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Love Like White Jade chinese drama review
Completed
Love Like White Jade
0 people found this review helpful
by labcat
Feb 18, 2022
32 of 32 episodes seen
Completed
Overall 7.5
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 7.5
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 7.5
This review may contain spoilers

Average rom com with some mystery

Apart from the romance plot involving 3 couples, part of the story is about their investigations into some clandestine activities involving using people to experiment on drugs without their consent.

The series starts of pretty well, but the romance parts of the story and the investigations are not very nicely integrated. The main characters, Bai Yu and Wu Xia, are investigating separate cases (the death of Bai Yu's father and the apparent death of Wu Xia's brother) that have them pursuing the same targets. That's fine, but when we see a focus on the romance, the investigations disappear into the background, only to appear again whenever the writers feel like it. Additionally too little is shown of how Bai Yu's father died or what caused Wu Xia to think that her brother has been killed. I'm left with the impression that this is a clumsily executed attempt at heightening the suspense before the revelation. The limited revelation seems so deliberate that it's yelling "We can't give the story away yet!"

As for the characterization, most of the main characters are likable, the sort one is likely to find in a rom com but with some degree of complexity. Still, I'm left wondering how Bai Yu's teacher became his teacher, what she's doing as a dancer (is it a cover for her actual activities), and why she is on his side in going after the one who has killed his father. At times, she seems to have a personal vendetta against the bad guys, but there is a lack of elaboration and sometimes she seems to be simply around to help Bai Yu. (Also, what has she taught him? I have the impression that she is his martial arts teacher, but we don't really get to see her showcasing her skills.)

Then comes the plot twist of sorts when the mastermind behind the clandestine drug experimentation is revealed. It is a twist that one is all too likely to see coming, so much so that there isn't even any effort at making the moment of revelation seem shocking. It's a pity that the writers have not channeled their energy into the investigations plotline. It makes for a fairly interesting story, and the "twist" regarding the mastermind can be avoided altogether. After all, despite serving to weave together different events, the twist makes the tone and characterization rather uneven.

Love Like White Jade is an ok rom com if it happens to be your genre, but don't expect anything exceptional from it. It is best enjoyed when you want something light and sweet without a focus on heavy, dark themes.
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