Reviews

MOST PASSIONATE CHINESE DRAMA I'VE SEEN

Yes, there were some logical problems in this drama, but its emotional heft far outweighed the negatives. Is the behavior of the ML an example of male toxicity? For my part, I thought he was obsessively infatuated–which is bad enough--but I hesitate to put a modern cultural interpretation on him.

Either way, the powerful, electric performance by Wallace Chung (ML) and an equally impressive dual performance by Xiaoran Li made this drama unforgettable. Xiaoran Li plays two totally different characters about as effectively as any I’ve seen previously from an actor.

The kind, understanding (and handsome) doctor–everyone’s best friend but nobdy’s love interest–touched my heart.

The reactions--pity, fear, sympathy–which showed on the faces of Feng Murong’s military underlings, who truly loved their commander, reflected and bolstered the audience’s responses. (Someone such as Mr. Shen, for example.) This was a nice framework, and the director used it well to increase sympathy for the ML to an even greater extent.

One minor point that’s still bothering me--

The sad, bedraggled look of the puppy in the cage (and his frequent cries) hurt my heart. Makes me wonder how long he was stuck in that cage during filming.

Hey movie makers. Pay attention to the animals. I’ve sometimes seen misery on the faces of the horses, and one of your main stars (Yuning Liu) has said that they’re not always treated well.

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The Masterclass of Song Kang’s Vulnerability and raw performance

f you are thinking about watching Love Alarm purely for Song Kang, go ahead—his portrayal of the wounded, deeply vulnerable Hwang Sun-oh is an absolute masterclass in acting. But be warned: the official ending is a massive narrative failure that rewards betrayal and punishes honesty.Many viewers mistakenly call Sun-oh "clingy." They are completely wrong. Sun-oh’s willingness to wear his heart on his sleeve, show his fragile emotions, and demand honesty is an act of immense inner strength, not weakness. Contrast him with Kim Jojo, who cowardily hides behind software weapons (shields and spears) to avoid her trauma, or Lee Hye-yeong, who lies straight to his best friend's face about his feelings.Jojo’s toxic running away at least stems from severe childhood survival trauma. But Hye-yeong had a loving mother, a safe home, and a fiercely loyal brother in Sun-oh. Hye-yeong didn't act out of survival; he acted out of pure selfishness, breaking every code of brotherhood there is. Because the original ending left millions of us furious, here is the true, definitive epilogue that delivers actual narrative justice.
Love Alarm: The True Epilogue PART 1: Two Years Later (The Price of Betrayal)
Two years after the events of Season 2, the quiet domestic life Lee Hye-yeong built with Kim Jojo begins to fracture. True to her established pattern of dumping boyfriends the moment she finds a new interest, Jojo becomes emotionally distant. While working on her new webtoon, she meets an innocent illustrator and mentally checks out of her relationship. One evening, Hye-yeong comes home to find her bags packed. Her Love Alarm for him has gone completely silent. She leaves him with the same vague, emotionally unavailable explanations she gave her past targets. Hye-yeong is left utterly devastated in the empty apartment. The realization hits him with crushing weight: he broke the ultimate code of brotherhood, deceived his childhood best friend, and sacrificed a lifelong bond—all for a woman who was never truly emotionally available. He tries to reach out to Sun-oh to apologize, but the phone just rings. Having ignored Sun-oh's desperate pleas years ago, Hye-yeong is left completely alone, full of a lifetime of remorse.
Meanwhile, away from the toxicity, Sun-oh is reconstructing his life with Lee Yuk-jo. Unlike Jojo, Yuk-jo’s love never required a shield or constant guessing games; her honesty is a steady, grounding force. One bright afternoon, as Sun-oh and Yuk-jo walk hand-in-hand down a bustling street, Jojo happens to pass by. Out of pure instinct, Jojo glances at her phone—but her Love Alarm remains completely silent. The app confirms the brutal reality: Sun-oh is completely, irrevocably healed. Sun-oh notices Jojo standing just a few feet away. There is no anger or longing in his eyes; he has achieved total closure and does not have a single care in the world that she is close by. Without breaking eye contact with Yuk-jo, Sun-oh sweeps her up into his arms, lifting her off the ground in a warm, loving embrace. Defeated, Jojo turns away, her steps trembled and her eyes flooded with heavy tears of irreversible regret.

