Only for Love

Amazing Only for Love

Only For Love, a 2023 Chinese romantic drama, brings together the captivating on-screen duo of Bai Lu and Dylan Wang. The series, directed by Guo Hu, consists of 36 episodes and premiered on November 3, 2023 ¹ ².

The story revolves around Zheng Shu Yi, a talented and determined journalist played by Bai Lu, who seeks to land a front-page story by interviewing the elusive CEO of Yunchuang Capital, Shi Yan, portrayed by Dylan Wang. As they meet repeatedly, their professional relationship blossoms into romance, complicated by Zheng Shu Yi's initial intentions to avenge her ex-boyfriend's infidelity ¹ ² ³.

Throughout the series, the chemistry between Bai Lu and Dylan Wang is undeniable, making their characters' romance a compelling aspect of the drama. The supporting cast, including Wei Zhe Ming, Shen Yu Jie, and Liu Dong Qin, adds depth to the narrative, exploring themes of love, loyalty, and ambition ².

While the drama's storyline may follow familiar tropes, the characters' development and interactions keep the narrative engaging. The series also delves into the complexities of relationships, showcasing the challenges faced by the characters as they navigate love, heartbreak, and personal growth ³.

Overall, Only For Love is a captivating romantic drama that explores the intricacies of love and relationships, set against the backdrop of the competitive business world. With its talented cast, engaging storyline, and stunning visuals, this series is a must-watch for fans of Chinese dramas and romance enthusiasts alike.

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Good cast, bad story... A waste of potential.

The main selling point in this drama is on Bailu and Dylan Wang's fame.

The story is poorly written, I can't believe we still seeing a female lead so dumb, so childish, so annoying, and so clingy from start till the end -- and a CEO who blindly in love with all of her antique. That also didn't fit with their character background story. Zheng Shu Yi supposed to be a smart and successful female reporter, but none of her action nor her words in this drama showing how smart she is. Can she be more sensible, please? FYI, yeah I know the actor and actress were only following the script. Thus, I blame all these to the production team!

The romantic scenes in the last 4-5 episodes kinda okay, with hot kisses and hot bed scenes, but that's it. Unnecessary quarrel and misunderstanding dominated the 30 episodes, and its really tiring to see even though I like both ML and FL. Perhaps, this series might be better if they made it into only 24 episodes, not 36. I hope Dylan Wang and Bailu will be more selective in choosing their next project.

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enjoyable

love watching these two actors. it was a great fit and chemistry. the supporting actors are also enjoyable to watch their storylines grow and evolve.

at times I thought it was very slow going, but realized life doesn’t happen and solve things fast, especially relationship problems. so I sat back and enjoyed the process.

I will be looking for more of their movies to follow. ML is what brought me to this series, but will also start following the other actors as well.

the one highly disappointment of watching this on YouTube was the constant “Silence” from around episode 20 till the end random moments of silence where the volume was turned off. I understand copyright, but it really interfered with enjoying the show and giving a higher score. However this is the ONLY series so far that will keep the captions even when the volume is off.
please find a way to stop turning off the volume.

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Frustrating misunderstandings and interruptions

I loved Bai Lu in Love is Sweet. She was also good in this but the number of misunderstandings that never gets resolved until many episodes later. It got to be too much. Her ducking out of kisses, and tiptoeing away got so old. Phone interruptions constantly in tender moments. If this were edited down I may have enjoyed it more. As it was even as they got past their misunderstandings they still seemed to be uncomfortable around each other. Perhaps it's the culture (ie censors) but I've seen other Chinese dramas that handle these same issues very well. Especially the ones that have many episodes.
Those glasses on Dylan Wang looked terrible! He is a good looking guy and I love glasses on guys but these really did not compliment him. I did not really like his portrayal of a taciturn business man but I tried to warm up to it. I feel like he did what was asked of him from, I assume, the director.
The FL bestie gave horrible advice constantly. All in all this was way more painful to watch that it should have been. I was really looking forward to this.

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A Heartfelt Masterpiece

Only For Love is an extraordinary drama that captures the essence of romance, sacrifice, and the power of human connection. From the moment the opening credits roll, viewers are swept into a beautifully crafted narrative that resonates on multiple emotional levels. This drama is not just a story; it’s an experience that lingers long after the credits have rolled.

