This review may contain spoilers
A new record for interrupted kisses!?
In a sense this is one of the most frustrating dramas I have ever watched, but in another it's rather beautiful, there is a lot of very well written witty dialog in the show. I think the leads had great chemistry both as "friends" & lovers . Why the scare quotes? Well, their friendship is insanity & all the reasons why they did not take that step for so long are insanity squared. The writer really dropped the ball here romantic plot wise, all it would have taken to somewhat plausibly justify the slow burn is to just remove the 10 minutes from the first 14 episodes where they declared their eternal friendship to each other after crazy acts of love. (or god forgive just replace those scenes with some wistful starting, whatever)Though the show is quite repetitive from e6~ up to episode 15, since every episode has one moment of insane escalation that fizzles out & these are very similar almost every time.
From e15 onward the romance picks up & things start happening at a reasonable rate from then on. I would say that the second half of the show could have had more emotional impact, but cdramas will be cdramas, overall this was quite enjoyable to me.
As for the things outside of the leads' personal world, well the work drama part was okay-ish, mostly because more often than not the work related scenes transitioned back to ML + FL interactions, so I did not have time to become bored, let alone annoyed.
As for the usual political messaging this show is alright, there is some here and there, but it's not too egregious or immersion breaking.
The leads have a married couple for their best friends, but they don't really have a story worth mentioning, they were just a plot device to stall for even more time early on, just to annoy us viewers.
As for the most popular third couple I'm not sure what the fuss is about in the comment section. They were cute, but they only had like 15 minutes together in 30 episodes, so I'm not particularly upset about their acceptable, but admittedly less than satisfying, but still happy enough ending.
There are no love triangles, so triangle haters can safely watch this!
The OST is fantastic, so that did a lot to help me survive the first 14 episodes.
edit: I almost forgot! In other dramas I always hated the sad teary eyed `ge` or `gege` second lead characters. In this one teared eyed `ge` winning completely uncontested was a bit interesting & surreal :-)
Was this review helpful to you?
Fall in love with your best friend slowly
This story says that two best "brothers" fall in love. I was seeing many reviews saying that it was a slow watch but I think it's worth watching. Because this drama shows a smooth transition of a friendship to something better and more beautiful. I know that it's not our typical fluffy and cute drama, but when I was watching I found that it showed the maturity of two people when choosing their partners. So if anyone wants to watch remember---This drama is about rationality and reality
---About the true love between two people
---You may feel its dragged but keep watching, I think you will like it.
SO ALL OF YOU,GOOD LUCK
Was this review helpful to you?
"You Are My Lover Friend" is a captivating romance drama that beautifully chronicles the transformation of a decade-long friendship into a profound love story. Tang Yang and Jiang Shi Yan's journey is a testament to the power of true friendship.
I understand the complexities of having a crush on a friend, and this drama brought back memories. Initially, I thought, 'How can they miss their chance for 13 years?' But then I realized I was projecting my own experience. I, too, had an unrequited love that lasted 10 years. The frustration of seeing my failed self in the characters was overwhelming.
The show accurately portrays the dilemma: one person unwilling to accept their feelings, while the other fears ruining the friendship. Unfortunately, that's what happened in my own life – we're no longer friends.
From a non-expert perspective, I think the drama stretches unnecessarily. The constant meddling from family and friends feels excessive. The push-and-pull dynamic, while realistic, becomes tiresome.
Despite its flaws, the show resonates with those who've experienced the bittersweet pain of unrequited love. Some relationships are simply not meant to be.
Recommendation:
I initially started watching 'You Are My Lover Friend,' but unfortunately, the slow pace didn't hold my attention.
One standout aspect was the secondary couple CH and SNN story. Their narrative was engaging, and I wished they had received more screen time. The writers did an excellent job developing their storyline.
*Pros:*
1. Well-developed secondary couple.
2. Heartwarming themes of friendship and love
*Cons:*
1. Slow pacing
2. Insufficient screen time for the secondary couple.
If you enjoy romance dramas with meaningful storylines and don't mind a slower pace, 'You Are My Lover Friend' might be the perfect fit. Give it a try!
