Une histoire d'amour : Tu es le plus grand bonheur de ma vie (2021)

If you liked Boss & Me you’ll love this

Watching this drama brought back so many memories of Boss & Me. It’s like an upgraded modern version of it. I like that the female lead is a lot smarter and more confident in this one. She’s not shy or unsure of herself. And the romance has a lot more spice to it. The male lead is very similar to his character in Boss & Me which is fine with me because I loved him in that drama. It’s very similar in that it had your typical cliche second leads that were obsessed with the main leads and caused a lot of problems. And there was a big gap in the leads ages and social status which caused problems for them. So, just like Boss & Me, the basic setting of the drama isn’t fresh or new. But the dialogue and how they interacted with each other was very touching. I also appreciated that there were no tripping into the male leads arms, no drunk confessions, no noble sacrifice, no unnecessary breakups, and no accidental kisses. There was some angst and tension but it was never overboard or too much. And most conflicts were resolved pretty quickly which I prefer.

The romance was refreshing because it grew slowly over time and seemed very realistic. It was surprisingly mature and had a natural feel to it too. There’s lots of steamy kisses and skinship. If you haven’t seen this male lead kiss before you’re in for a treat. He is very passionate and tends to dive right in enthusiastically, especially after she gives him a brief peck on the lips which he always claims isn’t enough. I really liked the romance in this drama. The leads were very comfortable and flirty together and had amazing chemistry.

I loved the female leads character. Not only is she smart, confident, and talented, but she is also a gifted clothing designer. Her clever creations fusing Eastern and Western styles catches the fashion industry’s attention. But her goal of getting Chinese embroidery and fabrics into mainstream fashion throughout Europe is a lofty one most consider unattainable. She has an uphill battle ahead of her in the fashion industry. Unfortunately, at the same time she also has to deal with several jealous females that constantly cause problems for her. One is jealous of her successful career, another is jealous of her boyfriend, and the other is jealous of her popularity. I see a lot of this at my job so I could definitely relate to it. There’s way too many women being jealous of each other instead of empowering each other nowadays. But the way the female lead stands up for herself and shuts down her haters with clever responses made me admire her so much. I really enjoyed watching her character learn and grow.

The male lead reminded me a lot of the character he portrayed in Boss & Me. He’s rich, smart, talented, and a super romantic boyfriend. He is put into a difficult situation by the second female lead. Despite his clear lack of interest in her romantically, she sacrifices everything to be by his side and help him. She gives up her dreams of being an artist and switches to his college to learn business management. Then she becomes a constant and indispensable fixture in both his family’s business and in his families personal lives. Her actions puts tremendous pressure on him to be with her. Everyone, especially his mother, thinks that he is obligated to marry her despite his lack of romantic feelings for her. Since she’s sacrificed so much it seems like the most honorable thing to do. So many look down on him when he rejects the second female lead. He ends up having to fight for his right to choose who he dates and marries. I admired him for never wavering in his firm stance to be with the woman he loved. He made it clear he would marry her or not marry at all. Yet he was still honorable and respectful to his family. You just can’t help but love him.

For the most part this drama was way above average. The acting was phenomenal which is not surprising since the leads are well known veteran actors. And the set design and wardrobe were gorgeous. It was obviously a big budget drama. The biggest negative about it was the very cliche setting of the drama. And there were a lot of annoying jealous females that go a bit too far. The other negative is the female leads hairstyle. Why do Chinese dramas make the young female leads have childish hairstyles? Seeing the female lead run around in braided pigtails or a braided ponytail for the first half of the drama was annoying. Then in the second half she often has the “Apple hair” where a small portion of her hair is pulled up into a small ponytail on top of her head. It isn’t attractive and looks far too childish for a graduating college student in her mid 20’s starting a career as a designer. Fortunately she is very pretty and her wardrobe was gorgeous so the pigtails and Apple hair didn’t look too bad. It’s just sad that we didn’t get to see her long beautiful hair down in a more mature hairstyle very much.

