It Started with a Kiss (TV series)


It Started with a Kiss is a Taiwanese drama starring Joe Cheng, Ariel Lin and Jiro Wang of Fahrenheit. It was based on the first 10 volumes of the Japanese manga series Itazura na Kiss written by Kaoru Tada. It was produced by Comic Productions and directed by Chu Yu-ning.
It was broadcast on free-to-air China Television in Taiwan from 25 September 2005 to 12 February 2006, every Sunday at 22:00 and cable TV Gala Television Variety Show/CH 28 31 September 2005 to 18 February 2006, every Saturday from 21:30 to 23:00.
It Started with a Kiss was a huge success, together with its sequel They Kiss Again, both locally and internationally, pinning it as the truest and one of the most successful adaptations of the manga. Due to the extreme popularity received by the drama and the actors, Joe and Ariel acted together in 3 successful consecutive dramas.
It is the second live-action television adaptation following the Japanese adaptation also titled Itazura na Kiss and followed by its sequel They Kiss Again in 2007 and South Korean adaptation Playful Kiss in 2010. It Started with a Kiss also aired on Hawaii's KIKU Television weekly on Saturdays at 6:00.

Synopsis

Yuan Xiang Qin is a bumbling, intellectually challenged, naïve, but optimistic high school girl. Ever since she met Jiang Zhi Shu at the freshman orientation, she's been in love with the genius with an IQ of 200. After two years of having a crush on him, she finally musters the courage to confess her love to him at school with a love letter. Zhi Shu is not impressed, and Xiang Qin is left humiliated publicly in front of their entire school.
That afternoon, the new house she has just moved into with her father collapsed in a minor earthquake. She and her father are instantly left homeless because they lacked the foresight to pay for earthquake insurance. Fortunately, her father's old college friend extends a helping hand and invites both of them to live at his house. Little does Xiang Qin know that the kind Uncle Li is actually the father of Jiang Zhi Shu.
Because of this unexpected turn of events, Zhi Shu and Xiang Qin begin living their lives under the same roof. Zhi Shu's mother aspires to bring them together, coaxing Zhi Shu into tutoring Xiang Qin and taking numerous pictures of the couple together. Zhi Shu remains cold towards Xiang Qin, thinking her to be one of the dumbest people he has ever met, and refuses to speak to her at school. Through the course of the series, Zhi Shu slowly warms up to Xiang Qin, who tries her hardest to do better in school for him, as they deal with romantic rivals, their futures, and their relationship.

Main cast

Soundtrack

It Started with a Kiss Original Soundtrack was released on 21 October 2005 by Various Artists under Alfa Music. It contains thirteen songs, in which one song, "Love Ocean" by Ye Qing Long has an English version entitled "Sky". The opening theme song is "Say U Love Me" by Jason and Lara, while the ending theme song is by Wang Lan Yin entitled "惡作劇" or "Practical Joke".

Track listing

Reception

It Started with a Kiss was a blockbuster hit, both locally and internationally. It was one of the most epic Taiwanese dramas ever made and also one of the most popular Taiwanese dramas to be successful internationally.
Joe Cheng, Ariel Lin and Jiro Wang of Fahrenheit received immense popularity and praises for their roles.

International broadcasts

The series was broadcast on ABS-CBN in the Philippines in 2006, the characters were renamed: 'Jiang Zhi Shu' became 'Michael' and 'Yuan Xiang Qin' became 'Jeannie'. The series re-aired in 2007, followed by its sequel. It was then shown again on sister network Studio 23. But in 2012, the series was rebroadcast in the Philippines by rival network GMA Network, premiering February 20, 2012. For this airing, 'Jiang Zhi Shu' was 'Joseph Jiang' and 'Yuan Xiang Qin' took the name 'Arianne Yuan'.
In Japan, the series was broadcast on BS-TBS, Tokyo MX, Chiba TV and SUN TV in 2006, the characters were renamed same like original Japanese manga characters name.
In Thailand, it aired on Channel 3 on Friday to Saturday at 10:30 p.m. to 11:50 p.m., from March 22, 2008 to June 13, 2008. and its re-run on Friday to Sunday at 02:15 a.m. and 01:30 a.m., beginning September 11, 2015.