This review may contain spoilers
He Yu’s Jin Zhao: The Heart and Soul of Speed and Love and a ML worth falling for
I really loved this drama, and I fell hard for Jin Zhao. Speed and Love is not a perfect show, but it has a soul and that soul is Jin Zhao. If you are thinking about watching this drama and like the bad boy with a heart of gold trope, do it!! Do it for He Yu/Jin Zhao and you will thank me. I rated acting as 9/10 because of the FL's lacking performance. But for the ML and He Yu's acting it would be 11/10! He really carried the show and emotional and intimate tension!!One of the things I appreciated most is how the drama handled Jin Zhao and Jiang Mu’s early dynamic. I genuinely don’t find the “big brother” phase strange or uncomfortable at all. In fact, it makes emotional sense. Jin Zhao clearly grew up without ever feeling like he truly belonged. He knew he was adopted, he lacked consistent parental warmth, and later it becomes evident that the mother harbored resentment toward him while the father was distant and emotionally absent, especially after the move to Thailand. Jiang Mu was one of the first people who chose him purely and warmly, without conditions. His protectiveness wasn’t romantic at first, it was rooted in care, responsibility, and a quiet sense of guardianship that came from his own emotional deprivation.
What really stood out to me was how respectful Jin Zhao was when Jiang Mu was only twenty and beginning to develop feelings for him. He never crossed boundaries. He restrained himself constantly. He waited for her consent, not just verbally, but emotionally and through her making the first steps. At the same time, he never made her feel unsafe or unsure. He made it clear that he liked her, that her feelings were welcome, so when she finally did step forward, she didn’t have to fear rejection or humiliation. Their transition from estrangement to tentative closeness, and then into first love, was beautifully done. It felt exactly like a careful, young, emotionally formative first love: hesitant, intense, sincere, and deeply memorable.
I didn’t love the forced separation or the sacrificial breakup trope, and I do think that portion of the story was rushed and not fully articulated. That said, I could still empathize with Jin Zhao’s choice. The show gives enough signs that he was deeply depressed after the accident, stripped of his physical prowess, pride, and identity. His decision came from fear, guilt, and a belief that love meant letting her go rather than allowing her to suffer with him. While I didn’t love the execution, I understood the emotional logic behind it. What ultimately made me forgive him was his growth afterward. He reflects on his mistakes. He no longer hides behind silence or martyrdom. He learns to accept love instead of only giving it. Watching him transform from a reckless bad boy with a golden heart into a steady, emotionally open life partner was incredibly rewarding. Every smile he allows himself in the later episodes feels earned, and I found myself rooting for him constantly.
He Yu’s performance is honestly the backbone of this drama. His acting is nuanced, restrained, and intensely emotional. His eyes do so much of the storytelling: longing, fear, guilt, tenderness, hope. Even when the script falters, his portrayal of Jin Zhao never does. He made Jin Zhao feel real, layered, and unforgettable. I’ll absolutely be following his future projects, because this performance alone convinced me of his range and depth.
That said, the drama does have flaws. The plot is uneven and at times unclear, likely due to editing cuts. The motivations behind Jiang Mu going to Thailand at nineteen, and later the exact circumstances of their separation, deserved more emotional grounding and narrative clarity. These moments should have hit harder than they did.
Another major weakness, for me, was Esther Yu’s performance. I don’t mind an innocent or naive female lead, but her acting simply wasn’t on the same level as He Yu’s. In scenes that required deep emotional reciprocity, especially during moments of intimacy, tension, separation, longing, or reunion, she often fell short in facial expressions, micro-expressions, and physical stillness. I mean a girl can be cute but also have genuine emotional range!! But I felt all she did was focus on the naive cute big eyes look. Jin Zhao’s love feels enormous, consuming, and visceral; too often, it felt like he was carrying the emotional weight of the relationship alone. While I still cared about Jiang Mu as a character, I couldn’t help but feel that a stronger performance would have elevated the drama significantly.
Despite these issues, Speed and Love stayed with me. Jin Zhao stayed with me. The drama succeeds where it matters most: in creating a male lead who feels deeply human, loving, flawed, and worthy of devotion. If you enjoy emotionally restrained yet passionate male leads, slow-burn romance, and stories about choosing love after pain, this drama is absolutely worth watching, especially for Jin Zhao and He Yu’s remarkable performance!! Now I am off to find his other works and patiently await his future works.
