Yi Ai Wei Ying (2023)

Staying a bit too true to the source material, failing to make a enjoyable TV adaptation

Zheng Shuyi (played by Bai Lu) is an ambitious reporter for a financial newspaper. In order to write another cover story, she wants to interview well-known entrepreneur Shi Yan (played by Dylan Wang). The only distraction from her ambition comes from her soon-to-be ex-boyfriend, who is cheating on her with another woman. Zheng Shuyi vows revenge by focusing even more on her career - and seducing the rich uncle of her ex's new girlfriend. A series of misunderstandings leads her to accidentally mistake Shi Yan for him. And then there's Shi Yan's real niece Qin Shi Yue (played by Shen Yu Jie), who soon starts working as an intern at the Zheng Shuyi newspaper under a secret identity. Follow their tangled love story through 36 episodes of misunderstandings, awkward car rides and boring business talks.

I never have high expectations of modern dramas, but the combination of Bai Lu and Dylan Wang got me excited. There were quite a few scenes that made me giggle like a teenage girl, and some of the suspense kept me coming back to the show every day. However, there are a lot of things wrong with this show.

The main problem is the failed attempt to transfer the charm and humor of the web novel directly to the drama, without making an adaptation based on the different type of media. There were many scenes that had the typical web novel/manga elements - frozen characters, puppy eyes, awkward silences. As drawings, these are usually expressed with additional text or symbols. Since this kind of editing is only done in variety shows, all we got was the characters staring at each other or making awkward facial expressions. The show also failed to use music to convey the meaning of these scenes. This left us with a drama that lacked chemistry between the leads and made the acting seem wooden and boring - and this in a drama with the queen of chemistry!

On top of that, the show lacked an interesting subplot. Almost all the exciting scenes and anticipated revelations were related to the niece, who became my favorite character. The business scenes were incredibly badly written. At times, it felt like they had just used placeholder lines instead of writing actual dialogue.

This all contributed to a disappointing drama with some of my favorite actors. If you are a fan, the drama is still is partly enjoyable, but ultimately the weakest work in both Bai Lu's and Dylan Wang's filmography.

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A little flat in the beginning just skip to episode 9

First episode started with a bang # heatbreak, it flow nicely didn't have to force to watch it, it looks promising 😀 I cant wait to see what's to come.

Second episode is boring found myself more on my phone than watching it, maybe it was because I came straight from a 40 episode fairly tale drama. IDK.

However for the sake on Dylan and Bai Lu I'll watch it.

Am on episode 7, nothing spectacular is happening so far, no chemistry between the male & female lead.
and the story line is flat.

I think for these two amazing actor and actress this drama was not fitting.

I will give it until episode 11 if I dont see magic unfortunately 😕 I may have to drop it.
its making me sad writing this, I was counting down the days for its release.😔
But I can't hide the truth its boring. 😴 😪 😕 😒

What's CHANGE. (Update)
FROM episode 9, it gets better, a few jokes, a bit more chemistry between the ml & fl and the other actors are starting to get into there characters, and a few story line is coming alive.
I'll update as it gets better or worse.

Getting there!! Update.
Ok so its getting a little captivating, you know that drug feeling when your watching a drama and you got a little busy so you had to stop watching, but you can't wait to get back into it, its on your mind all day!! Yes" Only for love," is getting to that mental dopamine stage.
And Episode 14 is straight out of, fifty shades of grey, jealously inspired scene.

You might read alot of reviews that said its boring, you will notice 95% of them that said its boring didn't make it pass episode 10 lol 😆 🤣 almost including me.

And the other percentage of reviewers will tell you. Have patience and watch on! I will tell you, I encourage you to watch on.
But if your a little impatient just skip the entire 10 first episodes lol trust me you won't miss much... 😆
Ok back to the drama I go, cause I do it " Only for love, "
😆
Ciao.

Ok am now at episode 27, from 24 to 27 was rather boring, with scenes that didn't make much impact, and the story line got drawn out. Heavy sigh 😕 I am still going with it tho, I have hopes it will get better. The music choice is also boring 😴 😕 😒
King The Land is a similar drama much more captivating.
Well just finished episode 28 that also lack emotional connection so safe to same it was boring. 😴 will still watch because all a fan of Dylan and Bai Lui. I think maybe Dylan & Bai Lui is big of star for this drama. 🤔 However we shall tug away with them until the end.

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"Chasing Dreams and Chasing Love---->Only for Love"

"Only for Love" is this rad drama that's airing right now, and it's flipping the script on the typical romance story. Instead of the usual girl-getting-pursued-by-a-guy scenario, this show's got our girl Shu Yi going after the super handsome, but oh-so-stiff Shi Yan. And let me tell you, Shu Yi is all sorts of adorable with her funny faces and cute antics that had me in stitches. I was laughing so hard that my family thought I'd lost it, wondering what on earth I was watching.

