Final Review - In a Class of Her Own (2020)

Final Review/rating - In a Class of Her Own (2020): Heartwarming tale of friendship that strikes all the right comedic notes 

This is a solid 8/10 stars ✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮ from Pandafan!🐼

Overall rating:         8 Stars Plot:                       8 Stars Acting/cast:            8 Stars Couple chemistry:   7 stars Music:                    7 Stars Re-watch value:      9 Stars Enjoyment factor:   9 Stars

I highly recommend this drama if you want a friendship heavy, fluffy romcom that hits all the right comedic notes and doesn’t take itself too seriously. The cast are gorgeous, the scenery and costumes are gorgeous, the entire drama is gorgeous. 36 episodes is about the right length - some episodes did falter a little in terms of pacing - but I had so much fun following our Fab Four that I’d happily have sat through another 10 episodes of their adventures. I’m not quite ready to say goodbye to our Yuanshang Quartet - it’s been such a feel good, angst free, often laugh out loud 36 episodes with our plucky heroine and her hot friends. A real joy to recap 😃 

SPOILERS AHEAD

  

Episode 36 Recap - In a Class of Her Own (2020)

Episode 36 recap

In which we get a happy ending 

"Wen Bin" returns to the Academy to everyone's joy and all are proud of the Quartet.

Ep 36: Awww💓

Meanwhile Han Sheng Zhi drinks alone. Miss Mu comes to see him, he tells her to leave, saying he has nothing left. But Miss Mu says - you still have me (🐼:Awww💗)  

  

Episode 35 Recap - In a Class of Her Own (2020)

Episode 35 recap

In which all is revealed 

Just as Xue Wen Xi is about to be killed, Miss Mu comes to the rescue in black with some very stylish moves. Lei Ze Xin also arrives to lend his aid, telling the girls to run, while he holds off the rest of the assassins. 

  

Episode 34 Recap - In a Class of Her Own (2020)

Episode 34 recap

In which the Academy rise up to take down Lord Han and the heroine turns herself in

Commander Lei watches, worried, as Feng Cheng Jun is taken away... At the Han manor, Miss Han pleads with Lord Han to see reason and not to use his office to pursue petty personal vengeance, but he slaps her for speaking up for Feng Cheng Jun. (🐼:Not a nice man that one😠).  

In dorm room 2, Xue Wen Xi is distraught and wants to rush to Feng Cheng Jun's rescue, but Yu Le Xuan reminds her to keep the big picture in mind. He says that Feng Cheng Jun's background will protect him - they will need more evidence to pin anything on him - and that he must have confessed to protect someone. (🐼:Looking at you, girlfriend). And Xue Wen Xi realises that Feng Cheng Jun must have found out that she's a girl. 

  

Episode 33 Recap - In a Class of Her Own (2020)

Episode 33 recap

In which three in black roam the City and the Quartet face peril

Ep 33: Watching over "Bin-de"

In dorm room 2, Feng Cheng Jun watches over Xue Wen Xi as she sleeps. When she wakes, he asks if she can remember what he said earlier about having explained things with Miss Han. She says, no, then asks why he has done so. Feng Cheng Jun replies, "because I love someone else. Actually, you know her too..."

Ep 33: "You really care about who I love, huh?"

Xue Wen Xi asks who "she" is. Feng Cheng Jun playfully asks why she cares so much who he likes. She angrily tells him he is a fickle so-and-so. He is super amused, saying she is right to reprimand him. (🐼: Cheeky).  

  

Episode 32 Recap - In a Class of Her Own (2020)

Episode 32 recap

In which Han Sheng Zhi finds redemption and a Competition reveals the past

Ep 32: Yu Le Xuan offers friendship and advice

Han Sheng Zhi is suspicious but also touched that the scholars have come to his aid. He asks Yu Le Xuan if he hates him. But Yu Le Xuan smiles and says that actually there are things to admire about Han Sheng Zhi too. He says he hopes Han Sheng Zhi can become a fair and just Student Council President, leaving the latter pensive.  

Lei Ze Xin tells Yu Le Xuan that Feng Cheng Jun is acting really weird and looking at him is getting on his nerves. Yu Le Xuan laughs, and tells him to look at something else then. (🐼:Haha).

  

Episode 31 Recap - In a Class of Her Own (2020)

Episode 31 recap

In which our hero (finally) finds out the truth

Lei Ze Xin plays it cool, having shed his black clothes. "I'm just here for wine" he says, and saunters off. 

