{year}=2025{episode}=EP.24{type}=TV{ongoing}
Plot Summary
My Bargain Queen is an office romance drama set in the port city of Tianjin, China. The premise is based on two industries that are different in nature but not mutually exclusive - consulting or negotiation services and the hotel business. There is a significant change to the online bargaining business model towards the end.
The story is mainly centered around the romance of the characters involved in those jobs as well as the people around them. In addition to the romance with all the relevant plot twists and light comedy, we also have business aspects, elements of life, as well as some measures of angry and tragic situations (in the latter).
The production, which completed principal photography in October 2020, was simultaneously broadcast on Dragon TV as well as the streaming platform Youku among other local broadcasters and broadcasters. The story is adapted from the novel of the same name (我的砍价女王) by The Sleeping Meow (睡懂觉的喵), the pen name of which is Plume. The Ritz-Carlton in Tianjin is shown as the location of the fictional Evergreen Hotel, while many scenes are filmed at The Happy Valley theme park. Kenny Lin has been reunited with Nicky Wu since Scarlet Heart (2011), while Wu Jin Yan and Wang He Run last collaborated on Yanxi Palace: Princess Adventures in 2019.
The production quality is above average for this contemporary setting, thanks to The Ritz-Carlton’s lavish set design. As expected of a rom-com, warm colors and soft filters are widely applied to the visuals, which I had no problems with. Overall, the film is adequate, but there are editing issues, as well as a few scenes being cut, which affects the transition of scenes, but thankfully does not affect the flow of the story.
The story works well when focusing on the business aspect, with some interestingly written subplots on the rivalry between business and machines in the workplace. The romance is developed appropriately, especially for the main and secondary CPs. The family dynamics, especially FL's mother, seem over-emphasized, while the inclusion of the terrifying rage of the third CP detracts from the initial positivity and good vibes. The 40-episode length gives the overall impression of a drawn-out romance of this nature. Contemporary C-drama should really consider cutting production to 30 episodes or less.
I went into this for Wu Jin Yan, who I've been a fan of since Yanxi Palace and Legend of Hao Lan. She performs admirably here as FL Xia Qian, where her mature demeanor and her own voice-over fit the role perfectly. The consistency of the characters is not without its flaws, especially towards the closing stages, which I attribute to the screenplay. Kenny Lin plays ML Sheng Zhe Ning, who starts out as a cold and stern hotel CEO who eventually develops into a warm and lovable personality. Both Wu Jin Yan and Kenny Lin complement each other well with the right level of maturity and believable chemistry that makes them a compelling OTP.
Nicky Wu and Wang He Run portray SML Qin He Bo and SFL Fu Shuang Shuang respectively as the show's second CPs. Their love is an age-gap love, which for me, comes naturally and organically in its portrayal and development. The only issue I have is Nicky Wu's voice or rather her expression which lacks clarity at times. Wang He Run's character has a strong point of the story that contributes to a level of development that gives an extra dimension to her performance.
The supporting characters of He Zhi Juan and Ning Meng, played by Ma Si Chao and Song Yi Xing respectively, are the main problems in the story for me. Furthermore, the characters are poorly developed, used to create too much anger in the story, especially in the late stages, making for a scream of lazy writing. The controversy that makes the story less believable, and to make matters worse, I feel that the acting of these two stars is very weak. Ma Si Chao is nothing like the doctor he portrays, and every time he speaks, he sounds like he’s gasping for breath. Part of the blame has to go to the direction for this. Song Yi Xing’s performance isn’t the most chaotic, but for all intents and purposes, she succeeds in making Ning Meng the most annoying character in the film. In some ways, I think these two are perfect as the third CP and the annoying couple from hell.
