This review may contain spoilers
I finally found the time to watch Speed and Love, and the biggest draw for me was definitely the racing. Growing up on Initial D, I was immediately hooked by the mountain racing scenes—the terrain, atmosphere, and even certain tactics felt incredibly familiar. Moments like shutting off the headlights to throw off an opponent genuinely felt like a nostalgic callback. This review might feel a bit scattered since I was jotting down thoughts as I watched, but that also reflects my viewing experience.I’m usually very invested in storytelling, but after seeing so many clips and spoilers beforehand, I already had a sense of where the plot was heading. The story follows a fairly straightforward “fake siblings”-to-romance setup: a taciturn male lead with a troubled past, and a female lead who acts as his emotional anchor and source of light. Because of that predictability, I wasn’t especially invested in the narrative itself. Still, I adore Esther and wanted to give the main couple a fair chance—and to be honest, they do have solid chemistry.
This drama feels clearly geared toward a younger audience. It’s cute, fluffy, and filled with romantic moments that evoke the feeling of first love. While it’s not usually my preferred genre, I ended up treating it as a “crochet and watch” series—something light to fill the time while waiting for other releases I’m more excited about.
The beginning of the series kept reminding me of The Forbidden Flower, and after doing a bit of digging, it made sense to learn they share the same director. I didn’t have the best impression of The Forbidden Flower—it felt more like a fangirl passion project than a fully grounded story—and that same vibe showed up here as well, particularly in how certain emotional beats were framed.
One element that did keep me curious was the mysterious meet-up storyline. I kept wondering if there was an undercover cop angle or some kind of shady deal involved. While that thread eventually went exactly where I expected, the execution wasn’t always easy to follow. The pacing and time jumps—especially involving Snakey and how she inserted herself into his life—felt a bit choppy. Her transitions between school life, social events, and uncovering his dangerous side lacked smooth narrative flow, making parts of the story feel rushed or underdeveloped.
That said, while the first half—particularly the Thailand portion—felt like a blur, the second half really pulled me in. Watching him lose his mobility and slowly fight his way back, both physically and emotionally, was where the drama truly shined for me. This arc gave the story more depth and made me reflect on what Speed and Love was ultimately trying to say. Was it just an innocent first love story, or was it about sacrifice in the name of love? I’d like to believe it was the latter—and that’s where the series found its strongest footing.
Lastly, it’s been a while since an OST immediately caught my attention, but Zhang Bichen’s “I’m Determined To” was an instant favorite and added emotional weight to several scenes.
While Speed and Love isn’t entirely my type of drama, I think viewers who enjoy first-love stories, youthful romance, and reunions born out of sacrifice will find a lot to like here. Between the beautiful visuals, engaging racing scenes, and a very good-looking main couple, it delivers what it sets out to do. For me, this was a solid 7/10.
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Flawed but comforting
I know the writing has its flaws, but at the same time, this was a very comforting, straightforward, and satisfying watch. It hits a lot of emotional beats that make it entirely worth it.First, the forbidden setup allows for a highly intense feeling alongside an insane, magnetic chemistry. Then, add in the shame, baggage, history, and overarching mission of the male lead, and you have yourself a good dose of angst and high-stakes feelings—not too much, and not too little. I’m completely emotionally invested.
The cute female lead, while initially ignorant of the stakes, is fiercely loyal. She trusts the male lead in most, if not all, of his decisions, making it easy for him to be vulnerable with her. I love what her presence does for the male lead's character despite her not being the one who moves the plot along, which I find to be a rare and refreshing case in these romance dramas.
With that in mind, what really drives the story for me is the heavy focus on the male lead and how he navigates his problems—especially in love, racing for justice, and his internal character of self-righteousness (which causes most of the issues).
Overall, if you like these tropes and want a highly intense yet deeply comforting escape with a guaranteed happy ending, then this is the drama for you.
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Racing glory
This drama took me by surprise, as I was really wanting to watch it, however I was genuinely surprised with the way it unfolded.The race scenes were absolutely fantastic and the fight scenes were just has good.
The story was good, the characters were so well suitable and they kinda matched each of their characters well. I loved the fact that she was determined to stand by him and he just bent to her in the most touching way.
His bravery to put her first to go see her mother was touching although i felt the timeline was a bit long, he faced his owned challenge while still staying strong to his promise was really touching.
Overall this drama definitely exceeded my expectations and I loved the racing aspects.
