Editor's note: This is a nostalgic theater.
In fact, "Falling in Love with Female Anchor" should not be called "Falling in Love with Female Anchor". Judging from the English name of the play, "All About Eve", another translation, "The Temptation of Eve", is obviously more accurate.

"Falling in Love with Female Anchor" poster

However, since the show was first staged in China more than 20 years ago, the name "falling in love with a female anchor" has been deeply imprinted in the depths of my memory. And as long as the prelude of the theme song "True Love" sung by the Fin.KL group plays, I believe that many post-80s generations will definitely recall those days when they watched Korean dramas in front of the TV.
At the beginning of the new century, Hallyu was in full swing. But looking back, among the classic Korean dramas that have been popular all over the country, "Falling in Love with Female Anchor" is a very unique existence.
This drama does not have the so-called "three treasures of Korean dramas" - car accident, cancer, incurable (such as "Blue Life and Death"), no tangled polyamorous love (such as "Winter Sonata"), and even no common wealthy family. Plots of grudges, family feuds, etc.
From start to finish, the style of the entire play is positive, youthful and sunny. Even if "Fall in Love with Female Anchor" was born today, it would not feel a little outdated. On the contrary, I think it can still surpass most of the current TV series.
Take the characters in this play as an example. Each image is so full and complex that it is worth learning from and learning from today's creators.

Jang Dong Gun as Yoon Heung Cheol

Yin Hengzhe played by Zhang Dongjian (the Taiwan version translates him as "Xiang Ze"), although handsome, rich, gentle, considerate, and a director of a national-level TV station, he is by no means the so-called "overbearing president". From acquaintance, mutual acquaintance and then to the whole process of falling in love, Xiang Philosopher has 100% respect and understanding for Shan Mei (played by Cai Lin).
Knowing that Shanmei still has nostalgia for her childhood sweetheart Youzhen, she chose to give in silently; knowing that Shanmei wanted to prove herself at work, she would never abuse her power; knowing that Shanmei had the opportunity to study in the UK, she resisted the urge to propose... …As long as it is something the latter is unwilling to do, I will never force it; as long as it is something the latter wants to do, I will definitely support it. Always be able to stand "one step away" and give the loved one enough broad and free space. Perhaps, this is the quality that those "overbearing CEOs" who feel good about themselves need to learn the most.
But Xiangzhe also has a weakness, which is his lack of confidence in love. This is of course closely related to the unsuccessful marriage of his parents, but the more important reason may be that Xiangzhe is too smart and rational. This may also explain why neither Yongxi nor Yingmei can constitute an attraction to him. They all wanted to cater to Xiangzhe, guessing what he wanted, but it only made him tired and wary.
Being cheerful enough to be a little naive and kind can just make Xiangzhe really relax in his life and become the carefree senior in the UK. So he waited all night at Sun-mi's door and gave him a rose; so he would introduce Sun-mi to his father at the party, and joked, "This is the person I want to marry"; he made mistakes in work at Sun-mi Later, watching her video repeatedly, she showed a doting smile, "Zhen Shanmei, where did you hide and cry this time?"

fall in love with the senior

It's hard not to love such a senior. It's hard to say whether the audience at that time fell in love with the female anchor or Jang Dong Gun?
Zhen Shanmei, played by Cai Lin, is her best on-screen image, at least for Chinese audiences. Shan Mei has a sunny smile and an innocent personality, but she is by no means the "silly white sweet" of today's idol dramas.
She is strong, so she will say to Xiangzhe casually, "You don't need to look at me with that kind of eyes, it's enough for me to have a father"; she is unwilling to admit defeat, so she will repeat on TV and at home , practiced broadcasting all night long; she also has a strong sense of justice, so she will be excited to scold the kidnappers on live TV, which will surprise everyone.

