Twenty Your Life On 2 (2022)

Don't underestimate dramas that have many main characters

I didn't expect that I would finish forty episodes of this drama without missing any part. Because I watched this drama only because I wanted to see Xu Meng Jie. I didn't watch season 1, so I'm reviewing this drama from what I saw and I understand season 2 only. But to be honest, because season 2 was this good, I got curious and wanted to watch season 1 too. I'm also sad because this drama has ended, when watching this drama I deliberately didn't watch it in a marathon even though the episodes were complete, because I loved the four main characters in this drama too much, so I didn't want this drama to end quickly.

I was surprised by the quality of this drama, to be honest, I haven't watched many Chinese dramas, I mostly watch Korean dramas. Even the Chinese dramas that I watch mostly start from my school days, so the conflicts tend to be light and fun. When watching the drama, I only knew two actors, namely Xu Meng Jie and Guan Xiao Tong. When I found out that this drama has four female leads and four couples, to be honest, it made me step back a little from watching this drama. I just want to see Meng Jie, but I'm afraid that Meng Jie's screen time will only be a little because she is the fourth female lead in this drama. I also know Guan Xiao Tong not as an artist, but as another figure who is quite well-known in K-pop. But this is a lesson not to underestimate drama that has many main characters in one series. This drama is very fun, relaxing, has realistic conflicts, and gives me enough insight into life at the age of 25. I feel lucky that I found and watched this drama.

When watching this drama I fell in love with the story and characters played by Guan Xiao Tong a.k.a Liang Shuang. From the first episode to the last, in my opinion, Liang Shuang's story is the most dense and interesting. Even though I didn't watch season 1, I was hurt and cried when Liang Shuang decided to really broke up with her boyfriend. The scene when Liang Shuang was in the bathroom and crying just looking for a towel (?) really broke my heart. I feel that Liang Shuang and her lover are very match together, but being a match is not enough in this world. When her boyfriend returned, and they talked and imagined about their future if they continued together, I knew that their relationship was really over. They talked about many scenarios and all ended in separation.

Liang Shuang's character is very strong, truly a character that I really admire ((I have the same admiration for Liang Shuang as Xiao Ding admires Liang Shuang)). Liang Shuang really fell, she fell deeply in his relationship and career. I just couldn't imagine falling that far and getting back up in less than a year. It feels unrealistic but it's quite entertaining and gives the audience hope that anything can happen. So I was very happy that even when Liang Shuang finally gave up everything she had striven to become a businesswoman, I think that Liang Shuang is indeed a warrior to the end, so I fully understand her feelings and support her decision. Xiao Guo's character is also very well described regarding office life and the hardships of being in an office environment without connections and relying only on hard work.

Furthermore, I like the portrayal of the character played by Xu Meng Jie a.k.a Xiao Ding. Xiao Ding is an apt description of how most humans live in this world. In contrast to the ambitious Liang Shuang, Xiao Ding is the main character who lacks ambition and is full of imagination. In my opinion, from all the complications of Liang Shuang, Xiao Guo, and Da Bao's conflict, Xiao Ding's character is a breath of fresh air for the audience. The author maintains the consistency of Xiao Ding's character while still providing light conflicts to his character. I mean compared to other characters, Xiao Ding's conflicts tend to be simpler but fun to watch. Even at the end of the episode when Xiao Ding's outline was rejected, the character Xiao Ding alias himself was asked to be deleted by the editor because it was too ordinary. And this is true, Xiao Ding's character is indeed very ordinary, but therein lies his charm. This drama can embrace all kinds of people because of the differences of each main character. The character Xiao Ding is a character that is rarely portrayed in the drama world. I really like writers who can portray ordinary characters in extraordinary ways. Xiao Ding's insecurity due to his ordinary life must also be felt by many people in this world. Including me, so I was also very entertained by Xiao Ding's character.

OH yes, I also just realized that in this drama there is Zhou Yi Ran who also plays in the drama When I Fly Towards You a.k.a Zhang Lu Rang. To be honest, I don't like Zhou Yi Ran a.k.a Yin Shang in this drama. Yin Shang is paired with Da Bao, I think both of them are the image of an immature couple, especially Yin Shang. Zhou Yi Ran acted really well, even though I really like Zhang Lu Rang, but I really don't like Yin Shang. Da Bao is the princess in his family, but his family's sudden bankruptcy makes it difficult for him to adapt. I was happy when Da Bao got through her troubles. She's been working very hard. But I hope she can have a partner who is more mature than him because, in my opinion, Yin Shang is too childish and still often 'runs' from problems. Even around the end of the episode when Da Bao gets into trouble Yin Shang also suggests they run. I'm relieved that Da Bao didn't choose to leave and return in the end.

