Mysterious Love (2021)

Finally a suspense drama I loved!

It started with the amazing opening sequence, OMG the music and the editing were top notch, it was almost edible but with no food!
Everything in this drama was perfectly balanced: suspense and romance, present time and flashbacks, main couple and secondary couple, humour and seriousness.
The dubbing was good and all the actors were good looking. The chemistry between the leads was sizzling and you rooted for them from the first second.
I'd like to take a note of the cimatography: some of the scenes were ingenious works of art and the placing of the music was perfect.
Recommended to everyone who loves their good romance with good suspense and action.

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TBH I almost dropped this show at around Ep6, glad I didn't.

Mysterious Love is the title of the show. But so far from what I've watched, all I'm getting is a mysterious plot.

Story started as the FL still looking for her savior. According to the backstory, he's one of her captors. Very Stockholm syndrome like.

And when they've met again, ML hid his identity and denied everything else. All in the name of protecting her. The only reason he got close to her again, is to retrieve some kind of coin from her. It is something she took from before they've first met. Then he plans to leave her, again, according to ML, is for her own protection.

In the end, he didn't leave her. Apparently, ML really loved her for a long time. He protected her with his life and made her his wife. The major let down of the story would be the big bad evil of the story. It's disappointing to say the least..

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I give it six months!

The initial review I wrote for this show when I was only a third of the way into it, was a much more positive one than the one I’m writing, now that I am done with this show. To be perfectly honest, this show is very cheap. Not just in the sense of its budget, but also in content and quality. Yet, it has some redeeming qualities. The main character is a rather likable blank canvas, the show is not as sanitized and prudish as the more popular and well-produced shows, and there is certainly a charm in its simple yet entertaining plot that manages to seduce the viewer into keeping up with it. So as a result, I am deeply conflicted in my review of this show and in my assessment of whether I enjoyed it or not.
It would be a lie to say I hated watching it. It would also be a lie to say I found the romance irresistible or nurturing. The best way I can describe this is perhaps to say that it feels a LOT like someone turned a 13-year-old girl’s Mafia-romance fanfiction into a semi-watchable show. It’s watchable because it tickles the nostalgic sentiments of a naïve and long-gone idea of romance that a lot of people harbored in their new young adult phase. As long as you take it lightly, it’s a short and entertaining watch.

You should check this show out if you like:
1. Mafia AUs
2. Short and concise shows with little Drama
3. A good time without much brain-usage
4. Modern Bodice rippers (Lots of sexy times. For a cdrama. It’s like kids’ play in comparison to western shows, though)
5. Summer aesthetics
6. Bestfriends shipping the main couple
7. Happily ever after

Summary: Five years ago, Ruan Nan Chu accidentally wanders into a gang territory and is taken hostage by them. In order to protect her, one of the leaders, a man named Lee, takes her into his custody. As Nan Chu spends more time with him, she begins to fall for the man. Then Lee helps her escape but seemingly perishes in an explosion. Despite that, in the following years, Nan Chu has maintained the belief that he is alive. Then unexpectedly, she actually runs into a man who looks exactly like Lee, named Li Teng, at a party. Drama ensues.

Plot: The plot is weirdly simple! In some ways that’s good. They don’t take 20 episodes for the characters to reveal their true identity and 30 more for the love triangle to develop and another 10 nothing-episodes before they will get an exhausted, long overdue happily ever after. The show’s run is short so things move forward rather fast but also because the main question of the plot is resolved in 5 episodes, the show still feels a bit too long. I used the fast forward button rather generously. In addition to the simple plot, there are some seriously questionable narrative choices made by the writers that left me both amused and confused. Almost no effort is made to make the romance seem like anything remotely plausible or sustainable to any extent! The two barely know anything about each other, their interest in each other seems purely physical, the male lead is honestly creepy most of the time with controlling and jealous streaks, and that’s the level they stay at. They never once have a meaningful conversation or evolve into better partners. It’s a stagnant dynamic that is bound to burst once their honeymoon phase is over. Or when Ruan Nan Chu will report Li Teng for domestic abuse. Whichever comes first! The second couple is no better. The SFL is clingy in a not-cute way and very immature. Her male counterpart seems to be hassled into the relationship by intimidation and a sense that it would be rude to reject her. With the romance so lackluster, the mafia plot should’ve been a bit more interesting but that was also sloppy and rather easy to resolve. Despite the atrocious romantic dynamics, and the pedestrian mafia subplot, the show has this charming x-factor that gets you! I was invested. I wanted them to succeed. The best thing I can say about the show is that it had no delusions of grandeur. It was self-aware. The plot was simple and so matters were resolved easily. It also has a dual-edge of both being feminist and forward-thinking (sexual agency, focus on the FL’s career, etc.) and being deeply problematic and backward (Li Teng is a controlling love interest and it definitely will digress into an abusive archetype at the flick of a finger).