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unnecessary
You know what make Hidden Love so good, there not unnecessary stuff… if this show was like hidden love and just about loving each other and growing stronger together I think this show has potential… but with all this unnecessary detective spy stuff is what lost me… I like the characters and racing… I love the cute lovey dovey scenes… why not just keep it that way… I don’t get it why break them up… honestly if you wanna break them up fine it happens in every drama… come up with a better reason… why a dumb cliche ohhh I want to keep you safe… how about something more meaning like what happen in Sniper Butterfly… that’s honestly a underrated show… if you saw that show you would know what I’m talking about… so how about just keep it as racing and just racing as the plot and not racing to get into some detective spy trying to solve a crime… I’m not here for that.Was this review helpful to you?
Best Chinese drama of 2025 (after Love's Ambition and The Coroner's Diary)
OMG I literally finished this drama within three days (29 Dec 25 – 31 Dec 25), and I am completely in love. This drama got me hooked from the very first episode. It feels fresh and different, with a well-written script that clearly shows how much effort the team put into it—seriously, well done.As someone who prefers romantic dramas, this one checked all the boxes for me, especially with such amazing leads. Esther Yu and He Yu were honestly the perfect fit for their roles, ngl. Their chemistry feels natural, and I love how each interaction between them becomes more intense without unnecessary dragging. Every scene feels meaningful and keeps you wanting more.
What really stood out to me is how the drama beautifully shows the growth of both leads, from their youth to becoming mature adults. Their emotional development feels realistic and earned, which made their journey even more touching to watch. Overall, this drama isn’t just romantic—it’s heartfelt, engaging, and unforgettable. Definitely one of my favorites
Ending my 2025 with this drama honestly made my heart so happy.
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More like speed and disappointment
I really enjoyed the first part of this drama. The action developed nicely, and the racing elements and scenes were reasonably entertaining. I even appreciated the slow-burn romance – it was executed well overall.Now, I know some viewers had mixed feelings about Esther Yu’s performance, but I believe she did a commendable job with her character. Jiang Mu is supposed to be a sheltered, rich 18-year-old girl, characterized by being spoiled, entitled, and overly dramatic to the point of annoyance. While I didn’t like her as a person or character, I think Esther Yu portrayed her effectively.
My issues with the drama started when we moved into the second part of the plot. Although we see a difference in the characters’ personalities that indicates growth in their maturity, it still felt like the plot was stagnant. The same storylines, attitudes, and lines were recycled; I didn’t feel there was any real growth, even though that seemed to be the aim.
If I’m being honest, I think the series might have benefitted from wrapping up around episodes 16 or 17. After that, the plot felt a bit aimless to me. I also found Jiang Mu’s behaviour toward Jin Zhao after their reunion puzzling. The lying and manipulation, along with that petty jealousy, felt unnecessary. While I totally understand that his actions went against her, I would have preferred to see Jiang Mu adopt a more straightforward approach – maybe give him the cold shoulder or make him genuinely apologise, rather than manipulate him into seeking her out.
Lastly, the relationship (bromance?) between Jin Zhao and Lin Sui. I felt more chemistry and connection in their flashbacks and present moments than I did between the actual main leads – unfortunately this, despite my fondness for BL, was off-putting. It felt more like queerbaiting than anything else.
In the end, while I enjoyed the first part of the series, the second part fell short. I found myself practically skipping to the last episode because it felt like a waste of my time.
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This review may contain spoilers
In my opinion, this is an excellent drama! One of its biggest strengths is the atmosphere it delivers. After thinking it over, I feel like it makes up for the fact that, for most of the time, nothing particularly major happens — the focus is mainly on the relationship of the main couple, which flows smoothly and pleasantly for the most part, without major obstacles (with one exception) — but while watching, you don’t feel that at all. I never had a moment where I was bored or where an episode felt dragged out. It also makes up, to a large extent, for the fact that many plot points are introduced and then never developed, often simply forgotten. I also have to admit that I love the “bad boy” trope — someone who is tough on the outside but deeply loyal and caring toward those closest to him, especially that one person — and we definitely get that here.I really enjoyed the pairing of the main couple — Jin Zhao and Jiang Mu — who were complete opposites. He was confident, mysterious, cold, and reserved, while she was chaotic, open, and a bit silly. On top of that, they had amazing chemistry and tension that was insanely palpable through the screen. I also loved his provocative personality, which she gradually started to adopt as well. Around each other, they became better versions of themselves, always wanting to be the best for one another, often putting the other person’s happiness and well-being above their own. Of course, they had their flaws too — for example, Jin Zhao sometimes made decisions for her, assuming he knew what was best.