But what's really cool about Shu Yi is that she doesn't waste her time moping over some jerk who did her wrong. Nope, she's got big dreams and isn't afraid to go after them, even if it means chasing after a guy. When she straight-up asked Shi Yan, "Can I pursue you?" I almost choked on my water – that's some serious girl power right there! She's become like a role model for girls who are out there chasing their dreams.

"Only for Love" isn't just another mushy-gushy romance drama. It's all about showing how hardworking and ambitious women can be. Shu Yi is all about her career, and it's super inspiring to see her go after her goals with such determination.

The soundtrack in this show is lit – the music fits each scene perfectly. The funny moments with Shu Yi and Shi Yan are made even funnier with the background tunes. It's on point.

Now, let's talk about Bailu and her character, Shu Yi. She's got some intense staring going on, and it's a little cringe, to be honest. But it's also cute in a weird way. She's got these inner monologues that are totally over-the-top and immature, and I can't help but smile at them.

So far, the chemistry between Shu Yi and Shi Yan isn't full-blown romantic, but we're all waiting for that moment when he does something super cute or makes a grand declaration of love. Right now, there's no clear villain in the story, which is kinda different, but it seems like this show is all about being cute and romantic.

Overall, "Only for Love" is a breath of fresh air in the romance drama scene. It's got relatable characters, a strong message about pursuing dreams, and a killer soundtrack. Sure, it's got some quirks, but that's what makes it stand out. We're all just waiting to see how Shu Yi and Shi Yan's romance unfolds and if it'll get even more adorable in the future.So, don't miss out on this unique and charming drama that's got all the ingredients to win your heart.

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I tried. I tried really hard!! I stayed with this drama for the leads but I finally had to admit defeat. A drama with more internal dialogue than actual communication and even then, I didn’t understand the push and pull. ML as a CEO just wasn’t convincing enough… even with his glasses. He was socially awkward, borderline Asperger, and just off. He liked FL yet refused to do the simple things for her like give her a ride. He acted like such a jerk cuz he liked her? Umm… you’re a 30 year old CEO. FL… so smart, so resourceful as a reporter… yet she didn’t find out all the facts before making decisions in her relationship. I assumed it would be second nature to think inquisitively and see all perspectives as a journalist.

And the music. The build up … that flopped more times than not with FL running away or the phone ringing. Drama has a serious case of FOMO. Voice mail is built in for a reason. You are important but it’s okay to not answer and check your voicemail once in a while!

Oh well…may their next drama be better than this one!

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Missed opportunity

I was so hopeful but I can’t say I loved this one and I’m a fan of both of the leads. I like the idea of a smart career woman being dedicated and good at what she does. I love a man that follows his path as well. That being said our two leads were academically and business smart but had the social/relationship competency of 12 year olds (not cute or entertaining).


The cons: misunderstandings lasted until episode 31; direct communication was very poor, they talked more in their head than directly to each other. They texted more than they talked. I’ve never seen so much screen time on screen. It lasted until the end. The relationship remained undefined for so long and then when it was, it was a break in it.
I ML was suppose to be domineering business man but it didn’t seem to fit or maybe it was just that he never lightens up. Usually you see a change, it kept it going.

I so wonder what it would have been like, it they spoke a quarter of their internal thoughts that the viewers heard. It could have made it much better.

I can accept a misunderstanding but I hate when it’s dragged out and poor communication. Although we’d all love a smooth sailing romance, I don’t think I could say there were any swoon worthy moments. I think I got whiplash.

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Fabulous Drama, Great Actors, Fabulous Chemistry

This is a really fun Drama with wonderful actors with great chemistry. So many people here leaving nasty negative reviews that say more about themselves than the Drama. If you don't like it fine but shut your mouth and don't spoil things for others with your nastiness. What you are leaving is not a Review but a testimony to your own misery and inability to enjoy what is a fine Drama. You don't ike it ? Poor you. They didn't satify your high expectations.? Tragedy! You didn't like it Boo Hoo. Write your own scripts if you don't like this one. What No talent or creativity? just good at Complaining. I love this drama Sad for you that it upsets you so much . Suck it up.

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Ordinary sweet love story but did not really catch interest.

I am honestly so disappointed how it all went to certain extent. The drama was good only because it had all the popular and highly anticipated actors in it. Yeah, we had a lots of famous figures in it, who are quite popular in lots of famous dramas which have got the best drama recognition from viewers. But the story was disappointing.
Looking back at the comment section, you can guess, how much highly anticipated drama this was, so maybe that's the reason for the heavy disappointed, probably because we expected too much.
Now, coming to WHY DISAPPOINTING?

