Zhao Li Ying and Hans Zhang are Adorable in the Rom-com C-drama Boss & Me

There is finally a straight up light and comedic romance C-drama on the horizon and this one looks absolutely fantastic. Bonus win for having two leads I adore in Hans Zhang and Zhao Li Ying, marking their first onscreen pairing but likely won’t be the last with how idol C-dramas recycle couplings all the time. The drama premieres next week with an English title of Boss & Me, but the Chinese title 杉杉来了(Shan Shan Lai Le which translates into Shan Shan is Coming) is a riff on the leading lady’s name of Xue Shan Shan. The drama is based on a C-novella called 杉杉来吃 (Shan Shan Lai Chi meaning Shan Shan Come Eat) by writer Gu Man, who is most famous for the C-novel 何以笙箫默 (He Yi Sheng Xiao Mo) which is being adapted into the C-drama You Are My Sunshine with Wallace Chung and Tang Yan. This writer really likes to give novel names based on character names. Since it’s a novella the synopsis is very bare bones but the set up seems charming and non-angsty.

Leading man Hans plays company president and chaebol heir Feng Teng who has a very sick younger sister that has a very rare blood type. He finds an employee at his company named Xue Shan Shan played by Zhao Li Ying and asks her for a blood transfusion. Afterwards brother-sister are rather indebted to her but rather than use Feng Teng’s typical method of paying her off, his sister suggests sending her nutritious packed lunches so she can recover from the blood loss and make the thank you more personal. Shan Shan loves to eat and her enjoyment of the lunches along with general bright sunny personality slowly melts cold Feng Teng’s heart and he falls for her. Lvy Lee plays the nice rich girl who grew up with Feng Teng and has secretly loved him, while Huang Ming does a turn as Feng Teng’s best friend and bucks convention by not falling for Shan Shan but instead likes Lvy’s character. I found the official stills lovely and adorable, and the previews equally as winning so check it out below!

Even better is this drama not being dubbed since the leads are all Mandarin-speaking Chinese actors and actresses. Zhao Li Ying is so tiny and perky while Hans does a rather winning take on the aloof rich guy but without a stuck up attitude. They look so cute together and the only slight angst in the story comes at the end of the previews and isn’t too dire and overwrought. B&M looks like an unexpectedly promising offering that I’m definitely going to check out.

Short preview for Boss & Me:

Long preview for Boss & Me:


Comments

Zhao Li Ying and Hans Zhang are Adorable in the Rom-com C-drama Boss & Me — 61 Comments

  1. The book was such an easy read, so i hope the live version would spare me from all the norm melo crap.

    I must admit though, these too leads are toooo cute. Although, i wouldn’t nessessary pick Hans Zhang, he just look like he walk off the set of 2 of his last “queen of SoB” series to ” a different kind of man” and now “boss & me.”

    • I could not agree with you more, the whole time I was watching the trailer I keep thing this girl and Ariel could be sisters.

    • This looks super fun! Can’t wait!
      Have never tried a C-drama before though–like the comment above, any recommendations? specifically light-hearted good quality ones?

      • The only C-drama that I watched was: Rent a Girlfriend Home for New Year

        I recommend. It ‘s super ligth, cute and fun.
        I think is a rom-com, I watched basic because of the plot: The guy rents a girl to pretend to be his girlfriend to spend the New Year with his family 🙂 ( The title says it all, hehe)

        It was really hard to find subs in the time, but I think now is on Viki.

  2. ‘I want everybody to know, that this fish pond has been booked by you.’
    HAHA

    Excited for this broadcast ^^~

  3. Huang Ming is so gorgeous and cute in his scene with the second female lead. The way he looks at her. I like Zhang Han and Zhao Liying but I hope they show a decent amount of the secondary couple. Can’t wait! I love everything about this drama from the previews.

  4. Oh i never miss a zhao liying drama if i can..and this would be the first i watch of her in a modern drama. I tried watching the bof chinese version for Hans ZHang but I couldn’t sit through the whole drama…gave up somewhere in the middle. Hope to catch this after my exam.

