Our Interpreter Review

I suspect that Our Interpreter (我们的翻译官) won’t be a big hit among viewers because it is a more matured kind of romance that may seem boring for some. Personally, I prefer a good story to a romance drama rather than the typical rom-com. So, I didn’t mind starting this one bit especially given the leads involved. I was curious about this pairing and whether they could pull it off given the big age gap between them. After watching all the 36 episodes, allow me to put forth my views on this drama through Our Interpreter review below.

My rating: 6.5/10
Episodes: 36
Type: Romance
Aired: January 2024
Images Credit: Douban Movie

The Cast Of Our Interpreter

• Victoria Song Qian as Lin Xi
• Oliver Chen Xing Xu as Xiao Yi Cheng
• Fei Qi Ming as Cheng Yao
• Yu Sha Sha as Tong Xin
• Eric Zhang as Peter
• Wang Sen as Wei Tian
• Lin Zi Lu as Tan Sha Sha
• Wu Yan Shu as Li Qiu Yi
• Bi Yan Jun as Gao He Nian
• Fu Jia as Zhao Da Mao
• Ma Li as Chen Wen
• Lu Zheng as Mr. Wang
• Liu Pi Zhong as Sun You Wei
• Chen Yi Jing as Chen Xiao

Main Characters

Lin Xi

Lin Xi is the Chief Interpreter and Key Account Department Director of a top language services provider called Hua Sheng. She is a very talented interpreter who can translate what is being said accurately and quickly. Lin Xi is hardworking and ambitious with a dream of being an interpreter at the United Nations conferences. She takes her job seriously and expects her subordinates to have high standards towards their work. Her father is a businessman while her mother is an English teacher.

Xiao Yi Cheng

Yi Cheng is one of the founders of Yu Yi Technology and its Chief Technological Officer. His company is at the forefront of AI translation with a plan to go public. Yi Cheng is a smart guy with a tech background. He is ambitious and idealistic. Lin Xi is his ex-girlfriend and they have broken up 8 years ago.

Supporting Characters

Cheng Yao

Cheng Yao is a young man who likes his freedom. He spends his time skateboarding but has a talent in languages and translation. He can be cocky but knows what he wants. Cheng Yao has a crush on Lin Xi.

Tong Xin

Tong Xin is Yi Cheng’s business partner and the Operations Director of Yu Yi Technology. She is a divorcee with a young son named Peter. She is also a very good friend of Yi Cheng and his love advisor.

Peter

Peter is Tong Xin’s young son. He is also Yi Cheng’s godson. Peter is a cheeky boy who is into English literature.

Wei Tian

Wei Tian is Lin Xi’s subordinate and good friend. He is a Manager of the Key Account Department in Hua Sheng. Wei Tian also knows Yi Cheng as they are friends from their student days. He is a nice and understanding guy.

Tan Sha Sha

Sha Sha is Lin Xi’s cousin and an interpreter at Hua Sheng. She reports to both Wei Tian and Lin Xi. Sha Sha is not used to socializing and is a timid young lady. But she can also be direct and rigid when it comes to her principles. Her mother, Gao Wen Li, has a snobbish attitude and is condescending towards Lin Xi’s family.

Li Qiu Yi

Li Qiu Yi is Lin Xi’s landlady and friend. She rents out one of her rooms to Lin Xi and is a warm old lady. She is also Cheng Yao’s grandaunt. Li Qiu Yi is an expert in English literature especially Shakespeare’s works.

Gao He Nian / Professor Gao

Professor Gao is Lin Xi’s and Sha Sha’s maternal grandfather. He is a linguistics expert. Lin Xi has a cold relationship with him as she feels that Professor Gao looks down on her father and has a bias towards her cousin. Lin Xi’s mother is Professor Gao’s estranged daughter.

Zhao Da Mao / Mao Mao

Mao Mao is Yi Cheng’s personal assistant. He is a friendly guy.

Chen Wen

Chen Wen is an intern under Lin Xi. She wants a permanent job but has a problem meeting Lin Xi’s demands and high standards with her negativity.

Mr. Wang

Mr. Wang is the CEO of Yong Yun which is Hua Sheng’s competitor. He is an unscrupulous businessman who will resort to bribes to get contracts.

Sun You Wei / Mr. Sun

Mr. Sun is the CEO of Jing Ge Investments which is a capital investment firm. He and his wife are close friends of Lin Xi.

