Love is True (2021)

Excellent Character Driven Story - Career, Marriage, Family?

If you are a woman, you will appreciate this show. Here's a show that tells your life story whether you are already a mother or a single woman contemplating marriage and motherhood or one that cherishes freedom from neither. If you are a man, you will come away with a better appreciation of the choices women have to make and the sacrifices and trade-offs they are faced with. Career, children, family - which one gives? Through the lens of Xiao Yan, Chen Jiao Rui and You Ya, we experience these life choices.

Ultimately, this is a show about character development. There's no perfect heroine or villain. Everyone goes through his or her evolution of change, some more subtle than others. The romance is low key and serves more as a backdrop.

The plots are not new but unlike many 40+ episodes cdramas, this show succeeded in not dragging out the cliff hangers and give viewers quick conclusion to each plot within a few episodes whether it is redemption for the characters or providing them with stepping stones to a future resolution.

Whether you are rooting for the stubborn but strong work ethics Xiao Yan, happy-go-lucky but naive You Ya or the conflicted and manipulative Chen Jiao Rui, you will appreciate the choices and decisions these women have to make in their daily lives as they navigate corporate politics, traditions and self-beliefs to achieve their dreams.

The entire cast are perfect for their roles but a shout out to Tamia Liu. She did not disappoint. Happy to report that this show does not suffer from cringe-worthy, over the top acting. So there you have it. If you enjoy slice of life dramas such as Ode to Joy or Nothing But Thirty where women are the centrepiece, this will be worth every minute of your time.

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