Reviews

A Sweet Enemies-to-Lovers Rom-Com

One of the first reasons I enjoyed Sh**ting Stars so much is because I really like the male lead. I think he’s a great actor, and his voice is very calming, which made watching his scenes even more enjoyable. The female lead is also very beautiful and I loved her acting. Together, they had a strong enemies-to-lovers vibe, which made sense since they clearly liked each other from the beginning.

Their misunderstanding from the past caused real emotional distance, especially for the FL, while the ML kept trying to get her attention in very childish and annoying (but cute) ways. It took some time, but eventually he confessed properly, and from there their relationship slowly became more confident and comfortable. In the beginning, both of them are shy and nervous, which comes across as very cute rather than cringe, mainly because the acting is good and natural. As the episodes go on, that awkwardness fades and their chemistry becomes even stronger.

This drama is quite romance-focused and includes several couples. The lawyer and the FL’s friend are actually quite compatible since they have similar personalities, but their relationship felt rushed. Considering he had feelings for the FL before, it seemed like he moved on very quickly. As for the other friend’s romance, I personally found that couple quite cringe. I’m not sure about the exact age difference, but she felt very young compared to him, and her overly “cute” behavior didn’t help. I also didn’t feel much chemistry between them, which made their scenes harder to enjoy.

In the first episodes, the storylines involving the “fake employee” and the ML’s mother were very interesting and emotionally heavy. From a psychological point of view, these were strong arcs that showed how much the ML had suffered. However, those topics were resolved in a strange and somewhat rushed way, and then completely dropped as the drama shifted fully into romance, which felt like a missed opportunity.

Overall, I really liked this drama. It doesn’t feel tiring, it’s fun, entertaining, and easy to watch. Even with some weak points in the side couples and storyline development, the main couple’s chemistry and the lighthearted tone make it a very enjoyable rom-com.

Final score: 8.5/10. ⭐

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Solid drama!

I'm a big fan of Kim Seon-ho & I think Go Young is really coming into her own as an actor. They both did a great job! I genuinely enjoyed watching this. The first 5 episodes were especially great! They had great chemistry and synergy and I really enjoyed the comedic timing. I also really liked the 2nd couple. Their story was really fun. Overall I'd say the casting was done well and you could feel the chemistry onscreen. I'm happy they didn't overdo the cringe and didn't make everyone date each other lol.

The on & off with their communication was frustrating at times but I didn't dwell on it too much because the drama is literally called can this love be translated? And it's apparent from the beginning that their different communication styles would clash, so the slow burn absolutely makes sense! Now, the Do-rami arc was interesting at first but I didn't expect it to become so heavy handed for a romcom genre. I did however enjoy the funny brought out as a result of Do-rami. Revealing Mu-hee's parents were alive in the last 30 minutes was unexpected and poorly timed imo and we didn't see anything about how that actually went when Mu-hee left. I wish they'd showed us more stability in the last episode but at least we got a happy ending.

I think it's a solid drama that was well paced, lived up to the title and the dialogues were interesting so I'd definitely rewatch it and I will. Don't be dissuaded by reactive comments and reviews. It's a really good show!!

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Very Hollywood. Watch 1 episode to see Huyn Bin acting and you saw it all

Very Hollywood - all about the bad guys, no real plot, just wild action without meaningful content.

Promoting the message of desperation and power of evil. Very typical Hollywood. The ONLY one good guy is super naive and gets betrayed by everyone.

I watched this to the end so that I write this well informed scathing review. Overall, this drama is trashy and you saw it all if you watch 1 episode.

I started watching bc I was curious to see Hyun Bin. Sure, he is a great actor but this role gets boring as he is ALWAYS THE SAME - smoking cigarettes witih a grumpy violent face selling drugs. THE DRAMA IS ABOUT HIM, WE GET TO SEE THAT EVIL DRUG DEALER ON THE SCREEN THE MOST, he dominates the drama as the most important character.

Couldnt HB find a better script, or is he doing this for money??

