soft but strong...
This is a touching drama that stays with you. It “kills the viewers softly” with its deep emotions and heartfelt moments. The stars have great chemistry, making their story feel real and natural. The plot is not perfect but keeps you hooked, making you want to stay and wait for the next episodes. It’s a beautiful and emotional drama worth watching.Was this review helpful to you?
Pretty Faces, Empty Plot: A Mockery of Real Sacrifice
Rating: 3/10Genres: Military, Romance, Drama
Let me start with a question: While protecting a country, do soldiers or volunteers truly have the time to go sightseeing, take photos, and romance their partner in the middle of missions? Even if it’s a drama, it should carry a basic sense of realism. A good story connects with its audience through emotion and believability—not fantasy masquerading as reality.
In today’s tech-heavy, image-driven world, we’re heavily influenced by what we watch. That’s why directors and writers have a responsibility. You don’t always have to show a perfect or politically correct message—but don’t push the wrong one either. And actors should also be mindful of the stories they choose to represent.
If you want to create a light romantic drama, then do it honestly—with a normal storyline. Don’t hide behind military or soldier-based themes just to insert romantic fluff. It’s cheap storytelling, and it does a huge disservice to the people whose real lives involve sacrifice, danger, and duty.
Story / Plot (2/10)
This drama started off okay, but quickly derailed into chaos. I had to force myself to finish it—not for entertainment, but just to confirm how bad it got. It feels like a complete insult to the idea of service, sacrifice, and national responsibility.
The female lead is supposed to be a journalist—but she spends most of the drama chasing her boyfriend, disturbing his work, and acting like the entire world revolves around her emotional needs. She’s praised as “kind” and “talented,” but in reality, she shows little value in the actual story. Her character adds no depth, and frankly, she becomes so annoying that I found myself wishing her role would just disappear or end entirely—not fall in love and have more screentime.
Characters & Cast (4/10)
The cast, overall, has done a good job with what they were given. But the lead characters are written so poorly that it’s hard to sympathize with them. Especially the female lead—every time she appeared on screen, I felt frustration rather than empathy. And the male lead, instead of acting like a committed volunteer in service of his country, is constantly babysitting his girlfriend and sharing kisses in dangerous zones. If this is “romance,” it’s tone-deaf and misplaced.
Tone & Message (1/10)
To understand Eastern countries—especially their military and humanitarian struggles—just read the news. Anyone with a heart will cry. This drama completely ignores that pain. It turns what should be a serious, respectful theme into a shallow romance.
This is not just unrealistic. It’s disrespectful.
Overall Thoughts
This is a STUPID drama. It disrespects real-life volunteers, soldiers, and the people who sacrifice everything. It could have been a beautiful, respectful story—but it’s been turned into a cringe-filled romantic mess.
Would I Recommend It?
❌ Absolutely not. Avoid this drama unless you’re okay with disrespecting serious themes for the sake of shallow romance.
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Love in the midst of harsh reality
Let me just start by congratulating both the actor chen zen yuan and actress liang jie for the superb and commendable job they have done and giving the life to the character of the drama so beautifully so fabulously that I lived story with them. Chemistry was top notch.. I wish they had more intense scenes.Now talk about the storyline.. story could have been better I felt liZan loved song ran but not as much she loved him.
Somewhere I blame ml character for the agony they went through because female character was never his first priority and that hurt me the most.
I would definitely recommend to watch it once because I am sure for second time you wont have the courage to watch it after crying your heart out and to go through the pain again.
Hope both actors will have more drama together where they can have happy ending..
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The Sentimental story
The White Olive Tree" is a love story between a reporter and a bomb diffuser. It is a sentimental story, more than just a love story. The story depicts the lives of people who are always trapped between wars. It also shows how soldiers survive there and how they rescue people.During rescue and evacuation, some soldiers sacrifice their lives in front of their comrades. Those comrades live a traumatized life.
This story is very emotional. I must say, Chen Zhe Yuan gave his best performance.*
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ONE OF THE BEST CDRAMAS IN A WHILE!
The drama makes you feel like you're reading a book. You're completely immersed in the story. The acting and chemistry between the leads is what lifts this story. There are a lot of dramas where the acting is just meh but this one. . .the acting has been amazing, especially for the main leads. The ML always has a smile on his face but behind that smile is sadness, and despair and the actor delivers it so beautifully. The same with the actress, her eye acting conveys so much that it feels like I'm in the story.The plot hasn't been completely established yet but it's a 38-episode drama and we're only on episode 8 now. I don't expect it to pick up immediately so I don't mind the slow pace of things. If it's too fast pace, it doesn't feel authentic to me.
I can't wait for the following episodes to see where Li Zan and Song Ran takes us.
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Love this drama
First i watch Hidden love and looking for Yuan’s another drama.. when i found it, then i read the novel, i understand why Yuan and Liang jie very suitable for this role..I loooovee them so much!!
Liang jie’s cry scene is another level, i really love her eyes when her cry and i love Azan eyes when he look at Ranran..
