The White Olive Tree

Sadly, they butchered the original story

P.S. This is an updated review, and if you're a fan of the actors/actresses, it’s probably best not to read this. I won’t be entertaining any opinions or arguments against what I’ve said.

(Review up to Episode 12)
A little TMI: I had been waiting for this drama for so long. I read the novel, set my expectations sky-high, and, well… let’s just say those expectations took a nosedive—straight into the gutter, or somewhere equally disappointing.

That said, let’s start with the positives. There aren’t many (for now), but I’ll list them before I forget:
— The soundtrack: Out of the 12 songs I’ve heard so far, I love every single one of them. Enough said.
— The cast and acting: Especially Li Zan, Benjamin, and Jiang Lin. Some people find the English-speaking parts awkward, but considering their characters aren’t meant to be native speakers, it doesn’t really bother me. I think the actors and actresses did their best, and I appreciate the effort. Also, while I haven't seen much from the rest yet, Zheyuan and Liang Jie absolutely deliver when it comes to emotional scenes. Every expression, whether it’s joy, hesitation, or longing, is so raw and tangible. They're just so so so so good at it.
— The set: The production team went all out, building an entire fictional city and structures for this drama. Honestly, it feels like they poured all their resources into the set... and not so much into the story. Unfortunately.
— The tone: As someone with terrible eyesight, I prefer my dramas bright—not blindingly so, but at least bright enough that I don’t have to squint while watching.
— Unexpected but delightful dynamic between Benjamin and Saxin: This wasn’t something I saw coming, especially since it wasn’t in the novel, but it’s one of the highlights for me! Saxin is usually either frowning or scowling when he’s around Benjamin, while Benjamin can’t help but poke fun at him. Their interactions are always a joy to watch.

Now, onto the negatives. Honestly, writing this feels a bit heavy because what I have in mind is... anything but little.
— The execution of the story: I genuinely don’t know what happened here or where things went wrong, but this adaptation falls short of the novel I loved so much. Up until Episode 6 or 7, I think I unconsciously made up excuses in my head for the dissatisfaction I was feeling. I kept convincing myself to give it time, to wait for the so-called turning point in Episodes 11 and 12—but even then, it still didn’t quite hit the mark. It did improve compared to the previous episodes, but just not quite enough to make up for everything else. I know that having high expectations is a surefire way to set myself up for disappointment, but I couldn’t help it. I waited so long for this drama, and I wanted so badly for it to live up to what I had imagined.
— The dialogues: From the moment Li Zan and Song Ran met in Episode 1, it was clear that their conversation was lifted straight from the novel. While it brought back memories of reading the novel, it didn’t quite translate well to the screen. Some conversations came across as flat or even awkward. For instance, during the lunch scene, their quiet moments on the truck, and the gesture of Li Zan lending Song Ran a comb. Especially the lending-comb scene—it was meant to be swoon-worthy, much like it was in the novel, but in the drama, it completely lost that same charm.
— Too draggy: There were stretches of time when the pacing slowed to a crawl. Some scenes also dragged on unnecessarily, as if they were added simply to fill time, without actually serving the narrative. And, slow motion can be effective when used thoughtfully, but here, it often felt overdone.
— Song Ran: Honestly, the version of Song Ran in the novel was so much better. In the novel, she’s calm, composed, a bit shy, thoughtful—a young lady who might seem soft on the outside but is incredibly determined on the inside. To put it plainly, the novel’s Song Ran has a level of restraint that the drama’s version lacks. The novel version would never get drunk in a military base and write her crush’s name on the ground. That’s just not who she is. Unfortunately, the drama made her seem much more childish and less grounded than she should be. Also, in the drama, Song Ran seemed to follow Li Zan around everywhere, even secretly taking a picture of him on the first day. This behavior feels out of character for the Song Ran I love from the novel, who would never be so forward or intrusive. (But I get it—if we look at it purely from a romance perspective, it’s meant to be sweet, adorable, all that. Still, it could’ve been handled better without making her feel like a completely different person.)
— The flashback: Was it really necessary? I didn’t mind it at first, but then came that scene after the dance—Li Zan pulled Song Ran into his arms to keep her from bumping into someone, and barely ten seconds later, they turned it into a flashback. Like, come on?! My memory isn’t that short. It’s one thing to highlight key moments, but this felt almost comical.

