Speed and Love

Honestly, the best thing I've ever watched in my life

I usually don't write reviews (this is actually my first one), but the effect this C-drama had on me is so huge, that I thought should write one.

First of all I wanna say that Heyu's and Esther's acting was absolutely phenomenal. I could feel the emotions through the screen. Especially Jiang mu's crying scenes, they felt so real. I could physically feel her pain through her crying, which is something I've never really felt from any series or movie before. And Jin zhao's eyes, the emotions he was portraying with only his eyes is so crazy to me. You could exactly see what he was thinking or feeling just by looking at his eyes.

The music. I've never really felt that the music affects me in series. Like sure, sometimes I find a song that I like a lot and add it on my playlist, but there has never been a song that has actually changed the way I understand or feel while im watching the show, the same way as it was in Speed and love. First of all, everytime I heard the intro song, it gave me goose bumps. And the songs that would play during the crying parts or sad parts made me cry even harder. But the song that made the biggest impression on me was when Jiang mu first sang a song to Jin zhao. After looking up the meaning and lyrics (which you should definitely do, if you haven't yet) I was actually mindblown by how perfect it is for this series.

Another thing I REALLY liked about speed and love is the references to moon and sun. I thought that it was such a genius thing to have. It definitely made the plot ten million times better for me (and the plot is already amazing). It truly made me connect with the characters on a deeper, emotional level. And I also love how it wasn't a dominating element of the story. It was a rather small part of the plot, but it was so vital. I would've never gotten as emotionally attached to mumu and zhaozhao without the sun moon references.

Usually after I watch a series I'll remember the plot, and I won't really think about the characters, but with speed and love I loved mumu and zhaozhao so much. They will have a special spot in my heart. I loved everything from their personalities to their styles. (Also to add, all the outfits and just the styling in general was amazing, I didn't see one single bad outfit.)

I loved the colors. Especially the scenes in Thailand, when the cars were racing around the city, the buildings that were lighted up with different colors and all the colored lamps they used in the scenes in Thailand. It made it feel really nostalgic in a way, it also felt very comforting for some reason. Simply said, watching it felt like home, even though it wasn't home. The "emotional" warmth I felt from the color palette was also something I've never felt before. (Especially the colors in the scenes with fireworks)

Also another thing I really liked, was the character development. It was truly visible, from not only their actions, but you could see how they had changed just from the clothing and hairstyle. Also the way they acted, it was clear they were still the same people, but you could see how everything that had happened had affected them, or just the fact that a lot of time had passed and they had matured more.

If you're wondering whether or not to watch Speed and love, I strongly suggest you do watch it. I didn't have that high expectations when I started, I never really looked into it, since usually I watch mainly K-dramas. But since I kept seeing this on social media even though it wasn't out yet, I decided to give it a try when the first 8 episodes came out. And let me tell you, I've never felt a sadness that's this strong, because a series has come to an end. It was truly so amazing, and exceeded my expectations, more than I thought was possible to.

I will definitely be rewatching this, possibly already tomorrow, because I genuinely think this is the best thing I've ever seen. I don't think anything will ever come close to how much I liked this.

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Wasted potential /story

The story doesn’t fully align, and that’s one of its biggest problems. The male lead barely has any dialogue—you can almost count the number of times he speaks—and the female lead was done no favors either. While the core concept and storyline are actually good, the execution isn’t solid. At times, the plot feels disjointed and doesn’t quite make sense, with noticeable gaps in both the narrative and the development of their relationship.
The dynamic between the leads feels awkward and unbalanced. I understand the intention behind portraying a “good girl” character, but it’s taken too far. It ends up making the female lead’s performance feel forced and cringe-worthy, like constant whining from a younger sister figure. Instead of coming across as natural, her acting feels overly performative, and the character is written as excessively weak and fragile.
They could have done so much more with her. Giving her a proper character arc would have made a huge difference—developing her relationship with her father, making her more active rather than passive, and allowing her to drive parts of the story herself. Early on, the show hints that she has some knowledge of mechanics, but that thread is completely wasted. They could have built on it, perhaps connecting her more deeply to the male lead’s world through mechanics or racing, which would have made their relationship feel more organic and less one-dimensional.
Instead, the series often feels fetishy and shallow, relying on a single-note portrayal of the female lead. There’s also this uncomfortable, almost intentional push toward a sibling-like dynamic in their relationship, with the male lead acting more like a parent than a romantic interest, which makes everything even more awkward.
Overall, this feels like a major missed opportunity. The concept was strong, and the potential was there, but weak scripting and poor character execution made the series feel empty. With better writing, stronger character development, and a more balanced portrayal of the female lead, this could have been something genuinely memorable. What a loss.

