Ma Reine Négociatrice (2021)

Bargaining for Love

My Bargain Queen is an office-romance drama that is set in the beautiful port city of Tianjin, China. The premise is based on two industries that are disparate in nature but not mutually exclusive - the bargaining or negotiation consultative services and the hotel business. There is a significant shift to an online bargaining business model towards the latter episodes.

The plot revolves primarily around the romances of the characters involved in those lines of work as well as the people around them. In addition to the romance with all its associated tropes and the light comedy,, we also have the business aspects, slice-of-life elements as well as some measure of angst and tragic circumstances (in the backstory) as well.

This production which completed principal photography in October 2020 is aired simultaneously on Dragon TV as well as Youku streaming platform, among other regional broadcasters and streamers. The screenplay is adapted from the novel of the same name (我的砍价女王) by The Sleeping Meow (睡懒觉的喵), a nom de plume. The Ritz-Carlton in Tianjin is featured as the site of the fictional Evergreen Hotel while a number of scenes were filmed at The Happy Valley Theme Park. Kenny Lin reunites with Nicky Wu since Scarlet Heart (2011) while Wu Jin Yan and Wang He Run last collaborated on Yanxi Palace: Princess Adventures in 2019.

The production quality is well above average for this contemporary setting due to the posh set designs of The Ritz-Carlton. As expected of a rom-com, warmer colours and soft filters are applied generously in the visuals, with which I have no problems. The cinematography is generally adequate but there are some editing issues as well as certain scenes being cut which affect scene transitions but thankfully without impacting on the flow of the story.

The story works well when focusing on the business aspects, with some interestingly written subplots on the business rivalries and workplace machinations. The romance is decently developed, in particular for the main and secondary CPs. The family dynamics, in particular the FL’s mother, appears somewhat overemphasised while the inclusion of the dreaded angst from the third CP detracts from the initial positivity and feel-good vibes. The 40-episode length does give the overall impression of being drawn out for a romantic drama of this nature. Contemporary C-dramas really should consider shortening the production to perhaps 30 episodes or even less.

I went into this drama for Wu Jin Yan whom I’ve been a fan of since Story of Yanxi Palace and Legend of Hao Lan. She performs commendably here as the FL Xia Qian where her mature disposition and her own voice dubbing suits the role perfectly. The consistency of the characterization isn’t without its flaws especially towards the closing stages, which I attribute to the screenplay. Kenny Lin plays the ML Sheng Zhe Ning, who starts off as a cold and stoic hotel CEO that eventually evolves into a warm and somewhat adorable personality. Both Wu Jin Yan and Kenny Lin complement each other very well together with the right maturity levels and convincing chemistry that makes them a compelling OTP.

Nicky Wu and Wang He Run portray the SML Qin He Bo and SFL Fu Shuang Shuang respectively as the second CP of the show. Theirs is the age-gap romance which, to me, comes across as natural and organic in depiction and development. The only issue I have is Nicky Wu’s voice or rather his enunciation which lacks clarity at times. Wang He Run’s character has a significant story arc which contributes to a degree of growth that provides an additional dimension to her portrayal.

The supporting characters of He Zhi Juan and Ning Meng, respectively played by Ma Si Chao and Song Yi Xing are the main issues in the drama for me. On top of the characterization being poorly conceived, being used to create over-dramatic angst in the plot particularly at a very late stage does scream of lazy scriptwriting. The controversy giving rise to the drama isn’t particularly convincing and, to make matters worse, I feel the acting from these two actors is extremely weak. Ma Si Chao does not resemble a medical practitioner that he portrays and every time he speaks, he sounds out of breath like he is hyperventilating. Some portion of the blame has to be placed on the direction for this. Song Yi Xing’s acting isn’t the most riveting either but for all intents and purposes, she does succeed in making Ning Meng the most infuriating character in the drama. In some ways, I suppose these two do match each other as third CP and annoying couple from hell.

