I did not have an eye for this drama but decided to watch it on a whim. The drama is adapted from the web novel ‘What Comes Around Goes Around 你也有今天’ by Ye Fei Ran 叶斐然. In this review, I’ll share my insights into “My Boss” starring Cheng Xingxu and Zhang Ruonan.
My Rating: 6/10
Starring: Chen Xingxu & Zhang Ruonan
Episodes: 36
Premiere Date: January 2024
Type: Comedy, Law, Romance
The cast of My Boss
- Main Characters
- Chen Xing Xu as Qian Heng
- Zhang Ruo Nan as Cheng Yao
- Supporting Characters
- Chen Xiao Yun as Cheng Xi
- Li Jun Xian as Wu Jun
- He Wen Jun as Bao Yue
- Li Dian Zun as Yu Fei
- Chen Hao Lan as Tan Ying
- Gavin Xie as Deng Ming
Main Characters
Qian Heng
Qiang Heng is a cold, arrogant, strict yet handsome wealthy boss of Junheng Law Firm. Despite his spectacular career, he has been suffering from insomnia, and no method seems to diagnose this problem. However, by chance, when he hears Cheng Yao humming the song, he finds himself comfortably sleeping.
Well, Qiang Heng isn’t initially the typical kind and gentle man. Instead, he is a hard-to-please boss who only cares about his precious time and money.
Cheng Yao
Cheng Yao is a strong-minded young girl whose dream is to be a good lawyer. Due to her financial problems, she has to keep working and living under Qiang Heng’s domineering behavior.
Storyline
Cheng Yao is an innocent girl with a dream of becoming a top lawyer in the industry one day. She is accepted by a prestigious law firm Junheng. To make her work life easier, she finds a rental home near her law firm.
However, it turns out that the landlord inadvertently rented the house to two people. Cheng Yao kindly requests the other tenant to move out, but he refuses to do so. Instead, he insists on staying and pays Cheng Yao, asking her to move out in three days.
The next morning, when Cheng Yao arrives at her workplace early to make a good impression, she encounters the same person with whom she quarreled over the house.
To her surprise, this person turned out to be the boss of the law firm, and she was going to be his assistant. As Qiang Heng is rude and unsympathetic in the beginning, her training period turns into a baptism of fire.
However, she never loses hope and keeps fighting. As the two have to live, work, and deal with each other every day, they transition from not caring about each other to falling in love.
My Boss! Ending (Spoiler Alert)
Episode 35: With a generally lighthearted storyline, a happy ending is to be expected for My Boss!
After solving the emotional conflict between the two, Qiang Heng asks Cheng Yao to marry him.
He discloses the fact that, as a family lawyer, he has seen many negative examples of marriage, which is why he was hesitant to marry in the past until he met her. He expresses gratitude for making him experience a variety of emotions he had never felt before.
Episode 36: Although Deng Ming tries to stir up trouble by defaming his ex-wife Cheng Xi and Qiang Heng out of jealousy in the final episode, he loses face in front of the public after Cheng Xi reveals all the evidence related to his toxic behavior in the past and their relationship.
Afterward, Cheng Xi happily ends up with her current lover, Wu Jun, and the two are shown kissing passionately outside the building after overcoming the storm and courageously addressing the issues that had bothered her for years.
On the other hand, Qiang Heng proposes to Cheng Yao to be his lifelong partner, and she agrees. The show closes with a happy, sweet, and fluffy atmosphere sprinkled with romance.
Is there a Break Up or Love Triangle?
There is no breakup after the couple eventually gets together in Episode 22. Furthermore, there is no love triangle, although some third-wheelers (introduced in Episode 29) attempt to sabotage their relationship, they do not succeed.
Chemistry & Acting
Cheng Xingxu has excelled in his acting career, having been in the industry since the age of 3. He has already appeared in several hit dramas such as “Goodbye My Princess” (2019) and “The Legend of Condor Heroes” (2017). Over the years, the 27-year-old actor has achieved greater success with period projects than with modern ones.
Zhang Ruonan’s acting is quite commendable. However, she has yet to experience a breakout hit since her debut in 2017. Chen Xingxu and Zhang Ruonan’s chemistry is decent. As a rom-com lover, you’ll find their chemistry natural and easygoing.
What was Decent
Female Lead Growth: Even though I liked Cheng Yao’s character in the beginning for being a career-focused woman and clear-headed about her professional and personal life, somehow in the midway, I lost interest in her. She is supposed to be working as a lawyer but was acting like an errand girl who is silly and submissive to her boss (ML). Thankfully, after going through some draggy episodes, her character development was not lost in the way. Her transformation from being an inexperienced young rookie to a professional lawyer at the end where she fights for her independence and self-esteem was satisfying to watch.
The main male leads Emotional Development: From the very first episode to the last, Qing Heng’s character remains consistent. Until Episode 6, there are moments where viewers might find themselves cursing at him for treating the female lead so poorly, and I felt like it’s more realistic that way as he was kind of hard to deal with and unsympathetic guy from the beginning …but after few episodes, you’ll see a development in his character, especially regarding gentleness toward the female lead.
As the slow plot progresses, he transforms into the most caring and loving boyfriend who would do anything to protect his girl. Also in the end, despite his domineering personality, he was able to comprehend and respect his partner’s independent decisions and choices which he couldn’t before.
What Didn’t Work
Good Start But Lose its Momentum: Unlike most romance dramas where love at first sight or sudden sparks occur, ‘My Boss’ offers a slow burn and step-by-step progression in the relationship between the two main leads. The main male lead transforms from a haughty and uncaring individual to gradually becoming her mentor and developing a loving connection. While the slow-burn romance may not appeal to all viewers, the sweet and sometimes humorous interactions between the leads will make you laugh and immerse in the story from the start. But the problem is, after a few episodes the show loses its momentum.
Cliche Plot: Except for very few dramas, most of the modern rom-com dramas’ almost 90% storylines are clichéd, filled with filler, or cringe-worthy. At times, one has to shut down all logic or turn off their brain to enjoy the dramd and yes, talking about ‘My Boss’ it was no exception. The series usually kicks off with a male and female lead unexpectedly finding themselves in a situation where they have to live under the same roof or share the same space and this happens in almost every idol drama which is kinda funny as well as boring.
Insomnia: The male lead has insomnia and despite trying all methods and medications he’s unable to cure this problem. However, a surprising turn of events occurred when he heard the female lead humming a soothing melody while cooking. To his surprise he found himself oversleeping to such an extent that he was still snoring on his office sofa when the rest of the staff had already arrived and begun working. It was a bit too much, indeed.
Poor Dressing and Clothing: Zhang Ruonan is such a cute and beautiful actress but her hairstyle and clothing didn’t do any justice to her. She is playing Lawyer not some just casual or college girl. No idea, what the production team was thinking that they gave her so an unprofessional look, her appearance did not match her professional image as a lawyer, except for the last few episodes.
Extended Episodes: Everything could have perfectly fit into 24 or 28 episodes, but they had to extend it and make it draggy and boring midway.
My Boss Conclusion
Unfortunately, I couldn’t fully enjoy this drama due to its cliché plotline. This rom-com seems more suitable for viewers who prioritize romance over a strong storyline, making it an ideal choice for binge-watching. I gave it a rating of 6 out of 10 for the chemistry between the main leads and the well-balanced supporting cast, particularly in the office work setting. I found the first 10 episodes and the last 8 episodes enjoyable; however, I grew bored in the middle due to repetitive scenes and slow plot pacing. So, if you’re wondering where to watch “My Boss,” you can find it on the Youku platform.
