Be Passionately in Love

Be Passionately in Love was a drama with a good core storyline but ruined by lazy writing, poor dialogues and disconnected screenplay.. Even the dubbing was bad.. The one redeeming factor was Wang An Yu..

The first half was very disappointing.. It just didn’t connect with me.. Once again the issue was lazy writing.. This drama could have been salvaged easily if the writer had simply done his job with a bit more effort.. The no kiss issue only added to the drama’s problems.. I heard Liu Hao Cun had a no kiss clause in her contract.. But there is no official confirmation yet.. If that’s true she honestly shouldn’t have been cast in this role.. What is she doing in a drama literally titled Be Passionately in Love if she can’t kiss?? It just felt inauthentic. It’s true that passion doesn’t necessarily require kissing or intimate scenes.. But this drama was already lacking and abrubtly cutting those moments didn’t help its case at all..

The second half was definitely stronger than the first and the last few episodes were genuinely good..

All that said.. I still liked the drama.. Yes, it fails in execution.. But I appreciated it for what it tried to be.. A story about two teens dealing with realistic problems.. Family issues, uncertain futures and misunderstandings caused by a lack of maturity.. Another highlight for me was the absence of the usual annoying SMLs, Creepy characters hitting on people already in relationships, forced breakups and last minute patch ups.. It was clear they didn’t want to rely on the typical overused tropes and I genuinely appreciated that.. It even had strong, well written supporting characters..

“What I want might be a bit greedy..
It’s a passionate and unwavering love.. One of a kind.
It has to be just me.”

Wang Anyu really needs to consider changing his agency or start being more selective with scripts himself.. Because this isn’t the way to build a solid career.. His last few dramas haven’t been particularly impressive and that’s unfortunate given his potential.. Hopefully his upcoming roles will reflect the kind of actor he is capable of being..

Overall, Its a good drama if you can look past the shortcomings in the writing and screenplay.. Like I said earlier, the absence of the usual overused tropes was refreshing and that alone makes it worth a watch for those tired of overly familiar cliches..

P.S.. I totally respect her choice but I hope Liu Hao Cun stays away from dramas with romance as the main plot..

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Beautiful Chemistry, Wasted Passion

Now that I’ve finished the drama, I can finally give a full review and I have to admit, my feelings are quite mixed.
At first, I was completely drawn in. The story had a peaceful, comforting tone, and the chemistry between the two leads was undeniable. I absolutely fell in love with Wang An Yu — his presence is magnetic, his acting sincere, and he truly carried the emotional weight of the show. The plot, while simple, was exactly what I needed: something romantic, light, and soothing.

However, there are a few things that really let me down. First and foremost, I’m very disappointed in the casting decision. Choosing a lead actress who doesn’t film kiss scenes for a romance drama — especially one that’s meant to *express passion*, was a huge mistake. She’s beautiful and talented, and I don’t blame her personally, but it honestly destroyed a lot of the emotional payoff the story was building toward. The chemistry was there, but without any real physical intimacy, the passion felt incomplete.

To make things worse, the final episode didn’t land the way I had hoped. The wedding was lovely, but the scenes *after* the marriage — while maybe realistic — left a bittersweet taste. I wanted a romantic high point, something fulfilling, but instead it felt a bit flat and even a little disappointing. It wasn't the satisfying ending this couple deserved.

This drama had all the elements to become one of my favorite c-dramas: a compelling love story, a visually stunning cast, and a strong emotional base. But the missed opportunities — especially the lack of any kiss scene — were frustrating. What could have easily been a 10/10 ends up as an 8.5/10 for me, saved mostly by how amazing Wang An Yu was and the overall enjoyable tone of the series.

I’m honestly a little angry that such a beautiful couple and passionate story were wasted like this.

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What Was This???

This series was given the wrong name. It should have been “man loves with whole heart while selfish female walks all over him”.

I stuck it out hoping against hope that the last few episodes would show both of them fully committed and making an effort to keep their love passionate and committed. But this turned into a man who loved a woman who had the emotional capacity of a six year old.

I read a couple of reviews that said this was nothing like the book, and if I was the author of the book I would be incredibly sad at how a drama that started out with so much potential fell - no plummeted to the sidewalk like an apple dropped from the top of a skyscraper.