In conclusion, if you can get past the cliche setting of this drama you’ll love it. It’s cliche but cliche done right. I don’t mind a cliche drama if the acting is good, the leads are likable, and the chemistry is on fire. And this drama has all of that and more. These talented actors bring their characters to life and make you love and admire them. I loved all of the characters, even the trouble makers (well except for maybe one of them). There’s also a couple of side romances that were cute and fun to watch too. This is a very sweet light fluffy romance drama with just the right amount of angst and tension. If you’re looking for a riveting action packed thriller or a melodrama with lots of angst then this isn’t for you. But if you like sweet romantic dramas where the leads communicate well, have great chemistry, and have a healthy relationship, then you should watch this drama. Personally I loved it and will definitely watch again in the future.

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Another Domineering CEO Romance with some redeeming qualities . . .

Buy-in to this drama is easy - the romantic chemistry is excellent. All the characters are believably in the fashion industry, talk intelligently about it, and there's a lot of interesting tidbits about fabrics, embroidery etc. On top of that, all the clothes and fashion the characters are wearing are really stylish and a joy. . . . so then why drop it?

It is a very retro drama, is the reason - with many irrational and emotional women characters. The domineering CEO is truly old-fashioned. He is of course more important than anyone else, and thus he should have the power and control over the relationship. Everyone must trust his priorities and his judgment, those who do not (mostly women) are foolish.

As it drags along, the mysteries resolve in the same lacklustre way. Our domineering CEO solves everything, and if he can't, his plucky romantic interest will solve it for him. There's no real crisis or point where he loses his cool, and without any sophisticated themes, it all just drags . . .

Worth a try if domineering CEOs are your thing but it lost my interest .

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Learned lots about Chinese embroidery and cloth

Things I liked:

1) Features a lot of Chinese embroidery and fabric. And not just one region's techniques, but various people groups, styles and eras. A lot of these techniques are thousands of years old. It's a bit of a history lesson, but I love it.
2) Leads. I like the actors and I think they portrayed their roles well. I especially liked how they wrote the FL's character. She's confident but not arrogant, stands her ground but is kind. Lovable, and definitely not annoying.
3) Beautiful framing. From scenery to the runway, I thought the shots and framing were beautiful.
4) Music fit the drama. Although nothing stood out, the music was fitting.

Things I didn't like:
1) Pacing. History and fashion lessons aside, the pacing of the whole drama was slow. Very slow. I felt like watching the drama at 1.5 speed was more fitting. A lot of slow walking down the street or staring off into space shots.
2) I thought the "bad guys" could have had more dimension to them. Perhaps more character development? I don't know, they seemed kind of flat.

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If only the amazing chemistry was the focus

The OTP had amazing chemistry! ML really went after FL and tried to fix his shortcomings when she was hesitant and tried to reassure her that they could have a good ship. FL not getting it at first (as usual) was annoying but her hesitation once she understood was realistic. Then comes all the side story and SLs to make a big mess and drag the whole show. The usual jealousy shtick - although warranted this time as SFL and especially SML were obsessive. The antagonists justification were absurd and they really needed therapy for their made up issues with FL. It really could have been 24 eps and an amazing story with a great cast. I’m only giving it 7 because of the chemistry and Zhang Han doing a phenomenal job of showing he really had the hots for his gal.

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Brings me back to 2000s drama vibes

Here are just some of the tropes you'll see: overbearing CEO, determined and upbeat female lead, business politics/change of control, serious hospital scenes, disapproving parent, light-hearted second couple, misunderstandings and revenge, betrayal, and incredibly annoying/clingy second leads. Combined with the relatively long 45 eps for a modern drama, the dragginess accentuates the full experience of watching a drama that feels like it was written in 2007.

Not a pro nor a con but this drama really does feel like those "stereotypical" Chinese dramas from the 2000s - when a drama is overloaded with tropes. Although the plot is filled with it, it's still enjoyable with great acting, solid chemistry between leads, and an intriguing plot. I wouldn't write home about it but it combines the 2000s drama plot atmosphere with a 2020s polish. I'll start with the pros.

Pros: Acting is on point. The leads were great and very limited dubbing which is great. Although there's very serious parts, the couple's relationship is never really in turmoil which is always refreshing to see (no dumb breakups!!!). OST is solid and I particularly liked the more traditional music influence. The business side is about fashion which is a breath of fresh air as well.