Also, there are no women in this drama. There are 3 listed as FL but their screen time is super minimal and insignificant.
Mr. Plankton is there acting stellar his role but he is on the screen litrally less than 5 minutes in 6 episodes. Total waste.
There is no meaningful dialogue anywhere. And it is quite violent and gory.

it does mention some key issues - like, government selling drugs to keep itself in power, Korean CIA in fact selling them, etc. and it rteaches history, like the dark times Korea had with the president staying in power by selling drugs and torturing the opposition, but that is all covered in ep 1 or so. No need to watch the entire drama

The audience of this drama seems to be military and conservative males.

Overall, this drama is a waste of time. You can see one episode to confirm that HB can act well, and by that time, you have seen it all, there is no need to waste time to watch the rest, it is all the same, always.

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Whoever says to not watch it doesn’t have a taste
THIS KDRAMA IS AN ABSOLUTE MASTERPIECE
I CANT even believe how this KDRAMA is still not worldwide known I DONT EVEN KNOW WHERE TO START FROM shall I start from the amazing cast the amazing story or the feelings that this series give to you ( it is literally showing us a reality of what happens to the world every day the best thing is that we can see how both the innocent and the enemy feels . Kim do ki the strong main character has so much aura literally not giving up and trying his best in every situation so the innocents can take their revenge ) this KDRAMA is a must watch at all cost !!! I really hope for a season 4 !!

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The Rise of Hua Zhi in a World That Doubted Her : When Intelligence Becomes Power

Blossoms in Adversity tells the story of survival, growth, and love in a society that believes women cannot stand without men. When tragedy strikes the powerful Hua family, the men are exiled and their property confiscated, leaving only women and children behind. Overnight, the once-protected household is pushed into poverty and danger. In the middle of this collapse stands Hua Zhi, who refuses to let her family fall apart.

With intelligence and resilience, she leads the Hua women through rebuilding their lives, restoring their business, and reclaiming their dignity. Along this difficult road, she meets Gu Yan Xi, the Commander of the Security Bureau, whose fate becomes deeply intertwined with hers. From cautious allies to unwavering partners, the two slowly develop a relationship built on trust, loyalty, and quiet affection rather than dramatic clichés.

🌸 Characters & Romance

Hua Zhi (played by Zhang Jing Yi) is one of the strongest yet softest female leads in recent historical dramas.She is a resourceful and intelligent young woman who, after her family faces ruin, uses her hidden talents to lead her female relatives in navigating poverty and social stigma She is capable without being arrogant, gentle without being weak. What makes her special is how naturally her leadership grows. She does not suddenly become powerful; she learns, fails, adapts, and keeps moving forward for the sake of her family. Her business sense, emotional intelligence, and compassion turn the Hua household from helpless victims into independent survivors.

Opposite her is Gu Yan Xi (played by Hu Yi Tian), the feared yet deeply loyal Commander of the Security Bureau. On the surface, he is cold, disciplined, and ruthless to enemies, but with Hua Zhi he is gentle, respectful, and quietly devoted. Rather than controlling her, he believes in her. Their relationship is refreshingly mature. They communicate, trust each other, and walk through danger together instead of creating misunderstandings.

Their romance is a slow burn filled with subtle flirting, emotional support, and mutual sacrifice. There are no dragged-out love triangles or forced separations. Instead, we watch two adults slowly become each other’s strongest allies.

🎭 Acting

Zhang Jing Yi delivers a graceful and emotionally grounded performance as Hua Zhi. She balances softness with authority beautifully. Whether leading her family, negotiating business, or showing vulnerability, her expressions feel natural and sincere. You can see Hua Zhi’s growth not only in dialogue but in posture, confidence, and emotional control.

Hu Yi Tian shines in one of his best historical roles to date. As Gu Yan Xi, he blends stoicism with warmth. His fight scenes are sharp, his presence commanding, and yet his quiet moments with the female lead are full of tenderness. He plays the contrast between savage commander and gentle lover extremely well.

The supporting cast also elevates the drama. The Hua family women, servants, and side couples all feel alive and meaningful. Even the emperor, though frustrating, is performed with nuance and complexity, adding depth rather than simple villainy.

🎬 Execution & Storytelling

The execution of Blossoms in Adversity is polished and engaging. The pacing remains steady across its episodes without dragging. Emotional moments never feel overly melodramatic, and happy moments feel earned rather than exaggerated.