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great cinematography but the story falls a bit flat for me

I'll start this off by saying that I have not finished this show (very close to dropping as well..) but I do plan on getting through it since it was very recommended. I'll maybe updates this review when I've finished.

Overall, so far at least, I really enjoy the cinematography and it being set in Thailand for sure adds to the aesthetic elements. The scenes are pleasing to look at and they have this vibe that is pretty calming?? I'm not entirely sure how to describe it but it's easy to watch and you don't have to overthinking it much.

However what my main cons are with this show is how the romance between the FL and ML are almost overly romanticized at a point?? Like before they got together those moments were cute and had lots of tension but after it just became flat and repetitive. I suppose if you're really into those type of "hot" scenes then you'll really enjoy the show. But for me personally, these scenes get redundant and lack the emotional essence that cdramas usually have.

(01/04/2026 update)
So I finally finished the drama and will say it turned out better than I expected during my previous check in. One thing I didn't really like though was how everyone just pretty much FL in the dark during the 8 years they were apart?? Like not a single person around ML thought like hey maybe this isn't what FL wants.. Idk, I'm just generally not a fan of these "I'm not good enough for them/they deserve better" tropes when clearly like VERY clearly the FL is not the type of person to want to be left in the dark over something like this. Also wish they showed a bit more emotional depth in the resolution part cause it feels a bit rushed almost?? like they showed their moments apart and the sad moments + "explanations" but I feel like FL got over being lied to for a whole 8 years WAY too quickly. (Maybe it's just cuz I would've been a bit more salty if I was her..)

I do appreciate how MuMu has a more mature/grown vibe in the second half of the show. While I did enjoy her younger personality in the first half it did feel a bit awkward watching her in certain scenes... (just personally not my taste) so I'm glad they were able to show a bit more of a mature side of her (but I mean she also is a lot older so it's kinda expected).

Honestly though, I'm reading my old review and not much has changed. There were less eyecandy moments in the second half than I thought there'd be (and I'm also lowkey thankful for.. don't shoot me), but as soon as they got together again it also go boring again... like they're cute but it feels more like I'm third wheeling (and not in a good way if yk what I mean ;-;). I personally love emotionally heavy and deep stories so though this show was romantic, it was pretty surface level to me and lacked a lot of depth that I find interesting and resonating to watch. But then again, if this is your time of thing, I'm not here to judge you.

Also, right after the car accident, I feel like the plot started to get really confusing?? Though it felt more like an editing/post production error rather than the story itself (since I mean the story is pretty obvious and like you can expect what happens). But a lot of the clips felt really choppy and they'd have the "1 month later" clip but then it just made no sense?? Idk I feel like a lot of the scenes were jumbled there and I even had to rewatch them to make sure I wasn't missing anything so.. Ig if anyone can explain why MuMu was still in thailand after the 1 month later clip even though she said she was going to head back to visit her mom asap? and like did Jin Zhao just magically heal in the one month since I thought he was struggling to even stand properly, let alone meet up with her at some balcony cafe thing (I lowkey thought it was a dream at first too since it like showed a clip of him sleeping and it like zoomed out of his head so I was like oh maybe he was just dreaming about letting her go since she kept texting him even in canada but like if they "broke up" idk if girl would be doing that?? like cuz i swear it felt like she still saw them together but they stopped talking idk im so confused. But also like they give flashbacks to that moment so I'm pretty sure it's not a dream??) Anyways if anyone can explain that part to me that'd be great bc I was confused asf.

