Lizhi pai shenghuo (2021– ) User Reviews

The Modern Life

[wecubj · 8/10 · 14 June 2021]

A very good drama that incorporates many modern ideas. It gives an accurate portrayal of women in the workplace in a patriarchal society. It also shows the conflicts between several modern and traditional values, and does a good job resolving them.

The actors have great chemistry. Qinlan gives a great performance, as always, and brings much depth to our main character. Dylan's acting is much improved from his previous works. Both are a joy to watch and it's obvious they work well together.

The writing is a bit lazy at times but not enough to be an issue. The overall plot flows very well. Definitely worth a watch.

Was not expecting such heartwarming love story

[bhatnagardeepak-14016 · 8/10 · 27 June 2021]

Lovely love story with believable characters. Great depiction of corporate struggles along with typical A**h0*£s trying to mess things up. Beautiful leading lady and cute young boy accompanied by great supporting actors.

Really enjoyable

[Dillydaydream · 9/10 · 21 June 2021]

I decided to watch this as I had seen the lead actor Dylan Wang in Meteor Garden and enjoyed his performance in that. This is a really enjoyable series-witty, clever, and it tackles some interesting Issues. The two leads are great together. Dylan Wang and Qin Lan seem to have a good rapport.

All in all a well acted very watchable drama.

Love this drama

[rfrancois-30971 · 10/10 · 27 June 2021]

I must say this is the most realistic drama I've watch so far. The story was simple but yet very captivating. Truly amazing how relatable it is. Just go watch it, will not be disappointed. Purely came acrossed it by chance. I must say I'm truly happy I did.

I love it..... amazing story

[shivamshivamsg-13600 · 10/10 · 30 June 2021]

I love it so much.... Ahhhh Dylan has come a long way from Meteor Garden with this one! I see him in a more mature way with this show. Really enjoyed the film as far as the chemistry and genuineness from Dylan and the actress. She is beautiful and acts really well.

To be honest, I've never watched Chinese drama before but after seeing the trailer, I thought I'd give it a try.

Very good drama. I like the performance of the leading actress. She is actually 41 years old but still so beautiful! I also like her performance in Story of Yanxi Palace and it's great to see she can be the leading actress in the TV series....

I love so so much.

A rational woman in an irrational world

[phoenixfrosty · 10/10 · 21 June 2021]

This drama tackles substantial topics - a May-December romance, sexism and politics at work, societal pressures on women to get married and have kids, plagiarism - without becoming boring. Kudos to the acting, writing and direction for making the story believable and engrossing. Both main leads, Qin Lan as competent career woman Shen Ruoxin and Dylan Wang as her loyal assistant Qi Xiao, are stunningly good-looking and have great chemistry together.

The story shows how flawed society's negative view about May-December relationships is. It underscores the fact that maturity is not only defined by age. Xiao, the youngest man vying for Ruoxin's affection, has the most mature attitude towards her.

The skillful writing seamlessly weaves the love story with the couple's struggles against office politics as well as other issues they and other characters face. Thus, the romance is not rushed, developing organically with the rest of the story. As Ruoxin and Xiao deal with one challenge after another, it is riveting to see whether this pair of goodhearted and hardworking individuals would buckle under pressure or prevail.

Thoughtful, touching story. Great cast.

[dmselove · 10/10 · 4 August 2021]

Qin Lan alone is enough reason to watch this - at 41 she is very believable as an unusually beautiful 32-year-old, and I liked the calm, rational way she dispatched problems with patriarchal superiors at work, all with a smile on her face. The story does a nice job of discussing/portraying the issues of independence and obligations of marriage partners, and also "May-December" romances. Somewhere in there was the statement that the most important goals in life regardless of everything else were to be with someone you love, and to do work you love. The former relates to the May-December issue; if two people truly love each other, should they let societal views of age difference matter? One final comment: I thought the actress playing Xiao's mom was really great; her part was very touchingly written and very touchingly played. Kudos! Unfortunately I don't see her listed in the cast here.

Plain, rational, believable and lighthearted

[hanalisss · 7/10 · 25 June 2021]

This is a nice rational drama, nothing is too crazy and all is believable, has its sweet moments and only a few dramatic moments ( the mother of the main female lead is way too extra at points).

I like the fact that every character was loyal to their values and beliefs until the end, so it's very believable.

