I consider this a fantasy drama not a contemporary drama.

"Only for Love," has the talented duo of Dylan Wang as Shi Yan and Bai Lu as Zheng Shuyi. As a fan of their previous works, I eagerly anticipated their collaboration in this fantasy-like story that attempts to bridge the gap between reality and imagination. I cannot call this contemporary - hence the use of the term fantasy. If you go into this with that thought then you will ignore all the inconsistencies to how the real world works.

I really like Dylan Wang and Bai Lu in their previous dramas, however "Only for Love" falls short in certain aspects. Particularly in its character development. The characters, particularly Shi Yan and Zheng Shuyi, seem poorly written, lacking the depth and complexity that would have allowed the actors to showcase their full range of talents.

One noticeable aspect is the delivery of lines, where maybe the actors could have benefited from better voice coaching? The delivery often fell short of expectations. This broke the emotional connection between the characters and the audience. This improvement would have elevated the overall viewing experience and allowed for a more immersive engagement with the storyline.

The costuming choices in the drama were not my favourite. The cheesy aesthetics, though like I said, i consider this fantasy... struggled to find a balance between sincerity and satire. Yes, I am calling out Bai Lu in those knee-high boots!!! The drama might have fared better if it fully embraced a more satirical tone, allowing the audience to appreciate the intentional exaggeration rather than perceiving it as a drawback. I am thinking about King the Land and Business Proposal... they seem to have done this balance better.

There have been criticisms regarding the alleged objectification of women in the drama. While some viewers may hold this perspective, I feel that that "Only for Love" is a work of art, not obligated to reflect societal norms or promote any specific agenda. Art has the freedom to explore various themes and perspectives, and in this case, the creators chose to weave a fantasy narrative that might not align with everyone's expectations.

Despite its shortcomings, "Only for Love" has its merits. If you are a fan of Dylan Wang and Bai Lu and enjoy their on-screen chemistry, the drama provides a visually appealing experience. The fantasy-like setting, though struggling to portray itself as real life, offers a unique escape for those who appreciate the actors' previous works.

"Only for Love" is a drama that caters to a specific audience – those who are drawn to the charm of Dylan Wang and Bai Lu and are willing to overlook certain narrative and stylistic flaws. It is as a testament to the unpredictable nature of art, where personal preferences play a significant role in determining one's enjoyment of the overall viewing experience.

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Exciting and romantic parts but just missed the mark

Having just finished watching the drama, I must say it was a gripping and engaging experience. While I was eager to give it a perfect 10, there were some aspects that held me back from doing so. At the start, the romance between the characters had a tangible feeling of discovery, which added excitement and mystery to their relationship beyond the accident's enigma. However, as the truth behind the accident was revealed, I found the storyline somewhat lacking and unsatisfactory in terms of the forgiveness process. It left me questioning the reasoning behind certain characters being forgiven and how it all unfolded.

Parallel to the main storyline, the concept of the 19th life or reincarnation brought an intriguing dimension to the plot. The initial lack of clarity surrounding the 1st life kept me on the edge of my seat, but when the explanation finally came, it felt underwhelming and too simplistic. Although the idea of growth before breaking the cycle was clear , it didn't quite make sense in execution, leaving me somewhat unsatisfied.

Despite these flaws, the drama managed to keep me hooked throughout. The attempt to create something unique and different was commendable, even if it didn't entirely succeed. The show's overall quality was good enough to warrant a recommendation, but it fell short of being an exceptional masterpiece. Perhaps, watch it and enjoy it without delving into critical discussions.

The acting and music - I have no complaints. Just the miss in the story and how it was delivered overall. Things that bothered me were like the necklace - product placement (PPL). The significance of the necklaces was supposedly so important and then what ?

Anyways, this drama is undoubtedly worth watching and offers an exciting and different storyline. However, a few missed opportunities and unresolved plot points prevent me from giving it a perfect score. It is just a 9.5 out of 10 for me.

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A drama that is sugary sweet but delivered so we believe its real!

This drama deserves a 10 because it is perfect for romantic junkies like me. If you want a story that focuses on the main couple and explores how the became a couple, this is it.

