The White Olive Tree

Realistic portrayal of the effects of war in a soldier's life

As someone who read the novel prior watching the drama, I am delighted with the book's screen adaptation. There were brilliant scenes that were awesome and portrayed more than what I imagined those to be. Great job to the TWOT family for a job well done!

I'll start with the parts that truly impressed me.
✨ The way Song Ran was thrown backwards during the live broadcast of the war that erupted a few miles away from the hotel where she stayed at - EP.1 This is just pure art and is brilliantly executed, giving me a glimpse of the dangers in a war correspondent's life.
✨ Azan and Ranran's first meeting. I remembered I squeed that time because the main leads' chemistry is just like that bomb - explosive.
✨ Introducing Rina, Sia and Zoro in the drama. These characters were not present in the book but adding them in the drama brings more depth into the story. Rina's death is a good reason for Saxin to become a soldier. In the book, Saxin played a minor character and it just mentioned that he became a soldier (from a journalist) because if he doesn't, then the younger ones will be the one to do it. Sia and Zoro being the kids in the photo CARRY is just perfect. It's beyond my expectations really. And that photo was powerful as just as how it was described in the book.
✨ Acting. I absolutely love Chen Zheyuan's acting here. I've seen him in other dramas but nothing compares to his performance in this drama. He is top notch! Jiang Lie also performed excellent in most parts. Though there are scenes where I think she can do better but overall, it's a powerful performance from her.
✨ OSTs. This drama boasts of great soundtracks that gave me LSS throughout but Te Amo is just on another level. It's gold!
✨ Cinematography. The scenery, the lighting, color, visual effects, everything just blend perfectly justifying its tag as an S-drama.

Now, here are the reasons why this drama is only a 9/10 for me. Some storylines fell short of my expectations. This is a problem with me as having read the book first because I can't turn off my filter all throughout. I know there would always be differences between the book and the series but there were things I wished were included in the drama such as follows:
🤦 Azan and Ben's competitive fight. In the book, Azan requested to join the Special Joint Force but to do so, he needs to pass the training at the American training ground. Btw, Ben is described as an American in the book. Caucasians, having natural advantage in body built and height, were looking down on Azan, Ben particularly. Azan was given a "special treatment" all throughout the training and by the end of the day, he was forced to duel with Ben where he emerged victorious. That's how he earned Ben's trust and respect and they became brothers from then on.
🤦 The school bullying arc. It fell flat for me because this story was supposed to show us the power of a renowned journalist's words, that it could have a ripple effect that's beyond her control. I think there could be a better way to portray that scene.
🤦 The September 26 event. I wish the drama sticked to the original material, i.e. Azan threw the suicide bomber inside the house where a family of six were hiding which is eventually the cause of his first trauma. It is more powerful and will effectively support the later episode's scene about a family inside the dungeon trapped with explosives and how Azan overcame his trauma by saving that family.
🤦 There are a few scenes that are just not making sense like in episode 1, Song Ran removed her helmet and threw it away while running for her life as the bomb was about to explode. Why did she remove the helmet??? 😭 Another one is her going to war sites without wearing any protective gear like helmet and a PRESS bulletproof vest. The battle at Mt. Matuman, it should have been done at nighttime because they were planning a sneak attack on one of the terrorists' strongholds. Why in the daylight when you will clearly be visible from the enemies??? And lastly, Ben's death. Ben died in the book when he tried to save Azan. He was captured and tortured to death in front of Azan's eyes which added to his severe PTSD. In the drama, it's just unacceptable that they killed him just like that. If he already escaped and got back to the base whole, he should have survived by all means. If the plan is to kill him in the drama, then they should have done it in a very convincing way. It's so anti-climactic to be honest.

Anyway, these flaws didn't hinder me from enjoying the drama. It's one of the best I've ever seen and would still recommend it though with caution since it could trigger negative emotions for those unprepared. I, myself, cried a lot the first time I read the book. And even after reading it for the third time, I still feel deep pain inside. It's truly a wonderful masterpiece with a powerful performance from all casts and staff.

