My Best Ex-Boyfriend (最佳前男友) : A Series Review

Here I go again with my addiction with soap operas staring my favorite Asian superstar, Jerry Yan! I have actually watched this series four times and would love to have some free time to watch it all over again. Yes, it is that good!

My Best Ex-Boyfriend is a  Chinese TV series of 42 episodes, released in 2015. Before I go on discussing drool-worthy scenes in this series, let me start off by introducing you to the superb cast.

My Best Ex Boyfriend is a series that will make you want to binge watch till the end. Every episode has its twists and turns and plays with your emotions. Honestly, there were episodes which made me want to jump into the story!

Plot Summary:

Li Tang and Fu Fang Si were sweethearts in university. Cheng Xiang Nan was Fu Fang Si's classmate and no matter how hard she tried, she could not beat Fu Fang Si's talent in design. Her anger and envy took roots when they were still students.

After graduation, Li Tang and Fu Fang Si started a small fashion studio, called Fancy. Li Tang's father was not in favor of this and he disliked Fang Si because she declined an offer to work overseas, which in turn made Li Tang to decide to stay by her side and work on this small business instead of going abroad to work on the family business.

A year after starting the business, Li Tang sold the business which made Fang Si really upset that it made her decide to break up with him. 

Cheng Xiang Nan broke up with her boyfriend Yin Hao Ran because of her ambitions of fame and fortune once she gets her foot into the modeling industry. She said she will never get out of poverty if she continues her relationship with Hao Ran. This was also upon the prodding of her mother who wanted her daughter to become rich, whatever it takes. 

Fast forward to six years - Fu Fang Si has built a career on own, maintaining the same label, Fancy. She was invited by Yin Hao Ran to join a fashion show to present her creations. Cheng Xiang Nan is now a super-model in the industry and the top asset for Don Juan, a fashion company owned by Li Tang. Fang Si and Xiang Nan's paths cross again and the hatred flares up, especially when Xiang Nan ripped Fang Si's dress into pieces. 

Fang Si gets rave reviews from the show, secures a contract from Qiao Rui Si to market her designs. Suddenly, Li Tang appears. Fang Si and Li Tang's eyes meet, but would only cause Fang Si so much pain because Li Tang proposed marriage to Xiang Nan right there and then, shifting the media's attention from Fang Si to Li Tang and Xiang Nan.

Conflict after conflict arises, which would really make you want to watch the next episode and the episode after that. The series will show some dirty tactics of a well respected businessman, eliminating any small company that poses a threat. There is greed, lust for money and fame, misunderstanding, and the relationship between a father and his son. The series also highlights the determination and courage of Fang Si to get her label to be known. The relationship of lovers and ex-lovers are worth watching. It makes you really wonder who will end up with who.

I would really want to discuss more about the plot, but I would rather stop here, so that you will watch the series yourself. I promise you, it will be worth your time. 

My Favorite Dialogues:

Hao Ran: Are you waiting for Li Tang or just commemorating your past?

Fang Si: Actually, there isn't much to commemorate. Six years ago today, I texted him to end our relationship. Six years later, today, the pin he gave me is now broken.

Hao Ran: Fang Si, let bygones be bygones! How many six years does a person have? Fang Si, please put an end to what happened in the past today. Today, Cui Can went public. There is nothing you should feel sorry for about him! The broken pin is a sign from God that you should live for yourself!

Fang Si: For him, today is the end. For me, I will try again tomorrow.

Hao Ran: What?

Fang Si: As soon as sent that text, I regretted it. I sent him another text later, to tell him to wait for me here on the second day. I waited for him the whole day. My mom was with me too. But he suddenly disappeared, just like this time, and never showed up again. After losing the store, he kept waiting for me downstairs at my home. I didn't want to see him. I didn't give him the chance to explain, either. But when I actually sent that short text, I found myself in greater pain. I only lasted for four hours, and then I surrendered. I didn't want to leave him. 

Hao Ran: Fang Si, can you get a grip on yourself? He isn't worth it!

