My Instagram buddy and fellow Korean drama fanatic once asked me to listen to the title track of the drama she was watching. I checked out the song on YouTube and the video was a fan-made compilation of the best scenes on the show. As soon as I finished the short video I knew I had to watch the show because not only was the song catchy but also the show looked damn interesting. The show I am talking about is the Taiwanese drama, Behind Your Smile. This is a revenge drama and also a hate-love trope wherein the guy meets the girl to seek revenge from her but eventually falls for her. The drama plot is clichéd but the show is gripping and interesting.

Let’s weigh Behind Your Smile on our show beam balance to determine if the show is worth a try or no.
 
Good Weights
OST: The show’s opening theme is what got me to watch it in the first place. ‘He Isn’t Worth It’ by Shi Shi is hauntingly enchanting and suits the revenge plot of the drama.  ‘Lost on The Way’ by Shi Shi feat. Matzka is saved for the suspenseful moments where your mouth is agape watching something you did not expect to see. My favourite ‘Don’t Panic’ by Shi Shi is a delightful song that reminds me of all the funny moments Lei Xinyu has when she is with Zhao Yiting. Here is another fan vid featuring this peppy song that instantly brings a smile to my face. This video has all the cute moments that Yiting and Xinyu share on the show.

Eugenie Liu: Actress Eugenie Liu is tailor-made for the role of Lei Xinyu. She looks and plays the part to perfection. Xinyu is naïve, overly trusting and good natured and Eugenie Liu’s innocent face will make you forget that she is actually acting and may not be like that in real life. Her cuteness is palpable and she lights up the screen with her alluring smile. Xinyu’s ability to smile even in adversity makes her a typical drama character nonetheless she is a very endearing heroine.

Marcus Chang: Actor Marcus Chang plays the quintessential ‘khadus’ (rude) boss who is stingy with his smiles. His character Zhao Yiting has seen severe hardships in life and is determined to exact revenge on the people who destroyed his family. Chang may falter in some comical moments on the show but he manages to pull off the role effortlessly. He looks great for the role and his acting is smooth and consistent. He has an attractive persona and his eyes emote so much that you cannot help notice how attractive his face is.

Lead Couple Chemistry: This drama has a lot of light and sweet moments that are brought to life by Chang and Liu. These two actors look so good together that I am shipping this couple hard to date in real life too. Chang and Liu seem to share a good rapport off-screen too which is why they look so convincing as a couple in the drama. If you are a sucker for romance like me than this drama is perfect for you as this drama has plenty of romantic ‘accidents’.



Bad Weights
Draggy Affair: I have this complaint from most Taiwanese dramas. They stretch their episodes a little too much. Behind Your Smile was a weekly drama and each episode was 75 minutes long. It gets a little draggy after a point of time and I started to lose my patience. However, the drama was quite gripping so I will not say that it was boring but it could have been shorter.  
 
Overly Far-fetched Scenes: I know several dramas show scenes that are practically impossible to even imagine in real life but most of such scenes often do not bother me. It bothers me only when some scenes are too hard to believe or even watch. For instance, Yiting runs to rescue Xinyu when she meets with an accident. When he reaches the spot, he sees a young boy bleeding in the driver’s seat but he chooses to ignore the boy and looks out for Xinyu. The boy could have died, dude. Why did you ignore him like that? That scene I felt was too stupid to believe. I understand Yiting is worried for Xinyu but C’mon he leaves the boy bleeding only to avoid being spotted by his brother. In another scene, Yiting saves Xinyu from some goons and they hide in an abandoned shelter in the jungle. She then asks him to imagine that they are in an action movie and that she is trying to save his life by almost giving him a CPR. Kyaaaaaa….Who does that? I often found myself saying ‘arre yeh to kuch bhi tha’ (This was utter rubbish).    
 
Behind Your Smile weighs heavy with good weights which indicates that it is an engaging drama. Yes, it is flawed but it is never dull. I liked the cast, the story and the soundtrack and would certainly recommend it. This Taiwanese drama has suspense, revenge, love, hatred, Eugenie Liu and Marcus Chang so it is a must watch at any cost.

Originally posted on www.alphagirl.in