✒️Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Some people see demons or ghosts, others can see the future or hear people’s thoughts (Adachi from Cherry Magic), but ‘Connecting To You’ protagonist Lin Chia-Kai (Bruce Chiu) can see different threads connecting people, each one signifying more than just their bonds with others. Strangely, he himself isn’t connected to anybody, until he is almost arrested by handsome cop Wei Da-wei (Liu Yu Ren) over a comical misunderstanding. Turns out, the cop could be Chia-Kai’s special someone.
Directed by Yu Jhi Ha, ‘Connecting to You’ is a light-hearted romantic comedy spanning 12 episodes and based on a web novel by Beck. Bruce Chiu adorably plays college student Chia-Kai, who juggles multiple part-time jobs and runs a club on campus with his flatmate Chao-nan (Lin Da Her), where the two help people with their relationship problems using Chia-Kai’s powers, for a fee. While his abilities initially lead dashing police officer Da-Wei to think Chia-Kai is some sort of scammer or pervert, Chia-Kai eventually lands a part-time job at the police station, allowing the two to get to know each other better.
The primary theme of ‘Connecting to You’ is the irony that even though Chia-Kai can see the threads connecting other people, he feels very isolated because he cannot see any of his own. Having lost his parents at a young age, he often feels like a social outcast and tries to help others as his way of contributing something to the world. So when a light silver thread emerges between him and Da-Wei, he can’t help but pursue their connection, eventually leading to a cute, slow-burn romance between the two.
The first few episodes of the show are very funny, especially the first meeting between the lead pair. Chia-Kai attempts to stop a woman from falling off a building in a rather bizarre way, leading Da-Wei to believe he’s actually trying to attack her. Da-Wei, of course, doesn’t believe in his ability to see the threads and is convinced the college student is a troublemaker. At least at first. So there’s a mild enemies-to-lovers trope at play here, even though, c’mon, Chia-Kai is too soft-spoken and cute for anybody to dislike him for too long.
Bruce Chiu is adorable (very few can pull off a bowl cut like him) as the helpful and sweet Chia-Kai, while Liu Yu Ren is very likeable as Da-Wei, the honest, upright cop who slowly develops a crush on the college student. Their chemistry is endearing, even though they spend much of the show either bickering or smiling at each other. Since Chia-Kai gets a part-time job assisting at the police station, the two also work on a few cases together. These cases honestly aren’t very interesting, but right from the beginning, ‘Connecting to You’ establishes itself as a laid-back, low-stakes romance and keeps that tone remarkably consistent, rarely becoming over-the-top despite its supernatural elements.
Lin Da Her, as Chia-Kai’s perpetually single friend Chao-nan, adds some of the comedy to the show, since he’s always trying to get Chia-Kai to find him a girlfriend. Even the police station setting provides some comical warmth, as Da-Wei’s colleagues quickly sense that there’s something going on between him and Chia-Kai.
Interestingly, each episode of Connecting to You also ends with a special bonus segment where Chia-Kai’s psychology professor, Peggy (Kate Pang), explains a psychological concept. I especially liked that the creators touch upon the ‘mere exposure effect’ to illustrate how some of the growing fondness between the lead pair might simply come from spending so much time together, which, of course, eventually leads to affection.
And that’s really the kind of love story Chia-Kai and Da-Wei have: a quiet, reliable romance where they help each other through small gestures, whether it’s making each other meals or killing a cockroach because the other is too scared of creepy-crawlies. It’s these little moments that make their relationship fun to watch.
In the end, ‘Connecting to You’ is the kind of show whose principal charm lies in its lead protagonists. If you warm up to Chia-Kai and Da-Wei, you’ll probably have a good time watching them slowly fall for each other. But if you’re in the mood for a riotously funny show filled with silly twists and turns, this might not be your cup of tea. I really enjoyed this show. It’s the kind of fluffy romantic break one sometimes needs.
Watch ‘Connecting to You’ on Viki or iQIYI.
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