Bromance (2015)

Photo source: https://www.viki.com/tv/29259c-bromance

When I first saw the title of this drama I was like...really? Is this legit? Then I read the synopsis and I was sold. Everyone has a list of favourite themes or actors when it comes to scoping out a new drama. Gender-bender is one of my faves. That, paired with the fabulous actress Megan Lai, was enough to induce a mid-semester drama binge.

I first laid eyes on Megan Lai as a macho lesbian character in the Taiwanese film Cafe. Waiting. Love. and had one of those "I would turn for this woman" moments. So 18 episodes of her dressed up as a guy sounded like a good weekend to me.

Bromance centers around two main characters Pi Ya Nuo (Lai) and Du Zi Feng (Baron Chen). When Ya Nuo was born, a fortune teller predicted great misfortune for the baby girl unless she was raised as a boy until her 26th birthday. Fast-forward 25 years and Ya Nuo is a skilled martial artist, running a hot dog stand with her bestie Liao Guang Chao. She notices an ambush nearby and goes to aid the victim. The victim turns out to be triad boss Du Zi Feng, who rewards her by becoming "sworn brothers." Ya Nuo finds herself slowly falling in love with Zi Feng, but she needs to maintain her male identity if she wants to live past her 26th birthday.

SPOILER ALERT BELOW

This drama had me hooked from the first episode. The story line progressed quickly and you really get a feel for the characters personalities. I particularly loved Zi Feng. It was so nice to have a male lead that wasn't one of those brooding assholes who secretly cares for the leading lady. Zi Feng was such a genuine guy who could act silly but still be the coolest guy in the room. Then later on when he starts having feelings for Ya Nuo, despite him being a guy too, you just can't help but believe in the power of true love, making you root for his happiness all the more. Ya Nuo was charming as the girl pretending to be a guy while falling in love with another guy. While she was macho out in public she turned to a pile of adorable when she was having heart-to-heart girl chats with her cousin (one of the only people to know her true identity). I could totally recognise those fluttery feelings at the start of a new crush.

There are so many moments in this show that had me seal clapping like an idiot in front of the computer thinking, "man these writers are genius." Even the sub-plots for the other characters had a real charm to them. A show like this reminded me of the masterpiece Coffee Prince. Not a dull scene in the show, each episode creating a convincing relationship between the characters and a story you could really get in to.

If you were a big fan of Coffee Prince, gender-benders, amazing comedy writing or romantic scenes that have you squealing, then I highly recommend this drama to you.

7 stars out of 10.

If you've checked out this drama let me know your thoughts!

Until next time my drama queens and kings,
Sarah

Ps. You can find a lot of behind the scenes footage on Youtube and it's amazing.