Sunny Happiness Episode 1 Recap

This day arrived much earlier than I expected. Since I started recapping, I figured one day I’d recap a TW-drama. I never thought it come anytime soon, since I haven’t liked one from start to finish in years. Lo and behold, surprises may catch one off guard, but it never fails to delight from the unexpected. I’ve decided to recap Sunny Happiness (“SH” or 幸福最晴天), because I simply have so much I want to discuss. If you’ve never watched a TW-drama and have no desire to do so, but have decided to read the recaps anyways, I nevertheless welcome you to chime in anytime.

Some drama-related fun facts first: SH is part II of a three-part trilogy of dramas all sharing the word “Happy” (幸福) in its title. The first drama was Happy and Love Forever (幸福一定强) starring Ming Dao and Annie Chen (who pop up in episode one of SH for a cameo). The third drama is tentatively called Happy Three Stars (幸福三颗星) currently finalizing its casting (rumors are its Blue Lan and Cheryl Yang – weird combo but after the magic that is Mike He and Janine Chang, I’m not counting anything out).

On the surface, SH is premised on both the Cinderella story and the contract marriage. But as the drama progresses, it becomes clearer and clearer that the trite set-ups don’t dictate the plot. Rather the characters and their emotions and hopes drive this story forward, and its grounded in the best kind of romance – two people getting to know each other by *gasp* talking a lot. There are no histrionics, a lack of big dun-dun-dun moments, no gotcha reveals, and plenty of believable and reasonable discussions that create this memorable love story.

With that said, my recaps will be on the Taiwan airing schedule, which means one new episode airs every Sunday (currently two episodes have aired, and both times led the ratings in its time slot). It’s my greatest pleasure to bring you Sunny Happiness episode 1!

Episode 1 Recap:

We meet a couple at their wedding reception – he in black tie, she in her white bridal gown – sitting in front of the ubiquitious red backdrop present at every single Chinese wedding banquet. They drink their wine, but the expression of discomfort and awkwardness hovers over their every move.

The bride – who we know to be Fang Yong Yong (played by Janine Chang) – voiceovers: I never imagined that my wedding would take place under these circumstances.

The groom – who we know to be Xian Yun Jie (played by Mike He) voiceovers: I never thought, with such a unbelievable wedding, that an unexpected surprise would happen during the wedding night.

Yong Yong and Yun Jie make out in bed, and wake up the next morning shocked to see each other naked and in bed together. They tussle over the covers, but Yong Yong kicks him off the bed and steals the covers.

Yong Yong voiceovers: What were each of us thinking that night, do you remember? All I know is that had I never met you that day, then our lives would not be in this situation.

Cue the opening credits.

The title card reads – two months earlier – and it’s a rainy day out. Yong Yong puts on her raincoat and rides her bike to work. She voiceovers that had it not rained that day, had she not been late and took a detour, had she not stopped to help someone in need, then she would have never met him.

Yun Jie drives his car and is clearly in a rush. He voiceovers that had he not been stuck in traffic, had he not dropped his cellphone and was looking for it, then he would have never met her. We see Yong Yong in the middle of the road picking up oranges, and Yun Jie drives up behind her.

Yong Yong voiceovers that there so were many “had been fors” that day, otherwise their lives would not have become so entangled. Yun Jie voiceovers that because there were so many reasons that led them to meet, at that very moment when they met, the rain stopped, and the sun peeked through the clouds.

Yun Jie swerves and brakes just in time, but he plows into Yong Yong’s bike. He gets out and checks his own car first (hehe), and says that at least nothing was hurt. Yong Yong gets up and yells at him, telling him that the bike is hers and he owes her a new bike. He tells her that it’s her fault for leaving her bike in the middle of the road.

He tries to leave and she grabs his arm, ripping his jacket. They accuse each other of being bullies, with neither willing to budge. Yun Jie tries to leave the scene, only to have Yong Yong sit behind his car to prevent him. He ends up buying her a new bike, and she promises to buy him a new suit. He says she can’t afford it and leaves. You are a cold cold man, Xian Yun Jie.

