This review may contain spoilers
" The Sun and Moon shines together "
This is hands down one of the best dramas of 2025. I had not enjoyed watching any dramas since, like, October (since Love in the Clouds). This drama is a pure gem. I miss them so much. I felt the 29 episodes were kinda short and could have been at least 30 to 35 episodes, considering it had the plot, but well.The storyline itself is very, very enjoyable. I did not like this drama when I first started it. I felt I would not like this because of, you know, the characters, and I’m not very interested in the cars or those aspects. I had not watched any dramas based on racing or more of those plots, so I was like, “Will I enjoy this drama?” But then, after like, I think, ep5 or something, I really started picking it up. And then I binge-watched most of the episodes. I started it pretty late. I started it when it was almost about to be finished, which was a very good thing for me because I could see what was happening and if it was a happy ending,. But I wanted to know what would happen, so I got a lot of spoilers. Even though I knew what would happen in the future, I was really hooked. That actually made this drama alot better to watch. I really agree that it has a unique concept, the racing competition, the cars, and the world around it. It’s a new, refreshing concept. The romance is very typical. Nothing is new, except for the cars and the world around it, which is very uniquely done.
Jin Zhao's accident, I think, was one of the turning point of the drama. Until then, it was going along as normal. It was like a very typical drama but also well-executed within its aspect. The accident became a major turning point because, due to it, they broke up. They meet again after, I think after 6yrs. She, who was a cute girl back at the garage, changed into someone independent and matured into a strong woman. He also changed from a reckless bad boy racer into someone more responsible for his actions and for the people around him. I think that was perfectly portrayed because the evolution of their characters is what makes the story better.
Looking back at the garage storyline, Jin Zhao was reckless and careless, and Jiang Mu was a cute girl pursuing the love of her life. After the accident, they had evolved significantly. He became a responsible man, and she also focused on her studies. I think the story is perfectly written in that aspect. However, I feel the breakup could have been shorter. Their breakup lasted at least 4eps, and I think that time could have been used for something else. After they reconciled, I wish they had done something better, like returning to the garage for a reunion with all their friends. That could have been a very wholesome moment. At the garage, Jiang Mu was 20 and Jin Zhao was 24. Now at 28 and 32, revisiting those memories could have been very emotional and meaningful. I really wish the ending had incorporated that because the garage parts are wholesome, and I prefer that side of the drama, the bad boy and the light, cute girl, compared to the new mature side. But I understand that’s how life works. You mature at some point. You can’t always remain young, reckless, or constantly pursuing love. You have to grow into a responsible person and rediscover yourself. I think that is well portrayed in this drama.
Jin Zhao is completely a man in love because he has gone to every extent for her, and she has done the same. But his love was more expressive, especially after his accident, because he truly understood the value of having her in his life and how much happiness she brought him. She had always expressed her love for him since the day they met, while he kept his love inside and rarely showed it. Later, once he left behind his past and started a new life, he really recognized how important she was to him. The steamy scenes after their breakup were so good and well justified for everything they went through. Even at the garage, all those scenes were beautifully shot, even if they were very short. All those love moments, like when he admires her from afar, show the love in his eyes even before they started dating. He never wanted to express that side of himself because he was involved in ongoing cases, constant competition, and couldn’t afford to be distracted by love. She, on the other hand, always expressed her feelings openly.
As for the actors itself- Esther Yu, I think she's well cast for the drama. I have not watched much of her contemporary dramas; I have watched most of her historical ones, and I think she does a good job portraying her characters. Especially in this story, the female lead is a character who was very bubbly and light at some point in her life. Esther Yu has portrayed that so well. In the future, once she is no longer a teenager, she matures, and I think she has also done a very good job portraying that. Even though at some point the cuteness was a bit overdone, I think it suits the character on the paper. So overall, I think she has done a very good job.
As for He Yu, I have not watched many of his dramas. I have only seen him as side characters or second leads. But I think he has done a very good job, and he is getting all the recognition he deserves. I think he is becoming more popular, and I love that for him. I love his styling. The stylist in this drama was cooking literally, I would steal the outfits they had. Especially with Jin Zhao's outfits, the sleeveless tank tops at the garage, the bruises on his face after a fight. Those small details were actually well done. He was so damn hot in those scenes.
I also really love Jiang Mu's outfits. She was very aesthetically dressed! Something I noticed was he was always wearing black, and she was always very colorful. She was like a sunshine. I kind of emphasize it in that way because he was always wearing dark colors, and she was always in cute dresses. She was the sunshine in his life during his darkest moments. I think those small details were very well done.
The cinematography is another awesome part. All the car shots during the racing competitions were very well done. I think I heard that He Yu did not use a stunt double for his racing scenes, that makes him so damn hot. All those city shots, all those racing scenes, they were amazing. Thailand was the perfect location because it has all the aesthetics.
These pros actually cover up the flaws in the drama. There are flaws, like unnecessary cuts in scenes and incomplete sequences. But once you get deep into the drama and hooked, you don’t actually care about those things. You just feel, “I want to watch this.” Even though it’s not perfect, you still want to watch it. The cinematography is perfect. I love all the car shots and will definitely re-watch them. The racing scenes and car shots are something I have not seen in Chinese dramas before. This is a very unique concept, and this drama has portrayed it so well. I really miss them so much.
And last of all, I want to say I really want a season 2 for this drama. Even though they concluded it on a very good note, I think I need a season 2. It could be about 12 to 15 episodes idc, but I want a season 2. The episodes should be lengthy, at least showing the aspects of each other’s lives: how she was when he was not there, or how he was when she was not there. I think they showed some of this in the drama, but not enough. I really wish Jin Zhao could have yearned more for her after they broke up, because I think he got it a lot easier. I know he had a physical condition and his own reasons for the breakup, but I felt he could have done more for her, and she could have played hard to get. I want Jin Zhao to yearn more for her and finally reconcile with her. Jiang Mu easily accepted him once they met, which I think is because she was still in love. But he wanted her to move on because of his accident, and he did not want her to suffer with him. I think it could have been done better—he could have yearned more for her, and the yearning part could have been more emphasized.
If that was done better, this could have been a proper 35-episode drama, incorporating all these scenes: the garage scenes, the reconciliation, recalling memories, and more. They did include some of this in the drama, but it was not emphasized or well narrated. I want a season 2 with at least 12 episodes. Idc if it’s just 12 episodes, but I want those perspectives. It could be really nice, because there are a lot of people who actually love this drama. I want him to go back to racing, not as reckless as before, but more as something he enjoys and not under constant pressure. I also wanted to see more of the friendship between Lin Sui and Jin Zhao. They were kind of rivals at first, but then became very good friends. I want more of those friendship scenes.
The wedding scenes were also kind of incomplete. They could have done more with the wedding, especially after the roller coaster of emotions. I think it was a bit rushed at the end, but overall, the wedding was done pretty well. Still, more could have been added.
I would definitely recommend watching this drama. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea. It’s either you love it or you hate it. Try at least five episodes and see, because it gradually improves a lot. Even I did not like the cute aspects of the female lead at first, but I adapted by around episode 10. The way the characters mature in their lives is very wholesome to watch. So give it a try. This is a really good drama for me.
[Please avoid any grammatical errors or spelling mistakes]
Happy Speed and Love watchingg!!!
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