Chen Xiao

Chen Xiao is Yi Cheng’s ex-college mate who has feelings for him. She is an influential business and tech reporter who is jealous of Lin Xi due to Yi Cheng’s affections for her.

Synopsis

Lin Xi and Yi Cheng were lovers during their college days. But Lin Xi asked for a breakup after 3 years of dating when Yi Cheng got an offer to go abroad to further his studies. She gave him the excuse that he wasn’t good enough for her as he couldn’t get into a top university. Lin Xi was harsh as she didn’t want to hold him back.

8 years laters, Yi Cheng returns home from the US and he is now the founder of an AI translation company. Lin Xi has made a name for herself as a brilliant interpreter and is working for a top language services provider in the country. They meet again when Yi Cheng’s company requires interpretation and translation services. While Yi Cheng is still angry at Lin Xi for dumping him in the past, he couldn’t let go of his feelings for her. As he tries to pursue her again, Lin Xi is wary of the uncertainties between them and the fact that he is her client.

However, the need to work together gives them a chance to rekindle their relationship. As they solve various obstacles together and quietly support each other, the romance between them starts to blossom once again.

Our Interpreter Ending & Recap (Spoilers Alert!)

Our Interpreter has a happy ending. Lin Xi fulfilled her dream of working as an interpreter at the UN. She used her skill and experience to help a delegate and his autistic son during a national expo which earned her a recommendation for a stint at the international body. A year later, Yi Cheng is with Lin Xi in Geneva. From the dialogue, they are married and he has been flying to Geneva to see her every 2 months. The day is a special one as it is the anniversary of their first meeting.

Having fulfilled her dream, Lin Xi is now thinking of a new challenge. What is implied is that she will return home to be the head of Hua Sheng’s subsidiary company which is set up to deepen their cooperation with Yu Yi. The drama ends with the couple sharing a kiss by the beach.

When Did The Leads Get Together?

Yi Cheng knows Lin Xi still cares about him and asks her to restart their relationship in Episode 9. But she rejects him as she is not prepared for the uncertainties of a relationship with him. Furthermore, her work is important to her and he is now her client. Yi Cheng responds that he is willing to wait for her until she is ready to face up to her feelings for him. He moves in to be her neighbor in Episode 12 in order to pursue her.

In Episode 18, Yi Cheng consoles Lin Xi after she became unhappy following a quarrel with her grandfather and aunt. Her heart softens and she decides to be more open with him. They become a couple again in Episode 19 after she told him why she broke up with him 8 years ago. Yi Cheng knows that Lin Xi did it so that he will take the step to go abroad for his studies while she also could pursue her dream of working for Hua Sheng. They kiss and reconcile.

Yi Cheng announces their relationship during her grandfather’s birthday banquet in Episode 26 when Sha Sha’s mother tries to pair up her daughter with him. He proposes to her to which she accepts after Yu Yi’s successful listing in Episode 30.

Is There Any Love Triangle?

Cheng Yao has a crush on Lin Xi when he meets her but she only treats him as a subordinate and younger brother. She rejects him when he publicly confesses to her in Episode 15. He is disappointed but his grandaunt tries to enlighten him that what he feels for Lin Xi is not romantic love but admiration. Cheng Yao manages to let go of his feelings for Lin Xi in Episode 19 when he doesn’t feel angry or sad anymore after seeing her and Yi Cheng together. In fact, he now thinks that they are perfectly matched.

Chen Xiao has been in love with Yi Cheng for a long time and tries to drive a wedge between him and Lin Xi by bringing up their shared past in Episode 16. This angers Yi Cheng who tells Chen Xiao off. He also makes it clear that he has no interest in her. Yi Cheng rejects Chen Xiao again in Episode 19. She becomes angry and vows to make him regret. Her negative reporting on Lin Xi pushes Yi Cheng to sue her for slander in Episode 22.

Is There Any Breakup?

There is no breakup once Yi Cheng and Lin Xi got back together. She only decides to postpone their wedding in Episode 34 when her relationship with him gives rise to conflict of interest. Both of their companies are bidding for the same project. Thus, when Cheng Yao resigns from Hua Sheng to join Yu Yi at a critical moment, there is a perception that Lin Xi is betraying Hua Sheng to help Yi Cheng win the bid for Yu Yi.