Yong Yong realizes she is late for work, and rushes off in her new bike. She arrives at a luxury hotel where she works in the cleaning staff. She is about to be assigned to clean the office of the new hotel president (the hotel was purchased by the Tian Yu Group last week), who is rumored to be exacting, demanding, and cold. Yun Jie arrives at his office, and tells his subordinate that whomever is cleaning is office needs to be fired.

When he arrives at work, it has to be clean, and it wasn’t clean today. The subordinate reminds him that he works so late and arrives so early its hard for the cleaning staff to clean during his (few) off hours. Yun Jie heads off to a meeting, but not before reminding that the office has to be perfectly clean when he gets back.

Yong Yong gets assigned to clean the office of the new president, and is told that he is ridiculously demanding, and has fired a handful of cleaning staff employees already. Yong Yong approaches this new assignment with a happy attitude – she isn’t nicknamed “Miss Can Do” for nothing. She finds out from her supervisor that the new boss is young and handsome.

Yong Yong is cleaning the elevator when some guests spill a drink. She goes to get a mop, during which time Yun Jie brings his guests into the hotel and arrive at that same elevator. The guests are Ming Dao and Annie Chen, supposedly back from their honeymoon. They are fine with the mess, but Yun Jie is furious that it has not been cleaned up.

Yong Yong arrives with her mop, and asks to clean it up. She tells Yun Jie to stop being such jerk and let her clean it up, since her new boss is a real stickler for cleaniness. During which time Ming Dao and Annie are totally sniggering and watching these two bicker. So. Adorable. Which is when another employeee arrives and addresses Yun Jie as the president of the hotel. Yong Yong realizes what a potential pickle she may be, having gotten on the wrong side of her new boss.

After discussing a upcoming product release party to be held at the hotel, Yun Jie sends off his guests and sees Yong Yong eating lunch outside in the patio. He heads outside to talk with her, and is totally put off by her eating in public and having a grain of rice on her mouth and not even realizing it. He informs her that he doesn’t want to see cleaning people cleaning, he only wants to see sterling results.

He’s finds her first attempt to clean his office to be satisfactory, so he will give her a probationary period. She cannot make another mistake, because his rule is perfection and cleanliness. He warns her again NOT to let him see her cleaning his office.

Yong Yong takes a picnic basket and heads to an orphange, where she is welcomed warmly by the director and kids. We find out that Yong Yong once lived there, but left a long time ago. But she still comes back all the time to bring gifts and visit with the children. She finds out that the orphanage has been sold by their landlord, and the kids are about to be evicted.

Yong Yong has dinner at her with her two sisters, skinny first sister, and plump second sister. First sister complains about not being able to land a good guy, second sister complains about not having a job. The girls mom tells the older two to stop complaining, and says that if Yong Yong gets a second job, then they can still maintain their current standard of living.

Yong Yong calls her little mother (hence she is a stepmother), and tells her that she’s already working full time. Her stepmother reminds her to not skimp on bringing home the dough. Older sister says that she will handle the situation – as soon as she marries a rich guy everyone will be taken care of. She takes out a magazine with Yun Jie on the cover, and Yong Yong calls him a cold-blooded bastard.

The two older sisters following Yong Yong to the hotel, with first sister using this opportunity to try and entice him. When Yong Yong is cleaning, she hears Yun Jie arriving, and she runs to hide because of his warning not to let him see her. He realizes that she is hiding outside in the patio, and eavesdropping, and he says so out loud.

Before he can bust Yong Yong, there is a knock on his door and his younger brother arrives, having been summoned. Before they leave, Yun Jie tells the hidden Yong Yong that she needs to use this opportunity to save her skin. The two brothers walk down to their meeting, but not before running into the two older sisters, with first sister hilariously pretending to faint and getting saved by Yun Jie.

She pretends she’s not feeling well, and he tells younger brother Yun Chao (played by Li Yi Feng – remember ALL MINE, okay?) to have HR fire all non-healthy employees. Later that night, Yong Yong is waiting outside for him to leave work, and its already midnight and he’s still here. Finally he leaves, but not before he notices her duster and realizes she’s stayed to clean up after him per his requirements.

After Yong Yong cleans, her sisters sneak back in and leave a love letter and all sorts of presents for Yun Jie. The next morning, Yong Yong is called to meet with Yun Jie. When she arrives, he tells her that she truly made a deep impression on him. She’s confused, and he continues, telling her that a deep impression means two different reactions – either unforgettable, or makes one run for the hills.