Well yeah, for now, I’ll give this the benefit of the doubt—hoping that it only gets better from here on out. I’m ready for this drama to put me through the emotional wringer—I’ve got tissues on standby, anyway. But what I’m really dreading is walking away from it feeling utterly disappointed. PLEASE, be good until the end. Fingers crossed!

(Updated review.)
I went in expecting heartbreak and tears, and in a way, I guess I got that—just not in the way I had hoped. Instead, it was pure disappointment at how badly they butchered this story.

After this whole rollercoaster of a journey, here's how I'd sum it up:

— Romance: 1/10. Completely underdeveloped, rushed, and way too cringe for my taste. It almost feels like they downplayed the main lead’s PTSD.
— Dialogue: 3/10. Half of it was just nonsense. What was the screenwriter even doing?
— Acting: 8/10. Zheyuan was brilliant—one of the few saving graces.
— Characters: 5/10. They absolutely ruined Song Ran. I thought that by the end, I might at least understand her poor choices in the beginning, but nope. Nothing against the actress, but the way they wrote Song Ran made her completely unlikeable. Li Zan deserved better.
— Overall Story: 1/10. They butchered the original plot beyond recognition.

Just a complete waste of potential. Bye.

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The drama started off strong, but unfortunately, it quickly lost its way.

I had high hopes for this drama, but unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations. CZY's appearance in this drama was noticeably different from his previous roles. He truly stood out here – his charisma and handsome looks were undeniable. He shines even more in modern settings, like in this drama and Hidden Love. CZY in a military uniform with that haircut was striking. Thankfully, there was no dramatic, weird makeup like in some of his other dramas. His piercing eyes and irresistible smile captivated me, and his voice, so soothing and compelling, added so much depth. He definitely brought Azan to life in a way that felt authentic and emotional, especially in his teary scenes. It was clear that CZY put his all into this role, and I have to give him credit for a phenomenal, TOP-NOTCH performance.
As much as I LOVE Chen Zhe Yuan, I found myself unable to continue watching past episode 20. The first few episodes really pulled me in, and I was hopeful for how the story would unfold. However, after the candy bomb, the plot became increasingly chaotic and harder to follow, especially after the characters returned to the city. The pacing slowed down, and I found myself missing them when they were in the East Country, but unfortunately, it didn’t maintain that same level of engagement. Jiang Lin’s death came too early and disrupted the flow of the story. While trauma is an important theme, his death seemed to unravel the characters, causing them to retreat into their own emotional worlds rather than pushing the plot forward.
Liang Jie is a talented actress – I’ve enjoyed her in Eternal Love, but I struggled to connect with her portrayal of Song Ran. Song Ran often came across as more obsessive than anything, and her personality seemed more passive than I expected. As a reporter, I anticipated more strength and agency from her, especially during critical moments like the candy bomb and when she was captured (based on the short clip). I understand her love for Azan, but her behavior often felt overwhelming and took away from the story's depth. She literally spent the entire drama chasing after Azan, more than anything else. I wish she had dialed back her obsession a bit and focused more on her role as a reporter. It would have been more compelling if she had shown more resourcefulness, instead of waiting for Azan to rescue her. While I don’t expect her to handle everything on her own, it would have been nice to see her keep fighting until help arrived, rather than sitting there unsure of what to do.
Though I’m not entirely sure of the specifics, as I only saw brief clips, the moments when Azan was captured and tortured felt repetitive. They seemed primarily focused on deepening his emotional pain without advancing the overall story. His struggles with guilt and trauma were valid, but the execution felt a bit forced. The way these events unfolded didn’t seem fully justified within the narrative, especially considering he had just begun to overcome his initial trauma. I mean, he had just finally gotten past it – ok, yall!!! SMH. The loss of Ben also felt pointless, as his death didn’t serve a meaningful purpose in the story, especially since he was one of the heroes. How does one jump into a hot pit without backup??? Additionally, while the book Azan wrote about their memories was heartbreaking, it added an extra emotional layer that wasn’t needed, given how heavy the drama already was.
On a positive note, there were moments that truly stood out. For instance, when Shen Bei referred Azan as her boyfriend and Song Ran teared up, or when Azan found SR after the mishap on the way to Happo (though I may not recall the name exactly), those moments were emotionally impactful. The airport reunion was especially memorable—Azan was just so FINEEE! Of course, Azan’s charm, calm demeanor, and piercing eyes really shone through in those emotional scenes. When they finally reunited after the breakup, Azan remained as lovable as ever. Still, I wished both characters had shown more emotional resilience and mental strength.
While I’m glad the ending didn’t follow the novel’s direction, I found the final tone of the drama to be too heavy and emotionally draining. Azan's suffering, especially after being tortured, was heartbreaking. He seemed to change so drastically from the strong, capable man we saw at the start to someone entirely different, which left me feeling disoriented. The drama’s tone became overwhelming, and I think a more resolved or uplifting ending could have kept viewers more engaged. Instead, it felt like an emotional rollercoaster that ultimately fizzled out, with the characters marrying, eloping, and disappearing into thin air under the Olive Tree. I don’t really care if they lived for years before disappearing because the ending felt rushed. As a result, the drama left me feeling more exhausted than fulfilled. Will I continue watching it? Probably not.

