Asian Drama Review: Smiling Pasta

Title: Wei Xiao Pasta (Smiling Pasta)

Genre: Romance/Comedy

Language: Taiwanese

Year: 2006

Episodes: 17

Summery: Xiao Shi is a girl who lives with her family that owns an Italian pasta restaurant. She was cursed by Ah Zhe, the guy she had feelings for from her university, so none of her relationships would last longer than 3 months. He Qun, a famous singer, was dumped by his long term girlfriend, Rita, for his brother, Ah Zhe. On the way home after her 17^th boyfriend dumped her on their 3 month anniversary, she is bumped into by He Qun and the paparazzi take pictures of their “kiss” in the streets. After the picture of He Qun and Xiao Shi’s “kiss” is published, He Qun’s manager, Vincent, announces Xiao Shi as He Qun’s fiancée to maintain the pop star's reputation, and so begins their “relationship”.

Review: This drama is full of great singers. Nicholas Teo plays as He Qun,

and Cyndi Wang plays as Cheng Xiao Shi. Nicholas’s character wasn’t snobby as most pop-idols are portrayed in dramas. Instead, his character can get quite deep with a traumatic past and a passion to write and sing his OWN songs. He also has big problems with his father who works in politics. Because of the accident involving Ah Zhe and his old girlfriend, Ah Zhe moves out and their father pushes the blame on He Qun for the accident. He also doesn’t keep it a secret that he hates both of his sons’ passion for music.

Xiao Shi is a strange girl. She works with her family (mom, dad, grandpa, brother, sister-in-law, and a random guy who says Xiao Shi is his) at their family’s pasta restaurant. I would say her personality would be simpleminded and kindhearted. She always seems to see the best in people and is quick to overlook minor details in their attitudes. Her motto is "There is nothing you cannot overcome, as long as you smile".

Ah Zhe, played by Gino (Cai Shang Fu), is a character you love to love, or

love to hate, or both.He keeps a deep grudge against his brother for an accident involving his old girlfriend, and more recently for “selling out” and becoming a pop-idol. Ah Zhe is actually a surprisingly good guy though, if you don’t count the attitude toward his brother. He’s the school’s idol, so to speak, as he takes care of the students of the school and bails them out of trouble whenever he can.

Best Small Character: A surprisingly likeable character was He Qun’s manager, Vincent, played by Di Zhi Jie. He keeps the band together through all the ordeals He Qun and Xiao Shi put them through. He also pushes He Qun to keep up his “act” and do things for Xiao Shi to keep them looking like a real couple.