PART 2: Ten Years Later (True Healing and Strength)Ten years later, the dust has finally settled, and every soul has found its true destination. After facing a string of failed, empty relationships, the toxic pattern finally broke Kim Jojo. Instead of running to a new target, she chose to stop running entirely. We see her sitting in a quiet, sunlit room, speaking with an older woman—a therapist and guide. For the first time in her life, Jojo is stripped of technology, shields, and defense mechanisms, doing the hard, painful work to heal her soul. Meanwhile, Lee Hye-yeong’s life has shriveled into a monotonous cycle of absolute isolation. We see him sitting alone at his desk at work, riding the late-night bus among strangers, and preparing a solitary dinner in his empty apartment. Sitting alone at his table, he opens his tablet and reads the evening news detailing the massive success and happiness of Hwang Sun-oh's life. He looks at the screen with eyes full of a permanent, crushing emptiness, fully realizing his betrayal cost him everything. The screen melts into a beautiful, vibrant reality inside Sun-oh and Yuk-jo’s warm home. In the kitchen, they are laughing as they prepare a family meal together. Suddenly, a beautiful five-year-old child comes bursting out of the bathroom, running full speed toward them. The child throws their arms around both of them, filling the room with pure laughter and untainted affection. Later that evening, Sun-oh sits on the edge of the bed, gently reading a story to his child. The child looks up at him with fierce, unquestioning love, holding his hand until they drift off to sleep. Sun-oh gently sweeps the sleeping child into his arms, carrying them with effortless strength to their own bed, tucking them in and giving a sweet warm good night kiss on the innocent cheeks. Sun-oh walks back into the master bedroom where Yuk-jo is waiting. The fragile, wounded boy from a decade ago is completely gone; in his place is a man entirely anchored by real love. Sun-oh climbs into bed, pulling Yuk-jo close, spooning her securely against his chest. He places a sweet kiss on her lips and whispers how much he loves her. Yuk-jo, beaming with a bright, triumphant happiness, smiles. Her years of steady devotion were never a doormat—they were the foundation for his healing. She looks into his eyes and whispers back, "I've always loved only you." Sun-oh closes his eyes, completely at peace, wrapped in the arms of the woman who showed him that true strength lies in a heart that refuses to close. THIS IS HOW IT SHOULD END AND WE DESERVE THAT!!!!!!!

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Real. Complicated. Human.

I have so much to say about this drama and so many feelings that I honestly don’t even know where to start, so excuse me if this review is all over the place.
First, I’ll start by saying that the acting from both the FL and ML was superb. They were right up my alley.
The FL, even though she was supposed to be timid and insecure at the beginning, never acted like a child. She didn’t have that tiny, overly soft voice or childish mannerisms that we sometimes see in other dramas. She portrayed her character beautifully throughout the entire series, and I really appreciated that.
Same goes for the ML. Even though he was arrogant, it was never over-the-top or cringey. Even his tantrums felt relatively mature and believable. And can we please give a round of applause for his 10/10 wardrobe?

The relationship

I know there has been a lot of discourse about who was toxic, who was wrong, who was right, etc. And honestly, I think both of them were flawed. They both failed to listen to each other properly, and their communication—or lack thereof—was a huge part of their problems.
Flora knew that Luke was the jealous type. She asked him multiple times to contact her when she was having a difficult time, but she never actually did. She also sometimes acted out of line, like never introducing Luke as her boyfriend, even though he openly introduced her as his girlfriend to his friends and family.
That being said, Luke's actions spoke volumes, but actions without words can also create even more miscommunication and confusion in a relationship. Just because someone loves you or is trying to show you through their actions doesn't mean you should have to constantly guess what they're thinking or feeling. And that's what made their relationship so frustrating to watch.
Episode 20 absolutely broke me
I NEED to talk about Episode 20 because that episode completely broke me.
He was technically a side character, but his story took up such a significant emotional space in the drama. I cried my eyes out.
And honestly, that entire situation really highlighted just how poorly the ML and FL communicated with each other.
How can something THAT big happen to your best friend, and your significant other doesn't even know?
It genuinely made me question: Was Luke really a part of Zitao's life after six years?

