The White Olive Tree

Faithful to the Novel, But at What Cost? My Thoughts on The White Olive Tree

this drama took a controversial approach by following the novel’s original ending, which resulted in the tragic deaths of the main leads. While I understand the artistic choice of staying true to the source material, I firmly believe that a TV series should not conclude with such an unsatisfying and emotionally devastating outcome—especially when audiences have invested so much time and emotion into the characters.

Unlike movies, which have a limited runtime and can afford to deliver tragic or bittersweet endings, TV series develop over multiple episodes (or even seasons), creating a deep emotional connection between viewers and the characters. Killing off the leads in a drama not only feels like a betrayal of that investment but also leaves the audience with a sense of emptiness rather than closure.

I personally never started watching The White Olive Tree because I avoid dramas with tragic endings. It was on my must-watch list until I came across spoilers on TikTok that revealed the fate of the protagonists. The moment I found out, I removed it from my list because I prefer stories that leave me with a sense of satisfaction or, at the very least, a meaningful resolution that doesn’t feel needlessly cruel.

It’s frustrating because adaptations don’t always strictly follow the novel, so why choose to be faithful to the most heartbreaking aspect? A drama has the power to refine or reimagine a story in ways that make it more impactful for television audiences, and in this case, a different approach could have been more rewarding for viewers.

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No. Way. I have no words.

I simply cannot believe that in our current world FULL of depressed young people who look up to these characters and relate to them, they somehow thought it would be a good idea to have the main leads take their own lives at the end?!?! Now anyone who also feels they will “never get well” has the excuse they need…good job, writers/directors. Slow clap for you. I don’t leave many reviews, but this made me SO angry at the sickening irresponsibility shown here…wow.

I don’t blame the actors, they did the job that was handed to them, and SO well, especially the ml. The ost is achingly beautiful, and the scenery stunning.

But….I just can’t even. It’s debatable whether lines were crossed with the brutality shown from ep 36, personally I didn’t like how far it went, but ok. But the ending wasn’t just bad, it was irresponsible and sickeningly stupid for them to do. It should probably be taken down and not shown unless they change the ending.

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The acting was the saving grace of the show.

*TWOT* was one of the most highly anticipated shows of 2025 and had such potential, especially with its strong novel foundation, but it’s hard to believe how the adaptation turned out. The blame falls squarely on the director and producer for mishandling it.

Che Zheyuan - one of the main leads, was nothing short of extraordinary as Lizan. His performance truly melted my heart, his portrayal was so raw and emotionally charged, it was impossible not to feel every moment with him. His ability to convey the depth of his character through his expressions, body language, and even the smallest micro-expressions was top-notch, and it’s this level of acting that kept the show from being completely ruined by poor writing and direction. It's a shame that the director and producer couldn’t capture that essence of the show & show LiZan as he should. To be honest many scenes were altered and at some parts i felt like LiZan's character was given less importance. His little screentime in the first half of the show was the first letdown.
Anyways the show made the right choice by focusing on PTSD and the impact of trauma, and I appreciate how real and raw they kept that aspect throughout. Watching Lizan struggle with opening up to SongRn about his mental state, constantly bottling things up so as not to drag her into his mess, was heartbreaking. Che Zheyuan nailed every part of that emotional journey , from his work as a volunteer to the slow-burn romance and his personal battles. His performance was flawless and showed just how much he’s grown as an actor. The direction and production failed to do justice to the novel, but Che Zheyuan’s performance shines through it all. He deserves more quality projects!

Liang Jie - she was nothing short of phenomenal throughout the show. Words can hardly capture how outstanding her performance was, especially considering her character wasn’t given justice in terms of script and storytelling.. Like Lizan, her character went through so much pain, family issues and struggled with her own battles, yet she remained strong and stood by Lizan through it all, staying with him until the very end. Im hapoy they portrayed her as a strong headed person who had an uwavering care for people.. Yet SongRan's determination and her decision to quit her job as a journalist to pursue writing a book—a journey that ultimately brought her closer to Lizan—was portrayed so well. I truly hope Liang Jie finally gets the recognition she deserves as an actor. She poured so much depth and emotion so naturally into this role, and her talent shouldn’t go unnoticed.

