When A Snail Falls in Love

| Air: 2016.10.24 ~ 2016.12.12
| Episode: 21
| Cast: Wang Kai | Wang Ziwen

Captain Ji Bai of Lin City's Police Department is widely known for his high achiever. This year he's gotten two trainees into the team. First, is Yao Meng, an outstanding student from the police academy, the second is newbie psychologist named XuXu. Despite Xu Xu's ability in criminal profiling, his physical ability is way beyond Ji Bai's standard. So, he forces her to fit up.

The division is investigating the murder of young executive, Ye Zi Xi, in isolated lux villa. Unfortunately, she's Ji Bai's friend. Xu Xu and Ji Bai found that she's been stealing the family corporation's money. The money is used for smuggling drug and human trafficking by another member of the company. Tracking the case, Ji Bai and his team travel to Myanmar.

This drama ruins my perfect image of the original story. Not only they cast the wrong Xu Xu (Wang Ziwen is not my cup of tea and I hate the way she talks), they add unimportant details too. They even make Ji Bai doing his own laundry, in short pants. Oh, No!

Adding unimportant details are unavoidable, but forging important details are just unforgivable. In the novel, Xu Xu is not the kind of flirty girl who wants to get Ji Bai's attention. She's pretty much cool. But, in the drama, she goes an extra length to make Ji Bai can't stop thinking of him. The Myanmar mission is the biggest flaw of this series.

In this series, Xu Xu is portrayed as someone who doesn't know her place. Once she was witnessing General Po (of Myanmar Army) kills a convict. She argues and the next day the general says he's sorry. Guess what Xu Xu replies, "I hope something like this never happens in the future." who are you!!! That's a sentence only spoken by a more powerful person. Not a newbie who barely able to choose her own outfit.  Xu Xu's outfit looks like she's going for vacation. Entering military facility in a short skirt? Wow. It's a big no. It seems like she wants all the men flustered by her feet (which should be Ji Bai's fetish in the novel but hardly pointed out in the series). Not so professional, ha? If you part of an organization, you represent it. So, whatever you wear and show make an image of your organization. In my culture, no civil servant on duty can wear something like this:

If you don't want to respect yourself, at least respect the other people, the people you're looking for.

On the other side, if we remember her age, she's so likely to be that rude. Still, her character is very inconsistent. At one point she's quiet but also flirty. She's unconfident but arrogant. Hmmmmm...

The only thing that makes me keep watching is Wang Kai. Yes, he's 80% living up the original Ji Bai I read. Plus that voice....is heaven.

Also, the second pair: Zhao Han and Yao Meng, which is not in the novel, but cutely paired here. They save the series.

Generally, I think Love Me If You Dare provides more solid storytelling than When A Snail Falls in Love. I don't doubt Ding Mo's ability to mix detective story with a little romance. But, the interpretation of each director causes different presentation. So, if you're interested, I suggest you watch before reading the book.

[WATCH]

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