I know a lot of people aren't big fans of Esther Yu (some of yall drag her way too hard tho like chill out) and I can understand why her acting might not be everyone's taste but, especially with these types of characters, I really can't think of another actor that could give off the same essence that Esther did with MuMu. I will say though, when I first watched the teasers and trailers, I was hoping for more a mature ML/FL kinda dynamic but also not entirely surprised since it's an Esther drama. Would love to see her play more diverse characters though like her character in MJTY (?? I haven't watched it yet but apparently she's and assassin in there so I will fs have to binge it sometime soon).

Overall I'd give it a 6/10. if I was just rating the cinematography and vibes alone, it'd def be a 10, but a lot of the moments just lacked depth and the story wasn't all that interesting (and in fact quite cliche) for me to give it a higher rating. I did start watching the show in 2x speed towards the end and it was really funny so

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Only worth it for He Yu

I came for He Yu, I stayed for He Yu, and by the end of it…what in the world did I just watch?

The only good episodes were the last 9 when she actually marries. Esther Yu tends to play these babyish immature roles at first in her dramas. Then later matures like in LBFAD. But oh my it is tortuous until she gets there. I will say though she is good as being an evolving character. Where others typically play one kind of personality Esther Yu evolves.

That being said, again, the only good part of this drama is He Yu…but like what does he see in her?

The only thing I came away from this feeling is I can’t wait for He Yu’s future dramas because I will watch them all.

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Raw & Edgy Meets Noble Idiocy; The Ability to Make A Choice is a Must for All.

I added this for HY having only seen him in a few costume dramas and wanting to see him in a different genre. I knew Esther but very few of the supporting cast especially the Thai folks. I remember when this thing was filming in Thailand and they had an earthquake but thankfully everyone was unharmed and production soon wrapped. It proved to be an interesting story and glad for the HE as well.

Pros: I'm proud of HY for this role. His story is raw and edgy in regards to the boxing, racing, and the undercover work for both. He really lived and breathe this character you could tell. It wasn't just about the romance, but it was about the story behind it, how his character had basically grew up suffering, because even though his adopted father and family fell apart soon And he had all those hardships in Thailand when they got there that he told the FL in the first or second episode, he chose not to repeat the cycle. He chose a more righteous path which was a lot harder to take and caused him to be hurt so often because he was involved with a lot of the stuff that was illegal. Granted he wasn't the only undercover dude they chose, but this story for him had a lot to do with evolution. He never had it easy until the end and being with the FL and coming to the realization that he did. Everything that happened to him after the crash and learning to walk again and going through that whole time where it was like he had a little bit of hope, and then it was taken from him again only in a different way. But he kept going. Also, very proud with how he dealt with PTSD and other psychological issues. It was very realistic.

The FL basically grows up in a rich and entitled household, where her mother spoils her with a big brother though obviously adopted and not buy blood so when she finds him again as a 19/20 year-old in Thailand, along with her biological father and new family they reconnect and she obviously has feelings for him that it takes him a while, but he does reciprocate. Unfortunately, their romance at that time only lasts a week before his big accident. She, however, is no slouch she does know how to stand up for herself for the most part. Their relationship after the fact, only happens because she reconnects with him due to the fact that They both returned to their city in China, and the whole story is basically about him being the sun, her being the moon because of their names. Their break is that of six years and in that time she gets to grow up and gets a job he gets to finish the education he never got to before and also gets a job, opens the café of their dreams that they talked about for her and she, because of her senior, and now that she works at the observatory finds the café and finds their supposedly lost dog.

I won't go into a whole lot of detail in the story because there's just a bunch of little nuances that people need to watch to understand, but that's the gist. All the characters were flawed, there was not a perfect character in sight and it made it even more realistic. This was a raw and edgy show and so were its characters. Comedy was on point and the chemistry was awesome. Especially after they get back together after the break toward the end, there was a scene or two where the screen was definitely smoking. Though I do have to say the stepmom of FL was a hell of a lot better than her actual mom though at the end her mom did get better come around and treat ML the way she should have when he was a kid. She made her amends in my eyes.

The other thing that I found interesting and very very rare was the fact of how closely the series followed the novel. I'm not a source material reader, but all novel readers when I inevitably asked for spoilers, literally went bit by bit by bit, and it was exactly like that in the series. So that was a huge plus as usually the series deviates heavily from the novel you don't even recognize the novel according to people, but here it really was on point. I felt that every character was necessary. I loved a lot of of those supporting cast like SL, Mike's character was comic relief with ML, Patrick's character, Nana, Crazy Jin or whatever his name was, even Snakey at the end was a good person and no longer a rival to FL. There were others I just don't remember who they were. Even the antagonists did a good job playing those roles.