Her confusion pisses him off more, and he stands up and approaches her. He leans right into her face, and asks whether she really loves him so much. Mwahaha, in your dreams, Yun Jie! He recites the love letter (something about such a surprising meeting leaving an indelible impression and such flowery language), and then hands it to her along with all the presents.

He derides the love letter, and she questions why he thinks she wrote it. He hands her a lunchbox given to him, and its Yong Yong’s lunchbox from when he caught her eating outside. He tells her to take everything and leave, he’s not interested in it, or her. He’s so dismissive, and he tells her that its her lunchbox and she was the last person to leave his office yesterday, so clearly it must’ve been left by her.

He tells her that she is harassing him, and that he will never ever fall in love with her. His brusque and condescending attitude really hurts, and she tells him that she will never ever fall in love with him. She takes everything and leaves. Yong Yong stands outside his office and swallows her tears. She asks her surpervisor if she can leave early today, because she feels like barfing right now.

My boys Yun Jie and Yun Chao are having dinner at home. Yun Chao tells big bro that he wants a chance to help with more company affairs, he doesn’t want to be just an accessory in this family. Yun Chao hands a magazine to his brother, with a woman on the cover that we find out is a famed television anchor (and later revealed to be Yun Jie’s ex-wife).

Yun Jie’s ex-wife is Wan Lan, and she’s a career woman raising a son that she has told the world is her nephew (good one, lady). Xiao Nian gets into trouble at school because he needs a father figure, and Wan Lan tries her best to be a good mother. She’s told Xiao Nian that his dad is dead. She’s off to Taipei for an interview, and she agrees to take Xiao Nian with her as his birthday present. Wan Lan’s producer (who totally has a crush on her) is already in Taipei.

Yun Jie brings Yun Chao to the office, and informs him that he’s been promoted to a vice-president of Tian Yu Group. Yun Chao is shocked but pleased, especially at the thought that Yun Jie listened to him and is willing to give him a chance to prove himself professionally. Yun Chao genuinely thanks his brother, who tells him that Yun Chao is now in charge of the development of a new shopping center.

Yun Chao is handed the shopping center project, which will be on the orphanage land. He looks into other orphanages in the area, clearly more interested in helping the orphans than Yun Jie ever was. His subordinate tries to insinuate that Yun Jie will not be a hands off boss and will try to micro-manage Yun Chao, who doesn’t (yet) buy into his attempt to start any discord between the brothers.

Yong Yong is at the orphanage visiting with the kids when Yun Chao arrives to meet with the director. She is rude to Yun Chao, who is here to discuss the children’s move from the orphanage. He shows them a file he created showing orphanages he has contacted, which have agreed to take the kids. Yong Yong cuts him off, telling him that moving the kids is cruel regardless.

Orphans want a warm home and stability, moving children who are orphans uproots children who have no one in their lives. She lectures Yun Chao that the children will be separated because they will be sent to various orphanages. We find out that Yong Yong arrived at the orphanage when she was eight and lived there for seven years. Yun Chao calmly tells them that he will continue with the project.

Thoughts of Mine:

The last time I was this chomping at the bit to recap an episode of a drama was episode 7 of Mary Stayed Out All Night (that was a damn good episode – too bad the rest of the drama was downhill from there). I’m pretty much done watching SH, but I will do my best to keep my discussions strictly on what happened only in the episode I am recapping.

What a great first episode – fast, logical, and the main characters are immediately fleshed out with a few great scenes. Yong Yong and Yun Jie’s first meeting is straight out of a drama/manga/romance novel, complete with rain turning into sunshine. But what I love about SH is how it never dawdles on milking any moment. The inherent dramatic crescendo of music is missing, and all we get are the voiceovers that tell us this moment will later be remembered as something special.

Yong Yong is kind but has a short temper, loyal but not a pushover, hardworking but pragmatic. She is not cutesy or spirited, but rather an ordinary girl with a full personality. Knowing she lived in an orphanage before (why we don’t know yet), I can glimpse the orphan mentality in her, the need to give and receive affection for fear of being discarded and alone.

