The Love of a Fool

mother love, sister inlaw love and hospitality love

To all Ma Xiao Yu's Internationals fans. The wait is over! We can now watch " The Love Of A Fool" with English subtitle! Kindly write down your review and rate for our future husband Ma Xiaoyu.
There's a saying, " Team work makes the dream work." So let's continue to support him. All I can say about this drama is, it's so beautiful and the scriptwriter and director together with the actors, had executed their role portrayal well. The drama was well done! Because the actors were all great! You can really feel the emotions that the actors tried to convey to the viewers.I like the ending because it showed the love Haoxi had for Zixhia that he was willing to pretend to be someone else just to keep her beside him. However, Zixhia was not true to herself even from the beginning. She fell in love with Haoxi but she didn't want to admit it. Haoxi was her husband's youngest brother and it was not long after her husband died that she found her hidden love for Haoxi was growing stronger. I watched it more than 1 time bevause I really wanted to understand the plot . For me, Zixhia was only making a fool of herself! even until the end of the drama for pretending that she was not in love with Haoxi. But the truth is, she has already fallen in love with him!
Guys, it's a really good movie! It's excellent. It's a must-see! Please watch and I am sure you're gonna love it! Let's support Ma Xiaoyu!

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Well written mystery drama with spectacular performances & beautiful cinematography

I am a Huang Bo fangirl. I was ecstatic to see this drama cast list a few weeks ago because I love Zhao Xi Xi's acting while Ma Xiao Yu's acting is growing on me. Thank you to Jwells for sharing the links. I just completed the drama and wow, wow, wow I am thoroughly impressed.

What I liked:
1. Writing - Amazing screenplay that kept me guessing throughout the series. At first I thought this could be a soul swap drama but nope, I was wrong. The drama made me ponder the conflicts that exist in this drama's third act.
2. Acting - Wow, spectacular acting by Zhao Xi Xi, Ma Xiao Yu, Huang Bo and the actress who played mother to both brothers. They were immersed in their roles. I giggled a bit during the drama because Huang Bo essentially played a Sleeping Beauty. I was delighted we still got to see Huang Bo's performances after the tragedy happened.
3. Dynamics - I loved that this drama explored the dynamics between the brothers, between mother and son, between Zhi Xia and Hao Nan and between Zhi Xia and Hao Xun.
4. Romance - There were many hot kisses and intimate scene in this fast-paced mystery drama. The romantic scenes between Zhi Xia and Hao Nan brought me back to Bu Bu Shen Xian (perhaps a parallel universe where Han Qing & Feng Si Qian had more happy moments).
5. Hao Xun characterisation - What a joy for me to see Ma Xiao Yu portray such a complex character and in the presence of Huang Bo (I know he could nail the role of Hao Xun if he had chosen it). Hao Xun is my favourite Ma Xiao Yu's role.
6. Ending - Endings do not have to be neat. I liked how the writer and director chose this ending as it is in line with the vibe of the drama.
7. Editing - Beautiful cinematography that made this drama feel like a wonderfully crafted indie film. I also liked the pacing.

What I disliked:
1. Secret - Judging by the ending, Zhi Xia was kept in the dark. I don't like that!

Favourite scene
The introduction. DAMN, I wasn't expecting it!

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Engaging and made my mind spin a bit

Warning: A bit of a spoiler ahead.

Drama and story was very good. Not perfect and some things in the plot could be improved but I'm honestly impressed. There was not a second I had it in fast-forward mode and not boring. I thought it was one of those "magic"/"transmigrated" tropes, but then... Bam! This is a bit sick. I get, though. People process things differently and unless you've seen it first hand, it might take you a while to accept coping mechanisms for different people.

They set themselves up in the bubble they created, just to get by. It's sad. Especially for Hao Xun. And the title was very apt -- he was the biggest fool indeed. The things he would do for love. How I wish there was some redemption in the end for him -- maybe some saving grace to get himself out of that cage he put himself in just to be beside her. It's not romantic, if you really think about it. It's rather tragic. They delude themselves to no end. But that's how it is in real life for some people. Especially when the grief is too strong. And there's no saving one's self, unless you want it and put the effort to remove yourself from that abyss.