Congratulations TWOT family!

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I would say it's worth a watch

This is just my opinion
but the story did a good job on potraying the ptsd most people in the army go through.It did not romanticize the ptsd aspect of tht story like many other dramas do .The acting was very good and the male lead really brought out all the emotions.I would have really liked to see more of of ben and the doctor as their story felt very incomplete..Overall I would say I liked the drama , yes there could have been a few changes to the story but the ending was perfect according to me . The white olive tree represents purity and peace and it gave us a hint about their life.

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I loved it

I just finished watching the last episode, what can I say... I loved this drama!
At the beginning it may appear as an easy-silly romantic drama and sometimes a bit slow-paced, especially the character of Song Ran but at some point her behaviour evolves and also the plot of the story becomes really endearing and you want to watch more.
The last 3 episodes are heartbreaking.. but this story really shows the psychological damages caused by war in a realistic way. What's more, the actors are amazing! Sasin, Ben.. everyone acting was great, especially Li Zan was brilliant showing in an excellent manner the dark feelings caused by PTSD.
The ending may be upsetting for someone, but it follows somehow the original novel and well, life is not always "rainbows and unicorns" especially in a war environment.
It's totally worth it, if you don't mind to cry a little, give it a try!!!
Will I watch it again? Yes, but not soon because it left a hole in my heart.. so I need time to heal, but I'll definitely watch it again in the future because it's worth it.

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Male lead acting skill is good!

Chen Zheyuan’s portrayal of Lizan in *The White Olive Tree* really stands out, especially during the emotional crying scene and his intense battlefield moments.

*Crying Scene:*
In the crying scene, Chen Zheyuan delivers a raw and heartfelt performance. His ability to convey deep emotional turmoil without overdoing it makes the moment incredibly powerful. The subtlety in his expressions — the tension in his face, the trembling of his lips, and the unshed tears — shows his emotional restraint, which amplifies the sadness of the situation. He doesn’t rely on exaggerated gestures, instead opting for a more internalized performance that feels genuine and painful, which allows the audience to connect with his character’s sorrow on a deeper level.

*Battlefield Fight:*
On the battlefield, Zheyuan transforms into a fierce and determined “warrior”, showing off his physical skills while also capturing the emotional weight of war. His movements during the fight are fluid and believable, blending action with the emotional stakes of his character. He’s not just fighting for survival but is deeply driven by the cause and his personal motivations, which Chen Zheyuan conveys through his focused expressions and body language. The way he portrays Lizan’s inner conflict while in battle gives his character depth, showing that it’s not just about physical strength, but the emotional cost of war.

Overall, Chen Zheyuan does a fantastic job balancing the vulnerability and strength of Lizan, making him a compelling and multi-dimensional character in *The White Olive Tree*.

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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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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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Romance and Healing drama set in the land of war and bad English.

Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25

As part of IQiyi’s Love On series, the focus of the drama has to be more than just about soldiers, war and killing. Romance has to play a big part of the story, at least 50%. If the romance sucks, I will not be able to give this drama a high rating. Luckily, I enjoy the main romance for the most part.

Romance:
Let’s start with the negatives: slowness! And I am not talking about just the pacing of the romance, but how slow the leads talk and move. Why are they talking so slowly? Is it supposed to be romantic? This is my biggest problem with the romance! LOL. Additionally, I was losing a tiny little patience during their initial flirting/getting-to-know-each-other stage. It’s very obvious that they like each other but it took them so long to confess. Why are they acting like shy high school kids when they are 30-year-old professionals? Why is FL acting like a lovesick girl always following ML around? Having said all that, I do like their flirting, their shy smiles and many cute and fluffy scenes. As a reward for my patience, the cute couple does deliver sweetness and fluffiness to offset the sad parts of the drama. I like the quiet stubbornness and strength inside them, and their unwavering loyalty and love for each other. I know others are less patient with their lack of open communication but I am actually OK with it. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression are central to this story. It takes years for someone to be healed, so for them to hide that part of themselves, I do find that acceptable. Therefore, it was actually very satisfying to see them slowly open up to each other and let the other into their misery a little bit at a time. I especially enjoy their confrontation during the school bully arc. At first, that arc seems out of place, but it became the catalyst of them revealing their pain. I was worried about their ending as I’ve read some comments. In the end, I am at peace and am OK with it. I was preparing for the worst.