Yun Jie is, thus far, a stereotypical good looking, confident and smart chaebol. What I love is that he doesn’t seem to have any hang ups, and is not so much a mean asshole as he is someone without any patience for anything less exacting than his own sky high standards. His interactions with Yong Yong are always calm and collected, but she gets under his skin even when he doesn’t seem to realize it.

Yun Chao seems an interesting character already. He clearly has a second sibling syndrome, always living under the shadow of his older and more capable brother (and a successful father). Yet he doesn’t seem overly bothered by it, and is frank in telling Yun Jie that he wants to succeed. I love that the brothers have an open and caring relationship with each other, but one that delineates that Yun Jie makes the final decisions.

What I like most about this episode is how the tone remains so calm and controlled, every scene flowing into the next, every conversation interesting and brisk. I liked the fact that SH starts with a mid-point flashback, from their wedding and wedding night to two months earlier to begin the story. Clearly the wedding night scene isn’t the final scene of the drama, so things are sure to get much more complicated between Yong Yong and Yun Jie before they get their sunny happiness together.

I’ve discovered that my love for a drama can be heightened a notch when the drama is properly scored, with a great soundtrack and spot-on usage of music in the appropriate scenes. I love the SH soundtrack, with a blend of upbeat songs with mellow fare and even a heart stirring ballad that I foresee we’ll be hearing a lot of in the upcoming episodes.

This is the best performance I have seen from Janine and Mike. I don’t mean sheer acting ability-wise, but a connection with each other and the character each plays that it completely elevates the material. Mike tends to overthink his acting (you can usually see Mike think as he acts), and he does it here, but it’s overcome by his chemistry with Janine and his heightened ability to bring the emotion. Janine doesn’t feel as aloof as she normally comes across, instead channeling a genuinely warm persona that is delightful to watch.

Second male lead Li Yi Feng is a natural at acting. I felt it immediately (since most young Chinese actors are rather stilted when they perform), and he has this reserved aura that is just so intriguing. I can’t explain it. I know I promised to keep this recap spoiler-free, but I can safely say that this drama will not have a midway meltdown, and instead, each episode keeps getting better and better.

Sunny Happiness recaps1234-67-89-1011-1213-1415-1617-1819-2021-2223-25


Comments

Sunny Happiness Episode 1 Recap — 51 Comments

  1. Yay!!!! thanks ockoala! It has been eons since I was hooked on a TW-drama. I’ve been hopping about looking for downloadable videos with hard subs in English but I can’t find any. The one’s in Vikii have soft subs. So thank you! Now at least I could understand a bit of whats going on..

    Looking forward to reading this recap series…**hugs**

  2. Cool…thanks for recapping this one Ockoala! I juggle watching between my KDramas, Jdoramas and my TW Dramas a lot and have never gotten around to starting Sunny Happiness with Mike He. Last one I watched was his with Charlene Choi.I LOVE Mike He by the way, have watched all of his works from Devil Beside You onwards! Been pre-occupied watching Love Buffet in addition to my Kdramas, started The Fierce Wife (dropped it after 4 eps. did not keep my interest) and hence not started on this one! Thank goodness I have somewhere to catch up on this one, thank you!

  3. Yep, you’re right, I’m hooked. I just finished Ep 1 and these people are adorable. The story feels like a Cinderella type and the lead is great. I’m juggling between Southland and SH. The first episode went so fast that I didn’t even realize it was over. That is a good sign for me. Good acting oh and did I mention the lead actor is cute and so is the lead actress.

  4. I’m so glad that you finally make the recap. Since there were no one making the recap for this drama, I intended to make a small spoiler for each episode, for my friend who can’t watch the drama yet, but turns out that it was more like a recap because it’s really really a lot to be told. Since you gonna continue make the recap, so I won’t make any again for my friend, because we both always love your recap here. I already made until episode 4 (C version), and with no picture and trying to make it as brief as possible since I posted it in a forum (but really, which such loveable story is hard for me to make it as brief as possible XD )
    Thanks again for your recap. Love it. And my friend intrigue to watch the drama in the first place because of your previous post about this drama.

    As for the drama, really love it. I find a lot of cliche at first, but can’t help myself to continue watching and with each episode it’s getting more and more exciting and loveable. I only have watched till episode 24, haven’t found the ending yet.