Obviously location being Thailand, for the most part was beautiful and rich and great where it was, modern drama costumes and ML motorbike riding, OST's were on point. It was obvious everything else was done by professional racers or CGI and that was fine. My only question was was it really HY doing all those martial arts because it did not look like a stunt double to me.

Cons: I mentioned noble idiocy in the title and for sure, I had a problem with that. Though he didn't want to be a burden (post accident with the severity of his injuries) on her life given how young she was at the time and chose to separate himself from her and then cut contact so she could go to school, which she needed to do and what not and he could recover and he could heal, go through rehab and eventually also go to school, he still should've told her the truth. He could've waited a few years, but he should've never hid that from her or taken the ability to choose away from her. Even when they reconnected, it took her walking away and before that telling him well, "what if I had ended up with an abuser and a loser and someone who cheated on me, do you know that by cutting off contact you were also gambling with my future?" That was exactly what he needed to hear. He had essentially no right to take that choice away from her. She was not stupid back then and not only that, but they also lied about the dog saying that the dog was lost and had other friends not contact her. All these choices hurt her badly. Why not give her the dog? Why say he was lost? Even getting her own father, stepmom, and stepsister to lie. A lot of lies that shouldn't have been told and things that should've been done differently.

I don't understand why modern dramas have been cutting intimate scenes like kissing scenes and going straight into after the fact or just they start kissing and then fade to black and next scene? We're not talking about showing them doing the entire deed, but with this series, a lot of the editing was incredibly choppy, especially when it came to that part. Also, the ending was beyond rushed. That last episode shoved so much into it that no wonder they chose eloping sequence as opposed to the actual full wedding that was filmed and was caught by fan sites. They could've spaced it out so much better within those last few episodes but they shoved three episodes worth into one.

Would I recommend it? Yes I would because this drama was definitely different for most modern dramas you see nowadays. The rawness and the edginess of it with the boxing and racing, especially in the beginning how do you thinking fast and furious meets fight club with romance.

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Great chemistry

Although the storyline is a bit average,the chemistry is indeed off the charts,I enjoyed watching this for a moment,the FL voice is so stressful,I had a hard time giving this story a 10,But the ML tried his best too although the writers for some reason decided to make him near perfect.




Overall,its a rewatchable drama,if you don't mind the Fl cringe voice,you'll definitely might rewatch,either ways,its not a bad drama.




Also I'll recommend other dramas like bever ending summer,etc. they also gve this vibes with great chemistry and setting.

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the story is nice too wacthed

speed and love is the best romance chinese drama 2025 jin zhao in that character drama specially is so nice and beautiful the character he played like character is Korean drama when his smile to his sister jiangmu that makes me lovey
so Ester yu aka Jiang mu when she played the role that makes same character when past watched her dramathe girl with nice character funny and cheerfully jin zhao and Jiang mu the best couple Chinese drama
speed and love is the best romance chinese drama 2025, jin zhao in that character drama specially is so nice and beautiful the character he played like character is Korean drama,when his smile to his sister jiangmu that makes me lovey.so Ester yu aka Jiang mu when she played the role that makes same character when past watched her drama,the girl with nice character funny and cheerfully. jin zhao and Jiang mu the best couple Chinese drama and that kiss to do them in thats drama too many.

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Addictive romance ruined by noble idiocy

The drama is about the love story between the two main leads, who spend some of their childhood years living as non-blood related siblings. Yes, this dynamic would understandably put off some people from watching however this would be the least of your problems. In fact, the drama makes them look more like childhood friends than actual siblings, and when they meet as adults, that’s a non-issue in the drama.

The first 19 episodes of the drama captivated me with addictive romance, beautiful visuals and a story that’s all about the sexy vibes. The real plot of the drama was indeed the romance and that’s the main reason this drama hooked me up so bad that I’d be totally obsessed with it. The angsty car racing scenes were the cherry on top.