I also loved many of the side characters and think that some of their stories could have been developed much more. The whole group of guys completely stole my heart — especially San Lai. He was a wonderful character. I loved him on his own, I loved him paired with Jin Zhao, and I loved him paired with Jiang Mu, so I’m really disappointed we didn’t get more of his story. The subplot with his father was introduced as something important and then just… left unfinished. A small personal downside for me is also that we didn’t get his relationship with Na Na, which I was hoping for. And there’s one thing about him that doesn’t sit right with his otherwise amazing character — why did he suggest to Jiang Mu that he could replace Jin Zhao someday if she wanted? Bro? I really hope he didn’t have feelings for her and that it was just a dumb comment — that’s how I choose to interpret it. Don’t ruin my friendship dynamic with lines like that. Another character I loved was Lin Sui — “Drunk.” I’m not even entirely sure why. He had a very specific personality and vibe that I really liked. I also enjoyed his interactions with Jin Zhao and that scene where he was the fifth wheel during their reunion after years.
On top of that, the whole racing storyline and everything related to cars was handled really well. Similarly — although obviously in a more condensed way — his journey back to full physical fitness after the accident was also portrayed well, especially the emotions tied to that process.
That said, there are also a few plotlines (aside from San Lai’s father) that I have some issues with — bigger, smaller, and minor ones.
Major issues:
→ Liang Yan Feng’s character. Out of nowhere, it suddenly turned out that he was “good” and part of the alliance. There was no prior setup for that, and it was never revisited later. On top of that, almost immediately everyone completely forgot that he spiked Jiang Mu’s drink — and he even ended up getting invited to their wedding.
→ Wan Qing — “Snakey” — and her father’s business. I don’t have an issue with her being at the wedding, since from early on she was shown not to be a bad person. My issue is that, first of all, I don’t understand why the subplot where she kidnapped his father even existed, since it was later completely ignored. Second, we never saw how she processed the situation involving her father or what she thought about it. Third, we never really found out what consequences her father and his employees faced — we only know they were arrested.
→ He Zhang. He was also forgotten, and we never found out what consequences he faced or what happened to him afterward. I’m especially disappointed because I was hoping for some development in his hinted relationship with Wan Qing.
→ We never got a deeper explanation of that darker period in Jin Zhao’s life, when he was apparently called “Brandy,” and I think that could have been really interesting.
Minor issues (things I missed, but that didn’t affect the story much):
→ The fighting subplot involving Jin Zhao. In reality, we only got one fight, even though it was implied that he fought regularly — at least that’s how I understood it. So first, I would have liked to see more fights (my “bad side” speaking :D), and second, a better explanation of why he fought and why he suddenly stopped (unless it was explained through the alliance and I just missed it — I had some long breaks while watching).
→ It also occurred to me that Jin Zhao and Jiang Mu told her mom about their relationship, but we never got a scene where they told her dad XD. The poor guy is still living in the dark while they’re off riding a motorcycle to get married.
→ We never learned Jin Zhao’s birthday :( — it was initially presented as a mystery they wanted to uncover, but I guess they just… stopped caring.
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This review may contain spoilers
The Adrenaline Rush of Precarious Street Racing and Love for a Toddler-Like Teenager
Welcome back to my review. As usual, I’m sorry for delaying “Speed and Love” review because I’m just too idle to write down my thoughts (FYI, my holiday will end in three days, so I’m making sure that I complete this review before getting back to school and being busy again). Without further ado, let’s just dive into the review.“Speed and Love”, formerly named “Star Trails”, is a rom-com drama adapted from Shi Jiuyan’s novel with the same name (in Chinese), staged in the perilous world of street racing in Manshi, Thailand (supposed to be a remote area in China named Tong Gang). The series revolves around a pair of nonblood-related siblings, Jin Zhao and Jiang Mu. After a crushing divorce, their dad moved out from the house and took Jin Zhao with him to Thailand, where they struggled to make ends meet to the point that Jin Zhao needed to quit from high school and took up odd jobs instead, including establishing a self-independent garage and joining high-stake racings in the midnight to earn some cash for the family. FYI, Jin Qiang married another Chinese woman, Zhao Meijuan, at that time and bore a new daughter, Jin Xin (no doubt there will a lot of mouths to be fed).
Meanwhile, Jiang Mu stayed in China with her mom, Jiang Yinghan, at Nanjing. However, Jiang Yinghan soon found a new Canadian-Chinese boyfriend, Chris, and they decide to marry together and live in Canada from then on. Nevertheless, Jiang Mu didn’t agree on her mom’s remarriage and demanded to stay behind in China for she didn’t have a good impression on Chris. After having petty arguments back and forth, Jiang Yinghan finally agreed to let Jiang Mu stay at her father’s place and told her about the past of Jin Zhao as well. This piece of truth only fueled Jiang Mu’s personal desire to search for Jin Zhao and her hope to rekindle the old memories together.
