We Best Love: Forever the First (2021)

My favourite BL of this year

When the series has yet to come to an end, I said it's my favourite BL of 2021, and now that it's actually ended, I'm STILL saying that 'We Best Love: No.1 For You' is my all-time NUMBER ONE BL of 2021! I don't think I can move on from this series anytime soon...

STORY
The two main leads, Shu Yi and Shi De, are in an unrequited love - SY is in love with one of his close lady friend who's in love with one of SY's close guy friend... and SD is in love with SY. Talk about tragic love. SY and SD knew each other for over 10 years since they were kids, but they aren't friends, oh no no, god forbid they become friends. They are rivals. Competitive rivals, at least according to SY. SD, on the other hand, does not really care. The only reason he competes is just so he could get SY's attention. Cliché af, but cute af. SY is frustrated and upset that he's always No.2 to SD. He never gets to win over SD. The only reason SD tried as hard to be No.1 is cause he wants all of SY's focus on him, even if it makes SY angry. Unrequited love is tough, ok? SD's gotta do what he gotta do with what he's got. So of course, when SD finds the opportunity to keep him close, he goes and makes SY his page-boy, in exchange for keeping SY's secret. At first, SY hates it, but as the episodes progress, SY begins to soften to SD. He even calls SD his friend!! At some point in time, over the 10+ years that SD has loved SY, SD thought that if he couldn't get SY to love him back, at the very least, he wanted SY to be his friend. And it was heart-breaking, to watch SD try to hide and bottle his feelings just so they can be friends... It's just, man, SD is so selfless with his love for SY. He only gives and doesn't ask for anything in return except, well, only for that they could become friends until graduation. Which is in itself bringing me to tears!!!

Unrequited love is a theme that's really popular in any love story, but in 'WBL: No.1 For You', it's just so captivating, to watch these two men side-by-side as one watches the other with love-sick expressions while the other figures out his emotions and come to terms with his newfound feelings. You cannot ever forget the way they bared their hearts and souls to each at that bridge... I've never seen anything so beautiful and heart-wrenching. You can say, even though SD loved SY longer, I feel like SY is the one that loves harder. Nobody can stop him now!

Also, the fact that we got an underwater kiss in the first episode itself, not to say in the first minute of the series... oof bravo! And that kisses in the last two eps omg people, it was everything I could've ever asked for and more!

CAST/ACTORS
The chemistry between SY and SD is hot and boiling, but at the same time, soft and sweet. I could watch them all day even if they were to do nothing but sleep. Their good looks are enough of an eye-candy to last me a good few months. Before officially watching this series, I looked up the actors that played SY and SD. The chemistry between Sam Lin and Yu is also as heated as SY and SD. The two actors looked so comfortable with each other, it all seemed so natural. I've watched their IG lives too, and they're always in their own little world, being so flirty and giggly all the time. According to Evan, who acts in this series as Bing Wei, he said the following to express how much Sam and Yu are always acting like they're the only ones in the room, "We're just air in the room. Don't mind us." Agreed. I feel like a third-wheel whenever I watch them.

Yu is actually half-Japanese and half-Taiwanese, and if you watch the series, you'll notice how SY incorporates Japanese words here and there, and I absolutely LOVE it! It's just so adorable. Also, it's supposedly Yu's first time acting, which blew my mind cause he acts so well in the series I couldn't tell he was a rookie. And then we have Sam, the man with the sexiest voice. I absolutely fell in love with his voice. The dynamic between these two is out of this world, you wouldn't have known that this series was the first time they've met. They behave like freaking long-lost soulmates omg. The 'WBL: No.1 For You' team couldn't have done a better job casting them to play the main lead roles. Forever grateful to the staffs responsible for bringing them into the world of 'WBL: No.1 For You', and making us fall in love with them.

MUSIC
The OSTs in the series are beautiful and I love them all~ I hope they keep giving us their music.
Kelly Cheng - 《Will You Be My Love》
YU - 《Aqua Blue》
Alex Chou - 《Hard To Let Go》

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Watch it, guys. To those who still haven't, I don't know what you're doing, but you're missing on a real treasure. Every part of this drama was everything I hoped for and more! We got a simple yet interesting plot, an amazing cast, mind-blowing chemistry with jaw-dropping kisses, and would you look at that, we're even having a second season! What's not to love?

Season 1 ended with a happy-ending (i love it here), but to those who haven't watched last ep to the end, hot dang, would never have expected that post-credit scene ;-; but all the same, here's hoping for a better Season 2!! I'm mad excited about it, and I just love seeing Sam and Yu acting together~ There's something about the both of them....