However, the last 10 episodes completely shifted the tone and story of the drama, making it unrecognisable. It truly felt like I was watching something else, and if it wasn’t for the hot chemistry between the leads, I wouldn’t have been able to push through the episodes, especially because of the atrocious noble idiocy inserted.

POSITIVE:
- Stunning cinematography.
- Fantastic car racing scenes.
- Hot chemistry between the leads.
- Delicious kiss and intimate scenes.

NEGATIVE:
- Noble idiocy pretty much ruined it for me. I read many opinions about the male lead and the reasons behind his actions. And yet for me they felt like excuses. The male lead’s response when asked why he ghosted her for 6 years and made everyone lie to her was simply “she was too young”. I hated how the male lead made all the decisions for her. I hate how he stole her dream of opening a cafe, and stole her dog (that he originally didn’t even want to keep). I found none of these things romantic. I also didn’t like how Mumu kept chasing him until the end. If it wasn’t for her, they definitely wouldn’t have ended together. I did pity Jin Zhao, but I didn’t like him as a male lead. I watched for entertainment and there was nothing entertaining or touching about his behaviour. To me, he was self-protecting, masking it as “it’s for her own good”. He ran away, felt unworthy, and actually his behaviour was quite selfish. He kept saying how he wanted her to be happy and yet he was the one that hurt her the most. I hated how he kept everything hidden for 6 years and even when they met in adulthood, he still kept it all hidden and didn’t let her support her, didn’t let her CHOOSE for herself how she feels, until she relentlessly pushed through him.

- The last 10 episodes totally shifted the tone and story. It felt like I was watching a completely different drama that I didn’t sign up for. The spark and special magic from the first half was gone. It was very boring and I found myself skipping stuff.

OVERALL:
This drama had the potential to be one of my top favourites this year but the sudden shift in the last 10 episodes, toppled with noble idiocy, really ruined it for me. My high rating is only because I absolutely loved and was addictively obsessed with the first half of the drama. I really wish the drama had happily ended at ep 20. The romance and chemistry between the leads was such top tier!

EP 1-19: 100/10
Ep 20-29: 2/10
Final: 7.5-8

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A very romantic, superficially written yet very well produced drama

⚪️ The good:
This is loaded with swoony, romantic, steamy longing and scenes. The actors are impeccably cast and deliver outstanding chemistry. The ML is the absolute standout of this series. The actor will captivate you and make you fall in love with their love.

⚪️ The bad?:
Is the second half. This is where the writing cant follow through on what it sets up for itself. This is where characters reveal themselves to be conveniently smart or stupid for the ease of the writing staff. This is where it becomes apparent this is a superficially written love story.

⚪️ In summary however,;
This is still very enjoyable if you can meet it where it’s at. Don’t expect it to delve deeply even into the serious details its put forth and you’ll be fine!

⚪️ My main issue with the second half:

Was the aftermath of the separation arc.
Even if i get over the abandonment post-accident and only consider what happens after, things still (in my eyes) have been written poorly. They have made Zhao into someone you simply cannot be in a mature relationship with. He will stonewall you the moment he has a major setback and you’ll live your life in a state of perpetual anxiety whether he may abandon you again if things get bad enough. He keeps not telling her anything, whenever he has the option he just lies or omits. Theres implied growth at the very end but no true example of it.

Also Zhao, if you can only see this girl as an inept child even when she is 26, how dare you feel romantically for her? Why is he in love with someone he keeps seeing and treating as nothing but a child?!

Also Mu is an idiot or very intelligent depending on what the plot needs. She could intuit and deduce like the best of them in most of the first half only to be completely stunted by the writer in the latter half. What do you mean you only put it together that your entire support system in Thailand had to be conspiring to lie to you?

As for the dog, they never mentioned when Zhao was given him so i dunno if it was months or years ago. Presumably months but idk.

Im not saying he shouldn’t have sent her away to Canada. Its good for the story that he did, i have issues with the writing of the aftermath. How it should have impacted Mu, the fact that Zhao keeps doing stuff like that even after they reunite, the lack of gravity in how they handle these dynamics, and so on. On an emotional level the characters acted how it was convenient for the writers, not true to what was happening (at least not fully true).