Cons: A bit too typical and predictable. Although it was great that the couple's relationship was healthy for once (in a CEO drama!!), the rest of the plot isn't anything to write home about. Although at times, it hooks viewers to see how the leads are going to pull something off with satisfying gratification moments sprinkled throughout, it's still too draggy. 45 episodes is a tad too long -- cutting 10-15 episodes would have helped.

The biggest complaint (other than being too predictable) are the second leads. The second leads are too madly in love with the leads, and their behavior spans essentially 40 of the 45 episodes. This adds to the predictability, drag, and angst. It makes even less sense considering the main couple is such a healthy one; having such obsessive second leads was hard to bear. The second male lead had it worst - stalkerish, doesn't take no for an answer, stubborn.

The parts of the plot that are more character-driven were great. But the parts with external plot points were bad. The villains and second leads were very disappointing.

Overall, not a bad watch. I thoroughly enjoyed it but it's not without flaws. Too long and tropey are my main concerns, with one dimensional second leads. If you watch it for the main couple, fashion, or if you want a show with a little bit of "every type of plot", you won't be disappointed.

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Realistic, romantic, intelligent drama (just one spoiler)

First, let me say that Sunshine of My Life is one of my go-to dramas to re-watch as it is a relatively rare type - the couple, once together stays together, despite difficulties and challenges.

The ML (Zhang Han is one of my favorite actors) and FL (Xu Lu now one of my favorite actresses) have such wonderful chemistry. Their acting skills make Mingxuan and Mo Fei seem like a real couple, with affectionate little touches & looks from each of them. And I love that, thought a confident CEO, Mingxuan isn't cold and/or mean. He knows how to laugh, has fun lightly teasing his assistant, Yang Guang (played terrifically by Li Xin Zhe!) and is a little innocent in love, allowing Yang Guang to teach him a bit. But I really love that he isn't afraid of hard work. His intelligence & hard work ethic helps to keep his company flourishing .

Mo Fei is just a fantastic character; strong, capable, independent , talented woman without being whiney or the typical "crying excessively" type. She never feels sorry for herself and always pushes forwarded to fulfill her own dreams, not relying on anyone but using her own "smarts" and talents. Mo Fei and Minxuan were so REAL & handled problems as adults, being willing to forgive each other and understand each other's views with time & thought. AND THEY NEVER BROKE UP! OUTSTANDING! :) And I loved that they WAITED to sleep together until they knew that they were truly in love, not just in lust!

Also, Mo Fei can sure dish out to others what others dish out to her -- the SFL in particular. Mo Fei is the epitome of the word "sassy" and takes down the SFL with words, with eloquence and style, rather than the tricks the bitchy SFL uses. Wang Rui Zi played Xueling exactly right! Why are so many SFL characters so self absorbed that they can't tell that the ML isn't in love with them? If the ML is only being friendly, the SFL ALWAYS thinks that means that he loves her and wants to marry only her!

All of the actors played their parts beautifully, especially the SML. Hong Yao plays him as so arrogant that even when the ML and FML are together, he continues to think he can change her mind (which is why he moved into the apartment beside her in France). I also love the character of his sister, Fang Qian (played so well by Wang Xuan). She is a little TOO sweet for my taste, but the character calls for that and Wang Xuan delivers it beautifully.
Mo Fei's relationship with her brother Mo Fan (played terrifically by Jerron Wu) portrays a real brother-sister dynamic and it's hilarious and heartwarming.

The other characters: Minxuan's parents, Mo Fei's mother, Mingxuan's cousin, and all of the others (especially Cheng Yang the new designer at Mingyuan for whom Mo Fei is his assistant (played with such class by Xu Ge), as well Master Li, the owner of the embroidery workshop, Suzhou. (played gently & beautifully by Qian Jie)

The only problem I had, and why I gave the music a 9.5, was the song "Falling for You" which played throughout the drama. It very quickly became annoying for me.

The clothing in this drama were outstanding! You really felt they worked in the FASHION industry!

