Je Ne Veux Pas être Amie avec Toi (2020)

A Bittersweet Twist.

Slice of life genres are rarely everyone's cup of tea. The realistic portrayal of life and relatable characters are what makes one fall in love with them. When dramas like Go Ahead peaked back in 2020, no one paid much attention to silly kids' genres dramas such as I Don't Want To Be Friends With You. MangoTV never bothered to subtitle it and it wasn't until six months later that Kukan Drama Channel decided to pick it up. And then the magic began...
-- The Plot:
Li Jin Bu, a 17 year old who is sick of her single mother's neglectful and careless antics decides to stay overnight at a Public Bathhouse as a sign of her displeasure and finds herself transported 20 years back to her mother's cold North Eastern hometown. Lost and confused, she has no choice but to track down the last person she had wanted to see: Li Qing Tong, her mother... who is completely unaware of who she is. Cooking up lies and jumping through hoops, guided by a mysterious man, Jin Bu takes it upon herself to change her mother once and for all.
--- The Duo:
Li Jin Bu is no angel. She is lonely, stoic and often ruthless with her words. She is perhaps, one of the most realest characters I've seen in a High school drama to date. Her mother, Li Qing Tong is not a bright one either. Slightly dumb with low IQ and high EQ, she tries her best and doing things the right way. As time goes, Jin Bu starts to grow up along with her mother and gets to know her from a different angle. The show explored the depth of their relationship perfectly. They go from mother-daughter to realizing that they are each others' best friends.
--- The Brotherhood:
Honestly, Chen Jun He, Duan Xiao and Ba Dan were characters that made me laugh and cry at the same time. Particularly Chen Jun He. His antics with his friends, his family and Qing Tong were the highlights of the show.
-- Romance:
I rarely ship ships. But, I'd die for Jin Bu and Duan Xiao. Subtle romance without words are my top weaknesses and this couple managed to hit all the feels the right way. Jin Bu never confessed outright to Xiao. And I understand why. But, she always put forward what he wants and tried to be her very best to him. Her sincerity and his trust were beyond heartwarming. Their every moment together was like a piece of treasure.
-- Overall:
I have no words to describe how much this drama means to me. It was in no way a perfect production, but it made me lose interest in other dramas for two months straight. The characters, the lessons, the sweet memories that it left for me can never be put down in words. But, I sincerely implore you to give this little gem a try. :)

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a heartwarming bittersweet youth growing up story

i just finished watching this amazing drama, i have so many emotions going through me rn. this drama literally hit all the right points in a youth drama, it made me laugh and cry in the best way possible. here's a breakdown of the pros and cons:
pros:
- the romance is so so cute, there's mainly 3 couples and their interactions r the funniest
- personally i loved li qingtong and wu zhixun's romance the best, i felt like they had more dynamic compared to li jingbu and duan xiaos maybe it's cause i knew li jingbu wasn't there to stay
- if you love youth school dramas following a group of friends then this is your drama
- the acting was perfect, i felt as if i was in their little friend group
- i appreciated just the idea of li jingbu going back to realize how her mom grew up and her hardships
- loved how the girls were strong and stood up for themselves and each other
- focus on li qingtong's family was the best, i loved their interactions with each other
- cinematography was outstanding, the northwest region in china they filmed at was so beautiful but looked so cold

cons:
- the ending, how could they . . . im so dissapointed
- i know cdramas are known for their open endings but i really hoped we could have gotten some more conclusion from the couples
- when i rooted for 3 couples and none of them ended together
- i know a lot of people liked chen junhe but i honestly found him kinda annoying until just the last 2 ep
- i needed more wu zhixun in general, idek if he is a ML cause he's li qingtongs love interest but he never really got much screentime
- i liked their high school scenes a lot better than the college story but ig that's the only way we got up to li jingbu being born
overall a highly recommended watch !!

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A Real Gem

I came across this drama in just browsing some recommended unpopular but good Chinese drama. And at first I was a little doubtful because I do not like student or high school setting drama. But this drama changed my prospective about dramas with this kind of settings.