The soundtrack for this drama features warm mellow ballads while the BGM is well-suited although somewhat lacking in variation. I do however enjoy the creatively-rendered title sequence and the accompanying opening instrumental theme. Full OST listing as follows:

Warming Slowly 慢慢热 by Wu Jinyan 吴谨言
To the One Who Loved 致爱的人 by Lin Zike 林子珂
Child 小孩 by Chen Xijun 陈希郡

All things considered, My Bargain Queen is not a bad option to choose, especially if you’re a fan of the leads and in the mood for a light workplace romance. However 40 episodes is a commitment and the slight inclusion of melodramatic elements may dampen the mood at certain points. Proceed with caution but, for the most part, I did enjoy the overall storytelling of the drama.

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A simple romance

Overall, the storyline is nothing new. However, I appreciate how the characters were developed and enjoy how once the main characters admit their love for each other that it is not a tug and war of trust like most drama. It is refreshing that each episode they tackle the new crisis/drama together, instead of the usual one person trying to fix every thing without telling the other. It is nice to have an adult, honest and good communication relationship to watch. Sometimes, you just want to enjoy a simple romance with a little drama thrown in with lots of humor added.

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Don't Waste Your Time

High Key this drama is just really bad and has no redeeming qualities.

1. ACTING: I have watched historical dramas with the ML and FL before. Although, I cannot say I'm a huge fan of their acting but I wouldn't put them at the bottom of my list either. Li Gengxin is a stiff actor and that's why he can pull "the master/prince/lord" roles really well because they rarely require a wide range of acting. Wu Ji Yan is...very pretty and slim :). She is one of those actresses who needs a really good ML lead or support cast and since she didn't have that in this drama...her acting was a major flop.

2. ROMANCE: I have never seen two people in love acting "not in love" like these two in a Chinese drama before. Watching two hot actors in a romance drama having no chemistry is the most painful thing ever. This should have been an easy romance to nail with little effort on their part but they could not get the romance down. I just don't get it. The drama has all the elements to make it a good romance drama. They gave us cute story, cute couple, good reason for forced co-habitation, solid FL, solid ML, a good "villain", an annoying little sister, and a pseudo-love triangle. Like ... everything. But the chemistry just ain't there. It's not that it is forced... everyone played their roles like it was writing I guess but there is no fire, no passion, no angst, no chemistry...nothing. I mean I know there are couples like that in the real world, but I don't want them in my drama.

3. SUPPORTING COUPLE AND DRAGGING PLOT: The Nicky Wu and Rain Wang supporting couple's love story should have been a drama by itself (a verrrry boring drama but hey...they keep making those anyway right?) It was not necessary and just made this drama longer than it needed to be.

NOTHING ABOUT THIS DRAMA IS GOOD LOL. Sorry!

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Soooooooo long

The story revolves around 2 interesting characters: Sheng Zhe Ning and Xia Qian. They are strong; good people and have a good chemistry.
But…
STORY - The story deserves less than half the episodes. Therefore, what could have been an interesting romantic drama turn out to be a boring never-ending plot, where nothing happens… For me, the struggle to have the control of the hotel, the second couple, the internet online business, etc… all was so boring.
ACTING - Wu Jin Yan was very good in the role! Love her. Lin Geng Xin was good also, but the character is not so engaging to me. The others were ok; I just think the characters were boring.

MUSIC – don’t remember any, so for me not very good

REWATCH – no, never. I like some of the scenes, but I will forget this drama.

OVERALL – if it were 15 episodes or so, I think it would be amazing. For me it was so long and hard to finish. I love happy endings, but even that is boring after so many episodes of nothing.

