Only for Love (2023)

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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Some of my frustrations are listed below...

It took me 2 whole months before I decided to watch this. I admit, I read reviews and summary reviews on series that I plan to watch. But do not get me wrong, I am never swayed by bad reviews of low rate, I will still watch the series as long as I like the main couple and the ending is a happy one. I cannot just watch sad endings even if the main couples are my favorites.

Now, the 7.0 overall rate is still high but I will give this score because I like the main leads, especially FL BUT I do not like them as a couple. I mean, I do not get excited when they are on screen and I do not long for them to be on screen together.

I felt that there were so many plot holes and I do not think there was much development on the FL character, the ML character development (if you can call it) was weird because it was so abrupt. Almost half or even more than half of the series, they do not know who they were talking about! I mean, is that even possible? When my friends or colleagues talk about their crush, we always want to know their names and I mean, sometimes they will not give their names but eventually, especially, if they are always together, we can create the conclusion that he/she was the one she/he was talking about! All characters are all professionals here, and we are led to presume that they are all smart! But no, they are not. and that is one of the most frustrating things about this series.

Another frustration, is the FL is perceived to be "good with words and expressing the feelings of the person she is interviewing to the public" but, OMG, why was it so hard to tell the ML about the "part" of the reason why she approached him? And why was it so hard to apologize especially when she knew that she needed to say it and that is what the ML was waiting for (and of course her explanation)? Speaking of explanation, why did she not properly explain her side? I mean, we all just assume, that since the ML is worried about her, then everything is ok!

Do not get me started with the FLs best friend and ML best friend as a couple. My frustration with them is their mouths and their beautiful brains are for display only. They do not use it to talk about the things they want to say to each other or to analyze the situation they saw or heard. They use their mouth to throw hurtful things at each other and their brain draws conclusions based on the small amount of time they see or hear.

Now the MLs niece and MLs other bestfriend. I do not have a frustration about them only how their characters are written and also the lines. I can say that they are almost the most normal couple in the drama.

Another frustration, there is no climax at all. I mean, the story was a steady line then go down then neutral again then down again.

So, you can watch this but do not expect to be excited throughout the drama or to feel any tension like what I felt in episodes 10 and 11 in the Destined series.

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Just Look at the Leads Visual

The plot was just bad. They do a great job at writing the leads background job etc. but suck at writing character development. I still cant believe that Shu Yi get away with all the things she did to Shi Yan with that lousy apology. They drag the plot for like 4 episode and without any important thing happening beside the sides character relationship which i dont really care. Shu Yi BFF shan shan was just awful at giving advice, and although Shu Yi is really good at her job she just not ready for relationship i guess and instead show us a development of it they only show of how bad she is at it over and over again. when her mom keep matchmaking her she not even explaining things throughfully and it pissed me off lol. Shi yan at first also not being rational with all his doing by not giving shu yi any explanation of not accepting the draft she made. Its a shame bcs i know the actors in this is good at acting but the script is not. kinda waste my time watching all 36 episode because of it. The Leads visual was what made me finish this drama.

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This is your average CEO sits in his office for 30 episodes. The show does not look as good as it portrays. There were several scenes that made me very mad because of how the characters acted and the show itself is pretty boring. It's all about companies having problems and the main leads trying to fix it.

Shi Yan's personality makes me mad. I just can't stand his arrogant person. He thinks that he everyone's deal and is super self centered. I understand that he is a CEO but not everything comes to you. Zheng Shuyi is the complete opposite, when Shi Yan and Shuyi are dating, I feel like it's Shuyi who does all the work in their relationship. It just feels like Shi Yan doesn't care and he puts in no effort at all.

The side casts are not really any better. Shan Shan makes me really mad, it's like she loves Guan Ji, but idk there like toys to each other to play around with. She doesn't care about his feelings at all and pretends she doesn't want him or love when she does everything she can to meet up with him.

This show took me almost half a year to finish because it was just boring and I didn't want to continue to watch it. If it wasn't because the main leads were Bai Lu and Wang Hedi, I would have dropped it a long time ago.

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First contemporary CDrama, really enjoyed it

==Breakdown==
Background plot - 40%
Romance - 40%
Misc comedy - 20%

Background plot - Fine
Romantic chemistry - Excellent
Misc comedy - Good
Production value - Good

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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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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If Only I Could Feel the Love

This show started nicely with the FL pursuing the ML in an effort to satisfy her work ambitions. When quickly that pursuit turned into something more. There were some hilarious moments in this, especially between the leads - Dylan Wang (ML) and Bai Lu. (FL). They did great job at playing up those moments and making them funny.

