I Know I Love You (2023)

when breaking up with your ex becomes mission impossible...

[lots of spoilers here]
I saw a comment underneath one of the episodes that perfectly sums up everything you need to know about this drama: "it's as if they(leads) live in a pool with piranhas, everyone around them bites a piece of their heart"

My anticipation for this drama was high and I could not wait to finally binge it but a mere few episodes in I was already questioning my time spent sitting in front of the TV.
I like risque dramas, give me complex characters that make poor decisions out of their willful heart and melodramatic back and forths... yet all IKILY made me feel was "hmm..." and "interesting..." - but not the good kind of interesting.

But first the positive: THE best thing about this drama are the CATS! This is the first time I actually saw cats looking super happy on screen, constantly demanding pets and cuddles. Totally adorable!
Visually the drama is pretty too, it’s not dubbed which is very pleasant and the opening OST 我知道我愛你- 韓紅 is very beautiful, low key but pact with emotion. Would have been PERFECT for a historical tragedy drama or Wuxia.

To put it simply, there would be no story had it not been for the absurd EX and every disapproving family member (both her side of the family and her ex's). Those are supposed to be additives yet here it is the main story. Take out everyone but the leads and they would have been together in like 2 episodes - happy ending!
Even for a remake of ONS, it should not be THAT easy. If the entire story of a romantic(!) drama depends on supporting roles to work, it's just not a good story/script.

The ML is very kind, the fact that he fell for someone who was still in a relationship doesn't really fit that but I have to admit I did enjoy parts of their romance especially around ep18-19. The writing between the 2 leads is also quite good. I'd say it's a love story between a guy that is too good for his own good, and a very human, more self centered (but not selfish) FL. A quote by her fits perfectly "I made you a sinner for no reason". Because neither of them would have had to feel bad had she set proper boundaries at any given point.

I tried and tried again to sympathize with Xuo Nuo but it was just impossible to beat the unfavorable script writing.
After the 10th "surprise" phone call from her ex in front of ML I gave up trying to be on her side. Don't get me wrong - I didn't hate her but the whole fun about dramas that involve emotional cheating is trying to justify their feelings and the constant thrill and angst about possibly getting caught. But in the case of this drama it can only be considered emotional cheating because the ex does not accept the break up... had it not been for that the drama would have ended at EP9. But they drag it out sooo much, just to keep the "forbidden" feel of the lead's relationship alive, which makes it feel incredibly forced and draggy. That feeling is only solidified by highly questionable actions and lack of sense regarding Peng Yu An's character.

The big elephant in the room of this drama is her Ex Boyfriend Peng Yu An, who is one awfully written character. At first I thought okay he is just your average douche bag. But then I was like oh okay so he actually does love her in a messed up way? And then back to okay just a jerk and so it goes back and forth. I don't think it's fair to write him off as the cheater because they both did it (emotionally). His interests were business, hers were of the heart kind.
He differs in a way from other similar characters, as he does not accept nor acknowledge the FL breaking up with him in the most delulu way that even a soap opera would not think of. Telling people he will marry her and such. But then going back to tell someone else he will break up with her as she does not fit his family's standards, while also telling her he wants to marry her?? Expressing his dislike for the woman his father chose for him. Then proclaiming his true love for FL again, while also promising his business partner they will marry?? What is going on, haha. Honestly I can understand his dad not taking him seriously in any of his endeavors regarding love.
There are also countless other characters that want to keep apart the leads, but I shouldn't spoil everything...

Again - I feel like I need to defend my stance here because every episode I thought to myself I WANT TO LOVE THIS but I JUST can't :( ... it was always 10% off course in the most annoying way. Where everything started to piss me off a little. Did I end up hate watching? - slightly. But also I don't hate it completely... I did enjoy parts.

ENDING SPOILER
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Ending was weak but happy. Literally everyone who was nasty af before suddenly accepted reality without even a moment of realization, just straight up "okay this is the finale, let's turn 180 degrees and be happy". The ex's ending to me is neither good nor bad but definitely too short. Initially I thought it was defeat with a bit of hope for his own future (becoming more aware of his own hobbies, breaking free) but now I think he just gave in, he won't care what that woman thinks. He just picked the first common interest and went with it. I highly doubt he actually moved on. And to be quite frank... I don't trust the script writers of this drama would actually be smart enough(in the context of this drama) to write a complex ending for him. He was but a massive plot device.