Fang Si: Its not about whether its worth it, or not! It's not about being willing, or not! I know he is selfish, childish and sometimes unreasonable! Actually, I'm not that strong either! I'm a coward! I haven't been able to admit that I can't leave him!

********

Li Tang: My dear Fu Fang Si and schoolmate! Do you know how furious you made me sometimes? I really hated you! I didn't want to see you again in my lifetime! Do you know how hard it was to handle you and get along with you? 

But I love you very much. So, will you marry me? 

I know that in the past, I was very childish and immature. I didn't do a lot of things well, and made you sad. I was a hateful person. I want to use the rest of my life -- I will definitely use my life to work hard and be very serious, not to be a childish person, and protect and love you. So give me this chance and marry me, alright? 

Let me put this ring on you. Will you be with this childish guy for the rest of your life? 

Fang Si: I will.

********

Xiang Nan: I heard Fang Si opened a new studio and that you helped her out a lot. I also heard you're setting up a press conference for her.

Li Tang: This is a private matter between me and Fang Si. Shouldn't it be none of your business?

Xiang Nan: You're right. You don't have Tang Huang, but you have Li Corporation. Boss Li is really wealthy. I wonder if your father found out you spent so much money on it what would he think?

Li Tang: My dad is now very supportive of my relationship with Fang Si. He already approved our marriage so the wedding should happen soon. Because we're working together, I should invite you, but because I fear you'll wreck the ceremony, I decided not to. Li Corporation and NSH's collaboration is about to hit the market soon. Hence, I think we should focus on our business.

Xiang Nan: Li Tang, don't act like you're calm. I ruined your father and I ruined you. You have lost Tang Huang. Fu Fang Si's many years of efforts have also gone to waste! You should hate me and hope that I will go down the eighteen stairs of hell.

Li Tang: Hate you? You are insignificant to me now. Boss Cheng, you still don't understand the current situation? Its only business between us now. Other than that, you are insignificant to me. 

My Review:

Jerry Yan once again plays the role of a rich kid - impulsive, childish, but with a soft spot in his heart for the people he truly cares for. His acting is commendable. He really gets into the character he portrays. I'm not saying this because I am a big fan of his. Jerry is a really good actor. In his role as Li Tang, he was able to pull off an image of a young entrepreneur who is charming, playful and cool, squashing the stereotype of a boss who is straight faced and wears a suit to work every day. As for his outfits in the series, some were quirky looking, although I accept it as such, because his business is in the fashion industry. 

This is the first soap opera where I got to watch Maggie Jiang. Such a pretty lady and likewise a great actress. Her facial expressions are perfect in every scene. Like Jerry, she really got into the character of Fu Fang Si. During some scenes when I could feel the hurt she suffered, I just really wanted to "get into the series" and give her a hug to comfort her. Maggie was the perfect choice for the role - charming, naive, but headstrong in her will to achieve her dreams. 

I was doubtful of Yin Hao Ran from the very start of the series. Ron Ng portrayed the typical "wolf in sheep's clothing." He did things that put Fang Si's career in trouble. He is a cunning businessman and would do anything for profit. It was only towards the end of the series that he made amends to his mistakes. 

Cheng Xiang Nan (Viola Mi) is the baddest villainess ever! I really wanted to pull her hair and drag her out of the series. Seriously! And all those evil things she did for money! She epitomizes that saying, "Hell hath no fury than a woman scorned." There really must be people like this in real life, and I hope I don't get to meet them! 

This series is all about lost love, misunderstanding, deceit, chasing dreams, filial piety, and rekindling a love that was never supposed to have been lost in the first place. It also gives viewers an insight of the problems that business executives face in dealing with market competition - sometimes up to the point that relationships are tainted, trust is lost, and love is set aside. 

I highly recommend you watch this series. I am positive that after you've watched it, you will believe that true love is worth the wait.

Hungry for more Jerry Yan? Check out these other posts:

1. The Forbidden Flower - Series Review + Memorable lines

2. Loving Never Forgetting - Synopsis + Series Review 

3. Meteor Garden Season 3 - Fan Fiction (5 Part Series)