I wish they hadn't gotten back together....

As someone who loves happy endings, I genuinely wish Flora did not get back together with Luke.
After six years of back-and-forth. Six years of crying, confusion, misunderstandings, and asking the man she loved to simply communicate with her properly...I wanted her to choose herself.
She was THRIVING after she left him. She had a successful business, a beautiful home, was speaking three languages, and had clearly built a life for herself. She had grown so much.
And after everything she went through including losing her best friend in such an awful way and not getting the promotion she had worked so hard for—I honestly think it would have been more realistic for her to finally let Luke go.
In my opinion, that would have shown even more character development.
Sometimes loving someone isn't enough. Sometimes the most realistic happy ending is realizing that you have outgrown the relationship.
A couple of things that bothered me
One thing that bothered me throughout the drama was that the timeline wasn't always very clear. I wish the drama had been more precise about how much time had passed between certain events.
And this brings me to my biggest complaint: the ending felt rushed.
I would have loved to see Flora meeting Luke's parents, their life together after getting back together, how they rebuilt their relationship, and eventually their wedding. After investing so much time into their story, I wanted to actually SEE what their future looked like instead of having it wrapped up so quickly.

Overall, I thought this drama was absolutely fantastic.
What I loved most was how real the story felt.
It wasn't a perfect romance where everyone communicates perfectly and every problem is solved with one conversation. The characters were messy, insecure, stubborn, emotional, and sometimes made decisions that frustrated me but that's also what made them feel human.
I could actually see parts of myself in the story.The story felt heavy at times, but I never felt like there were boring episodes. There was always something happening emotionally, and the characters kept pulling me back in.
I just wish the drama had been a little longer and that the final episode had given us more closure.

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I fell for the hype

At first, this seems to be a fairly ordinary office drama that fails to stand out, except in few eccentric ways.

The acting is serviceable, although I enjoyed Qian Sun more in LOVE STORY IN THE 1970s, where she plays a multi-dimensional character who speaks like an intelligent, normal human being. I could do without the baby-talk voice, which she puts on for this role.

The ML is OK, but I found his arrogant, hypercritical, tone-deaf personality hard to like. As one of his friends tells him, “You’re all stick and no carrot.”

It’s New Year’s Eve and we viewers are wondering if the ML is finally going to confess his feelings to the FL. He gives her a call from afar, just as the countdown starts. She wishes him a Happy New Year. And then he says, “I was wondering..., if...if you’re free tomorrow...could you go over to my house and feed my fish?” I got a laugh out of that. (I know this guy. I’ve dated this guy–or at least one of his clones.) Even his own mother says to him: “A girl might date you at first because of your looks, but sooner or later she might not be able to stand you.” Well said, mom.

Too many overdone tropes--the company’s trek to the wilderness with the inevitable accident that follows, the flowers the ML orders that end up appropriated by the wrong woman, the ML’s worry and concern when the FL has a fever, etc. Jealousy abounds.

And what’s with the skirt lengths, hiked up to the stratosphere? Is that normal office attire in China these days? Does the censorship committee know about this? :)

I really liked the little epilogues right after each episode concludes. That’s a nice touch. This series doesn’t have an original sound track. I recognized most of the pieces from other dramas.

I’ll revisit this review later...

Episode 24

The final episode was a bit performative. I’d have preferred some recognition that our FL isn’t perfect either. She’s secretive, for example–and both are deceitful. The last couple of episodes imply that the ML has been a total jerk–all the misunderstandings were his fault--and he’s now totally reformed.