Romance - The romance between ZanRan was the heart of the show for me. Watching her fall for him at first sight, the shyness and eventual confession, followed by their mutual desire to protect each other from further troubles, was beautifully done.. Though i feel there were so many unimportant scenes in the 1st half of the show that could have been dedicated towards the development of ZangRan's relationship. The breakup scene completely shattered me, but it was their chemistry and the way they supported each other in their vulnerabilities that really tugged at my heart. LiZan's confession scene after the hospital scene broke my heart into pieces. But the epilogue was the final string!! There were so many memorable yet heartwrenching moments, from the kidnapping scene and the dance in the ruins to taking care of him after his mental state deteriorated. Their dynamic together made them one of the best on-screen couples I’ve seen in a while. This is one of the most beautiful but heartwreching story i have seen of a couple!!

Other plots- Honestly, it’s rare to see a cast that fits the story so perfectly, and this one really nailed it. The entire cast was fantastic, with great additions like Benjamin & Saxin, though I couldn’t help but feel that Benjamin’s death was a bit extreme. He survived brutal wars, but ultimately, he was taken out by a single bullet to his back? Even LiZan, who endured so much trauma and suffered to the point of near-death, managed to survive, so it felt unfair that Benjamin didn’t get the chance to live. He deserved better, and Saxin needed him. Ben leading the Army was one if the highlight of the show.. Enjoyed how he would tease others & his mischievous side was such a treat to watch. Saxin, being a grumpy bear in front of Ben but deep down he truly cared for him. Their dynamics with Rina actually made everything sadder.
Aside that it was also clear that the Director wanted to ramp up the tension between Ben & Saxin, particularly in the latest episodes. While I understand they were trying to add drama, I didn’t feel it was necessary for the main plot. That storyline, unfortunately, ended up overshadowing the central themes of the adaptation. For those who’ve read the novel, you’ll understand what I mean, those side plots took focus away from what should have been the heart of the story.

Finally, i truly wish the Director/Producer had invested more heart and soul into the script, especially considering the incredible cast they had. I was hoping for more action/fighting scenes and character development for LiZan. There was so much potential for growth in his role. The actors really delivered and they literally poured their heart into this drama. CZY has left no stones unturned hyping/promoting the show for a year now! He exceeded my expectations till the end of the drama. Playing such a sensitive issue like PTSD is no easy feat; it's emotionally draining to portray such characters authentically. I truly hope the cast gets the recognition they deserve and the actors receive the accolades they deserve.. Overall it isnt the worst!

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If I could give this 0 star I would! Go read the novel instead and support the original writer!

The only reason it gets even a 1 star is the ML and WTC (Benjamin), they really tried to save this drama but you cant make up for shitty writing. The writers should return all the money they took for this writing or should I say rewriting this script. They did the novel dirty. (The censorship did not help either, the novel writer at least could take more liberties with justifications) They turned a depressed but resilient FL from the novel into a ditzy love smitten reporter. Under normal war circumstances, she would probably get everyone killed in the battlefield itself. And boy oh boy, Liang Jie gets worse with every new drama so I will be actively avoiding watching her! Girl needs to go back to acting school!!! I see so many talented Chinese actresses that get stuck in the second leads while mediocre at best both in terms of looks and acting like Liang Jie keep getting high profile roles. Sigh...
I saw the first 8 episodes and just couldn't take it anymore and dropped it. Saw the end episode and was like WTF!

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Acting Masterclass Marred by Story, Script

Chen Zhe Yuan was the reason I waited for and then watched this drama as it came out. While he and the FL Liang Jie delivered believable performances of multi-layered nuanced characters, the whole show fell flat because of the story and stilted English dialogue.

