Perfect Partner | Recap and Review

A public relations novice, takes on the CEO position after her father suddenly disappears. She enlists the help of the haughty, overconfident, but skilled Wei Zhe to help her regain control of her company.
Notable Actors/Actresses
Huang Xuan: Wei Zhe
Tong Li Ya: Jiang Da Lin
Gao Lu: Shu Qing

Director: 

An Jian

Chinese Title:

完美關係

Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Contemporary Romance

Network: iQIYI, Tencent Video, MangoTV

Year: 2020
Episodes: 51

First Impression: 3.5/5

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Mini Recaps

[Ep4] Jiang Da Lin's got flare. Love that press conference. Meanwhile, behind the snarky facade, the male lead Wei Zhe, has a heart of gold, saving a pregnant mom when everyone's scrambling for their own lives. And its the woman who's always giving him such a hard time too. (She later asks him to be the stepfather of her newborn, aw)
[Ep6] Jiang Da Lin stakes out at WZ's place, shamelessly begging him to help her after he publicly ridicules her. He's willing to help her because her father was his teacher, someone he admired.
[Ep8] Jiang Da Lin asking Wei Zhe how a pregnant test works, LOL. She thinks he knows everything

I hope Stella isn't evil. I have a hunch she's polishing Jiang Da Lin like she's a rough diamond by throwing challenges at her. I really like her, she's a total girl crush: smashing her own car to catch her cheating husband and still being so cool and calm about it.
[Ep9] I'm teary eyed as Jiang Da Lin completes her first mission. The true essence of this drama reveals itself here: finding human nature in the money-hungry business world. Tong Li Ya has sold me on her performance as Jiang Da Lin, innocent, principled, strong and excellent with words. I can't wait until Wei Zhe enters DL (the company) and messes up the entire hierarchy.
[Ep10] WZ starting to show some interest in her after giving her a full makeover.
[Ep11] WZ not only has to coach Da Lin on how to present herself but also her love life.
[Ep12] Stella shows up at his husband's mistress's home (er, Stella's home) and shows her who's boss
[Ep13] I like Stella's and Da Lin's scenes paralleling each other. One side, there's a husband begging for forgiveness; the other side there's a suitor pursuing for love.

[Ep15] What a lovely episode this is.

• Stella and Wei Zhe are actually standing with Da Lin in pursuit justice and fairness. The world is changing. I love this, Da Lin is winning people over one by one with her own efforts and passion. 
• Although Stella looks and acts like a devil, she's in fact loved by all her coworkers. They set up a surprise birthday party for Stella. Her little lover boy (the one who has a crush on her) comes all the way from school, a two hour trip, to buy her a birthday cake. It's sweet but I don't know how to support this couple, it's a little weird. The boy is too young. Stella is just coming out of a divorce (good riddance to that jerk) so I do want her to get a little bit of love. She, however, probably doesn't see him as a potential (yet) though. 
• I love the dialogues between Wei Zhe and Da Lin. He wants to end their teacher-student relationship because she's just too stressful for him. He feels more like her nanny. She knows he doesn't mean it and works her charm on him. She promises to listen and be good again. Whatever, lol. It is true though that Wei Zhe is weak against her. His psychologist basically tells him Da Lin is his medicine to his severe anxiety disorder. She is his inner voice unrestrictedly exposed. Although he values his career as a public relationist but whenever he has to sacrifice his ethics, inner conflict brews inside of him and that's the root of his anxiety. Da Lin exposes all of it, and makes him face his ethics square on. 

[Ep16] Shu Qin and Shen Ying Jie are an item?! From all that rivalry, all that hate? But they're from opposing companies, so their relationship must be kept a secret. There's another forbidden relationship: Da Lin and her little crush. Wei Zhe warns her against it but Da Lin think he's overstepping his lines. I smell something awfully fishy about this crush.
[Ep17] Everyone's got a date (Da Lin and Stella) except Wei Zhe. And he's pissed everyone's ditching him at the meeting. Ha. Then his mom calls him, and he's elated, only to hear his mom tell him she's getting married (again) Haha. Da Lin comes in and tells him she canceled her date for the meeting (her bf canceled), but it's Wei Zhe's turn to cancel her, lol.