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Conflicting Like/Dislike

There are many things I liked about this drama and a few that I was disappointed in. I liked the main characters. The lead female was strong minded, witty and intelligent. She did not let things that was going against her put her down. I liked the lead male who took things slowly and thought things out before reacting. I liked there relationship. It started slowly, but quickly emerge. No hate for half the episode and then realized they liked each other. We did not have to wait 15 or 20 episodes before it was admitted they like each other. I like how they worked together to solve their problems that was facing each and getting to know each other better and they were very supported of each other. Even family issues they came together to help one another. The second lead couple was more complex and I did not get that chemistry that the first couple had. I do think that this drama was to long and the writers extended some issues just to make the drama last longer were it could have been solve much quicker. in this area it left the episodes boring and not interesting. The problem with the 3rd couple did not interest me at all. She seem immature, selfish and whinny. While he, as a psychiatrist who had treated her and married her, should have known how to handle her problem and treat it. It stead he was quite all the time and shy. Just made no sense. The actors performance was great. Give it a chance.

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SIMPLE

Drama is quite simple and decent, but for some reason it didn't strike me as outstanding probably because of family dramas. The most likeable things about this drama is the female lead, she's mature, able and really thoughtful, then An An, he's the best assistant anyone can ask for, i think Zhening must hv done smthn really good in past life to get him. Either the episode is deeply rooted on family problems, or business, so there's never a balance in there, which frustrated me quite a lot.
Also the romance between leads is mature so there's no fluffy romance or silly fights but there's a lot of understanding and thoughtfulness between them which is the key element in adult relationships but not seen much in dramas, anyways i like that.
Second leads' romance was fun in the beginning but then i ended up skipping their scenes, and I never skip scenes while watching a drama, and the plot got real draggy towards the middle, it was like there was actually nothing going on worth mentioning so they just went back and forth arguements and wtever.
Zhening was quite weak against what was going on with his sister and gf, and that was annoying but eventually it all worked out. Zhijuan was trying hard to make up for what happened but messed up everything but like they say you can never be perfect. At the end, i realized they all made for their past deeds and i didn't hate them anymore which is a huge plus.
It's a good one and quite refreshing .

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It's ok you can watch

40 episodes was too long.
Typical story of entrepreneurship.
Bargainer was new,
The rest of story is similar
Middle age people falling in love
There is revange
There is a psyc.... sis
Stu... ex, one more she ex,
Forgiveness
Then second couple for filling
Also there is cat
Now a days many cats in our dramas

What I liked
AnAn
The long boring plot
It would have been better if it was short.
How they handled the psychological issues.

What I did not like
Awkwardness of leads( we can clearly see so many edict/ cuts).
Poor cat....
Meddling of others.
Overall you can FF/ watch in bits if you feel bored.
Or watch it.

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Peaked early, plateaued and dragged

The concept of the story is good, but the pacing was all over the place. The series peaked early around episode 10-15, then completely fell flat and plateaued for the next 20+ episodes, then peaked in the last 2 episodes. It did not need to be 40 episodes, they could've made this 30. I skipped through a lot of it - lots of filler scenes. For example, the FL's father...zero hints/lead up to that storyline...then suddenly he was introduced out of the blue to be a major part of the story about 20 episodes in, then just disappeared again then shows up again. And the lead couple had zero chemistry.

Acting/Characters:
- Kenny Lin as the ML - he's my favorite actor and I have loved him in everything I've watched so far, but I was disappointed in this series. His character was a bit one-dimensional. He didn't really have any depth portraying various emotions other than the strong, stoic, in-charge version. There were some hints of comedy, but not much.
- Wu Jin Yan as the FL - while her acting wasn't terrible, it wasn't good. She did not have the screen presence to carry a lead role in a series. I rarely felt anything for her when she succeeded, when she was bullied/wronged, or when she was sad. Her trying to come across as charming and cute just didn't hit the mark. Her character was supposed to be from humble/poor roots and struggling financially. Yet her outfits did not fit that description. Her outfits often times looks like something out of a runway show or fashion magazine.
- Most of the support characters were just ok, nothing memorable. The FL's mom did a good job. The 2nd support couple Qin He Bo and Shuang Shuang were kind of cute...but their relationship did not need that much screen time. The 3rd support couple...the FL's ex-boyfriend He Zhi Jun and the ML's little sister Ning Meng were so annoying! I literally skipped most scenes they were in. She tried way to hard to be cute/innocent but came across as a whiny annoying child. The character was supposed to be 22 but she came across as trying to act like she was a 12 year old child.

