The Other Half Of Me and You (2021)

Underrated comedy show with social commentary

Alright I loved this show a lot. Basically a fun way to explore gender roles in society with some cute romance. Ever wondered how it would look like if the female leads scenes were given to the male lead? Now you can find out!!

- Story 7
The story is fairly basic and has been done before but I liked this versions execution a lot. Male lead gets into a parallel universe where its a matriarchy instead of a patriarchy. They do have some ''scientific'' explanation for it but the main goal of the show is just to explore the whole gender role topic. The male lead gets to explore the parallel world and encounters situations that are normally encountered by women. He can see both the positive and negative parts of it.

What I liked the most was that the show does remain hopeful about gender equality while also acknowledging that the situation isn't easily changed. It covers topics ranging from assault to workplace discrimination but somehow keeps things really lighthearted. You may realize or be reminded how much gender (and its expectations) affects individuals.

-Acting/Cast 9
The show is strongest in showing subtle differences in the approach that is made towards female and male characters as typically shown in dramas. Filming in such a way that reverses the usual techniques used to film the male and female lead in dramas. Focussing on the male leads reactions much more and allowing him a much wider range of emotions than most romance dramas would show. Meanwhile the female lead has the typical ''cold guy'' look a lot of male leads in dramas have. Also of course the typical female lead scenes where she gets rescued or is desperate to get the cool guy... They all fall onto the male lead to perform and he does it well.

Of course most of the cast will act very comically since its a comedy but they do it well and both the male lead and female lead are likeable characters despite both not being great people. The romance is actually pretty cute between the main leads although very different from usual dramas. With the male lead being the one that's expected to be more cute and the female lead being the one that's expected to act cool. Really great acting from both of them.

Special mention for that one male friend of the male lead who had super energetic acting. Loved the guy.

-Music 7.5
The opening song always made me think I started the episode with 2x speed. It's very quick but alright. The music used in the drama overall is usually fitting for the comedic tone.

-Rewatch value 8.5
Personally I can rewatch it because I genuinely loved some of the unexpected jokes or character quotes. The episodes are super short and easy to get through because of that. Also Jacky looks cool and the male lead is cute so another reason to check it out again.

Overall 8/10

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Say yes to this show!

I found this show via an article that was posted on MyDramaList [https://mydramalist.com/article/recommendation-the-other-half-of-me-and-you].

This show is amazing because it highlights a very serious social justice issue (misogyny), by using humor. Note: The show isn't making fun of men nor women, but rather showing what it would be like if men were expected to endure the same treatment and have the same expectations that women have in today's society.

The episodes are only about 5 minutes long, and it's so worth the watch. Thank you China for breaking toxic trends! I look forward to watching more dramas/shows like this. FYI This show reminds of me the Chinese drama titled My Heroic Husband because it is also full of cliches (e.g. the academy of male virtuousness), but the cliches are not as obviously presented like it is in this show.

Recommended YouTube video: Have You Suffered Sexual Harassment? | Street Interview in China by TreeMan
https://youtu.be/FDVfyln4F2g

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A lot promise but....

Find this drama sometimes ago & seeing the trailer quite funny & today I decided to watch this.

What I like:
+ This drama bring gender expectation to light really clearly. Like how woman supposed to flirt and wear lack of clothing & here we can see how man will gonna behave like woman in our society.
+ The moment of realization that Gao Zi Rui (ZR) had when he finally understand how he behave with his woman.
+ Liu Rui Lin & Dai Si really did they part good. We can see them in both society.

What I don't like:
The story will gonna perfect if only stop when ZR come back to his own world. But they have to make extra story where Jacky also come back to Xiao Xiao body. That's when the story become weird. Because that's also almost reach the end of the story so they like usual, fast forward it is.... The later part of the story really weird & not enough explanation. If they want to make it Jacky also come to our world I really hope that's happen in the second season or maybe full length drama is better execution.

Overall this short drama quite funny & not regret watching this. Hope we can see this in longer version...

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Women empowerment!

I do not think, though I may be mistaken, that patriarchy and matriarchy are interchangable. The man rule the world in one way. If the women were on top, would they really behave like men? Permit me to doubt.

This mini drama takes this premise and does not do anything with it. So the women are a stronger sex and the men the fair one.

The story folows a macho, cocky pilot with numerous girlfriend, love them and leave them kind of guy. Until one freak accident projects him into a paraller universe where the gender roles are reversed. He has hard time ajusting until he meets Jacky, the counterpart of his current girlfriend and he falls hard for her while trying to find a way to go back home.

As I said, I love the idea but I find the execution lacking. In this parallel universe the women are behaving and dressing and mostly looking like men from this universe (kind of butch, mostly) while the men are just brainless pretty and apparently allowed to wear only bermuda shorts! I frankly did not like the simple reversal of roles because I do not think that women would behave like that in a matriarchal society. What comes out, on the surface in this drama is that the women in parallel universe are like butch lesbians and men like fem gays. Clichés and stereotypes abound!

That is why I am so disappointed with this drama since they could have done so much more with it instead of using the gender reversal roles for silly comic effect. The summum of cringe was the wedding!

The ending could be considered open: they each stay in their own universe never to meet again. Good thing that the writer did not pair him up with his world's version of Jacky. The only positive thing is that this drama could be used in heavily patriarchal societies (in Asia but not only!) as a teaching tool to have men realize the way they are treating women is far from correct. It worked on our male lead so why not on others? Or am I being too optimistic?

There is some original cinematography and the music is not bad either. But why did they use that old russian song "Moscow Nights" so much? It was distracting since that song is so well known in my part of the world and moreover, once you hear it it never leaves your head. An annoying earworm!

All in all, a very original idea that could have and should have had a better treatment. Maybe next time?

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Well then

This drama was so short and so strange that I don’t even know what to say about it. I appreciate the drama’s overall message about how we shouldn’t let our gender decide how we want to live our lives, despite the fact that the gender roles were often quite overexaggerated. I don’t know about China, but no one in my family is limiting my career choices to secretary or flight attendant or trying to marry me off to a nice, rich man. Despite the flaws, especially the really weird and incomplete ending, this was a very enjoyable 3 hours for me, and it’s always fun to watch some “trash” dramas every once in a while. Would recommend.

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