Three of the cast were stellar. the ML (Wang Anyu), ML’s little brother (Fu Bohan) and the ML’s mother (Dong Xyan). The rest felt like they were grabbed off the street to fill a role because the actors quit. It was a miss match of acting ability, and robbed the story even further of its potential.

The music was good. Especially the OST. It’s a little haunting and mysterious, like love.

The script? It’s hard to say what it was originally like, and what ended up being edited and left on the cutting room floor by censors.

I don’t like leaving bad reviews because every persons work deserves to be looked at and recognized for their efforts, but this was poorly done. Casting, editing, chemistry - all fell short. There was too much focus on the FL and very little on the story between the couples. It held very little resemblance to its title. There were hints at resolving old parental wounds on both sides, and while the ML confronted his, the FL’s started and then just stopped. No resolution, nothing.

I feel for the author and the three actors I mentioned before. So much potential and talent - wasted.

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Biggest disappointment of 2025 / Cringe-fest / I blame the casting director

==Breakdown==
Background plot - 20%
Romance - 80%

Background plot - Good
Romantic chemistry - THE WORST I'VE EVER SEEN (despite the ML attempting to carry the show by himself)
Production value and direction - Excellent

I really loved Liu Hao Cun in 'Derailment,' but this role is not right for her at all. I would go so far as to say this is the most miscast role of all time. The title of this is 'Be Passionately In Love' and the FL is neither passionate or (as far as I could tell by episode 18) in love. Reading through comments it seems this actress doesn't feel comfortable doing any kiss scenes or physical intimacy on screen? Then... why the heck did she take this show? She singlehandedly ruined what should've been an epic modern romance.

And what a total waste of Wang An Yu's talent. I felt so bad for the actor during literally *ALL* of their scenes. It's like he's acting all alone in this one. Poor guy. :-\

Basically, it's a great story, great music, great cinematography and direction, etc. etc. etc. ruined by a flat and soulless performance by the FL. Despite my admiration for both actors' previous performances, this one was legit hard to watch, I was cringing more and more, and ultimately had to drop it.

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'Sometimes, healing begins with being truly seen.'

Watching this drama reminded me that as long as your love is genuine, things find a way to work out.

Xuzhi’s relationship with her father touched me deeply. A single father who raised her with everything he had — not in grand gestures, but in daily effort and quiet devotion. She never forgot her mother either, still dreaming of her, still seeing her as a guiding figure in her heart. That kind of emotional memory… it doesn’t fade with time, it deepens.

And then there’s Chen Luzhou — perhaps the most sensible male lead I’ve seen in a drama. His restraint, his patience, his quiet strength... only some may truly understand the fury he hides. He never let himself cry in front of his parents, but he broke down in front of Xuzhi. That wasn’t weakness — that was trust. He finally let himself be vulnerable with someone who truly saw him for who he is.

His struggle to give love, when he never really received it, was one of the most emotional parts for me. He kept moving homes, not out of restlessness, but because none of those places felt like home.

" Xuzhi wanted to love. Luzhou was yearning for someone’s love. "

This drama doesn’t rush its emotions. It allows space for silences, for misunderstandings, for healing. It’s tender and real. And long after the final episode, I think it’s going to stay with me.

A note on the title: I’ve seen some viewers say they felt misled because there are no ‘proper’ kiss scenes, despite the title Be Passionately in Love. But to me, the passion in this story was never about physical intimacy — it was about the emotional depth, the silent sacrifices, and the intense longing both characters held. You can feel their love in a glance, in a pause, in every moment they choose to stay — and that, too, is passion.

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Be Passionately in Love - Or Should It Be “Be Passionately Platonic”?

This drama promised romance but delivered little to none of it. They should consider changing the title, HONESTLY!

The chemistry between the leads had some potential, but with barely any kissing, awkwardly cut intimate scenes, and constant reliance on hugs that, over time, felt artificial, it ended up feeling completely flat.

Even if the romantic scenes had been better, the weak script and strange, often nonsensical dialogue would’ve still dragged it down. A few genuine kisses and some real chemistry might’ve at least given viewers something to hold onto.

The female lead gave off strong narcissistic vibes. She never seemed emotionally invested or even remotely in love, which is ironic considering the title. The show tried to justify her behavior with a short, superficial backstory about her mother, but it didn’t do much. I couldn’t connect with Xuzhi at all; she was cold and nonchalant the entire time.

The second leads had no development and If they had been removed from the story, it wouldn’t have made any difference.