WZ’s mom is serious about this marriage. Wei Zhe seems to be surrounded by women with love (whether they're being scammed or not). And WZ is serious about stopping the marriage but his new stepbrother steps in. Da Lin is innocently pulled into their childish fights.
[Ep18] The boys talk it over drinks and everyone's happy again. Awwww. Da Lin's over enthusiasm towards his new stepbrother bothers Wei Zhe. Hmmmm I wonder whyyyy. Somewhere else at another bar, Stella and her little lover boy get real close over drinks. However, Stella snaps out of it. Except her ex-husband captures everything and threatens her to back off with the divorce settlement.

Another love line emerges: Bonnie (Da Lin's bestie) and Lincoln (the new step brother)

Wei Zhe and Da Lin are on a business trip in Sydney. They're there to help this company mass layoff their employees, and one of them resort to pretty extreme measures: pointing a gun at WZ's head. That night, Da Lin has nightmares. Scared, she runs to WZ's room and asks him if she can sleep with him. He tells her, "I'm not that kind of man." She tells him she only wants to be in the same room. She really doesn't think of him as a man, aw

[Ep19] WZ has an anxiety attack from the case they're handling. Da Lin is frightened herself, but stays with him and calms him down. She says the exact words he needed to hear: he can't always help everyone; he's not heartless or cold hearted; he's always done his best to help her to help others. She is his medicine.
[Ep20] Wei Zhe risks his life to protect Da Lin from armed robbery. I'm against this depiction of gun violence in America. Anyways, they return from Sydney and they meet Wei Zhe's overly friendly ex-girlfriend.
[Ep22] Bonnie's new lover boy, Lincoln, is actually a capable lawyer. That ditsy boy? On the other hand, Da Lin's beau is a weasel.

[Ep23] Cute. ^

[Ep24] Despicable. ^ Stella knees her ex-husband in the groin deservingly.

[Ep26] Wei Zhe is officially Team Da Lin. Loving their new teamwork. He chose to side with Da Lin’s righteousness over (immediate) profit. Knowing WZ, he probably saw the long term profit.

Background: Da Lin outrages an important investor, Deng Xi. Like a headless dog he starts barking at everyone and anyone for everything and anything. He yells at Wei Zhe for chasing a girl’s tail all the way to work at her company (ahem Da Lin), at Shu Qing for being a single mom and not knowing who the father of her child is, and at Chen Zhuo for relying on his girlfriend ex-girlfriend’s clients for business. Previously he also critiqued Stella for her divorce case. When none of Da Lin’s board members agree with her and even vote to remove her CEO position only WZ stood at her side. WZ doesn’t want to work under a jerk like Deng Xi. And WZ’s confident he can gain a profit through this by being on the right side, on Da Lin’s side. Off topic: seeing the characters Deng Xi and Shu Qing interact here (even though he’s yelling at her) I start reminiscing The Story of Ming Lan. What a masterpiece that drama was. Every character was remarkable, even these two.

With Da Lin handling the wholesomeness of the company, Wei Zhe balances out the profit. They even win back the support of their board members. These two are the perfect partner.

[Ep28] What is Da Lin going to do without WZ? Makes so much sense why she got fired in episode one. She's got this incurable disease to sacrifice profit at all cost. Sucks to work with her. Only WZ can clean up after her mess. Da Lin wanted justice for her friend who was sexually assaulted, but it's WZ doing all the hard work and making is possible for her friend to even make it a case.

[Ep29] Stella's lover boy is acting like a psycho to scare away away her ex husband. It's convincinly scary. It works, by the way lol. Probably Wei Zhe's idea. 

Shu Qing and Sheng Ying Jie are back together. Since when? He definitely likes her more.

[Ep30] Stella's and Da Lin's love lives are pit against each other again. Stella accepts his pursuit (I probably should give him a name now: Ye Dong Lie) and he literally falls off his chair. They're happily in love meanwhile Da Lin is unhappily out of love. Wei Zhe has gathered all the necessary evidence to convince Da Lin her boyfriend is using her to spy on their company.

[Ep31] Da Lin is heartbroken and starved herself for a day. Bonnie calls Wei Zhe for rescue. Aw he's like a best friend thinking of ways to get revenge at her ex. He talks some sense into her, questioning her if she actually loved him. He also apologizes to her for exposing her boyfriend's betrayal in such a harsh way. He gets her to talk, and laugh, and cry. She's all healed and hungry. Bonnie is impressed with WZ's efficiency and asks him to accept her as a student as well. But he rejects. He tells her she's already too tainted. Ha. I like this slow growing romance.