After settling down in Thailand, Jiang Mu enrolls a language foundation course and a Thai high school too (though this is a heavy point stressed in the novel, it’s completely brushed aside in the drama since it’s going all out in the aspects of emotional tension and sexual interactions). Not only that, she also learns about Jin Zhao’s new life and finds that he’s beginning to look like a stranger in her eyes. To understand his world better, she also learns how to race since Jin Zhao always participates in illegal street racings. Soon, she falls in love with Jin Zhao and slowly peels away his thick fortress, ultimately gaining his heart. But an accident will occur in no time and the two are separated for a very long time, breaking each other’s heart while still yearning. Will they finally give in to their fates or fight against it to stage another fluffy love story?
To put it frankly, I do agree with most of the viewers that the plot is very cliché except the racing part. Firstly, the myriad numbers of tropes crammed into this drama is pretty outstanding, considering it only has 29 episodes. Nonblood-related siblings, spoiled girl x bad boy, accidental hugs, friends coming to disturb your peaceful moments of kissing, noble idiocy, ML decides what’s good for FL without asking for her consent. Those tropes have been utilized by other rom-com dramas and some even do better than this one. Honestly, if it hadn’t been for the electrifying chemistry of the main leads, most people would’ve dropped it long ago, and so do I.
However, I want to praise about how well the racing arc is done, especially Jin Qiang’s methods of how to adapt to tricky situations by relying on your neural instinct. The machinery of car is also explained in basic language so that viewers of non-physics background can grasp the foundation easily (one of them happens to be me, since I’m very awful in physics, but don’t get me wrong, I have deep fascination for mechanics and machinery stuffs).
Now, please welcome our high-and-mighty spoiled little queen Jiang Mu. Well, she does act like a spoiled 10-year-old little chick, as if she were a vexatious mosquito hovering around Jin Zhao’s orbit. No offence, but I’m also a picky eater and tend to pick out the vegetables that I dislike. However, there’s a little discrepancy between me and her. At least, I keep my tongue well shut while nitpicking the vegetables, unlike Jiang Mu, who keeps pouting and scowling interminably till I get irritated of her. Also, why does the designer love to dress Jiang Mu in conspicuous sexy clothing that apparently doesn’t fit her image as an ordinary high schooler at all? Even she only wears her uniform as a formality to conceal the black shirt and mini skirt beneath. And how does she know about cars just by having a single glance (the part where Xiao Yang and Tie Gongji are having a difficulty at)? And how does she manage to learn drifting after having seen Lin Sui performs it one time? And from when does she develop a feeling for Jin Zhao? I know it’s a taboo stuff for others when it comes to siblings falling for each other, but I think that’s fine for me. The thing that keeps troubling me is perhaps she had fallen for him since her childhood years and that feeling grows incessantly over years in the shape of the spoiled queen (don’t get me wrong, she initiates most of the intimate acts). Esther Yu’s acting and baby-ish voice don’t help much with Jiang Mu’s interpretation either. She’s trying hard to act like a toddler just because the script demands so, and she turns 180 degree into a mature woman in six years, but not that mature though. Check out the reason below after I finish blabbing about the ML.
For the ML, I actually and truly love him very much that I also want him to be my boyfriend. Welp, who doesn’t want to? He can race, cook, dry your hair, repair the water heater, exceptionally outstanding in physics, draw, fetch you back from school as if his time had been reserved just for you, and many other things I can’t think of anymore. But, the noble idiocy really irks some people and I really don’t know why because noble idiocy is a rudimentary key point during their separation arc or it would’ve been less fulfilling (for me). Also, Jin Zhao’s character is also shaped from the harsh reality of the world and how he can overcome the trials and vicissitudes of life. I think He Yu has shone brighter than ever and it’s his outbreak role after several mediocre performances. He totally rocks Jin Zhao’s portrayal and embodies his essential point quite well.
For this paragraph, this is going to be a hell of a ride, so please bear with me. The show does convey dangerous moral impacts about how to selflessly sacrifice your dignity for someone you’re not supposed to love and how unrequited love soon blooms into a bold yet dangerous possessiveness. This is shown when Jiang Mu confronts Wan Qing in an unfriendly manner and keeps thinking that she has an affair with Jin Zhao, when he actually never reciprocates her feelings. If Jiang Mu had initiated a more proper and clearer communication instead, things wouldn’t have gone awry and the girls would’ve made such good friends from the get go (I tried really hard to suppress my urge to yell at Jiang Mu, seriously). Not only that, the show also romanticizes taboo stuffs such as how you ogle for that person to be your emotional anchor when things go wrong or unlike your expectation. If the person-in-demand doesn’t give you the respond that you desire, you’re going to start throwing tantrums here and there, in order to attract his attention back to you (which is not worth your time at all). I even have to restrain myself not to take any lessons from this show so as not be deluded into an astray path, given that this show is directed for young teenage girls like me, who will be self-deluded in your little fantasy bubble and have a great rage when your reality turns out to say no to you.