Visually, the drama is beautiful. Costumes, sets, and cinematography enhance the historical atmosphere and make every scene immersive. The production quality supports the storytelling rather than distracting from it.

What stands out most is the balance between romance, family, business, and politics. While the later episodes lean more into political conflicts and slightly away from business development, the emotional core of the drama never gets lost. The ending wraps up character journeys in a satisfying, comforting way that feels complete.

🌼 Final Thoughts

Blossoms in Adversity is not just a romance drama. It is about women discovering their worth, families rebuilding from nothing, and love growing through trust instead of chaos. It delivers comfort without being boring and strength without losing tenderness.

If you enjoy historical dramas with strong female leads, mature romance, emotional intelligence, and meaningful storytelling, this one deserves a spot on your watchlist.

⭐ Rating: 9/10
A heartfelt, empowering drama with beautiful performances, steady romance, and lasting emotional impact.

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The most scripted season ever

I remember writing a review when I watched Be On Cloud's "The Hidden Character". That show was scripted to the wazoo and back and was mainly intended to find a partner for Ta. Funny enough, most of the people who appeared on that show are no longer with Be On Cloud, including Copper, who now appeared on this one.

Well, this season of "DMD Friendship" has to be the most scripted and planned in advance yet. So far, we know this show is designed to find BL partners for the new generation of artists hired by Domundi. We know this show is also designed to find new BL partners for artists from previous generations who had a partner and something ended it up (see Tommy-Jimmy for example) or who decided not choose anyone during their own season because they were not mentally ready (see PatJi and Ryujin or TeeTee and Por in the previous generation).

All that is fine, however, it is a bit annoying to have a show when you already know most of the outcomes by episode 1 or 2. We knew Thomas and Kong or Keng and Namping were going to be a couple 2 seasons ago. We knew TeeTee and Por and Save and Auau were being paired up last season. And we also knew Jimmy needed a new partner so Ohm became the main candidate by episode 2, when Jimmy was "surprisingly" brought in episode 2 of last season.

This season was no exception. Ryujin and PatJi were going to be a couple but we needed some possible drama like PatJi not being 100% sure, so their storyline dragged for the whole season without much mystery in the end. Copper remained as fake as I remembered him from "The Hidden Character" so I can't really say I like him, but I do get why many find him charming. Pung acted in "Khemjira" and looked so green in the show but I was surprised when he maturely talked to Copper about not feeling ready to have a partner. Although, I don't think Copper was going to choose him anyway.

Wave looked he was going to cry when nobody chose him. Pete is the youngest if I'm not mistaken, so I think this is like PatJi in the previous season not being ready for a partner yet. Porsche's acting in "City of Stars" was mediocre at best... plus, he is already 30 years old and while age is not an issue, the closest in age to him is Phupha who is 7 years younger. That made it a bit more complicated as he was seen as the "older brother" and not partner material.

The cruelest thing was the Otto-Phupha-North triangle. Phupha and North chose Otto and we had all this mystery of who he was going to choose. In the end, Otto chose North but the writers decided to have him walk in front of Phupha, say goodbye, and just keep walking to find North. If I were Phupha, I would be angry as it was just designed as a scripted plot to showcase their triangle.

In the end, we have yet another season of the new DMD artists looking for a BL partner. The show seemed to revolve around PatJi and Ryujin, Copper-Fifa, and the North-Phupha-Otto story but felt way more scripted than previous seasons and there was no clearly evident chemistry among the resulting BL partners. Ryujin seemed to confident about PatJi but not the other way around. Fifa and Copper give me the same type of vibes, North and Otto might work depending on the roles. Plus, from what little acting they did for one of the missions... I'm not sure about the acting quality we will get.

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Trash. Fake kdrama. It is Hollywood with asian actors. A big STEAMING pile of script

This drama is a fake kdrama. it is a hollywoody Idiocracy mutt
FL and Hiro are excellent actors. ML sucks.
The drama is a BIG STEAMING PILE OF SCRIPT.
it lacks all elements of a kdrama - warmth, communication, inner work, redemption arc, sharing, family, lightness, humor, compassion, ...

it is about isolation, sleeping around, FL kisses 2ML, etc etc It is western isolation and miscomunication of egoistical ppl. And they re rich and feeling entitled.

