Currently Watching: The Pursuit of Happiness

I’ve been on a small Taiwanese drama binge of late – part of my broader plan of self-education.  And what I’ve discovered is that when it comes to the Twdrama, I usually love it, or hate it.  And when I find one I love, I think ‘That’s it. There’ll never be another one just as good!’  - Says me upon finishing In Time With You.  So wait, the currently airing Pursuit of Happiness is produced by the same team?!? I’m in!

Ji An Lei (Sonia Sui) is an almost 35-year old office lady, and she’s never loved anyone in the past 15 years except on-an-off boyfriend He Wei Ting (Cash Chuang), a freelance travel journalist who’s never wanted to settle down.  Until now – when he returns home with his newly beloved fiancé Shen Hai Lun (Aggie Xie).  Following Hai Lun’s return, however, is Huang Yi Kang (Tony Yang) nursing a one-sided crush.  The two friend-zoned pals will have to gang up and work together to pry the engaged couple apart – if that’s even necessary.  *Ding ding ding* I smell love in the air!

The Pursuit of Happiness is, fortunately, much more than just this recycled love square plot.  It certainly looks like a typical drama:  office worker location, shared living space hi jinks, BFF girl friends, disapproving rich fathers, and a lot of early misguided devotion to the wrong people.  The final result though is a mature drama depicting how four people choose to pursue love, and this battle is anything but typical in the drama landscape.

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The Members of the Square



LEI LEI is our main girl, but her character isn't cut from the same mold as most female leads.  She is intelligent, self-sufficient, and more than determined to win her love, but the approach—oh dear, the approach. It verges on the territory usually reserved for second lead female wiles, except that when we look at Lei Lei as our heroine, we see not just her actions, but the painful emotions that lead her to choose these actions.  She is flawed, and that makes her seem twice as beautiful. 


YI KANG is her foil – a nice guy destined to get a girl (we hope!) and perfect in every way. He is shy, unassuming, loves from a distant, and has to borrow some of Lei Lei’s courage to confess his love for Hai Lun. He’s a manly man, fixes the plumbing, changes the light bulbs, and gets yelled at by Lei Lei for being so nice and gentlemanly. True love? Oh make it be, drama. Make it be. 


HAI LUN, how can anyone hate her? She stole Lei Lei’s love, she stole Lei Lei’s job; she’s oblivious to the fact that Yi Kang liked her (how could you not notice those huge puppy dog eyes!?) plus she’s rich.  She acts sweet and friendly towards her rival Lei Lei, but… it’s not an act. Unless this drama takes us for a major loop, Hai Lun is a genuine human being, incapable of evil.  She’s even good at her job.  Curse it all. My life just doesn’t compare.  


WEI TING is a crybaby. That’s all I have to say about him. 

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Why do you need to head on over to your PTW list and add this little beauty of a drama? 


Read the above again. Very slowly, and imagine my insistent voice lulling you into a desire to hit play to episode 1 of The Pursuit of Happiness.

If that doesn’t work, here are some other reasons:



The Pursuit of Happiness isn't exactly a fast-paced drama, but for the simple enjoyment of well mixed characters and actors, and the right amount of comedy + melo-feels, it's more than worth the watch.