- Character sketch: Apparently, the character sketch of fl, and her bestie disappointed me the most in the whole story. One is weak and dumb when misunderstandings stand, other is worse in giving advices, and barely held her own relationship. It kinda annoyed me that everytime, their male partners were the one taking initiative, yet they kept acting as if they were being ignored and excluded.

- Plot- too ordinary, too flat, too uninteresting. Once again I would say, it barely got so many viewers because it had popular actors, literally so many popular actors. Even the supporting characters acting mother, father and colleagues are quite famous. That's the only reason it was continued by so many and not dropped. Mainly because we expected since it has our fav actors. The plot seemed a lot draggy.
I am guessing all of the popular actors took this because they wanted to expand their reach internationally, since these kinda modern sweet love stories attract the foreign viewers first, that isthe genre us foreign viewers all started with, when we entered the Cdrama industry. But to the regular viewers, who have been regular watchers of their dramas, it turned out to be a flop :(
Umm, that's all I guess was there to it. That was my personal opinion, I hope, you would have happy time seeing this, and it won't seem disappointment to you, like it did to us. Happy watching!

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Typical romcom Chinese drama and could have been shorter

In general I like it, there are things I liked and things that I didn’t. It made me smile and laugh, but also annoyed me at time. I also like a drama with multiple couples. I think it’s more interesting then a drama concentrating more on a love triangle, with like the 2 leads and a side or 2 SL with unrequited love. That was here a bit, but not for the entire drama.

I didn’t want to start at first because I wasn’t feeling this pairing for the leads. But it wasn’t that bad, they were kinda cute together. The kissing scenes were good, much better outside the drama though. Annoying censorship, they were shorter with not good angles for a lot of them in the drama.

I was annoyed at both of them after her secret was out (how she was using him at first) :
- she was making no efforts and only thinking about work. She lied for so long, she deserved the silence treatment in the beginning. Also, her spending time with Yi Yang was so much annoying, like girl should have told him from the beginning that she’s not interested in him and she should have told him no to hang out (she told him later, but should have done it in the beginning). That guy was so annoying and weird. Bro literally showed up at her parents place and try to get with her went she was already and a relationship, in love with someone else.
- I agree that he had the right to be mad and ignore her, but he still could have let her try to explain too after a while. The breakup was too damn long, both of them incapable of talking was annoying.

The plot was a bit draggy, too many episodes, but still enjoyable. It’s a romcom, you can’t expect much more than that for a plot.

The third couple could have had a better and more interesting story. Their chemistry was amazing, but the misunderstanding and their story kept going in circles before they got together. Since they were already in love at the very beginning of the drama, they should have made them get together sooner, since also all the couples got officially together quite late.

I loved the second couple, I think they were cute. I was looking forward to their scenes, I was patiently waiting for YY to realize is feeling and get jealous.

Anyway too many ongoing dramas, time to pass to another one😂 but I think I would recommend this drama, not everyone would like it. It can be cliche, cringe and dragging misunderstanding for like all the main couples, but it’s an okay romcom

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First contemporary CDrama, really enjoyed it

Was the story perfect or grounded in reality? No. No, it was not. Not at all. Maybe not even a little.
Were some the situations and dialogue cringe? Yes. Certainly.
Was it also a lot of fun to watch? Yes. Yes, it absolutely was.

Listen, this was unserious fun. I watched it for Dylan Wang who seems to have chemistry with walls, cars, all humans, and oftentimes plastic bags. He's amazing. I haven't seen Meteor Garden yet, but it's up next and I'm excited. I hope it's more unserious fun where Dylan Wang demonstrates how to have fantastic chemistry with inanimate and animate objects. I hope he never stops making shows.

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Frustrating and Draggy

This storyline had potential, but there are so many things that dragged this series down that made it so frustrating to watch. I skipped through a lot of it. The cast and acting wasn't the problem - it's the script writing that is ridiculous and insulting to the viewer's intelligence.

