They Kiss Again (Taiwan) Review

THEY KISS AGAIN [Taiwan]

Chinese Title : E Zuo Ju Er Wen (literally, prank's second kiss)
Year : 2008
No. of episodes : 20
Theme song : Mavis Fan (ending song - Ni (You) by Ariel Lin and interlude by Joe Cheng)
Based on The manga Itazarou Na Kiss ("prank's kiss")

This is Sequel to the 2005 smash hit It Started With a Kiss

Cast

Ariel Lin as Xiang Qin
Joe Cheng as Zhi Shu
Jiro Wang as Ah Jin
Zhang Yong Zheng as Zhi Shu's father
Cyndi Chaw as Zhi Shu's mother
Tang Tsung Sheng as Xiang Qin's father
Zhang Bo Han as Yu Shu (brother to Zhi Shu)
Figaro Ceng as Qi Tai
Aaron Yan as Ah Bu

Supporting Cast

Guan Cong as Zhi Shu's grandfather
Jason as Hao Qian
Tiffany Xu as Zi Yu
Cai Yi Zhen as Luo Zhi Yi
Jiang Pei Zhen as Zhang Ni Na
Xiu Jie Kai as Zhou Chuan Jin
Candice Liu as Liu Nong
Petty Yang as Chun Mei
Rui Sha as Christine Lin
Jia Yu as childhood Hao Mei
Meng Geng Ru as teenage Hao Mei
Cong Yang as teenage Yu Shu

* xie xie Wikipedia for the full cast list

Storyline

In the first episode, we are re-introduced to Xiang Qin (XQ) and Zhi Shu (ZS), who are on a plane on the way to their honeymoon. I love XQ and ZS as a couple, I really do. They are a great example of how love can surpass backgrounds, interests and even levels of aptitude. XQ is really cute, at least for me. She got this small body which makes people thinks she’s only 12. Her childish behavior also contributed to the thoughts. ZS is my DREAM guy ever. He doesn't know how to properly communicate most of the time but he expressed his passion towards XQ in his way. This is cute. Because there are so many guys out there lure women with sweet talks. I am not a sweet-talk lover, so yeah. I love ZS. There is a scene where XQ doesn’t know that she is actually at the police station even though the word POLICE are so big outside the building. Funny hahaha. And I love the scene where ZS making out with XQ on the balcony. Lovely..

After returning from their honeymoon (at the end of which they consummate their relationship), XQ unsuccessfully tries her luck at the teaching profession before settling on becoming a nurse. In nursing school, their relationship is severely tested when ZS is faced with a formidable competitor - Qi Tai, XQ's classmate. We get to see XQ suffer like nobody's business as ZS begins to treat her in a much more frosty way than he ever did in ISWAK. However, when Ah Jin finally shakes some sense into him, ZS realizes his jealousy and just how much he cares for XQ. The very sad scene in this plot, XQ tried to talk to ZS but he ignores her. XQ cried heavily outside Yu Shu’s door, very poignant. She said, "Why am I the only one crying? In reality, you've never loved me!" Unlike some actresses who do the ugly faces fake crying or the mouth closed, slow tearing (a lot of Korean actresses), Ariel gave an emotionally wrenching performance in that scene. I burst into tears ehh. Another lovely scene, when ZS allows XQ to draw blood from his arm - the look on Joe's face, a mixture of love, encouragement, and trust, made his performance in that scene marvelous. (err, info: no one wants to practice with XQ because she is excessively stupid and often injured people. So it is really emotive that ZS disregard the pain to support XQ.)

Cue a bunch of quick, somewhat meaningless subplots involving (again) XQ's stupidity and ZS' growing openness and expressions of his love for XQ. At the end, it is revealed that XQ suffers from a possibly blinding eye illness and this illness could be a heritage. She, whom at that time confirmed pregnant, doesn’t want her and ZS’s baby taking her genes. She’s in dilemma. Very sad eh.

Best Moments (scene you should never miss!)

Lines - Episode 11 in its entirety

- When ZS is sitting by himself on the bench after his farewell to his family and XQ before departing for the military. The image of him, alone and looking/caressing XQ's picture on his cell phone was moving beyond words. I burst into tears.

- "I'm the king of the world! You jump, I jump!" Ariel was damn funny in that scene.

- "She doesn't seem to understand just how much I love her" Zhi Shu in a heart-to-heart with XQ's dad. I'm glad XQ overheard this.

- "Like a broken record, she kept telling me that she loved me... it was so annoying. But when this became a regular part of my life and I took it for granted, she suddenly told me she didn't love me anymore. I can still clearly remember the nauseating feeling I had when she said that... I can do 90% of the things in this world. The other 10%, she can do, in a way that no one else can." ZS explaining to YS how he fell in love with XQ.

- "I can't imagine how you would live if I weren't by your side. That is probably why I'm so strict with you. I don't know how long I can be with you in this lifetime, so even if I'm not with you one day, you must live on bravely". ZS' narration while leaving for the military.

- The episode where the past and personality of XQ's mom is revealed.