This review may contain spoilers
A love letter to Wen Yi Fan
"No one loves me anymore, only you."
"I will only love you..."
It's been a long time since I've felt as deeply about a drama, enough to write a review about it. It's a love at first sight story, and the chemistry between the two actors is out of this world.
Bai Jing Ting plays Sang Yan, the greenest of green flags. If you've watched Hidden Love, you would have a deeper understanding of the environment he grew up in. Both he and Zhi Zhi (his younger sister) grew up in the healthiest environment, full of warmth, love, and support. At first sight, he falls for Wen Yi Fan played by Zhang Ruo Nan. Wen Yi Fan's upbringing was also full of warmth, love, and support until her father passed away. Her entire life was turned upside down and spiralled into the most horrific nightmare.
Wen Yi Fan deserves a separate paragraph as much as she deserves a happy ending. I've only skimmed through the novel and didn't have a firm attachment to it. I want to extend my gratitude to the director for being trauma-informed and giving us a beautiful love story without sweeping under the rug all the uncomfortable things that come with complex PTSD. It's rare for a Chinese drama to portray the recovery journey of PTSD accurately. Mostly because people are uncomfortable with the ebb and flow of healing. We like things to move in one direction - forward. But the reality of working through PTSD is back and forth, full of mistakes and darkness, which I think this drama portrayed incredibly well.
I've been a fan of Zhang Ruo Nan ever since her first drama, "Everyone Wants to Meet You". She truly outdid herself in this drama. Wen Yi Fan is a heavy character to embody. Zhang Ruo Nan carries Wen Yi Fan's sorrow and pain incredibly well. From the sleepwalking scenes to that moment when her mum abandons her on the worst night of her life, her portrayal of Wen Yi Fan's emotions will stick with me for a long time.
I'm also a huge fan of Bai Jing Ting, and goodness, if a man like Sang Yan truly exists, I will wait forever for him to arrive by my side. He loves Wen Yi Fan wholeheartedly. Some call it an obsession; some have called him a doormat, a simp, a loser - I see it as pure. His love for her is untainted, despite all the pain they had to experience to get their happy ending. By the end of the drama, there is no doubt that he is as loved by Wen Yi Fan as Wen Yi Fan is loved by him.
I don't know if there is another modern C-Drama that is on par with this one. I can count on one finger how many dramas I've rated a 10/10, I didn't even hesitate to give this drama full marks. It's slow, it's healing, and it engages with all your emotions (including the uncomfortable ones).
Lastly, if there is a Wen Yi Fan somewhere in this world, I hope you know how brave and strong you are for surviving all that you have experienced. And I hope there can be more Sang Yans in this world, walking alongside their Wen Yi Fan during her darkest days without ever giving up on her.
"I will only love you..."
It's been a long time since I've felt as deeply about a drama, enough to write a review about it. It's a love at first sight story, and the chemistry between the two actors is out of this world.
Bai Jing Ting plays Sang Yan, the greenest of green flags. If you've watched Hidden Love, you would have a deeper understanding of the environment he grew up in. Both he and Zhi Zhi (his younger sister) grew up in the healthiest environment, full of warmth, love, and support. At first sight, he falls for Wen Yi Fan played by Zhang Ruo Nan. Wen Yi Fan's upbringing was also full of warmth, love, and support until her father passed away. Her entire life was turned upside down and spiralled into the most horrific nightmare.
Wen Yi Fan deserves a separate paragraph as much as she deserves a happy ending. I've only skimmed through the novel and didn't have a firm attachment to it. I want to extend my gratitude to the director for being trauma-informed and giving us a beautiful love story without sweeping under the rug all the uncomfortable things that come with complex PTSD. It's rare for a Chinese drama to portray the recovery journey of PTSD accurately. Mostly because people are uncomfortable with the ebb and flow of healing. We like things to move in one direction - forward. But the reality of working through PTSD is back and forth, full of mistakes and darkness, which I think this drama portrayed incredibly well.
I've been a fan of Zhang Ruo Nan ever since her first drama, "Everyone Wants to Meet You". She truly outdid herself in this drama. Wen Yi Fan is a heavy character to embody. Zhang Ruo Nan carries Wen Yi Fan's sorrow and pain incredibly well. From the sleepwalking scenes to that moment when her mum abandons her on the worst night of her life, her portrayal of Wen Yi Fan's emotions will stick with me for a long time.
I'm also a huge fan of Bai Jing Ting, and goodness, if a man like Sang Yan truly exists, I will wait forever for him to arrive by my side. He loves Wen Yi Fan wholeheartedly. Some call it an obsession; some have called him a doormat, a simp, a loser - I see it as pure. His love for her is untainted, despite all the pain they had to experience to get their happy ending. By the end of the drama, there is no doubt that he is as loved by Wen Yi Fan as Wen Yi Fan is loved by him.
I don't know if there is another modern C-Drama that is on par with this one. I can count on one finger how many dramas I've rated a 10/10, I didn't even hesitate to give this drama full marks. It's slow, it's healing, and it engages with all your emotions (including the uncomfortable ones).
Lastly, if there is a Wen Yi Fan somewhere in this world, I hope you know how brave and strong you are for surviving all that you have experienced. And I hope there can be more Sang Yans in this world, walking alongside their Wen Yi Fan during her darkest days without ever giving up on her.
Was this review helpful to you?