Altho, I wonder if the brother, Hao Nan, had some secret that was never revealed. Like if he knew about Hao Xun's hidden feelings. And if so, did he deliberately got close to Zhi Xia? I hope not, because that's even more sick. That means he deliberately told Hao Xun everything. He might have been the sickest and most psycho of all, but I guess we'd never know (unless there's parts of it skipped or the translation did not correctly state).

But I love how it's kind of open-ended yet, not-so-very. It's heartbreaking, really. But a great drama overall. Very original and engaging. Ma Xiao Yu was a darling and all the while I wanted to hug him because he looked like a lost boy, wanting love. So much of it to give, but not getting the same in return ☹️

Would I rewatch? Yes. Definitely worth it.

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Upgraded version of Addicted 2.0

The story is same to Lee Byung Hun and Lee Miyeon Addicted (2002). I watched that first and it doesn't give me impression despite "fresh" plot.

I watched it without try to remember previous film plot and the result was better than previous one in term of everything. It was like 2.0. The color palatte on this drama is pleasing and the shoot is unlike another common short drama. Ma Xiao Yu proved me he can act beside psychotic CEO or Mafia. Zhao Xixi acting is natural and has classy vibe. Hwang Bo is living my dream (sleeping while getting paid). The chemistry between Ma Xiao Yu and Zhao Xixi was fine. The kisses was real and hot. Zhao Xixi and Huang Bo are quite strong since they had co-starred on few short dramas before. Even Ma Xiao Yu and Huang Bo are quite like siblings vibe. I amazed with Mother acting. (Thumbs up to cast manager).

This short drama is morally grey since some people don't like the idea getting romantically involved with your spouse younger sibling and how Haoxun forced himself to become Haonan since he helplessly fall in love with Chuxia since college. Chuxia really loved Haonan. How Mother feels about both son and her internal conflict about family issue. I don't believe on soul swapped since they didnt put "Fantasy" on this drama.

For the ending, it depends on your perspective and i quite like they don't explain anything si(i think Chuxia knew Haoxun was pretending but she just shut up)

PS: Its first time drama using Sunboat-Little Sun (Its Okay That's Love OST)

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Constructing a Beautiful Lie for Myself

"If someone is under an illusion, you can help them out of it. But if they choose to stay in that illusion, you can’t do anything. This story is exactly like that."

When it comes to the acting, all the actors did a commendable job. The direction, screenplay, and overall presentation were good. The pacing of the story was smooth and the flow felt natural. Its engaging and i enjoyed how everything unfolded.

However, there were a couple of moments in the writing that didn’t sit well with me. For instance, I found it unconvincing when the female lead accepted the male lead as her husband just because the doctor told her that her actual husband's body wouldn't survive. That was her only reasoning? She didn’t take even a moment to process it. It felt like she was simply looking for a substitute “If my husband isn't here, I’ll accept the brother-in-law instead” whether that felt right or not. And the very next moment, she even moved to the same bed with him. As if she just couldn’t bear to be without a husband. It felt rushed and emotionally shallow. If she truly wanted to accept him, it would have felt convincing had she done so when the male lead was trying to win her over by recalling their past memories. That moment would’ve made her acceptance feel genuine and emotionally grounded.

Later, when the female lead becomes pregnant, the writer had the option to officially write her marriage to the male lead (her brother-in-law), but they didn’t take that route.

Now, why did I say:

"If someone is under an illusion, you can help them out of it. But if they choose to stay in that illusion, you can’t do anything. This story is exactly like that."

Let me explain—

Even though the male lead was living as a substitute for his brother, he genuinely longed for the female lead's love, which is fake cause she is loving him cause she thought he is her husband - that fake love is illusion for ML . And the female lead,she knew he wasn’t her husband. The final scene subtly confirms this, showing that she was fully aware, yet still chose to live in that illusion.