The music was perfectly timed an presented to support the relationship. The acting from our leads was wonderful and compelling and their chemistry was off the charts. They conveyed the myriad of emotions of their journey with beautiful facial expressions that pulled me in every time. I believed in their love.

This is not new or groundbreaking story and for some it is actually a problematic story. The part that attracts me if the way the drama lets me experience the emotions the characters are feeling. We feel their butterflies and frustrations and feelings of inadequacies and yearnings and hope and desire to loved and be loved. From beginning to end the actors portray a scenario that unfolds to explain the POV of both of the people in the relationship and how they get to the point of being the ones for each other. It kind of sacrifices any other story lines to just focus on our leads.. There are short scenes of side stories but they were really only to support the main couple . I could see the potential for criticism to say these were just "forgotten" but I was too invested in the main coupe to really care.

So this is not even a flaw for me. In my opinion this allows for the main characters to be fully developed. By this I mean that at the end, I believed that even though the ML was older his life circumstance led him to focus on survival so his romantic/emotional age was actually less than his real age. The same with the FL - her princess life gave her so much security and safety to be who she wanted to be. We also learn early on that she is intellectually capable so this coupled with her freedom of expressions helps her to study and learn from her experiences. She is able to analyze situations and critically think through problems which in a way bridges the age gap. I totally believed that his emotional age and hers where much closer and made them well-suited and no issues with a romantic relationship.

A romantic relationship that they are fully committed to an expend all the passion and energy in their heart and soul to secure and maintain and be happy in. That is the sweetness and also the pure fantasy of this drama. The portrayed sincerity which these two bring to their relationship makes us believe it could absolutely be real. I really enjoyed that ride and will definitely watch again. In my books they deserve a 10/10 for delivering this so well.

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Some Romance but more life challenges in an office setting spolighting women in the workplace

The office scenes and situations were quite well portrayed and the idea of everyone RACE-ING constantly to some unknown was also well portrayed. While there were good examples of toxicity in the workplace it was good that they showed hope for positive workplace initiatives as well. The show felt mature in that sense.
It is rare to find a drama without truly annoying characters. There were unlikable characters but none truly annoying to me. I especially enjoyed the lack of female characters who disrespect other female characters. In fact, women uplifting and supporting women is one a compelling theme for me.
The relationships also had a similar feel. We saw the tough parts but also the supportive friendships and colleagues. I did not really “feel” the romance between the main leads. They did, however, have wonderful friendship and a deep connection which I appreciated. I also appreciated the attempts further normalize diversity in the romantic interests (same-sex, age-gap etc). Most importantly (for me) was a SML that wore his heart on his sleeve in his personal and professional life.
The music was wonderful as well and “Waterfall” of course is my favourite. https://youtu.be/4h-DAdMTECU
The overall feel of the drama was a decent mix of rom-com and pertinent societal issues. I would have rated this higher if it was in the mood for thoughtful drama content. I was not ready for it to make me think as much as it did. Plus the main couple romance… so even though the suggested is 9, I'll go for 8.5.

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Cliche, Cheesy, Candy (Eye) with a Cold CEO

Sometimes the sum of the parts are just not the whole. when i put the starts for Story/Acting, etc... the recommended rating for this is 5.5, but I rate it 8. Nothing about this drama drove me crazy and nothing thrilled me beyond usual. It was simply just a drama for leisure time - perfectly fine... so 8 is the enjoyment rating for me... because of those cheesy lines that made me smile because they were so cheesy...
If you are like me and you sometimes need a fluffy bit of pretty to mindlessly consume, this is just fine.
Of course: if you can't stand the same old same old , than this is not for you.
It is essentially a predictable romcom with a "flash" of fantasy - actually it is a shame they did not make use of the fantasy elements a bit more.

What I mean by predictable:
-cold CEO finds one true love and becomes best boyfriend
-FL is the only one who can cure ML
-mandatory amnesia storyline
-ML has 1 or 2 other women trying to break them up!
-FL has another suitor - love triangle but not
-FL and ML have to spend 24/7 together for some reason
-FL works for ML
-meddling grandparent
-leads are either orphan or from a single parent family

What I mean by "flash" of fantasy-
-2ML has a moment early on where he reflects on his journey - then nothing until the final episodes and that time they just gloss over who he is without explanation on why, when how!
-FL can cure ML - but then later the explanation of who she is does not really explain why?

