge of your seat. She's considered the "ugly duckling", but watching the people around her begin to admire her as they learn more and more about her
Characters: 4/5
Dong Shancai: She is a stubborn character who resists F4's challenge when she receives their ill-fated Joker card. She's considered the "ugly duckling" but watching the people around her begin to admire her as they learn more and more about her and understand how she views the world. She's a relatable character because at some point, all of us have gone through moments where we felt insecure about ourselves, but as we watch Shancai learn to love herself, it's almost as if we're going through this journey with her. By the end of her journey, she's happier than she's ever been and is confident with who she is. She even fights for what's most important to her: Daoming Si.
Daoming Si: He is abrasive at first, acting like an entitled rich kid, who should get his way because he belongs to one of the richest families. At first, we can't help but dislike him because he's so insensitive and rude towards Shancai. He sees her as a challenge, instead of a person. At this point, we're struggling to get past this character because he appears to be toxic. We deduct a point for this because at times, it's absolutely frustrating to see how he treats her! However, that just means his transformation into someone better is going to be just as a great. By the end of the drama, Daoming Si cares for Shancai more than he's ever cared about anyone. She changes him in a way that makes him a better person, though some of his more demanding qualities are still present, but not as overbearing or inconsiderate as before.
Huaze Lei: Something about Huaze Lei is captivating, whether it be his quiet, mysterious demeanor or his musical talent. It's hard not to root for him as Shancai's love interest in the beginning because of how kind he is to her. We think that he should be the love interest because he's always there to help cheer Shancai up when Daoming Si makes her cry. His presence brings in the fated love triangle that we're used to seeing in romance novels.
Plot: 4/5 - The story is good, but somewhat predictable. For those of you familiar with Boys Over Flowers, you're in for a similar ride! It is also a remake of the 2001 Taiwanese drama. Although we can predict what conflicts may arise, it doesn't stop us from tearing through episodes. By the time you're done, you'll wish you could watch it all again to observe the characters' journey into better people.
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