Some inconsistencies, that aren't really that big of a deal but I still wanted to mention it (spoilers):

- why did everyone look down on him for being a vet? Even he himself said he is "just" a vet. Don't these people know veterinary medicine takes longer to study than human medicine?
- the timeline of his age, their struggles growing up and him becoming a vet doesn't make sense.
- it was early-late winter the entire drama, do they really want to tell us multiple couples fall in love within 3-4 months and marriage is already topic nr1? What's the rush.
- pulling a "the fault in our stars" move for that one couple was cheap. It was wrapped up too fast to actually have an emotional impact. That entire story line was unnecessary and out of place.
- the english OST was a pain after hearing it one too many times each episode. Dreamed about a dream that I just dreamed? Julie, Julie I don't feel good today? Lord have mercy!

Tbh this drama is the kind of backstory quarreling parents of leads in other dramas have... not sure if that is something to aspire.

Ultimately I still gave it a 7/10... why? Because that's pretty much my lowest rating for dramas I finished and didn't hate but rather found disappointing and meh.

Edit a few days later: There is one scene that bugged me a lot and probably influenced my rating. If you are a romance lover or like the leads you might really like this drama. All my ranting in this review goes to say, that this is just my opinion and someone else might love it. HOWEVER here goes the scene near the end that made me very frustrated with the writers:
ML is drunk, sitting at his bed and having a very pitiful look. FL goes into his apartment and sees his ex made him some sobering up tea (note: the ex did not drink with him she just saw him downstairs and brought him to his apartment), she leaves once FL is here and they don't have any quarrel or anything. FL goes to ML bedroom and I thought she would go comfort him... boy I thought wrong. He is in a sorry, close to tear like state and asks her "will you leave me too?" (hinting how a lot of people in his life have left him before). FL, instead of comforting him, asks him twice "what do you mean?" "don't you trust me?"... it was so obviously a vulnerable side of him he showed and also drunk talk but she took it very seriously and instead of comforting him, she got mad and left. GURL WHAT. For all the scenes we saw before, the only logical thing would have been for her to tell him that he doesn't have to fear that and comfort him... as a means to portray some healing... and show a difference compared to the people that actually did leave him. But no she does the exact-opposite. Resulting in a short separation at the end, which was just very unnecessary and forced. I know FL mentioned a few times in this drama that she is not as good as a person as ML and such but that was very out of line. She knew he was drunk and he said so very pitifully... mans just needed comfort. Why take it so seriously? And even if she was so hurt by it... talk it out during the day, don't try and argue with a drunk person when you are sober. end.

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Loved the ML!

Let me start by saying I loved the feel of this drama. The warm undertones and emotional connection between Zhoa Jin and Xu Nuo kept me watching. This drama portrays the growth of the relationship between the ML and the FL. They met by chance and felt a pull toward each other. At the start, the FL was in a long-term relationship with her boyfriend, Peng Yu An who never seemed to have time for her. It is also clear that his father is against them being together and wants Yu An to have a more advantageous relationship with his partner. Without going into details, the FL breaks up with the boyfriend, but he refuses to accept the breakup. Yet, Zhoa Jin and Xu Nuo continued to grow closer and this is the part that made this drama so beautiful.

There is a secondary relationship between the FL's best friend and ML's friend Xu Yang. There is also a touching storyline with the ML's sister and her friend. This drama shows different relationships and motivations. Some relationships are based on dependency and convenience. Some are formed based on what might be considered to be advantageous. And some grow even when up against adversities...this is the slow burn we see with the ML and the FL.

I loved the ML! It baffles me that there are so many negative comments against the ML. He was warm, caring, supportive, considerate, gentle, and smart. His character is appealing because he shows strength and conviction. But even though he appears soft on the outside, he can defend himself. The ex-boyfriend sees him as pitiful as he is divorced and has a younger sister who has health issues. But this is just one of the indications that the ex-boyfriend is overconfident and too much into himself because others see the ML as handsome and wonderful. The ML is the main reason I watched this drama. Zhang Wan Zi is now on my favorite actors list! Sigh...

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I would recommend watching. Rewatchable or not depends on every individual.

The story was good, the chemistry between the leads were good. You guys can watch it. The rewatch is 2/10, I just gave it randomly & it depends on every individual for them it is rewatchable or not & Music 2/10 because I don't know Chinese.

But I have one complaint with the FL drama character: After breaking up with her ex-boyfriend & started dating with the ML, & when every time her ex-boyfriend meets her face-to-face, sometimes her behavior gave me the vibe that she still has soft corner for her ex-boyfriend & she might get back with ex-boyfriend by breaking up with the ML, although her ex-boyfriend had some kind of secret relationship with other girl & the FL also knows that.

DISCLAIMER: My above POV is regarding the FL character as per the script, not against any Actress or Actors.

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What on earth did I just endure?