The plot centers around two individuals from vastly different backgrounds who find themselves drawn together by fate. The story unfolds with a perfect blend of tension, humor, and heartfelt moments, making it impossible to look away. The pacing is impeccable, allowing the audience to fully immerse themselves in the characters’ journeys. Each twist and turn feels organic, keeping you engaged and invested in their love story.

What truly sets Only For Love apart is its character development. The protagonists are richly layered, each with their own dreams, fears, and vulnerabilities. The film takes the time to explore their backgrounds, making their connection feel authentic and relatable. You can’t help but root for them as they navigate the challenges that life throws their way. The chemistry between the lead actors is palpable; their performances are so genuine that it feels like you’re witnessing a real romance unfold before your eyes.

Visually, the film is stunning. The cinematography is breathtaking, with beautifully framed shots that capture the essence of each scene. Whether it’s a sweeping landscape or an intimate moment between the characters, every frame is a work of art. The attention to detail in the production design adds depth to the world, making it feel alive and vibrant.

The soundtrack is another highlight of Only For Love. The score perfectly complements the emotional beats of the drama, enhancing the viewing experience. Each piece of music is thoughtfully chosen, evoking the right feelings at the right moments. It’s the kind of soundtrack that you’ll want to listen to long after the drama ends, as it captures the heart of the story beautifully.

One of the drama's greatest strengths is its ability to tackle complex themes such as love, loss, and redemption without feeling heavy-handed. It encourages viewers to reflect on their own relationships and the sacrifices we make for the ones we love. The messages are woven seamlessly into the narrative, providing depth and meaning without detracting from the overall enjoyment of the drama.

With its compelling story, rich character development, stunning visuals, and an unforgettable soundtrack, it sets a new standard for romantic cinema. Whether you’re a fan of the genre or just looking for a beautifully told story, Only For Love is an experience you won’t want to miss.

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Romance drama with barely any Romance

Giving props to the cast bc they’re great and I watched this drama bc it has many of my favorite actors/actresses in it BUT this drama is so disappointing. It dragged on and I stuck with it cuz for sure thought something interesting was going to happen with the main couple but ended up with nothing. The script felt like it was someone’s first time writing one. It was all over the place and lacked common sense throughout the drama. The way some scenes are filmed is also odd. I’m surprised by the high rating cuz it should be a 6-7 MAX
My review of the couples and characters:

(Main couple) Shiyan & Zheng Shiyi - Most boring couple with uninteresting relationship development. They tried to make the reason for the breakup such a big deal which honestly it’s not so it seemed really ridiculous and couldn’t understand why they’d breakup over it. I love Bai Lu but her character was my least favorite. She’s a spoiled snobby brat. Very annoying and I got very irritated watching her. Dylan played ShiYan pretty well but there are other actors that would’ve suited the part better bc next to Bai Lu he looks too young if that makes sense. I didn’t feel the chemistry. It was actually hard to watch. Last 7-8 eps I was getting bored and fast forward all this couple’s scenes. Didn’t need to watch cuz they pretty much just text each other and you can tell what’s happening. There’s a lot of slow motion scenes w/long music breaks with them.

(Side couple) Professor Yu & Qin ShiYu - THIS couple is what the drama should’ve been about! Only reason I kept watching the drama was for them. Older 30 yr man falling in love with a 22 yr woman matches more to the title of this drama. At first ShiYu can seem immature and annoying bc she’s the spoiled rich girl that crushes on Yu but you start to see her character development which is the best in the drama. She wouldn’t take no for an answer after Yu rejects her cuz she knew he’s the one so she learns to be independent and along the way finds out what she wants to do with her life. Yu and ShiYu have the cutest confession scene. TBH Professor Yu wasn’t all that interesting unless he was with ShiYu but that’s bc he didn’t have a ton of screen time so really didn’t get to know much about him. These 2 have really good cute chemistry and only wish they got together earlier.

(Side couple) Guan Ji & ShanShan - Both are players that can’t commit but want to be with each other. This couple was confusing and I really didn’t know why the drama needed them.

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You can only enjoy this drama if you throw logic away. Great actors, very bad script and editing.