Liu Haocun is a good actress, but this role wasn’t right for her. Even if her character had been more likable, I still couldn’t feel any of that “being in love” energy from her. There was no spark, no passion.

The male lead clearly tried to carry the drama on his own. He made his emotions believable even when he was essentially kissing air. From the start, he looked genuinely smitten, and you could really feel his love and admiration for her. He was always the one chasing after her, and that imbalance made the lack of connection even more frustrating. I actually felt bad for him.

Overall, this drama was incredibly frustrating to watch. For a story that was supposed to be romantic, it completely lacked the one thing it promised: romance.
In the end, the only memorable part was the OST.

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Romance drama but without romance scene

First I see what Tencent will be airing 2025. I got so hype because this drama include in it.

The theme of the drama which is based on novel and which I have read them for couple time, was how couple of teenagers cruising the life into the adulthood like how they prepare to national exams, university life and adult life which have tons of responsibility. Plus, their eye point view on their parents life. Of, course the most important thing I wait this drama the 해방적인 teenager do when they falling in love.

In the acting perspective. I must declare first that I have no beef with Liu Haochun, she can potray Xu Zhi robot expression since Xu Zhi is apathetic because her mother issues (in novel her mother project is being held and the worker's salaries unpaid which they camped outside Xu Zhi's house even do a moral kidnapping by brought their few months old baby there.) Unfortunately, Li Haochun didnt do the romance scenes, she definitely misscasted here. On the other side Anyu acting OMG after the heart breaking drama "Such a Good Love" he take more light but challenging since Chen Louzhou aka Dog Chen/Chen GǒuGǒu and Chen Jiaojiao is complex male teenager that requires Anyu potray that emotion. His eyes spark with emotion, Anyu such a rare actor since not many can acting with their eyes.

The green screen Aigoo wrecked all the emotion that build. The lighting OMG its going to blind me not only they whiten the screen fir dreamy effect but the light. Even if the riding scene are fake please do teach the actress how to body acting ride motorcycles. If the body stiff like that, when the accidents happened the body cant handle properly the shock and will end up in Trauma Centre.

One of the worthy in this drama is the ost and bgm. Zhou Shen and Wang Anyu voices can tempted you to stay longer.

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A beautiful, compelling watch!

Many people would assume this drama is purely romance based on its synopsis or title. But nope! This drama has so much more to offer that you’ll forget the one thing where it fails in the romance department: an actual kiss scene.

Be Passionately In Love is a whole rounded show which I ended up loving despite the initial prejudice I had. Initially I stayed away from this drama because of the female lead’s alleged no-kissing clause, and I remember thinking to myself, “how could that be? one big aspect of this show is the physical intimacy between the main couple. not doing any kiss scene is a disrespect to the novel”.

But you know what? This drama worked for me! Maybe I’m just a sucker for young, pure love romance, or the amazing OSTs, or maybe it’s the convincing acting from Anyu/Haocun, or the lack of unnecessary toxicity from external factors. In any case, there’s many aspects about this show that tugged my heart.

I enjoyed the family dynamics in this show. It centred around compassion, forgiveness, acceptance. There was this scene where XZ looked at her father and noticed his white hairs, likewise there was a similar scene where CLZ noticed the same on his stepdad. They realized how their fathers were aging and decided to be more compassionate towards them. There was also this whole identity ordeal surrounding CLZ, and despite past conflicts or misunderstandings, he chose to let go of resentment and embraced it with compassion and forgiveness instead.

I also loved how this drama captured the essence of wholesome friendships without relying on unnecessary conflicts. Same thing could also be said for the relationship between XZ and CLZ. The talking or flirting stage in the beginning was fun, and witnessing how that casual connection transitioned to a deeper bond was mesmerizing to watch.

Another aspect that I appreciated from this drama was how inspirational it was. It featured a female lead who cared about her goals and not just her romance with the male lead. I love how it inspired me to wake up early (the FL wakes up at 4am!) and work hard to get what I want to achieve. Yes, XZ got a boyfriend at a young age but it did not make her forget her responsibilities to her studies. The FL worked hard to achieve everything she got. Even when she got together with the ML, she was still focused in her studies. One of my fave scenes was when XZ gave her speech in her high school at the end, saying:
“We can be insignificant, but we can also be great”
“As long as the sun rises, we will always have the future”
“In those rainy days, we can wring out our clothes. It can still go on”
“In the end, it is us who choose the world, and not the world that chooses us”

Having only 24 eps also means that this drama is not that long, which means there are little to no unnecessary side plots. Even if there is, e.g. side couple, they’re still interesting to watch.