It is realistic life happenings and decisions which makes it more interesting. Although the plot has a time travel or "experience the past" fantasy blend to it. It will not disappoint you because of the mature growth of characters in it.
The ending although it could have been more explained, it have a good open end which leaves audience to their imagination.

Hope we can get more dramas like these.

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Back in time...

I don't wanna be friends with you. This Chinese drama made me cry a bucket. The scenes truly gave me time to reminisce my high school years.
This drama had a wonder casts specially female leads. I also want to highlight the apple of the eye of Li Xiatong of whom she admired the most-Mr. Wu. I'm so inlove with their characters. I love the cold attitude of Mr. Wu and jolly Li Xiatong.
Also, the songs played in this drama will surely give you a Northern China vibes.
What I don't like here and gave me vagueness was the ending. I think it lacked substance. The writer should at least put a happy ending to Xiatong and Wu. At the last episode, there should be a reconcilation scene of Xiatong and Wu knowing the fact that Linjin already knew that her father was Mr.Wu. Moreover, the writer should at least put another character for Chun Junhe's love interest.
Any my overall rating for this Chinese drama is 9.5/10. Still, I recommend this drama to you if you want to watch a time travel inspired series.

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The summary of this drama is pretty accurate. Its a time traveling drama about a daughter going back 20 years to meet her mom. The current relationship between the daughter and mom is not very good. The daughter blames the mom and ask what happen to her dad. Some how the daughter ends up time travels back to when her mom was in high school. There she meet the male lead. He goes to school with the mom and is in the same class. The daughter goes back in time to find out who her father is. As she gets to know her mom she understands her mom. They are best friends through the story.

Daughter aka female lead is a sunshine girl, real , cares about her friends
Mom aka second. female lead is a little hot head, loud, but also really nice, not too smart in school
Male lead aka daughters love interest is smart, caring and a gentlemen ,always caring for the female lead

The story focuses on friendship between the high school students/ encounters like college entrance exam, graduations etc. There is also love story that blossoms between the male and female lead. Even the second male and female character. Some heart-wrenching moments too, where i feel for the third male character

It's a good amount of romance, school and family.

The story line is nicely developed and rounds back at the end where she goes back to the current times. Its a good story of appreciating the single mom.

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Meaningful Storyline

If i wasn't pressed by time and hw, i would recommend you to watch it as it is, no need to skip anything / increase the playback speed, it has a perfect length for school-life drama. There is a meaning behind every action, every frown, every gesture.
This drama can actually present how diverse is every family living style, how they manage their child, how parents express their love, how typical every mom is, gossipy, controlling, while trying to hide every obstacle they encountered from their child.

I think this drama truly maximize their potential on actors, film set, and basically everything. I didn't have anything to complain about the background setting (iykwim), a beautiful drama indeed.

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Poignant, Sweet, and Funny

This was a very poignant, sweet, and funny show. I really enjoyed Li Jin Bu's trip back to the past, watching as she got to know her mother and her mother's friends, and becoming friends with them herself. If I had to name one thing that this show did really well, it's the characterization and character development. In particular, Li Jin Bu, Li Qing Tong, Duan Xiao, and Chen Jun He. This show takes place over several years, and it's a well depicted journey of the end of childhood into early adulthood. The music did a great job of accentuating various scenes, particularly in the second half of the show, which was more romance-focused. While occasionally people would make frustrating decisions, they generally felt consistent with the characterization. Overall, I really enjoyed watching this show and would wholeheartedly recommend it.