The start of ep 1 gives the preview of what it is going to be like - a very TOXIC drama - an immature selfish FL and a very cold ML who covers up for her.
Then she had an accident and evrything changed and for like 2 episodes it looks like the drama might take off. It was fun to see different countries and actors from various countries. BUT IT WAS JUST A GIMMICK, to make up for lack of content and plot...

By ep 4 or so, THE DRAMA DIPS INTO DOODOO.
It quickly gets super boring as the characters keep getting stuck and nothing moves forward.
They never communicate. The dialogues are ... weird...
The drama time is taken by scenery and trivialities, instead of CONTENT. Nothing really happens.

BY ep ... 6? IT WAS DEEP DOODOO. I JUST FAST FORWARDED THROUGH EVERYTHING TO THE END AND IT WAS COMPLETELY CRAZY. I fast forwarded to the end just to make sure I did not miss a U-turn to sanity and could evaluate to the end.
The drama became completely totally crazy. Literally. It looks like a nightmare of someone on something. and actually a lot of it *is* a nightmare or anxiety memories and "hallucinations" - ML talks forever with the imaginary character of his FL, etc. IT IS LITERALY CRAZY

It starts looking very Hollywoody as everyone sleeps with everyone, seems like, ... FL kisses 2ML.... nobody communicates... and nothing is resolved....

THIS IS NOT A "NORMAL" KDRAMA AT ALL
this is ... a drugged nightmare about very unruly lives of several young people doing all kinds of things. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH KDRAMAS

And I am really thinking this guy was 100% correct
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1_j6izmEX4 How Netflix killed kdrama

I was thinking - what is the goal of Netflix with releasing all 12 episodes at once? so that only Netflix drama is watched?

I think Netflix, Disney and other non-korean kdramas are a lot worse that Korean kdramas, they just LACK CREATIVITY
Disney's Made in Korea is a sinister brainwashing into the power of evil

This drama is ... ??? what is it?? A SENSELESS NIGHTMARE OF REALLY WEIRD PEOPLE

I this continues, kdramas will be dead very soon. Koreans are going to lose their creativity and freedom, they cannot address what they want but have to follow american $$$$ and do as their slave master says. kdramas will not be Korean, but american made with some Korean actors.just like this drama was. This is the death of Korean culture too

For someone tired of Hollywood cesspool, this drama could even look nice, but this is not a kdrama. It is ... a slightly less of cesspool Hollywood.

I feel like I wasted time to check this drama out, but I had to check it, before I made a decision NEVER to watch anything Netflix or Disney made ever again. THIS DRAMA IS A WASTE OF TIME.

you can watch a travel program yourself and see Canada, Italy, Japan, etc

and then watch some real kdramas, made by Koreans in Korea.

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Technicalities:

Th filming is WEIRD, they go back and forth in time and th whole drama has a nightmarish "look"
For the first several episodes, it was bearable bc there were enough "normal"scenes and it was not too difficult to pick up th plot.

I really liked the acting of FL actress and Hiro actor. Hiro is so real, it is fantastic! The actor totally nailed a Japanese spoiled brat. To the tee... . ML's brother is my fav actor from Discovery of Love and he did his part great too. I like the character of FL's manager and their relationship.

ML actor cannot act and is utterly boring to watch, the same face and demeanor from start to finish. ANd I remember seeing that exact ffacial expression and "acting" in another drama. Get him OFF.

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Indeed interesting

UPDATED:
I am here updating my review after episode 4. Am I still hooked, yes definitely! Begging for SBS/Netflix to release all episodes now please! Such torturous wait 😂 The storyline/plot is getting extremely interesting.
This drama is NOT for viewers who expects typical romcom, fantasy, straightforward , predictable storyline, if that's you, please do not watch this drama. There are a lot of plot twist, unpredictable, surprises which make it entertaining and interesting.