But it is just that, too rational and plain so even though you are watching, and up to a degree you are enjoying, it its a lighthearted drama and it never hooks you 100% because nothing too crazy or passionate or stupidly funny ever happens.

I was expecting more, but I still finished it.

amazing

[michelleyuemail · 10/10 · 4 April 2021]

The acting is very good, they do a good job portraying their characters. Love dylan wang's acting in this drama.

Fantastic Acting by Dylan Wang Lead Male

[PalmBeachG · 7/10 · 29 August 2022]

All my stars go to Dylan Wang. What made it a great series to watch for me is the acting by Dylan Wang, the lead male that plays the young assistant to the 35 year old career woman and falls in love with her. He plays the character perfectly with his youthful playfulness and talented intelligent demeanor not to mention the cutest smile and handsomeness. If it weren't for him not sure if I would have stuck with the whole series just because I thought it was sort of an advertisement for energy efficient cars the whole time, however, I loved the space theme that they chose to make their point. It is a beautiful love story, but even though I liked the ending, I still thought it could have been alot more romantic at the end than it was - there was room for improvement there with the script.

Very fun to watch

[starevanescent · 9/10 · 14 June 2021]

Enjoyed watching this. Both leads are good. The two mothers are very funny too.

Successful because of Dylan Wang

[ellenj-11573 · 6/10 · 12 February 2024]

Big parts of this series were tedious and mind-numbing. The endless office politics and discussions about the automotive industry made this painful to watch. I read that the producers stretch these dramas out on purpose to make more money and do more product placements. So I guess I'm not going to watch the long ones anymore.

The only thing that cut through the crap was the energy and charm of Dylan Wang. He's totally likeable as Qi Xiao. It's amazing how he can always show emotions playing across the face of whatever character he's supposed to be.

Lan Qin also did a great job making the role of Ruoxin sympathetic and believable. And the other secondary characters were appealing. But...from about episode 27 to episode 31, something was off. Dylan and some of the others seemed to be over-acting. All the manipulations that the writers forced Qi Xiao to go through seemed silly and even pathetic. Also, the kissing scenes in Dylan's series often are robotic and lack any true passion-only the kiss at the very end seemed realistic. I don't know why, but maybe Dylan should take on different kinds of roles in the future.

Exhausting

[geewhiz46 · 4/10 · 26 March 2024]

This is a 35 episode series - most of which were one long relentless advertisement for electric cars.

The rest of it consisted of a very long drawn out love story - which failed to convince at any level. The ML and the FL have absolutely no chemistry - the only vibe I got from them was friendship. Their non affair was interrupted briefly by her boss - but it had no serious competitive edge and he departed the scene quite quickly.

The ML's friend and his love interest only served to spin out an already overlong series and didn't add anything of interest to the story.

We had to wait until the last episodes for a kiss - and when it happened it was disappointing to say the least with absolutely no hint of passion or desire. A romantic hero needs to be a very good at this aspect of his craft - it's what series are judged on.

You will need the ff button to skip the endless car promotions and political machinations regarding their sales.

Too long - too obvious - too boring.

Worth watching

[escapee-06969 · 10/10 · 25 June 2021]

At first, you would have thought its just a May-December love story. But i like how the story writer/director/producer incorporated very real corporate world examples & relationship between family/friends/colleagues in.

This drama revolves around the very rational & independent female lead starring Qin Lan. Being a 30 plus career woman....not in a low position in office but not exactly high up too... she finds herself competing against the typical males in the office environment, battle the lows in her career, well supported by her efficient and thoughtful assistant. The dramas shows how this female lead uses her rational mind & heart, wits, brain & humanity to face & resolve each challenges in her work & personal life...many thoughts provoking wise words and actions that is worth pondering...and eventually, when comes to real love, its all about courage and action upon your heart..when rational become irrational...love this drama.

Romance and more

[evergreenlake-90058 · 10/10 · 19 June 2021]

It's a drama that inspires, that makes you smile and cry. I'm in love with the key actor and actress.

Well Written Drama in Shanghai

[jshorowitz · 10/10 · 21 July 2021]

The story and character developments were good. It's great to see Shanghai styles and breathtaking shots of the city in HD. I love how they dress and what foods they are eating in these shows.

Shen Ru Xin's Chinese mother played by Hong Pan was on a life mission to see her daughter get married. She was a female Darth Vader who you wouldn't want to cross but in the end her character changed once her daughter was happy and she had made a best friend herself.