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Glad I decided to keep watching!

The cast’s performance was incredible. I wanted to stop watching this show as I did not enjoy the way they allowed both of the leads to go back to a war torn country. Both struggled with their mental health after experiencing traumatic events, they were in no way healthy enough to go back.

I can’t help but wonder what would have happened if they had focused on healing first… are there really no other volunteers? other journalists? As humans, we can’t help others if we do not help ourselves first.

Not the perfect script, but I enjoyed it until the end mostly due to the female and male lead. They ate up the story and their acting was truly a work of art.

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Long lasting love story

I went looking for the work the ML had done and stumbled on this, yeah, it invokes the teary side of anyone with a heart, but I went in to watch after reading some very misleading review here on MDL . First of all, NOT EVERYONE DIED! You need to watch it with some sense of understanding of the circumstances like who the ML and FL were acting as and why was they plunged himself into those jobs.

POSITIVE SIDES (in my opinion)
The story was well laid out, ML, FL and all supporting cast did a good job portraying what they were meant to. They draw you in as you watch. The soundtrack is awesome.

You learn a lot about how some situations you aren't faced with daily are tackled. Found myself googling a lot as I watched. hehe.

I love the way the FL and ML cared for each other, and the rest of the world didn't matter to them. The FL's mom was a really strong personality, that is impressive. As for the FL's dad and his "universe" that was an odd situation for the FL and I understood how weird she felt when she visited them.
the ML's dad was quite understanding and a welcome safe haven.

Benjamin had the most fluent spoken English in the series; the ML also had some good English. I had no problems with switching between languages. if you are watching the subtitled versions, ignore the subtitles when they speak English or sing the songs.

The ML did an awesome job portraying the effects of deep rooted PTSD and if you ignore treatments it would spiral into something that you dont have any control over.

NEGATIVE SIDES (in my opinion)
The war scenarios... How do you send people on a mission with scanty soldiers on a mission, how do you add a volunteer with no prior training in the army, but some "physical fitness" to join a team and handle bombs and landmines? That part didn't make sense to me.