    Really love how the 1st episode showed, that Yun Jie is such a cold and distance person while Yong2 is such a bright, positive, kind girl. And after re-watching it again (after I watched until episode 24) is making it more and more heartwarming seeing their first character impression in the first place and how it’s gonna develop in the future.

    I definetely gonna come back here and read your always beautiful recap. Fighting making the recap! 😀

  5. YAY! O/ ~throws confetti~ A Sunny Happiness recap! ~does happy dance~

    After you initial post about SH I went tootling off to Viki to watch it…and ended marathoning all of the 18 episodes they had uploaded and subbed. My addiction is such that I even watched the raws for episode 19-23, even though I don’t speak Chinese (although, thanks to my Mandarin-speaking mother, I know the words for stomach, come here, sit down, etc haha), and I hate not knowing what they’re saying to each other. Thank you five million times for posting about it!

    I echo everything you said about casting, chemistry, pacing, and scoring. I don’t know what makes Mike and Janine click like they do, but I love it, and it works for me. I like that they’re variations on the stock characters and not stock characters in and of themselves, and I love they dynamic and energy that Li Yi Feng brings as Yun Chao. He’s a great character and deserves a drama all of his own, plus he plays his character well and with nuance, PLUS he’s too adorable for words.

    As far as the story goes, I like that they start you off in the middle of things. I think the beginning would have been too trite, otherwise. And of course, the making out in bed thing wasn’t too horrible either… ^_~

    Thanks a million, koala-unni! You’re the best! ^___^

  6. Thanks for the recap.. I just started to watch this myself and enjoyed it so far.. It’s getting better and better each episode

    Aaah too bad the lil bro is already claimed, I hope I am still allowed to droll over him 😛
    (he reminds me of Show Luo.. younger and cuter version :D)

  7. I was wondering when you’d recap a TW drama! I’ll give SH a try. I like the once-a-week schedule. Plus it’ll give me something to continue watching when Love Buffet ends. =)

  8. OMG…. This is Real. You are recapping SH. Thank You Mrs.Koala. I had no idea this was trilogy. I was pleasantly surprise seeing Ming Dao and Annie Chen in Ep.1. I checked out this drama for Lu Sen (Li Yi Feng character in Happy Love and Forever). But i must say he is 100 times better in Sunny Happiness. I am so proud of him. Seriously, he is too cute for words. I can’t stop myself from smiling when he smiles. That being said i am so rooting for our main couple. Mike is too good for words. He’s every women dream husband.

    Sunny Happiness is so true to its title. It’s one of those great feel good drama.

    All those out there who are still doubtful of investing your time in this drama. Give it shot. It’s worth it.

  9. Gotta beg to differ here~

    I saw the first epi because you seem to rave so much about it. So i gave it a try with a positive mind that maybe this is the TW drama that will end my TW drama watching absence and err, found every tired cliched drama trope stuffed into one episode ONLY, and this is just ep. 1…
    Cliche can turn into delight when done right, but it feels to me this drama just uses what worked a million times before. Take the couple’s first meeting: how many times do drama’s leads meet via such accident. With bike involved even. (e.g. that drama with Cyndi Wang and Leon Williams or something, forgot the name). Then GASP, the freak guy who hit her is HER BOSS, oh how surprising. Of course, such setup is ubiquitous in Asian dramas, but this drama brings nothing new to the table IMO.

    Their banter is very predictable, why-all-rich-people-like-you-are-so-mean kind of thing (and is it me or I find Yong Yong a tad too daring towards her boss-no matter how demanding he is, he is still your boss, woman! She speaks to him like speaking to a friend although they just met, which just couldn’t connect with me). What’s more predictable (and boring) is the orphanage plot. Again if done right this might be interesting but what SH’s writer creates just feels so flat, totally pale in comparison to such dramas who also use similar plot(Prince Who Turns into A Frog, only the ‘motel’ is an ‘orphanage’ here; Autumn Concerto had one arc with similar setup too, with the rich trying to demolish a village or such). The dialogue is so uninspired it could’ve been written in a high school’s fiction writing class. No memorable lines, let alone one-liners. The part at the end of epi. 1 with Yong Yong trying to reason with Mike He’s brother to not build a mall in their orphanage sounds downright stupid to me. C’mon, that’s all you can say??? Even a 10 year old knows that *groan*

