Meet Yourself

Presentation

For More…

Overview

Synopsis

Xu Hong Dou is a young woman who works at a luxurious hotel in Beijing. But her life crumbles down after the death of her best friend. So, she decides to take a break from her job and the city. She establishes herself in Yunnan Province in a village named Yunmiao. There, she meets Xie Zhi Yao, an entrepreneur who works hard to transform his village. 

My Opinion (No Spoiler)

Meet Yourself is a breath of fresh air in Dramaland! First of all, the Chinese landscapes are fantastic and everything about the village vibe made me want to visit Yunnan Province. The drama is clearly a touristic postcard for the location – no wonder so many people flew there after the hit drama aired. But apart from that, the show offers a great collection of life stories. Each person in the village has his/her own struggles and is trying to overcome them. I really liked how each character is important to the narrative and they all converge towards the same goal: healing. As for the romance, I anxiously waiting 20 episodes for the leads to finally give it a go. And once it was on, it was simply beautiful. Li Xian and Liu Yifei have wonderful chemistry, they made me feel like I was seeing a real couple on screen. All in all, the drama is extremely well-written, characters have a real story, good motivations and their evolution makes sense, the cinematography is top-notch, romance is perfect and the peaceful vibes of the countryside are exactly what I needed to resource myself as well. I highly recommend you watch this slice-of-life gem, it’s amazing!

Analysis

• From the turbulent city to the peaceful countryside
  The city, queen of stress and tears
  Yunnan Province, the heart of serenity
  The concept of time
• The kindest of leads
  Xu Hong Dou, the journey back to your self
  Xie Zhi Yao, the dream of a lifetime
  Hong Dou and Zhi Yao, 100% compatible
• Secondary characters
  Na Na, the dangers of fame
  Ma Qui Shan, the failed businessman?
  Zhou Qing Tian, the writer’s slump
  Hu You Yu, live through music
  Xie Xiao Chun, it used to be love
  Xie Xiao Xia, the dreaming youth
• OSTs

From the turbulent city to the peaceful countryside: Meet Yourself opposes two different worlds. On the one side, you have the frenetic, busy, and fast-paced city (Shanghai or Beijing) in which both our leads lived at some point. On the other side, you have the peaceful, tranquil and serene atmosphere of the countryside. The discrepancy between these 2 worlds is often shown in the drama, as it allows to better highlight characters’ transformation. Even in the details, the clash between city and countryside is displayed. For example, Beijing doesn’t rest, lights are always on, while Yunnan Province follows the rhythm of the sun. Stars are the only light visible at night.

The city, queen of stress and tears: The city in the drama is a heartless place, buzzing, crazy place, where your existence gets basically sucked out of you in order to accomplish your work and have a career. It doesn’t give you time to think, not even to rest. Every day, you follow the same routine (work, sleep, work, sleep) and push aside what’s really important, blindly believing that you’ll have time to accomplish all of these things later. That’s exactly how Hong Dou’s (Liu Yi Fei) life is like. She’s always on the rush, running from one place to another, and tiring herself. She procrastinates the little joys in life that make it bearable, convinced that she’ll be able to do them one day. But life is cruel and not that easy. The loss of her best friend opens up her eyes. She becomes aware of the world that surrounds her and suddenly finds herself suffocating. The routine that she lived by is now pressurizing her, the constant rush crushes her to the point that she feels the need to leave it all behind. As if the city was not a harsh environment enough in general, it’s also a place that brings back painful memories to Hong Dou. Hence, her need to go far away from it. I found it quite interesting to see that even if Hong Dou made the choice to leave the city, it somehow seemed like the city was trying to take her back. First, her sister is a workaholic who can’t let go of her job even when she visits Yunnan Province. She’s always on the phone, taking her colleague’s calls and working on her projects. I believe that seeing her sister like this may have made Hong Dou realize how she was herself and how oblivious of the present she had been while working in Beijing. Now that she’s taken some distance from the situation and her previous self, she can finally understand that her lifestyle was slowly eating her away. Nevertheless, she and Zhi Yao (Li Xian) manage to make peace with the city life. They escape to Beijing for a brief moment in order to seal the deal with businessmen interested in Yunnan. Now together, it’s a good time for them to reflect on the lives they’ve led so far and not regret their decision. But, it’s also an excellent way for them to also be reminded of the good moments they’ve had in the city with a certain nostalgia. They wouldn’t come back for anything in the world, but having it rough doesn’t mean it was all a bad experience. They’ve just closed this chapter of their lives and started a new one, away from the noise and frenzy.