Fighting to WBL all the casts, staffs and fans! Let's cheer for an amazing Season 2!


FYI, WBL reached a new record on MDL scoring a whooping rating of 67. 1! Never happened before and I was proud of WBL for breaking MDL~

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Absolutely Beautiful

I LOVED this series! I know unrequited love is very common in BL’s, but this one just hit different! And the actors!! Not only did they do a PHENOMENAL job, they are HOOTTT!!! Like, seriously. Super hot. My new BL bias is YU!!! (Sorry Mew and Saint!) Zhou Shu Yi (YU) and Gao Shi De’s (Sam Lin) chemistry is off the charts in this series! The pacing was absolutely perfect, not too slow, not too rushed. I don’t want to give any spoilers, so I won’t get into the specifics of the plot. This series is about a boy who has been secretly in love with another boy for years, and even instigates a love/hate relationship just to be close to him. Pretty bold move! The chemistry is FIRE, while also managing to be super sweet, soft, and cute. Sometimes in the same scene!! This series is REALLY well made, the storyline is awesome, the actors are phenomenal, and it has that perfect mix of sizzle and sweet! I DEFINITELY recommend watching this series! Seriously. It’s epic.

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we best love? we do love!

as a sucker for enemies to lovers trope, this was like an early valentine's day present from a lover that i don't even have. the tone of the drama is simply cute and the plot is pretty simple with some sub plots that will most likely be explored in season 2.

the chemistry between shou yi and shi de is unarguably present throughout the drama. i believe despite the simple and non-extraordinary plot, the viewers (me, myself included) were looking forward to every week's episodes of fluffy and squeal-inducing atmosphere that the main leads brought about.

probably the only thing that was a hit or miss for me was the acting of some side characters (i'm just nitpicking) or the way certain scenes transitioned. in terms of acting, i'd say the actors did a good job. shou yi's actor shook me to the core when i found out that this was his acting debut. the romance between the leads wasn't awkward or forced. i could see that they had a natural chemistry and it definitely makes me look forward to their future projects, whether individual or as a pair.

another hit or miss was the ending. i'd say the finale felt like the calm before the storm. the cute scenes between the two had my trust issues at its peak and i was thinking it was building up to something destructive. we were briefly introduced to shou yi's dad which didn't feel warm at all. the ending sort of felt empty and shi de leaving didn't really give me a feeling that it's an impactful scene. however, it's nice that there was no big fight scene and it didn't end on a sour note.

overall, a cute drama like this is always appreciated as i prefer seeing the main leads bicker (in a good way) and be whipped for each other. all i can say is i'm tired of misunderstandings so this is a good pick-me-up drama.

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The biggest compliment I can make this series: It brought my love for the BL genre back. After many disappointments in the last year with soulless stories and actors that look uncomfortable, Taiwan is back with something natural, raw and refreshing. The acting is superb. Everyone is doing a great job, but the main couple is stealing the spotlight. Their chemistry is mind-blowing. Both actors are talented. Sam is very charming, but the newcomer Yu is the star of the series for me. He can do it all: being arrogant, cute, funny, sad, emotional and dramatic. I felt in love with the character after only watching two episodes. If you see the actor in real life he is a completely different person which proves how amazing his acting skills are. The plot itself is rather generic - nothing new here! - but the storytelling is pretty good. The series flows nicely, every scene seems meaningful, there is no boring moment, the dialogues are funny, charming and smart. It's NOT cringy. Not even once I felt second hand embarrassment. It's just sweet, cute, beautiful, heart-warming, charming, lovely, emotional and last but not least: very satisfying. It's a feel good series with a great couple that doesn't hold back touching and kissing each other. The camera work is a bit shaky and the editing a bit edgy, but it's low budget after all, and the rawness adds to the charm. I also love the OST. It's obvious that everyone involved in this project was passionate about it and worked very hard. This is the result of a talented and motivated team. I hope s2 will be a success too. They deserve more recognition.

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A beautiful secret love story!

I know an unrequited love story is a normal concept. But this one somehow plays out in a very interesting and beautiful way that will catch your attention.