    On the acting front, I find Mike highly dreamy as usual, but the rest of the cast are so meh. Janine, is adorable, but her characterization as I mentioned earlier feels so wrong. It’s like i can understand she’s the high-spirited Cinderella that the writer makes her out to be, but something didn’t connect somehow. Second lead’s acting is a little bit restrained but other than that he’s just inoffensive. The rest of them are even worse. Yong’s family, needless to say, is TW drama’s staple comical family to bring in the laugh and nothing more so i’m not gonna touch that subject. Yun Jie’s ex wife, omg, looks like she’s old enough to be his aunt! And she couldn’t even act. What a wrong wrong casting. And the boy who would be Yun Jie’s son is just, let’s just say I wish Xiao2 Bin was cast instead. That would redeem the drama by 50%.

    Oh well, a long rant that was. This is just my POV of the drama anyway. No offense.

    • Hmm, I know everyone thinks different, but you just watched episode 1 and already say what you think about the whole drama? Are you for real? Sure the drama seems so predicable and episode 1 can make the drama be like the same others T-dramas, but after watching more episodes, I don’t think so, never watched a couple who would talk so much, and *GASP* be honest with each other, share their thoughts and get along so well. Also their chemistry is very good, and Janine character feels so natural, no wrong at all. ..

      The orphanage plot isn’t boring, for me is moving, also the kid, what is your problem? why complain about a kid? That is too much…

      I watched a lot of T-dramas, and for me this drama just feels right, the pacing and all. It has a different feeling, that others T-dramas didn’t have.

      But if one episode for you is enough, then that is it. Is like reading the first chapter of a book and say ”the book is boring” tsk tsk…

      • FYI, i watched not only epi 1, I went all the way to epi 6 and nothing really changed my opinion so there’s that. I base my assessment on epi 1 in consideration with what i feel up to epi 6 as well. Don’t u use condescending tone on me like that. I was merely stating my opinion ok?!

        I just felt this drama could’ve been better, but it is not. There I said it.

  10. Oooh, I love your recaps.

    So far, I must admit, much as I am entertained by him, I also want to drown Mike’s character – not only is he a boss from hell, he’s heartless enough to want to kick out orphans! I wish lots and lots of bad karma on him.

    Janine’s character is adorable – sweet without being a pushover. I hope she keeps her spunk as the drama progresses. In kdramas (though not so much in twdramas), spunky heroines often become weeping machines as soon as they fall for someone.

    Second ale lead – all yours. He pretty much bores me, but then twdrama second leads almost always do.

  11. Dear Ockoala,
    Thanks for your new project recap of “Sunny Happiness”.
    I am a bit worry that what drama I should watch after MP.
    Actually, I would like to watch the drama that you are recapping because I have so much fun reading your writing thoughts/recap.
    For this drama I do not know any of actors and actress, so very new for me, but looks like I am going to enjoy with it.

  12. thanks ockoala for the recap!

    its been a while since i watched a T-drama
    after reading the recap, i liked what i have read
    so, i will give this drama a try!

    hopefully it will surprise me! ^_^

  13. I loved the first ep (I’m only 2 eps in) just on the fact it didn’t scare me away with any ridiculous I just need to suffer through.

    I’ve never seen Mike so at ease and can breathe like a life human being instead of a cartoon cutout, I breathe a sigh of relief as well. I guess when he’s not asked to pose and do scenes st out of shoujo manga, he can work it and show some control I never knew he has it in him. I’ll eat my socks, I enjoyed him acting as much as I enjoy eating cardboard.

    You’ve said what exactly is working for me, it’s calm and controlled. I never felt my intelligence insulted, nor is there a prerequisite to park brain at door. And just why Janine x Mike is having this so natural chemistry because of the PD. I’ve seen a tiny bit of 那一年的幸福時光 live (have you seen it, is it good?) and I connected with it, always meant to dig that out and watch it some day.