Yeah, no.

Both these characters are complicit. The so-called advertising “work” that they value relies on distorting facts or creating artificial desires to get people to part with their money. That’s what advertising is. Is it any wonder that, when it comes to love, these two use similar duplicitous tactics?

The most treasured object in this whole drama is an ancient typewriter, which is missing the letter “L.” Think about the symbolism of that.

I have to admit that I softened a bit toward the ML when he looked the FL in the eye and stood up for love, saying, “Luke is my dog too.”

That one earned an extra star because the ML knows how to treat a dog, even if he’s not a sure bet for a real woman.

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"Autism is not a tragedy. Ignorance is a tragedy." - Kim Stagliano

Joo Won's portrayal of an autistic savant, Park Si On, was masterful. His posture, eye avoidance, and speech were spot on. The character's medical skills and knowledge were superior, but his social skills and inability to parse the actions and emotions of those around him were stumbling blocks that could have prevented a career in his field.

As with most of us, Park Si On withdrew and became more confused and flustered under continual harassment and condemnation. He was fortunate to have a caring mentor who initially fought for Park Si On's chance to serve at the hospital. He gave Si On the chance; it was up to Si On to make the best of it. As he continued to prove himself, Si On gained more acceptance. With less bullying and harassment, he began to thrive and become a respected member of the medical team. Neurodivergent or not, isn't it true that we all do our best when we feel accepted, loved, and supported?

As someone on the spectrum with ample experience with others with varying degrees of autism, I found one concept of the show laughable: autism was deemed curable. And this in a medical show of all places! The hospital staff were wanting assurances that Park Si On had received treatment and was cured or mostly cured. To be certain, there are degrees, and many with autism function quite well in society, even excelling. Many can likely pass as "normal" (whatever that is!), but there are others who are more affected and can't assimilate or hide their mannerisms or quirks. Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition. There is no cure, but there are coping mechanisms like behavioral or occupational therapies to help people function to the best of their abilities and to feel more comfortable with themselves and others. As with most things in life, respect and love are the best "cures" for what ails mankind.

I added a half star for Joo Won's fantastic performance.

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well written characters with fluffy sweetness enough to give you cavities

i think i saw a very similar version to this one (possibly a remake) and what i liked here was the ML attitude and how well he treated the FL despite everything. He didn't let her get away with her silly antics but he also stood up for her regardless who the person was. Bless the writers for not spending an endless amount of time going in circles as the ML pretended the green tea wasn't green tea-ing. His mom bowing out in grace was probably her only wise decision the whole show. I do wonder what happened to the FLs parents? It was sweet that her brother genuinely cared for her as that wasnt common during those time periods.

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Such a toxic but charming relationship

I honestly loved this series. Their chemistry is out of this world and they were both so well casted. Jing Boran is just so charming like he has a mature CEO face but also such a seductive gaze. Sun Qian gives off independant woman but she still pulls off the acting cute very well. Together they're just such an attractive couple.

I saw online that in the books their relationship was purely physical which made Flora's reaction valid however in the show I felt her reactions made her look like the more toxic one in the relationship. Like I was genuinelly confused as to why she acted certain ways at times.

Overall I would watch this again. I especially loved the first half of the series.

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You don't have to be perfect to be worthy of love..

Oh man, the moral puzzle.. A lot of people are viewing the drama in very black and white terms.. All they seem to focus on is the intimacy, the toxic words exchanged and he is wrong, she is wrong, things like that.. While overlooking that the story itself is far more complex than that.. I understand that it is easier to just slot them into ' he is toxic, she is the victim ' or vice versa, but come on, the writing doesn't allow us to do that.. The writing, the script, honestly that is the backbone here.. Luan Nian and Shang Zhi Tao are not the perfect couple nor are they without their own issues.. One was arrogant and the other was insecure.. Both of them were not perfect.. And I think that is the entire point that keeps getting missed in the noise around this show..

The writing is so good that every argument between them feels so well written that I feel they have pulled off something even better than an actual villain.. Because there is no real villain here.. Just two people with their own flaws, insecurities and baggage, slowly bringing out the worst in each other..