But all of this is indicative of the drama itself being bits of other dramas of its genre - just put together with cringy moments and lots of "skinship" to keep you watching. And they did keep me watching all the way to the end. I was in the mood for the silly stuff. So if you are too, it is certainly fine to skip through ?

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Positive Family dynamics portrayed well

The suggested score MDL gives me for this is 9. But I choose to give it 10. I do that because the show has the beautiful element of NO TOXIC CHARACTERS.
If you enjoy drama brought on by crazy exes and horrible mothers-in-law and power hungry individuals…you would hate this one.
This is a simple story about enjoying life in the moment.
About how family is not only through bloodlines.
About how parents are not always right and children are not always right either
A story about familial forgiveness and acceptance but also responsibilities. But we still get enough romance and a ML who is just wonderful. There are many other characters to love though.
The cast has a lot of experienced actors and that shows In the quality of their delivery.
The ended as they started. A chaotic family that loves each other but always has some drama going in their life.

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Surprisingly engaging. Entirely bingeable!!

I started watching this fully expecting it to be silly and nonsensical and a good distraction - and it was - but interestingly - it was quite a bit more… and I actually enjoyed it.

The overall story is not new and seemed like a “mush-mash” of other fluffy historicals. But even though the FL was typically over the top and antics-oriented - the drama managed to convey a FL character that was independent and open-minded. The values portrayed were female empowering and I liked that.

It has a reverse harem theme but not in a gratuitous way. The FL openly admires the male form - and female as well - she can admire a beautiful woman without malice. She is Portrayed as comfortable with her own emotions and wishes and demanding equality in her relationship. At first she could be viewed as silly but we do get a sense of her pure and honest heart. She is practical and direct in her admiration.

The MLS are both wonderful and our FL has good chemistry with both. I loved that this was a love triangle but - not really. Instead it actually came across as our our FL just exploring her options to figure out who she connected better with physically and from the heart. She had enough chances to check out who really made her heart race! She also treats both MLs sincerely and wholeheartedly. Once she figures it out she commits to her choice and all parties respect and support that. So no toxic love triangle.

Our course all is that aside — this was a visual feast when it comes to MLs. Enough shirtless scenes of these two gorgeous men who emoted strength as well as tenderness just like I like my leading characters.

If you are okay with a bit of silliness with a not so perfect story nir production - this is a fun quick watch with a twist at the end that might mean another season —— and I would not mind giving a second season a try if that’s the case.

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Loud characters became annoying and non-redeemable

The story is typical for this type of drama but it felt so contrived and just silly in some parts.
I could handle double amnesia —-I guess? But the actions of certain characters during those times while they were needed to drag to 52 episodes sometimes seems to not fit the characters.
The characters did what they needed to do to create the drama but it made it so hard to be drawn to any character as realistic at all. Perhaps the FL’s adopted mother was the only character that remained true and had growth throughout the drama. Every other character seemed to be loud and annoying with no development or a rushed abrupt turnaround (like the MLs stepmom).
But I would have looked past all the flaws for the cute kids and the pretty song (veiled path) and the romance ….
Sadly the main couple lacked the necessary natural chemistry to provide that for me. Their acting was fine - although the FL spent most of her screen time crying or just smiling at the ML….and the ML spent half the time with amnesia and the other half being manipulated by the women around him.
There are probably enough good parts to take out the ridiculous parts and make a shorter and better story. So I would have said skip through parts. But the end … felt …. Well ….where did she suddenly get friends from? We never saw them for 51 episodes ? And the attempts to create cuteness in ep 52 …. Oh my. It failed. If I had hopes of a wonderful final episode to save the drama I would have been disappointed. They just threw together some ideas and created something called episode 52. I wanted compelling romance. I did not get it. :(

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Easy to watch romcom

This drama has nothing new to offer but it is a easy watch. No denying this was not about the plot. For me, I watched this because the ML. Something about this actor I find pleasant to watch. Poisoned Love I liked him more than the first ML he was adorable on Fall in Love and I. make a your Heart Smile he had the same vibes as this drama. Easy on the eyes and swoon worthy. It definitely lives up to its Romcom name - good job

It does not have a fantastic plot
It does not have fresh and new ways of telling the story
It does not have award winning acting
Even the music is just the same old Beethoven

IT IS:
Llight and fluffy with a ML that never sways in his love and devotion and a supporting cast that is not too annoying this. This would be worth the watch.