[Ep34: Romantic turning point]  WZ cooks her congee and even feeds her. She confides in him the immense stress she's feeling being the CEO when she knows nothing and being betrayed by her boyfriend when she trusted him so much. It's like the sky has crumbled. Misery loves company, so WZ comforts her by sharing his life story. First off, there's that severe anxiety from his career. However, he's also got gamophobia since his last relationship. It's a fear of marriage, a fear of commitment due to his mother's constant marriages and his father's infidelity. He's unable to approach women at all without having an anxiety attack.

Da Lin tests him and holds his hand. He stops and looks at her. Overcome by whatever he's feeling, he closes the gap and kisses her. And then he needs his psychologist, ha. Like immediately. He runs out of her apartment to hunt down his psychologist during her off hours and begs her to counsel him when she's on a date. She's furious at him but when he confesses he's had his first kiss she's suddenly engrossed and wants to know every detail. This is a counselling session by the way. Imagine what her boyfriend is feeling witnessing psychotic man telling his girlfriend he had his first kiss, lol.

The next day he asks Louise for advice. He doesn't tell her its him who kissed but she knows it has to him. He's got no guy friend. This girl is so smart on how she probes WZ.

WZ: You're a girl, right?
Louise is unimpressed.
WZ explains the situation
Louise: He doesn't want to take responsibility.
WZ: He just kissed her. You have to take responsibility for that?
Louise: (Exactly!) So why are you mulling over this?  - smirks- Smart girl. 
WZ: Right..why am I deliberating over this. She's caught the fish. 

Her instincts are right on point, she even figures out its Da Lin without a word from him. She tells him to give up on her.

WZ: Why?
Louise: You are indeed quite charming, especially to ladies, very charming. Except to girls like me who can see through you and see through myself as well, which is why I can be your secretary for so long.
WZ dismisses her: Your characteristics don't matter.
Louise is offended, lol.
WZ: What's my characteristic?
Louise: Your personality? You prefer the new and forget the old. Your virtue is you're nice to women; your flaws are you're nice to every woman.
WZ is impatient: Get to the point.
Louise straightens up: Point is you two aren't compatible.
Silence
WZ frustratingly tells her: I never even wanted to start anything anyways.
Louise: Exactly! That's the point, you never wanted to do anything anyways so why are you messing with her. 

Louise tells him to pretend nothing happened. Da Lin had also received the same advice from Bonnie. However, WZ is way better at doing it. Da Lin is like a deer caught in the headlight: super obvious and super awkward. She even takes the stairs all the way up to her office on the highest floor just to avoid taking the elevator with him.

[Ep35] Da Lin grabs his hand again out of happiness at the arrival of a new rich client. She suddenly remembers about his fear of woman and then lets go. But it's too late. His world is only made of her. He can't hear anything or see anything else. He only sees her glowing in front of him. Literally. He thinks he's poisoned, he tells his psychologist. The psychologist sarcastically asks if he's being serious. He is. On his way back home he's getting all these flashbacks of Da Lin. It's all the times he's been in physical contact with her. Riiiiight, why didn't he have an anxiety attack all those times? To brainwash himself, he invites his ex to his place, but Da Lin is already there waiting for him. She wants to set things straight (that nothing happened and they're still business partners) and he agrees. Da Lin leaves him and his ex-girlfriend alone but neither of them seem to be happy on their newfound agreement.

Shu Qing is the company spy?? Nooo I like her. Is it for her boyfriend?

[Ep36] As Bonnie and Lincoln are sliding off the cuteness scale, Louise and An Dong seem to be the next cute pair. Or at least I'm hoping so. Back to Bonnie, I think her actions may be considered as emotional cheating.

WZ and Da Lin are on a business trip and the electricity is cut off. Scared, she runs to find WZ who finds it fun to scare her. He walks her back to her room. She asks him if he told anyone about their kiss. He admits he told Louise and she tells him she's told Bonnie. He's disappointed to hear Bonnie disapproves of him. Da Lin confronts him whether his anxiety is real. He's starting to question it too. He grabs her hand and slowly goes in to kiss her. She closes her eyes. They kiss. But the light turns back on. Both of them seem disappointed the kiss was so short lived.

The case is interesting this time. A father wants to force his son to accept his new lover so he uses all means to publicly marry her even if it means ruining his son's business.