I hope this drama can air on Netflix so that it becomes more global.. fighting!!
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Lack of action and lack of chemistry
The main couple are… boring. There’s no personality, just shyness and sweet glances. The rest of the side characters are more interesting than the main couple!Also, this is so dragged out. The slow motion, the standing around, the unnecessary close ups. You did not need 38 episodes for this. You could’ve cut out all the almost-tension between the main couple who obviously both like each other and take way too long to get together, and this could’ve been maybe 16 or 18 episodes at the most.
For a show that takes place in a warzone, the action was barely there. Apart from a few scenes that show some actual fighting, the geographical area was quite calm. The most work the soldiers had to do was planting vegetables and ferrying the reporter protagonist around.
And they never did explain why the country was at war and who they were at war with which only goes to show how weak the writing was.
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Script is the weakest link
This drama was so anticipated and so the letdown was major for me.Chen Zhe Yuan and Liang Jie’s acting was good. Their chemistry was on point. They carried and are still carrying the show as best as they can.
The cinematography is awesome, the stills for this drama are so great and they capture so much emotion.
The direction is ok. Nothing much to complain there. They did make the sets look as real as it possibly could. Making sets look like war torn areas definitely must not have been easy. Maybe they spent too much on sets and side roles because the script is so so bad.
Honestly I wanted so much to like it. I can tolerate a lot of lame dramas, but this one takes the cake. So why is it lame? Every role that is not the FL and the ML are simply tools existing to put the FL and ML together. Take for instance the 2FL, who is the team lead of the FL. her sole purpose in the drama is to one up the FL, she exists solely to take the ML away from the FL. She goes to a war torn country as a journalist to take the ML away from the FL. Let’s not talk about being unprofessional as a journalist or going to a war torn country as a journalist with personal reasons, she goes up to the FL in the first instance she gets and tell the FL that she is going to make sure she wins the ML over. Another instance is when they use some extras to push the FL to the ML for a critical moment for the ML to reach out and hold the FL closely. The moment seems so staged and so unnatural that if it wasn’t for CZY and LJ, it wouldn’t have been pulled off. Last instance is that being in a war torn country, CZY’s team mates are only concerned about the female journalists. It’s all they talk about. I mean the story and the script is so incredibly incredulously weak. Here they have a entire set of a war torn country and they have such a sad script to back it up. It’s honestly rubbish.
Another honorable mention -rant is the speed of their speech. It’s as if the director made them deliberately talk 0.5x the normal speed because all their dialog is so so so slow you really ought to watch the show in 1.5x speed.
Last honorable mention is the music. Granted there are a lot of songs, but please please please get the English right or at least make it sound normal. Most of the songs feature strange English lyrics. Yes, they are English words but the words don’t make sense. It takes you right out of the drama.
I guess I’m writing this because I really need to drop it but I needed some closure because I looked forward to this drama for a long time and I wanted so so much to love it.
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A heartbreaking yet beautiful journey through love and war
I’ve never experienced the war before as my country is so peaceful but this story brought it painfully close. I didn’t know it would make me cry this hard.The way this drama balanced romance, the brutality of war and those rare moments of hope was unforgettable.
Chen Zhe Yuan and Liang Jie delivered incredible performances that felt raw and authentic making every emotion believable.
I appreciated how the show addressed PTSD and other mental health struggles with sensitivity showing how deeply these wounds can affect someone long after the battles are over.
War never brings anything good, it takes away the lives of loved ones and relatives and this drama shows its cruelty in a way that feels heartbreakingly real.
It wasn’t about glorifying war but about revealing the bonds, sacrifices and choices people make.
The emotions felt genuine and the message about love and perseverance was powerful.
I’m truly glad I started and finished this drama even though it left me with so many lingering emotions.
It may take some time before the feelings fade but that’s exactly why I’m so impressed, the drama hit me straight in the heart and stayed there.
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This review may contain spoilers
Amazing Story
I loved this story. It's an amazing story and gut-wrenching at the same time. The portrayal of war and it's affects afterwards is on point. PTSD is a very sad disease that I have personally went through and am still recovering from. This drama was on point in regards to how this disease affects people. The acting was superb by all the cast. Be prepared with lots of tissue when watching this. Not only did this drama portray PTSD, but also major depressive disorder. When going through these issues, the people around you don't know how to help you. As for strangers, they see these outbursts and assume the person is just crazy and have no idea what they are going through. This story made me laugh and cry all at the same time.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Love Amidst the Ruins: A Haunting Romance in a War-Torn Land
WARNING:DON'T WATCH IF YOU ARE EASILY TRIGGEREDDRAMA CONTENT WARNING:Dark themes present like PTSD,******,etc.
NOTE:This is a chatgpt generated review after distilling the bests and the negatives.
"White Olive Tree" is a beautifully crafted Chinese drama that invites its audience to experience a slow-burning, introspective journey. The series uses the metaphor of the white olive tree—symbolizing resilience and quiet strength—to explore themes of tradition, identity, and personal growth.