Yunnan Province, the heart of serenity: Before I deep dive into the specificities of the village where Hong Dou takes refuge, let me give you a bit more information on where it’s located. Yunnan is a Southwestern province in China whose capital is Kunming – and that you may have heard of several times in the drama. It shares borders with Guangxi and Guangzhou in the east, Sichuan in the north (known for its hot pepper), but also Tibet, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam. Just by knowing where it’s geographically located, I guess you can imagine the types of landscapes Yunnan Province has to offer. These are amazingly translated in the drama that gives way to visually stunning scenes. Vast fields, rivers, prairies where Zhi Yao’s ranch is located for example, and much more. All of these give off a serene atmosphere, where characters can resource themselves. They can take a walk across the fields if they need to make an important decision, wander around the village if they are in search of some culture, and admire the sunset and watery scenery to make a love confession. All in all, I think Meet Yourself is a great postcard for the Province. It’s serene and tranquil and I can totally see myself moving into Yunmiao Village for a time just to take a break from society. Moreover, people are nice and warm. As the village is a small community, everyone knows everyone unlike in the city. This is a great asset when you are in troubles and need a hand, but it can also turn against you and create rumors, like the one that spreads saying that Hong Dou and Zhi Yao are a couple before they actually become one. The village is a microcosm in which Zhi Yao has managed to convince most inhabitants to work together towards the same goal: Make the place more touristic and improve the economy. Hence, his focus on the cultural heritages and promotion of traditions. Embroidery, wood carving, agriculture, customs and even clothes all belong to this place that seems stuck in time and that Zhi Yao is trying hard to bring up to date.

Apart from displaying the village as a safe heaven where travelers hurt by the city come to heal, the drama also sheds light on the real difficulties the villagers are confronted with such as rural depopulation. The village as it is has nothing to offer to the younger generations who see themselves forced to abandon their hometown and families and go to the city to earn money. That’s a situation that is perfectly embodied by the parents of one of the turbulent kids of the village. They can’t find proper work to support the family, so they have to abandon their current way of life, establish themselves in the city and leave behind their kid to be raised by his grandmother. Yunnan Province is a gem that deserves attention and needs to be treated with care if you want it to serve its main purpose (aka take a breather), but it’s also greatly endangered. If no one acts to protect it, then it will disappear altogether and give way to the cruel ways of the city. That’s what Zhi Yao realized when he came back. He’s trying to protect this small Paradise. By increasing tourism, he aims at driving a very small piece of the city to Yunnan Province without spoiling its essence. And seems like he succeeds thanks to his many business ventures and the help of the villagers who believe in his projects like Huang Xin Xin (Fan Shaui Qi), another college graduate who’d rather work in the village than take on a corporate job in the city. Yunmiao Village is a place where you can take a rest away from the frenzy of the city, meditate, think about what you want in life, enjoy the small pleasures of life and definitely meet yourself.

The concept of time: Time in a drama is a concept that has been widely explored and developed. Like I said before, there’s a clear opposition between the city that is fast-paced, and the countryside where time seems to have stopped. In Beijing, Xu Hong Dou lives around the clock. Her life is regulated by the tasks she needs to execute during her job and her watch. She barely has time for herself. When she arrives to Yunmiao Village, the way she approaches time starts to differ. First, she follows the rhythm of the sun, going to bed when it sets down and waking up at dawn when its rays start piercing through the sky. Without her job to keep her occupy, Hong Dou takes time for herself to read, walk, visit, take pictures. Her entire world doesn’t revolve around the time she needs to make her old routine fit into. On the contrary, she forgets about it entirely to the point that she doesn’t even have her phone to give her the time in the first episodes, as it’s broken as soon as she arrives. Over the course of the drama, Hong Dou creates a new pace for herself, not dictated by others or her work, but by herself and own desires. The notion of time is clearly tackled in the last episode when Hong Dou and Zhi Yao go back to Beijing in the hotel where she used to work. There, they stop in front of a big clock at the entrance. Hong Dou asks Zhi Yao what’s on his mind when he looks at this clock. He answers “time”, but Hong Dou continues by saying that she’s always felt it was the embodiment of their hotel. She’s just a gear in it, every part of the device is working together to maintain the clock’s precision. Zhi Yao on his side can only see time, and that’s because he’s a customer says Hong Dou. This dialogue shows that people in the city are invisible, simple gears that make the huge mechanism work. They are faceless and only contribute to keep the place living and working. From Zhi Yao’s perspective, the clock represents time itself. As an outsider, he doesn’t share the same mindset and views time differently; as something precious that should be protected. Now that Hong Dou has become a customer as well in her own hotel, she’s adopted a new mindset and set her life on another time schedule. She’s not a gear that allows the clock to function anymore, but has now become master of her own time and happiness.