Now, to the OSTs. Yes, I love most of the OST in “Speed and Love” especially the upbeat hip hop track sung by Yan An (not Pentagon’s member). I also like the sultry song by Alyce Zhou (R.E.D) and the wistful memory in Zhang Bichen’s track. The other tracks are as pleasant as well. Backgrounds and settings are thumbs-up for me, while the costume can be toned down a little bit for our dear Jiang Mu.
Will I rewatch? That will be a 50/50 answer. If you’re looking for hot sexual tension and dozens of intimate scenes, then you’ll have a great fun here. However, if you’re into a coherent storyline, I’m sorry to say that this show doesn’t fulfill this requirement. It’s time to end my review now (since I have to go to sleep now), good luck and happy watching!!!
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Fork in the road
I totally ate this series up. The main leads had such crazy chemistry that it was just intense. I had to keep checking myself on why I am swooning over sibling love, but I just simply think they are two kids who grew up together and end up falling in love. I read fantasy romance so the plot isn't something I would consider weird or gross. I mean, once you get past that, it is a really cute and sweet drama. I enjoyed it so much. My 11 year old who watched with me sometimes kept asking why the girl aka Jiang Mu aka Esther Yu sounds like a kid, LOL. Well, this series was definitely trademark Esther Yu series. I don't hate her. She was in her element. As for Jian Zhao, He Yu really owned it. I just really had fun with this and such a good one to end the year.Was this review helpful to you?
I Don’t Think This Is Overrated If You’re Here for the Forbidden Sparks
This drama definitely won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. For some, it might feel too cringey, almost like one of those over-the-top Chinese vertical dramas. But honestly? That’s part of the charm. I only picked it up because I’m familiar with Yu Xu Shin (Esther Yu), and knowing her filmography, I’d say Speed and Love is actually pretty tame by her standards of exaggerated cutesy acting. If a drama is going to lean into cringe, I’d rather it fully commit and this one does, while still staying within the limits of being watchable.What surprised me most was how well it sold the forbidden-love tension. The forbidden-love tension here was intense, and it kept building in a way that felt addictive. And for my first time watching He Yu, I have to say he fit the “hot rebel” role effortlessly. He had the looks, the energy, and enough attitude to make the cold bad-boy image work.
That said, I wasn’t a fan of the premise at first. I won’t lie though, the whole unrelated siblings-turn-lovers premise still felt weird to me at first. Especially because Jiang Mu was very upfront with her feelings from the start, her aggressive feelings made it even harder to digest. But as their relationship evolved, the chemistry between them became impossible to ignore. The forbidden-love trope was executed so well. The tension, the push-and-pull, and the taboo element all worked together in a way that made the romance far more compelling than I expected. Their chemistry eventually became so undeniable that the fact they once saw each other as siblings barely mattered anymore.
The speed part of racing scenes, foreign country underground setting, and rebellious atmosphere are mostly there to build the vibe rather than the plot, but it works. If you’re looking for a simple, no-brainer drama with sizzling chemistry of forbidden tension, and don’t mind a bit of cringe, this is definitely worth a watch.
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Really need more!!
I just finished watching this drama. I need three days to finish this. I can’t help myself—I really need more episodes, especially the wedding scene and their reunion with their old friends. Overall, this drama is really good. The tension, the chemistry, the storyline—everything about it feels wholesome. At first, it felt very wattpad coded, but I still enjoyed every moment I spent watching it. By the way, the male lead … I think I’m already looking forward to his next drama. I really love his acting.Was this review helpful to you?
Very different and awesome
After a very longtime I like modern cdrama very much especially I really like to talk about ml heyu his acting is good and he is hot and handsome at same time frist time in my life after reading novel of a drama I felt no one can be perfect as heyu in Jin Zhao role and for Esther many people complian about her acting and voice but for me she is awesome more than okay I like her acting and her role and many little details I like about this drama is location I mean it's different I really like ml place it's different from typical cdrama good apartment well organized things maybe after seeing same things I like different one this time and also I like racing and fighting story of male lead because in other drama only male lead and female scene together is good but in this drama their solo story or scene made me hooked I'm excited for future episodes.Was this review helpful to you?
