I’m going to be honest, I didn’t feel like watching this drama when someone told me about it, mainly because the story has a very similar concept with my all-time favorite drama, Ode To Joy. Ode To Joy is the drama that made me obsessed with Chinese dramas and I didn’t want a similar show that might change the way I see the story. Nothing But Thirty is NOT a remake of Ode To Joy but if you’ve watched Ode To Joy, you will understand what I mean by “similar”.

Although it has similar concepts with Ode To Joy, Nothing But Thirty has its own elements that sets it apart from other dramas. The storyline was different enough to keep me hooked and I enjoyed most of it. Although I am not nearing my thirties (yet haha), I was able to relate to the characters and understand their struggles.

I’ll share a little bit about the three ladies. First we have Wang Manni. She’s a simple woman who’s struggling in a big city. (She is very similar with Fan Shengmei of Ode To Joy). Even if her life is tough, she continues to work hard in hopes of a better life in Shanghai. It’s an accurate representation of women who have to work endlessly and can’t settle down even if it’s about time. Her life isn’t the worst but it’s quite tough. I admire her strength; I think that quality really stood out.

Next we have Zhong Xiaoqing. She’s very bubbly and caring. (She is similar with Qiu Yingying of OTJ). I love how positive she is but sometimes I also hate that because people can easily take advantage of her because she’s too kind. Her character development was interesting and I love that she eventually learned how to stand up for herself. I love Xiaoqing’s story. I think her character developed really well and seeing her succeed kinda made me proud.

Lastly, we have Gu Jia. Gu Jia’s character confused me a lot. For the first half of the show I didn’t really understand her but in the end, everything made sense. She’s very insightful and she cares a lot about everybody, including her subordinates. She’s not that stereotypical rich woman and I love her. Gu Jia is very elegant and fancy but she knows how to get things done. She’s the accurate representation of a “strong, independent woman”.

I can’t choose a favorite character; there’s so much to love about the three ladies. It’s a heartwarming story that was written well. I would admit that I did skip some parts mainly because each episode switches from the life of a character to another and some scenes felt unnecessary. The story was a little stretched so there were boring bits here and there but overall, it’s worth a watch. I learned so much from them and their friendship is something everyone would want.

If you’ve watched Ode To Joy, you will surely love this one. If you’ve watched this, I suggest you watch Ode To Joy next!