However, despite the show having some good humor surrounding the romance between the leads, the romance itself lacked spark. Shu Yi (FL) kept saying how she was falling for Shi Yan (ML), how she couldn't resist him and wanted him, but her emotions did not not embody the words she was expressing. This could be in part due to Bai Lu as I've seen her in other romance dramas where like here the romance had some wonderfully written words and moments. However, Bai Lu failed to convey the passion of those words in her line delivery and her acting. Perhaps it's a lack of restraint, but passion with nuance. But I digress. The bottom line is she and Dylan Wang didn't have the charm between them that was needed to make this love story glow. Thus it fell flat.

The other romances on the show were there to serve their purpose of characters who support the leads, but who can't just be alone. Lol. These couples were alright. That said, I did enjoy Ru Shan and Guan Ji more than the rest. Though they weren't smoldering either, I did find their romance the most interesting out of all the ones showcased on the show. The business /career storylines were passable, but not overly interesting. The acting was solid. I can't say I don't love seeing Dylan Wang in the historical/fantasy dramas, but it was nice to see him take a break from those type of dramas to do a modern series. Is this rewatchable? Not really. Overall, this was just okay.

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what a long long journey…

my very first reason watching this drama is because of Wang Hedi… he is such a feast for my eyes ??

Bai Lu is pretty. I’m indeed agree with Shan Yan that she is a fairy?

anyway, the drama is a long journey. for the first and last episodes are interesting, but when you are in 20-ish episodes it was starting to bore me. i almost tempted to skipped this but again Wang Hedi is something to look at.

their lack of communications were making me crazy, either the lead or second lead. their problems can always be solved within minutes if only the are talking ? *sigh*.

overall, it’s actually might be your favorite drama as long as you can stay for the whole episodes.

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Give it a chance!

Was Only For Love a masterpiece? Absolutely not. Was it an original story? No. But was it entertaining? Yes! This is the first chinese drama that I've completed in a while, and I'm happy that I was not intimidated by the reviews/comments. I think the key to enjoying this drama is to come into it with low expectations.

There were significant pacing issues and loose ends in my opinion but Bai Lu's performance was captivating. I am no Bai Lu stan, I had only seen her in Love is Sweet (which I did not enjoy); but she really carries this drama on her back with her comedic timing, in what would otherwise be a bland show.

I think this show suffers from trying to do too much. However, if you are looking for a sweet and fluffy drama where you can turn your brain off, give Only for Love a try.

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overall cute but misundertsandings are annoying

The FL annoyed me a lot with how she handled why she persued the ML. She kept listening to her bff Shanshan who at that time was in a bad situationship. She should've just listened to her own feelings and thoughts but dragged the whole thing until it was too late. Shanshan's advices sometimes really made me wanna scream but i do understand where her thought process came from.

The Episodes after the break up annoyed me a little because shiyu didn't even apologize properly at first okay she tried to get in contact with him but only after she found out that the special topic about his company will be cancelled. She was only ever thinking about her career. The only thing he wanted to hear was that she loves him he gave her many possibilities to just explain herself and she never did. Only after like 4 eps she realized her mistake and apologized.

So i think the plot with all these mistundertsandings was a bit annoying sometimes.

I really loved the relationship of yu you and qin shiyue. Eventhough he was rejecting her at first she persued him very maturely. She was the youngest overall but her advices were the best and she handled her own relationship very well.

Overall i loved the acting of the cast would love to see bai lu and dylan wang act in a different series with a better plot together again. Their dynamic was very playful and cute. Also i really loved how shi yan threw the phone away in ep 34 really those phone calls ruining intimate moments really was making me go crazyyyyy.

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Only For Bai Lu

The story is nothing new same cold CEO & bubbly FL. The drama became popular because of Leads. I wouldn't have watched it if it wasn't for Bai Lu. I honestly skipped a lot of scenes.

Zheng Shu Yi is a beautiful financial journalist. She is talented, smart & confident. Liked how she used to flirt with Shi Yan

Shi Yan is the CEO of Yunchuang Capital. He left his family business & started his own business. He is a cold, reserved & private person. He values talent over private relationships. He being jealous every now & then was unnecessary.

Bai Lu as always did her best. In the trailer I find Dylan Wang acting bland, but after watching the drama, he did well.

I liked Qin Shi Yue. & also Tang Yi I also need a supporting boss like her.

I liked the way Zheng Shu Yi said to Shi Yun that she will pursue him. It was cute.

Business aspect of the drama was unimportant, not like Rising With the Wind. I mean why would an investment company give so much importance to a bankrupt company which isn't doing well even if they have potential.

Ost was good.

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