Calling the ML a red flag would actually be being nice to him.. He was such an arrogant prick.. In any other drama, this exact character would be the second lead who gets rejected by episode 14.. If he had just kept his mouth shut whenever he got angry or upset, half of their problems would have never existed..

I found that quite a lot of people are blaming the ML and rightly so.. He deserves all the criticism.. I am just surprised that people have already decided that he is the bad guy and she is the pure white angel.. But that’s not really the case is it?? As the relationship goes deeper, she gets so lost in her insecurities.. She too contributes heavily to the outcome of their relationship..

Look at their relationship.. 6 years?? She won't stay over, won't move in, meets only on weekends.. Keeps him at arm's length from her flatmates who are clearly like her family in every way that matters.. While he is just the boyfriend, contained to a very specific box in her life.. She doesn't tell him what's going on in her life, hides almost everything, lies and lies.. Alright, you don't want him in the same room as your friends and flatmates, but why would you not introduce him as your BF to your Ex?? She doesn't tell her Ex that she has moved on or that she has a BF.. If she had told him she had a BF, would he have stayed the night in her room?? She could have avoided that whole embarrassing situation..

The ML introduced her to his friends and I guess he expected her to do the same.. You can see that in all those years of being in a relationship, she never really considered him family.. I am not saying she didn't love him but for her, her flatmates were family, but not him.. That was pretty clear..

Why didn't she tell him about that Dony guy incident?? She had already planned to make it public and take him down, so why didn't she tell her BF, who was also her boss?? He could have helped her.. At the very least, why keep something that serious completely hidden from him when he literally asked her??

More importantly, why didn't she tell him about her friend's death?? Honestly, I can't think of a single reason for her not to tell him.. Not one..

These are not script issues, because the character writing here is peak.. It's showing you someone who loves someone but has never once let him all the way in.. Simply put, she never made room for him.. All the frustration and anger we feel is the script doing its job..

She says ' If the other person doesn't trust you, nothing you say will matter.. ' Girl, the irony is that you are the same too.. You never gave him a reason to trust you blindly.. You just do things, hide things, lie and expect him to be okay with it.. Like, she goes out with her ex for lunch, reminisces about their old times, hugs him, but when she hears that the ML is having dinner with his Ex (which he just made up) she is pissed..

And then, all of a sudden she goes to him and starts talking about marriage.. Not because she actually wants to get married or anything but because her friend is getting married.. And the idea of marriage sounded good to her.. How does that work?? You both are literally having problems, a cold war is going on and there are so many things you need to talk about.. Instead of actually having a conversation about what is going on between you two or resolving the issues you already have, you jump straight to marriage?? Again, she just expects him to like it, accept it and go along with whatever she wants.. You didn't even agree to live with him or introduce him to your ex or anyone for that matter and you expect him to just rush into marriage with you??

"I thought our fourth year being together would mean something deeper than when we first dated."

How can it be deeper when after all this time, he is still just a BF who exists within those four walls.. If you had introduced him to your ex that day, this whole thing might have been different.. The ML stated his concerns and wanted her to think it through, because all he sees is someone who loves him but for whatever reason, doesn't want to involve him in any other part of her life..

The ML here is much softer compared to the original novel.. Like they toned him down on purpose to make him more acceptable.. If they wanted the same effect as the novel, they shouldn't have done it, because here we are forced to look at her flaws too now.. Luke was always trying to be there for her.. There are a lot of things he did that showed us the effort he put in for her.. But when you look back, you don't really see her doing much for him.. The effort she put in and the effort he put in were entirely one sided.. Don't tell me that's the bare minimum, because that's not.. And even if it is, we don't see the bare minimum from her side, at all.. She never made him her priority..