Acting: The acting is not great. The only one I was really impressed with was the female lead but I thought the male lead fell short because he was constantly carrying this brooding smolder expression that was interrupting the authenticity of his performance. The sexual chemistry between them was great and there was plenty of steamy kiss scenes to highlight that but when they were not kissing, the acting was just not good. Everyone else felt like fodder as well. The only balanced performance belonged to the female lead who honestly deserves better projects where she can shine.

Music: Generic pop ballad that repeated over and over again. Overall, like every other cdrama out there.

Production: They maintain a certain aesthetic throughout the show. The costuming is very consistent with the female lead having a clear style throughout the entire show, a rarity when there’s ample chance to flaunt flashy fashion choices. The whole show has a special color grading which makes it cold and clinical. I didn’t love it but it did make the summer heat of the coastal setting seem less painful at least. For such a small budget show, with barely functioning anything, the fight scenes were seriously well-choreographed and created a nice hype.

Rewatch value: It’s short so it encourages that. I won’t rewatch it though.

Negatives: Evil femme fatal, tired trope! The gratuitous second prospective love interest in the Shixiong. The weird love triangle towards the end. The child character being annoying almost consistently throughout the show. That one female character who went mad because her husband died (wtf kind of 50s sexism is this?! Not to mention the weird implications about how mental health works). I’m still not sure what Lee’s job was prior to the bodyguard business. Was he in the military? Another gang? No idea! And to top all this off, there were those ridiculous shampoo ads implemented into the plot. It was hilarious but also just so absurd. There are a lot of questionable plot points with holes and just sloppy planning but if you don’t take it too seriously, then it’s more fun to watch.

Overall: I don’t regret watching it! Every time it became too stupid, I just laughed it off. When it shows genuine moments of sincerity, I enjoyed them. It reads like a fanfiction that is not particularly well-written but it is a fun time, anyway. In some twisted way, I want to recommend this show, actually. Just don’t watch it with high expectations.

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Sans prétention

J'ai finis ce plutôt court drama pour un drama chinois.

J'ai bien aimé le mélange de romance, et d'actions, avec une histoire derrière, il y a quelques rebondissements, et des flashbacks. L'histoire est fournie de pas mal de choses, pour chacun des personnages, elle est donc un peu recherchée.

Le couple principal marche bien, mais j'avoue avoir presque eu une préférence pour le couple secondaire. Leur histoire m'a vraiment touché.

Il y a des scènes d'actions sympathiques, des scènes touchantes, et une ou deux m'ont même mis la larme à l'oeil.

Dans l'ensemble, j'ai passé un bon moment, je ne me suis pas ennuyée, même si ce n'est pas le drama chinois le plus marquant que j'ai vu. A regarder comme petit break entre deux longs dramas :-)

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Good script and fast phase - love it

The first time I came across ML trailer I was wondering whether should I watch it or not. I only recognised the faces of the parents and the 2nd lead male in another CDRAMA. But some how watching from some clips made me wanting to check it out. My mandarin is so-so coz I was non chinese speaker but to really enjoyed it I have to wait for the english translation and I must say it is worth it. Truly enjoyed the drama. Well written script, good actors and actresses. Nothing silly and very direct, action packed series. Is like you kept wanting more and wondering what would happen next. Some plot have the elements of surprises. I really enjoyed ML and FL interactions and surprisingly the 2ML and 2FL and not to mentioned Xing Xing acted so well. I was asking is 16 episodes enough? Honestly I am not too sure… but honestly I enjoyed the ride…

