With You

Set in the early 2000s, With You is an understated, poignant piece of work that is a lot deeper than it appears to be. I would not call it a fluffy drama at all. Instead what With You sets out to do is to tell us a realistic, nostalgic and almost melancholic coming-of-age tale of friendship (and love). I have watched A Love So Beautiful prior to watching With You, and I loved the show. In fact I would rate ALSB higher than one of my other favourites- Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo, but I would possibly rate With You higher than ALSB. It feels a lot more raw and addresses many challenges faced in growing up. The pressures of school, particularly in the Asian setting may be familiar to some, and the drama lingers on this particular aspect, addressing it with kindness, compassion and a tinge of melancholy. It is, undoubtedly, my favourite modern Chinese drama, and one of my favourite dramas of all time. Fantastic performances by the main characters, particularly the then 17 year old Liu Haoran who shines in the last few episodes. 9.25/10.

Similar to the story arc of A Love So Beautiful, this puppy love and coming of age tale was released before the sweet A Love So Beautiful. Excellent acting and interesting storyline and believable characters.