Was this review helpful to you?
You Are My Lover Friend = You're My Best Friend and My Lover
I'm interested in watching it because of Zhang Xin Cheng, Wang Yu Wen, and Wu Jun Ting.The plot is fairly common—friends turned lovers—but it still has potential to explore the romantic aspect further.
What I like about this drama:
0) This is a true best-friends-to-lovers plot. The romance develops almost in the last 10 episodes.
1) Their friendship feels genuine. They're real besties, paying attention to and understanding each other so well. It would have been very strange if they didn't end up together and get married, considering how close they are—HAHA.
2) The kisses and skinship in the last 10 episodes were good, yohoooo!
3) The story focuses mainly on friendship and work. The obstacles are just work rivals, ex-lovers, and one-sided crushes.
4) Cheng Hui and Ni Na's love story ended happily, even though they didn't get much screen time.
5) I love how the end credits show flashbacks to their high school days.
6) The wedding ending was quite a surprise. It was cute, though.
7) The OST sung by Zhang Xin Cheng is my favorite.
What I dislike:
1) The story drags a bit. They made it 30 episodes, with the first 10 focusing on pure friendship, the next 10 on worrying about how a relationship might affect their friendship, and the last 10 on the romance. Maybe it would have been better to make it only 24 episodes.
2) I still can’t believe Wei Ran and Yan An didn’t notice their close friends’ feelings for each other until the leads spoiled it themselves.
Was this review helpful to you?
13+ years of love.
rating as 10/10 to bring up the ratings from 8.1 since it deserves around at least 8.3real rating 8.5~
You are my lover friend is one of the feel-good dramas of 2024 i would recommend everyone to watch.
Jiang Shiyan and Tang Yang's friendship alone brings justice to this drama.
I just hoped that we had a better closure scene for Sheng Nina and Cheng Hui.
Also, it seems that Feng Weiran and Jiang Yanan was about to welcome a new child, but I guess they cut it off. Or I missed it :/
all in all, a pretty good watch. ~
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
charming, slow burn, romantic and fluffy.
One was afraid that their friendship will fall apart while the other is afraid to express their true feelings and get rejected. I understand why they both hesitated (different reasons), especially Tang Yang. Each episode showed his love language to be acts of service and then gifts.They had amazing chemistry and I love that neither of them behaved childish. It was more on the mature settings. Even though their romance journey took a while, the other characters made the episodes more livelier and we got some comedic scenes. I agree that work scenes dragged the series out but hey lol the workplace drama is always a must in these series lol. (I skipped through them). At the end, it showed that Jiang Shi Yan wanted to tell her his true feelings but got scared.
Overall, it was charming, slow burn, romantic and fluffy.
Was this review helpful to you?
Beautiful Drama
I love this drama, from start to finish. It captures your attention and leaves you wanting more and more. Great chemistry between ML and FL. I especially enjoy and appreciate how the writers bought the storyline together. It was not rushed and it was tastefully done. All of the actors portrayed their characters in a way that in the end created a masterpiece of work. Congrats to the cast, crew, directors, and writers for a job well done.Was this review helpful to you?
GREAT DRAMA - MUST WATCH
If you're a fan of romantic comedy and friendzone dramas, this is a must-watch! It’s a light-hearted show that beautifully captures the bond of friendship within a close-knit group of friends who have known each other since school days. The drama also delves into the dynamics of relationships, showing when to step in, when to hold back, when to offer advice, and how to support each other through all of life’s ups and downs.The romance doesn’t take center stage right away; the first half of the show focuses mainly on friendship. But as the story progresses, the romance gradually unfolds in the second half in a natural, seamless way that feels real and genuine – no forced moments or over-the-top acting.
The ensemble cast is definitely a highlight, with every character, from the lovable grandpa to the adorable Xiao Qi, adding their own charm to the show.