Eastern Country was some kind of random, scrambled ethnic mess with no cultural identity or language. It wasn’t until deep into the second half that we learned a little about why the war was being fought. Because this very important piece of the story was ill-defined, it was hard to fathom why all of these characters that we loved would give their lives to try and fight for it.

Ran was a reporter that went into a war-torn country alone??? Big grown men who are current war correspondents have a team with them, but this small Chinese woman can go at it all by herself? Plus, they didn’t show her actually taking pictures much.

After the first deployment and return to China, I felt like the drama really hit its stride. The best part was Zan dealing with PTSD and Ran with depression in the midst of the bullying mix-up. The conversations were filled with pain as a result of being unable and/or unwilling to rely on each other with their weaknesses. I loved this depiction of depression and how these real issues hinder relationships. I didn’t want them to go back, but I was surprised that I didn’t mind it so much when they did, and I liked the resolution.

Everything past episode 35 was absolutely ridiculous. One dude made it so the two leads killed themselves. I wish the leads would’ve both died from their wounds in eastern country. How she survived a cut to her jugular, and he with multiple stab wounds and torture is unbelievable. This was so unnecessary and totally predictable when they kept showing the guy hunting down Zan. What was the point of having them survive the attack just to kill themselves?

I also knew Benjamin wasn’t going to make it from how they did his story. They gave us nothing with the Doctor, and his relationship with Sasin which was my favorite felt unsatisfactory as well.

My only takeaway from this drama is that the two leads could convincingly cry and make you feel something, but I wouldn’t recommend this drama. I’m sure my dissatisfaction stems from my unfamiliarity with the source material, but this kind of drama definitely isn’t for me.

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I'm trying to collect my thoughts piece by piece, but I'm probably not going to do it well. However, I can't hold back my review any longer.
I can say that this is the most tearful, the most difficult drama in my entire history of watching dramas, I won't be ashamed to say, in my entire life, but nevertheless the most beautiful that I've ever seen. There are simply no others like it! It's one of a kind. The story is difficult, the story of life, penetrating to the very bones, touching even callous hearts. It is impossible to watch it calmly, even with a stable psyche or a carefree outlook on life. This story is very pacifistic. It makes you think about the fates of people not only in war, but also beyond it, to cast aside selfishness and show empathy (which I myself, by the way, really lack).
But we, who are far from the war, cannot even imagine what it is really like to experience its consequences. I think this drama has greatly influenced my perception of the modern world, left a mark on my soul that I will not be able to look at some things the same way. This is the value of this drama - to open your eyes to things that many cannot imagine. Naturally, I do not mean only the war, but also the relationships between people, what is going on in someone's head and how, for what reasons they act this way and not otherwise. We can continue to forever spin different options in our heads, if only they had done this or that, then it would not have been like this or that. And if the script can really be twisted as you want, then it is unlikely that you will be able to keep life under control. Even the impulses of the heart, you can not always restrain. Therefore, I accept this drama and the book as it is, abstracting from the thought that "this is just a movie." In general, this drama generates a lot of thoughts, themes on which you can discuss forever, there are not enough symbols to describe everything. Returning to the drama. This is a very beautiful story about friendship, love, duty, compassion, help, humanity. And an equally sad story about pain, suffering, injustice, disappointment, even death.
Honestly, I am not happy with every director's technique, not happy with every plot arc, not happy with every moment of the script, and not even delighted with every emotion played. But it would be blasphemy to dwell on minor flaws when such serious topics are touched upon.
But, as for the acting, the last episodes make up for those minor flaws that (as it seemed to me) were at the beginning. The actors did an incredibly difficult job. Zheyuan... how painful it was to watch him in the last episodes and how accurately he conveyed the state of his character.
This drama has a leisurely narrative, a lot of attention is paid to details, dialogues, looks. And I really like it. Each scene makes you feel the moment to the fullest. As many viewers have already noted, in a rush and dynamics we would have missed all the essence of what was happening and the meaning of this drama. Moreover, such a sensitive topic cannot be revealed in a bang-bang, slapdash and done. Many were not able to grasp the meaning and understand this drama, and if the usual "dynamics" were added here, it would have been something completely incomprehensible.
Having initially resigned myself to the book ending, I accept all its interpretations, both positive and negative, and those in the middle (maybe they did not live long, but happily), they all have a place to be. And it simply cannot get any worse, because the main thing is that the characters are together. The ending was filmed very beautifully, they brightened it up as best they could and did it very worthily. It turned out to be gentle, bright, shrouded in love and definitely not like the original, which would have made us suffer even more (if they had shown everything as it is).
I really loved this drama. It caused transformation and reflection in me, and that is why it became important to me. That is why I will still recommend it for viewing. It is with such works that this world has a chance to change.