So, Lin Xi feels that she must cool off their relationship until after the bid is over. She knows that Yi Cheng is at risk of losing his position at Yu Yi without Cheng Yao’s help. But at the same time, she cannot let him know that she is facing pressure from her company as that will put Yi Cheng in a difficult position. They talk it over after Yu Yi won the bid and Yi Cheng finally realizes Lin Xi’s position and difficulties.

Second Couple

Sha Sha was once saved by We Tian when she got injured while hiking on a mountainous trail. This is revealed in Episode 11. She has feelings for him but hides it when she learns that he already has a girlfriend in Episode 12. Sha Sha turns cold towards Wei Tian as a result which leaves him confused in Episode 13. She asks for a transfer to another department to avoid Wei Tian in Episode 17.

Wei Tian confronts Sha Sha over the transfer request in Episode 18. Thus, Sha Sha is forced to tell Wei Tian that she likes him but has to stay away because he is already taken. They become a couple after Wei Tian explains that his “girlfriend” is a blind date set up by their parents and they are merely putting on an act to appease them. He then confesses his feelings to Sha Sha and she agrees to be together with him.

The couple breaks up in Episode 29 after a quarrel over her work arrangement. Sha Sha’s mother also feels that they are incompatible and is always advising her to give up on Wei Tian. As Wei Tian tries to save their relationship, Sha Sha insists on breaking up in Episode 30 and 31. She feels that they are from 2 different worlds and it will be a torture to change themselves to accommodate each other despite the love between them.

However, when Wei Tian offers to go to a virus-infected region for translation duty in Episode 33, Sha Sha is worried about him. She decides to join him for the mission. They got married a year later in Episode 36.

Third Couple

Tong Xin offers Cheng Yao a room in her apartment after he decided to move out from his grandaunt’s place following Lin Xi’s rejection. Tong Xin feels responsible because her son caused Cheng Yao to fall down and hurt his back. In Episode 17, Tong Xin finds that Cheng Yao is actually a talented guy with fluency in different languages and a willingness to share his knowledge. They also start to share their thoughts and love experiences in Episode 19. Cheng Yao finds Tong Xin beautiful and tells her so in Episode 23. But she mistakenly thinks that he still has feelings for Lin Xi and wants to move out from her apartment in Episode 24.

This leads to Cheng Yao’s confession in Episode 28 when Tong Xin seems to be avoiding him. However, he gets rejected by Tong Xin who fears that he is just being impulsive and merely transferring his love from Lin Xi to her. She rejects him again in Episode 30 by using the excuse that she will lose custody of Peter if she remarries and that would not be fair for either one of them.

Cheng Yao then seeks out his grandaunt for help and she convinces Tong Xin to give Cheng Yao a chance in Episode 32. She agrees but makes no promises of the future. They start dating and the relationship deepens after Cheng Yao joined Yu Yi in Episode 34. In Episode 36, they have been together for a year. While Yu Yi’s success has given Tong Xin a sense of security, being with Cheng Yao is a major part of it. As for Cheng Yao, he doesn’t mind if Tong Xin doesn’t want to get married. He is happy and contented as long as they are together.

Our Interpreter Review – Wasted Potential

It took me a long time to finish watching Our Interpreter. I just had no urge to continue after 20 episodes or so because it has gotten a bit boring. It started well with a focus on the translation industry and the advent of AI which could replace human translators and interpreters. At the very least, this is not another rich and domineering CEO trope like I May Love You and Hello, I’m At Your Service. Furthermore, if you like a more matured and/or second chance romance, this will seem to pack much potential for a great story. Unfortunately, the way the story and characters are written makes it easy to lose interest somewhere along the way that it becomes such a dread to watch.

Basically, the story is about a girl who dumped a guy back in college because she didn’t want to hold him back while she had her own dream to pursue. When they meet again 8 years later, the plot will naturally have happenings that throw them back together. While those events aren’t particularly interesting and dramatic, the main problem for me is the lack of a story once they reconcile. This is where boredom sets in. The attention switches to the side couples once the reconciliation is done with while the main couple’s interactions become more like fillers.

On top of that, there are many glaring weaknesses and/or contentious issues in the plot. Thus, the drama may be peppered with negative vibes that will annoy viewers even from the very beginning.

Plot Controversies (Spoilers Alert!)

