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Yuan Lai Wo Bu Shuai (So I'm Not Handsome)


Xiao Zhuang (JJ Lin) discovers that even "his good looks" is not enough to win the school beauty Xu Xin Ting's heart. What's more Xu Xin Ting or Cindy told him he's ugly. For years he believed that he's handsome because everyone tells him that he is.

More than just comedy, this series shows that there's more to romance than dating a good-looking person and sharing happy times. Xiao Zhuang discovers more things about Cindy other than her pleasant face. The friendship and the memories they created together strengthened their relationship. Through Cindy's tears and sorrow, Xiao Zhuang later realized that making her happy is enough and that to keep chasing her would be futile. He learned that he can never replace Dr. Duan Zhao Wei, Cindy's deceased sister's boyfriend, in her heart.

Although it wasn't fully explored in the series, the viewer might question Cindy's feelings for Dr. Duan. Was feeling guilty over her sister's death because she had a crush on the guy created and sustained her devotion to him? Could it be that loving him without reciprocity was her way of compensating for the crime she thinks she committed? We'll never know for sure. In contrast to how Xiao Zhuang makes her feel I think she also realized that her love for Dr. Duan is making her lonely.

 Xiao Zhuang's efforts to make Cindy happy caught the attention of Cai Qiao Ping. The series would later shift to a broken-hearted, confused woman versus the kind and determined woman scenario as Xiao Zhuang struggles to forget about Cindy and give Qiao Ping a chance. Qiao Ping showed the same effort that Xiao Zhuang did in making Cindy happy, yet it doesn't seem to work.



Xiao Zhuang's friends, Jin Si Si and Fang Wen Kang, also found their true love. Si Si is dating the dual personality alien/earthling Li Pin Xuan, while Ah Kang struggles with his love-hate romance with the feisty Shen Man Man.

The 13-episode series is light and funny yet the viewer can pick up inspiring lessons about friendship... and a little something about love as well. In the end, there's no perfect formula for falling in love and being loved.

Rating: 8.5 of 10

***
From the novel Yuan Lai Wo Bu Shuai by Lowes.

Main Characters:

JJ Lin as Zhuang Jun Wei
Nicky Lee as Jin Si Si 
Michael Zhang as Fang Wen Kang 
Alice Ceng as Xu Xin Ting 
Yao An Qi as Cai Qiao Ping
Xiu Jie Kai as Duan Zhao Wei 
Jozie Lu as Shen Man Man 
Winnie Zhong as Liu Pin Xuan


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