Second part of my Ode of Joy drama experience 🙂 (read about the Ep. 1-17 here) The storyline is finally going into a new direction. Sadly, I disapprove of the “morale” of the drama.
Starring
- Liu Tao as Andy Tompson
- 31 Year Old, a mathematical genius and CFO in a big company
- Jiang Xin as Fang Shengmei
- 30 Year Old, a beautiful and capable woman still searching the love of her life
- Wang Ziwen as Qu Xiao Xiao
- 24 Year Old, second generation rich girl
- Yang Zi as Qiu Ying Ying
- 22 Year Old, countryside girl with a positive attitude, currently an office worker
- Qiao Xin as Guan Qu Er
- 22 Year Old, an intern translator for Fortune 500 company
- Zu Feng as Wei Wei,
- the mysterious cyber friend of Andy and her love interest
- Wang Kai as Zhao Qiping,
- a handsome and diligent doctor Qu Xiaoxiao fells in love with
- Jin Dong as Tanzong Ming,
- the friend and boss of Andy since her time in the United States
- Yang Shuo as Zhao Yifan,
- a second generation rich boy
- Zhang Lu as Wang Baichuan,
- university friend of Shengmei and founder of a start up. He has a big crush on her
Storyline Recap
Andy meet her brother for the first time at the orphanage. She cries and all her bottled feelings explode.
No matter how independent she is, Andy realizes she isn’t strong enough to take care of a brother who is so much like her. Wei Wei convinces her to leave her brother here and come back regularly.
Another milestone in Wei Wei and Andy’s relationship: they hugged and Andy accepted it!
She realizes she does not want to be with anyone other than Wei Wei and proposes to him (despite Tanzong Ming’s better judgement). As the two gets intimate on the bed, Andy pushes Wei Wei away and he feels on the floor. They decide to take the relationship slower.
As Wei Wei realizes how slow their relationship is moving, he is wondering what happened to Andy when she was young and decides to investigate her past.
At the same time, she meets the eccentric CEO Zhao Yifan who shows high interest in her.
Fang Shengmei
After Baichuan discovers Shengmei is not a landlord, but a renter, he takes a step back. Realizing he still loves her, he decides to tell the truth. At the same time, Fang Shengmei is invited to Wei Wei’s mansion and excited to show off to Baichuan, she invites him. Little does she now, Xiao Xiao is also there and reveals the truth.
Despite her feeling toward Baichuan, her prideful self makes her realizes their financial situation isn’t enough to support a long term relationship. She publicly laughs at his lies and makes him leave in humiliation.
Seen how hurt Shengmei is, Andy brings her to a charity event where she meets a rich and flirty man… Qu Xiao Xiao’s brother, a divorced man with many love interests. She keeps contact with him. Even though he does not love her, as she realizes through a drinking game, she decides to keep contact as he is rich. This gain her the disapproval of Wei Wei and Qu Xiao Xiao.
We get some insight on Fang Shengmei’s family. Turns out her elder brother is a big troublemaker and hurts a higher up at the company. This means they need to pay the company, the harmed guy (and his gang of friends), and her parents. We discover Shengmei is the one who paid for her brother’s mortgage, found the job, etc. Frustrated, she gives them all her money but this is more debt than she can handle.
Qu Xiaoxiao
Some development in her relationship with Doctor Zhao as you can see in the gif. Turns out he is a very open minded man and likes her carefree attitude. They openly kiss and decide to date.
Doctor Zhao recognizes Xiao Xiao’s vicious personality but doesn’t care much for it. However, during one card game night with Wei Wei and Andy, he realizes how terrible she really is. During a fight, he tells her, “Our relation is so childish. There is no reason to continue like this”. Despite Xiao Xiao’s screaming and tears, he leaves her on the street.
Qiu Yingying
Qiu Yingying starts her work at the coffee shop and is able to sell some products online. She is highly encouraged by the CEO who gives her a bonus. Despite the anger of her supervisor, she is happy to finally find what makes her happy.
Office work is not for her and she like practical jobs.
Also, Qu Xiao Xiao and Qiu Ying Ying makes up after XX gives her some business tips. She decides to put all her energy on the coffee online shop and be independent.
Guan Qu Er
Guan Qu Er is super busy at work and gets reprimanded for making a mistake. She is afraid for her position and apologizes. Her parents set her on a blind date, but she does not think she should be dating right now.
Fellow Lin shows interest in her but Guan Guan does not know how she feels. After meeting Doctor Zhao, she realizes she loves him. She knows she will never love Fellow Lin the same way and decides to clearly cut rope with him. She gets heartbroken when she learns Zhao Qiping is dating Qu Xiao Xiao.
Review
I know Andy and Wei Wei are the main couple of the drama, but I don’t buy their acting. Their love story is more said (“I love you so much” or “You are the only one I can wait for”) than acted. Most of the time, they are talking about Andy’s friends or brother. And when they do talk about each other, Wei Wei blame Andy for been too distant and not thinking enough about him (while pouting, which is can be interpreted as cute). Euhh…. I may not have a lot of expertise, but this is not a good thing to say to your girlfriend. Some people online are wondering why Andy isn’t with Tanzong Ming and I think that is an interesting alternative.
Another thing that annoys me…Guan Qu Er never had a crush till she meet Doctor Zhao. What kind of plot is this? I had my first crush when I was in early high school. Sure, a lot of people never dated till they are twenty, especially if you have strict parents, but how can you not have a crush till you are 22 Year Old?
