Pimpin' - Smiling Pasta

[meitachi]

Smiling Pasta pimp post, because I love it, and so should you. :D (C'mon, I'm even using my "smile for me" icon! ...biased as it is.)



Smiling Pasta/微笑 Pasta is a 17-episode Taiwanese romantic-comedy drama. It stars Cyndi Wang and Nicholas Teo.

Premise: Xiao Shi is a girl who has gone through many short relationships - 17 to be exact, not one lasting more than 3 months (hence, her "three-month curse".) After being dumped by her 17th boyfriend, the world looks grimmer than ever. At that time, the famous idol He Qun runs past, bumps into Xiao Shi, and ends up "kissing" her on the street. Paparazzi swarms by and, to avoid a bad reputation, He Qun’s manager declares Xiao Shi as He Qun’s girlfriend of one year and fiancée. Thus, a love contract is made. This story is about how the couple learns to like each other after disagreements in the beginning, as well as fighting the injustices the media throws at them. Will Xiao Shi finally break her 3 month curse? (taken from dramawiki)




PLOT
Okay, disclaimer. You cannot go into this drama expecting stellar acting - I've never done that, maybe because I haven't watched enough K-and-J-dramas to expect it as the norm. But, seriously, it's a romantic comedy. You're here for all the silly light-hearted fun (and, god, how fun is this premise? ♥), not to see Oscar-award-winning acting. It's a Taiwanese drama, for crying out loud. ;) Keep that in mind and sigh a little at the overacting, maybe, or roll your eyes at some of the cheesy lines, or maybe even flinch when some moments get particularly bad...but overall, I think you'll find that it's a fun experience.

That aside, I seriously, seriously love this premise. Pop star and random girl on the street! Love contract! How is this not an amazing Mary Sue fanfic come to life? Oh but it's so much more than that, because He Qun (the pop star), has family issues - with his dad, a government minister, who is never proud of him, and with his younger brother Ah Zhe, who hates him. In comparison, Xiao Shi (our main character) has the best family ever. It's true. Embarrassing and loud sometimes, sure, but they love her so much. They cheer for her (often literally) and encourage her and cook for her. I have so many family issues, you guys, alskjflkd. I cried all over the family bits of this drama. It's...touching. Maybe I'm just a sap (with family issues) but aslkdf. ;_; I'm so glad the ending was happy.

Then there's more drama! Because Rita is He Qun and Ah Zhe's childhood friend, and she loves Ah Zhe, but He Qun likes her. And Ah Zhe is hung up about the past and doesn't treat Rita as well as he should. Plus, on top of all of that, even though Xiao Shi is He Qun's pretend fiancée, she totally has a crush on Ah Zhe.

BUT OF COURSE. WOULD THIS DRAMA BE NEARLY AS FUN OTHERWISE?

It's so sweet to see He Qun and Xiao Shi start falling for each other. They never quit arguing, though, because he likes to tease her and she likes to call him names, haha. A perfectly dysfunctional relationship. They're so cute.

CHARACTERS

   
Xiao Shi: Okay, there were moments where she was so dumb, I wanted to cry. Evidently it's an Asian girl thing, especially if they're the main character of an Asian drama though. I don't think anyone could be so clueless in actuality. But those were just a few moments - mostly she was cute and enthusiastic and still sort of ditzy, but in a tolerable sort of way. Innocent but not totally naive, optimistic to a fault, she's likeable even though she's sort of pushed around a bit at school because she has the best family support system ever. ♥ And even though she argues and flails about some things that might seem silly or inconsequential or even petty, she obviously has a good heart and it shows in the way she's considerate to people and to He Qun.

   
He Qun: SO I PRETTY MUCH LOVE HIM. At first I think I put up with him because he sort of looked like Kim Jonghoon (Yul from Goong - maybe, just a little? just in my head?), but he's actually awesome all on his own. Nicholas Teo is just pretty to look at, okay? He has the cutest grin - so childlike, but he is also just so askdjfl cool in his sunglasses.

As a character, he's pretty much just...awesome. He's very goodhearted and he has a mischievous streak. He always means well and just wants to get along with his dad and then Xiao Shi (though he teases her mercilessly) and make up with his brother and do the best for everyone. He loves his music and struggles to compose his own songs. He gets frustrated and stubborn sometimes, and he argues with Xiao Shi a lot, but I found myself on his side a lot of times because his reactions to everything were not always right, but were always human and understandable.

ALSO HE CALLS XIAO SHI 乌龟小妹 (Turtle Girl) or 乌龟未婚妻 (Turtle Fiancée) and it it makes her so mad but it's so cute alksdjf. :D He even writes her a song!

