Group Watch: I Know I Love You E1-4

E1-4. Let me begin by saying that this show had my name all over it.

A remake of One Spring Night, a show that I really really liked, and starring Zhang Wan Yi, whom I also really, really like? How could I pass it up, really? 😁

Immediately, I really, really like the atmospheric vibe, from the very first scene of this show.. the music (which is great), the quiet tones of their conversation, the honest confessions of what each of them had done wrong.

This really set the tone for me, with this show, and it's a tone that I really like.

Overall, I really like what Show is doing, in that it clearly honors its source material, by aligning itself very clearly with some very recognizable details and scenes, like the fact that Zhao Jin lives just upstairs from Shi Ran, and Xu Nuo mistakes him for the food delivery guy.

At the same time, I really like how Show is tweaking some details, thus making this story its own.

I suppose your mileage may vary with the tweaking of these details, like I've come across some viewers who commented that they didn't like the fact that instead of a young son, Zhao Jin has a younger sister, whom he's caring for.

However, I personally have no issue with this, and so far, I like what Show's doing, with giving Zhao Qin a medical condition that translates into a lot of worries for Zhao Jin.

I also much prefer Show's decision to have the OTP meet-cute at the vet, because this interaction makes a lot more sense to me than the OTP meet-cute that One Spring Night served up, with our female lead forgetting her wallet at the pharmacy, then blaming our male lead for opening the hangover drink that she'd asked him to open.

This situation, where Xu Nuo finds herself taking Momo to the vet, and encounters Zhao Jin there, makes a lot more sense.

This creates repeated opportunities for Xu Nuo and Zhao Jin to meet each other and interact, since Shi Ran's busy schedule results in Momo  being in Xu Nuo's care for a more extended period of time.

Therefore, I find Zhao Jin's growing attraction to Xu Nuo easier to understand, even though he does indicate that he'd found Xu Nuo attractive from the moment he'd first laid eyes on her.

Another tweak that I personally feel quite gratified by, is that instead of basketball, the guys in this story world are connected by jiu jitsu, which is, to my eyes, much cooler.

I had a grand time watching Zhang Wan Yi as Zhao Jin, do the badass thing, while sparring with Yu'an. 🤩 Yes, it's a shallow fangirl thing. 😍

Another tweak that Show makes, that I think is helpful, is how Yu'an is obviously kinda-sorta getting ready to break up with Xu Nuo, for business purposes.

I mean, the pressure from his father to date and marry his business partner is one thing, but I can't help noticing that Yu'an doesn't actually do anything to solidify Xu Nuo's position as his girlfriend and wife-to-be, in the face of it.

He gives Xu Nuo a ring, yes, but that ring isn't an engagement ring, it's a "keep you satisfied" security ring, so that Xu Nuo won't get upset with him when he doesn't spend time with her.

That's just a grown-up pacifier, to put it bluntly, and that's not what Xu Nuo or anyone else wants or needs.

Plus, Yu'an doesn't exactly say no, when talk turns to his marriage alliance with Cong Shan, and he even supposedly tells her, when drunk, that he's getting ready to date her for real.

All of these things make me feel like Xu Nuo should break up with him.

I mean, of course she can break up with him for other reasons, but his behavior around this matter is reason enough, I think.

And, because I believe that she should break up with him, I feel less troubled by the fact that she's obviously feeling drawn to Zhao Jin.

He's there to help her when Yu'an isn't, and on more than one occasion. He helps with the cat, he helps with her grandma and even cooks for Gran. And he's interested to spend time with her and talk with her, in a way that Yu'an isn't.

Of course, there's the thing, where Xu Nuo IS still Yu'an's girlfriend, and therefore, this level of closeness with Zhao Jin isn't as acceptable as she'd like it to be.

Which, of course, is very similar to the core discomfort present in One Spring Night as well.

Your mileage may certainly vary, but I found myself feeling more empathy than frustration at how Xu Nuo and Zhao Jin find themselves feeling drawn to each other, while technically not in a position to pursue that attraction.

With how distant Yu'an has been, it's understandable to me, that Xu Nuo would find it hard to ignore the ardent attention of Zhao Jin, who is clearly smitten with her.

And with how many people believe that all's fair in love and war, I can understand why Zhao Jin would want to show his feelings to Xu Nuo.

After all, she isn't married to Yu'an at this point in time, and there is the possibility that she might choose to break up with Yu'an, and be with him instead.

Can't fault a guy for giving it a try, right?

I would say that Xu Nuo is doing what she can to honor Yu'an as her boyfriend, in telling Zhao Jin that she has a boyfriend and can only see him as a friend. At the same time, it's clear to see that her growing attraction to Zhao Jin is affecting her, more than she'd like to admit.

It's that push-pull between duty and emotion, and to my eyes, this is very human.

I can understand Xu Nuo feeling torn, and therefore making some inconsistent choices. Sometimes, she seems to push Zhao Jin away, and at other times, she seems to want to draw him closer.

At this point, I also wanted to say that I actually really like how Zhang Wan Yi's natural seriousness is coloring Zhao Jin, as a character.

It makes me feel like Zhao Jin's feelings for Xu Nuo are serious ones, even though they haven't known each other for very long.

And, even though I broadly know the direction that this story is going to take, because it's based on One Spring Night, I find myself feeling interested and invested, to see how things unfold for these characters.

That's a very good sign indeed.

We'll be discussing E5-8 on: Sat, 13 Jan 2024!