Watch it, enjoy it, and take away the best lessons from this heartfelt drama. If you're interested in more drama reviews, be sure to follow my Instagram page @kcdrama_review!
Was this review helpful to you?
A Beautiful Blend of Friendship, Love, and Life's Lessons
"You Are My Lover Friend" is a heartwarming series that beautifully captures the delicate transition from friendship to love. It's a pure, wholesome story that emphasizes the importance of cherishing love and family without the unnecessary drama. The characters navigate the complexities of life with sincerity, showing how true love creates space for happiness, even in sorrow.The series also explores the idea that regrets are better avoided by making mindful choices, a theme that resonates deeply as we witness the characters grow. The story encourages viewers to embrace love fully, without taking moments for granted, reminding us that both joy and pain shape the meaning of a lasting relationship. It's a refreshing take on romance, where love and friendship intertwine naturally, making it a must-watch for those who believe in authentic, meaningful connections.
Was this review helpful to you?
Light & simple
Two mature main leads, one great group of friends that feels like group of friends and three couples with their own storiesTang Yang & Shi Yan
The slowburn, the friendship, the romance it's all there. I do think that it's a great example of best friends to lovers because their romantic relationship didn't happen on a whim. There was no event where they were like "oh, I've fallen with my best friend". No, it was all in a little day-to-day things, from both sides. There's support, the fun, the friendship, trust and love between them and it's perfect. It's just a simple story without any drama (it has veryyy minor "villain" plot but honestly it didn't affect them at all). I love that they did write hesitance of turning 13-year friendship into romantic relationship and the awkwardness of the romance when it's still new for both of them. These two compliment each other so well but are still their own people without each other and I love that too
Jiang Yan An & Feng Wei Ran
This is basically friends to lovers thing that happened much earlier than main couple. At first I thought that they're just a comedic relief but I honestly liked both of them. They had their own very valid issues and they overcame them together. I truly admire the writers for including them too and not making them stupid like they like to do with typical second leads in a romcom
Cheng Hui & Sheng Ni Na
Oh, I wish we could have seen more of them! I really like the concept of grumpy guy/sunshine girl or black cat/golden retriever energy but this one actually opened my mind to black cat/black cat energy. They are very similar to each other, very honest and respectful. I do love them like that too (as a half-baked romance) but I'd wish they turned it into the proper second lead romance. There's 30 eps, they could have easily done that
Overall if you want something simple, not overly sugary, mature and slice-of-life-ish, this one is for you. This drama has veryyy little plot aside of the romance but it really felt like it was unnecessary so it's not a perfect 10 stars
Was this review helpful to you?
Simple and beautiful
This is the first Chinese Drama I've finished. I find the story captivating and calm without many ups and downs (perfect for those who want to spend a nice afternoon with a coffee). However, I would have liked them to go deeper into the secondary plots and Cheng Hui's relationship. I feel that all the subplots that were presented to us throughout the story were suddenly closed in the penultimate chapter, but other than that, it's highly recommended.Was this review helpful to you?
CALM LIKE A BREEZE
This drama is an adaptation of a novel, the director has done well for it.The writing was consistent.
We knew the obvious, the friend part dragged for too long IMO.
You knew it was there but nobody confronted it.
Denial after denial, until the last 1/3rd of the drama where it came alive.
I'm not a fan to the long-term friends-to-lovers scenario for the sole reason that you always know deep down if you're interested and as we saw both of the MCs knew it already.
You can't fade away the sexual tension.
The acting was superb.
It's kinda feel-good drama.
I watched it quite slowly. took me a month or so.
Quite fun that way.
Overall it was decent.
What I really loved about this drama is the calmness.
The characters are sorted , it's a really well done feel good drama.
Something that you just want to keep watching slowly.
The ending was rushed though.
Let's move onto the short comings of this drama :
The biggest one is ..*Drum roll*
Character development.
Once again it was negligent.
The characters were exactly as they were introduced.
Everything felt too good and superficial to the context that there were zero ills in this drama which is strange.
Ills in regards to the MCs .
Was this review helpful to you?
