Reviews

A Warm Romance Without the Usual Clichés

Be Passionately in Love is a very heartfelt and soothing university romance that feels a bit more realistic than the usual C-drama romances, with fewer clichés and unnecessary conflicts. It is a sweet, light story about young love, friendship, family, and growing up. There isn't a major love triangle, endless misunderstandings, or characters constantly behaving out of character, and I really appreciated that the characters generally act their age.

I really liked both leads. Xu Zhi is a refreshing FL because she isn't clumsy, naïve, overly bubbly, or instantly head-over-heels in love. She feels like a normal girl with her own goals and personality. Chen Luzhou may seem cold and arrogant, but underneath that is a very vulnerable person dealing with abandonment and identity issues. Learning about his childhood and why he works so hard made me feel genuinely sorry for him. I especially loved how he could finally allow himself to be vulnerable around Xu Zhi.

The romance is soft and mostly built around flirting, conversations, small gestures, and slowly developing feelings. I understand why some people were disappointed by the lack of a kissing scene, but personally, it wasn't a major issue for me. Their relationship still felt sweet and affectionate, and I liked watching their casual connection gradually become something deeper.

The family relationships were another highlight, especially Xu Zhi's relationship with her father. I loved how the drama showed parents aging and how the leads slowly learned to understand them with more compassion and forgiveness. Chen Luzhou's family and identity struggles also added more emotional depth without turning the family drama overly toxic.

I also really loved the filming locations. Everything looked warm, peaceful, and beautiful, and the setting added a lot to the overall comforting atmosphere of the drama. I liked the locations so much that I actually had to check whether Qingyi was a real place. The editing, however, definitely felt lacking at times and could have been much better.

The friendships and second couple were also really cute, and I liked that they added warmth without taking over the main story. My biggest issue was the breakup storyline. We know from the beginning that Chen Luzhou is expected to study abroad, but I felt the separation was unnecessarily complicated. A proper conversation between the leads about long distance could have solved a lot of it, and the storyline wasn't integrated as smoothly as I would have liked. There were also a few plot inconsistencies and situations that ended too quickly before the story moved on.

Overall, it isn't a perfect drama, but it is a warm, charming, beautifully filmed romance with likeable leads, wholesome friendships, meaningful family relationships, and very little unnecessary drama. It might not redefine the genre, but if you're looking for a light and heartfelt university romance, I think it is definitely worth watching.

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Not for me

Because this series always gets recommended everywhere, I may have had my expecations set too high. I don't think the actors did anything wrong, because I know the female lead especially is an amazing actress, but in this series, it was not my style of acting. It's exaggerated, too much comedy- it felt slapstick-silly in some moments.

Maybe because of the acting, or maybe because the pace was pretty slow, I found it really hard to get through. But I still ended up watching until the end because I was convinced it would get better. The ending was alright, even though I feel like they could've removed like 3 episodes.

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THE SCANDAL: Or how a great story was badly told

I went into this with an open mind, decided not to be biased or have my opinion “tainted” by its predecessors, Untold Scandal and Dangerous Liaisons, and told myself this was a fresh take on the story. But the fact remains (read it in Viscount Du Valmont’s voice) that those previous amazing works of ART share the same core, the same main idea: that a lecherous, vicious, and cruel womanizer finds love and redemption in the arms of a very pious, devoted woman, destroys her and himself in the process, taking along the very calculating Lady Cho/Marquise de Merteuil.

I have several problems with this adaptation:

For one, it is too long. Instead of a tight, pressure-cooker narrative, the show dilutes the tension with heavy palace intrigue, slowing down the mind games that should be at the forefront of the story, because they indeed, are the story. Additionally, this is supposed to be psychological warfare, yet the writers chose to show the story through the prism of tragic love. Yes, there is an element of that, but at its core, it’s about a psychological chess game where no one wins in the end.

Secondly, I did not see the chemistry, not between Son Je-yin and Ji Chang-wook, and neither between Ji Chang-wook and Nana. One might argue that the three leads are considered to be among the sexiest, prettiest, and most seductive actors in Korean entertainment, but that is no guarantee that chemistry will appear and translate onto the screen. Ji Chang-wook plays Cho Won, at times, like a caricature of the character. He breaks the fourth wall, laughs at everything and everyone, and even when trying to seduce Ahn Hui-yeon, his attempts border on buffoonery. I know Hui-yeon’s character is supposed to know nothing of men and the world, and that she has lived her life being very guarded, but anyone, I mean, even the simplest of minds, could see he was lying through his teeth.

