This Is Not What I Expected -

A ruthless, perfectionist CEO specializing in hotel acquisitions. He prefers to eat alone and views everything through the lens of business efficiency.

In the film, food acts as a stand-in for emotional and physical intimacy. The two characters communicate their personalities and growing affection through complex, expertly shot cooking sequences—most notably a series of 18 different egg dishes Shengnan prepares to satisfy Lu Jin’s exacting standards. This Is Not What I Expected

Many find it a "breezy, inoffensive outing" perfect for a lazy afternoon, specifically lauding Zhou Dongyu’s "visceral" performance and the high production value. This Is Not What I Expected

Critics often note the film explores the "ruthless education" that a simple, lower-class life can provide to high society. It prioritizes emotional resonance over "airtight logic," using surreal sequences like a trippy, pufferfish-induced hallucination where the leads believe it is raining inside a bus. This Is Not What I Expected

A messy, talented sous chef at the Rosebud Hotel. Her culinary genius is the only thing that prevents the hotel’s buyout from failing.

Some critics argue the character of Lu Jin remains relatively flat and that the romance can feel superficial or overly formulaic compared to more grounded dramas.