[Ep38] Stella. She’s hanging out with her bf’s friends. It’s so awkward, I’m cringing for her. They’re uncomfortable around her and neither is she saying likeable things.

Da Lin. Her and Wei Zhe just finished a case and he’s envious of the beautiful relationship of his clients. Da Lin asks him why doesn’t he just take a step forward courageously (to her).

WZ: Do you think I’m okay?
DL: How will I know if we don’t try?
WZ takes a step forward
WZ gets a small anxiety attack. 

Bonnie. Lincoln is such an idiot. Firstly he only takes her on dates to places he likes. Then he receives her parents without consulting her. And honestly, how could he not know she hates her mom when he lives with them everyday. There’s a limit to oblivion, otherwise that’s just stupidity. Heartbreak aside, it’s Bonnie’s relationship with her mother that takes priority. Da Lin, being the busybody she is, wants to fix this. But she can’t do it alone. She begs WZ. He even has to help her friends’ relationship problems now, eh? However WZ won’t do it for free. Da Lin offers a “cheap” amount and he refuses. However, he’ll still help Bonnie because Lincoln is his stepbrother after all. He’ll accept an apple as a payment.
[Ep39] Da Lin makes a move and corners him to date her but he still runs away. WZ, what are you doing! 

[Ep41] WZ's on an undercover mission and can only talk to Da Lin in the men's washroom. They're almost caught so she steps up on the handrail hovering over him landing her in that awkward pose. So what, he can touch her with no problems now? 

[Ep42] The undercover mission sure escalated as a man takes hostage of WZ's "girlfriend", Da Lin (he said so himself). After the mission is successfully over, WZ rushes to his psychiatrist and once again consults him about his love life. The psychiatrist tells him his problems are that of a normal person's. In other words, he's healed. She gives him three mission: return the bracelet, resume driving, and relish his desires (i.e. chase the girl he wants).
[Ep43] Meanwhile, Da Lin has her own psychiatrist: Bonnie. She admits she likes WZ and Bonnie motivates her to pursue him. But he's already on it.

He's plastered his love confession on one of Shanghai's most noticeable billboard.

WZ: I don't know when it started but all my thoughts are about you. The obnoxious you. The angry you. The happy you. The heartbroken you. Because of you, I break my principles time and time again. I thought I was just compromising with you but it was actually out of love for you. Jiang Da Lin, I love you. For now on, I don't want to be your teacher anymore. I want to be your husband (hoooooold your horses, what happened to just dating).
Da Lin tears up: Those pictures are so ugly. Now the entire Shanghai knows how ugly I am (I actually thought the same thing too. Not that she's ugly but more the exposure).
WZ: It's ugly? - very serious - I thought each photo was beautiful. Very beautiful. Man, is it the real him talking or the sales person in him talking? Will you marry me?
Da Lin cries happy tears and kisses him. That's her answer. 

They go back to the pub they first met and he tells her about his lonely childhood. Then he goes on about how important her presence is in his life. I like these two, but its getting a tad, taaaaad cheesy now. They're back at his home and she confesses she was already in love with him. She recalls the moment he was a hostage.

Da Lin: I never worried about someone that much. When I thought they could harm you or do something to you I really thought of sacrificing everything to save you. I want to be with you even if we were to die together. It was at that moment I knew that I was in love with you. 

The first testament of their love: the three board members disapproval. Are they being serious?

[Ep44] Thankfully, they're not serious. Phew. I knew it but I was still a little scared. The board members approve of their relationship, not only that but the entire company celebrates their love.

As for Stella, I much prefer her with the lawyer than Ye Dong Lie. I find the actor a little creepy... Completely off topic but the drama makes me squarely face my double standards. I supported Yuan Song and Fan Xing in Find Yourself who have the same age gap. However, YS and FX looked compatible thanks to Victoria not looking her age. While Stella and YDL look their age and they also don’t have that appeal. I don't feel any chemistry and she really can pass as his mom... (even though they're only ten years apart in real life). Looks really do matter... And well the drama isn't making it easy for me to support the two either, always showing scenes of his incompetence compared to her. 

Moving on: Bonnie. I like her, I don't know if I ship her with any of the guys who are pursuing her. The rich guy is more compatible in terms of his intellectuality. Yes, I'm calling Lincoln dumb. However the rich guy looks like a weasel, not trustworthy at all. Let's not forget, his ex-girlfriend looks exactly like her...