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my favourite cdrama to date <3

TWOT is one of the most memorable cdrama for me. maybe because I really love this kind of drama; slow-burn adult romance, full of life lessons with beautiful cinematography. Their chemistry is 100%. Their love is natural and believable.the kind that makes u fuzzy and warm inside.u will smile, laugh and cry with them. no cringeworthy/awkward moment at all.
i wished for a happier ending.;') though for me, as long as they're together, i'm satified enough.
lastly,worth mentioning, the OST...outstanding!

i hope Azan and RanRan will collab again in the future. well hopefully in a less depressed project *prays hard*

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Watch It Only for Actors' Sterling Performances

I just came out of watching White Olive Tree with a bout of PTSD of my own.

If I had known what the last few episodes were like, I think I'd have stopped watching it at Episode 34, when life seemed to offer a glimmer of hope still. While the opposite might be the stark reality for many people, I personally don't need that, when all I want is to sit back and be entertained after a spent day at work. I found some of the scenes in the final 4 episodes traumatic and disturbing, it didn't help that I watched them last thing before bedtime and found myself haunted and depressed by the story ending.

The unfolding of the relationship between the two lead characters, Li Zan (Chen Zheyuan) and Song Ran (Liang Jie) got a bit frustrating to watch at times, partly because of their characters' personalities, and this was probably made worse by the slightly slow pace of the earlier episodes. At some point, one cannot help but question their inability to be honest with each other (even though yes, yes, the truth can be difficult to tell and accept). But hiding so much and such important things from the other person surely would get in the way of building a relationship of understanding and trust?

The relationship between Benjamin (Wang Tianchen) and Saxin (Gu Zicheng) was an amusing development and unexpected. I didn't know what to think of it, given Benjamin was very much in love with the female doctor, but at the same time he didn't seem to be affected by the unusual silent anger and snide remarks that Saxin perpetually directed at him. In the same way, the way Luo Zhan (Ding Ye) behaved towards Li Zan is a little atypical of a normal "buddy" relationship among men. But all these subtleties (and sometimes not so subtle interactions) made the show a more interesting watch. Zheng Yingchen did well as the annoying character Shen Bei, whom in the end was the person who (unintentionally) caused the lead couple's tragedy by convincing Song Ran to delay their departure from East Nation by a few more days.

The story itself would not suit an audience looking for an easy watch given the heavy themes and war background, and the scripting is terrible at many parts, with badly worded and spoken English. There are a few nice songs in the soundtrack but seriously, does so much of it need to be in English?

Having completed watching this serial drama, would I have watched it if I could choose all over again? Yes, only for one reason. Chen Zheyuan's performance was stunning, especially his portrayal of Li Zan from the point of the fatal explosion that claimed the life of his buddy Jiang Lin (Wang Zhuocheng). The mental, emotional and physical trauma and decline suffered by Li Zan demanded an extremely intensive performance and Chen Zheyuan has surprised me with the depth of his portrayal. So, kudos to Chen Zheyuan. I think this piece of work has raised him to a new height as an actor.

