Down With Love (Taiwan Drama) - My Review

It has been a long time since I fell in love with a Taiwanese TV series since Meteor Garden (wow! that was like 8 years ago!) and finally I found one that gave me that same feeling all over again. It is called 'Down With Love'. It is the kind of movie that my mind and soul continue reeling over long after the show is over. You can't help but start to love the main character of the show played by Ella from S.H.E. as even though not as pretty and rather boyish looking, she has the greatest soul and kindest heart anyone in any TV show ever has. Her motto is “Only by being true-spirited, only can you find true happiness.” Simple, down-to-earth and easily contented, she is everything I ever wish I can be but never can due to my intrinsic nature to worry and be responsible for everyone.

This TV show gave every girl the hope that by having a good heart and soul, a guy will look beneath the exterior and love you for who you are. It is indeed an escape for a lot of gals out there and the same recipe used by Meteor Garden that shot it to fame: Hope. And the eye candies played by Jerry Yen and XXXX as the 2 main male characters did not hurt either. Besides, the 2 of them are the kind of guys any girls want as a boyfriend not only because they are good-looking but because they are inherently good-natured, rational and caring.

Last but not least, Ella really shone in this character as she looked the part and acted the part excellently. One can see her as being exactly the same in real life. She is so endearing that one can't help but grow to love her more and more as the show progresses. Plus, she really did make the whole show a lot funnier with her antics and crazy expressions. I really like the blatant, in-your-face jokes which are characteristics of a lot of funny Taiwanese series.

The greatest lesson that this TV series gave me is: Life does not need to be full of material pleasures to feel contented. True happiness comes from within, and maybe with some help from a magic marble ;)

The best and most memorable moments of Down With Love:

The casts are referred by their real names: Jerry as Xiang Yu Ping, Ella as Yang Guo and Michael as Ke Zhong.

1. When Jerry Yen ran out of the house to drive his car to look for Ella when he got the call to say that she is chased out of her house. Seeing his concern, I was so touched as only a guy who really cares about a girl will sacrifice so much for her.

2. When Jerry Yen is so happy that she called when she was in Hangzhou with Michael and stepped away from the lunch with his ex-girlfriend to talk to her. He said that overseas call is very expensive and called her back. That was soooo thoughtful of him and guys usually do that only to someone they care. The call ended with the two of them leaning on walls thinking of how each care for one another. Awww, I was about to melt when I see that.

3. Under the moonlight in Hangzhou when when both of them beat around the bush to find out if they like each other. The conversation was so adorable like "Had I known that you are not a lesbian, would I have been afraid that you would fall in love with me?" When Ella nodded, he cheekily asked, "So, did you?" I was already screaming in my heart, saying, "Tell him!" but as most Taiwanese shows go, this did not happen and the story just prolongs. I happily obliged. He also told her that she is not an ugly duckling but a girl who is so beautiful inside no other girl can come close. Awwww….

4. When Jerry Yen found out that Ella is now in a relationship with his good friend, Michael and was so heart-broken that he got into his gastric problem. When Michael was away getting medicine for him, he grabbed hold of Ella's hand and asked, "Do you really love him"? And Ella was tongue tied.

5. When Jerry Yen slept on the chairs in the airport waiting for his flight to Hangzhou to look for Ella to confess his feelings, he filled his spare time by practicing how to give the sweets he bought for her. At the same time, Ella was having problem with Michael’s mother and was crying as she was insulted so terribly. The camera panned to the two of them being in trouble at the exact same time in different locations and you soooo wish they are both together so that one can comfort the other.

6. When Jerry Yen peeks at Ella who is buying ice-cream for the 2 kids while enjoying it so much as though she is a little kid herself. When he realized that Ella was peeking back at him, he looked back, embarrassed that his action had been revealed.

7. When Jerry was teaching Ella to dance in her high heels after he taught her how to wear her stilettos. Through Jerry’s encouragement, Ella felt confident and could stride comfortably in shoes higher than Taipei 101. While they were dancing, Ella was hoping that she will never wake up from this moment which she felt was a wonderful “one-sided” love affair. Little did she know that he was also falling in love with her at the same time.

8. When Jerry was angry that Ella wants to pretend to be in a relationship with her ex-boyfriend, he immediately looked for her to explain that the right way to be in a relationship is by holding onto your boyfriend’s hands only. And when he managed to cheat her into holding her hands, he turned around and laughed to himself. It was such a cheeky laugh ;)

9. When Ella found the cabinet full of sweets that Jerry hidden from her only to be revealed when Jerry came running downstairs to see what she has found. When she was trying to move away from Jerry as he was questioning if she felt the same way about him, she accidentally tripped on the sweets and fell onto Jerry’s embrace. Jerry then smiled cheekily and said “Guess I have to thank the sweets for helping me”. He then bent forward to kiss her on the lips when her phone rang…..

10. When Ella was angry at Jerry for stalking her when pretending to be in a relationship with her ex-boyfriend, Jerry realized his possessiveness and apologized. While Ella was still reeling with anger, Jerry grabbed Ella and kissed her so passionately. It was those words between the kisses that melted Ella and my heart:

“Do you know that when I saw him (referring to her ex-boyfriend) trying to kiss you by the lake, I almost die of jealousy.”

He kissed her again.

“And do you know that when I heard you say that when I was teaching you magic tricks and found out that Ke Zhong had only held your hands, I almost die of happiness?”

And they kissed again, before she kissed him back and they hugged.