God I love this drama so much, so so so much. The 3rd episode of TW-drama Marry Me or Not continues the excellent everything, as things come to a prescient ending between Huan Huan and the wrong sap she was going to marry, at the same time starting things off with an explosive snap, crackle, and pop between her and the real man of her destiny Justin. This drama brings back all the feels from the In a Good Way days, loving the characters I see onscreen and clamoring for their every interaction. Huan Huan and Justin way transcend Alice Ke and Roy Qiu‘s first coupling in Office Girls, this time turning their bickering from school yard sweetness to adult sexy incisiveness.
Every line of dialogue is worth savoring, and I find myself agreeing with both of them at the same time even if they are at odds with each other, because both make sense. The chemistry remain through the roof, and the prettiness in every frame captured by the official drama stills released during the week to recap and relive the episode. From the first time Justin stared a little too hard at Huan Huan, I knew he must know her from somewhere, and to see that she’s his first crush is just icing on the cake. How can he not be there for her during her pride-break wedding fiasco. Of course she’s turned into a man chomping shark, but more like a toothless one since deep down she’s a marshmallow when push comes to shove.
Koala u need to watch bromance!!!
AGREED!
I like it more than MMON. I mean both are good but Bromance is so gloriously cheesy and entertaining. Also, who knew Baron Chen was so hot! I completely ignored him in FTLY ? Also Megan might become my favourite lady to play the part of a dude!
I really love how they’ve kept the chemistry despite effectively reversing the roles – she is definitely the alpha here.
As an aside, DON’T watch Bromance, unless it’s as counterpoint to this one. Bromance is as bad as Marry Me is good. I’m enduring Bromance to see just HOW bad SETTV can make it, but 5 eps in it’s already terrible – stupid, pointless and draggier than a quadraplegic tortoise reversing through treacle.
Thanks for the heads up. I kind of wanted to watch Bromance for Bii, but I saw who the female lead was and escaped before I even clicked on the first episode. I might sound superficial for saying this, but the female lead could’ve been prettier with better acting skills. I’m glad a stayed away. I guess I’ll get my dose of Bii via his songs like usual.
OMG Megan is KILLING it! She might not be the prettiest actress out there but you can’t say her acting is terrible here.
I can’t judge her acting skills, all I know is that she is the LEAST convincing “girl in drag” I’ve ever seen, and the entire Drama seems to be designed solely to make that point, right down to long close ups on her neck. There is no plot, just a series of ridiculously contrived cliched “OMG how can he not tell” scenes, one after the other.
If it weren’t for the cute second couple (featuring the 2nd from the equally lame SETTV Someone Like You), and the promise of molto makjang to come (with “dead” parents to be resurrected) I’d be ditching it. Instead, I make sure to watching it BEFORE Marry Me Or Not, to rinse the bad taste from my palate. 🙂
@Stuart I actually like it even though it’s somewhat weird. And I can’t wait for the next episode.
Yeah, I like it too. But then, I knew what to expect going in, so …
So marry me or not is not from SETTV? no wonder it is so good. it feels very different from other dramas i watched from this channel..
Marry me, or not is from CTV. I’m currently following both rival dramas and I find both shows enjoyable since each has diff story line.
I actually love both shows, but for different reasons. Marry me or not is a highly polished, witty and very modern show (in plot, directing and cinematography, which surpass all the other tw shows, possibly ever). Bromance on the other hand reminds me of old school (pre 2010) taiwanese rom coms; it’s very much like a ridiculously cheesy shoujo manga – it uses all the possible expected cliches in the cheesiest ways possible, and i know exactly what to expect, yet it makes me grin and giggle like a fool whenever the OTP are together. I think it depends on how much one digs the couple and their chemistry, I *adored* them from the very first moment they met. But I also suspect that people who grew up reading cheesy shoujo mangas or watching cheesy ott old school tw shows, and who can still dig them probably like it (or would like it) a lot.
As for megan lai, I actually think she is the MOST convincing cross dresser because she nailed the male mannerisms much better than every other female cross-dressing character/actress I’ve seen. When she wants to, she really comes across like a guy. Ella chen is also convincing as a boy in the tw version of hana kimi based on her looks alone, however megan lai is a much better actress so she tops her in every way. But to be honest, as a woman who has been mistaken for a guy most of her life, in spite of a truly *extremely* feminine figure and extremely white, clean skin, and only because of short hair (1 cm) and no make up, even park shin hye in you’re beautiful was okay for me. Because people can be mindbogglingly blind and stupid when it comes to identifying a person’s sex, and only because of stereotypes/expectations related to looks or behaviour.
I’d also just like to point out that if one looks at kpop idols (or many younger japanese singers/actors) and their faces and necks, many of them actually seem hairless. A friend of mine always jokes that they look like little boys and don’t start growing beards until they’re 30 🙂
So anyway, bottom line, megan lai is awesome, and bromance is a niche show 🙂 Marry me or not on the other hand will probably end up being a cult show known as one of the best written, directed and most polished taiwanese rom coms ever.
+1 I so agree with you. Bromance is like the old school Taiwanese drama, and I adore it. I just hope it won’t get draggy or turn into a mess when her true identity/gender is revealed
You nailed it. I am watching both and am enjoying them for different reasons. Megan is hands down the most convincing “guy” I’ve seen on screen. From her height to her mannerism, she is a dude. This is old school manga/T-drama/whatever reference you made style. I am enjoying it a lot.