Another way to see time in the drama is that it actually heals all wounds. All characters go through tough times, but with the passing of life they eventually manage to recover from their traumas. Hong Dou overcomes the loss of her best friend and finds happiness in the village; Zhi Yao succeeds in making Yunmiao Village a touristic spot after years of patience and hardwork; side characters all had scars from the past that they healed in the village with the comfort of others, the serenity of the place and the actual passing of time. The last sentence of the drama emphasizes that time and happiness are deeply intertwined, as it goes: “Time spirals on, but happiness never ceases. Dark clouds are passing and the wind will always rise.” Time can imprison you in a routine, but if you learn how to manage it and find your own pace, happiness is definitely at the end of the tunnel.

The kindest of leads: I was so touched and moved by the leads of this drama. Xu Hong Dou and Xie Zhi Yao are probably the nicest, sweetest and kindest leads in Dramaland. Though their own journey has been bumpy, they respect and trust each other so much that it’s quite endearing to witness.

Xu Hong Dou, the journey back to your self: Xu Hong Dou (Liu Yi Fei) works at a luxurious hotel in Beijing. Her time schedule doesn’t allow her to take much time for herself or her best friend Chen Nan Xing (Janice Wu). Despite her numerous requests, Nan Xing has never managed to make Hong Dou take holidays and go on a trip with her to Yunnan Province. Thinking that she’s got the time in the world, Hong Dou keeps on pushing the deadline until her friend falls sick and dies of cancer. That’s when she decides to pack her bags and go on that trip that her friend longed for so much. This event is the premise of Hong Dou’s journey back to herself. By moving to the countryside, she leaves behind the painful memories of her best friend’s disappearance, and gives herself time to grief. The 3 months she spends in Yunnan Province are like a pause in her existence during which she starts asking herself questions on what she really wants in her life and how she intends on living it. Ultimately, this move is an opportunity for Hong Dou to reconnect with her childhood memories that she had buried deep down in herself. Frequenting Zhi Yao’s grandmother reminds her of her own whom she loved dearly; and getting to enjoy the countryside takes her back to the summers she spent in her grandmother’s village at a time when she was the happiest. Grief, memories, new experiences, serenity, and introspection eventually lead Hong Dou to answer the one question she had for herself when she arrived in Yunmiao Village: How does she want to live her life?

Personality-wise, Hong Dou is a perfect combination of spirit, wits, gentleness, softness and humor. Her smooth tone and soft voice would appease anyone, her sense of humor lighten anyone’s mood, and her calm and rational brain can convince anyone. She’s a mature character, who weighs her decisions, doesn’t do things on an impulse, but never goes back once her mind is made. She’s inspirational, brave and also talented at what she does. A loyal friend, a good listener and a motivating boss.

Xie Zhi Yao, the dream of a lifetime: Xie Zhi Yao (Li Xian) is the pride of Yunmiao Village. He was a top student who landed an important job in the city which brought him stability and a bright future. However, he decided to quit everything – against his father’s wishes – and to go back to his hometown. There, he promised himself that he would make tourism thrive to protect the inhabitants, the customs and traditions of the place. Though people treated him as a fool at first, and considered his dream a chimera, Zhi Yao proved to be right. Over the years, he managed to create new companies to give work to the village, put the spotlight on the cultural assets the place has to offer, and make tourists interested in the destination. His determination broke all the ceilings that people imposed on him. Of course, Zhi Yao had to sacrifice a lot to get there. Many times, he had to deal with lack of funds, people’s criticisms and unexpected failures. Despite all that, he always stood back up on his feet and his resilience paid off in the end.