IT DOES:
Have some lighthearted funny moments. In the earlier episodes the FL has fantasies about scenes that poke fun at cliches in K-dramas which actually adds to the fun. Favourite line is her imagining her self speaking Korean like a KDrama FL.

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The story has good bones. Some mystery and plenty of romance just the way I like it. i think it fell apart during the 36 episodes but it was not horrible enough to make me lose interest and want to drop it. I loved the pretty colours in the scenery. even though the costuming, props and scenery is not true historical. Don't expect everything to be accurate. It is just a fun romp. There are given a team of intrepid investigators who had their own romances going on and none of the characters were annoying. Their stories were pretty much well thought out.
I thought the hidden identity added a lot of fun … I loved the subtle moments when they acknowledge she should figure it out but then showed why she discounted it. It stopped me from thinking if she is so smart she should have figured it out!
The pretty martial arts and flying to the rooftops , fan service… all A+ I like that the ML was willing to be by the FL’s side in whichever way she wanted. His delivery of his role played a big part in making me watch till the end. He was hooked from the beginning to the end by his FL (and vice-versa) and I love those kinds of romances. Where they just know.
The smiles and whimsical but committed treatment of their relationship was perfectly balanced. Their natural chemistry is evident. They look at each other in a “connected” way. When he called her “Shui Ge” (Brother Shui) which sounded like SUGAR in English , I just melted. I swear the writers meant this to sound that way and whenever he said it with his smirk… well… I wanted to hear him say it again.
Even though the FL had another love interest for a spell, I felt it was not your typical silly love triangle.
Part of the reason I am giving this show a 10 for trying to incorporate diversity themes in a respectful way. It was fun and pretty and I loved the messaging… For me what makes a show special ( even when the story wavered and the execution faltered… ) is there seemed to be a concerted effort to show strong female characters and include differently abled individuals.
We have a female gang boss as a female business person. I loved how the ML handled the FL’s visual impairment. It was very matter of fact what you can do for a person who is visually impaired. Also physical mobility of the brother was portrayed to promote dignity of person.
Overall I think the dramas was smarter and a better story in the earlier episodes. It definitely could have been done in less episodes. Towards ending it got a bit uninteresting but I was definitely wanting to move through the episodes even if some parts were not as nicely paced. The romance always hooks me.
This a wonderful little escape into a romantic fantasy with an ending that supports my view that the writers wanted to showcase equity in their little drama. Well done.

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if you like hyperbolic, spoof-like comedy, watch it

I would not describe this show as 100% spoof because there is much that is not THAT over the top , but the main characters definitely act that way and the story goes in so many directions and tries to capture so many cliches that you could definitely label it that way.
I don't like this type of comedy but I was able to make it through this by adjusting my lens to watch the ML in all his glowing glory... (cue shiny halo).
For me the comedy became stale in the later episodes so I was not as eager to get to them and finish the series. But it is pretty enough and low-angst enough to watch all the way to the end.

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Some parts okay, whole not so much, but worth some time to watch.

In this case the sum of the parts do not make for a great show.

The acting from the couple is really good, their chemistry is delectable and that allowed me to binge this show beginning to end. But the script failed these actors. One such instance is the timeline, not sure why they chose 3 months or why the show needed to say the specific time, but the cracky relationship building moments (which are the shows highlight) lost its shine when you are trying to fit them in the timeline. The actors pulled you into their falling in love moments so well and then the show reminds you of the timing. So while I enjoyed their "moments" I was not able to get into their world and feel the romance. I feel that given a different timing, this could have been a pretty romance.

Another part that is really good is the ML's actual portrayal of his character. There were some scenes where his body language was so eloquent in conveying his insecurities and his fear of failing his father. He clearly communicates to the audience that his egotistical actions are really only a camouflage of his need to feel valuable and worthy. I have seen this actor in other roles and this role shows his talent well.