The drama simply deserved more episodes.. 28-30 would have been perfect.. The Harbin arc was so rushed.. If there were more episodes, we could have seen quite a lot more.. I would have loved it even more if they hadn't cut his smoking scenes, it fits the character so well.. I also wish they had kept the part from the novel where she travels from Harbin to Beijing for him.. Now that was her effort and several of the things she did for him in the relationship were just cut.. That's disappointing..

I am not going to talk about anything else.. I don't want to make this any longer than it already is.. Here's the thing people keep missing when they try to crown one of them the villain.. Luke and Flora were never a perfect couple.. They both came in with their own baggage, their own insecurities and their own trust issues and there are entire stretches of this drama where both of them handle things badly.. They hurt each other.. They say things they shouldn't.. They make bad situations worse instead of better.. But that's also what makes this story so exciting.. Watching them navigate this not so perfect relationship, with all their flaws, mistakes and everything that comes with it..

I rated this 8.5.. 8 for the story and Jing Bo Ran and Sun Qian.. 0.5 for Luke, the Dog...

P.S. Let's not pretend that Luke would actually stand a chance with her without all this drama and Flora with a green flag?? Yeah, no.. Not her cup of tea..

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FRUSTRATING AND GASLIGHTED AS A REALISTIC PORTRAYAL.

*THESE ARE JUST MY THOUGHTS; WE DON'T HAVE TO AGREE*

The plot wasn't appealing to me, particularly how their relationship started and what went on in their relationship. It was a struggle watching this from episode 1, and it became more of a struggle reaching episode 12; toward the end, it became frustrating. At some point in the drama, I literally forced myself to finish this. Quite bad, this being my first Chinese modern series of the year.

LIKES
Shang Zhi Tao's friends were the kind of people you find it privileged to have as friends. They were supportive, encouraging, and really helpful. They weren't jealous of one another; instead, they rejoiced at the success of the other. Loved the moments they went on the mountain trip together, glaring at the sun rising. I also love how some of Flora's friends are written to have struggles and problems outside of her (FL) character. Towards the second half, the plot sidelined and forgot their friendship and didn't bother to delve deeper into the challenges and problems they had, while focusing much on the leads and their miscommunication.

Their chemistry had me in the first half; there was tension and magnetic stares, and sometimes I actually felt I was distracting from their moments. While moving into the second half, the chemistry lost me; with the back-and-forth breakups and kisses, all that was left was miscommunication, kisses, and intimacy scenes. I thought they had chemistry in the last episode.

DISLIKES

Let's be real, Zang Yao's character arc was predictable and unnecessary, as she was a plot device to create a rift and misunderstanding between the leads, and when she realized that they really loved each other and couldn't stand them acting all sweet with each other, and went outside to cry, I SKIPPED THAT SCENE. THERE WAS NO EMOTIONAL INVESTMENT TO KEEP ME WATCHING. At least they gave her good closure, in which am sure she escaped from a good disaster by not dating Luan Nian. If she had a purpose in coming down to China outside her love for Luke and all, she would have been better written.

I couldn't believe Sun Yuan died, LIKE HE DIED. I almost forgot I was watching a modern romance drama, and thought this was some murder mystery series. The fact that he died is really strange; he clearly had an emotional breakdown of tears, bare himself in front of Shang Zhi Tao, and he had friends who could actually heal him and console him. They were his greatest strength, and the plot forgot that and granted him death. It didn't even delve into what challenges he was going through; IT'S LAME. I actually suspected Sun Yuan liked Flora, but I would have loved to see things work out between him and Sun Yu; they had the chemistry, supported each other, were best friends, but he only took her as a friend. It was disappointing to know he liked Flora, and he kept it a secret until death. But I felt that was his way of expressing his love; it was good and way better than Luke's style.

I couldn't take how the plot used silly misunderstandings that could be cleared in one statement, an apology, or by speaking your heart, to drive the plot forward, and it left out important details. I was really curious about a lot of things, which the plot either didn't get to develop well or did the telling instead of showing. E.g Would have loved to see Sun Yuan's complicated family background, how Lumi got Will to be her boyfriend, and them developing feelings to become lovers; that would have been really interesting. What happened to Shang Zhi Tao's worker and Xing after she had a company? Why did Shang Zhi Tao break up with her ex-boyfriend, who treated her like an angel? The fact is, the writers left far too many things hanging while trying to live vicariously through the misunderstandings of the leads.