One of the Better TV Series from the Middle Kingdom

[wfankboner · 8/10 · 14 July 2021]

Surprisingly well made. A lot of business expertise went into the drama. So far the dramatis personae seem reasonably realistic in their motivations, though I'm having a little trouble with the central love birds, if that's what they are. One seems deadly serious and professional and the other kind of goofy in an endearing way. Not sure I'd call them well-matched.

Lovely portrait of a career lady

[magnoliacream · 9/10 · 18 November 2021]

Female lead Shen Ruo Xin (Qin Lan) is a great role model for career women. She's smart and diligent, completing every assigned task to the best of her ability, even if that task is way below her rank, meant to degrade her. She's cool as a cucumber, even when her colleagues are obviously trying to sabotage her career prospects. Her voice doesn't rise above levels acceptable in polite society. But it doesn't mean she's a doormat. Without looking and feeling like a victim, she patiently and gracefully bides her time and rises to every challenge thrown at her.

It is therefore not surprising that such a classy dame would be pursued by several men, among them a top-ranking executive at her workplace, Xu Ming Jie (Calvin Li) who recognizes her abilities, and her savvy legal assistant Qi Xiao (Dylan Wang) who supports her through thick and thin. Her choice would prove how rational she is, able to distinguish between somebody who would treat her like a trophy girlfriend and one who would love and cherish everything about her, including her likes and aspirations.

Qin Lan is perfect as the elegant and beautiful Rouxin. Dylan Wang shines as the sweet, protective, faithful, lovable and fabulously handsome Qi Xiao. They have the best chemistry among older-woman May-December relationships I've seen. The script is well-written. The direction and editing glide smoothly. It's one of the best cdramas I've watched.

Amazing show

[celinecoc · 10/10 · 22 July 2021]

I must say this is the best drama I've watched this year. The leading actress Qin Lan gave a marvelous performance in this drama especially.

Heartfelt and Amazing

[goelnehaengr · 10/10 · 29 July 2022]

This drama is a must watch. It has so much depth and the way it gives proper time to every part is what makes it realistic and close to heart.

The cast is amazing, dialogues are amazing. Qin Lan is wonderful and has given one of the best performances of her career. Her interactions in office scene, with her mom and the main lead were all amazing. Cant even imagine how much hard work she must have put in to do this role perfectly

Dylan expressions are so much better in this show. Even in the emotional scenes. Way better than his other series.

For me, I can watch it again and again.

Finding love in this Universe

[alaningle7 · 8/10 · 16 July 2021]

The stunning Qin Lan plays a 35 year old single executive in the Automotive Industry and hires a young intern played by Dylan Wang and over time their relationship develops. Even though in real life Qin Lan is actually 41 she is completely believable as a thirty something letting her guard down and allowing someone to get close. The series centres around their relationship but also the struggles that a female faces in the business world with some misogynistic men making her life very hard to endure. Interesting side stories and characters add to this feel good heart warming story.

No words to fully describe the awesomeness!

[theresakolberg · 10/10 · 22 February 2022]

I have watched a large amount of Chinese dramas and of all of them this one is my favorite of the dramas set in modern times. The character development is amazing and it touches on topics that are fully relevant today. It was evenly paced throughout the entire series and showed such a natural progression of a relationship (instead of many shows that have the main leads get together after like 2 seconds of knowing each other). And this show also has you rooting even for the secondary characters. It was all around my favorite Chinese drama so far. I absolutely loved every second of it and didn't want it to end.

Heartwarming and Insightful - not the typical Chinese drama

[leahcubed · 9/10 · 1 March 2023]

9.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2021 Chinese romantic drama with 35, 45 minute episodes. It is also known as "The Woman Who Cannot Fall In Love".

First I will provide a synopsis then review

Synopsis Shen Ruo Xin (Quin Lan) has climbed the ladder of success through much personal sacrifice. Her overbearing mother and even friends are pressuring her to get married and her current boyfriend is the number one candidate. At 33 she is at the upper end of what her culture considers acceptable for single life so she is reminded frequently she is breaking norms by remaining single. A man and marry. Ruoxin already defies the traditional role by navigating corrupt office politics and serving as both a counselor and a mentor to subordinates. Despite being so capable and providing a shield for those around her, no one looks out for her that is until she gives Qi Xiao (Dylan Wang), a newbie, a chance and he becomes her biggest support. He is younger than her, but really smart. Mature and caring.