Now, to what I didn't like the most, the FL role was just an annoying, highly stubborn and stiff person. I forgot to say selfish.. yeah, she is really selfish. But I guess that is how human nature is, we tend to think of ourselves before others. SHE was no medical professional so taking the ML to the hospital when SHE felt it was okay was nonsense. The doctor who should have insisted on a better pathway for how things should be done came across as unprofessional to me.

Chemistry between ML and FL felt off; I didn't see her connecting with him, and it felt one-sided.

The ML was on a self destructive path that kept me puzzled all through.

The white olive part at the end was vague...note to all of you watchers...A White Olive tree takes 15+ years to grow so the end of the series will be clearer to you when you see that part.

OVERALL:
Should you watch this series? Absolutely
Should you guard your heart when you watch this? yes, it will help you get to the end.

They did a fairly good job. Enjoy!

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Trauma evaluation... Stressful and dragged probably but overall it's a yes

From an average third person pov, this plot might seem dragged, unflattering and disorganised but from me, a person who has experienced and witnessed trauma first hand, This had me seated till the very end. Trauma and it's effects is something that should be understood on a deeper level

First of all, the main characters first meeting albeit cliche was cute and expected. The chemistry between them was teenage like which might be annoying to others but personally I feel like that made them more endearing. Life is not all roses and flowers but having a beautiful relationship where you're happy with eachother and comfortable brings about a fairytale in your life.

Moving on to the development of the plot, I have to say Chen Zheyuan and Liang Jie really put their all into the acting, there might have been some awkward scenes but at the same time, it was easy to push down whenever the leads especially Chen Zheyuan appeared on the screen stealing with audience with his acting and charisma. The evaluation of PTSD and Depression in this series had me on chokehold. PTSD is not a trauma that goes away completely, it's like a tumor in your brain, even though it's removed and treated, there's a 1-4% chance of relapsing which takes the treatment back to stage one.

Although at a point, I was pissed at the ML and the FL for talking about everything except the state of their physical and mental health which indeed is an important aspect to the growth and sustainability of a relationship. The lies were annoying and unnecessary; for example the FL getting eye surgery without letting the ML know, the ML lying about the training process because he didn't want to "bother" the FL, and many more. I understand where they are coming from but please that shouldn't have happened. Going back to the Eastern country was important for both of them but at the same time, it was rushed. By the time I got to ep 30 and I saw the war wasn't over, I knew we weren't going to get a typical happy ending. Ep 36-38 had tears dropping from my eyes because I could feel the pain both leads were going through to pretend they were fine even if they weren't. Chen Zheyuan and Liang Jie's tears in ep 38 had me crying with them. Pain is sometimes undermined and overlooked as far as the person is smiling, it takes an empathetic person to genuinely understand where the pain is coming from. The ending they got though was perfect for them, the fact they they chose to elope and just live their remaining days in seclusion was the best discussion for them I guess. I don't believe in complete happy endings so at least that was okay for me.

Talking about the other characters, watching the character development of the FL's mother, Shen Bei, Benjamin and Sasin was my favourite. Their growth, acceptance, fight and every other thing made the plot more wholesome especially the bickerings between Ben and Sasin. I knew Ben was going to die when I saw him, I just never expected that I was going to grow to love him the way I did.

To others, the series might have been boring and stressful but to me it's a lesson. I'll agree some parts pissed me off but I'll still stick to my heart and say, the white olive tree was a success. I hope to see more representation about mental illness and it's effects on one's life.

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Start Off 2025 with a Rollercoaster

First of all, I would like to say this is the first review I write for a drama here on mydramalist. The White Olive Tree did a deep-dive into my emotions and I had to share this with everyone.

