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Longing, Love & Friendship
Despite being set against a fast-paced backdrop of street racing and prize fighting, the heart of “Speed and Love” isn’t thrill-seeking but rather the relationships that last through life’s ups and downs — family, true friends, the unconditional love of “two hearts, defying wind and rain together, resisting a broken life.”
The emotional stakes pull you in from episode 1, where a pampered young woman (Esther Yu) travels to Thailand to reunite with her estranged father and the boy she grew up with (He Yu), who’s now almost unrecognizable. Her former top-student, doting “brother” is now caught in a dangerous lifestyle of illegal car racing and underground boxing matches.
It’s their first time meeting as adults and sets the stage for their rollercoaster of a journey together: from their first encounter, where you could cut the tension and unsaid words hanging in the air with a knife; to their magnetic attraction, flirting, and jealousy; to acknowledging that their feelings for each other are more than just childhood fondness and overcoming many obstacles to being together.
In the other roles I’ve seen them in, Esther Yu and He Yu both play rather “cute” characters (see “A Romance of the Little Forest” and “My Fated Boy” as examples). Here they’re playing more complex roles and deliver impressive performances on all fronts — emotional intensity, chemistry, non-verbal acting (expressions, eye contact, body language). It’s the leads’ performances and screen presence that make some implausible circumstances and hard-to-understand character behavior still absorbing to watch unfold.
Esther Yu often portrays bubbly, child-like characters (and does it well — roles that could be annoying in other hands are somehow adorable in hers) but the way she plays Jiang Mu, especially in emotionally intense moments, makes it clear that she can excel in dramatic roles as well as comic ones.
Despite his baby face, He Yu delivers a mature performance as Jin Zhao, a resilient young man who hasn’t had an easy life. Even though his character makes questionable choices at times, you never doubt his feelings because they’re written all over his face — longing, adoration, restraint, despair, disappointment. His gaze and microexpressions give his “bad boy” character some unexpected depth and help viewers understand Jin Zhao’s thoughts even though he’s the type to keep them to himself.
Another standout role is Fei Qi Ming’s portrayal of San Lai, the male lead’s best buddy — a happy-go-lucky guy with a big heart. He’s one of those rare friends who’s there through thick and thin and gives good advice even if it’s hard to hear. Male friendship may not get as much screen time in dramas as female friendship, but it’s heartwarming to see the dynamic between Jin Zhao’s closest friends (including a rival-turned-friend played by Mike Angelo) who support him during his lowest moments.
To sum up, there’s a lot that’s unique about this drama — the setting (Thailand), the look (kind of a stylized, 80s vibe in the beginning, especially the neon-lit night scenes), the action sequences (even as someone who doesn’t gravitate toward that genre, the fighting is exciting and looks real).
Aside from some abrupt transitions and plot points that aren’t explained fully (perhaps scenes that were edited out to trim down the number of episodes?), the pacing is good, the plot doesn’t drag, and the ending is a happy one.
Looking beyond the sizzling chemistry of the leads, the story shows imperfect people learning to be better versions of themselves and navigating real-world struggles like broken families, alcoholism, and seemingly hopeless medical diagnoses. This realism, paired with the show’s talented cast and stylish production values, hooks you with a flashy first half and keeps you on edge with an emotionally gripping second half for an all-around captivating (and very bingeable) viewing experience.
The emotional stakes pull you in from episode 1, where a pampered young woman (Esther Yu) travels to Thailand to reunite with her estranged father and the boy she grew up with (He Yu), who’s now almost unrecognizable. Her former top-student, doting “brother” is now caught in a dangerous lifestyle of illegal car racing and underground boxing matches.
It’s their first time meeting as adults and sets the stage for their rollercoaster of a journey together: from their first encounter, where you could cut the tension and unsaid words hanging in the air with a knife; to their magnetic attraction, flirting, and jealousy; to acknowledging that their feelings for each other are more than just childhood fondness and overcoming many obstacles to being together.
In the other roles I’ve seen them in, Esther Yu and He Yu both play rather “cute” characters (see “A Romance of the Little Forest” and “My Fated Boy” as examples). Here they’re playing more complex roles and deliver impressive performances on all fronts — emotional intensity, chemistry, non-verbal acting (expressions, eye contact, body language). It’s the leads’ performances and screen presence that make some implausible circumstances and hard-to-understand character behavior still absorbing to watch unfold.
Esther Yu often portrays bubbly, child-like characters (and does it well — roles that could be annoying in other hands are somehow adorable in hers) but the way she plays Jiang Mu, especially in emotionally intense moments, makes it clear that she can excel in dramatic roles as well as comic ones.
Despite his baby face, He Yu delivers a mature performance as Jin Zhao, a resilient young man who hasn’t had an easy life. Even though his character makes questionable choices at times, you never doubt his feelings because they’re written all over his face — longing, adoration, restraint, despair, disappointment. His gaze and microexpressions give his “bad boy” character some unexpected depth and help viewers understand Jin Zhao’s thoughts even though he’s the type to keep them to himself.
Another standout role is Fei Qi Ming’s portrayal of San Lai, the male lead’s best buddy — a happy-go-lucky guy with a big heart. He’s one of those rare friends who’s there through thick and thin and gives good advice even if it’s hard to hear. Male friendship may not get as much screen time in dramas as female friendship, but it’s heartwarming to see the dynamic between Jin Zhao’s closest friends (including a rival-turned-friend played by Mike Angelo) who support him during his lowest moments.
To sum up, there’s a lot that’s unique about this drama — the setting (Thailand), the look (kind of a stylized, 80s vibe in the beginning, especially the neon-lit night scenes), the action sequences (even as someone who doesn’t gravitate toward that genre, the fighting is exciting and looks real).
Aside from some abrupt transitions and plot points that aren’t explained fully (perhaps scenes that were edited out to trim down the number of episodes?), the pacing is good, the plot doesn’t drag, and the ending is a happy one.
Looking beyond the sizzling chemistry of the leads, the story shows imperfect people learning to be better versions of themselves and navigating real-world struggles like broken families, alcoholism, and seemingly hopeless medical diagnoses. This realism, paired with the show’s talented cast and stylish production values, hooks you with a flashy first half and keeps you on edge with an emotionally gripping second half for an all-around captivating (and very bingeable) viewing experience.
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