I think the actors, especially the ML, were so good for their roles that its easy to forgive some of the issues.

Im not unable to like something flawed, i totally can. And i like this a lot despite some disappointment. Not 10/10 but i still want more like this production quality, casting, chemistry, intense romance/longing.

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Tragic...

The fact that some people consider it normal for two persons who grew up as brothers to become lovers at some point in their lives, (In this series, in the ridiculous mind of the screenwriter, it is perfectly reasonable for a young woman to have sex with someone, when until a few days ago she saw him as a brother..I was creeped out by their love scenes..) as if there were no other people on the planet to choose as a life partner, makes it tragic and disgusting to me, and also sends the wrong messages to young people. Basically, this series has nothing positive to offer viewers, only greedy eyes looking through the keyhole to experience, even on tv, something different from normal in order to feel complete...

Unfortunately, as humanity, we have a serious orientation problem. Everything has collapsed. I will not comment on the acting of the cast because since the story is so bad and the screenwriter needs to be examined by a psychologist for the misery of his brain, there is no point in writing whether I liked the actors or not...

However, I want to point out something that made a negative impression on me. How old is the main FM actress of the series? Her behavior in the role she plays makes you believe that she is still at the childish and immature age of ten years old..Let her try as a professional at least to change her way of speaking and her stupidly childish expressions in acting..It doesn't make her cute but rather boring and fake...Anyway , good luck to the entire cast..I wish better choices in the future, because this series will be forgotten very quickly,..The only sure and positive thing!!!!

As for the chemistry of the couple, it is ZERO!! The director creates an illusion to attract the audience with the creepy and cheap script.

I do not recommend it to anyone, a waste of time and aesthetics !!!!!!

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You love Smut? Steamy Scenes? Amazing chemistry? It's a must watch!

If you love smut, steamy scenes, great sexual tension and amazing chemistry Speed and Love will do all of that for you. Esther and He Yu's chemistry is out of the world. They are sexy, funny and cute. These two will definitely make you blush. They are a visual couple and play their roles well. Honestly He Yu really shines in this work! He played Jin Zhao perfectly. However, if you are into chemistry but plot is very important to you...this might make you have mixed feelings...

[Plot]
Jin Zhao is an adopted brother who was separated after the divorce. Forced apart from his non-blooded adored little sister Jiang Mu; Jin Zhao's childhood is crumbled making sacrifices for his adoptive family to barely survive in Thailand, forcing him to drop his education. After many years Jiang Mu searches out for her brother Jin Zhao...except they aren't so little anymore. She learns that he is no longer the boy he used to be; bright, positive, book smart, and optimistic; instead she is met with a dark, reserved, cold faced Jin Zhao. Jin Zhao lives a fiercely dangerous life to make ends meet, however, it is much more than that. Esther learns his deeper darker secret that may cost him his future.

[My thoughts w/ SPOILERS]
Esther plays a bright, naive, big-hearted character who really is faced with a lot of change from her beloved 'brother'. I understand them being able to gain romantic interest despite their past relationship as sibling like. They were torn apart young before romance begins to even bud. So to me that makes more sense, it's not like Dexter and Debra situation from Dexter. IYKYK. What grinded my gears was, they ran with the steamy plot for far too long and ignored the actual story line a bit. As soon as they were officially dating, they rushed the plot fast. The whole part with him working for an undercover cop to clear his name was brushed and glossed over. After the big race and he got into an accident they spent nearly two episodes of Jiang Mu in Canada trying to re-date other boys. After the accident, suddenly EVERYTHING about the very mysterious case was solved and Jin Zhao made amends with past foes. RUSHED. As much as I love steamy, good feel, kiss scenes...I also do enjoy a good plot and great character arch. I would say the only person who had a growth arch....was honestly He Zhang (side character villain). The rest stayed as they were. There isn't a big huge message the directors seemed to want to let the audience know either. So if you're just looking for a smutty drama to watch, it will satisfy you. If you are looking for character depth, story plot, and great pace this drama might not check all those boxes. But I cannot deny Esther and He Yu have one of the greatest chemistry in 2025 drama realm!

ALSO....their BG NPC actors really made me cringe...and puke. Because man ngl, those did kind of rob my brain in the worse way possible. LOL.

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