Careers:
I admit I am not familiar with volunteering in the capacity that ML is doing. Therefore, I find it hard to imagine that a volunteer can be so involved in military decisions and operations. Sure, they must have gone through a background check, but military business is no joke. You can’t have civilians doing what ML is doing. On the other hand, as a reporter, FL is not reporting much. Sure, it showed a little of her work during the initial episodes. But for the most part, she’s just tagging along and going on ‘dates’. I wanted to see more reporting, e.g. in episode 1, or more interviews and articles, and not just Weibo/WeChat moment posts. There’s so much more the drama can include FL’s career into the plot in a more meaningful and realistic way.

East Country and Wars:
The writing in the East Country also has plot holes here and there. I still can’t believe FL not wearing her helmet during that dangerous scene in ep 1. I so wanted to yell through the TV screen and shake some sense in her lovesick brain. This is just me, the English spoken gives me a headache. Chen Zhe Yuan’s English is probably the best and most tolerable out of all actors (Chinese and foreigners). It’s so hard to take this seriously when you know for sure English is not the primary language, yet every single one speaks English. Compared to other disaster and war-themed dramas, the execution and budget are just OK. The acting of the minor roles, such as people from the East Country, isn’t that great and their acting takes me out of the serious scenes. Luckily, the main cast really delivered and I became invested again.

Brotherhood:
Yes, I can see why everyone said that the relationship between Ben and Sa Xin is more than just friends/comrades. Is censorship the problem? Did they intentionally try to bait us and frustrate us? I never read the novel, so I don’t know if they are more than friends in the book. Ben and Sa Xin do have some great and fun scenes together, but I might not be as in love with them as many others. On the other hand, I do enjoy this quiet and more mature bond between Ben and Li Zan. I would have loved it more if the drama actually gave us a little more scenes of them together. The earlier scenes are all about Li Zan and Jiang Lin. It makes it hard to believe that Ben and Li Zan already have developed as strong a bond as Li Zan and Jiang Lin.



I would recommend this drama for romance lovers who want war/healing/PTSD as a backdrop, but definitely not for those who want a serious and well-executed war-themed drama. I would also recommend this if you are fans of Chen Zhe Yuan and Liang Jie because their acting is really good. I am happy to see them move away from their usual rom-come selves, and try something more challenging. PTSD is not a topic commonly addressed in a romance drama, but I think “The White Olive Tree” did a good job in showing the reality of the suffering and healing process, especially with Chen Zhe Yuan’s excellent. The only other recent drama I recall that addresses PTSD was Yang Yang in “Glory of Special Forces”. Yang Yang, believe or not, also did an excellent job there. Despite my complaints, I enjoy the main romance and acting for the most part, and I like the OST. therefore, I am giving this an 8.25 rating.



Completed: 4/30/2025 - Review #571

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38 episodes and I didn't feel immersed

Main things:

ML and FLwere not that compatible. Had opposite personality.. (no connection)
Unrealistic plot as why does FLget saved by ML everytime in this "East Country"
When FL was a reporter and was going to East country, she was allowed to go alone? especially in a dangerous country..
Animations and CGI was not it
The voice overs for speaking English was bad.. like why are they randomly speaking Chinese when they are with the orphans? Kinda awkward if we take into consideration their POV
Xiaonan and Ben needed more interactions
Benjamin & Sasin acting was good and had some synergy and plot buildin
Shen Bei had some good acting too as it shows her personality changing overtime

Overall, with 38 episodes there is usually higher expectations as there is more time to be immersed in the plot but the middle episodes were kind of not my type as nothing interesting was happening. The drama is not unwatchable but just don't get your hopes up. My rating of 6.5 means that it is watchable but don't expect much from this drama.

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