Those red pamphlets are fueling the rumour mill though and Governor Feng is unhappy because they all say that he is the one taking bribes (🐼: remember how that ledger cunningly switched all references from Lord Han to Governor Feng?) Lord Han says to Governor Feng that as they will be family soon he would get to the bottom of the rumours. "And by the way, why hasn't your son come to officially propose to my daughter?" (🐼: Yes, wonder why). Anyway, Lord Han figures that it must be "Wen Bin" behind the red pamphlets and resolves to silence her. 

  

Episode 30 Recap - In a Class of Her Own (2020)

Episode 30 recap

In which our heroine is jealous and our hero is about to make a hideous mistake...

Ep 20: Xue Wen Xi jealous

Feng Cheng Jun solves Miss Han's three riddles - they spell out "Today"; "Specially"; "Thinking of you". (🐼:Hmmm, she couldn't get more obvious). She does seem to be new and improved though - now well read and not as clueless as before and they talk about books as she shyly flirts with him. Feng Cheng Jun is still somewhat wooden but impressed by how much she has changed - he even invites her to attend the Academy's open day, so that she can visit the library. She's thrilled. Xue Wen Xi, who is spying on them, is definitely not. 

  

Episode 29 Recap - In a Class of Her Own (2020)

Episode 29 recap

In which friendship and justice triumph and the hero starts hallucinating again  

Feng Cheng Jun continues the defence, saying that the laws of Yun are wrong to discriminate - Yu Le Xuan is only wrong in trying to hide his origins. How can we wreck his future because of his birth? Xue Wen Xi adds her voice to his, saying that she is also from a poor background but that the Academy opened its doors to her to let her chase her dreams.  She argues that that chance should be given to Yu Le Xuan too. Lei Ze Xin adds that no one can choose their origins, but can choose their destiny and says to Yu Le Xuan that, being who he is, he will always flourish, whatever the circumstances. (🐼:💛) 

  

Episode 28 Recap - In a Class of Her Own (2020)

Episode 28 recap

In which Yu Le Xuan faces his moment of truth and finds the meaning of true friendship

Han Sheng Zhi demands the ledger from Xue Wen Xi, with a mixture of threats and cajoling. She almost hands it over, but Yu Le Xuan arrives to intervene. But a masked man steals the ledger, and when Lei Ze Xin also arrives on the scene, the two fight. Each kick the other in the chest, and the ledger lands at Yu Le Xuan's feet. Lei Ze Xin chases after the masked man.  

  

Episode 27 Recap - In a Class of Her Own (2020)

Episode 27 recap

In which the hero begins to doubt his sanity... 

Ep 27: A bit of lip rogue  

 

Ep 27: "Pretty, huh".

Feng Cheng Jun stares at Xue Wen Xi, but all he can see is her as a Lady in Red. He is adorably confused, gesturing at some lipstick that she hasn't managed to remove. He's about to help, when Yu Le Xuan and Lei Ze Xin join them. The latter wipes it off, while Feng Cheng Jun looks anywhere but at Xue Wen Xi.

  

Episode 26 Recap - In a Class of Her Own (2020)

Episode 26 recap

In which Lei Ze Xin is (hilariously) awkward and overprotective and our hero is stunned by a Lady in Red

Ep 26: Lei Ze Xin - awkward...

It finally clicks! Lei Ze Xin realises that his "junior brother" is a girl... He is (🐼:adorably) self conscious and, very reluctantly, leans over to do CPR, but thankfully for him, she revives before he has to. (🐼:Hahaha!) 

Ep 26: No mouth to mouth CPR occurred, I swear

Don't get the wrong idea, he says. "You revived before I needed to do any mouth to mouth resuscitation, as that would have been awkward between us two grown men." 

  

Episode 25 Recap - In a Class of Her Own (2020)

Episode 25 recap

In which the Quartet investigates and Lei Ze Xin makes a discovery

Ep 25: "You think I'm handsome?"😘

Lei Ze Xin wants to beat up Han Sheng Zhi, because they all know he's behind the framing. Yu Le Xuan manages to stop him, but only just. The Quartet get ready to investigate. 

Xue Wen Xi tells her Feng-ge that he looks handsome in the official's uniform. He's quite happy about that and there's a funny scene in which, for once, it's Feng Cheng Jun who loses his balance and needs to be rescued by Xue Wen Xi. (🐼: Ha!). 

  

Episode 24 Recap - In a Class of Her Own (2020)

Episode 24 recap

In which our heroine finds parting to be sweet sorrow and is framed

When Xue Wen Xi answers the door, it's Teacher Ding, He's shocked to see her (expecting Lei Ze Xin) and hints to her that someone else is in the store room. He gives her the keys to Ming Lun Hall instead. Grateful, she ducks out, Lei Ze Xin none the wiser about her true identity. Lei Ze Xin asks Teacher Ding if he was the masked teacher who gave him the mysterious note, but it's not Teacher Ding.