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This drama and DFQC ruined me!!! (In the Best Possible Way)
This one sits in a completely different tier of my heart. Do listen to the raving reviews and go watch it!!! When I say favorite of all time, I mean the kind that rearranges your taste in drama, spoils you for other male leads, and makes every future romance feel a little under-seasoned. I've rewatched this countless times and still laugh, swoon, melt and cry every single time!!What makes it hit so hard is how deeply, intentionally, painfully well-crafted the character arcs are—especially Dong Fang Qing Cang (DFQC). He isn’t just a cold, cruel, untouchable, extremely powerful and sexy ML… he’s the blueprint!!
The writing gives him space to be terrifying, then curious, then conflicted, then undone, then devoted. You feel the armor crack one silent stare at a time. His evolution isn’t rushed or cheesy—it's earned, layered, and honestly one of the best emotional slow burns I’ve ever seen in any fantasy romance.
And Xiao Lan Hua (XLH)—she’s not just the cute, naïve fairy she starts out as. Her arc is a full gradient of growth. She becomes someone with depth, courage, and agency… but she never loses her essence. What I adore is that both leads grow, but neither eclipses the other. It’s a partnership built through trial, devotion, and choices that cost them something real.
Their relationship?
Ugh. The way they love each other is what makes this show unforgettable.
There’s tenderness, there’s pain, there’s sacrifice that feels mythic yet intimate. You watch them become each other’s undoing and salvation in equal measure. It’s epic without being melodramatic, romantic without being fluffy, and tragic without being hollow.
The world-building, the aesthetics, the OST—every piece works in service of that emotional core. But what stays with you long after is how DFQC and XLH change each other. How love becomes something that transforms, not consumes.
If you want a fantasy romance with genuine depth, character arcs that punch you in the chest, and a love story that leave you yearning endlessly and completely ruins you this is the one.
No contest. No hesitation. This is the standard. There's a reason it's often voted and mentioned as the next Xian xia drama even by the end of 2025!!
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A Stormy, Intense Romance Anchored by Richard Li’s Standout Performance
Tale of Love and Loyalty is one of those rare mini dramas that hooks you with intensity alone.What makes it special isn’t just the plot — it’s Richard Li’s performance. I’ve now watched several of his works, and this is the drama that really showed me the range he has as an actor.
Here, he steps fully into the role of a commanding, sharp-edged ML — the kind who walks that thin line between domineering and red flag. But instead of feeling one-note or overdone, he plays the character with so much emotion underneath the armor that you can’t help being drawn in. His pain shows, his longing shows, and when his softer moments break through, they hit surprisingly hard.
The FL I found the acting a bit lacking because she didn't show as much range besides angst and tears. But I did love the tender moments between them and the steamy, fiery, tense, and sometimes messy moments too. If you enjoy romances where the emotions run hot, the stakes feel real, and the ML has a storm he doesn’t quite know how to contain… this one delivers.
What impressed me most is how Richard Li pivots between the hardness of his character and the flashes of tenderness and deep ache and pain he shows. He sells the role completely and you can't help but root for him and love him as his layers unravel.
This isn’t a soft, sweet romance, it’s the kind you feel in the chest.
And here’s the best part:
If you want to see Richard Li in a completely different light, strong and commanding but also deeply gentle, devoted, and romantic, you must watch Deliberations of Love!! It shows a whole other side of what he can do, and honestly, it became one of my all-time favorites.
Tale of Love and Loyalty is for when you’re in the mood for intensity.
Deliberations of Love is for when you want to melt. Deliberations of Love is the one I’d recommend everyone watch immediately, especially if you want to see why Richard Li has become the king of mini dramas!
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Deliberations of Love — A Mini Drama That Feels Surprisingly Big
I didn’t expect a 24-episode mini drama—each episode barely six minutes long—to hit me this hard, but Deliberations of Love completely swept me away. I wish it had been a full-length drama because the story had so much emotional depth, and the ML and FL chemistry was honestly better than most long dramas.From the start, I was hooked by the premise, the romance and comedy. Pei Xun instantly became one of my favorite MLs. He’s the exact character type I adore: strong, intense, commanding to the world, but gentle and soft for the FL. Not violent, not abusive, just deeply protective and quietly loyal.
One thing I loved is how early the affection shows. The FL isn’t cold or emotionally unavailable for 60% of the drama like so many others. She inadvertently shows she cares, she reaches for him, and he responds with the softest restraint. Those moments felt so genuine and intimate.