   
Ah Zhe: Okay truth: I totally thought he was an utter douchebag the first few episodes and did not understand why both Rita and Xiao Shi were totally so in love with him. He's very, hm, I don't even know the right word for it. Rough, I guess. But of course he's got his weaknesses and his good points. He really is a good guy, you end up realizing, despite his brashness or the way he might come off as a complete asshole at first. :'D The only thing I would change about him is his mullet, crying. Get a haircut. But this is also typical of Taiwanese dramas so I got used enough to it to overlook it. (Also! He's played by Gino! Remember him from K-1 MC-ing a show with SJM? Like, SJM 100 days, I think it was. alskfj!! Oh fandoms, how they cross!)

   
Rita: One thing that is never explained about Rita is why she went from having normal hair and being a fairly normal, nice girl into being so punk rock. Er, but you get used to that too. I was ambivalent on Rita for a long time, but, in the end, I liked her too! She's cast as the rival to Xiao Shi in love, of course, and so that means she gets put in the "mean girl" role a bit, but it's really not who she is. She's actually pretty nice and her issues with Ah Zhe are very real, unhappily so. She just wants him to let go of the past and give them, now, a chance. But he's being a stupid dickhead, and so she does some stupid stuff too, but in the end they're still a cute couple. :3 ♥ Which makes me happy.


Vincent: IS SO FLAMING, SERIOUSLY. Look at the way he dresses, and the way he talks, and the way he flails his hands about. And yet I wouldn't be surprised if he were straight. IDK WTF, ASIA. He is pretty much awesome all around. He is clearly the SMARTEST manager ever, even though there are moments where he seems like a jerk or insensitive, because he's so business-oriented and focused on He Qun's image and success. But he's really a great friend to He Qun and later to Xiao Shi. He's a romantic, too, in his own way - he recognizes way before He Qun does that HQ likes Xiao Shi. It's all ridiculously cute, and Vincent is Awesome™.

Family: Xiao Shi's family is loud, embarrassing, loving, and wonderful. They're there for comedic relief, of course, and they do that exceptionally well. I don't even know how to express this properly. :( They are seriously so supportive and loving and Xiao Shi is so lucky to have that family even if they are overexaggerated like crazy. It doesn't even matter. They're sweet.

OH AND THEY OWN A PASTA SHOP CALLED "SMILING PASTA". If, um, you're wondering where the title of the drama comes from. Plus, "Smiling Pasta" is a dish that Xiao Shi excels at, and it has the "magical" power of making anyone who eats it smile. Just like her grandpa is the amazing chef who makes all sorts of pasta dishes to encourage Xiao Shi (like the "break the 3 month curse" pasta, "加油/jia you" pasta, "show him your love" pasta, and "lose the turtle shell" pasta~).

He Qun's family, on the other hand, is...more difficult. His mom is supportive and loving, but she is very deferential to his father. She doesn't yell at him or stand up to him; if you have strong feminist views, you may be angered by this. There were times when I wanted her to shout at him, and I'm hardly a strong feminist. :( But she really loves her husband and both of her sons, and she shows that in her own way. She manages to get things done in her own way too, convincing He Qun's father to come around from his stubborn, prideful attitude. The father is...similar to many Asian fathers. The things he's said are kind of familiar too. But even though it broke my heart and was both saddening and angering, it turned out okay in the end. He ended up supportive too, and enthusiastic about Xiao Shi, and proud of He Qun at last. :)

I did most of my crying over the families though. :( Stfu. Xiao Shi's family because their love is so touching, and He Qun's family, because it was heartbreaking. So worth it.

Media: The media is unrealistically portrayed, I think, because they could never be allowed to be nearly such douchebags irl. You will hate them. I hated them. HATE WITH PASSION. But even the worst media guy sort of came around, and you don't hate him quite so much by the end. :)

♥♥♥
Um, in conclusion, I LOVE THIS DRAMA. It's hilarious and awful and wonderful and painful and sad and touching and sweet and ridiculous. Granted, it's not the Best Drama Ever Made, and it is unlikely to stir your soul in any significant way, but it's a lot of fun, tons of entertainment, and predictable in the best ways. Go into it with a mind to accept a ridiculous premise and some overacting and you're good to go. You'll enjoy it. :D Maybe even come to love it like I (and so many others!) do. ♥



» WATCH THIS DRAMA @ CRUNCHYROLL* | MYSOJU
» DOWNLOAD THIS DRAMA HERE (hardsubbed) @ jdramas
» OST @ MU (thanks to autumn_yaar)

*Excellent subs, but timing is off for about 1/3 of the episodes, I think. Doesn't matter if you're fine just listening to the Chinese. I don't know about mysoju's timing, but the hardsubs are fine.

Comments

[birdscore.livejournal.com]

BUT MEI, WHERE IS THE PASTA? ( ._.)

[meiface.livejournal.com]

OH I FORGOT TO MENTION. HER FAMILY OWNS A PASTA SHOP. AHAHA.

