This review may contain spoilers
100 ways to not date the one you like
Everyone is in love in this drama and there is no real toxic guy (or is there ... )Not only everyone has a loved one and every character who is love is a decent BF on some extent but most of the couple are from ep. 1 in love with one another.
Starting from this premise, the drama will therefore inevitably be a long succession of a thousand reasons, more or less valid, that the characters alone will impose on their should-be couple.The goal is to prevent them from being in sync about their decision to start a relationship until almost the very last episode.
Besides... I know life is hard sometimes... but I've never seen a drama with such a massive character kill-off without it involving a serial killer or zombies. Was it really necessary to kill off all the characters' family members?
...if it prevents these characters from dating, it must have seemed like a good enough of a reason to the screenwriter.
Otherwise... the characters are quite cute and the acting is pretty good... but the plot devices are still rather disappointing.
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A Weak Plot and Flavorless Romance
Normally, I really enjoy Taiwanese BL dramas, but Exclusive Love was a massive disappointment. It is simply too boring and forgettable to be worth the watch.The premise follows a mature adult who reunites with a much younger guy he used to tutor. While it is supposed to be a love story, it feels completely empty and directionless. The main romance fails to convince because the leads lack any real chemistry, making their connection feel incredibly forced. To make matters worse, the show relies on the repetitive and unoriginal cliché of an older, mature adult falling for an immature partner.
The script is incredibly weak and filled with missed opportunities. A major plot point involving the protagonist’s dying brother, which should have brought deep emotional stakes, was almost completely ignored and felt like a forgotten subplot. On top of that, while the secondary couple was cute, they were randomly inserted into the show with no clear relevance to the main story.
On the bright side, the production quality isn't terrible. The cinematography is decent and some supporting actors bring plenty of charm to the screen. There are a few moments that hint at emotional depth, but they are far too rare to save the series.
Ultimately, Exclusive Love suffers from a dragging script and a flavorless romance. It simply isn't worth the time.
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Wonderful series! its hard to believe theres so many critics
this show was SO good! silly and absurd at the beginning but wow once it gets into depth it was wonderful!i loved how much depth the love interest had, usually in shows they make the mc have most of the depth and sometimes the love interest is 2 dimensional- not here!!!
absolutely wonderful, i totally recommend!
and i love when mc's have unordinary jobs! (like in Manner Of Death it was a mortician! rather than a cafe owner lol)
i love how the 2 couples both have such different jobs hehe and work together
main couple: funeral directors
side couple: wedding planners
SOOOO cute and wonderful, i love how all characters make sense yaknow? like if you give them a shot, youll see their perspective and TOTALLY understand where theyre coming from, perhaps would choose to do the same!
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This review may contain spoilers
Soft at First, Heavy in the End
This is a fairly standard BL in structure, but it works well because of its characters and the balance between its two main couples.The first couple, Wang Zhan and Tang Du Zhi, follows a classic enemies-to-lovers setup. Wang Zhan is the reluctant heir of a funeral company who is clearly unprepared for the responsibility and uncomfortable with death-related themes. Tang Du Zhi is his strict, emotionally distant trainer assigned to guide him for three months. Their relationship starts with tension and resistance, but gradually shifts into trust and emotional dependency.
What makes their dynamic work is the slow transition from conflict to understanding. It doesn’t rely only on attraction, but also on shared responsibility, vulnerability, and the gradual softening of Tang Du Zhi’s rigid personality. There is also a stronger emotional layer tied to Wang Zhan’s family situation, which adds weight to their storyline.
The second couple, Zhang Yi Qing and Tu Jing He, has a lighter tone but is emotionally more complicated in a different way. Their relationship starts from an unspoken crush and develops through misunderstandings, missed timing, and lack of communication. Both characters clearly care about each other but struggle to express it directly, which becomes the main source of conflict.Compared to the first couple, their story feels more grounded in everyday emotional realism rather than external drama. They are more impulsive and emotionally reactive, which leads to both tension and growth throughout the series.
Overall, the drama doesn’t try to reinvent the genre, but it is well-balanced. It combines romance, family pressure, and emotional conflict in a way that stays engaging without becoming overly heavy.
