If asked to vote on it, I think it’s safe to bet that the outcome would be a landslide of 100 nays to 0 yays when it comes to Taiwan dramas making another adaptation of popular Japanese manga Itazura na Kiss (It Started with a Kiss). The 2005 TW-drama version It Started with a Kiss was an instant classic thanks to the perfect casting of tall, cold, genius Zhi Shu played by Joe Chang and his electric chemistry with dumber than a sack of potatoes never give up Xiang Qin played by Ariel Lin.

Ariel and Joe made the characters charming and endearing, and in the process raised the level of idol dramas in Taiwan. The new 2016 version of It Started with a Kiss stars rising singer-actor Dino Lee (famously the second lead in hit movie Our Times) as the ice prince and newbie Esther Wu as the bumbling girl with the forever crush, with Gong Yi Teng as the adoring second male lead and Riko Xi as the second female lead. I don’t dislike this cast but simple see no reason for a new Taiwan version of ISWAK, not to mention ItaKiss feels like the story that will never slink quietly into retirement. Continue reading →