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Initial review:
Watched episode 1..and hooked from the first second (including the intro.....LOL).
It contains interesting plot and the gumiho behaves like the world revolves around her....and what is she with $$$ ! 😂
Kim Hye Yoon again convinced me of her execution of the role. Lomon and the other casts, are superb, especially the guy whom played the villain.
I am eagerly waiting for episode 2 !

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Hong Sisters' old dramas are better!

As someone who watched Hong sisters' drama since Sassy Girl Chunhyang era, watching CTLBT feels nostalgic: the signature character set up & plot of the writers.
CTLBT feels like The Greatest Love + Master Sun.

On eps 2, I was teary because of this nostalgic vibes. I also love "dark" vibes on A Quite Woman filming /scene. I am so happy for first 6eps.

But unfortanely after watched 12 eps, I feel something off. My Girl, The Greatest Love, You're Beautiful left long lasting after taste for me. I was also very emotional when I watched those dramas. I still listen to those OST till now, & I always recall the emotion back then.
But unfortunately I didnt really feel something emotional around eps 9-12. Why did suddenly I loose my empathy for the protagonist? Why all the problems seems like only decoration, that definitely would having happy ending? The OST is also forgettable compare to Hong Sisters old dramas.

My mind actively analyze why. I think the problems come from script structure & dialogue. The script failed to build depthness of the trauma of each character. The triangle love suddenly became main couple part + second couple part + Hiro part. The narative logic like: the manager moved to JHJ's house, but he never met CMH. Etc.

Now I am going to sleep. Seems my mind will still busy to analyze after that.

Edit:
I've just woke up LOL
Now I realize another factor. The title imply about human translation & interpretation: from missunderstanding become understanding & empathy; from hate become love; from stranger become lover.
But the script itself didnt really do that. Only missunderstanding. The main couple barely having deep & meaningful conversation. Dorami only tell FL secret, & ML do sacrifice in silent. Until last eps, FL didnt know that SFL is her manager's fiancee. Etc.
In example, the growth of FL rely on scenes when "she closed her eyes", suddenly everything come to resolution. The problems-resolution & characters development in this drama rely on editing!

I can compare this drama with Run On (a drama who also potray translator life) who really do great job about human communication: light, funny, but also deep & meaningful. Audience can see the growth of the character.
The charms that are absent from CTLBT.

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Opens the top of the best dramas of 2026

Despite the fact that I haven't finished watching it, I can confidently say that all my expectations for this drama were met twice over! Without hesitation, I recommend watching it!
This drama has once again brought me the joy and excitement of watching a Kdrama! It's a top-notch new release with an unusual story and an amazing cast!
The rom-com was truly a rom-com! I laughed a lot at Jang Moon-hee's actions and words, as she is so charming.
I adore Go Youn jung, not only because she looks gorgeous, but also because she delivers an outstanding performance in any role! As a zombie, she was completely unrecognizable! I’m 10 times more impressed with her acting skills! She is a true gem in the world of korean cinematography! Kim Seon-ho captivates me with his dimpled smile every time I see him! He is an exceptional actor! Although his character's attachment to his first love was frustrating, he ultimately found his path. He is an amazing character! I cannot help but praise their perfect chemistry and the level of cuteness between them. Their introduction was both interesting and beautiful.
I am highly impressed with the storyline, making me want to watch it without interruption. The scenery in the drama was captivating and picturesque, showcasing the beauty of different countries. It was a brilliant idea to film in various locations. The show, especially in its live format, was incredibly creative.
Overall, I am absolutely delighted with everything that happens in this drama! I highly recommend it to you! Idk what everyone’s saying about this masterpiece, but for me the kdrama deserves its place in my 2026 top! This drama is really 10/10 !

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Ten Episodes of Love Not Mystery: ForceBook's Chemistry Shines

Having reached the sixth episode, I must voice out my opinion on the series. The actors are really doing a great job so far. Force Jiratchapong and Book Kasidet have mastered this, even though they weren't as strong in their debut series Enchante and A Boss and A Babe. Only Friends sets them apart as a couple.

My take on this one, they have improved a lot as individuals and you can see their growth on screen together. I have watched all their works, I must say this is the project where they shined the most. The soft conversations, gestures and their glances are spot on and well directed. ForceBook here are lovers 100%, before you could say there was bromance, but now the chemistry has strengthened.