Family-wise, Xie Zhi Yao bears traumas and scars, just like Xu Hong Dou. He lost his mother at a very young age and was brought up by his grandmother and widowed father, who remarried later on. As a young man, he also had to overcome the death of his grandfather and bore the pain of not being able to tell him goodbye. Since then, he has at heart to be true to his feelings and express them. On top of that, Zhi Yao proves to be a kind-hearted man, who would do anything to support and protect his friends and family. He’s deeply attached to his roots and hometown, dreams big, but never makes false promises. He’s a patient man, who doesn’t rush others for his own benefit. He’s sweet, honest, and bright. He also has a comforting aura that makes it easy for others to trust him – even blindly. All in all, he’s a great main protagonist that perfectly matches our female lead.

Hong Dou and Zhi Yao, 100% compatible: The romance between our leads is like a flower slowly blossoming. Though from the get-go, it’s clear that they get along well, the drama gradually reveals their incredible compatibility. First of all, they share similar life experiences. Both are very close to their grandmothers and lost a dear member of their family which left an indelible scar – for Zhi Yao, it’s his grandfather, for Hong Dou her best friend. Both protagonists have also had the occasion to live the city life that exhausted them (Zhi Yao as a successful businessman in Shanghai and Hong Dou as a hotel manager in Beijing). This tiring existence made them realize that the life they wish to live doesn’t look like the one they currently have in the capitals. Hence, their decision to live it all behind and start anew in Yunnan Province. Finally, the two of them reminisce their time in the countryside when they were younger and hang onto these memories whenever they feel down or demotivated. Hong Dou is drawn to her grandmother’s memories with nostalgia when she’s reminded of her childhood, while Zhi Yao wants to give back to his village as much as he received.

When it comes to personality, I think Hong Dou and Zhi Yao have the same qualities: affectionate, attentive, supportive and good listeners. They are also thinkers, meaning that they ponder their decisions greatly, but go all in once they have made up their minds. That’s what happened when Zhi Yao quit his job to establish himself in Yunmiao Village and focus on tourism; and when Hong Dou ends up moving in the countryside with him for good and invest in a guesthouse. In both cases, these decisions were life-changing ones. Yet, both leads trusted their gut and followed their hearts. To be honest, the chemistry between both actors was just incredible. They were so natural with each other, with enough physical contact to make their romance credible. I really had the impression that I was seeing an actual couple on screen which made their story even better. Kindness, gentleness, maturity, and authenticity are the words I would associate with this pair. Now, I guess you understand why they’re a perfect match, right?

Secondary characters: The greatest asset of the drama is that it also gives a voice to secondary characters. We also get to learn their back stories, the reasons why they ended up in the village and witness their evolution. I really loved that each character was as important as the other, as it weaved a complex narrative and gave depth to the overall storyline. Moreover, each of these side characters is linked with a specific theme which made their transformation even more interesting.

Na Na, the dangers of fame: Na Na (Hu Bing Qing) is the lovely barista at Xie Zhi Yao’s coffee shop. At first glance, she seems to be living an existence devoid of worries. She enjoys the day, is kind to everyone, and has a reliable side that makes it easy for others to connect with her and share their troubles. Early on in the drama, we also discover that she has an angelic voice. That’s enough information to make us presume that she was working in the music industry, before she moved to Yunmiao Village. However, she remains very mysterious regarding her past and the reasons that drove her to Yunnan Province. On top of that, she refuses to be filmed or photographed. It seems like this brings her great stress and anxiety. Towards the end of the drama, we finally get to learn more about that sweet resident. She used to make streams while singing. One day, she decided that the money sent during one of her streams would go to someone in need. She did everything by the book. But people accused her of stealing the donations. This was the beginning of Na Na’s descent to Hell. She would receive tons of mean messages online criticizing her. This cyberbullying only stopped when Na Na closed all of her socials and ran away from her home. She ended up in Yunnan Province, away from cameras. In the last episodes, Na Na overcomes her fears and starts streaming again after coming clean regarding the previous events. She thoroughly explained what had happened and thus closed a deep wound. Moreover, she had the support of her friends in Yunnan Province to help her heal and move on from her trauma. All in all, this character’s story sheds light on many important societal themes like: fake news and how they can destroy one’s life; cyberbullying; but the good part about Meet Yourself is that each character has potential for recovery. In Na Na’s case, she cleared the air, confronted her past and stood back up. She’s an example of resilience. Her case also shows the positive impact your entourage can have on you. Friendship can lift you up and pull you out from any horrible situation. However, you also need to be ready to do so, and accept to confront your fears.