  14. ill try to watch this drama…wer can i watch it with eng sub?thanks for your recap the tw drama that ive liked so far the most is autumn concerto w/c shows the great chemistry between the 2 leading actors…i think im beginning to be a stalker of your playground ….thanks for the great recaps…

  15. ..I go acquainted with Mike He due to DBY den watched Why Why Love right after….I tried watching Bull Fighting but I wasn’t really enticed to watch it till the end..I think I stopped right around ep 4 or 5….I have read before that a lot of people hated his hair on DBY but honestly, that was the hair do that I liked in him best…hehe….Anyways, I am convinced to try out this drama after ockoala’s “pimp post”…can I ask if anybody knows where I can find torrent DLs?..my connection doesn’t really support live streaming and live streaming…thanks a lot…

  16. It will be fun to read your ongoing insights on this – thanks for recapping Ockoala!

    Though have to say, on first random-FF surfing up to Ep 23 (don’t need subs – can speak/read Mandarin) ……….. SH didn’t hold me the way Autumn Concerto did.

  17. GAHH!!! Thank you!! Last night were the BTS goodies, and this morning I wake up to a SH recap!

    I’m usually ep-1-adverse, and I haven’t really watched a full ep 1 (especially of PK…aiya) for any drama in the past year or so. But this one wasn’t too bad. Sure it had the cliches, and there were points when I think this drama echos all the the others before it. But still, I agree that the lack of OTT-ness gives it a different feel and changes the tone completely.

    One quibble – I kinda wish they’d give the “poor” female lead a scooter or a cheap car instead of a bike everysingletime though! Surely there are several socio-economic levels they could work with.

    Sooooo happy to be enjoying a t-drama right now! They really are far and few in between (for me) compared to kdramas.

  18. Damn you, now I HAVE to watch this. fhdjsfdskjfs ♥

    Y’know, in some angles Li Yi Feng looks like Show Luo. I actually got excited for a sec ’cause I thought he had a cameo. XD

    • Yes Show Luo too! Thanks Kender, I was thinking which HK star when peeking through some episode late one night, but the name to the face was not forthcoming

      For whatever reason, he also reminds me of Kim Hyun-joong at times, and Lee Min-ki.

  19. on my to watch list. glanced at the first episode. looks good.
    Only watched a handful of tw drama-[prince turn into frog, next stop happiness, meteor gardan, devil beside you ] looking foward to this one.

  20. It is a great drama. You will love it to pieces. Viki has up to episode 23 with subs. Love the second male lead he’s great. Hope to see him end up with the girl. Probably won’t tho, since that’s the way of dramas.

  21. Thank you so much Koala. You are rock! Thanks god..MP is over..DH only 1 + 1 concert left. So it means…you can continue recap SH, right? hehe…

  22. it has something of autumn’s concerto. it’s nice seeing a more matured roll for mike. it has been a while since i watched a good taiwanese drama… actually since autumn’s concerto i only watched k-drama. hope i won’t get diasppointed by sunny happiness. the first two episodes are promissing.
    the little guy reminds me of g-dragon^^ can’t wait for episode 3!

  23. Hey Koala,

    Good recap – as usual. I haven’t watched a TW drama in forever, but you seem to love this one, so I’m going to give it a try (although now I’m surprised when I don’t hear Korean – haha).

    Quick question about the drama trilogy: Would you (or anyone) recommend Happy and Love Forever? I have enjoyed Ming Dao’s dramas in the past (even with the excessive melodramatics – Ying Ye 3+1 anybody?). Thoughts?

    Thanks!

    • I loved Happy & Love Forever (I watch anything with Ming Dao), so I definitely recommend that.
      I hadn’t heard of Sunny Happiness until ockoala kept mentioning it, so I sat down on Friday to take a look and marathoned it until episode 23 which is where the viki subs have stopped. So now I’m completely sleep deprived and my eye keeps twitching, but it has been worth it, I just hope the last two episodes live up the rest of the series.
      I always like Mike, but I’m now a fan of Janine. I quite liked her in Black & White but they didn’t do enough with her character, so here she’s a definite revelation for me.
      Can’t wait to see the third part of this trilogy, I adore Blue Lan (especially after I Do) and Cheryl’s always fun.

      <>
      What I really like about Happy & Love Forever and Sunny Happiness is that both couples may start out fighting but become really good friends before they even start thinking about romance. In my mind it makes their relationships stronger and I find it’s something TW dramas do alot.