The two couples complement each other well, and the series is ultimately carried by their chemistry and emotional development.
The ending is satisfying and gives proper closure to both storylines.
Emotionally, this drama hit much harder than expected. It starts off light and entertaining, but gradually becomes one of those stories that leaves a lasting impact. I ended up crying a lot by the end because of the emotional weight surrounding both families, and especially the way loss and grief are handled through both main characters’ stories.
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A really underrated series!
To be honest, I don't understand why the show received negative reactions. I do love a lot of aspects of the series. For instance, the chemistry between the couples, the acting, the music, and the plot twists. There were just a couple of things I didn't like: how little the relationship between Wang Chan and his brother was explored, which took a toll on Wang Chan's character, and the lack of background for Ian's character, making it difficult to understand his intentions.A very positive aspect of the series is the representation of how people deny themselves the chance to love because of trauma and guilt. Some consider this topic exaggerated, repetitive, or inconsequent for a BL production. I can understand that some topics may not resonate with all audiences, but that's what makes our world diverse, and we have the right to express our genuine feelings. I just hope that someone reading this will give the series a chance. 🤗🤗🤗
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Something good after a long time
I don't understand why people called this one bad. I think it was pretty good. Thank god i didn't skip it cz of the reviews and comments. There were minor flaws but nothing major. I liked the story, pacing, acting, couples everything. Not every story gotta be deep uk. I did cry a little after ep 6 it was kinda angsty but yep we got some happy moments and a happy ending🤭🤭 and also an unexpected 3rd couple.The only thing I'm sad about would be both the brother's death. I was expecting atleast one of them to survive 😭 but none did. I really liked Tang's brother he was soo adorable.
It's a really nice, kinda cliché, good watch give it a go.
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Boring and waste of time
This drama turned out to be quite disappointing. The pacing is very slow, to the point where it feels draggy, and I ended up skipping a lot of scenes just to get through it. Unfortunately, the overall storyline didn’t do much to keep things engaging either.One of the biggest drawbacks is the acting of the main couple. Their performances feel dull and lack emotional depth, and more importantly, there’s almost no chemistry between them. Because they are the central focus of the drama, this really affects the overall viewing experience.
On the other hand, the second couple is okay. Their acting is not particularly strong either, but it feels more natural and expressive. They manage to bring some genuine emotion to their scenes, and their chemistry is noticeably better, making their moments more enjoyable and believable compared to the main leads.
Overall, the drama fails to deliver due to weak performances from the leads and an unengaging plot. I wouldn’t really recommend it, especially for teens looking for something exciting or engaging.
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Meh
Now I understand why this is rated so low.Story sounds interesting, but the actual drama isn't.
Second leads story was soo boring, which is weird since it's the simplest story ever best friends to lovers, it's a classic for all romantic dramas even straight couple, how can you mess that up?????
The two leads has acceptable chemistry, Du Zhi was slightly robotic, barely showing any emotions, which is fine because of his character and past, but it did put me off a little while watching, the only thing I enjoyed was Wang Zhan, he was adorable, a little childish and silly.
I watched the whole thing with a straight face, even the comedic scenes were not funny, the drama had good premise but terrible execution ~~
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This review may contain spoilers
Why Did I Watch This Show???
Even good actors would fail at saving a bad script with abysmal storytelling!Can you fall in love with your kidnapper? Makes you wonder if the said victim Wang Zhan suffers from Stockholm Syndrome or he is simply finding comfort in the arms of the man who puts him through a gruelling routine for three quarters of this show. Wang Zhan & Tang Du Zhi’s love story is quite questionable; Wang Zhan is afraid of ghosts and obviously funeral rites scare the bejesus out of him. Ironically, his family business involves running a funeral home and he wants absolutely nothing to do with it. A runaway wannabe, playing music on the streets, Wang Zhan is content with his life. Until, his older brother’s lackey Tang Du Zhi forcibly brings him home and starts training him to takeover the family business. They have a lot of differences, opinion clashes and yet inevitably in the midst of all those disagreements, they slowly grow closer. But Tang Du Zhi has personal demons and baggage to unpack, while Wang Zhan has to face his own fears. The show doesn’t make a lot of sense in certain aspects, the pacing falls back in some places and in the second half, you feel utterly bored. This is one of those shows that starts good but ends miserably!