Oh boy. Script writing a disaster. Most people are toxic, including FL bestie. This is not a slow burn. This is burnt out. 90% of the comments are people telling you “oh is this like One Spring Night?” No duh, if you somehow hadn’t known that your eyeballs will be falling out from reading that the whole way through.

Yes, there are some similarities but the writing here is terrible. Can you watch this and enjoy it, some people seem to. There is a huge gaping hole in chemistry building scenes, so there is no sizzle between the leads. Yes they share a romance, but it has no feels. Its so utterly depressing for most of the show, and you don’t get any fun until a couple minutes at the end. I can’t even say I enjoyed the friends, because everyone is either so manipulative incl her bestie or total doormats being used by the delulu 2 ML. There is something to be learned perhaps by women who are being controlled by men and then told what they should believe and behave from other controlling individuals but theres like no growth here or no lessons being taught in how to seek out healthy relationships. What is clear, is if you are exiting a harmful relationship you need therapy and time to heal before jumping in again. This needs a lot of help, which was a shame. I usually love this kind of drama and China can make them really good. This show needed better writing or cut in half.

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Hardships outcomes our preference

In this drama story described way is good
This is optimized Love story It has included by some physiological factors its really admirable
Director, Scriptwriter, cinematography , editor are well done their work perfect we can see through this drama
Especially Dialog writer the main character's emotions are well established
Good stories always ended quickly 24 Episodes are not enough final episode and ending is awesome
Background score and OST are good------------->thank you<------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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“NO SPRING IN THIS NIGHT”

I dislike criticizing artists work, after they have given their all. BUT, this fell quite short to its sister Kdrama, “One Spring Night.” Hard as I tried, it was impossible to not compare scenes, because I’ve rewatched the original at least 10 times! I liked the attempt to fill in those areas where seemingly, something was missing in the original. It was okay for roles to be different, to make it their own, but I found the acting to be very mediocre. I felt the FL lead was much better than her counterpart. He just seemed so immature and over his head! It just didn’t play well for me, but to be just, I saw it through, to the end. Of honorable mention, is the sister’s budding relationship. Would loved to have seen that developed differently.

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Charming on the Surface, Shallow Beneath

First off, let's talk about "One Spring Night." This Korean drama had me captivated right from the start. The chemistry between the leads? Oh, it was electric! I found myself swept away by their simmering attraction and the tangled web of emotions they navigated. Plus, the pacing was spot-on, keeping me on the edge of my seat and eagerly anticipating each new twist and turn.

But then, I ventured into the world of "I Know I Love You." Now, while it had its moments – those adorable cats deserve a special mention – I couldn't help but feel like something was missing. Sure, the visuals were stunning, and there were glimpses of potential in the romance department. However, the pacing felt a bit off, and I found myself longing for that same sense of urgency and emotional depth that I experienced in the Korean version.

The most significant difference? In the Korean version, our hero being a single parent was a major obstacle, whereas in the Chinese version, our heroine's parents' divorce seemed to diminish the stigma surrounding our hero's divorced status, which reduced a lot of the tension from the original story.

Despite its shortcomings, "I Know I Love You" still managed to hold my interest, along with a bit of frustrations. The characters were intriguing, and there were moments of genuine emotion that resonated with me. However, I couldn't shake the feeling that it fell short of its full potential.

So, where does that leave us? Well, with a solid 7 out of 10 rating for both versions. While "One Spring Night" ultimately stole the show for me with its magnetic leads and compelling storyline, "I Know I Love You" still offered a worthwhile viewing experience, albeit with a few bumps in the road.

At the end of the day, both adaptations brought something unique to the table, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to explore their differences and similarities. After all, isn't that what makes the world of remakes so fascinating? So, if you're in the mood for a double feature that'll tug at your heartstrings and keep you guessing, I'd highly recommend giving both versions a watch. Who knows? You might just discover a new favorite along the way.

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Everyday Relationship

Let me start by saying this was a pretty decent story that depicts an everyday type of relationship. The story wasn’t mind blowing but it wasn’t typical either. My review is based on a fresh take since I’ve never seen the original Korean version of this show.

The Good:

Adding on to my original comment about the story not being typical, there wasn’t a lot of CDrama tropes nor was this a fluffy romance tale that didn’t depict the negative sides of a new relationship. If you’re a person that likes more realism in shows, this one may be for you. The acting was okay and I feel that each character was well represented and casted appropriately for this type of story. Lastly, I enjoyed the OST as the songs were very chill and had a sense of mature romance which paired well with the scenes.

The Bad:

Although I enjoyed the story, of course there were still some nuances that frustrates or makes you question the characters/writing. This is a slow burn so if you do not like the draggy bits, this may not be for you. Next I will say again that the story was okay… it’s a good and bad thing because sometimes the characters were a little dull and either expressed odd emotions or not enough emotions for the situations. It led to a little bit of over acting or under acting at times. Lastly, there are parts where it becomes monotonous and nothing new or exciting was happening. Again, it’s a slow drama that depicts everyday life when dealing with relationships so it could be boring at times.