[Ep45] In this episode: relationship problems and company problems. I think my deadly drama dropping disease is acting up. Once the main leads get together, my anticipation for this drama immediately plummets.

[Ep47] Just three episodes ago the board members were celebrating their relationship; this episode they're kicking out WZ to keep the company's reputation.

[Ep49] Stella is breaking up with her boy. She still loves him but if a relationship is making them distance their family and friends, she doesn’t see a good ending for them, so why not make the pain shorter and end their relationship here and now. Honestly, Stella hasn’t done anything girl crush worthy since dating this guy. 

Bonnie’s side. She thinks she’s found the one (the CEO) but he was married with a daughter all along. Here I was mulling over her cheating on Lincoln but he’s the bigger cheater. If only Bonnie was the type to settle for the ordinary. She’s always chasing for more

Business side. WZ saves himself, like always.

[Ep50] Shu Qing is the spy. She’s avenging her late husband who committed suicide because of Da Lin’s father (who if y’all still remember is the CEO of DL who ran away). However it was all a ploy designed by Yuan Su CEO to get Shu Qing to cooperate with him.
[Ep51] SQ finally believes that Da Lin’s dad is innocent. Yuan CEO gets his rightful punishment. Afterwards Da Lin’s parents relents all their stock and power to retire and travel the world. Da Lin doesn’t want to be CEO anymore so dad tells her she can always relent it to someone else, ahem, Wei Zhe. That’s dad’s way of accepting his new son-in-law. Da Lin tries to seduce him to take the CEO position with a tiny peck. WZ doesn’t think that’s enough. He wants her to accept his previous proposal. He already researched the most recent auspicious date and asks her to marry him. The end. Wait. That’s it? What happened to the rest of the characters? Bonnie and Stella remain heartbroken? That’s the last of their characters?? Don’t I get a team reunion? 

Remarks

First Impression (1-8): I like this more than I thought I would. Usually don't watch a lot of career based Cdramas just because they're a little unrealistic and unrelatable. Recently tried Best Partner which started off strong with distinct, interesting characters but then it was like 40 episodes of zero character growth. I was just watching these characters live their daily life and I got bored of that. Anyways - this drama - I'm already interested in the character growth of Da Lin under Wei Zhe's guidance as they're not just "best partners", they're the "Perfect Partners". Crossing my fingers, hoping it won't use overly dramatic tropes.

The Women: On paper, I like the characters, especially the girls. Was not expecting this drama to be so woman-centered (minus Wei Zhe). They're all strong and have flare. Doesn't matter if they are divorced, a single mom or poor. I'm talking about Stella, Shu Qing, and Bonnie. Da Lin is another story. However the characterizations seem to stop developing midway as the drama prioritizes on cases and relationship problems. It would have been better if the cases were at least relatable. However the worst is when the drama focuses on relationship problems that I have no care in the world for (Stella's young lover boy, Bonnie's two relationships, and quasi Shu Qing). I like these girls being single more.

As for Da Lin, I loved her in the beginning. Behind that innocent face was a brilliant confident woman. I'm talking about the press conference. However, the drama spoils her character and she's allowed to whine like a kid to get her justice every single time. Lucky she met WZ who spoils her.

I wished the drama focused on the women and their growth. Instead of having WZ solve everything, I wished Da Lin could actually learn from him rather than rely on him. Instead of having Stella be stuck in a relationship problem for half the drama, I wished she had a competent rivalry against Da Lin or Wei Zhe to prove her irreplaceable position in DL. Meanwhile Shu Qing was kept too mysterious throughout the drama for me to support her decisions. And Bonnie was sacrificed for I don’t know what or why. After this rant you may think I really dislike this drama but I’m only complaining about these women because I’ve grown to care about them. I want more.

Overall:  It would have been a solid 3/5, maybe 4/5 but my anticipation for the female characters to rock even more was met flatly with disappointment. It just became a drama about relationships which is fine except I only liked one relationship out of the four. And then only one couple truly got a happy ending; it’s almost like the drama forgot the rest of the cast for the last episode. Despite the disappointment, I won't forget how this drama captured my interest in the beginning. It did have its humorous and girl crush moments. I don’t regret watching it, I just wished the women and the ending were dealt with more delicacy.

Rating: 2/5