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Sizzling hot

Firstly, I could watch Tsao Yuning all day, every day. He is a fascinating, physically attractive, charismatic male, honestly, the screen lights up every time he is on it. His character is self confident, full of integrity, big hearted, smart and loyal although not without faults such as jealousy and possessiveness. The story keeps our interest going, with short flashbacks that will tie the history all together and give the audience understanding and reason behind many situations. It’s refreshing that despite the plotting from others, the FML trusts the ML and all misunderstandings come to conclusion very quickly. It’s probably down to the fact that the show is only 16 episodes long. I adored the ML’s Wolfpack of live together, die together brothers, cheering for the SML/SFL relationship as well. The soundtrack is great, but the acting could be improved on by nearly all actors. The best actor is XingXing, what a fabulous budding actress she is. I will definitely indulge on rewatching this, just for Tsao Yuning's fighting, boxing and shower scenes alone. Yes, I know it’s very superficial of me and on this occasion, I don’t care at all.

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Unexpected diamond

This serie has blown my mind. I didn’t expect i would like it so much! A. Must watch drama.
Actually I was sad it only has 16 episodes, but it is perfect for the story.
The couple has really strong chemistry with eachother. And the second lead couple are also vert cute! Als on every beginning of the episode it starts with a kind off throwback,but not like that it is annoying. Just 1 minute or less where you can understand what happend and it goes back to the story from the time now. Really useful! Not confusing of dragging at all.
It also give this drama a different vibe. Not the beginning end story like most drama.
There is action, love, drama, tension a litlle bit of everything! There is no misunderstanding between a triangle love or something.
I really like this drama!

P.s: you are gonna get addicted to the drama. I finished it in 2 days^^

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the love is definitely not mysterious!

The show is great, the acting is great. I just felt a little confused about what the whole "accident" was about... i get the general gist but i wish they sat down and actually explained a to z what happened. maybe thats just because im slow lol.

i really liked this. it was refreshing from all the cliche bs ive been watching to fill up time. It felt more like a romance than a suspense/thriller, but there was a good mix of both. second couple is super adorable :D

it has a happy ending all around, which always is a plus for me :)

some things felt a little rushed, but nothing's perfect and thats okay!

also they do have a compilation of extra chapters which you can find on youtube. those are just cute fluffy shorts they made that are irrelevant to the plot. theyre funny though so i say theyre worth watching.

Leggi di Più

This is a really good thriller/romance drama. The leading couple has very good chemistry and a mature attitude toward their relationship. The drama has some well choreographed action scenes and the group of guys from the bodyguard agency has great friendship and camaraderie. The supporting cast did a very good job with their own stories and there were some comedic moments in the interactions between Qiao Yu Fei (played by Leslie Ma) and the precocious Jiang Xing Xing (played by Xu Duo Duo). The plot is well developed throughout the drama but the ending seems a bit rushed and caricaturesqued. Even so, the drama is very entertaining, enjoy it!

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This needs more episodes

At the moment you start to watch this drama you have to have your full focus on the screen. There is a lot happening, a lot of people come and go, the side stories are only shortly summarized. Personally I really had to focus hard on what was happening because is was easy to get lost. But the this short drama managed to be a rather interesting and steamy romance.

Nian Chu & Li Teng are strong and independent couple, they are there for each other and no-one else. She makes a valid point that relationship must have trust & truth but it happends to be a kind of funny situation because it takes Li Teng several days (an episode) to understand it and explain to Nian Chu what in what the hell she got into 5 years ago ?? I must admit that "Mysterious Love" has an unique background and the unexpected discoveries on the way.

The pace of revealing the story was quite fast and it didn't always cover everything we wanted or needed to know to understand the plot. It made me mad because plot holes are the worst of worst. I was constantly hungry for more and if the drama would be longer I would be fully satisfied ? However it cuts in unexpected moment..... In taking it back, this is THE WORST. They made the same mistake here as in "Triad Princess", they cut down the drama at the cliff handeg and let you go... HOW AM I SUPPOSE TO GO NOW?! I wish there were additional 5-6 episodes, so that the boss was defeated, leads get married and were all have a Happy Ever After ending. Because looking at how much has happened between them and in general in their world, they deserve living at ease! And we too! ????

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