I just recently found a hardsubbed copy of this drama so don’t be surprised why this review is 6yrs late. I heard that at the time this was first aired, it had very high ratings and broke records of sorts, so let see…
As far as im concerned, good rom-com should always start with the harmonious marriage between a good storytelling and good characters. But since the story of PTIF(Prince Turns Into Frog) is nothing to get excited about, im hoping the characters can save it. Ye Tianyu is a poor happy natured girl that’s a con artist, oh ok, a low-life, BUT, she wouldn’t seriously hurt anybody, really! Our male lead play 2 characters. First is Shan Junmao, a young and handsome but cold no-nonsense businessman and the second character is Dang Ou, a kind hearted young man who forgot his past. If you know my history with drama watching and review, no need to tell you who I prefer between the 2, nice guys bore me to death!
Anyway, they are classic drama/rom-com characters, right? Yes indeed. I have a question though …even if that part of a drama plot has been used and overused and abused over and over and over again, STILL, why does it work on some dramas and doesnt on others? some start out very promising, having very interesting characters and competent actors, and yet when the storytelling begins, everything falls out of place one by one. Why oh why??? Im happy to say that in THIS particular case , it is the opposite. It started in a “so-so” manner and turned quite interesting after a few episodes.
The acting honors for this drama goes to …Chen Qiao En as Ye Tianyu. She sure is one effective rom-com actress, she never fails to deliver in her roles. She is what one may call a natural. Her style of acting is sooo relaxed you wouldn’t think she’s acting, no effort at all. her style of comedy may sometimes border on the absurd and or trying-too-hard but it never goes over-the-top. And even if it did cross the line of good taste and lemme stress on the word “if”, im surprised at myself because I was never annoyed with her. I suspect its because of her fresh face that seems to be devoid of “fake’ness” . I found her facial expressions and her comedic skills on most scenes totally hilarious. Tianyu is sooo adorably pa-cute(trying to be cute) everytime she pushes her hair behind her ears, what a crazy funny girl. When she took the initiative to kiss Shan Junmao …HAAA, I was floored!!! I even liked her interaction with the second male lead …cuteness!!! 
I have to say that a very close runner-up to Chen Qiao En’s acting skills is Ming Dao as Shan Junhao. Dear lord he is one h*ll of a cute guy that can actually act and he sure made me believe he is an arrogant rich bastard in the early episodes. The only edge our leading lady has over him is that she’s good at both comedy and drama while clearly, our leading man is not a comedian. BUT, my gawddd, here’s another leading man who is prettier than the leading lady! Ive never seen any of his other works before so im certainly going to check it out asap!
May I also say that the fresh faces of our 2 leads here is a refreshing change after all the contrived perfection of all the Korean actors/actresses that ive seen lately. Don’t get me wrong folks, im as shallow as the next fangirl. Who doesn’t like to see beautiful people onscreen? Not me, at least not unless the “perfection” is sooo obviously fake, then they get on my nerves. Actually, Chen Qiao En is not what one may call a beautiful leading lady, not even pretty really, cute maybe, but my point is, i luv, luv, luv it when the leads are not the “perfect beauties”. Seeing ordinary looking actors/actresses in lead roles and making a success of themselves puts less of a strain for other actors/actresses. In that scenario they can just concentrate on what matters most in their line of work, which is ACTING! …Oh lord, Miss OC keep saying this same thing over and over and over again like a stucked pirated cd. Sorry.
The worst thing about this drama …hmmm, lets put it this way, AT FIRST, i was dismayed when the hashed and reshashed plot of one of the leads having an amnesia came up very early in the story. Hate it actually, specially when that part of the story drags on and on and on. I know its an essential part of the story, still, HATE IT! a more creative way to address that twist in the story should have been given more thought instead of taking the easy route of picking among the usual “multiple choice” answers in every drama conflict, namely: A.) one of the leads will be temporarily unable to walk, B.) one of the leads will have temporary blindness, C.) one of the leads will be kidnapped/abducted, D.) one of the leads will be become seriously ill, E.) one of the leads will give up on his/her love for the good of the other, and of course the choice of the creators of THIS drama, F.) one of the leads will have a temporary amnesia! BUT, how the writers were able to get out of that very predictable storyline and made an interesting twist from that same bad “multiple choice” answer should be commended. Making a good thing from a bad situation is a stroke of you could say, “lesser degree” brilliance. I was about to say that the amnesia thing is NOT totally a bad thing after all, THEN, another silly twist happened and Junhao was knocked unconscious again and remembered who he was BUT now …has partial amnesia and forgot that he love Tianyu …WHAT THE H*LL !?#%?!!! An amnesia of the time when …he had an amnesia??? So, if he heaven forbid, knocks his head again, what would he forget next???
The best thing about this drama …the bad story or a very weak material that was turned into a very entertaining romantic comedy! SEE, it is possible! Prince that turns to Frog is a perfect example that no matter how bad and lame and stupid the material is, if it is a rom-com or a light drama, it can still be saved by a good chemistry by the leads, by a good pacing of the scenes and an entertaining way to tell the story or an exciting kind of storytelling. How the low-life con artist female and the cold arrogant male were able to influence and transform each other into better people is interesting and amusing watch :)
How shall I rate it when faced with this facts:
*one of my favorite things to see in any drama are the “jealousy scenes”. here ive seen some of the best!!!
*the “cute” and “sweet” scenes, and I mean those that makes your heart flutter are in abundance in this production,
*that im totally “in like” (as you can see, im still in denial that I love this guy^^) with Ming Dao as Mr. Mean Guy a.k.a. Shan Junmao,
*that I was 100% convinced that Junmao is in love with Tianyu(the hugs, the kisses, the stares and of course, when he is jealous of Zixian …they’re the best!),and
*Tianyu did manage to make me laugh that I was floored on quite a number of times.
*Values and life lessons were also learned in this drama …pride, callousness, arrogance …then there was retribution, a falling out, revenge ..and finally, reconciliation and forgiveness.
the ending just reminded me that I shouldn’t take romantic comedies too seriously that now I think it deserves, at the very least, a 4.5 out of 5 rating.
