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  • Last Online: Oct 30, 2023
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: Europe
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WindBlows

Europe

WindBlows

Europe
Almost Lover chinese drama review
Completed
Almost Lover
8 people found this review helpful
by WindBlows
Dec 10, 2022
36 of 36 episodes seen
Completed
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 5.5
Rewatch Value 6.5

Friends and relationships - the good, bad and everything in between

To me, this drama is primarily about the complicated nature of friendship and how old patterns are hard to break even years later. I liked the second chance at love, although the lack of clear background story made the first 10 episodes rather confusing.

The highlight for me was the parallel between the trio of friends - past and present. The FL took on a job in a remote place, very different from her high school dreams, but also found 2 co-workers with whom she formed a beautiful bond of mutual support. They were very close friends, always there for each other, without overstepping the boundaries necessary for personal growth.

Enter ML, with whom she had had a long friendship marked by unrequited love and then separation. They were also part of a friendship trio in school, with the ML chasing and protecting his crush (who was in an abusive home environment) and FL always being supportive. This created an unhealthy dynamic where the ML became the perpetual knight in shining armour, his crush a damsel in distress who had to manipulate others for survival and the FL stuck in the middle.

Unfortunately, the cycle continued as adults. The ML tried to distance himself from the former crush and her manipulations, yet old habits are hard to break. It led to many tensions in his relationship with the FL and in the end a series of uninspired choices and negative consequences that impacted his whole life.

I was glad to see the FL take a firm stand and disengage from the codependent cycle, making her needs and well being a priority, regardless of the ML's actions. There are subtle tones of emotional depth and maturity throughout the varied relationships portrayed by the drama - friendship, family, romance etc.

All in all, a quiet slice of life that made me ponder about relationships, with a solid happy ending for everyone.
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