::edits in::

[chinapaper.livejournal.com]

DIES I AGREE WITH THE PASTA QUESTION

[meiface.livejournal.com]

Edited in! :D Now you will know!

[chrestomanci]

:D :D :D :D this post makes me all kinds of happy.

[meiface.livejournal.com]

AND SMILEY~ as it should! :D We must spread the love!

[uminohikari.livejournal.com]

Xiao Shi is so adorable ♥

[meiface.livejournal.com]

laksjfk it's like, omg het! I actually ♥ it. Too much time in kpop is bad for reinforcing that. ;~;

[meiface.livejournal.com]

Clearly, I'm biased if I'm reccing it. ;D But I hope you will like it! I think it's a lot of fun~

[meiface.livejournal.com]

:( I'm sorry you have to do Euro, Cici. I'm sorry I can't help! ::hugs:: FEEL BETTER SOON. Then find some time to watch this if you can.

[mardigrasmaven.livejournal.com]

Lol, it sounds hilarious.

[meiface.livejournal.com]

Go watch it! :D ::pimppimp::

[callais.livejournal.com]

aaaaaaaaaahahahah. This premise, the ridiculousness, and the promise of a happy ending are so tempting. I'll watch it just to see that incredible manager in action. XDb

[meiface.livejournal.com]

Yes, you should definitely watch it! You're still on break, right? Go, go, go! :D

[myiuchan.livejournal.com]

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW, you did it. *__* Smiling Pasta ♥

And your pimp post it's so cute and with all the little funny details ♥!

*pimps to everyone in msn*

[meiface.livejournal.com]

Yup, done! The post is mostly my ridiculous fangirling, haha, but if it gets other people into the show, then all the better. :D It's so cute.

[sonahgi.livejournal.com]

THIS LOOKS SO CUTE! :D FAMILIES AND NOT BEING IN LOVE BUT THEN FALLING IN LOVE ANYWAY. It makes me think of Iljimae and Goong. I will try to check it out in my free time!

[meiface.livejournal.com]

:D It is a nice thing to watch for study breaks or before bed or something! The only thing is that the episodes are sort of long (at least an hourish, even if you skip the opening song/review and preview at the end). But if you do maybe one ep/day or something, it can probably be squeezed into a daily schedule~!

[priestnobaka.livejournal.com]

....and this was one of the few Taiwanese dramas that I actually finished watching.

*has all the songs too orz*

[meiface.livejournal.com]

Oh I know what you mean - it's one of the few dramas, period, that I've actually managed to finish. I'm way too easily distracted, most of the time.

The OST is so cute! :D

[forochel.livejournal.com]

.......I THINK HE'S REALLY UGLY. THE DOUCHEBAG'S HOTTER. MARGINALLY SO. OH, TAIWANESE DRAMAS. I LIKE THE GAMESHOWS MUCH BETTER.

[meiface.livejournal.com]

Ahahaha, well. I don't mind staring at him, so I guess that's all that matters.

[meritjubet.livejournal.com]

It looks fun! (and probably a step up from the really trashy mangas and manwhas that I've been reading lately, heh) and it does look like a great pick me up :DD

[meiface.livejournal.com]

Look at your pretty, pretty icon~ ♥ Though of course he's a little too young, still. ;)

Eeee, yes, this drama is a great pick-me-up. If you have time to watch it, definitely do! :D

[papered.livejournal.com]

Stumbled across this, and first, the photos of the characters look oddly familiar (which makes me wonder if perhaps this wasn't one of the dramas my mother was watching; she watches enough for me to lose track :'D). Secondly, the whole idol-meets-normal-girl plot sounds so cute. I might have to add this to my mile-long to-watch-Asian-dramas list. *____*

[meiface.livejournal.com]

My mom only likes watching historical dramas - whether from ancient Chinese dynasties or 1950s China, doesn't matter. She just doesn't care so much about modern ones like this, which is unfortunate, b/c these are the ones I think are cute. :D I don't need heavy stuff when I just want mindless entertainment! I'd rec it. Obviously.

[emeraldcrystal.livejournal.com]

THIS. sounds a little like Full House. I WILL WATCH THIS FOR NICHOLAS TEO. have you watched Invincible Shan Bao Mei? nicholas is in it and it's cute, though not all subbed (though you probably don't need subs XD). i-i just wish school didn't start in two days so that i would have enough time to watch all of it.... :(

[meiface.livejournal.com]

Like the love contract bit? Sort of! I managed to finish this while I couldn't finish Full House though, hahaha. I wonder what that says about me. (Though when I was watching Full House was also bad timing - I'm pretty sure I had school going on or smth...)

Haven't heard about Invincible Shan Bao Mei but I should look into it. :O

[rouge-firefly.livejournal.com]

Thanks for sharing. I was looking for a new drama to watch. :)