  5. I’ve read the novel and this is going to be an interesting one. Zhao Li Ying looks so much like Shan Shan.
    Where do you think I can watch this?

  6. Was anyone else distracted by the times where Hans Zhang’s lipstick matched Zhao Li Ying’s?

    That’s what I kept thinking of throughout the previews even when near the end they didn’t match….

    Shouldn’t it work the opposite?

  7. Aaaaw, the trailer is sooo cute. Zhao Liying so cute, just like what i imagined shan-shan

    The book, true, have a simple plot. But its didnt make it leas cuter, please, some kind soul translate and upload this drama

  8. Looks good. Definitely want to check it out! Actually I think The female lead looks a little like a Chinese version of Korean actress Lee Chung-ah!

  9. Hans Zhang is one of my C-actor biases. I love when he emotes through his eyes. He was the only reason I was able to watch SOP Queen.

    • I love actors who emote through their eyes… Lee Jun Ki, Yoon Shi Yoon, Lego Li and now I have discovered Han Zhang!

      I love him in the drama. His facial structure is aristocratic and haughty but his eyes are like puppy dog eyes, sad, lonely and vulnerable.

      I hope I won’t hate it later on when she gets pregnant… as I don’t like fluffy romances to become too serious…

      • I also think he has probably the prettiest eyes. He’s good at expressing himself thru them! And he has a straight posture , something rather unusual for someone fairly tall. I’m watching A Different Kind Of Pretty Man & his eyes… speak volumes ( or tomes ) more than words !!

  10. This looks so good and I love rom-cons. There are so few that’s it a treat when we get ones that look as easy and enjoyable to watch as this one. Loved both the short & long previews (I’m on board already and I haven’t watch the first ep). I hope it gets subbed. Thank you for keeping up dated on dramas & movies outside of Korean entertainment, which I love but it’s nice to watch a variety of shows.

  11. I think Zhao Li Ying looks very much like Zhang NaRa, Korean actress. I am looking forward to this drama. May I know when is it going to show??

  12. Ohh this looks indeed very promising, exactly what I crave a funny romcom with slight minimal dose of angst. I hope someone will sub this in to english.

  13. This shows start to air today.You can watch it on youtube. The 1st two episode was very funny and addictive. Cant wait for me

  14. ZLY need to fire her make up artist. She has such nice features and her small face emphasise her big eyes…but her make up artist drew such horrible EYEBROWS..other than that, the OTP looks cute…..I am shallow…I imagine seeing Chen Xiao here….

    • Yes, thick solid eyebrows that was really quite jarring. And too much black eyeliner rimmed all around her eyes. It made her look quite incongruent with the role she portrayed, innocent, naive young girl who piles on black make up like a lady of the night…

    • It’s adorable. First adorable C drama I’ve watched. From what I glimpsed of the trailer, the kissing doesn’t look too bad either…

      Good improvement for C dramas… they are becoming better in doing romances…

  15. It’s hard to find a site that shows and has eng sub for good c-drama. Does someone know where we can watch this?

  16. I need to write something about Han Zhang. This is the first time I have watched him in anything.

    First of all, I didn’t think that he was that good looking because I usually don’t like too skinny guys. But watch the drama and you are hooked.

    His coldness and aloofness fitted in perfectly with his looks. His character is not an arrogant coldness but a distant coldness simply because you do not know the person, and he is self sufficient and independent so he does not need to rely on anyone.

    On those rare occasions that you glimpsed his smile, you realise what a sunny, sweet smile he has. And I say sweet, because his eyes and his gentle mannerism portray hints of sweetness in contrast to his distant coldness.

    He is not arrogant for the sake of being a bastard. He is simply unconcerning of others, and maybe not that adept or fond of socialising anyway.

    So far he is not chasing Xiao Ying’s character properly. One of the worst and less smooth chaser in romance dramas. But it works because you know he is cold and awkward and sincere. Maybe over his head baffled by the potent effect she has on him.