Last but not the least, the acting of the leads was spectacular. I realized how Haocun was perfect to act as Xu Zhi. Her aloof yet soft hearted spot has been acted so well. She was great, but I still think that the real magic of why this drama worked for me was Anyu. He shined in this show! Anyu’s acting truly embodies CLZ – whether it’s joy, fear, love, doubts, longing – everything from his eyes to his body language feels natural and genuine.

Overall, this has been a compelling watch that combines emotional depth with stunning storytelling and visuals. It’s the kind that stays with you after the very last episode, not just for how it ended, but for what it made you feel in its entirety.

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Watch it if you're open to the idea of romance without the portrayal of kisses

It's my first review, so bear with me. Given that this might not be the first review/comment you have read in regards to the series, some introductionary thoughts: The controversy around this one is rather interesting because somehow there seems to be little middle ground as to whether someone dislikes or likes this drama. As someone that has a rather pragmatic view in regards to the romance genre of Chinese entertainment industry, I usually don't start a series expecting heavy emotional turmoil or longshots of kisses. I'm glad if it's a part of the series but I'm quite happy with the subtle indications and for the rest to be left to imagination and context interpretation.

That being said, the likability of this drama therefore comes down to one's own preference of how romance dramas are done. Since many seem to have read the novel beforehand, it was somewhat to be expected that many were dissapointed when a lot of the phyiscal intimacy wasn't as much of a part of the script as it could have been. AsI hadn't read the novel, I had the fortunate privilege of starting the series of only having known the trailer and having seen various shorts on social media networks.

If you somehow don't mind watching a romance drama with no kisses and are open to the idea of it being a fairly light-hearted romance drama with a lot of sarcasm and just the right amount of drama - then this one might be a series for you. Due to it's light hearted nature, certain characters might therefore seem somewhat estranged from what we expect personalities to be in real life. But then again, the vast majority of romance dramas would never meet my threshold in that regard.

I enjoyed this series quite a lot since it brought me plenty of laughs but also touched on many aspects that I, as an individual having grown up in similar environments, could well relate too. It made me emotional for various scenes but then the situation would be then quickly resolved by something uplifting and sudenly the joy of that would somehow wash aways all those sorrows.

All in all, I can highly recommend this one if you manage your epectations a bit better.
Can't hurt to give it a try, it might just hit the right spots for you.

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Feels artificial

Dropping it on ep17, I just can't watch it any more

If you want unbiased review from a non-novel reader, here it is. I had no idea about the actress's no kissing rule, I haven't read the novel and started watching it solely because of Wang Anyu. And so far he's the only good thing in this drama.

The romance. I don't understand how exactly fl fell in love with ml. She seemed so nonchalant and then, suddenly, in love. I do love Liu Haou Cun's acting BUT only in scenes when she's on her own. I don't see fl's feelings towards ml at all. I only see the yearning and love from Wang Anyu's acting

But that wouldn't be a problem if they had some physical intimacy to SHOW that they're in love not tell. And that's when they failed. Because we have no feelings from fl's side, no physical intimacy to show that they're in love and no plot/certaim circumstances for them to get closer and fall in love

That "no plot" is another separate issue because it all started with ml's mother but then it got resolved VERY quickly and we didn't get any tension from that, then the separation ended quickly and again no tension/anticipation. And finally she forgave him for a basically non-existent problem very fast. And here's the question: what should keep the viewers engaged? Usually it's one of these 3 things: chemistry/good acting, physical touch, plot

For example, another Wang Anyu drama "Forever love" which I think is very similar to this one. That one had very little physical intimacy scenes but there was a great acting from fl and Wang Anyu, and the plot actually made you engaged.

Another example - Hidden Love, this one has all 3 things, or another Wang Anyu drama "Falling into you", too, has all 3 aspects

And when you have none of them, I don't know what you need to do to keep viewers happy, really

Maybe I'm dropping it too soon, maybe they'll do better at their actual dating era. But I think it should be engaging from the start, you, as a viewer, should feel excitement when you think about them finally getting together. But I personally don't, and it's sad

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