Tiktok may be an app that I have yet to understand completely but it can be useful for some things. I saw a scene from a Chinese drama there and I decided to search for it online. Turns out the drama was a remake of the Taiwanese drama Fated to Love You.
You are My Destiny is about two complete opposites: a nerdy, doormat type who works as an assistant for a law firm and a confident and rich businessman. Both cross paths as they step onto a cruise ship with their respective significant others. As destiny would have it, she ends up breaking up with her boyfriend on the ship and he is left alone by his girlfriend (who leaves before the ship left the port) and they end up having a one-night stand together, which results in a pregnancy.
The two end up getting married, although the guy, Wang Xiyi, gets the girl, Chen Jiaxin, to sign a divorce agreement that would ensure that they would split up once the baby is born. Somewhere along the way, the two fall in love with each other, only to be split up through attempts from Xiyi’s (ex) girlfriend and her art broker friend, who is also interested in Jaixin. In the process, the couple also loses their child in an accident, which hits them both hard and complicates their relationship. Now that I am writing about it, the show really had a lot going on and it was pretty heavy. Still, they were able to make it work without the show becoming depressing.
Many years later, fate brings the former couple back together again, which then starts their path to reconciliation. It’s a long, dramatic road, but it does lead to a satisfying ending.
As long as this series was (36 episodes!), I still enjoyed watching it. The actors, both lead and supporting, were entertaining to watch. The male lead even reminded me of Korean actor/singer Rain because he had that same vibe to him. I enjoyed that it was not just about romance but also about how the relationship brought about the personal growth of both characters into better people. Love was part of the journey, it was what pushed that journey/growth further, but it was not all there was to it.
I appreciated the fact that the supporting characters, specifically Xiyi’s aunt (the actress who played her was so pretty) and cousin, were not portrayed in the stereotypical way that I was expecting them to be played. I was expecting them to be after the money and to be manipulating, evil characters but they turned out to be very endearing as the show went on. Even Dylan, the guy who was interested in Jaixin, turned out to be a decent guy despite my expectation that he would be just as manipulative as Xiyi’s ex, Anna (who also happens to be his long-lost sister).
One thing that I need to take note of is the product placements made throughout the show. I think this is the norm for some movies and TV shows these days because I’ve seen this in Korean dramas as well. The thing is, with Chinese dramas, I think they are more blatant or more obvious with their product placement. With Korean dramas, the products simply happen to be there whereas the Chinese dramas seem to have a more “here’s the product, take a look at it” mentality.
If you’re looking for a drama that’s easy to watch, this is something that I would recommend, especially if you have seen the Taiwanese version, Fated to Love You. If you have also seen the drama The Day of Becoming You, which I reviewed on this blog, you might also recognize Jaixin as she was portrayed by the same actress who played Yun Sheng Sheng.
FYI, You are My Destiny is currently on WeTV. Fated to Love You, on the other hand, is on Netflix if you are interested in watching the original first!
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