Story:
Zhou Shu Yi is a very handsome and talented guy, he is a great member of the swimming team and does well in school. He can come off as quite arrogant and grumpy to the people around him but in the end, is a very caring and sweet person when it comes down to it.
Shu Yi have always been in rivalry with his childhood rival, Gao Shi De. They have known each other for over 10 years (18 years I believe?) and his whole life Shu yi have been competing with Shi de ever since they were kids, because no matter how hard he tries, beating Shi de seems to be an impossible task. As they grew up as rivals, and Shu Yi being quite competetive while Shi de did not actually seem to care much, they did not get on each other's best sides.
However, as the competitions goes on and Shu Yi experiences heartbreak from the girl he likes it will soon become clear that Shi De's intentions to come in 1st place are not what we thought. He never cared about the winning itself, but all Shi de ever wanted was the chance of getting just a little bit of attention from Shu yi.
But as we know, feelings can be uncontrollable and we will all take even the smallest chance if it comes to us right?
Shi de wanted nothing more than for Shu yi to always and only focus on him. And what is a better way to get that attention than to always make sure your name is right above his, exactly where you know that he will look?

Acting and cast:
Shu Yi is acted by Yu while Shi De is acted by Sam. They both have an amazing chemistry, it's honestly so rarely good and it is hard to tell they recently started acting together. Their chemistry is absolutely on point with right amount of comfort, tension and sweetness, both on and off set.

Their acting is so well performed, I am shook. It never felt stiff or weird. What amazes me is how everything they do look so natural, yes Taiwan has done it again. It doesn't feel like I'm watching a serie anymore but like I am in the story for real. I think it is very clear everyone involved in the series were so passionated about it and the actors delivers the emotions so nicely. There are also scenes where they are not even speaking but you will still be able to see the unspoken feelings and words just by looking into their eyes and their face expressions, especially Sam, this guy can act with his face expressions only.

Main actors:
The main couple had all the spotlight. Wow they were just so amazing, and the actors on top of it!
Sam have acted in series before and there is no disappointment here. He acts as the calm and observant Shi de perfectly, delivers emotion and face expressions super well and on top, he is very handsome and his voice is absolutely gorgeous. I loved just watching him on screen and I even felt this myself, but Sam, as well as his character Shi de clearly has a very charming effect with that personality, looks and voice, all in one.
Yu is new in the acting industry but there is no way to tell. I was personally very surprised when I heard he was a newbie. He captures his character perfectly and I cannot even imagine anyone else acting as Shu yi. He also seems to be a quite hard character to play considering the mixed feeling he has to give off and the moody but powerful temperament. But Yu managed it all. If you've seen Yu in real life you know he is nothing like his character which just proves how well he can give life to his character. He delivered it all, anger, frustration, happiness, sadness and more. I could personally spend all day just staring at him on screen because oh god...I don't actually care about looks but I don't complain either. And Yu takes my breath away. He has a quite unique apperance and wow, such a gorgeous and pretty boy he is. As his character Shu yi he is perfectly suited both in acting and in looks. He delivers every emotion and side of his character perfectly, way better than many well experienced actors I've seen. Yu is also half japanese, half taiwanese so in his acting style he randomly throws out japanese lines every now and then and it is honestly the most adorable and nicest thing I've seen. It feels so unique and personal but also refreshing and realistic since he does speak two languages after all.

OST:
The OST "will you be my love" is so cute. It's definitely a song that will get stuck in my head eventually and will make me think of the serie. WBL have two other OST's as well, "Hard to let go" and "Aqua blue". They are both very beautiful and well suited for the serie, "Aqua blue" is even sung by Yu himelf and he sounds gorgeous. I'm gonna be honest, I especially have a weak spot for "Hard to let go". So well done with all the OST's, they are all catchy and very well suited to the series.

More:
I personally love this story. Yes it does seem a bit basic with another unnrequited love story but I would say, give it a try. I believe it might be to surprise.
The story is very interesting to follow and the characters are very lovable. Also the way Shi De loves Shu Yi is just... it's very interesing but delicately and beautifully done. It is very clear he cherishes this cute and grumpy boy he's known for so long. And that winning or competing is not what he cares about, but just simply to get Shu Yi's attention and to spend time with him. The feelings this story gives me is undescribable. I feel like this story and these characters sticks out from the crowd somehow, and the emotion it carries is special, for me at least.
These two boys were definitely born to be rivals, but destined to be lovers.

EDIT:
I recently finished the series and WOW. I am in love. That's it, I love it. I love all the characters, Sam and Yu are two of my most favorite actors. Thier chemistry and acting talent is just insane. I won't spoil anymore in this edited version so I'm just gonna say this, I haven't been this excited for a season 2 in a long while and I can't wait to see them again.

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Cat and dog dynamics done in the best way possible.

For the main couple, this is close to perfection. Simple story that presents both enemies to lovers and friends to lovers trope, depending on the perspective taken.