Let’s decode the last scene:
When the male lead mom's leaves a letter for the female lead and ML suddenly realizes she might read it and runs to stop her. But she’s listening to music and doesn’t notice. The letter is left unread. When he opens it, it’s blank,a seemingly empty sheet, making it appear as if his mother hadn’t written anything.

But then we see the two sitting together, holding hands, smiling. As soon as the male lead takes a sip of tea, the female lead’s smile fades slightly. That’s a callback(for audience ) to an earlier scene where his mother had pointed out:
“You don’t even know how to hold a teacup like your brother.”

This moment suggests that the female lead noticed that detail, but chose not to react.
This means: She had already read the letter and replaced it with a blank sheet. Because she didn’t want to shatter the illusion she had chosen to live in.

This subtle truth was left for the audience to uncover, it wasn’t visually spelled out in the film. And that’s the brilliance of the ending, it invites interpretation, if you’re willing to look closely.

The story also raises some serious moral questions:

1)Gu Hao Xun : Is it right for a man to pursue a relationship with his sister-in-law while his elder brother is in a coma? That’s deceptive and deeply disrespectful to both the woman and society. If you truly love someone, approach them as yourself, not as someone else’s replacement.

2)Gu Hao Nan : Let’s say the elder brother did share all his secrets with his younger brother, but if he even discussed intimate details of his married life, that makes him downright indecent.

3)Ye Zhi Xia : In the end, when the FL finds out the truth, instead of confronting it and making a conscious decision, she chooses to keep herself in the illusion. That’s not romantic,it’s ridiculous.

overall its engaging good drama all because of presentation and acting .

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this production house did it again!

i knew i wasn’t wrong for waiting so eagerly for this one... this production house always delivers when it comes to micro dramas. original voice acting? check. a plot that isn’t recycled for the 101st time? check. actual story logic? cinematography that stuns every single time? absolutely. they nailed it again.

this time, the story revolves around two brothers who survive a shipwreck. after the accident, the older brother’s soul (played by huang bo) ends up in the younger brother’s body (played by ma xiaoyu). oh, and the older brother has a wife, portrayed by my favorite zhao xixi which complicates things. and yes, they released an ost too, what a team, seriously.

acting-wise, there’s not much to complain about. at first i was a bit worried. i’m usually not a fan of ma xiaoyu’s tendency to force a deeper voice but thankfully, that fear was proven wrong. this is exactly why direction matters. everything just works here.

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Como eu estava ansiosa para conseguir assistir esse drama! Graças a Jwells, que sempre compartilha os links e me avisou que finalmente seria lançado no youtube, e amém, tinha legendas CC em português! Pode ser que tenha spoilers daqui pra frente.
O cenário do drama é lindo, a história extremamente comovente, o amor dela pelo marido realmente era intenso e que a deixou até cega para ver os sinais que haviam, óbvio que pela construção maravilhosa do drama chegamos a realmente a acreditar que poderia ser uma troca de almas, mas sempre acreditei que era o cunhado antes mesmo da cena dele jogando o cigarro na privada.
O enredo parece que foi inspirado no filme "Addicted (2002)" estrelado por Lee Byungheon e Lee Miyeon, mas não o assisti para ter certeza, vi nos comentários do youtube, mas realmente o assistirei.
O desenrolar do drama é perfeito, talvez pela temática ser totalmente diferente do que estamos acostumados a ver nos dramas curtos e adorei a atuação do Ma Xiao Yu. Não assisti nenhum outro drama da Zhao Xi Xi, mas gostei também da emoção que ela transmitiu nessa história.
A revelação do ML para com a mãe foi de partir o coração, ele estar disposto a nunca mais ser ele mesmo em nome do amor foi um baque tremendo, ele merecia poder ser ele e amar livremente, mas não quis arriscar perdê-la, ainda mais depois da tentativa de suicidio dela por causa do falecimento do marido.
O final me deixou muito triste, apesar de desconfiar que a mãe realmente escreveu a carta e a cunhada/esposa a leu, mas preferiu não dizer, já que a gravidez estava tão avançada e ela pode realmente ter se apaixonado por ele.
Espero que todos assistam esse drama, vale muito a pena. Sem dúvidas foi um dos melhores lançamentos de 2025 até agora.