Over all this drama is a solid 10, in my opinion. VERY rewatchable, VERY realistic and intelligent. Highly recommended!

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A package of Mature Romance, Good Understanding and Ambitious Career.

One of the best dramas about Fashion Designing and the Clothing Industry. Much better than the 'Love Designer'.
The romance between the two main leads is very mature. I mean not lovey-dovey type, but mature and sweet. They both understand themselves and each other very clearly. They are not ready to sacrifice their love or career for each other's sake or anyone's sake. They are not confused about what they want. It's an eye-soothing mature romance drama.
Second Male Lead and Second Female Lead, both are the same amount annoying! Fortunately, they don't have much effect on Main Leads' romance. But the second lead couple is very cute. They are the lovey-dovey couple in this drama. Their sweet romance makes this drama very enjoyable.

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For simple love story you can try this drama

As a whole I like this drama, I like all the characters and I like how it shown the importance of each characters in others life and in the loved ones life. Even though the Qianqian’s role is very less but I like her the most because she is soo innocent, soo pure and soo cute in this drama. But what I felt bad is, spending too much of episodes for the FML education, they always stayed away in most of the romantic times rather than giving more time to FL and ML being together. The most embarrassing one is at the end episode, when she introduced her husband in the fashion show he suddenly went and kissed her.

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Drama incentrato sulla moda un po' troppo lungo!

Drama di per se è molto carino una storia vista e rivista e anche con molti dei classici cliché però veramente troppo lunga e a tratti un po' noiosa.
La storia d'amore tra un ricco e maturo amministratore di un grande gruppo di moda che incontra una ragazza più giovane studentessa di moda con grandi e bellissimi sogni.Lei non ha intenzione di rinunciare ai suoi sogni e alla fine farà davvero carriera.Ci sono anche un po' di triangoli amorosi.Ci sono amiche invidiose famiglie contrarie etc il tutto ambientato nel mondo della moda con molte forze anche troppe anche se interessanti storie e spiegazioni sulla moda tradizionale cinese.
Nel complesso un bel drama anche perché i protagonisti hanno una chimica bellissima e sembrano una coppia vera,quei momenti di loro insieme,tra baci,attenzioni e coccole sono molto belli,ne avrei preferiti di più.
Finale bello per loro e anche per altre coppie del drama.

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A very typical love story

There is similarity with the other series "因为遇见你" (Because of you) that i have watched previously. I would say that i would have preferred the other drama because there are more unexpected plot twists.

This is like plain ole' vanilla, which never gets boring. Love Zhang Han in drama, his acting is superb as usual (what you get from a veteran actor). A drama where the FL with a distinct personality and goes all out to pursue her dream really appeals to me. And an overbearing CEO(as usual) who shows his cute sides (sometimes) will definitely tug your heartstrings.

The drama might feel a little draggy, so i actually skipped some parts while watching; but definitely know what's going on between the characters so all's good

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Great and awesome main leads; Hidden gem

This show in terms of story was a typical boss drama but the characters were really special. I loved both the characters, they were so clear on their visions. For both of them love was important but they never let it overpower their daily lives. One of my favourite things about this show was how the main leads handled the guy's mother. The male lead never disrespected his mother but was clear that no one can pressurize him to do something. He always stated his points clearly in front of his mother and other people like second female lead as well. In terms of handling people, the female lead also surprised me. The way she handled the second female lead and the mother impressed me. The talk with mother in the cafe was epic.

At first I thought it to be a above average typical cdrama but the more I see this drama in depth I realise that it had many unique elements. The first one being such mature characters. The communication and respect for each other in their relationship was solid. They were an ideal example of how a healthy non-toxic relationship should look. There might be conflicts and situational problems like long distance relationship but at the end of the day it is up to you whether these things will make your relationship toxic or you will pass through these obstacles while keeping your relationship healthy. This drama teaches you to live a mentally healthy and good life while being a strong independent and loved person. Totally in awe with the main leads.

My final say: A beautiful drama with many hidden messages. Even if you don't find all of them, you will still enjoy this drama and feel happy while watching the episodes. It is a modern cdrama of 2021 in true terms with respect to its story and character development.

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