Review by Linda

“Just for Meeting You” is a romance youth drama that unfolds in a classroom with the equivalent of grade 11 students. Xu Nian Nian (played by Liu Hao Cun) is a transfer student who experiences the incredible luck/misfortune of sitting beside Yang Si Huo (played by Song Wei Long), a kid long known as a troublemaker and captivated by the topic of space. Due to a series of misunderstandings, they find themselves entangled in a fierce rivalry, constantly attempting to undermine each other. One, a class clown, and the other, a youthful beauty.

In full disclosure, I entered this movie with no prior knowledge of the film, director, source material, or lead actors. I am also a painfully pedantic and picky person who essentially shouts into the drama void, so don’t be concerned if I don’t like something; I am likely in the minority.

Yang Si Huo

Yang Si Huo is a class clown enamored by space. Embarrassment almost does not seem to exist in his vocabulary. He has no problem cheating, slacking off and dressing up the truth. He clearly comes from a privileged background; 2 loving parents, a beautiful home and a luxury telescope is not a problem for his dad if he gets the right school results. Spurred by his crush on Xu Nian Nian, he buckles down to study his weakest subject, English (with her help), aiming to attend the same university as her. 

I enjoyed Song Wei Long’s performance; he really embodies that carefree, whimsical teenage boy energy that is perfect for a youth drama. This is my first time watching his performance (guilty of sidelining Go Ahead and A League of Noblemen) and I did think he did a good job for the genre. He could work on diversifying his facial expressions as he sometimes comes off a bit stiff.

Xu Nian Nian

Xu Nian Nian does not always match her cute looks, she is quite bold and has no fear pushing back on Yang Si Huo’s clownery. She finally loses her cool when her treasured jade necklace from her father broke as a result of his prank. She challenges him in a series of battles; if she loses, she has to cut her hair, if he loses, he has to wear a skirt for morning exercises. Through her various victories, we get a glimpse of where she gets her fearless nature. Her father clearly was a good father to her despite her short time with him.

I am not particularly drawn in by Liu Hao Cun’s performance. She has the perfect look for the role and is a great crier, but I didn’t feel much for her character. I think I expected to feel a bit of pity for her and wanted to root for her as an underdog. Overall, it seemed rather simple, which suits the role. This may have been the fault of the writing/direction, given she was not given much depth when she waltzed in as a character who seemed to be much more than what meets the eye.

Eventually, our sweet leads are separated by universities; Xu Nian Nian fails to live up to expectations while Yang Si Huo exceeds them. Yang Si Huo attempts to apply to downgrade by applying to the same institution, but is thwarted by Xu Nian Nian submitting another version of his application, claiming he screwed up. In the heat of the moment, both say things they regret. He says she might as well never contact him again, while she says the last two years were just pity. They are eventually drawn together and presumably have a happy ending.

I think the director was well aware she had two beautiful leads, and there were plenty of slow-mo close-up shots. I think these types of stylistic choices can be challenging for newer actors as it highlights their weaknesses. Sometimes, I desired a bit more depth to their facial expressions. If you are looking for a story, this is not the movie for you. A misunderstanding propels the leads into the future. The end has a rather cute twist to it, which is foreshadowed 

Overall, if you are looking for a rosy and sweet romance, this might be your comfort movie. 

Special thanks to PB and Mil for subbing this movie, and Roh for encoding! I would also like to express my gratitude towards the AVV community for making drama watching so much more enjoyable and always expanding my horizons. 

Rating: 7/10

 

WATCH THE MOVIE

♦ Just for Meeting You (eng sub) [STREAM]

EXTRAS

♦ Just for Meeting You OST [DOWNLOAD]