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This drama needs a sequel. Very well-portrayed by the actors especially Ma Xiaoyu.

The drama was well-portrayed by each of the character. Congratulations to all of them and they did everything well especially Ma Xiaoyu whose career is skyrocketing now. I like the actors. They are all professionals. I like them all! ♥♥♥

Nevertheless, I was heart-broken with the ending :( I wasn't satisfied with it. I know ,nobody cares but it just hurts me how the scriptwriter weighted wrongly for the youngest son's life ( Haoxi), with this woman- Zixhia. I already said of facebook that I hope this will have a sequel and have Haoxi fall out of love. Also, If I were the scriptwriter, I would have written how Haoxi would fall out of love and began losing his interest towards his sister-in-law by the time he had an accident and was bumped into a car. A lot of people are blaming Haoxi, but have you thought of blaming the woman who caused all the troubles in and outside the Gu Family? I might've made a mistake because only some of the episodes have english subtitles... but reading the translated comments from chinese to english, I don't barely see any defect on my opinion. Why let the woman be the hero of the story if she's the reason of everyone's collapse? She could've left for everybody's sake but she completely lost it when the mother-in-law told her she'd send her abroad. She begged her mother-in-law not to send her. She didn't want to leave her brother-in-law. It was simply because she fell in love with him but she was too shy and arrogant to admit. She wanted her reputation not be stained by her affair with her brother-in-law. She was the first one who made a move in their affair. She kissed him. She was the one who showed desire in having her hold by him, kiss her, and more. So why don't people blame her? Truly, there are a lot of sexist in this world. People don't judge her becasue she is a woman and always think that all women are victims. Well, hello, NO! In this drama, Haoxi was also the victim. Dare to ask me! The scriptwriter can twist the story, sure. But like I said on facebook, only fantasy is this accepted and foolish people will believe her lies. In court and in Science, her reasons would be taken nulled. She could be even taken to a Psychiatrist if she insists on telling people that she sees haonan in Haoxi. She knows, she is with Haoxi. She just keeps on denying it. She just doesn't want to admit that she fell in love even stronger with her brother-in-law. If the scriptwriter would see this and would keep his stance saying, Zixhia did not fall in love with the borther-in-law, I would strongly not concur with him/her! I live in reality not in fantasy. In real life, Zixhia won't be the hero here unless people are sexist. And imagine how she wanted Haoxi to adjust to her until everybody gets old? She wanted her to pretend that he is the uncle of his own kids?!! She's crazy! If I were the mother-in-law, I will not or NEVER, let my son be controlled by a lunatic woman like her. I will not let my son be known uncle by his own children. I will fight for my son's rights until the end. This woman either choose to be sent to a Psychiatrist for her pretense or have her accept that she already fell in love with my youngest son. Eitherway will make me breathe somehow. Should she choose to pretend she saw haonan in him, believe me, If I were the mother, I would take her to court or to a PSychiatrist. I would want to have this all end. All because of the love I have for my son. I will never let my son be controlled and be manipulated by a crazy woman like her. I thought at first, Haoxi was crazy here but after I watched all of the episodes, Zixhia is even crazier. She's the craziest in this drama.
The ending is so unfair for every Gu family. It was only swift for 1 person- Zixhia. Who was the reason why every problems arose in Gu family. I wish the directors would acknowledge the fans' request to have this sequeled. And I hope by that time, the ending would be just/fair for Haoxi.

But let me be fair- I like all of the actors. They are all professionals. This is my first time to see actor Huang Bo. I think he's handsome too and good at acting but anyway, I rated 10/10 eventhough I wasn't satisfied with the ending. This drama was the best among Ma Xiaoyu's dramas so far. It's realistic and not childish. And I like all of the actors. Their acting skill is a pro. Furthermore, Zixhia is the best FL for Ma Xiaoyu among the FLs that I have seen him worked with. I really like this drama.. the acting was superb. Ma Xiaoyu has improved and he's phenominal but I still can't get over the ending T.T

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