[Confession] Pretty Li Hui Zhen Episode 1
Before anything else, I would like to define my drama reviewing:
First, I won't be posting episode recaps for dramas because i don't trust my character - I tend to get lazy when I have routines to accomplish and
Second, sometimes when I decide to watch a drama, I depend my continuance on the first episode. So if ever I am interested in a drama, I will watch the first episode and I will review it just to see how it goes. If I liked it, I'll have a continuation review after I finished the whole thing.
Kke, let's go! :D
Heads up drama followers! Pretty Li Hui Zhen / 漂亮的李慧珍, is a Chinese remake of one of our all-time favorite drama, She Was Pretty. Do read my review on its first episode so you'd know if you'll like to watch this remake or move on to another. Let's go!
Here is the synopsis of the drama:
Li Huizhen used to be gorgeous, but years of declining family fortune added much pain to her life, and her looks slowly drifted away. Her friend Bai Haoyu, on the other hand, was once an ordinary looking guy and grew up to be suave, successful, and immensely likable. So when she comes across him years later and witnesses their reversal of fortune, Li Huizhen is too embarrassed to even meet him and instead asks her stylish friend and roommate Xia Qiao to assume her identity. (cr.wiki)
(It's not like there's a change in synopsis but I want to fill up space real fast. Hahaha)
Anywayy, upon watching the first episode, I can't help but compare and expect since this came from a really good drama. I also read somewhere that the chinese prod teamed up with the original prod and have the original writer rewrite the story fit for the remake. So I thought I could watch a remake so familiar to what I loved and enjoyed. But maybe I was just too excited.
The main problem is the lead girl Li Hui Zhen. She had the most opportunity to showcase acting but her portrayal isn't as gusto, diligent and insecure as Kim Hye Jin's but she's rather dorky, dumb and just plain weird. Not only her characterization is bad, her appearance (which is supposedly ugly) isn't ugly at all - it was just creepy. If you tell me that curling your hair, putting big eyeglasses and inconsistently drawing on freckles would make you look ugly - it won't. They're obviously trying too hard to make her ugly. Maybe they should've picked a better fit because I think she and her friend Xia Qiao are like sisters - they're too alike. Casting part is pretty much at fault, too.
The story did some changes to at least differentiate themselves a little. The painting they used wasn't the original 'Peeking Noona' but something other that I can't find the name. Character personalities and relationships have been changed quite a bit —namely, Li Hui Zhen-and-Xia Qiao relationship: they're like sisters who tolerates each other (especially Xia Qiao) instead of bffs who supports each other because they wholeheartedly have each others' backs.
I also give a big red flag to Bai Haoyu. Unlike Ji Sung Joon whose really demanding and fussy, Sung Joon's also humorous like he's partly comedian inside. This Bai Haoyu is handsome (like Siwon's aura), yes, but he's bothersome for being so stiff, stoic and controlled. Straight to the point, he's boring. No hint of humor inside.
Too early to judge but right now, I'm not liking the interpretation. From my research, this Pretty Li Hui Zhen will take at least 40 episodes with whooping 45 minutes each (now airing it's 33rd episode). I'm not sure if I'm up for that as it takes too much of my time and I'll only be watching it with a half heart. Same story, but ever so slightly different. The plot points are so far there, but not as well slotted in as She Was Pretty. It’s not as funny and the main leads aren’t as captivating and interesting. However, I'll be giving it a chance to check it as I can. I can't promise to finish but I'd like to see where this goes. Let's see what this drama has to offer, if any, will be offered.