*Below contains some spoilers please read at your own risk*

The first quarter of the drama started off strong with both of the leads meeting in 'Eastern Country' as the main lead saves the female lead. The actors all portray the characters in an amazing way and all the emotions felt very real. The middle quarter of the drama focused more on the mental health issues, self-recovery, and the romance in which both Chen Zhe Yuan and Liang Jie portrayed really well, and it felt like you were actually intruding on them in some of the scenes. Also, the side characters portrayed the roles very well and made you want to know the storyline of each and every one of them. The last quarter of the drama took a really heavy toll on me, with their return to 'Eastern Country' and the several attacks that took place. The ending has another story to tell..

The soundtrack was of amazing quality and has really nice songs which I actually enjoyed and added to my playlist.

If you are planning to watch this drama, be prepared mentally for a rollercoaster of emotions. It will hit you but it is worthwhile.

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Déception

Le thème de cette série m'intéressait beaucoup : suivre un correspondant de guerre et un démineur volontaire sur le terrain d'un conflit, c'était original...
Sauf que le scénario est pauvre et poussif par moment (on sens que l'on a chercher à faire durer la série : il y a au moins dix épisodes de trop). Et le personnage de la journaliste est vraiment décevant et que ça gâche toute la série ! Il n'y a pas d'autre mot.
Le rôle est très mal écrit : une femme qui passe autant de temps à avoir peur et à pleurer ne tiendrait pas une seule journée dans un conflit.
En plus, l'actrice Liang Jie est franchement mauvaise. Non seulement le rôle est mal écrit mais en plus elle l’interprète mal !
Ce qui est dommage, parce que Chen Zhe Yuan, lui joue remarquablement bien. J'ai particulièrement été bluffée par son interprétation du traumatisme : convainquant et très émouvant. C'est d'ailleurs pour ce personnage que j'ai tenu jusqu'à la fin de la série.
Bref. À voire sir vous aimez Chen Zhe Yuan. Mais ne perdez pas votre temps si vous voulez visionner une bonne série...

The theme of this series interested me a lot: following a war correspondent and a volunteer mine clearer in the field of a conflict, it was original...
Except that the script is poor and laborious at times (we feel that they tried to make the series last: there are at least ten episodes too many). And the character of the journalist is really disappointing and that ruins the whole series! There is no other word.
The role is very poorly written: a woman who spends so much time being afraid and crying would not last a single day in a conflict.
In addition, the actress Liang Jie is frankly bad. Not only is the role poorly written but she also plays it badly!
Which is a shame, because Chen Zhe Yuan plays it remarkably well. I was particularly impressed by her interpretation of the trauma: convincing and very moving. It is also for this character that I held on until the end of the series.
In short. Worth seeing if you like Chen Zhe Yuan. But don't waste your time if you want to watch a good series...

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Strong Start and then sinks into Swamp of Despair

The first third of this show (about 14 episodes) are pretty good. The characters are engaging, the plot moves and is not cliche. But after it sinks like a rock in water. The characters all wallow and repeat the same mistakes over and over and over and over. There are some sudden and unbelievable plot devices that seem forced to resolve problems only to move into another problem. Ultimately ending also seems forced and vague. In the end the show is just a hot mess of swampy despair. The only thing good is the acting, in all honesty. But the actors can't save a badly developed plot.

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Okay, so yeah, I only watched it because of my sister, who cried like a little baby (and me too, of course). I have to say that this series was truly a masterpiece. If I don't count some parts that were unnecessarily long and boring and I prayed that we would finally move on. The characters were amazing and the processing was like a joke. The whole idea is completely original and I have no words, it really is a brilliant idea that deserves more attention. As I say, the characters were amazing and maybe because they were played by such great actors. Honestly, I expected more from it, but it doesn't matter. As for the rest, I have nothing to criticize, because they are beautiful and I am addicted to them. The only thing that annoyed me was the ending, at first I was stuck and was angry, but after a few minutes I started crying like a little baby XD so if you don't want to be depressed, this series is not for you XD Of course I also have to mention my fav bromance, which I experienced probably more than the main couple pfff

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