Donnapie’s Favorite Asian Drama Countdown:

At Number 2 : In Time With You   

Synopsis 

Cheng You Qing (Ariel Lin) is the manager of a department store shoe department.

On her 30th birthday, Cheng You Qing receives an email on “the symptoms of premature aging” from Li Da Ren (Bolin Chen), her best friend whom she has known since high school.

Unable to accept that he is like a bottle of fine wine that will get better with age and she is like a grape that will dry into a raisin as years go by, she makes a bet with Da Ren to see who will get married first before they turned 35.

However, You Qing often says that the girl Da Ren finds always does not match  him and at the same time, Da Ren is also not satisfied with the man You Qing wants to marry.

After Da Ren’s relationship with his colleague Maggie ended, he admits to Maggie that he has been in love with You Qing all this time.

Why I love it:

I have said everything that needs to be said about this drama.

I have sang it high praises, put it in a pedestal, remembered each and every single scene and line of it that made me laugh and made me cry.

However, for the sake of reference should you be needing your next drama fix sometime soon, i am republishing the open letter that i made to this show when it ended and perhaps that would convince you if not my words why i think this draam is one of the best dramas ever.

Dear Show…

To describe you as one of a kind and epic is an understatement.

You have truly proven that T-dramas can also be world class if only the people involved in it would only give much thought to how a series is acted, directed and written.

Saying that you have wowed me and blew my socks off is only the tip of the iceberg.

I was literally awed, inspired (and sometimes annoyed too) all throughout the 13 episodes that i spent watching your greatness.

You have brought me to some highest highs and lowest lows.

You made me reminisce of a time in my life when i was in the shoes of Da Ren as i love someone quietly (and painfully) in my own way from afar and you have also made me recall the times when i was channelling You Qing.

Of a period in my life when i was blinded by pride and selfishness and rendered helpless by fear that i deliberately turned a blind eye to the love that i deserve which is just right in front of me.

You have shown how unrequited love can be painful but how it can also be fulfilling.

You have shown that sometimes it is not the journey that counts on how two people find each other but just the fact that you’re there for each other TAKING EVERY STEP OF THAT JOURNEY together.

It might have took some time and you may have deprived us somewhat of OTP time but what a beautiful way to show us also that True Love waits and that everything has a right timing to fall in its proper time and place.

You’ve shown us that best friends really do make the perfect lovers and that even if bad boys are more attractive it is always the good boys who finishes till the end.

Thank you for giving us an OTP that is so different in so many ways but is sooo perfect together in almost everything.

I never had any doubts that they are meant for each other.

Thank you for the quotable quotes that are so stark and simple in its plainness and yet it hits me in a place in my heart where i can truly relate and smile in the memory of a time when i also wished i could have said the same.

I wish you could have gone on forever but sadly, all good things has to come to an end.

You truly deserve the earth shattering ratings that you got on your finale.

Job well done.

Now my only problem is, how will i live the rest of my week without you?

You’ve spoilt me so much i don’t think i can watch another shallow, silly, stupid Tdrama which is the norm, ever again.

Well, till here although i know it’s not goodbye since i’m sure my Laptop will see your episodes again.

(and again, and again and again).

You’d be missed.

With Love from your ardent fan,
ME 

What cemented it as one of my favorites:  

Maggie Hsu is a genius of a scriptwriter who elevated this drama to perfection because of how she told this story in a way that’s relatable and stark in its realism.

The lines sometimes just render me breathless and it pierces my soul because it was not lyrical nor poetic but just plain words that were weaved together to create the greatest impact and bring forth the strongest of emotions when it was delivered.

The symbolisms that Winnie, the director has infused in the series were also non-verbal representations of how close You Qing and Da Ren really are to each other that made the story more magical and emotional.

On the actors front, I could confidently say that this is Ariel’s best work to date.

And Bolin?

Oh, Bolin was divine.

Seriously, i’ve harbored secret thoughts of marrying him after watching him here.

I would never ever get tired of saying how great this series is.

I guess because if ever i would be a writer i could imagine my work to be something similar to this.

What’s amazing about ITWY is that it does not have a very deep central driving conflict but still, it was able to capture the viewers hearts and feelings by making them sympathize with the characters and by telling a familiar, poignant story.
 

It’s been months but i’m still so in love with this drama.

Damn you Mag for writing a script that’s so hard to get over.

And you too Ariel and Bolin for acting your parts so well that i just can’t forget You Qing and Da Ren.

Bolin Chen has raised the act of performing the part of a lovesick man to an artform.

This man?

HE IS A DREAMBOAT.