TDrama to Watch: [Drunken to] Love You (2011)

Taiwanese Drama [Drunken to] Love You (2011)

Grade: A-

30 Episodes, about 40 minutes each

Lin Xiao Ru's plans to spend her annual vacation in Las Vegas are derailed when her pilot boyfriend of 4 years suddenly cancels on her with only the statement that someone needs him more than she does for explanation. The distraught Xiao Ru ends up drinking all night with a stranger: successful interior designer Song Jie Xiu, who had attempted to propose earlier that day to his supermodel-turned-actress girlfriend of 8 years. With a ring in his pocket and two broken hearts between them, the intoxicated pair wake the next morning to find themselves legally married! Jie Xiu's girlfriend Tang Ai Wei discovers the marriage, but in order to keep her very first movie role, she asks the two to remain married until filming is completed. Meanwhile, Xiao Ru finds out the reason her pilot left was to take responsibility for the flight attendant he impregnated. What happens when Jie Xiu steps in to help Xiao Ru save face, gives her a shoulder to cry on, then goes out of his way to “lend” her some happiness? Will Xiao Ru grab hold of the happiness she's found, or will she surrender to Ai Wei, since Jie Xiu wasn't Xiao Ru's to take in the first place? How will Jie Xiu's estranged mother feel about the arrangement? Will the orphaned Xiao Ru ever find her own mother?

*For a Taiwanese drama, this was a VERY good show, on par with most Korean dramas and an even better plot than some, despite “cheesy” elements and tropes. The intro has cute animation and music (if you can get past the lyrics about "doing it" all night...), the fairly lighthearted script has decent pacing, plus there is great chemistry between the leads. Rainie Yang is a super cute actress with clothes I would love to own, and I really liked her character, aside from the tendency to be more self-sacrificing than necessary. Joseph Chang reminded me a little bit of Keanu Reeves as far as his looks, and my favorite acting moment is when the serious Jie Xiu finally allows his mother to hug him – he tolerates it for a few moments, but then he starts rolling his eyes and shaking with annoyance the more she fawns over him, until she lets go and he walks away in a huff. Hilarious! 

I will say this is definitely an ADULT show, as it covers topics such as abortion, premarital sex, and even rape, but they handled these topics without a lingering nasty feeling to it - not more than a PG-13 rating's worth. I definitely liked it much better than the **first show, “Fated to Love You” - better pacing and no awkward “several years later” separation between the characters. I'd watch this again!*

**This is supposed to be the second installment in a three-part series, with “Fated to Love You” (2008) as the first, but I could find no clear information about a third installment. Fun fact: I recognized FOUR actors from “Fated to Love You” in this show, and now I know why!