Playing It Real

A Fresh Take on a Classic Romance Trope

A Familiar Storyline With a Unique Twist

This vertical drama takes well-known romance tropes and adds a refreshing twist, making it both familiar and exciting. While the core premise isn’t entirely original, the small yet impactful changes make it stand out.

Meet the Leads

• Maya: Our classic hardworking, kind-hearted heroine, who—surprise, surprise—finds out her boyfriend is cheating on her with her best friend.
• Ethan: A rich CEO (of course) but with a unique twist—he’s also a famous painter who mysteriously disappeared years ago. Unlike the usual trope where a struggling female artist hides her identity, here, it’s the powerful male lead with the secret. This small change alters the entire dynamic of the story in an interesting way.

Meet the meanies…

Enter Tracy, the so-called best friend who betrays Maya. She’s the standard attention-seeker but is now teaming up with Skyler, Ethan’s manipulative ex.
Skyler is the type of woman who wants control over everything—including people. She dumped Ethan for her career, but now that her career is over, she suddenly wants him back. Convenient, right? Sorry, girl, Ethan is not a toy you can pick up whenever you please!

Grandma to the Rescue!

One of the best parts of this story? Ada, the grandmother.
Unlike the usual controlling parents in verticals, Ada is supportive, kind, and refreshingly unbiased. Even when she wasn’t sure what Maya and Ethan were up to, she played along. She never judged Maya for her background, never tried to break them up, and didn’t side with Skyler just because they knew each other for years. We love you, Grandma!

Love, Lies, and a Kiss That Started It All

What better way to start a relationship than kissing a total stranger? Ethan’s shocked reaction was priceless—but he recovered quickly and played along.

But Maya, girl, don’t act like you got “dragged into this mess.” You were the one who kissed Ethan and introduced him as your fiancé! Of course, things escalated with the press and Skyler, but let’s not blame Ethan for everything.

And then we have the classic “no feelings” rule in fake relationships. Come on, since when can you control emotions? We all know that’s never going to work.

As for Ethan’s handling of Skyler, it was not great. He never gave her false hope, but when the press kept pushing the “Ethan & Skyler back together” narrative, he said nothing. Maya had every right to be pissed. He could have publicly cleared things up during his art exhibition but chose to talk to Skyler in private instead. Then he tries confessing to Maya later? Sorry, buddy, damage done.

And let’s not forget their obvious jealousy—Ethan over Chris, and Maya (slightly better at hiding it) over Skyler. The best moment? Drunk Maya kissing Ethan at Grandma’s birthday party, just to prove a point. Loved it!

The Big Secret

I loved that Ethan is secretly Noiré, the famous painter, but he handled it terribly. Not telling Maya right away? Fine. But when she started opening up in emails about her relationship with him, he should have told her. Instead, he let her pour her heart out while keeping his identity hidden. She had to find out on her own—and that’s just not right.

Final Thoughts

Despite its familiar elements, this drama was fun, sweet, and engaging, thanks to a simple yet impactful twist on a classic romance trope.

That being said, the last episodes felt rushed. A little 10 to 15 more episodes would have made everything flow much more smoothly. The “one month later” followed by “three months later” all in just 2 episodes? A bit weird, to say the least.

And why add a pregnancy reveal at the very end? We all know there won’t be a Part 2, so why tease something that won’t be explored? These kinds of rushed endings feel unnecessary—just let the story conclude naturally!

Little bonus to end this on a good note: Jeff’s adorable puppy eyes? That man used them A LOT this time—and I’m not complaining! 😂

If you haven’t watch this one yet, go check it out!