This won’t be for everyone but check it out and make your own decision.

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A Disappointing Tale of Dysfunction and Delusion

The writer really dropped the ball on this one. Extremely unappealing characters with little or no redeeming qualities; absolutely no chemistry between any of the couples; no friendships or relationships that could be described as healthy or rewarding. This one was just a mixed bag of dysfunctional relationships and delusional behavior.

I like the ML - a lot - but in other dramas, not this one! I didn't much care for any of the other characters, however, to be fair, the actors played the (badly-written) roles they were given so this is not a criticism of the actors themselves. If I had friends like these characters, I would cut them all out of my life. The guys were less than loyal, and the FL's best friend was just plain self-centered and selfish, and gave really useless advice! The parents! OMG what is it with the portrayal of these interfering parents who would sell their children's happiness for financial or career gain!? And the FL! Her character was just plain weak, confused and unrealistic. BUT - The most dysfunctional and delusional character was the unaccepting ex-boyfriend. Wow! What a psycho!

There was nothing appealing about this story. Nothing that really made me want to invest in any of the characters. I wasn't even hoping for a happy ending for the lead couple, the second couple, or the young ones with health issues. This was just like watching a train wreck but not being able to stop watching because you just have to see how badly it will end. That the shoddy writing wrapped the story up with some sort of pseudo 'happy' ending - or hint of one depending on how delusional the viewer is - made no difference. Not even a 'happy ending' could save this one.

Since I have come this far with the story, I will complete the episodes - with NO chance of a rewatch and will try desperately to avoid the awful OST. It's really too late for redemption or salvation.

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FAILED REMAKE

This drama is a remake of 'One Night Spring ' which was an outstanding drama.

I started this drama with good expectations but it completely lacks the warmth compared to the original, which is why it comes off as implying blatant cheating which is the fact in most cases.
They did edit the script only to create more flaws.
Now it's a drama about emotional instability and indecisiveness rather than taking the right path.
I somehow couldn't support both leads.

And the ML is stone-faced, bad casting IMO.
Yes, the character does demand a bit of coldness but there's a difference.
Anyway
It's not the best of the remakes but anyone who hasn't seen the original may want to watch this, but you shouldn't tbh.
It's below average and doesn't do justice to the original script, why ruin your idea about a plot that hasn't lived up to the potential as a remake?
I dropped it at EP 7.

You better watch the original if you haven't.

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张晚意不是男小三的， 他只有晚， 晚的爱， 张晚意

If you’re looking for a “green flag” character/normal & healthy relationship then this drama is not for you, but if you are like me who is intrigued by the idea of “unconventional love” then watch this drama. I initially gave it a seven point five score right after finishing ep24 but upon further introspection I think it deserves a solid 8 for how well-acted and realistic the storyline is despite having some moment of cliché.

The first episode was definitely controversial in a sense that what kind of urban romance drama shows a love about a divorced man and a woman who is falling out of love with his 10-year-old boyfriend? And while a certain scene makes it seem scandalous I am on the team who would say that there is no indefinitely in this drama—they write it off quite well in my opinion.

The female lead, Xu Nuo (played by Sun Yi) mentioned sth abt how they got off to a rocky start but they did not start anything until she cut off her scumbag ex (who refuses to let her go and did all sorts of means to cling onto her) but whatever happens she will be the one who will be deemed as the “cheater” (even though his ex had a thing with baifumei).
I don’t think the ex loved her anyway, he was just obsessed and refused to “lose” to the male lead — Zhao Jin (portrayed by Zhang Wanyi) while belittling him despite them being “friends” initially.

It’s def refreshing to see a story that breaks the usual norm. Both leads are flawed but it was not to the point that it drives me crazy because I think some of the things they did were still pretty logical given the traumatic things they have gone through in the past.

Sure, Zhao Jin seems perfect on the paper. He’s a vet, he’s handsome (ofc) but he is just an ordinary guy who is pretty direct, keeps everything to himself because he bears such heavy responsibilities and at some point is insecure about himself. The first encounter with Xu Nuo was quite the meet cute and I could feel their chemistry from the beginning, it was even more amplified by their subtle expressions and great acting — the sparks are there but they set themselves to certain boundaries.

The fact that I stayed engaged through all 24 episodes is enough of a testament that I enjoyed this drama despite there being several characters that annoyed me to no end, but then again that’s life — and I am very pleased by the way it wraps up. Also 10/10 for the OST

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