Ep 24: Nursery rhymes for Bin-de 💝

In dorm 2, Xue Wen Xi is jealous and suspicious at Feng Cheng Jun's sunny mood. She asks if it's because he is in love. It's not. Feng Cheng Jun was happy because of the nursery rhyme performance - he wants to give a special performance for his Bin-de, to make her happy again. It makes her very happy.😍 

  

Episode 23 Recap - In a Class of Her Own (2020)

Episode 23 recap

In which Team 2 shows class aplenty!

Ep 23: Yu Le Xuan the archer

Yu Le Xuan's arrow strikes true, scoring x9 points, meaning he wins the 2nd round for Team 1. It's still 1 all though.  

In Round 3) it's Lei Ze Xin v Gu Zi Ming.

Gu Zi Ming gets x6 points.  Feng Cheng Jun tells Lei Ze Xin to take it easy, but he takes his mark with characteristic bravado. He's really ill though.  His aim is true, hitting the bullseye dead centre, but there's not enough strength in the shot and the arrow falls to the ground, meaning 0 points to Lei Ze Xin. Round 3 to Team 1.     

In Round 4) it's Lu Zhao Rong v Lin Bing Shen.

Lin Bing Shen just manages to land the target for 5 points, much to Han Zhi Sheng's anger. And Lu Zhao Rong for Team 2 scores 6 points, arthritis notwithstanding, much to general glee 😁 

  

Episode 22 Recap - In a Class of Her Own (2020)

Episode 22 recap

In which Team 2 enter the field! 

The weakest link in Han Sheng Zhi's team, the hapless Lin Bing Shen steps up to take his shots. But terror of failure mean he gets less than perfect scores of 7, 7, and 6 points. 

Meanwhile it looks like all hope is lost for Team 2, but guess who arrives at the 11th hour? Lei Ze Xin! Yu Le Xuan is overjoyed and yells encouragement; Lei Ze Xin gives him a cheeky wink. (🐼:Gotta love these two):

Ep 22: Yu Le Xuan: "Add oil!" Lei Ze Xin: 😉

  

Episode 21 Recap - In a Class of Her Own (2020)

Episode 21 recap

In which Lei Ze Xin shows his mettle   

Ep 21: The Han siblings share a joke

For once, we see a nicer side to Han Sheng Zhi as he and his sister share a few words and jokes. 

The pleasant side to him doesn't last and the weakest link in his team, Lin Bing Shen, who is jealous of Wen Bin's progress is terrified of failing. 

Meanwhile, Xue Wen Xi is worried as Lei Ze Xin is missing the night before the archery contest. 

  

Episode 20 Recap - In a Class of Her Own (2020)

Episode 20 recap

In which our heroine fights to stay and trains in earnest 

Ep 20: Girl power!

Xue Wen Xi tells Teacher Ding that she doesn't want to leave and wants to enter the archery contest. He is worried that it could mean exposure and worse.  She asks for a chance to try, for herself and all women, to create a miracle. There's a flashback to Teacher Ding's memories of Xue Ding Kun, similarly idealistic and unwilling to back down. (🐼: Her Father perhaps?) Teacher Ding says that if she wins the archery contest, she can stay - no one would doubt her then. She agrees and he says he will help as much as he can. (🐼:I'm rather fond of Teacher Ding, this is dangerous for him too)

  

Episode 19 Recap - In a Class of Her Own (2020)

Episode 19 recap

In which Teacher Ding finds out the heroine's secret and the upcoming Academy archery contest poses challenges  

All three members of the "Protect Wen Bin Squad" get beaten. It's quite brutal. None of the boys can sit for a very long time.  They all lie on their stomachs feeling sorry for themselves:

Ep 19: The "Protect Wen Bin Squad" feeling the pain 

Hilariously, Yu Le Xuan squeals the loudest. Lei Ze Xin has little patience with this - "Are you asking for death or not wanting to live? I took x30 whacks and you don't hear me squealing about it." Yu Le Xuan gives him a baleful look. "You've a tough hide. I'm delicate." (🐼: ha!😅)

  

Episode 18 Recap - In a Class of Her Own (2020)

Episode 18 recap

In which the heroine and hero wish on a star and the "Protect Wen Bin Squad" report for duty 

Feng Cheng Jun and Xue Wen Xi spend the night waiting for shooting stars at the top of the island. He teases her when she is eager to wish on the shooting stars ("so like a girl!") She silently makes a wish for the impossible - that she and he can be together. He also makes a wish - he tells her that it's so that all her unfulfilled wishes can come true. (🐼: Awwww 💕).