Review I enjoyed this slice of the life of a businesswoman in Shanghai. As I understand it, Shanghai, in the upper class of people, it is a very specific slice of life in China. Still, I enjoyed getting a feel for it knowing it is very specific and would only be true for a very small percentage of people. Women have many of the same struggles with promotions, recognition, bias, that women all over the world experience but at a greater level because their society is still very patriarchal. Seeing Ruoxin operate where she took care of all the people around her, managed some very hostile and extreme workplace politics and managed through her skill and expertise to overcome many barriers was a lot of fun. Her relationship with the male lead was well paced and believable. Qi Xiao's unwavering admiration, love and support of her would be sure to wear down any woman's defenses.

*Spoilers The 12 year age gap was a significant part of the story and I think brought up a lot of social issues not only within that culture but beyond as well. My daughter, in her 30s, who watched it with me felt as though that age gap was too large. She was of similar age and could not envision having a relationship with a man that much younger than her. Not all women feel that way. I thought about if there was a person who you were completely compatible with and attracted to and thought they were similar age but then found out they were that much younger would it change the way you felt about the person. I think it is highly dependent on the people and what ages each person is. In the younger years it may have more of an impact than someone in their 30s with someone in their 40s, or 40s with 50s, I think it is harder to envision that large of an age gap when the younger person is in their 20s. Life stages, interests, so many things are different in the 20s. So that, for me, was a little hard to accept, the large age gap.

The story itself was engaging and kept me interested through all 32 episodes. She really was phenomenal in her ability to bring everyone around her along in her goals and vision. From that perspective it was understandable how someone his age and as handsome as he was to have considered her unique and want to pursue her romantically. He was a very bright person who was able to think rationally under pressure and solve many problems. So he was her match in terms of his above average ability to accomplish things. I could see the point that was made about how younger men were no longer viewing women as simply someone to take care of the household but were respecting them as capable to do something as high powered and complex as Ruoxin was pursuing. That was a good justification for why the age gap between them worked. Part of the reason she never found anyone she felt compatible with was because men of her age still had a view of women as maybe dabbling in the workforce until they found a man to take care of them. Qi Xiao understood and appreciated Ruoxin's goals and capabilities and it was part of what he loved about her.

If you are looking for a relatively light hearted romance this fits the bill. If you are a fan of Dylan Wang as I am then you will like to see him in this role, he does a great job. This is also of course an age gap/noona romance. I became a fan of Dylan Wang after seeing him in Meteor Garden. I will be looking for other things Quin Lan has done after watching this drama as she is a very talented actress. I am not, in general, a fan of Chinese dramas as I find the female characters to be weak and sort of whiny. I watched this at the recommendation of it having a strong female character and it did not disappoint.

#RationalLife #DylanWang #QuinLan.

Well watchable

[gmc-linetta · 8/10 · 18 February 2022]

I found this film in the romance genre offered by Netflix well watchable for its credibility, good leads and unobtrusive pace. I was pleasantly surprised at the performance of the young lead Dylan Wang (and subsequently even watched the Meteor Garden recommended by reviewers). Although in the current film he is playing along much more experienced Qin Lan, the co-stars portray their respective characters equally well (perhaps I would have liked Qin Lan to show more emotion). I liked that this film managed to escape, although not entirely, excessive emphasis on the rich-poor dichotomy and focused more on human relationships. Many compare this film with the film Find Yourself, but as far as I am concerned in Find Yourself, except for good looks the lead actor did not deliver on content. I wish Dylan Wang some good roles in the future that would reveal his full potential.

A Tale of Professionalism and Romance

[farman-87609 · 10/10 · 30 July 2023]

Her dedication towards her job and her sophistication in every matter, even if it's her family and company life, showcases her professionalism. If she encounters any problems in the office, she handles them with grace and professionalism, providing answers that are easy to understand and never insulting. On the other side, there's a boy who is remarkably mature for his age compared to other boys his age, taking care of his family and displaying great intelligence. As an intern, when he first met her, he fell in love with her. This is a story of an 18-year-old boy and a 35-year-old woman, and if you're looking for the best age gap romance dramas, you're in the right place. You won't regret choosing it.