  24. YaY!!! it was just a wishful thinking when I said give SH some love and blog more often about it. Wow thanks Ms. Koala. I have to agree with you that as the drama goes by it’s gets better and better no dull moments, to think it’s 25 eps. Mike & Janine blended so well, both of them acted so natural. I would say Janine is the best leading lady of Mike, out of so many dramas he had before. Sorry Rainie & Mike fans, just my honest opinion. Mike is turning himself into serious actor leaving his idol days behind. So far I have seen till ep 22 with sub, i like the plot, characters, setting the only thing that bothred me not just SH but few of the T-dramas, when the baby was conceived by accident they don’t keep it. That’s why I wasn’t really into FTLY. When she lost the baby that was a major turn off for me
    I didn’t continue watching it. But Autumn
    Concerto is a different story, one of the best T-drama followed by Mars and of coarse MG is my all time fave.

  25. I watched the trailer, and it seems so interesting! I’m definitely going to watch it. Do you know if there are any videos with English subtitles?

  26. Thanks for recapped this drama. I really want to watch good Tdrama. The last good drama that i watch is Autumn Concerto. I will certainly will watch this drama. Thanks for the recommandation. Keep recap it cause i always love your recapped.

  27. I haven’t read the recap.. Cuz I was too happy and excited that I had to comment first (I have been reading your blog for a few month now.. I don’t think I commented this much on any drama)

    After I read your post, I watched 16 episodes in one sitting.. It was Awesome!!! Thanks again!!!

  28. yes..I have watched episode 1 and 2 and I can say its interesting and I like it so far..but when I search for episode 3 no file found..well I guess I have to wait or search more..thanks for the recap..looking forward for next episode recap…

  29. I love this drama now. I’m not sure if it’s just a passing fancy, but it’s been so long since I’ve marathoned a Taiwanese/Chinese drama like this. I just wanted to say thanks for recommending this to me because Sunny Happiness is so awesome. It’s also rekindled my Mike He love. Okay, I’ll be back to comment more. Must watch more SH. Now.

  30. I liked ep 1. I agree with you that the tone is good. I also enjoyed that the situation with the two sisters didn’t go too far – I hope it doesn’t become a continuous thing.

    Something I noticed: the house that 詠詠 (Yong Yong) leaves in the bike/rain/accident scene looked like the house in 就想賴著妳 (Down with Love) – the one that 楊果 (Ella’s character) and 楊朵 were in. The front yards could just look the same, though.

  31. Ok, you convinced me, koala. I’ll try it out once I find the links. I’m sure I’ll have problems getting used to the change in spoken language from Korean to Taiwanese and will feel weird for a while. My ears have to adapt to the tones before I get comfortable. I’ve been watching Korean for about a year(?) now and have gotten quite used to it. I hope the subs are OK.

  32. Hi~ Can anyone please tell me where I can watch Sunny Happiness with English subtitles online? Or Download links please???? I wanna watch it so badly. I can’t find a decent streaming site that has this drama. ;________;

  33. So glad that I found your webpage and you have written great recaps here. I think that it would be of great help if you can share with us the link for the various dramas that you will be reviewing about. Sunny Happiness is no longer available in viki ( most of the TW and Chinese dramas listed seems to be not available and no one seems bothered to rectify it) thus it would be great if you could also share with us the link for dramas (english subbed) that you reviewed.

  34. any romantic comedies that you suggest? I’m an American born Chinese girl who is actually fluent in speaking and reading Chinese lol, so I’m really interested in watching chinese dramas, in fact I barely watch american dramas. This drama sounds fun though

  35. Is there a benefit in employing someone with experience to do the link outreach, or would you do it ourselves?

    Added a post on my Facebook, hope thats okay

  36. So many interesting facts and crucial examples
    that I’m astonished and highly pleased with the information you give us.
    The topic is burning as well, so I suggest I’ll examine it
    twice.

  37. Who will write more in relation to you about such things!
    I liked the guide and assume you’ve got more such material!
    If so, so please post it as it’s somewhat uncommon for me at
    the current moment, and not only for me, that is my view.
    Hopefully, I will locate an in-depth guide of yours and be aware of all of the information and the
    most recent data.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.