Overall:
- If you're bored and you need a new series to watch, then fine. But I would not recommend this one.

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Too Long!

The first thing that pops up in my mind after watching all the 40 episodes of My Bargain Queen is that it is just too long. Many episodes are unnecessary. I think the whole drama would have much better pacing if the producers have cut it down by 10 episodes or so. For instance, it is pointless to introduce Xia Qan’s father into the drama for a few episodes and then have him fade away from her life again. Just like Sunshine Of My Life and Love Designer, you will have to be prepared for draggy patches after a fairly good start.

The plot itself is nothing new. It has the enemies-turned-lovers flavor with a smart and handsome executive falling for a professional bargainer with each wanting a different outcome for a deal initially. The good thing is he is not another cold and emotionless CEO like in Unforgettable Love and The Trick Of Life And Love. At least, My Bargain Queen moves away from those tropes. Apart from the romance, the story also has a business aspect to it which means it takes a more matured leaning compared to your usual rom-coms.

Romance Fizzles Out
If you like to watch a romance-heavy drama, I certainly don’t think My Bargain Queen is a good choice. This is because the romance seems to fizzle out for the next 10 to 15 episodes after the couple got together. It is rather bland to me in the middle part of the drama where the main couple’s relationship is concerned. They are not as cute like the couple in Forever And Ever and neither are they full of passion like Qiao Qing Qing and Yu Tu in You Are My Glory.

I see Zhe Ning and Xia Qian’s relationship as very ordinary. But it is also closer to reality with no over-exaggeration and hype. They have their sweet moments but nothing over the top. The downside to this is that their interactions don’t leave a lasting impression either once the drama is over.

With the main couple’s romance being largely stable for a substantial part of the drama, the focus also shifts to the side couples to fill the 40 episodes. This is another potential pitfall where My Bargain Queen is concerned.

Side Couples May Not Be Likable
There are 2 sides couples in the drama. Shuang Shuang and He Bo is a couple with a large age gap between them. While the age difference may not be a problem, I’m just not sure if viewers could feel the chemistry between them. Furthermore, He Bo started off as a villain and Shuang Shuang betrayed Xia Qian to help him out at one point. So, this couple’s story may not be one that viewers could feel invested in although it really depends on your taste for age-gap romance.

The other side couple is Ning Meng and Zhi Jun. Ning Meng is definitely an annoying character in the drama. Hence, I doubt anyone would be rooting for this couple. As the side couples are unlikely to appeal to a majority of the audience, the drama ends up being draggy with their stories especially when they occupy quite a big chunk of the screen time as the drama progresses.

The Leads’ Chemistry
Personally, I think Wu Jin Yan has better chemistry with Johnny Huang in Something Just Like This than Kenny Lin in My Bargain Queen. Her personality in these 2 dramas is kind of similar. So, if you enjoy watching her in Something Just Like This which is also a business drama, chances are you would also like her in My Bargain Queen. Wu Jin Yan brings out the gutsiness and enterprising spirit of Xia Qian’s character rather well.

On the other hand, Kenny Lin’s Zhe Ning has a calmer and more cautious personality. When you put both of the leads together, the chemistry doesn’t have that explosive feel. It is good enough for a romance-cum-business drama but nothing extraordinary to make the romance a really memorable one for me when I reached the end. The same goes for the side couples. Thus, I do wonder if they have got the casting right because with better chemistry, this could have been a much more enjoyable drama.

My Verdict – Watchable With Some Skips
I think My Bargain Queen is one of those dramas that you can watch with some skipping in between. For instance, you can skip the side couples’ story if you find them to be uninspiring. It is really a bore if you were to watch all the 40 episodes from start to finish. That is why the pacing could have been much better if the production team had not lengthen the drama unnecessarily.