Final critique, I hate how this drama is giving two profiles of the modern woman and giving each of them a tag. Andy is the independent beautiful woman that every CEO want to date. Fang Shengmei as the sneaky and foxy money-loving woman with no morale. Sure, Baichuan loves her and as the public, we feel sorry for her struggles. But the main message of the drama remains: don’t be a girl who date for money, love yourself and be strong for yourself. While I approve of this message, I find it very sad. Am I overeacting? Hope the drama goes in a new direction…
Some positive comments! I like how the new storyline is finally giving more volume to the characters of Andy and Doctor Zhao. It is also a wake up call for Qu Xiao Xiao that the way she treats people can also hurt her. I find Fang Shengmei’s story very deja-vu but I will forgive her since the acting is extremely on point. Also, she no longer need to hide herself. Qiu Ying Ying and Guan Qu Er’s character are very two dimensions and while they are likable, they are also very cliche. Every question Guan Guan asks Andy sound like a life lesson. Hope they get some character development too!
Cdramadevotee 
I agree about the way they are setting up each woman and though I agree with not only dating for money part- when you look at her background you realize why she’s dating for money and I’m not buying the main couple either and I agree! XQQ needs to get it together, she can’t go through life hurting others.
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The thing is, in China, the mentality of “marrying someone well off and you are set in life” is the very common. It is sad that they are pointing at Fang Shengmei’s mistakes when really, it is the mentality of most girls in big city (especially Shanghai) :”D True that dating for money is wrong, but at the same time… it is not a deadly sin in China. Huehue, I am very conflicted on this topic and I see a lot of discussions online about it, so thank you for your input. Really wanted to discuss about it with someone.
And the main couple is a little dysfunctional… Not enough chemistry for the supposedly great understanding they have for each other. I saw the preview for tomorrow and looks like XQQ will redempt herself 🙂
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We have that too, my parents are from Ghana and most of the moves, the moms pressure the daughters to get married for money. It’s the sad truth because that’s basically the society Fang Shengmei’s been brought up in (hopefully it gets better) and I totally understand her viewpoint. Yeah, Im not buying the chemistry from Andy
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😦 True, it is definitely universal. One of those situations that isnt completely good nor completey wrong.
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I agree with you…that whenever Guan Guan asks Andy, it ended up as some sort life lesson. She’s like totally the plot device to start some “meaningful monologues”. XD
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Haha, when Andy tells herself (cue to narrator xD), “even young girls like GG can fall in love” or “even GG can have deep understanding of life” make me itches… Isn’t it normal at 22 yo to have some opinion? :”D
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this direction is why i was hesitant to continue watching it.
but i’m glad i can read your recap and kinda see what’s going on lol.
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Thanks! 🙂 Ode of Joy is the currently the drama with the most follows, so it definitely has its appeal. Sadly, I don’t agree with some of its pov on life 😛
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Omg I cringe everytime that Wei Wei tries to be intimate. Idk why I find it gross. Lol like I feel even Liu Tao the actress finds it gross. Lol they have absolutely no chemistry. He looks like her dad or something…I hope she ends up with Jin Dong character instead omg.
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Me too… Each time he approaches her, I am like, “dude, you are making Andy uncomfortable, why don’t you wait for her to initiate a physical contact?”. Jin Dong’s character knows her a lot better so it would be very interesting 😛
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My biggest gripe is the annoying voice over commentator. The voice is terrible and so preachy. The production company must think the audience are idiots and needs to be told exactly what each character is thinking. It kind of feels like they tried to imitate “Jane the Virgin”, but went the serious/boring route and created a mess.
Out of all the girls, I like Shengmei’s character the most (also helps that Zhang Xin is an awesome actress and nailing her scenes IMO). I don’t think it’s an issue that she would want to marry for money. Her income is supporting 5 adults and 1 kid! Money/financial stability has been a source of stress her entire life, so it makes sense she would prioritize that in her requirements for a partner. If religion can be a deal breaker for a relationship, then money isn’t something to be scorned in my books.
And to top it off, she’s the best friend/big sis you could ask for! She’s sensitive to everyone’s needs and is often the buffer/mediator. I hope she gets a happy ending. Not necessarily marry a rich man, but definitely live her life for herself instead of carrying her entire loser family.
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Not only the narrator (he is a big part ofc), but the drama itself is very preaching. I wish they turn it down a little, since we watch it to be entertained ;P
Me too, I am Jiang Xin bias, so I am also taking her side in this drama. Money shouldn’t be seen as a sin, but she shouldn’t have hurt Baichuan like this…:( Kind of broke my shippr’s heart. Her family is such a “loser” one. Did you know that in China, family tend to invest more in the mortgage for their son than their daughter (if they have more than one child of course). Injustice in gender equality ><
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Yes, I do feel the entire drama has been set up to teach life lessons rather than entertain. Most of the characters have a defining personality and feels like a caricature of those traits rather than a real person.
I’m hoping Shengmei and Baichuan make up and have a happy ending.
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Especially QYY, she is the most 2D character I have seen in a long time… and I watch a lot of idol dramas :”D
Yes! The only true happy ending I want for this drama. That and GQE gaining a full time position at the company 😛
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Hello I just saw your website and I really like the content. I just wanted to let you know that the recap for episodes 1-17 are not working and I wanted to know if it is not working for other viewers as well.
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