Positives (not many):
- ML (Dylan Wang), I watched it just for him. But his voice did not fit the character (they should have used a voice actor to dub him)
- 3rd FL (the niece Qin Shi Yue) - she started out super annoying acting like a toddler w/ the constant whining, tattling and stomping her feet, but that eventually subsided and she becomes quite endearing

Negatives:
- Main couple's chemistry wasn't great. He's supposed to be the older, successful, idolized one and she as the young bubbly one just starting her career. But she appeared older than him so it seemed awkward, like a big sister and little brother dynamic.
- ML's wardrobe was just terrible - nothing fit him properly! As another reviewer commented, it looked like he was borrowing his older brother's clothes
- FL character was so damn annoying - it's not bad acting on the actress's part, it's the scrip writing that made no sense. One minute she's smart, aggressive and outright daring and flirtatious w/ the ML; then the next minute she's a shrinking violet, overly dense/naïve when it comes to love
- The phone ringing interrupting every pivotal moment was so ridiculous! Literally almost every build up to a kiss scene or a confession, their phone rings and they answer it!!!
- 2nd FL (ShanShan) the FL's BFF was so annoying, giving out relationship advice when her love life is a complete mess
- The toxic male dominance was intolerable - how many times did the ML Shi Yan drag the FL around by the arm like a rag doll - in public, in their home, at work places, etc. Some scenes were meant to be cute and some were meant to be anger-based. Either way, there is no way in hell a woman would allow that so it should not be done to that extent in a modern drama. And that scene where Shu Yi's ex BF shows up drunk and obnoxious at her door - Shi Yan leaves a work event...somehow gets there in time to shove past the ex, slam the door, make out w/ the Shu Yi, comes back out and to send a message to the ex that he kissed her and that she belongs to him so get lost. That was just so gross.

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A very much highs and lows based drama

Only for Love is your classic CEO drama, complete with its share of highs and lows, classic clichés, and a blend of both familiar and unique elements. Reading the novel before fueled my anticipation for the drama, intensified by the cast and behind-the-scenes photos. After seeing the length of the drama (36 episodes), I was convinced that additional content was necessary to fill the narrative, a decision that occasionally led to dragging plotlines, saturated with an excess of frustrating misunderstandings, particularly exacerbated by overused phone-call scenarios (please silence those phones).

Despite these occasional pacing issues, the final six episodes managed to redeem the moments of narrative sluggishness, delivering a satisfying viewing experience.

The dynamic between the female and male leads mirrored the novel, with added nuances and deviations, particularly in the later episodes. The uncle's misunderstanding plotline added a humorous twist, contributing to the drama's distinctiveness within its genre.

While the main couple's relationship maintained its novel counterpart, the side characters underwent substantial narrative expansion, at times overwhelming the story with too many subplots. The potential of the two main side couples, Bi Ruoshan and Guan Ji, as well as Qin Shiyue and Yu You, showcased promise but suffered from occasional missteps in execution, with one couple becoming excessively irritating and the other progressively improving.

Bi Ruoshan and Guan Ji initially presented a promising dynamic, offering a compelling contrast to the main couple with their intriguing relationship. However, their appeal diminished when Bi Ruoshan's inexplicable anger towards Guan Ji became a source of exasperation, the reason I truly cannot recall. The repetitive nature of scenes where he pursued her grew wearisome, occupying more screen time than warranted until they eventually resolved their relationship issues. On the other hand, the trajectory of Qin Shiyue and Yu You's relationship began on a less impressive note but evolved positively over time. While I did experience a slight cringe at Qin Shiyue's persistence, it didn't bother me to the extent I've observed in others. Overall, they proved to be a satisfactory side couple, and I found their presence on screen neither tiresome nor overbearing.

The second male lead proved to be a debacle. His origin remains a mystery (where did he come from?), and his peculiar behavior raises questions about his presence in the narrative. The extent of his persistence and oddities prompts one to wonder why Zheng Shuyi hasn't sought a restraining order against him. Despite his unwarranted advances and persistent behavior, he oddly remains portrayed as a nice character. Paradoxically, while he doesn't obstruct the main couple directly, his professed love for Zheng Shuyi and his insistence on making her choose him appeared nonsensical.

One positive alteration from the novel was the more lighthearted portrayal of Shi Yan, rendering him a more likable character without compromising his essence.

Regarding the cast, it's undeniable that this drama boasts some prominent names, a factor that may explain the excessive importance given to side characters, even when arguably unnecessary. Specifically focusing on the male and female leads, contrary to prevailing opinions, I found the casting commendable. Bai Lu, a consistently good choice, demonstrated her prowess as an actress and delivered a compelling portrayal of Zheng Shuyi. On the other hand, Wang Hedi's selection appeared somewhat controversial. While I did enjoy his performance, I acknowledge there is room for improvement in acting. That being said, it's challenging to envision anyone else embodying Shi Yan as effectively. He undeniably suited the role well.

The soundtrack, a pleasant surprise, featured a mix of conventional cheesy tunes and standout tracks that captured attention.

In conclusion, "Only for Love" is not without its flaws, there is great room for improving writing and direction. Nevertheless, the delivered product managed to satisfy me, offering a blend of engaging elements that balanced its imperfections.

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