In this drama, we can see images of various kinds of relationships. I feel the relationships that have been quite stable are the couple Liang Shuang and Jiang Lan Zhou, and Xiao Guo and Qi Song. The two couples already have enough awareness as a couple, and I think their relationship will be fine. They also went through a lot of conflicts together before reaching the relationship, so I think that in the future they can continue to work on existing problems. Precisely a very risky relationship is with the couple Xiao Ding and Doctor Zhu, and Da Bao and Yin Shang. Da Bao and Yin Shang, as I said before, Yin Shang is the type of person who likes to run, I'm afraid that in the future he will run again if their relationship is in trouble. And Da Bao is actually still 'innocent', so I'm afraid she's easily hurt when she's in a relationship.

But for the couple Xiao Ding and Doctor Zhu, this is the most risky pair. Their relationship is described as light and sweet, the conflict that is given is also light. But that light conflict was enough to make a deep enough crack in their relationship. I'm afraid that in the future this couple will start to encounter even more problems, especially since this is Xiao Ding's first relationship. And I feel that season 3 really exists, and the main cast is still the same. Xiao Ding and Doctor Zhu's relationship was the one that was in the most danger. As narrated at the end of the episode "See you at 28" which means that it has entered the phase of the relationship to a further level, namely marriage. Until now there is still a dialogue that bothers me, namely the dialogue of Doctor Zhu's friends when they are fishing. Regarding Doctor Zhu's relationship with his ex which ended not long after meeting Doctor Zhu's parents. And this also quite bothers me because Doctor Zhu once told that his parents still haven't accepted the fact that he chose to become a veterinarian. I think that if season 3 really exists, then it is very likely that this problem will arise in the relationship between Xiao Ding and Doctor Zhu. I really hope that when season 3 comes around, they keep this couple together :(

And that's my review of this drama. I'm confused why this drama is not well-known in my country, because finding subtitles is very difficult. Luckily it was broadcast on Netflix, even though there are only English subtitles, but I'm happy because I can watch this drama with good video and audio quality. This drama is very good, I have watched a Korean drama with a theme like this drama for a while, but I didn't fit in and left it in episode 1. But this drama is not, I really feel close to all the characters in this drama. I hope this drama can be known more. I was amazed by the acting of all the main characters. This drama is one of the most memorable dramas in my heart. I hope you guys watch this drama too, that way you know that you are not alone in this world. We are always faced with all the problems in this world, but in the end, we always get through it somehow. This drama really has a lot of lessons to be learned. Thank you Xu Meng Jie for bringing me to watch such a beautiful drama.

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*some spoilers alert*

I have watched and reviewed the first season of this drama. I love it and since Netflix has it as one continuous title, I immediately watch the second season. I am interested in continuing the story of the main characters from the first season.

The second season starts four years after the four roommates of dorm room 419 graduated from university. In the second season, the characters have begun the next step of their life and faces the challenges that us adults face in friendship, career and love. This season sees a departure of one of the girls (Shi Tou/Luo Yan) as she pursue her education in Canada (This doesn't bother me as she's my least favorite character from the first season) and a new character is introduced, the very cute Xiao Ding.

Duan Jia Bao and Liang Shuang remains my two favorite characters with Xiao Ding and Jiang Xiao Guo coming in second. This season you really get to see character development. Life is not always easy for these girls. In the beginning of the season, you see all characters have settled in their adult life. Good career, relationship (for Liang Shuang) and seemed like nothing can go wrong. But, boy oh boy, there is so many life challenges for these girls (well, except for Xiao Ding). And throughout the drama, you get to see how strong these girls' characters are, especially Jia Bao and Liang Shuang. They are at their rock bottom, then they rise above these challenges. Jia Bao in the first season is your rich princess that has her life easy and her life turned upside down when her family suddenly went bankrupt. She used to be able to spend money like crazy, but now she has to learn to be frugal. Liang Shuang's break with You Xiu is so heartbreaking for me. Xiao Ding, the new character is so cute, she immediately grew on me. She just has that sweetness with her and she got along with the three girls and turned out to be a really good friend.

As for the male characters, my favorite would be nerdy Qi Song! He is such a nice character and really good for Jiang Xiao Guo. My least favorite would be Doctor Zhu. He annoys me somehow and I just don't like him I guess :)

The OST is not memorable, not one that you would spend time watching the opening and ending theme every episode and immediately shazam it and add it to my Playlist.

Overall, I really like this drama. Definitely on my rewatch list!

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