Ma Qiu Shan, the failed businessman?: Ma Qiu Shan (Tu Song Yan) is a strange character at first. He’s one of the inhabitants of the villa where Hong Dou resides, but the reasons why he’s here are more than unclear. He spends his days meditating and drinking tea. It feels like he has nothing to do in his life apart from reflecting on life. But Mr. Ma is the absolute opposite of what his current behavior suggests. He used to live in Shanghai like Zhi Yao. As a successful businessman, he made a fortune in the city. But he dreamed too big and unfortunately lost it all. This life-changing event drove him to Yunnan Province, so he could quiet his entrepreneur spirit down. Indeed, Ma Qiu Shan’s core is doing business. He ventured into many ones and failed with many as well. He disappointed his parents several times. Hence his presence in Yunnan Province. He’s trying hard to contain his desires to give it a go again. After a long period of reflection, Mr. Ma still chooses to try out a new business focused on tea. He leaves Yunmiao Village and starts over in the city. As a renewed man who’s been through thick and thin, he is now more mature and wiser. These are necessary qualities for businessmen. He knows what he’s risking and the downfall a greedy person can go through. He also informs his parents of his decision to renew with his old passion. Though he feared they would be entirely against it, they prove him otherwise. They are thrilled to see that their son is not becoming a monk and that he’s found something to live for again. Mr. Ma’s story subtly tackles the themes of failure, passion for a work, but also greed and its negative aftermath. On top of that, it described parents love for their child and their desire for them to be happy, while it emphasizes kids’ fear to disappoint their family. These are all good lessons to take away and apply to real life, as many of us actually experience similar situations.

Zhou Qing Tian, the writer’s slump: Zhou Qing Tian (Ma Da Ya) is one of the residents at Hong Dou’s homestay. She’s shy and introverted, so she rarely participates in the outings. She’d rather stay caved in her room. Her profession doesn’t allow for a lot of networking, as she’s a web novelist. Though Qing Tian seems to enjoy success, she’s a character who’s beset by doubts. She has the impression that her readers are only interested in a specific genre that doesn’t quite match with the kind of stories she would like to write. To please her audience, Qing Tian has the impression that she’s betraying herself. On top of that, her parents are not very supportive of her job. They feel like she wasting her talents by writing idiotic stories online. They consider it not to be a real job and fear she may have no future if she continues like that. Thanks to Na Na and Hong Dou, Qing Tian manages to do a deep introspection. She gradually opens up to her friends. She shows them her vulnerability and insecurities. Only then can she really start working on herself. Just like Hong Dou since her arrival, Qing Tian takes some time to sit down and reflect on what she wants in life, in her job, and what she expects from her readers and parents. Through the connection she’s formed with the other ladies and the advice she’s received, she becomes more asserted and confident. This gives a new start to her writing passion that she’s found again, while adapting to her parents’ desires. She moves back to the city, closer to her family, and is even forced to take care of a dog. Her parents gifted her a dog to make sure she would go out of her house at least twice per day and walk the animal.

