Really Refreshing (with Reservations)

The drama Will Love in Spring is probably the most modern romance series I've seen from China (Lighter & Princess might make a tie), and with the exception of a problem with one character I enjoyed it a lot. I never once sensed I was being lectured or fed the usual government nonsense, but instead became immersed in a very emotional tangle of relationships, obligations and dreams. Considering how Chinese dramas are almost always super contrived and filled with propaganda, that was quite refreshing.

Funeral director Chen Mai Dong (Li Xian) has a long history in the small town of Nanping, where he ended up living with his grandparents after his parents' divorce. In high school he was a brawler, and there ran into newly-transferred Zhuang Jie (Zhou Yu Tong) a girl who had lost part of her leg in a car accident that killed her father. After some minor clashing these two misfits bond, and that admittedly uneasy friendship sets the stage for the current relationship to bloom when Zhaung Jie returns as a sucessful saleswoman from Shanghai, and is reunited with an equally successful if dour Chen Mai Dong.

The story has the usual ups and downs, but nothing seems contrived or convenient. I felt as if I were watching a documentary about real people most of the time, and how they live in the city versus the country. The storyline was interesting, and the characters were brilliantly crafted and portrayed, with the exception of the female lead. I don't know if it was the actress handled the depiction, or the way the role was written (probably the latter), but I really disliked Zhaung Jie. She behaved in ways that just repelled me too much to feel any sympathy for her (and being successful despite my arthritis as well as my hearing impairment, I am living a life very similar to hers, so I should be able to sympathize.) That kind of ruined the romance for me, but I was able to stick with the series by focusing on Chen Mai Dong, who Li Xian made into an amazingly complex and admirable character.

So, there you go. Other than that one problem I thought Will Love in Spring was excellent, and worth watching even with the unsympathetic character. Available on Viki.com.

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