Positives
• Stunning Cinematography: The visual presentation is one of the drama’s standout features. Each frame is meticulously composed, with natural landscapes and intimate close-ups that capture both the grandeur of nature and the subtleties of human emotion.
• Compelling Performances: The lead actor delivers a nuanced performance that anchors the narrative, bringing depth and authenticity to a character caught between modern dilemmas and traditional expectations. The supporting cast, though uneven at times, contributes memorable moments that enrich the overall story.The compelling performances in White Olive Tree are one of its strongest assets, bringing depth and authenticity to a story that relies heavily on emotional nuance. The lead actor delivers a powerful portrayal of a character torn between love, duty, and the scars of war, capturing the internal struggles with subtle facial expressions and restrained yet impactful delivery. Their chemistry with the female lead is palpable, making their moments of tenderness and conflict feel raw and deeply moving.
The supporting cast also contributes significantly to the emotional weight of the drama. From hardened soldiers grappling with loss to civilians clinging to hope in a shattered world, each performance adds layers to the story. While some side characters could have been developed further, their portrayals still succeed in enriching the atmosphere of the drama. The actors’ ability to convey complex emotions—sometimes without words—ensures that even the quietest moments carry weight, making White Olive Tree a drama that lingers in the mind long after the final scene.
• Atmospheric Score: The musical score complements the visual storytelling perfectly. Its gentle, evocative tunes enhance the drama’s reflective tone, drawing viewers deeper into the world the characters inhabit.The melodies subtly shift with the emotional currents of the story, intensifying moments of longing, sorrow, and quiet resilience. Rather than overwhelming the narrative, the music acts as an invisible thread that binds the scenes together, allowing emotions to linger long after the dialogue fades. This immersive quality makes the viewing experience not just engaging but profoundly affecting, as if the audience is not merely watching the story unfold but feeling it resonate on a deeper, almost subconscious level.
• Thoughtful Storytelling: The drama excels in its understated narrative style. It invites viewers to engage with its symbolism and themes, offering a contemplative exploration of life’s complexities without relying on overt exposition.The thoughtful storytelling in White Olive Tree is one of its most defining features, elevating it beyond a conventional war-time romance into a deeply introspective journey. The drama unfolds with a poetic sensibility, relying on quiet moments, unspoken words, and symbolic imagery to convey its themes of love, loss, and resilience. Rather than spelling everything out for the audience, it trusts viewers to engage with the material on a deeper level, making each revelation feel earned and impactful.
One of the drama’s strengths lies in its ability to balance personal struggles with the larger backdrop of war and destruction. The narrative doesn’t merely use the war as a setting but intertwines it with the characters' emotional battles, showing how external chaos mirrors their internal turmoil. Flashbacks, fragmented memories, and parallel storytelling techniques are used effectively to build tension and emotional weight, ensuring that even the smallest details carry significance.
Additionally, White Olive Tree excels in exploring moral dilemmas, forcing its characters to navigate between duty and personal desire, past and present, survival and sacrifice. By focusing on these intricate conflicts rather than relying on melodramatic twists, the drama maintains a mature, thought-provoking tone. The pacing, though slow at times, allows for deep character development, making the emotional payoffs all the more satisfying. This deliberate and reflective approach ensures that White Olive Tree is not just a love story but a meditation on the fragility and strength of the human spirit in times of crisis.
Negatives
• Pacing Issues: While the deliberate pace allows for a deep immersion into the story, some viewers might find the initial episodes overly slow. The measured unfolding of events could be challenging for those accustomed to a more dynamic storytelling style.
• Underdeveloped Subplots: Some secondary characters and subplots do not receive the same level of attention as the main narrative, which can make parts of the story feel underdeveloped. This occasionally detracts from the overall richness of the drama.
• Heavy Symbolism: The extensive use of symbolism, while artistically ambitious, can sometimes feel forced. At moments, the narrative leans so heavily on metaphor that it may obscure rather than clarify the characters’ motivations and the story’s direction.
Final Thoughts
"White Olive Tree" is a drama that will appeal most to viewers who appreciate artful, meditative storytelling. Its strong visual aesthetic and emotional depth make it a rewarding experience, though the slow pace and occasional narrative gaps may not suit everyone’s tastes. Overall, it stands as a testament to the beauty of subtle, character-driven drama in modern Chinese television.
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should I cry or should I feel happy for this ending?
I'll never gonna heal from this. For me it was a masterpiece. I didn't wanted to cry this much, I prefer the beginning of it. It was not so sad then. I really loved the lead actor and actress chemistry. They acted like they really belong to each other. I felt true how they felt for each other on the screen. They knew what they doing. We saw a lot of thing what we must. There are really bad people all over the world, but that is not the only problem.. Starvation, no home, being an orphan. There are a lot of bad thing that can hurt people..It is true the the story is not the best, the acting and every other stuff was perfect.
I really don't know how to handle the ending. It was bittersweet. But I feel like this was more bitter than sweet. Life is trutly difficult and this drama shows to us in the best way.
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