Firstly, the way the female lead broke up with the male lead is questionable. She did it for both of their future but she also took away his right to decide what he wants to do with their relationship. There was simply no communication although you can also argue that she was young and idealistic. After meeting again, it is obvious that he has his suspicions why she broke up with him. If you think of it that way, then his initial anger and resentment become unnecessary. The suddenness in which they flip from being friends or business associates to lovers is also a weakness for a romance drama.

Secondly, whatever disagreement the couple has after they reconciled is then pushed to the very end to try to give the drama a climax. However, the end result doesn’t leave me with a good feeling because the actions of the male lead’s company results in problems for his girlfriend. What his company did isn’t wrong but perhaps, ungentlemanly. While she understands his motivations and predicament, I no longer care about their ending by then.

Thirdly, the female lead’s grandfather’s and aunt’s actions towards her family throughout the last 30 years leave much to be desired. To force a happy ending for all of them because of this usual ‘we-are-family’ mantra just turns me off especially when the aunt is such a petty and envious woman. You can see the same ending in Fireworks Of My Heart and Romance On The Farm whereby everyone just forgives and forgets.

Unconvincing Side Couples

There are 2 side couples in Our Interpreter and they do have quite a bit of screen time. The first side couple involves a more matured guy with a pampered, rich girl who comes from a strong family background in the linguistic field. I don’t find them to be a convincing couple at all as they belong to 2 different worlds. They have different lifestyles. He is fit and rugged while she is fragile and sheltered. They obviously have to bridge the gap but this is not explored in detail. But it doesn’t really matter to me because they just don’t have what it takes to convince me that they can be a compatible pair with the way their story and characters have been written.

The second side couple is a divorced single mother and a young guy with a talent in minor languages. This is an older woman and younger man romance. He starts off pursuing the female lead first before falling for the divorcee after getting rejected by the former. Therefore, some might just find him to be an immature young kid and it is hard to see him as a lover to a much older woman.

In short, the side couples are uninspiring and fail to add more sweetness to the drama. At times, it feels as if they are forcefully paired up as they hardly make a matching couple onscreen.

Acting & Chemistry

Our Interpreter is definitely not Victoria Song’s best works to date. She has this constant stoic and gloomy look on her face which is easy to turn viewers off. I think it is the way her character has been written and she is simply projecting that toughness and high standards the character sets for herself. Perhaps a bit less rigidity will make the character more likable and her acting more natural. But she certainly needs to choose better scripts as her previous drama, Almost Lover, is also equally forgettable.

Oliver Chen’s performance as the male lead is better than his co-star to me but there is also nothing memorable about his character. He is reduced to a love struck man and there is this relationship imbalance that seems to suggest that he is into her more than she is into him. It may be romantic for some though. Hence, it really boils down to individual taste.

But the overall chemistry between Victoria Song and Oliver Chen really needs improvement for Our Interpreter to succeed. I haven’t watched My Boss yet but Oliver Chen definitely has better chemistry with Zhang Jing Yi in Fall In Love or even Li Lan Di in The Starry Love while Victoria Song looks more natural with Song Wei Long in Find Yourself. Maybe it’s just me but as the drama progresses, their interaction is unable to generate a swoon-worthy kind of romance that is needed for this kind of drama.

My Verdict – Boring And Skippable

This verdict may be a little harsh for Our Interpreter but I do think it is not worth the time. After all, this is a 36-episode drama. If it had been shorter, perhaps it may still be okay to watch. The start is good enough as the tension between the protagonists will make you stick around. There is anticipation built up for the lovers to get back together. But it then starts to get draggy especially after the reconciliation and the story of the female lead’s family is added in to provide more drama. However, that fails to make it more entertaining. In fact, it makes it worse due to the annoying characters and mediocre storytelling.

I guess you just have to watch it yourself to see if this is your cup of tea. It is mainly for people who like second chance romances but it is not as melodramatic as Here To Heart. It is also geared towards a more matured audience given the age of the characters. There is the business side of things as well but unfortunately, it doesn’t have a well-executed plot unlike Rising With The Wind.

There are many glaring weaknesses to me while watching and hence, 6.5/10 is my score for this Our Interpreter review. While a romance drama can still succeed with a weak plot, the problem with this production is the lack of the magical feeling between the leads to help it overshadow all the weaknesses. You can’t feel anything special between them. Thus, there is nothing to make you crave for more from this pairing.