Moving on to the director, this is a 10-episode series, why are you rushing the story and jinx in irrelevant scenes when the pieces are coming together? This is where it falters, because it's really exhausting and might suffer from Botpleng's mental condition.

'Melody of Secrets' has a unique storyline, it's not just any series. We must feel the terror and suspense with each episode releasing, but none. It had a huge potential, but due to it's direction, it has just become a normal series...even though we are still guessing who the murder is. That's the only intriguing part, otherwise ForceBook deserve better honestly and all the popularity out there.

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Loving a Character Who Doesn’t Belong to You...

I started this series for Ayaka — and I stayed because she completely destroyed me in the best and worst way.
Ayaka is one of those characters who doesn’t just exist on screen, she gets under your skin. She is soft, feminine, kind, brave, and unapologetically in love. She knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to fight for it. As a masc lesbian, she is painfully, dangerously my type — not only in appearance, but in personality. Watching her felt personal. Too personal.
For the first time while watching a GL, I didn’t just enjoy the romance — I felt jealousy. Real jealousy. Not because of drama, but because Ayaka represents the kind of woman I would genuinely fall in love with. Every smile, every small gesture, every moment of vulnerability made my heart ache. I found myself yelling at Hiroko, not because the story was bad, but because Ayaka felt too precious to be hesitated over.
That said, I don’t hate the story — quite the opposite. The series actually portrays queer struggles well: fear, internalized doubt, hesitation, and the courage it takes to finally choose love. Ayaka’s pain, her patience, and her strength felt real. Her friendship with Risa was especially touching — supportive, honest, and full of genuine care. Seeing Ayaka cry over the possibility of losing that bond broke my heart.
Hiroko as a character frustrated me, but I understand what the story was trying to show. Fear doesn’t always look logical. And despite my jealousy, I was still happy that Ayaka got the ending she wanted — love, reassurance, and someone who finally chose her.
This series didn’t just entertain me. It made me realize how deeply I long for a love like that — and how ready I am to fight for it in my own life. Ayaka may be fictional, but the emotions she awakened in me are very real.

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Hated overall series and how the fl and ml are actually cheating and cheap couple .

Writers should not glorify cheating couples...if people see this frequently on tv at home...then slowly but steadily such behaviour will normalize.. Review Well i am Absolutely disgusted by the ml role. He took advantage of ex wife affection for him and wasted 10year of her life. I am still not able to comprehend how can you not love a person who lived with you for 10years .. like you will start loving your pet in few months but he still not able to love his wife but was okay to marry her..After watching this series,, i truly dislike ml and fl ..not just character but if i see them in any of the drama ... I usually stopped watching it. Well in reality cheating couples usually live happily ever after.. also what is with cdrama and cheating , extra marital affairs.. every cdrama have 1 plot.. why??? is this very common in china????

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SHOULD I WATCH BE PASSIONATELY IN LOVE?

Should I Watch be Passionately in Love?

Be Passionately in Love is easily one of the most heartwarming Asian romances you will ever watch. But it tends to leave it’s audience with a diverse misunderstanding of how the relationship of the main couple is supposed to be portrayed. Causing it’s viewers to express that it ultimately lacked the “passionate love” despite being written in the title. Overall resulting in a misunderstood version of the novel-based love story. While some claim it to be misleading and hold a boring dialogue, I am able to give you two conclusions of why this a must watch romance adaption!

Why should you watch this drama despite it’s mid ratings? You cannot and will not go wrong with this drama. From the original sound track, to the character development, family friendly aesthetic, and so on. That is if it’s viewed the way that the story was originally illustrated on screen.


With a total of 24 episodes, this novel-based drama starts off with a girl named Xu Zhi and a boy named Lu Zhou. They meet as young adults and the female lead pursues the male lead’s friendship after the intentions of trying to meeting his mother. However, the boy starts to convey strong feelings for her. Not yet acknowledging any feelings towards him, she also eventually see’s in a romantic aspect. Leading to the two developing a small but passionate first relationship. Unfortunately not long after their relationship forms the boy ends up leaving their home town to attend college abroad. Causing them to part ways and end their relationship. In conclusion he ends up returning and enrolls into her college in pursuit of her.


