Loved it!

So ironic that I really liked all the different elements in this episode, but don’t have the energy to write a full recap!

In short, what happened in this episode – Zhen runs into his first patient (ever) who named her son, Nuo, after Wang Nuo. Zhen tears up seeing how similar this little boy is to his twin brother and seems to find some closure in his heart. Bing Bing and Zhen figure out what it means to be a couple. It’s not about some standard operating procedure, or being the perfect one, it’s about being yourself and at the same time, giving the other person space. Bing Bing loses her job and feels depressed and useless. Zhen in the meanwhile, decides to follow his dream of being a volunteer doctor with the Vietnam crew. At the end of the episode, Bing Bing notices a pocket watch that has a photo of “Wang Zhen” inside.

What I appreciated a lot in this episode is how Yi Le and Bruce give good advice – they reminded Zhen to give Bing Bing space, and also encourage Bing Bing to have her own dreams that are not centered around Zhen. This in itself is meaningful and realistic. It’s good to pursue love, but to have a healthy relationship, you should not give up on your own love for something else, be it music or culinary (as portrayed in the show).

I also like how the couple itself navigates dating. The so-called ‘grey’ area might be fun for the fluttering heart and little glances, but when you are in the relationship for real, the whole dynamics shift. I think the drama does a good job of portraying this shift – there is a sense of shyness, cute awkwardness, but also the desire (on Zhen’s part) to be closer.

At the same time, there is also tension – Bing Bing doesn’t want to sit around feeling useless AND there might be problems with her womb, which causes her to fret because Zhen really likes kids. In contrast, Yi Le is facing another problem – she is pregnant with Bruce’s child!!! I never saw that coming and to be honest, I’m looking forward to seeing how they tease out this plot twist.

Some people have criticised this drama for its lackluster plot and illogical points but I think for the most part, the fact that the parents knew Zhen apart from Nuo resolves a lot of these issues. This drama obviously isn’t gunning for your Goblin or W type of show (and that itself, represents the entire Taiwan drama industry) but there’s just something about dramas which aim to represent a slice of life that gets to my heart. For this type of “pleasant watch” or as Cindy Lien puts it, “a heart-warming drama targeting families”, I think King of Romance is one of the best I’v seen lately. Of course, with the disclaimer that I haven’t watched that many taiwan dramas in the past few years.

<3thoughtsramble