I disliked how silly they often had a quarrel, only for them to fawn over it and get back together, as if nothing happened. I believe they should have sat down and talked things through like normal adults, not getting back together like kids do when they quarrel.

I really dislike Luke; he was arrogant, insulting, had an ego, and it was clear that he didn't deserve Flora's love.
In the initial episode, when he and Flora slept together, and the next time they met, he threw insulting words, like she made them sleep together because she wanted him. THAT WAS ALREADY A BIG NO FOR ME, and the fact that he couldn't even apologize proved he wasn't ready for a relationship.
I really hate it when this man tries to be controlling, telling her what dress she shouldn't wear, trying to keep her from her heartwarming friends, and trying to restrict her movement. LIKE, SIR, SHE ISN'T EVEN YOUR WIFE; WHAT BECOMES OF HER WHEN SHE IS YOUR WIFE?
It irritated me when Luke pretended to be in pain just so he could get Shang Zhi Tao care; they tried to mask it as humor, but it tasted dry.
It was really WILD&INSANE watching him become a jealous freak who refuses to understand or see more into things, when Flora gives her ex-boyfriend a goodbye hug and hugs her friend to comfort his pain. The fact is, he hugs his close friend, who is a girl, and he goes straight to her, and Flora can understand him, but when it turns the other way, he keeps his distance without explaining the cause.
Couldn't believe that after six years of dating, Flora tells him she wants them to get married sooner, and he just rejects it(without a reason). Flora must have been terribly heartbroken, and after a three-month time skip, he comes hooking Flora up with his mother and tells Flora he wants marriage. Everything that happened was me telling Flora she shouldn't accept his request, for she has fallen into a mess. This man has an ego that everything must be done on his own time; I REALLY HATE THAT.

I was annoyed with Flora because she always leaves the relationship only to come back; she should be REAL with herself, knowing this relationship can't work out, and back off early, rather than dwelling on heartbreak.

Their relationship wasn't built on love, so what can you expect? It was built on desire, KISSES and s*x, and all this isn't enough to have the right lover.

I actually love when Flora vented all the pain she had inside her in front of Luke, and her calling the relationship dirty and disgusting and putting an end to the relationship they had was so satisfying, but she should have done it sooner and forged ahead with her life. The writers tried making Luke so down, sad, and teary to have sympathy and empathy for him; it was distasteful. If it worked for anyone, IT DIDN'T WORK FOR ME. Could they have just spared me the noble idiocy Luke tried to portray?

By the end, it is already predictable, and as you can expect, the leads meet again, grow a bit of connection, have s*x, return to Bei Jing, and Luke proposes to Flora, and she accepts it. I didn't feel anything when he proposed; if anything, Flora shouldn't have accepted. They would surely have misunderstandings if allowed to continue, at least offscreen. Lmaooo.

The ending was really rushed and not properly developed, with the characters, plot, and storyline, but I didn't actually enjoy the drama as a whole.

The amount of insulting words Luan Nian always threw at Shang Zhi Tao when they had a misunderstanding was really unhealthy and not called for. I would have ended that relationship early and never sought to go further.



FINAL THOUGHTS
By the end, I understood that Luan Nian was a character who can love, but clearly can't express his love, can't understand the woman he loves, and doesn't trust the woman he loves, and coupled with his arrogance, ego, and insulting way of speaking, it was clear this man shouldn't be in a relationship sooner; he should go for love therapy or something of the sort; in all, they should teach him how to express his love and understand the woman he loves before he thinks of going into a relationship.

It was clear Flora tried to understand Luke in every way, while Luke would never try to understand her in any way. It was obvious that such a relationship should be cut off early. That was the message I got from this drama.

Shang Zhi Tao/Flora should have gone back to her ex-boyfriend or any other good guy, but not Luke, because it's clear their relationship won't last.