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Unconditional love

The White Olive Tree... that who all want an unconditional Love story with the great unforgettable memory of a drama... this drama was worth to watch... don't know about others feedbacks and comments I really really loved watching this drama… the acting of all actors… great solute for them to giving such an amazing memory for me to keep in mind..

The story line: from the start to the end, I loved it so much not a single episode made me feel not to watch or skip. The entire journey is really nice to watch. And the romance / hate / Love / care /friendship / war everything Is perfectly done that no any negative feedback on that. And personally, we all need a happy ending but, in that case, still I couldn’t understand whether to be happy or sad for the ending… the HAPPILY EVER AFTER is still there but its really hard to explain how I felt after watching the final episode (whether to be happy or sad)... but something stabbing inside I can’t explain it why. The war and the trauma and the unconditional love and affection between main leads / Father and son / mother and daughter / boss and staff / Captain and colleague / brothers / friends (Azan / Jiang Lin / Benjamin / Sa Xin ) all these things are really attached to me like nothing. When the way all of them try to protect one and other sacrificing our own life made the story really strong. And the name “THE WHITE OLIVE TREE” really go along with the story line. The way they showed the PTSD effects and the way Chen Zhe yuan portrayed it so well we cannot watch the last 2 episodes without tears and heart wrenching feeling. Overall it’s a beautiful story with the strong acting.

Acting: What to say about each and every actors in the drama… no words to describe them.. Simply, all the performance are top notch and mind blowing. The main leads, whether it is love or emotional trauma or the suffering after the explosion and the post trauma effect and the way they both stood for each other and supporting each other for their pros and cons are simply amazing. Their chemistry onscreen is beautiful to watch. Its an eye treat for me to watch the slow romance and the cute moments between them before and after confessing their feelings. And for me the first confessing between them I expected and prefer to be verbal and not with the background voices. They are so natural with what they are doing on screen. And the smiles / small gestures between them / the way azan understanding what songran thinking was simply attractive for me. (I personally like this kind of romance) and they both ready to sacrifice their life for each other and to make sure to be there for each other are really amazing to watch.
Benjamin and Sa Xin and Dr. Pei : the tom and jerry relationship between both of them is really good and after the deceased of Rina the bond between them took the next level is good to watch. The way ben always try to protect Sa Xin is really showing the him as a big brother. And the small amount of love between Dr. pei and ben was good to watch and in his last moment when he imagining she was there with him with the smile was just made realize the amount of love he is having for Dr. pei and he paid his entire saving for her drink and the way she said “I’m Ok with my drink” is the love they have for each other. And the last conversation between ben and Sa Xin was so emotional and in the last when Sa Xin went to fulfill ben’s wishes changing his name as ben was showing the affection he has for Benjamin is so touchy.
There is no a lot of scene between azan and his father but the one particular scene captured my mind is the first time after the blast when azan meets his father for the first time and the way his father looked at him was really felt like homely. And the conversation between songran and Mr. li was good to hear.
The love hate relationship between Songran and her mother and the change of their bonding after her mother’s illness everything was so good to watch and they way her mother felt happy seeing azan and raran hugging each other and prayed for their togetherness forever is simply showing the care she has for raran. And the bonding between azan and raran’s mother also so comfortable to watch. And the way she gave the solution to find azan in the final episode was heartwarming.
The bond between Shen Bei and songran is also good to watch and the way shen bei reconstructed the orphanage and named it as RINA was simply awesome.
The friendship between Azan and Luo Zhan / Jiang Lin : the way they both care about azan was really good to see. the way they both always taking care of him and protecting him was kind of feeling that everyone need friend like them. As a soldier he always tries to protect azan and at the same time the civilians of the eastern country were showing his dedication for both his job and the relationship. The way he applied for the happo city after knowing azan was going there is one of the scenes I admire their friendship. About Luo Zhan, when he got to know about azan’s condition and he first saw him in the hospital after the blast the way he reacts was showing the care he has for azan and continuously going to the hospital with him when azan meet his doctor to know about his condition and finally the way he hugged him after azan joking about the doctor, these all things are making the drama more beautiful.