The storytelling moves fast but doesn’t feel rushed. Every episode gives you another emotional beat, another piece of the puzzle, another reason to root for them. And the romance? It’s sincere, tender, and beautifully acted. Even the OST fits the drama’s tone perfectly — soft, nostalgic, and full of longing.
The theme songs are beautiful and on my playlist on repeat! They match the story perfectly too.
Richard Li was absolutely brilliant and the chemistry with the FL was amazing—now I understand why people binge his mini dramas and I'm set to watch all his mini dramas too after this gem!! The FL is really cute, sweet and really good at showing her care and love for the ML.
Deliberations of Love is easily one of my top mini dramas of all time and one of my favorite dramas overall! If only it was a full length drama... I will be daydreaming about the 2 leads being cast in a full length drama because they are just that sweet together!!
Highly recommend, especially if you like romance with sincerity, warmth, comedy, and real heart.
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This review may contain spoilers
Emotional, romantic, and beautifully acted — though a bit repetitive in plot.
When Destiny Brings the Demon completely swept me away with its romance and Arthur Chen’s performance. Because of this drama, I started watching all of the earlier works by Arthur Chen and became a fan! He brought Sima Jiao to life with such tenderness and emotional range — from the fierce protectiveness to the quiet vulnerability, every expression of love felt genuine and deeply human. He portrayed all shades of being in love — the yearning, the teasing, the heartbreak — and it made the entire fantasy setting feel alive and real.The chemistry between the leads was adorable and moving; their interactions had that perfect balance of playfulness and sincerity that keeps you emotionally hooked. But as the series went on, the storyline started to feel a little repetitive — the same cycles of villains trying to capture Sima Jiao, the lovers sacrificing themselves for each other and being revived again. It lessened the emotional impact toward the end, even though the core relationship stayed strong throughout.
Still, despite the narrative loops, I loved the world-building, the heartfelt romance, and Arthur Chen’s layered performance. It’s one of those dramas where the emotions outshine the plot — and if you’re watching for the chemistry and the feels, you’ll walk away completely satisfied.
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Sweet, funny, and heartfelt — just wish it were longer.
I watched My Best Summer for Arthur Chen, and I’m so glad I did. It’s a humorous, lovable story that perfectly captures that bittersweet mix of youth — the chaos, the laughter, the quiet tenderness that sneaks up when you least expect it. Arthur was absolutely charming in it — effortlessly natural, funny, and grounded. His portrayal had that rare mix of boyish energy and emotional depth that makes you believe every glance, every unspoken feeling.That said, I found myself wishing it were a drama instead of a movie. The runtime just isn’t enough to fully explore the depth of Geng Geng and Yu Huai’s bond. Their high school moments were delightful but felt too fleeting, and the later reunion would’ve landed even harder if we’d spent more time watching their connection slowly grow. As a movie, with just a few more budding romance and deep conversations scenes, it could’ve become one of the most emotionally resonant high school-to-adulthood stories out there. It would make it more believable that they still liked each other after 7 years! That's why I wish it was a drama where we can really explore and feel their connection during high school before their separation and then see how they have feelings again after their reunion and the reconciliation would be more rewarding.
Still — it left me smiling, aching, and nostalgic. My Best Summer may be short, but it captures the essence of first love beautifully. It’s a gem that makes you wish you could go back in time just to feel it all again.
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Favorite c drama of all time
This is my favorite c drama. I've rewatched it 5 times and each time I notice more and more nuances, motifs, and understand li xun and his reactions, decisions and thoughts more and more!! The writing is full of quiet motifs that only reveal themselves after you know what’s coming: every look, every pause, every half-smile carries weight once you understand his past and how deeply he loves yet fears loss.What makes this drama stand out isn’t just the romance — it’s how truthfully it portrays two people growing through pain, misunderstanding, and redemption. Li Xun isn’t a cold genius; he’s a man who learned too early that vulnerability invites loss, and the story slowly unravels how Zhu Yun’s presence challenges that belief. Their love feels raw, sometimes messy, but always deeply human.
The cinematography, music, and pacing all serve the emotional arc — restrained yet powerful. Even small details like where each conversation takes place (rooftop vs. base) mirror their emotional distance and growth. It’s rare to find a drama that rewards rewatching this much, where every gesture or line carries new meaning once you understand the full story.
Lighter and Princess isn’t about perfection — it’s about two people learning how to love without running, to forgive without forgetting, and to believe again after breaking. For me, it’s not just a romance — it’s a meditation on fear, pride, and what it means to finally be free enough to love.
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