June 28, 2023

Stand or Fall | Open Thread

Stand or Fall
A meddlesome middle-aged romcom.
Notable Actors/Actresses
Qin Lan: Guan Wen
Wang Yang: Ding Ning
Chinese Title
閃耀的她 
The Sparkling Her
Year2023
Episodes: 32

Jump to Reviews | Remarks | RecsComments


Cast


Qin Lan:
Guan Wen
Wang Yang:
Ding Ning
Liu Yun:
Chen Xuan Xuan
Wei Qian Xiang:
Lin Hao
Zhang Meng:
Jing Zhi Qiu
Zhang Duo:
Wang Li Ren


Romcom/Romance Checklist



How much of the plot is angst/romance?
0.50 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4.50 / 5
The ML
Cold–Lukewarm–Warm / Timid / Falls in Love First / Noble Idiot / CEO / General /
The FL
Bold / Cute / Cool & Independent / Falls in Love First / Better Than ML / Noble Idiot / 
Describe the Relationship (the tropes):
Bickering Start / Childhood Connection / Cohabitation / Contract Marriage or Fake Couple / Enemies to Lovers / Hidden Identity / School to Adulthood / Love Triangle / Married Couple (Real) / Secretly in Love (F/ML) / Star-Crossed Lovers / 
Relationship Progress (officially togetherfirst (official) kiss; breakup*):
Ep 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 20 / 21 / 22 / 23 / 24 / 25 / 26 / 27 / 28 / 29 / 30 / 31 / 32 
# of CPs (including main CP):
0 / 1 / 2 / 3
Ending:
Happy / Sad / Open Happy / Open Sad / Bad





Screen-Caps



[Ep1]
His face when he realizes who this obnoxious drunk woman is...
She's writing "jerk" on his car...
So he writes his number on her face. XD!
[Ep2]
This is so very satisfying. Stay for what happens next...
[Ep7]
His face here. :D
[Ep9]
She's here to cut... fruit?! Ha! Oops...
[Ep10]
Too much white for me. I see potential stains in my future...
[Ep15]
Could someone explain why they have a photo of some random baby (not their son) in their bedroom? LOL
(Not the first time I’ve noticed it and it looks creepier with every viewing!) 
[Ep17]
We asked for more Wang Yang and this ep (&18) delivers...⬇⬇⬇
This driver is the worst best. xD
She made his heart flutter... Heh.
[Ep18]
The one-look exchange.
Someone [She] is in trouble...
Yes, this is how one shows up for repels a blind date.
His mirth. 😍
[Ep19]
[Ep20]
Her shirt: "Talentless but happiness"
Closely checking if he's all right... ;)
[Ep21]
[Ep22]
[Ep23]
[Ep24]
[Ep26]
Air quotes...
[Ep29]
[Ep30]
Lizard-like Xuan Xuan.

He Yi Fei's smile with twinkling eyes. 

[Ep31]
Dorky smugness works for him. 
Kathy v. Guan Wen...Just look at his glee. 
Claiming him as hers. XD
I am dead from his facial expressions.
Our happy couple gone public.
[Ep32]
Sweet...even as Kathy glares in the background. XD




Other Remarks

By FanFanX



[First Impression (Ep1-)] Three best friends who differ in appearance, outlook and intellect. Sismance >> Romance. (If you're in it for the romance - there's a wait...)

→ 1st CP - Bickering former exes, who can maintain a professional work relationship when they have to. Backstory unfolds over time. 
→ 2nd CP - Brace yourself as one or the other or both will drive you insane. He's a jerk and she's flighty. 
→ 3rd CP - It's a peculiar relationship. The love is there but he is clearly a workaholic. And his new secretary is gunning for a more intimate position. 

[Actors/Actresses] I, just like the rest of the netizens, am in it for Wang Yang. Oh, look, Cao En Qi is in this as young ML, too.  Yes, there are mostly screencaps of Wang Yang...

[Behind the Scenes] I found a few but without subs. 

→ It's windy. Ha, I love the lipstick all over her face!
→ Zhang Meng is making me hungry
→ Wang Yang's exasperated face here. :D His real smile though... ^___^

→ Not a BTS, and semi-[spoilers]. Ep31, when Guan Wen claims her boyfriend.

[OST] Decent OST. It goes from sweet to high energy.
 
0:00 做自己的光
4:08  你就是答案
8:36  将爱比爱
12:18 爱的旅行者
15:43 没在怕

[CP Name] This is one of my favorites to date. xD! Very apropos for this couple.

 None of Your Business 

Ding Ning 丁寧 + Guan Wen 管文
Guan Ning Pi Shi 管寧屁事
 None of Your Farting Business 關你屁事

Want to see other CP names


[Ending] Happy.


Reviews



Five (5/5)


Four (4/5)


Three (3/5)


Two (2/5)


Reviewer: cynlynn
Date: July 2023
Hearts: 
Hohoho, Wang Yang as romcom ML! He is good, and smirks good. Both him and Qin Lan have an immersive quality in their acting. Their initial scenes may be short, but they’re always charged, filled with animosity and filled with attraction. They’re the strong and charismatic couple. They also make the business more interesting.

I may love the main romance but as a whole, drama is mediocre because it’s split equally between three couples and two of them suck. The second one is repelling, actually. Technically, I do like 3rd ML’s character ( because he’s immune to seduction and is still so in love with his wife), but I don’t like Zhang Meng….

On the plus side, drama is super easy and short because of all the fast-forwarding.


Reviewer: FanFanX
Date: July 2023
Hearts: 
A series about the friendship of three women who are nothing alike. It starts out fun with them, but then it becomes a mashup of work and not-so-fun romance issues. It’s a slightly more realistic look at how relationships evolve/devolve. Just get ready for all the tropes. 

Wei Qian Xiang, who I remember well from Really Meet Love That Day, did not disappoint me – in making me loathe him again. I’d say more but it’ll just make my blood pressure go back up. 

Pros
✔️ Handsome mature [looking] ML (Wang Yang!)
✔️ Sassy FL (Qin Lan)
✔️ 4ML (Wong Guan Yi) that you want to keep for yourself 
✔️ Trope-a-rific main CP 

Cons

➖ Immature 2FL
➖ Odious 2ML
➖ Weird 3CP 
➖ Work drama >> Romance
➖ Useless deadweight in the form of FL’s brother

Caveat: I may have continued watching this for one reason only – Wang Yang. 

Random Recommendation

Rating: 2/5♥️♥️
 

One (1/5)




Recommendations


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