Hayate The Combat Butler

Photo Credits: Wikipedia

"Xiao Sa" Ling Qisa is an unlucky teenager who worked since childhood to make ends meet due to his parents' irresponsible behavior. On that Christmas Day, he got fired from both his daytime and nighttime jobs, and also finds out that his parents were running from the mafia, leaving behind a massive gambling debt on his shoulders. They even collected his last pay from his nighttime job's boss to escape. Whilst running away from the debt collectors, he ends up meeting Xiao Zhi. From his encounter with the mafia, they said that he didn't even have the guts to be a bad guy as he didn't dare pick up the knife and kill them (to relieve him of his debt). Hence, Xiao Sa thought that since being a filial son and good student didn't help him at all, he should just be a bad guy and kidnap a rich heir/heiress and demand ransom to pay off his debts. However, due to some misunderstandings, he ended up saving Xiao Zhi from a few thugs who tried to pick her up. Xiao Zhi thought that he was confessing as Xiao Sa said that he needed her (literally) when in actual fact he meant that he needed her to agree to him kidnapping her. However, as he went to call Xiao Zhi's family to demand ransom, he backed out at the last moment. During the process, kidnappers came and captured Xiao Zhi while Xiao Sa was away making the call. Xiao Sa then risked his life to save her, and Xiao Zhi ended up hiring him as her butler, and slowly fell in love with him; not always noticing how much he influenced her and how she overcame many of her fears with his help.

Aside from performing his ordinary duties as a butler, Xiao Sa must fight to protect Xiao Zhi from harm - a difficult task since her life is always in danger as she is the target of other individuals coveting her family's fortune - and sometimes deal with some extravagant requests from her, oblivious to Xiao Zhi's true feelings for him. In the later part of the story, Xiao Sa has to deal with other issues that come his way, many of which ends up with some comedic scenes, also romantic ones where Xiao Sa gave encouragement to Xiao Zhi about her dream of drawing manga, and his unknowing care for her along with his unbending loyalty towards her. Xiao Sa's debt was eventually paid by Xiao Zhi, and he vows to serve her with his life. As the story progresses, Xiao Sa also had had to deal with some of his past, and of course, competition with other guys who were in love with Xiao Zhi - some of which have their own charm.

This is actually not a Korean drama but there's a Korean actress in this TV series; Park Shin-hye. Aside from her, all the cast are Taiwanese. Way back 2004, uhm, I was 11 years old by then. I am also addicted to Taiwanese dramas. It all started with the admiration I felt towards the F4 Boys of Meteor Garden. Hahaha! :) I was so young by then but, I really loved that series. And from then on, I started watching and watching different Taiwanese dramas and even Chinese too until Korean dramas dominated the Philippines TV shoes. 

Main Casts:

• George Hu - Xiao Sa/Ling Qi Sa
• Park Shin-hye - Xiao Zhi/Sanqianyuan Zhi (voiced by He Yipei)
• Tia Li - Maria
• Egin Lee - Gui Chiju
• Sean Lee - Ju Xuan
• Wes Lo - Duanmu Zeyu

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