Hu You Yu, live through music: Just like Zhou Qing Tian, Hu You Yu (Niu Jun Feng) struggles to live from his arts: music. He’s an unsuccessful singer and mediocre composer. Nevertheless, music represents his entire world. He’s a free-spirited character who aspires to be independent and unchained, yet life is far from being what he expected. He only has a few gigs booked in the neighboring bars and restaurants, and doesn’t earn enough money to make a living out of it. This gentle and empathetic soul is the epitome of the cursed artist. Good, kind, willing and full of desire to succeed, but unfortunate in his deeds. You Yu is also greatly misunderstood by his family, which makes him a lonely person. They don’t accept his lifestyle and passion, and have cut bridges with him a long time ago. Though he seems bubbly and happy all the time, there’s a certain melancholy to this character. The more episodes we see, the more we realize how scarred and wounded he is. However, Hu You Yu’s life start taking another turn when he meets the new resident Bai Man Jun (Zhao Zi Qi). This divorcee appreciates his music, his humor and even better, she understands him. Life has not been easy for her, but she’s an eternal optimistic. This positivism rubs off on You Yu, who slowly starts to change his perspective. He finds a nice part-time job at school to teach music to pre-schoolers and even moves to the city to give his career a last chance. Finally, he develops romantic feelings for Bai Man Jun that are reciprocated. When he leaves Yunmiao Village, his life is back on track.

Xie Xiao Chun, it used to be love: Xie Xiao Chun (Dong Qing) is the authoritative manager of the house. She’s Zhi Yao’s family and has known him forever. They have each other’s trust and the same desire to make Yunnan Province a touristic spot. Now divorced and a single mom, she takes care of the operations and logistics of Zhi Yao’s businesses. Her natural charisma and drive are enough to make others respect and fear her. She’s also very impulsive and temperamental which causes her to sometimes burst into rage. That’s when everyone hides away. Behind her tough appearance, Xiao Chun remains a kind-hearted and sensitive person. She’s loyal and supportive, even when she doesn’t really approve people’s decisions (like her brother’s). Contrary to most characters, Xiao Chun has been married before. But we rapidly understand that day-to-day life became too hard to handle for the pair. Her husband is not a bad person, he’s a caring father and he truly loved her, but they married too young. Society then drove them apart – views on education were different, her in-laws were too demanding and present; her husband was too much of a coward to defend her. Nevertheless, she doesn’t bear resentment against anyone. On the contrary, Xiao Chun may be stubborn and outspoken, but she’s truly wise. She bears no grudges and embraces everyone. Like Zhi Yao’s grandmother, she is a stable force to reckon with in the village. While others are chasing their dreams or going through life-changing events, she’s an anchor. She’s someone you can go to whenever things are not well and you can be assured that she’ll welcome you. I thought that her relationship with her ex-husband was really well depicted in the drama. They didn’t break up because they cheated or hated each other. I think they did what they believed was best for themselves and their child. As their path were diverging, they chose to separate and keep a cordial relationship, instead of going at each other’s throats. That’s also what being a mature adults also means: seeing the bigger picture and making decisions accordingly.

Xie Xiao Xia, dreaming youth: Xiao Chun’s brother is an apprentice learning wood carving. He’s in his 20s and dreams of discovering the world. But all of his master’s previous students left, making him his last hope that his knowledge would not go to waste. When the drama starts, Xiao Xia (Shi Peng Yuan) is a lost man in his 20s. He doesn’t know what he wants, envisions no future for himself in the village, but dreams of the vast world. That’s why he decides to go to the city and try to discover what he truly wants in life. Unfortunately for him, he’s scammed by his friend who runs away with his money. Now penniless and ashamed, he doesn’t dare go back home. So, he contacts Zhi Yao and his sister who cover for him and keep the secret, while Xiao Xia recovers his money. The good outcome of this bad experience is that Xiao Xia grows more mature. He’s been deceived by the ways of the urban world and would rather stay in his village among the people he cares for. When he comes back, he’s entirely decided. He’s committed to woodcarving and becoming a master. He may have lost his innocence that made him want to wander the world, but he’s gained experience and determination. To me, Xiao Xia is the perfect character to represent the transition from one world to another: from the quiet trustworthy village to the jungle-like city; from teenager to adult; from ingenuousness to maturity. Also, it’s important to mention that Xiao Xia is absolutely cute. His shyness gives him a certain charm that is difficult to resist.

OSTs: The OSTs of this drama could not have been better. Soft, tender and full of emotions, they perfectly match the vibe of the story, as well as the experiences characters go through. It’s simply beautiful to hear!

P.S.: Liu Yifei playing Xu Hong Dou has the most beautiful hair I’ve ever seen in my life. It’s long, glowing and soft, I’m so jealous. Had you noticed that?