The relationship progression between Shu Yi and Shi De was really well paced. It didn't feel rushed, the milestone moments were happening at the right times, and never felt out of place. The dynamics between them sold the show. Both Shi De and Shu Yi have this trickster quality to their actions, which makes We Best Love that much more entertaining. The plot could be simply described as: two main leads getting closer to each other, one step at a time.

Speaking of the cat and dog dynamics, Shi De reminded me of a Golden Retriever with his warm and patient demeanor, and Shu Yi was like a small cat - playful and curious. Seeing them interact with each other just brings happiness to my heart and a smile on my face.

Shou Yi was one of the characters I was the most curious about. Sadly, if his story gets any more depth, it will happen in season two. That said, him being the relationship MVP for Shu Yi and Shi De was one of the funniest aspects of the show. I never enjoyed someone being such a busybody as I did with his character.

Being perfectly honest, some side characters were unnecessary, or rather, they got unnecessary side plots. Some of the scenes and developments came out of nowhere since there was not enough screen time to dive deep into the side plot progression.

The production value was amazing. I especially appreciated the transition scenes, which are usually extremely generic, but here they became either pretty or fun screenshots (shout-out to best supporting character - Mr Skeleton). Music wise, I cannot remember one song. On one hand, it means OST was not that memorable for me, but on the other, it also means they were fitting for the scenes they were used for, since I was not bothered by them.

Overall, amazing chemistry that, at times, almost set my laptop on fire. On point acting, especially from Sam Lin - boy shocked me in one scene (good acting always gets me overexcited). One of the nicest and well paced BLs that tells a simple yet extremely engaging love story.

See you in season two!

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THIS SERIES DESERVES MORE SERIOUSLY!!!

okay hear me out, this is gonna be my first time reviewing because I just can't seem to stop myself like, you really need to watch this!!!! like i swear, everything is just so perfect!!! (well, the only thing I hate is how short every episode there is, but hey we have a season 2 heh) some may say that the story is cliche, but meh, we just really need something to make us feel that fluttering feelings that some (i'm talking about myself lol) doesn't experience in their real life hahaha

can we also talk about the actors? their chemistry is INSANE!!! omg!!! kudos to the production for casting the perfect actors!! (Sam and Yu is perfect *insert heart eyes*)

THE OST IS SO GOOD! I've downloaded the all the songs and I keep playing it before I sleep hahaha

what I'm trying to say is that you NEED to watch this and if you won't, seriously, what's wrong with you? lol

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I expected way too much

I started watching the series with a lot of expectation because most of my twitter mutuals gave this one high rating. I thought it's gonna be like Cherry Magic or even Trapped, but I guess this one is just not my cup of tea.

The storyline is just ok and mc's characters are very frustrating most of times (or maybe I just failed to understand them?). I had to fast forward and/or skipped a lot because of it and I didn't feel like I missed anything.

Sfx, music and acting are good--a standard Taiwanese BL, but I think I've seen a better production than this one.

It's overall a light and fun series if you have nothing to watch and you never knew the hype it got all over the twitter, I guess? Or this is a sign that I need to learn to manage my expectations better hahahaha

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Great acting, likeable characters

[REWATCHED SPECIAL EDITION 2024]

All around enjoyed this. All characters likeable, easy on the cliche's, good acting and a nice dose of humor. Definitely would watch a side story about Doctor Pei Shou Yi. He might just be favourite character in this show, despite being a supporting role. The pairing of Zhou Shu Yi and Gao Shi De had a nice organic feel, they genuinely seemed like two young guys trying to figure out their drama, but there weren't any melodramatics that felt forced. I also liked that the humor and feel of this was a little anime-esque during some scenes, which was fun. Especially some of Zhou Shu Yi's moments and facial expressions. It was a great watch. Looking forward to more.

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A Necessary BL for anyone and everyone

I've got to say this is the BL we deserved 5 and 10 years ago. While we were crying over the Clown and I, Bangkok Love, and the more recent Method, we over-ate the copious amounts of BL into the modern era of Tharntype and Until We Meet Again full of nostalgia by how similar the formula still is from older Thai and Japanese BLs.

And no, I didn't forget about those new snack-like BLs coming out of Korea? *chef's kiss*

But this review is about a drama that amalgamates all the things we loved about them and buried deep the things we pretend didn't happen(I'm look at you censored Chinese BLs.).

I feel like if you're a long-running watcher of BL and asian LGBTQ+ shows and movies like I am then you'll appreciate every bit of this cute drama.

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