While the plot is hardly unique, this drama is watchable for those who like a good balance of romance and business. It is also good if you prefer multiple couples in one drama. It has a few annoying characters and some sad moments but nothing too stressful or melodramatic. The romance has a more matured feel and a big plus is that the main couple has no trust issues and silly quarrels. However, the kisses are not of the sizzling kind despite the maturity of the couple unlike what you would find in Love Is Sweet. So, if you like plenty of passion in your romance, this drama would not meet that need.

For this My Bargain Queen review, I would give it a score of 7/10. It is not too bad overall if you don’t mind some boring stretches in between. At least, the story flows along logically and is easy to understand. The characters too are well-developed and there is growth in some of them by the end of the drama. The concept is great but it all boils down to how much boredom and skipping you can tolerate in the middle before the story picks back up towards the last quarter of the drama.

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When you know what you want you fight for it

I love the main leads story, Jinyan and Kenny are so cute together.. the ex fiance is not that bad, but he is a weak man, he meant well for Xian but he messed up big time. His stupid decisions made the opportunity for Xian and Zhening to meet and be together. The sister of Zhening is one annoying insecure woman, and Xian s ex was an enabler. One strong couple, (Xian and Zheningl, one weak couple (Zhening sister and Xians ex fiance) and one normal uninteresting couple. (The old man and Xians friend )

The story is not a big drama, it's light hearted NO SML, butvI wish the childhood friend of Xian had more screen time. A very happy ending is not rushed so I love ❤ love the ending

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Here’s my problem with modern C dramas. They’re terribly cliche and C writers have yet to understand how to make a rom-com without the usual rude CEO and skinny female lead. K drama writers on the other hand have such a variety of themes with tight pacing and unconventional plots. The lone exception to this in C dramaland would be the engrossing “Dating in the Kitchen” which I watched right before this one but I suspect that was because the main leads had scorching chemistry and the writers gave their characters depth, qualities that were lacking in My Bargain Queen.

It might also be the lead actors who failed to delve deep into their respective roles because I’ve watched Lin Geng Xin and Wu Jin Yan in other dramas where they gave above average performances. LGX in particular was superb in Princess Agents while WJY was part of the great ensemble for Story of Yanxi Palace. Could it be they’re not suitable for modern dramas because it requires different methods of emoting? Anyway, whatever it is, they flopped big time and I would not recommend this to anyone unless you’re being forced at gun point.

Yes, it’s that bad.

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Started off well but afterwards annoying sister ruined it all

The first 15 episodes was good! I actually really liked the beginning of the story and thought it was different, however continue watching was such a let down!

Female lead Xian Qian is a bargainer, who helps people get things they like for a lot cheaper of a price, for example trying to bargain hunt for a place of wedding... Two years ago her boyfriend ran out on their engagement party, which was held Chang Sheng hotel. The male lead is Chang Sheng's ceo. He witnessed the breakup of the couple and accused her of pressing the fire alarm.
Xian Qian and Sheng Zhe Ming meet through, Xia Qian organizing Zhe Ming sister's wedding. It also turns out Xia Qian 's ex is with Zhe Ming's sister. Before she knew this she tried all her best to get a booking the Chang Sheng hotel. She even tries to go uncover to steal the list of people who supposely has a wedding on that day to see if they could change times.

The leads meet and slowly but surely the male lead falls for female lead. I love the female lead's character, she's smart, sensible, and down to earth. I also like their bickering. I think it was cute when they finally got together.

But knowing it was 40 episodes, there was bound to be some drama. First of all didnt really care for Wu QiLong to be the second? lead. He falls in love with Xia Qian's coworker. Their storyline is pretty much skip worthy! The other storyline is the ex fiancee and the lead's sister. Except the lead's sister is a bitch ! and super annoying. She's always jealous of the female lead, shes always trying to do things to hinder her brother and female lead's relationship.

As for story development wise it becomes weak.. and pretty boring. I would of love to see more cases that she worked on to bargain or something along the lines. There wasnt much plot development.

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