Conclusion: the drama “THE WHITE OLIVE TREE” is worth to watch… No disappointment ❤️👍

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For Chen Zhe Yuan

I'm a Fan of CZY since OUR SECRET time.
Ngl his Acting on Hidden Love was Superb than his Previous one and Was more watchable more than 5 times.
On this Drama Idk from where to start from.
1. From the First episode it was interesting but as the story kept on dragging! I felt bore. They didn't needed to drag to episode 38 tbh.
2. I didn't feel any Chemistry between ML & FL.
I felt a miss in romance. They both were just Shy with each other.
3. The acting of both Leads were great on their own.
But keeping beside Main Leads, I loved watching Sasin and Ben more. Their chemistry was Top notch. I loved every scene of them together. I wish they have gotten more screen time.
4. The PTSD Plot was good, Actually people needed to understand that this is serious if you cannot overcome. They tried their best.
5. For the Ending I would say it was good enough. Everyone got Happy ending. But I don't know why Sasin was called Ben. And The Main Leads got their happy ending atleast at Heaven.

Overall the Drama was Good, I will rate 9 out of 10.
Cutting one bcz It's too lengthy. They could've finished within atleast 30 episodes. The unnecessary dragging of war for 4 episodes inthe Last wasn't needed.

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I dislike the plot and pace of this drama, and it did a very bad portray of PTSD patients.

The White Olive Tree is a melodrama about the life of a military/reporter couple who met in the war zone and fell in love. The drama also deals with PTSD and mental health in an unhealthy way.

I did not like this drama at all. Although I love Zhen Che Yuan's acting, the story and the director did not do justice to the drama.

The onscreen chemistry between him and Liang Jie was not great. I found that Liang Jie is typecast for the same role, where her character is weak, always needs rescue from the male lead, and eventually falls in love with the male protagonist.

The PTSD scenes were good, especially those of Li Zhan's character. But the story is unreal. First, they could create a better fictitious name for the country instead of calling it East Country. It would be better to show the political conflict between China and this country, hence, their enlisting their military efforts to help this corrupted country.

Second, it is unrealistic to send someone who has severe PTSD back to a war zone to feel that they will be healed.

The romance between the two protagonists is slow, draggy, cheesy, and awkward to watch. The supporting cast's acting was not great, especially Gu Zi Cheng, who played Sa Xin's character. I don't get it; why end up killing off all the characters, including the main CP?

Suppose this drama aims to shine some light on mental illness. In that case, it is better to portray a possible ending where they get psychiatric help and live a normal life instead of suicide.

The acting is good, especially Chen Zhe Yuan's, but the script and direction of the drama were bad. I watched it at 2.x speed, and I can't binge-watch more than one episode per day.

Synopsis: During an interview mission in the turbulent East Country, Liang City satellite TV's female reporter Song Ran encounters danger. Fortunately, she is rescued by Li Zan, a Chinese explosive engineer who volunteers in the East Country. Li Zan's gentleness and childlike heart deeply attract Song Ran. Through multiple interactions with Song Ran, Li Zan also realizes that though she appears weak on the outside, she's brave and strong, with a heart filled with justice and kindness. With the same ideals and compatible souls, a spark of love ignites between the two. However, a sudden bombing attack puts a halt to this budding relationship. After returning to China, they hit low points in their lives and even lost contact. They are both suffering physically and mentally as Li Zan feels guilty and blames himself for the death of his friend, who sacrificed his life to save him in the bombing attack. At the same time, Song Ran gets into a controversy due to a photo she took during the bombing attack. By chance, they reunite, and their lives gradually return to normal. Together, they plant the seeds of the white olive tree.

My Reviews:
1. Acting: 7
2, Script: 5
3, Music/OST: 6
4, Production Quality:6
5. Cinematography: 6
6. Rewatchable: 5
7. Onscreen Chemistry:5

Overall Rating: 5.5

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