Read the complete article here-
https://the-bl-xpress.com/2025/06/06/exclusive-love-series-review-ep-3-to-12/
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Exclusive Love — A Unique Setting Can't Save a Romance Without Chemistry
Taiwan has set the bar incredibly high when it comes to BL. Series like We Best Love, Kiseki: Dear to Me, Plus & Minus, Unknown, and even You Are Mine proved that Taiwanese productions know how to build mature relationships, believable chemistry, and emotional storytelling. That's exactly why Exclusive Love ended up disappointing me. It isn't a bad drama, but compared to what Taiwan usually delivers, it never reaches the same level.The premise immediately caught my attention. Setting a BL inside a family-run funeral home is a genuinely original idea. Instead of another university or office romance, the story revolves around death, grief, family responsibility, and learning to accept a future you never wanted. It had the potential to become one of the most unique BLs of the year. Unfortunately, after a very promising start, the script gradually loses focus and replaces emotional development with increasingly forced melodrama. By the second half, I felt the story was moving in circles rather than progressing naturally.
Parker Mao was the main reason I wanted to watch this series after loving him in You Are Mine. Once again, he proves that he's a very reliable actor. His portrayal of Tang Du Zhi is restrained, mature, and emotionally controlled without ever becoming cold. Whenever the story slows down, he's usually the one keeping the scenes alive. The problem isn't Parker's performance—it's that he never finds the same connection with his new partner that made You Are Mine so enjoyable.
That lack of chemistry is what ultimately hurts the drama the most.
Chang Chia Sheng certainly has moments where his performance works, especially during the more emotional scenes involving his family. But together, the two leads never completely convince me that they're falling in love. Their relationship often feels like something the script tells us is happening rather than something we naturally witness. Even during the more intimate scenes, I struggled to feel the emotional attraction between them. They look comfortable together, but not inseparable. For a romance that depends almost entirely on the evolution of its main couple, that's a major weakness.
Ironically, I found some of the supporting relationships more engaging. They bring a lighter energy whenever the main story becomes too heavy, even if they also suffer from limited development. I kept wishing the series would spend more time exploring its fascinating setting instead of repeatedly returning to romantic misunderstandings that had already been resolved once before.
Visually, however, this is another polished Taiwanese production. The cinematography is beautiful, and the funeral home setting creates an atmosphere that immediately distinguishes the series from most BLs. Director Chiu Hao-chou clearly understands how to create elegant compositions and quiet emotional moments. The problem is that strong visuals can't compensate for a romance that never fully comes alive. By the final episodes, I admired the production much more than I cared about the central couple.
Perhaps that's what disappointed me the most. Taiwan has consistently shown that it can tell subtle, emotionally rich love stories without relying on exaggerated drama. Here, it feels as if the series had all the right ingredients—a talented lead actor, an original premise, beautiful cinematography—but never managed to combine them into something memorable. Instead of becoming another standout Taiwanese BL, it ends up feeling surprisingly average.
Final Thought
Exclusive Love had one of the most original settings I've seen in a BL for quite some time, and Parker Mao once again proves why he's one of Taiwan's most dependable actors. Unfortunately, a good performance isn't enough when the central romance never fully convinces. Compared to You Are Mine, the emotional connection simply isn't there, and without that chemistry, the story gradually loses the impact its unique premise promised. It's worth watching once, but I expected much more from both Taiwan and Parker Mao.
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This review may contain spoilers
I HATE BULLYING
I will make this short and not so sweet. Very disappointed in the extensive bullying in the 1 1/2 episodes I watched. I just stopped watching mid second episode. Don't plan to resume watching.WHAT I DISLIKED:
Kidnapping
torture
force feeding
borderline torture
general bullying
I know it isn't fair to judge the whole drama on just 1 1/2 episodes. I'm sorry, but bullying really upsets me.
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