It’s not often that a drama catches me off guard, since prior to airing I’ve read up on the characters and the story so I know what to expect. To say episode 2 of Miss Rose literally tossed me under a bus and then rolled over me a few more times for good measure would be an understatement. Once the light switch flipped on a few minutes into episode 2, I literally screeched out loud and fell off the sofa. I am not exaggerating. Episode 1 was cute and appeared to be a copy of Office Girls in set up and execution, but episode 2 revealed its true colors. MR is……..a remake of my favorite K-drama of all time City Hall. No, I am not joking nor am I high as a kite.
Substitute Inju City Hall for Guang Qiang LED Company, the government politics for corporate politics, a few minor tweaks in characters, and then voila! MR didn’t mention CH at all as an inspiration, and if I didn’t know that drama like the back of my hand, it may have taken me even longer to make the connection. As is, Roy Qiu is playing Cha Seung Won‘s Jo Gook as a corporate management genius rather than political prodigy, and Megan Lai transforms Kim Sun Ah‘s Shin Mi Rae into an on-the-shelf capable corporate secretary. Episode 2 was fantastic, plus armed with this new knowledge, I’m now officially in love.
The light switch flipped on for me in episode 2 when Roy’s Cheng Kuan goes to the golf course with President Jiang, who manages to appoint him as the Deputy General Manager of the LED Company. Coupled with the fact that Roy’s character had a chilly and reluctant dinner with his fiancee Vivian Jiang, the daughter of President Jiang, I realized that she’s playing Go Go Hae. President Jiang is BB, this time not the father of the hero, but the father of the fiancee character. Paul Hsu‘s assistant character is Lee Joon Hyuk‘s Soo In, and here his chemistry with Roy is as perfect as Lee Joon Hyuk had with Cha Seung Won.
Cheng Kuan complained about being sent to the boondocks company to be the Deputy General Manager just like Jo Gook complained and resisted being sent to the provincial Inju to be the Deputy Mayor. Both guys are being sent to secretly gather information to oust the corrupt and useless General Manager in MR and Mayor in CH. Megan Lai’s Luo Si Yi is a competent secretary just like Kim Sun Ah’s Shin Mi Rae really kept things running around Inju city hall as a 10th level civil servant. So far I’ve noticed some situations from CH getting lifted wholesale into MR, while other aspects are tweaked around. The meet cute between Cheng Kuan and Si Yi in MR is very different than Jo Gook and Mi Rae, but their bickering chemistry is very much the same. Roy is really doing a fantastic job and giving off Cha Seung Won vibes left and right as the masterfully arrogant management whiz being confounded by a lowly secretary.
Tia Li‘s best friend character Xiao Ke is a stand in for Boo Mi, with a twist that she doesn’t work at the same company. The preview for episode 3 even has the dip, turn, pretend kiss from episode 4 of CH as well as when Jo Gook pretends to be Mi Rae’s boyfriend to save her embarrassment from a man who is demeaning her. I’ve let out a sigh of relief at discovering that MR is tweaked remake of CH, because that means there will be tons of good angst coming up that really was nonexistent in Office Girls. I can’t wait to see Cheng Kuan fall for Si Yi and then have his life future challenged because of it. I’m so happy I decided to recap this sucker. There are actually many more CH elements in the first two episodes of MR than I mentioned here, and as I recap I foresee myself making the connection out of familiarity and to place it in context.
Preview for episode 3 plus pretty ending credits:
Opening credits:
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Your post has me laughing so. I may check this out after a few more updates from you even though I have not watched CH. :)
Kyaaaaahhh! *faints*
Roy Qiu as Jo Gook. I repeat - Roy Qiu as the TW-version of Jo Gook. Denali!!!! What did we do to deserve this? T____T Crying tears of happiness here.
Omg Mrs Koala. I can not even type because my thoughts are so incoherent right now. *hopping around and virtually bringing you in for that dance*
A mix of OG and CH? Be still, my heart, be still. I am there with you, Mrs Koala. For as long as I can manage to stay calm over the next weeks.
Sorry for my rant, Mrs Koala, I can't help it. A few hours after reading your news above (in the middle of the night, btw, lol) and I am still on cloud nine thinking of what lays ahead, lol.
Honestly I had not recognized the actress but her name sounded familiar and then, voilà: the second female lead in Mars (I luff you drama and your male lead in particular ^^). I started getting worried over Megan Lai's chemistry with Roy but the preview of ep 3 plus the opening credit (which I had totally not seen in your message at first, haha) do look promising.
Can't wait for Si Yi to get a makeover, lol! Plus after a lil' googling, I did find a streaming site that provides the episodes, raw. A few minutes of ep 1 have already cracked me up with "Patrick Li" 's lookalike and noticed so many similarities with CH. And Cheng Fuang's BFF is so hawt, too! Am not too fond of Tia Li, her skills, or lack thereof in OG were so lame; hopefully she won't bring this promising gem down. This is going to be SO COOL!!
May I add that the flower shop reminds me of Jo Gook's mom?
*squeeeee*
I really love the ending credits with Roy and Megan, it's so pretty and sweet. Though it is a bit strange that it's not in character and feels like something different. But it's too pretty to dislike. Also cannot go wrong with a Della Ding track!
Oh wow.Really?I wasn't going to watch it but now that you mentioned City Hall...
I was planning to check this out at some point but it wasn't at the top of my list. But now that I know it is a remake of City Hall, which I LOVE, it just moved to the top. Sorry other dramas...I'll get back to you when I can.
COPY THIS! i was on the fence about this drama when you first posted about this, but throw in a city hall mention and i am IN.
That would be a bonus, definitely. But honestly, I can spend the whole hour just oogling at Roy, oh my, he's such a beauty!! I know "handsome" would be more appropriate, but his eyes, nose, lips, the face.. he is just so beautiful. hahha.. ok, call me shallow, i admit it. :P
please help... can't find this anywhere! can someone tell me where i can watch this with english subs? i miss roy
Mrs. Koala, thanks for the recap, it seems interesting. But can you tell us where we can watch it via net - checked viki and dramacrazy its not there. This would help a lot.
Thanks in advance.
I have no idea. I don't watch any of my TW-dramas with subs. If Viki starts to sub it that would be ideal.
Unfortunately Viki is unavailable in some areas such as mine due to copyright issue. Thus instead I will look for raw links here and there then eagerly wait for Mrs Koala's recaps.
I like this drama when I read the synopsis of it. Mrs Koala, u completely hook me in with ur recap. Really really sad that nobody has yet pick up this drama to sub.
OMG. I am so torn right now. On the one hand, like you, CH is my favourite drama of all time. BEST OTP EVAR. Plus Roy Qiu playing the most charismatic leading man character in any drama universe! *faints*
On the other hand, I tend not to enjoy remakes of shows I really love because I keep comparing them to the original. But that could be because they're usually so bad. *coughBOFcough* I dunno.... *wails*
(Deep down, I know I'm going to give in and watch it.)