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Best "Time Travel" Drama

I don't even know if I can describe everything I loved and hated this drama in words cause there's so much. But this is most definitely one of the best time travel dramas I have ever watched and best school drama this year. First of all the actors and actresses are AMAZING. Each and everyone one of them fits their roles perfectly. The storyline is so unique and I think a part of why I loved it so much was because of how heart warming the drama was. Not only did it focus on romance or friendship, but it also focused on family as well. It had a little bit of everything. I loved the character development especially in chen junhe and li jin bu's characters. The fact that chen junhe gave up an opportunity to take care of jingtong and the baby that wasn't even his and marrying her so the child din't have to grow up without a dad. As for li jinbu, her going back to going through everything with her mother helped her character mature so much because she was always blaming her mother but after, she realizes how much her mother went through and started to appreciate everything. Also overtime, you could see the maturity in li jingtong grow especially when she got into the relationship with wu zhi xun and the death of her father:(( The only complaint I have of this drama would be wu zhi xun. I know the drama is trying to portray the reality of some situations but I don't like how they didn't mention him or let us see him in the future. He's probably like 40 something? and still doesn't know he has a kid walking on the face of this earth. The adult actors and actresses were AMAZINGG. Like they fit the adult characters of the younger ones so well. Even the facial expressions and the way they act really seemed as if they grew up yk? ALSO I would have liked more scenes of jin bu and duan xiao once she returns to her normal life because it was kind of like an open ending? I honestly loved the drama otherwise. 10000/10:)

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everything I needed

This drama was nothing what I thought it would be, because was way better. It's perfect if you look for something that will get you all happy and warm hearted. The relationship between the mother and the daughter is well made and not what we normally see, although I didn't like the reason she raised her child alone, but the story behind that it's real and was well showed for us. The friendships that exist are so heart warming and you feel like you are part of the friend group. I loved all the characters, but I can't say that Duan Xiao was my favorite (you will see how perfect he is).

I loved also the ost, with the intro I felt so happy and I wish that was the soundtrack of my life! I will listen everyday now.

I watched so fast even if its 24 episodes with around 40 minutos each, that is the result of something well written, filmed and made. Congratulations for the creators and director!

And thank you for this amazing drama, this made my day happier and I feel so glad to find it.

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Loose Ends? Who Cares! This Time-Travel Drama is a Must-Watch

From the moment you hit play, this drama sweeps you off your feet and takes you on a whirlwind journey through the ups and downs of life, love, and friendship. Li Jin Bu's rebellious spirit and Li Qing Tong's endearing cluelessness set the stage for a heartwarming mother-daughter dynamic that will tug at your heartstrings from the get-go.

But the real magic happens when you throw in Chen Jun He, the ultimate second lead who steals scenes and hearts alike with his charm and sincerity. And let's not forget about the romance! The chemistry between Li Jin Bu and Duan Xiao is electric, and their love story will keep you rooting for them until the very end.

As the drama unfolds, you'll find yourself laughing, crying, and cheering right alongside the characters. And when it all comes to a close, the ending delivers a perfect blend of closure and nostalgia. Li Jin Bu's journey from rebellious teenager to mature young woman is nothing short of inspiring, and watching her bond with her mom deepen along the way is a true testament to the power of love and forgiveness.

Of course, there were a few loose ends that I wish had been tied up a bit more neatly. But hey, life isn't always wrapped up in a perfect little bow, and I think that's what made the ending feel so real and authentic

In the end, "I Don't Want to Be Friends With You" is a drama that reminds us of the importance of cherishing the moments we have with the ones we love, and that's a lesson worth learning time and time again.

So, if you're in the mood for a drama that's equal parts heartwarming, hilarious, and heart-wrenching, look no further than "I Don't Want to Be Friends With You." Trust me, you won't regret it! ??

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Another masterpiece, as far as I'm concerned!

Once again here I am, giving a "perfect 10" to a C-drama...^___^;
As I recently said to an MDL-buddy of mine, either my "Honeymoon Phase" with C-dramas is lasting longer than expected, or else I have to confirm my first impressions and simply admit that they're really, really, really well done.
Then again - as I said to another MDL-buddy! - an explanation could be that I'm either luckier at choosing which C-dramas to watch, or just that I invest more time and energy in the selective process (totally comprehensible, given the much bigger length, compared to J-dramas!).
Whatever the reason, I assure you I'm not exaggerating when I say this drama is just another masterpiece, as far as I'm concerned. Beautifully scripted, acted, directed...both the photography and the OST are, once again, top-notch (at first the only thing I didn't like was the opening credits song - this pop/rock whatchamacallit ain't my thing, sorry - but episode after episode even that grew on me).
p.s.
Among the many, many praiseworthy details, I'll underline the beautiful messages that this drama's teacher conveys, in very few but oh-so-deep words! ^___-

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