Cai Lin as Zhen Shanmei

Watching her grow into a professional female anchor step by step, watching her get closer to the ideal love, every audience will be happy for this kind, sincere and somewhat vulnerable girl. Rather than saying that we like Zhen Shanmei, it is better to say that we all yearn for the kindness and beauty in life. It's as if Woo Jin, who has been through the wind and rain, said to Sun Mi in the shade of a tree, "What could be more pleasing than seeing you?"
In the protagonist group, the brilliance of Brother Yoo Jin played by Han Jae Suk is relatively weak. Back then, I just thought this man was cowardly and useless. What's even more incomprehensible is, what exactly did he like about Yingmei? If Youzhen and Shanmei could come together, there would not be so many twists and turns, and there would be no tragedy.

Han Jae Suk as Kim Woo Jin

But what's wrong with love? Looking back many years later, I can better understand Woo-jin's choice - if Hyung-chul likes Shan-mi's simplicity and kindness, then what Woo-jin appreciates is Ying-mi's complexity and ambition. In fact, Woo-jin's dedication and perseverance in love is equally moving. As Youzhen said to Yingmei: "I love you so much, it is far from enough for you to catch up." At this point, the perfect combination of Xiangzhe and Shanmei is not as good as the imperfect ones. The shock brought by Woo-jin and Ying-mi.
In the whole drama, perhaps the most innocent and most distressing person is Brother Youzhen. After the tragedy, Yingmei couldn't help crying when she saw the marriage proposal shot by Brother Youzhen on TV. At that moment, I don't know how many Chinese viewers were also saddened and red-eyed?
Most people think that they are good people, so when watching this drama, they will unconsciously enter the perspective of Shanmei. "Yingmei is really a bad woman, it would be better to disappear soon." I believe that there must be many viewers who thought so, of course, including me.

Kim So Yeon as Seo Young Mi

More than 20 years have passed, and the post-80s generation is no longer a child, and has gradually entered middle age. After experiencing the ruthless beatings of society, we finally understand Kim So-yeon's Ying Mi. Not every girl can be born into a middle-class family that is not rich but has a carefree life; not every girl can enjoy the care and love of everyone around her since she was a child; more importantly, not every girl is To have a perfect senior who loves me deeply.
Although these are not Shanmei's "faults", and although she never wanted to gain anything from Xiangzhe's authority, who can deny that, except for a broken love, Shanmei's life is full of luck and happiness. And how did an orphan with no background and lack of care become a TV station's signature female anchor? We have seen Yingmei's conspiracy and scheming, but more, there are efforts and sweat that we have not seen.
Can we blame Yingmei for being jealous of Shanmei? In fact, who doesn't want to be Shanmei? Unfortunately, we can't live in TV shows after all. Therefore, in real life, we also have to "fight" and "snatch" in order to survive, just like Yingmei. Every exhausted night after get off work reminds us that we have already lived as Yingmei, and what is more heart-breaking is that we may not have Yingmei's strong character and extraordinary talent.
Later, Yingmei only had the memory of 6 years old. Some people say, isn't this the screenwriter's pity and redemption for her? But I don't see it that way. Does this world not belong to Yingmei after all? Is Yingmei not worthy of own happiness?
Youzhen's mother said to Yingmei, "As soon as I saw you, I thought you were like a weed growing in the shade without sunlight, very poisonous...but the color is beautiful, men don't understand...but Women understand." Maybe she's right, weeds that lack sunlight are destined to grow wildly.

Stills of "Falling in Love with Female Anchor"

Later, Zhang Dongjian, Cai Lin, Han Jae-suk, and Kim So-yeon all came to China to film one after another. I am afraid this is largely due to the huge influence of "Falling in Love with Female Anchor" in China. Later, Jang Dong Gun, the senior of the year, entered a happy marriage hall and gradually faded out of the audience's sight; while Cai Lin, who used to have a bright smile, got married and then divorced.
In the blink of an eye, it is already 2022, and it seems that there is no longer any intersection between them, even though we all believed in our hearts that they are a pair of natural beauty. This also seems to remind us that what "Falling in Love with Female Anchor" tells is only a modern urban version of a fairy tale after all.
But what does that matter? In this already very "realistic" and highly "civilized" society, after the adult mask that I wear every day, I would rather be a child intoxicated in fairy tales.
"Shanmei, don't go, stay, and marry me." I would rather believe that the senior and Shanmei, who are ignorant of the traffic and kissing on the road, will still live happily together until now.