THE DRAMA IS NOT ACCURATE TO THE TITLE..


You may be thinking, “This sounds like a passionate and intimate drama!” It most certainly is, if you’re a patient viewer. We don’t get to see the main characters fully embrace one another until towards the end of the Asian series. From them starting off as young and “crushing” on one another, to the show ending with the leads older and united passionately in love. Even though the two reunite when they’re of older age they once again are able to reconnect the playful, innocent, relationship they had previously left off with. Forming another purpose in which some viewers deny the drama to be accurate to the title. The audience wasn’t expecting the type of passionate love that was displayed on TV. Which brings me to my first basis.

The 2025 Chinese drama faces some backlash due to it’s portrayal of staged kissing scenes. According to the media the lead actress of this drama, Liu Hao Cun is known in china for keeping a family friendly image. To the point of having a none kissing contract. Affecting her roles on the big screen. Despite this being in the drama over time the so called staged kisses between the actors become replaced by hugs and cuddles. Exceeding a playful relationship of affection towards one another. This twist in the drama has caused some viewers to immediately drop the novel adaption upon the discovery of the female leads contract. Because of the opposed contract audiences complain that the show Isn’t actually accurate. Where as I solemnly would disagree. Although the novel contains intense kissing scenes the drama shifts towards a more family friendly environment. It also shows us that lovers can absolutely show affection towards one another without there necessarily being a need for kissing.


THE ACTORS LACKED CHEMISTRY..

This is another frequent complain that’s fully displayed amongst the observers of this drama. Once again I will have to disagree, and here is why. The dynamic relationship of the couple in this Viki series can be seen as distinctively different from relationships in other dramas. It’s not your average, “Insecure girl chases after the cold shoulder cool boy” love story. This brings me to my second and final conclusion of why this drama is so misunderstood. The “lack of chemistry” people seem to often point out is actually the result of character/relationship development. In another sense the characters have to first grow individually before they can embrace their relationship amongst each other passionately. Resulting in a full dedicated love for one another.


In the novel the male lead returns to China in hope of resuming the spark him and the female lead had previously blew out. Even to the point of trying to enroll in her college. However, in the novel Lu Zhou (the male lead, also known as Lucy) is described to have a rough exterior due to past family trauma but portrays a soft poetic side to Xu Zhi. Whereas, Xu Zhi is interpreted to be resilient and witty. (Often being followed with the nickname, president Zhi) As the story continues with Lucy trying to pursue her again president Zhi is continually seen through the novel to suppress her emotions around Lucy and others. This leads viewers of the live action adaption to assert to the claim that the actors/characters were missing chemistry. But I can assure you this is not the case. The reason behind this common misinterpretation is due to the fact that in the novel President Zhi was yet to fully embrace her love to Lucy. We learn that it was unfortunately due to her experience with family trauma at a young age. Lu Zhou is able to relate and acknowledge this. Upon this matter she later in the show is able to convey stronger emotions towards him and her family. Meanwhile Zu Xhi also continues to show her full support to Lu Zhou as he deals with his family ordeals. In the end they both end up overcoming their traumas. Thus almost bringing my last conclusion to an end, which tells us that it’s not that the actors who lacked chemistry. In fact they were able to do such a phenomenal job at portraying these characters. Having us convinced at the beginning that there was something “missing”. Only to give us an ending to their love story we typically never would’ve imagined. They never once lacked chemistry, it was all part of a beautiful process. In the end I could actually feel the passionate love for one another. A passionate unconditional kind of love.

Lastly but certainly not least. The way the actors were able to articulate Zhi’s and Zhou’s developing relationship from the novel and bring it to life was outstanding to watch. By the end of the series, I could feel the joy that president Zhi and Lucy felt even when just glancing at one another. They were finally able to express their passionate love. Now to give a final conclusion towards my thesis about this romance drama. Yes, Be Passionately in Love is a misunderstood must watch gem. Are you willing to set aside it’s negative feedback and review the romantic Chinese adaption for yourself?

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