Nana, instead, plays Ahn Hui-yeon like a frightened child cowering in a corner. There were scenes where she was actually hunched over, as if trying to make herself smaller. Her character is supposed to be a woman of deep moral conviction; her spiritual dignity and virtue are her armor. Instead, the actress gave us a woman who trembled at the very look of Cho Won, rather than slowly breaking down under his relentless pursuit.

This lack of chemistry directly impacts the characters’ arcs. We don’t see Cho Won transitioning from a man who holds nothing and no one in high regard, into a man who slowly starts to comprehend that he could have a better life next to a woman who truly loves him. We don’t see this knowledge dawn on him. Where is the doubt in his eyes? Where are the tenderness, the yearning, the passion?

Yes, they do give us a very explicit scene involving the seduction, but I, for one, did not see the flashes of tenderness or the realization that he might have feelings for this woman whom he has won over completely. We don’t even see him relishing the fact that he has won his bet with Lady Cho, and is now entitled to cash in his prize. We do see him, though, following Lady Cho around like a lost puppy, but the element of viciousness is missing from their relationship. If anything, he remains under her spell, almost to the last frame his character is on screen. Yes, he does show remorse over his treatment and betrayal of Ahn Hui-yeon, but not for a single moment did I believe he had fallen prey to his own trap, that he loved her, or that this was a tragic waste of an opportunity. By the final episodes, the story was sinking faster than Cho Won jumping into the river, and I can sympathize with him taking himself out of it.

To add insult to injury, Lady Cho faces no reckoning. She simply lives on, gliding effortlessly through society, always behind a mask of politeness and boredom, boredom that I was sharing at this point, if I’m honest.

Lady Cho loved her position in society and her power more than anything. She did not truly love Cho Won beyond what he could do for her, or how useful he could be. Yet, in the last scene, the director tries to make us believe she is suffering in silence because he has disappeared. What irks me is that they stripped her of her downfall and tried to frame it as though she had always loved him, making her punishment the realization of that love when it’s already too late. They took one of the greatest villains known to history, and turned her into a woman pining for a man she can no longer have. She should have lost her place in society, she should have faced ridicule, been ostracized, but nothing really happened to her. That was a poor way to wrap the story. That is the real scandal here.

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Amazing redo

I read a few of the reviews and not certain why this series received such a low rating. The story line about deception and how trapped all three of the main characters were was well written. Others mentioned erotica, which was an important part of the story line, and also well done there’s symbolism in the vulnerability in the mature scenes. There’s playfulness to other sexually explicit scenes, but well intended to the overall story. These actors deserve a better critique than what’s written, well acted, well written and the music was exquisitely added to the overall composite of the drama. For those that didn’t get it when watching the first time try to read into what’s being told in the story and I think you will get more from a second viewing.

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I have many questions...

The script isn't really clear to me. There's so much missing, and I was left with so many questions.

I really missed seeing more of Big Jane's life. It feels like the story focused more on Little Jane's life, while Big Jane was made to seem like a bad person, but he really isn't. That's just the way he lives his life.

The opening song is, of course, amazing. No words! I've been playing it on repeat. ❤️

PUT's death. Nobody mentioned it, there was no sadness, and they just completely glossed over his death. Why? He was the best person in the entire series! ❤️

Dan's life also needs its own story.

Rating: 7.5/10 Only because of Big Jane and his incredible acting. Also, PUT, Dan, and the OST. ❤️

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This is some of the best chemistry you will ever see

This is an extremely fascinating look into the industry, and it has also very interestingly already resulted in a life imitates art situation with all the toxicity the fandoms (you know which ones) are currently engaging into, which would be hilariously ironic if it wasn't annoying, toxic and probably damaging to the artists' mental health.

The acting is really good, the pace of the story exactly as it should be at this stage and best of all, the chemistry between the leads is natural and downright SIZZLING.

P.S I just KNOW all the haters rating it low and/or marking it as "dropped" are LYING, because you know it's simply too good to miss out on and that's just facts.