This drama had a promising start but wasn't able to keep up till the end due to a really terrible script that throws logic away. If you want to watch a drama just for the sweet and heart fluttering moments and just shutting off common sense, this can be an enjoyable drama as we have at least five (5) pairs:
1. ML and FL
2. 2ML and 2FL
3. 3ML and 3FL
4. 3ML Father and FL's editor-in-chief
5. ML's assistant and FL's office friend

For me who cannot fathom glaring flaws in storytelling, it's a bad watching experience. The screenwriter seems to lack ideas so a lot of plots are recycled over and over again.
Case#1: Moments between two leads keep getting interrupted by either a phone call or somebody else, then FL will run away and hide.
Case#2: When FL is saying something else in her mind but ended up saying something else in reality
Case#3: Car ride scenes

The FL's character was also written poorly where she was supposed to be a top notch magazine writer that could land big shot interviews for their magazine, thus, who should have 1) good communication skills and 2) excellent EQ but a lot of misunderstandings happen due to her lack of these two. It started with her misunderstanding about who the mistress' "uncle" was and just proceeded with her thought that it was the ML. As a writer, she should have good investigative skills and thoroughly checked the identity of said uncle. This defies the logic of her character. She also is written as someone who supposedly values honesty but her actions towards ML roots from a lie. When her lie was exposed, she didn't give the ML a proper apology. She only apologize for the sake of their collaboration with her digital magazine. Even if deep inside she wanted to say sorry, in reality she just keeps talking about work. And this was dragged for so long. There are multiple scenarios when she could have said "I'm sorry" sincerely but no, the writer dragged this out. And when the ML got really mad at her and decided to keep away from her, she made herself the victim. I can go on and on about the flaws in logic I saw in this drama as there are too many to mention. If it's only a few, I could have ignored those flaws and enjoy this. Thus, story is 3/10.

The OSTs are good but didn't leave a mark on me so 5/10.

The only salvaging point of this drama are the excellent acting of all the actors. Thus, I rated Acting/Cast category as 9/10. I could feel the sizzling chemistry between the leads. And you can see how they work so hard portraying the roles given to them. That I appreciate much knowing how hard they worked on this drama for several months.

So, watch at your own risk. I would never recommend this drama to others nor will I rewatch this in the future. 1/10

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Typical romcom Chinese drama and could have been shorter

In general I like it, there are things I liked and things that I didn’t. It made me smile and laugh, but also annoyed me at time. I also like a drama with multiple couples. I think it’s more interesting then a drama concentrating more on a love triangle, with like the 2 leads and a side or 2 SL with unrequited love. That was here a bit, but not for the entire drama.

I didn’t want to start at first because I wasn’t feeling this pairing for the leads. But it wasn’t that bad, they were kinda cute together. The kissing scenes were good, much better outside the drama though. Annoying censorship, they were shorter with not good angles for a lot of them in the drama. But still great skinship and moments

I was annoyed at both of them after her secret was out (how she was using him at first) :
- she was making no efforts and only thinking about work. She lied for so long, she deserved the silence treatment in the beginning. Also, her spending time with Yi Yang was so much annoying, like girl should have told him from the beginning that she’s not interested in him and she should have told him no to hang out (she told him later, but should have done it in the beginning). That guy was so annoying and weird. Bro literally showed up at her parents place and try to get with her went she was already and a relationship, in love with someone else.
- I agree that he had the right to be mad and ignore her, but he still could have let her try to explain too after a while. The breakup was too damn long, both of them incapable of talking was annoying.

The plot was a bit draggy, too many episodes, but still enjoyable. It’s a romcom, you can’t expect much more than that for a plot.

The third couple could have had a better and more interesting story. Their chemistry was amazing, but the misunderstanding and their story kept going in circles before they got together. Since they were already in love at the very beginning of the drama, they should have made them get together sooner, since also all the couples got officially together quite late.

I loved the second couple, I think they were cute. I was looking forward to their scenes, I was patiently waiting for YY to realize is feeling and get jealous.

Anyway too many ongoing dramas, time to pass to another one😂 but I think I would recommend this drama, not everyone would like it. It can be cliche, cringe and dragging misunderstanding for like all the main couples, but it’s an okay romcom

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