Fake It Till You Make It | Open Thread

A courtship between masters of flirts.

Notable Actors/Actresses

Han Dong Jun: Xu Zi Quan

Cai Wen Jing: Tang Ying

Director: 

Li Mo

Chinese Title

裝腔啟示錄 

Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Contemporary Romance

Network: MangoTV

Year: 2023
Episodes: 14

Jump to Remarks | Reviews | Comments

Cast

Han Dong Jun: Xu Zi Quan

Cai Wen Jing: Tang Ying

Geng Le: Ma Qi Yuan

Bao Shang En: Lin Xin Zi

Dai Yun Fan: Xu Jia Bai

Li Yuan: Wang Yu Su

Ni Hong Jie: Liu Mei Ling

Jiang Shi Meng: Da Wang

Romcom/Romance Checklist

[In Progress]

How much of the plot is angst/romance?

0 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 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 together; first (official) kiss; breakup*):

Ep 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 

# of CPs (including main CP):
0 / 1 / 2 / 3+

Ending:

Happy / Sad / Open Happy / Open Sad / Bad

Screencaps

[Ep1]

[Ep2]

Don't laugh!

Writing in the heart of her palm

Sharing an earphone to watch an animation together. 

[Ep3]

[Ep4]

[Ep5]

[Ep6]

[Ep7]

[Ep8]

[Ep9]

"Are you rejecting me or seducing me?"

[Ep10]

[Ep11]

[Ep12]

[Ep13]

[Ep14]

At her favourite roof.

Remarks

[Cast & Crew] Li Mo is also the director of Song of Life and Remembrance of Things Past. 

Xu Kai Cheng was originally the ML. Rumour has it that he filmed for about a month before he was replaced because of his scandal. Harsh but hilarious netizens have been thanking Zhang Tian Ai for this replacement. 

Han Dong Jun loves impromptu livestreams. He'd invite Director Li Mo when he's editing clips and Cai Wen Jing when she's shopping. 

[Drama Tidbits]

→ Han Dong Jun used his own motorbikes for this drama. After this, Cai Wen Jing swears to sell her motorbike helmet (bc she ain't riding one ever again, haha)

→ Cai Wen Jing swats a fly and continues her acting in Ep7

→ Director Momo cameos in Ep13. 

→ Some more details in comments here

Reviews

See Rating Guide for more info

Five (5/5)

Four (4/5)

Reviewer: cynlynn

Date: September 2023

Hearts: ♥♥♥

Hello 2023 summer heartthrob Han Dong Jun ~ Let’s all take a short moment, inhale, close our eyes, exale and thank Zhang Tian Ai. Amen.

Han Dong Jun is busting with charms as Xu Zi Quan. He dances with tomatoes, poses on bikes, and cartwheels into hearts. It was electric when he simply stood by his car, leaned back, crossed his arms, twinkled his eyes up at his FL. I She was a goner.

An advice: the main CP’s initial flirty romantic exchanges have to at least tingle your heart right from the beginning for you to enjoy all of this. They are the fuel that powers you through the slow parts (e.g. workplace, side romances).

Romance swirls with maturity. Expect no cliches. Expect simplicity (feeding cats, phoning each other, bathtub talks). Cai Wen Jing and Han Dong Jun are natural and comfortable with each other. My interest for a couple usually peters after they’re together, but not this one. Their chemistry is always smooth and smelting. Their misunderstandings/conflicts are always duly resolved openly and transparently.

The unsung part of this drama is the subtle exploration of the multiple (female) perspectives. Instead of having a moral compass in this drama, it’s more about understanding perspectives. There are immoral characters, mistresses and manipulative partners, but the drama’s frame of reference isn’t to judge them outside in; we’re unraveling their layers to see why they are the way they are. Tang Ying embodies this intake of perspectives. By the end, her experience with Lao Wang expanded her worldviews, and that helped her be a better mentor to another intern. This is the kind of feminism I would love to see more.

Workplace drama is seriously plain, but I appreciate how Tang Ying and Xu Zi Quan shine and strive in their careers, especially Xu Zi Quan. No doubt about it, he is the best investor in dramaland: getting the right girl, and the right (Cariter!) rings.

Three (3/5)

Two (2/5)

One (1/5)

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