Signed,

A ql fan with no allegiance to any one pairing, just one that enjoys good stories.

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A Cinematic Masterpiece Misunderstood

The drama ( in my opinion) is a Cinematic Masterpiece Misunderstood by the Masses While many casual viewers fast-forward through the slow-burn pacing or get distracted by the explicit rating, The drama (Again in my opinion) is a brilliant, layered masterpiece of psychological tension. Director Jung Ji-woo did not create a commercial, fast-paced K-drama; he crafted a meticulous, character-driven tragedy that explores the dark, messy corners of human desire, jealousy, and social constraints within the rigid Joseon era. The plot execution is precise, treating physical distance, fleeting glances, and subtle touches as an entirely separate language. For those on kisskh who complain about a "lack of plot," confusion should not be mistaken for a lack of direction. The narrative web is tightly spun, and every single scene serves a structural purpose
A Masterclass in Acting: The Main Trio at Their PeakThe true pulse of the drama lies in its phenomenal cast. Ji Chang-wook, Son Ye-jin, and Nana deliver absolute acting masterclasses, providing subtle, understated performances that require the viewer’s full attention to appreciate:

Ji Chang-wook (Cho Won): His transformation into the ultimate Joseon libertine is spectacular. He balances the playful charm of a notorious playboy with an intense, vulnerable undercurrent. The shifting layers of his performance—especially as he begins to realize he is drowning in genuine, dangerous emotions—are breathtaking.

Son Ye-jin (Lady Cho): She portrays her character's internal contradiction beautifully. There is a chilling calculation in her gaze, yet a profound, aching loneliness beneath it. She manipulates an entire room without ever raising her voice, breaking away from conventional, loud drama villains to give us a multi-dimensional, brilliant noblewoman stifled by her era.

Nana (Hui-yeon): Nana infuses the virtuous young widow with a quiet vulnerability that completely elevates the character. She is not just an innocent, helpless pawn in a game; Nana plays her with her own distinct desires and emotional agency. Her gradual emotional awakening and the complex "push-and-pull" chemistry she shares with Ji Chang-wook are among the most gripping elements of the show.

An Example of Brilliant Symbolism: The Widow's Room (Confucianism vs. Christianity)To truly understand how deep and complex these characters are, one only needs to look at the powerful, symbolic set design in Hui-yeon's room. Pay close attention to her wall: it is covered in wallpapers of Confucian texts, representing the suffocating conservatism, rigid social expectations, and moral duties forced upon her from the outside as a widow in that era.Yet, hidden beneath that layer is Catholic Christianity. In Joseon at that time, Christianity symbolized the underground, the yearning for freedom, and a faith born from the heart rather than establishment dictates. This wall is a perfect reflection of her psyche: outwardly, she is completely imprisoned by the public expectations demanded of her, but deep down, her heart is somewhere else entirely, longing to break free and experience genuine emotion. This is visual storytelling at its finest.

The Pansori Soundtrack: Cho Won’s Hidden Monologue (Episode 4)Another brilliant creative choice in this adaptation is how Director Jung Ji-woo anchored the show's entire sonic palette in Pansori—the classic Korean musical storytelling medium.A prime example of this genius is found in Episode 4. Instead of using conventional, lazy voiceovers or forced dialogue to explain Cho Won’s inner world, the director uses the rhythmic, aching cadence of the Pansori singer as a direct proxy for Cho Won's internal monologue. As Cho Won pursues Hui-yeon, his playboy facade begins to crack, revealing a hollow void and a desperate longing. The Pansori doesn't just play in the background; it acts as the raw, unfiltered voice of his subconscious—vocalizing the intense emotional conflict and hidden desires that he cannot speak aloud. It is pure cinematic poetry that demands a patient, attentive audience.Bottom Line: If you watch this drama at 2x speed or look only for conventional, comforting K-drama tropes, you will miss the brilliant nuances in speech delivery, musical metaphors, and micro-expressions. The Scandal is an artistic triumph meant for audiences who appreciate high production values, complex grey characters, and raw human emotions.

I've already seen it twice to get to the bottom of the little nuances. I recommend not rushing to dismiss it or criticize it because of the comments. 10/10

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How a close friendship between two boys has nothing to do with the subject of being gay.

