Skip a Beat (2023) Qiao Jing is a strong and independent woman, who was the only one able to take the position of personal assistant for the demanding CEO, Gu Yi. Soon, their relationship becomes not only professional but also romantic.
Synopsis
“Skip a Beat” is a 2022 Thai drama about two young people who meet and fall in love while competing in a dance competition.
Main Characters
- **Pleng Lara *(played by Bambie Ampaiporn): A talented dancer who is determined to win the dance competition. She is confident and outgoing, but she can also be stubborn and impulsive.
- **Tee *(played by Win Metawin): A shy and introverted dancer who is new to the competition scene. He is talented and passionate about dancing, but he lacks confidence.
Plot
Pleng and Tee meet when they are both chosen to compete in the same dance competition. Pleng is immediately drawn to Tee’s dancing, but Tee is too shy to talk to her. However, as they spend more time together, they start to develop feelings for each other.
Pleng and Tee’s relationship is tested by the pressures of the competition. Pleng is determined to win, and she pushes Tee to be better. Tee feels like he is not good enough for Pleng, and he starts to doubt himself.
Despite the challenges, Pleng and Tee’s love for each other grows stronger. They support each other through thick and thin, and they ultimately achieve their dreams.
Themes
“Skip a Beat” explores themes of love, friendship, and self-discovery. It is a story about two young people who find their way in the world through dance. The drama also shows the power of love to overcome obstacles and achieve dreams.
Production
“Skip a Beat” is produced by GMMTV. It is directed by Pat Boonnitipat and stars Bambie Ampaiporn and Win Metawin. The drama aired in Thailand from February to April 2022.
Reception
“Skip a Beat” was a popular drama in Thailand. It received positive reviews from critics and viewers alike. The drama was praised for its heartwarming story, talented cast, and beautiful visuals.
My Thoughts
I really enjoyed watching “Skip a Beat”. It is a heartwarming and inspiring story about two young people who find love and success through dance. The drama is well-produced and features a talented cast. I would definitely recommend it to fans of Thai dramas and dance.
Here are some additional details about the characters and the plot:
- Pleng Lara: Pleng is a talented dancer who is determined to win the dance competition. She is confident and outgoing, but she can also be stubborn and impulsive. She is the daughter of a wealthy businessman and a famous actress. She has always been spoiled and used to getting her way. However, she starts to realize that there is more to life than winning competitions. She learns the importance of hard work, teamwork, and friendship.
- Tee: Tee is a shy and introverted dancer who is new to the competition scene. He is talented and passionate about dancing, but he lacks confidence. He is the son of a single mother who works as a maid. He has always had to work hard for everything he has. He is also the sole provider for his family. Tee is initially hesitant to enter the dance competition, but he does so because he wants to make his mother proud.
- Other characters:
- Beam: Beam is Pleng’s best friend and dance partner. He is confident and outgoing, just like Pleng. He is also very supportive of her.
- Fai: Fai is Tee’s best friend and dance partner. He is shy and introverted, just like Tee. He is also very supportive of him.
- Pleng’s parents: Pleng’s parents are very supportive of her. They want her to achieve her dreams, even if it means sacrificing their own happiness.
- Tee’s mother: Tee’s mother is a single mother who works as a maid. She is very proud of Tee and always supports him in his dreams.
“Skip a Beat” is a 16-episode drama that aired in Thailand in 2022. It is available to watch with English subtitles on YouTube.
Qiao Jing is a strong and independent woman, who was the only one able to take the position of personal assistant for the demanding CEO, Gu Yi. Soon, their relationship becomes not only professional but also romantic. The problem, however, is that nobody knows the true face of Gu Yi, who after a car accident, from being tender and understanding for a moment, can switch in a few seconds to being cruel and obsessive, especially towards Qiao Jing. Soon, Qiao Jing not only has to deal with her complicated feelings for her boss, but also her past, especially since her motives for becoming Gu Yi’s assistant in the first place are not as noble as they might seem.
- Native Title: 心跳
- Also Known As: Heartbeat , Xin Tiao
- Director: Jiang Tian Hang
- Genres: Romance, Drama
May scratch your guilty
Okay, let’s first be very clear, the ML is a serious, problematic P.o.S. for the first half dozen episodes or so, and their “explanation” (that he is bi-polar and was “cured”?) is just as problematic. This is a terrible portrayal of mental illness and using it as a throw-away story-telling device (it doesn’t really get mentioned again for the rest of the drama) does such a huge disservice to an important issue. (C-dramas in general have a long way to go still when it comes to attitudes towards mental illness — even in serious, high brow, well-scripted costume dramas, it’s still common to see the villain “go crazy” at the end.)
This is otherwise, your classic, trope-filled, angsty dog’s blood low-budget soap; this should be very obvious from the get-go. So if you are looking for a high-quality modern romance grounded in reality, you can safely skip this with zero regrets. But if you’re looking for a relatively short melodrama fix (20 episodes, 30 minutes each) with low expectations, this might satisfy that guilty-pleasure itch — you have tortured break-ups, revenge, family drama, backstabbing, people who do terrible things for unrequited love, disapproving in-laws, an ML who really suffers and is put through the wringer when the FL finally leaves him, and an ML who changes for the better and is willing to give up everything for the FL.
The only trope missing, as commenters joked, are twins. Don’t expect a well-crafted script that offers character development that makes sense — this is low-budget dramaland at its soapiest, so leave the over-thinking and expectations at the door, make a lot of assumptions, and fill in the blanks yourself. Do all that and you might find yourself not minding this ridiculous ride! And to be perfectly fair, when it comes to plot holes and making sense, there are many, many worse offenders out there.
I watched this primarily because I was curious to see He Riuxian as the FL — she was stunning in Warm on a Cold Night and her character was pretty kick-ass from what I remember. I also liked Luo Zheng in some of his earlier supporting roles, and — as my bio notes — I’m a sucker for angsty journeys that end in happily-ever-afters.
A few good things I wanted to highlight:
— Asian dramas love their over-the-top public proposals, or proposals that generally put a lot of pressure on the women to say “yes” out of obligation and guilt. So I was pleasantly surprised by a scene that calls out these types of proposals.
— Modern C-dramas seem to love making their FL’s look frumpy — high-waisted jeans, boxy, unflattering blazers, ugly shirts, bad hairstyles, you name it — one has to wonder, do the stylists hate them? Here, He Riuxian’s character has pretty great style and clothes — a genuinely rare sight in my viewing experience!
— The mothers are hilarious near the end. The ML’s mom starts off as your typical rich wife/disapproving mother. (It takes a very long time, but she ultimately just wants to see her son happy and comes to accept the FL, recognizing her kindness and formidable strength.) Her encounter with the equally disapproving FL’s mother was fairly amusing, but the scene that had me cackling out loud may be when the ML sneaks into the FL’s bed to snuggle …. only to stare right into the glaring eyes of the FL’s mother, lol. Priceless.