Lastly, if this were a realistic portrayal, the leads shouldn't have ended up together; the woman would have left early when in a relationship with such a man, and if it is actually fictional, it's frustrating. Putting yourself in the character of this girl, would you stay in this relationship?

I wouldn't rewatch this drama at all; the pain and frustrations I felt in my first watch were enough. If the leads actually came together, reasoned, and resolved their misunderstandings with good communication, there would have been much less misunderstanding, but the plot took an unhealthy turn. This shows chemistry and intimate kisses really can't save/
help a show if the plot is a MESS.

You should go check it out if you can cope with unhealthy communications and silly misunderstandings, but by no means am I recommending THIS.

Thanks for reading the long review.

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The only thing lacking is time

This is one of (if not) the best KBLs out there, however it lacks what most KBLs do: time. Time to develop the story, time to know the characters and time for the characters to know each other. While the atmosphere of this drama was 10/10 I couldn’t believe in their love for the simple lack of time, it all felt a bit rushed and not intense enough to make me believe that a love developed in the 3 days the plot takes place in, however, this is no fault of the plot itself, I blame it on the running time, it feels like they had to cut stuff to fit the time restraints and so it lacked, but they worked really well for what they could produce. This is one KBL I wish was a pilot for a more developed series in the future, but I know it’s just wishful thinking.

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Refreshing to watch

honestly I only started this drama because I saw many young and handsome faces. Just seeing their faces drew me to watch the drama. I started it with just little expectations but it turned out to be wonderful.

I really love the whole sport concept. All of them come together to form a team which i find really cute and the way my heart races whenever they're playing a game i can literally feel the tension with adrenaline pumping in my veins.

This drama could be considered a bromance but as an ex fujoshi I ship many of them together. ofcourse at times I find some characters childish, annoying and arrogant but it's all the point of youth. The youthful days may never return but friendships can remain forever. honestly I really recommend this drama if you're looking for something fresh and it really hurts me that it's so freaking underrated.

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Yang Se Jong and and Park Eun Bin have amazing chemistry!

This was such a needed summer rom com for me! The first 10 episodes of the show was very impressive with its balance of comedy, investigative elements and budding romance. I was already a fan of Park Eun Bin's acting and I seriously did not expect to become a huge fan of Yang Se Jong!! His comedic timing and ability to move between different genres is so impressive, it made me go watch his other shows afterwards.

The chemistry between the two of them was the defining element of the show. Their romance elements are amazing and I wish there was more of it especially in the last two episodes!

The key problem with this show was the writing and directing in the last two episodes. I don't know if they were rushing and trying to cram the material into the short length but the story went too much in the direction of wrapping up all the uninteresting side character stories, instead of focusing on the two main leads.

Overall I still enjoyed it a lot and have been rewatching a the scenes of the two leads <3

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Why do people think the ending is sad?!

Really great watch - the story and the visual presentation pulls you into this fantastical love story, yet the acting is grounded in realism and there is not a moment of doubt that they love each other.

I am confused by people thinking the ending is a sad ending?? Seems to be it's up to the audience to choose how they want the ending to be and it seems to me lean towards a happy ending. This feels like the best way to end the show as even if their relationship continues there will be many hurdles to overcome and the way that the director told this reality at the end is quite clever and artistic.

Last but not least, Yang Se Jong is seriously GOAT!!

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Silly and a cool concept

I loved to see PondPhuwin in anything and was happy to see them in this. I think they did a great job with these characters as well. We actually got quite a few kisses from them in these two episodes which was nice to see. I loved how silly and flirty they were with each other because it made the relationship feel more real. I loved hearing their letters they wrote for each other too. I really liked this and I thought the concept was cool and I thought that it played out pretty nicely too. I liked their relationship and seeing them grow stronger after going through this. I think two episodes was the perfect length for this story because I don't think it would've been as interesting if they drew it out for another season of the original show.

My one complaint is some of the dark/night scenes were so dark you couldn't see anything!!

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