For MMON, it’s completely different type of drama. So I don’t see an issue with liking both. Just wish that it wasn’t just one episode each week!
I’m so hoping for them to keep it light too, but I’m a little afraid since it’s settv :/ They managed to do it with when i see you again so a part of me remains hopeful.
Cat – ott tw = over the top taiwanese 🙂 they used to be even quite cartoonish sometimes, but it’s something that never bothered me, depending on the execution it can be totally charming. but i guess it can be called acquired taste, especially nowadays.
of course there’s no issue, besides, you like what you like, doesn’t matter what others think or say, you don’t even need a reason 🙂
Re: Bromance – It’s so bad that it’s good. Hahahah!
Definitely agree on that – that’s why I’m sticking with it. 😀
+1 True True True. And its cliffhangers are just too good Lol.
Spot on comment! ^_^
Agree! Bromance is so my guilty pleasure alongside Marry her or not. The BTS for Bromance is just golden…esp the way they treat Bii like a cute little brother. San Li has posted some extra behind the scenes that crack me up and make the show a bit more fluffy fun coz you can see the actors are just having a great time on set.
ps. Also love Bii for his music, he has such a great unique voice (acting…room for improvement).
could you please tell me where can I find these extra bts scenes? I seem to be unable to find them, at least on youtube, under the name “san li”.
@annie. I watch it at dramaq.cc. I think Maplestage has it as well. It’s shows automatically at the end of each episode. They do out takes, behind the scenes and wardrobe interview. The latest one they showed Megan and Baron speaking Japanese with Megan serving tea. It was hilarious.
thank you! I use the same site, but I thought that maybe it was something else, additional, because of the word “extra”. thank you anyway!
Can we expect recaps
Yes!!! I was actually waiting for you to blog about ep. 3.
The bickering and pettiness is just cute. I love how the hypnosis twisted Justin’s thought about what happened to him & Huan Huan only to be revealed to be the other way around. That was funny & genius. The fountain scene and that hug at the end is everything!
I really can’t wait for Sunday (and Monday for subs). Here’s to hoping love for this drama will spread even more and fansubbers will grow so no torture of waiting for subs because one episode per week is already enough the torture. Episode 4 seems going to be a bad ass episode too. Hoping this drama will keep it up and be good till the end!
Isn’t the subs coming along fast enough? I thought there wasn’t any issue.
I went back to Office Girls after ep 3. And it’s so tame compared to this. The hypnosis session was a hoot. I was shocked that it was her being aggressive not him.
The chemistry is off the chart and the 2 of them are so sharp on the screen that it’s as if they are Photoshop-ed.
” I was shocked that it was her being aggressive not him”
You’re the second person to comment on this – I thought it was REALLY obvious even during the hypnosis. She’s so clearly the alpha there’s no way it was ever going to be him doing that. I was actually a bit disappointed by what I saw as lazy writing, stooping to such an obvious “trick” during the hypnosis, so I just nodded when the flashback confirmed it.
I’m falling in love deeply with this drama… thanksss soooo mmuch koala for recommending this!
I love it a lot too. It’s because of this drama that I am back to watching tw dramas more regularly. I do like bromance a lot too cause of Megan and baron. I have grown out of my allergy for Megan. I like them chemi. Anyhow, I love Huan huan and Justin. She hasn’t figured out that Justin is maybe possibly related to HSN?
I agree that it is very obvious that huan Huan is the alpha. He totally comes across as the sappy puppy with the cute eyes and pretty much gives in to her though he puts up a good fight first. I have seen every scene that they have released clips for… And I still don’t quite get what happened btw them in the past in high school – I am so curious. And also I noticed in ep 3 he says to her twice that he will always be there for her no matter what.
I must say I give some props to director Yu (I think that’s his name – can’t quite remember from the interviews – and for him pushing Alice in her role. I can’t get enough of Roy and Alice in these roles. I love how Alice bought that cell phone for him to make up for the other one. She comes up with everything.
I’m sure it was just a misunderstanding on HSN’s part, HH doesn’t seem like the type to pursue her best friend’s crush. So far, we only get HSN’s perspective of this, who left no room for explanation for HH.
I watched the 3 episodes and they have chemistry but I don’t really like her character.
I watch Taste of Love and I really like it !
I can’t stand her too but I am sure there’s a story behind how she got so brittle and cynical. It’s nice to see something different instead of the usual goody goody female lead character.
Koala, Koala!! I love love love it!
The scene where Justin goes into a hypnosis and reenacts what presumably happens, cracks me up, I had tears!!!
So good!
….yes!!!!!!…..I loved the look of heart ache in his eyes when he first laid eyes on her…..I knew they had a history somewhere…..Roy is so good in this drama….so intense…and some kind of sadness in his eyes….What a heartbreaker! He should do intense roles more….and be next in line to fill the legend Tony Leung shoes!
Love that drama to bits and episode 3 was gold! I watched before marry me started almost half of office girls and the OTP is real cute there but here the sparks are flying!! they look so good i want to ship them in real life hehe.
it will be really pain to wait to one episode every week but hope the ride will continue to be this fun!! i already got addicted to the opening and ending songs they are so catchy!
I super love this episode! 🙂