    Will let you know how it progresses…

    • I wasn’t going to write anything until I read your comment. This is the first show I’ve seen 张翰 in as well. His character in the show intrigues me. There is a calmness and a highly reserved aspect to his character. Although those moments when he lets go and unleashes that smile of his, we are given a glimpse of his lighter side underneath it all. I think he is a really good actor because he can show various emotions in his eyes and facial features without doing too much. Very good for drama shows! haha

      I’m already hooked on this series and have looked up his other works. He is the first Chinese actor I’ve come across that has genuinely impressed me.

  17. I haven’t watched any C-drama prior to watching this one and came across Boss & Me out of curiosity of the synopsis in the stream site and I just know it was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. Finished watching it in less than 3 days and I’m on the verge of watching it again. Currently reading the novel because I just can’t get enough of the two. I watched the long preview after watching the whole series so the (SPOILER ALERT) order of the proposal and Shan Shan’s hospitalization was quite misleading in a funny way. Hahahahahahaha! Hoping for another (and lots of) Zhang Han and Zhao Li Ying project in the future! <3

  18. I didnt know about this drama at first and try watching it because of han zhang and it never cross my mind that the girl is super adorable and through the series i cant stop smiling. Shan shan and feng teng couple is super cute.

  19. Just finished watch the drama. This is the first time I watch the Chines Modern Drama. And I just can’t take my eyes off it. The leading actress Shan Shan is very cute and Feng Teng is very cool. But a little bit unsatisfied about the ending. I think it could be more interesting if they make Feng Teng and Shan Shan wedding and also having children since Shan Shan is ill and predicted to not be able to giving birth. But overall, I love the drama.

  20. I’ve just finished watching the drama.It’s the first time I came to know about Zhang Han and Zhou Li Ying.I like to see Zhang Han’s drama ,but this drama I like to see Shan Shan more!She’s a beau with everything but Zhang Han’s signature smile is what captures my heart!Can someone please let me know what show does Zhang Han starred in ?TQ in advance!

  21. Zhang han & zhao li ying was so very cute couple in boss & me drama… I really like there pairing its like a real couple in real life… but im still hoping for the season 2 of this drama boss & me….were can I see they get married and have children how nice it would be…

  22. Good drama, zhang han and zhao li ying, best couple…..hope they are together….I watch it again and again….and I like zhang han voice, very natural

  23. Thank you so much Koala for alerting us to this drama Just finished it and loved it. Ending could have been better though.

    PS Would be great if you could institute something like an open thread dramabeans style.

  24. Zhao liying look like jang Nara in TJOF but in fact liying have neutral face,she might not beauty but she very100x cuteeeee:-) 🙂 🙂

  25. It was an excellent drama, which revolves in them alone. This drama focusses on “how to make a stand” which xue shan-shan did with the full support of big boss. this is what a true relationship is. Supporting and respecting with one another.

    Highly Recommended. Hope to watch another drama of Hans Zhang and Zhao Li Ying again very soon. Goodluck to both of you

  26. I just watched the drama and had a go on it again. I so loved everything about it as well as how the characters were linked to each other. Hans Zhang and Zhao Li Ying portrayed their characters well. Huang Ming & Li Cheng Yuan’s also have chemistry and their love story in the drama is really nice. How their love story started a bit chaotic which makes love more fun and a bit challenging to experience. How Bai Ke Li and Zhao Yang Guo Er really into their characters in the story became so effective. Also their love story helped inspired Shan Shan and Feng Teng’s. To sum it all up… this drama is a THUMBS UP. I do hope they’ll gonna be in one movie series again…. PLSSSS. =)

    • plus.. Feng Teng’s character in the story is sooooooo ideal that I even asked my sister where to find someone like Feng Teng? Not necessarily a boss or rich… but it’s just so heartmelting.. being so caring, smart, loyal, mysterious and all…. Isn’t he so charming? And Shan Shan being so understanding and supportive. What a chemistry they have.. really! <3 <3 <3 =)

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