I really don't understand why it has this rating!!! How is it possible for such a superb series to have a rating of only 7.9?!? Are only romantic dramas truly worthy of appreciation?

It was a funny, emotional, and meaningful drama. I absolutely loved every single character. To see genuine friendships, to witness how a son's rebellion is softened by an absolutely wonderful friendship... that really touched me deeply.
I not only liked the characters, but the actors also gave outstanding performances. Although I don't know any of the actors from this drama, I already plan to watch some projects featuring Xin Yun Lai, who plays Gao Yang.

I liked not only the relationships between the students but also those between the adults—such as the one between the principal and his childhood friend, the PE teacher Gao Bin. Although one of them had advanced in his career and had a stable family situation, he did not look down on the one who was faring poorly in every respect.

This drama is anything but superficial; it captures the humanity, the sincerity (such as the moment Zhao Jia Bao declared his feelings for Jin Bei Bei in front of everyone, and her quick, honest reply that she didn't like him back- a moment that made me laugh out loud) and the effort to do whatever it took, even studying!!, to remain with friends who were like family.
Everyone grappled with their own inner conflicts, but the focus was on the beauty of love and friendship, regardless of status or age. When a drama portrays this, I personally consider it a worthwhile way to spend my time watching it.

I appreciate that there wasn't even a hint of a gay undertone. Friendships between boys do exist, not just the erotic romantic relationships I see increasingly often in dramas.

I gave this wonderful series a 10 and wouldn't take back a single point.

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What a chockhold

Let me start with the obvious: The props are plasticer than plastic and the budget is so low they couldn't afford extras to fill the empty spaces in the open air scenes. So why such a high score? Bc it's a rewatch and not only I didn't skip a scene, but I binge watched!!! Blame it on the stars (have the planets aligned?), autumn 's coming, summer's over, the world has turned upside down, I am in a parallel universe or maybe under a spell, blame it on the boogie, because why am I crying over the supposed improbability of their love???? It's the second time I'm watching this, I know how it ends!I spent the last 15 eps struggling along with them to overcome a set-in-stone fate, shedding tears bc their chemistry is really believable ( though the kissing scenes need some redo) and their love makes sense. Or not, I'm not sure anymore. I'm actually appalled at myself, I used to have cdrama standards but I was humbled by a web series. How the mighty fall... I'll definitely rewatch.

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This is what happens when your intrusive thoughts invade while writing a fanfiction.

The story itself is actually boring, but the acting, that still somehow manages to be mediocre, is what makes it all gloriously unhinged. I burst out laughing a lot purely because of the ridiculousness of the plot. And still, they somehow managed to play one of the best enemies-to-lovers trope I've seen so far. Not because the acting was good, but because it was insane.

The actress playing He Weilan was really good at portraying being hopelessly in love. The switch to assassin-self was meh, but her cover-identity was spot on.

Lots of neck grabbing and biting. Honestly, after episode two I just kept watching cause I wanted to know who else is going to get bitten. You have to totally suspend your disbelief regarding anything and then you will enjoy this series.

Unfortunately all the themes of womens empowerment and equality in relationships get lost in the slew off other nonsense. With long teeth I will admit that the FL keeps true to her character throughout, but only barely. One think I will say, the leads, as a couple, have very good chemistry, once they get to the lovey-dovey phase.

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Cuts show

I’m so glad that I finally went back and watched this show. I had accidentally watched the second half “Sky in the Clouds” first and felt like I was missing a part of the story, so its nice to have the full story now. In general I found this show a quick and easy watch and I actually felt that 8 episode length was perfect for the story. I enjoyed the characters in this show and most of them were familiar faces for me at this point. Im a fan of Joong and Dunk so it was nice to see their first work together as a main couple. Dunk’s character was very cute and had some funny moments and he also really did well in some of the more emotional scenes. Joong also did a really good job as well, I did notice that he tended to be a bit stiff at points but he has improved alot since then in his other roles. I couldn’t stand Typhoon he was very pushy and just couldn’t accept that he was being friend zoned, also I feel bad for Pepper who plays Typhoon as every show I’ve seen him in he has played a character I didn’t like. The side characters were all really great, but it was a little weird they were all trying to date Daonuea.

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