The Day of Becoming You (2021)

You have got to be kidding me!

Warning: Don’t watch it while eating or drinking, you might get choked by laughing.

Curious about the heading of review? Let's discuss it later.

Very cliche story with many tropes, no brainer as you just have to turn off your brain and not use logic, there are many moments I was having second-hand embarrassment, and drama failed miserably in the portrayal of the lead’s professionalism. But at the end of the day, it is just a rom-com that only focuses on the romantic relationship between leads. It doesn’t mean it’s not entertaining coz it’s super fun and extremely hilarious. I guarantee that you won't get bored even for a single episode.

The acting is the best thing, it's phenomenal. Steven Zhang and Liang Je nailed it, I mean it feels so real that body swap happened, as change is visible.. from facial expression, body language, the way of talking, and even very small gestures. Here Steven Zhang stands out as his character after the body swap is more colorful, energetic. But Liang Je did great too. It's not easy to play a stone-faced, aloof character. Plus leads have great chemistry, not just that, they look very good as a pair it's easy to imagine them as a couple as their visuals match with each other very well.

With being so funny, it's written very well and not draggy. Another thing I would like to point out as the whole story only revolves around leads they don't even try to focus on anything other. Especially like the story execution and its development that feels so natural. How leads start with bickering but with time they find trust, found comfort, and start to like each other... It is realistic and pleasing to see, not an abrupt change in the whole process, with lots of little details.

Not in just story-execution-acting vise, it's good, technically too! It has really good cinematography, particularly liked the choice of the color palette. It's not super bright but good for the eyes haha, definitely it's a good quality production. It's my first time giving re-watch this much score, but let me tell you it's a rewatchable drama lol.. perfect when you are feeling down to refresh the mood... Actually, I've already re-watched some initial episodes with my mom coz I wanted her to watch the drama :')

Soundtrack and effects
It's a rare thing for me to mention sound effects in review, but it is so necessary here because they have a really big role. I mean without all those sound effects I couldn't have enjoyed it this much, for some, they might be annoying but for me the reason to laugh more. So there's one scene where we think it's going to be a confession so kinda romantic BGM starts to play.. but that seemed to be a confession that turns out to be different and how they literally made it off tune and it's sooo funny, I died laughing there. It has many wonderful OSTs. They are refreshing, and soothing at the same time.

Fun fact: Two OSTs are sung by our Liang Je (Whisper) and Steven Zhang (My Soul), to be honest, I had no idea they can sing very well. So it was a pleasant surprise to me.

Now here comes the conclusion of the title, WHAT? they did, the story was consistently good. I mean let us live in the fantasy, I don't want something real to happen. They messed up so hard.. initially, it was the best rating possible from me 9.5 but as you can see it's not anymore. I wish the writer didn't try to become super creative in the end and let us have what we really wanted.

Though one thing really bothered me, I can of course let it slide by the fun I had with watching it I'm being so generous about the rating (that rarely happens). So watch it and have a good laugh ;D

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The Body-Swapping Trope Done Right…

The body-swap trope can often be a slippery slope for quality screenwriting in dramas .However whilst " The Day of Becoming You" doesn’t exactly stray far from its " body-swapping” predecessors as a concept, screenwriter Wang Xiong Cheng surprisingly uses the tiresome trope well in order to explore character growth and the relationship between the main leads .

Steven Zhang ( playing seemingly cold idol Jiang Yi) and Liang Jie ( playing bubbly entertainment reporter Yu Sheng Sheng) were brilliant as our main leads. The duo had dynamic chemistry onscreen throughout and were perfectly able to mimic the mannerisms of one another during the " body-swap” scenes. Respectfully whilst Vian Wang ( playing Sheng Sheng’s editor and best friend Tong Hua), Shen Po Qing ( playing Sheng Sheng’s close doctor friend and her second love interest) and Jiang Yi’s fellow band members of ” Little Galaxy” faded more into the background than the main leads, their performances were equally good.

On a more critical note ” The Day of Becoming You" isn’t entirely the more ” realistic" imagining of the ”body-swap” scenario either . The jobs of main leads respectfully as a journalist ( Liang Jie) and an idol ( Jiang Yi) were often taken for granted by inconsistent timing schedules or evident responsibilities with their jobs often dismissed easily. ( The irony not lost that Liang Jie trying to make up for loss time by working late at night could come in early the next day to work, looking fresh as a daisy without bags under her eyes.) However, these points are more nuanced and as the show only uses these settings really for exposition , they can be overlooked .

Arguably what made our main leads and their pairing refreshing was the gradual process of development . It would be easy to have established Liang Ji merely as the “ significant other” in the drama without exploring further interactions, however, the series provides surprisingly heartwarming insights into her character’s sentience by her familial life as well as her friendship with Tong Hua.

This was perfectly contrasted by Jiang Yi and his “ complicated" family scenario with his father Jiang Dong Ha ( Zhang Lei) and his estranged younger sister Jiang Mo ( Cong Shang).Admittedly whilst it wasn’t the focalised subject of the series, it would have been intriguing to have explored more about Jiang Yi and his father’s reconciliation, than some of the earlier trivial scenes dedicated to his " secret crush” on superstar and close friend Xu Shu Yi ( Zhao Yao Ke). ( Only really provided to add " angst” and an ” obstacle” to the main romantic pairing.)

However, the drama arguably did allow time for Jiang Yi to heal some of his emotional wounds through his gradual alliance to friendship to affectionate relationship with Shengsheng. There were times this relationship did feel a little disconcerted by the sudden reversal of Jiang Yi’s " feelings" for Jiang Yi being dismissed so readily. ( Although Shengsheng’s feelings for Doctor Shen were slightly more drawn out, they suffered a similar fate of being disregarded when the storyline called for it.) Importantly but the relationship between Jiang Yi and Shengsheng was healthily built upon learning to trust and rely on one another by being ( literally) in one another’s shoes. The ending certainly offered an unseen twist which will likely surprise viewers, however, nonetheless does help to tie-off the more far-fetched moments of the storyline.

So, is “ The Day of Becoming You” worth watching? Whilst the show offers a more sugarcoated version of the respected industries and romance, there is something which is undeniably well-written about the body-swap scenario in order to allow the characters to grow, a main pairing who gradually developed an an unforeseen ending which surprisingly works. Definitely worth a watch if you’re looking for something easygoing and fluffy but with good screenwriting and acting on top.

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