After watching the whole show though, I am shaking my head saying... wait, that was not good at all... the annoyances were surrounding the inconsistencies in the script. Small changes could have been made to make this a little easier to live in their world and would have made this show an actual 10 even though it was a cliche story.

While I would not re-watch this, if you adjust your mindset and just live in the moments, it is worth watching to enjoy the acting.

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This "happy ending" fan is not happy...

The story telling in this drama seemed to fall apart at the end. It seems liked there were so many thoughts but none were conveyed. I find a cliche genre can really only go a few ways for me to like it: 1) stick to the cliche to the very end, 2) poke fun at the cliche 3) have a meaningful twist that leaves you thinking... this one did none of these things.
There are MANY gaps in the story telling that it in the hind it was not coherent - small words - IT DID NOT MAKE SENSE.
I know that drama is make believe, but if you make believe about a a world at least be true to that world and your characters.
The ML and FL did not have the kind of romantic chemistry that I like. The second ML and the FL had had cracky interactions and I loved seeing them together. But even that story arc left me hanging. Then, if we wanted to force the story for the ML and FL ... why the ending?
It is getting a 7 because it is bearable and you can always watch the last 10 (12?) episodes on x2 speed.

If you are looking a drama to skip though , this is the one.

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A timely commentary about human behaviour

Short review:
Why this is not rated 10/10:
Flawed story with lots of holes, dialogue lacking, acting not perfect, ideas and themes not entirely new.

Why it has a 9/10: Romance intertwined in a relevant message and some pretty scenes with a happy ending.

It is a show that left me thinking about serious issues in the world today. There is a comment in the end about revenge being a never ending cycle. The helplessness in this moment about having to move forward is what I feel that much of the shows message is about .

The show brings awareness of different viewpoints of discrimination through the concepts of racism and ethnic cleansing but there is a side story on patriarchal behaviours. The intolerance and discriminatory behaviours exist because of a fight between two clans who. It is mentioned at one point that the reason to enslave the other is that if they are left alone with their real power, they will in turn enslave the other clan. It becomes a fight for supremacy of one over the other. We see intolerance in another form through a son being valued over daughter who suppresses her true nature simply to exist.

But most of all the show is a romance. The messaging brings heartfelt awareness of hopelessness that exists in the world, but it also creates the situation for a great romance story.

There are two MLs who are wonderful characters. The first half of the show builds a romance with one lead and the FL and the second half builds a romance with the other. At some point, I thought "will this show be brave enough to have her end up with both?" :) . The 1st ML appears to be a roguish prince character and his development was rushed at the end, but he had to suffer so much and he loved so hard that one can't help but be on his side. The 2nd ML is definitely the strong, strategic, kind, hero. He is smart and sees the big picture and will sacrifice for the cause. But what could be missed is that the 1st ML is all that as well. His messed up upbringing has him suppressing all his heroic qualities but we see that in every situation where he has to make the righteous choice he never fails.
It is hard to navigate the FL because of the character. Once you understand the role, it is a tough one pull off; she did a credible job of conveying the idea that even love sometimes cannot help someone overcome intolerance that is indoctrinated and taught to her from childhood.
So, go ahead, jump right in and enjoy the romance.....

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Okay as filler drama

This is just an OKAY drama. The political stuff was not interesting. The sets and costumes were very nice. Visually appealing. The ending was happy and it reflected the nature of the romance in the show which is the main reason I was able to finish this show.
The ML falls first and hard and remains loyal to the end. It is a matter of fact kind of romance. He stays by her side through everything but not in a white knight complex kind of way. He just stands by and is there if she needs him. In fact there was a whole scene dedicated to him literally waiting for her and her just taking it all in stride as is the nature of their relationship.
The FL is smart. Has a life goal and states more than once that romance is great but she must complete her goals. I like that messaging and the strength of the character.
This drama has over ones of Romeo and Juliet. Watch for those themes and how they portray them.
Other thing I enjoyed was the sword play and wire work. There was enough for those of us who enjoy these scenes. The beauty of the swordplay without the gory violence.
The ending almost feels Perfect for a sequel or a series with each episode showing the intrepid couple solving mysteries. I would watch them.

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