Highly recommend, like please watch.
This is a really great drama. I loved how realistic the storyline and love story was. I liked how the whole drama didn't solely focus on the lead couple where every scenario revolved around them. It reserved a fair amount of screen time to show the responsibilities of each of their professions. I thought this made the plot and characters more realistic and relatable to the average viewer. It's not some fairytale story where some girl gets swept off her feet by a CEO or smart guy. Both leads are heroes in this drama. The pace was good and the leads have great chemistry. There is also much to learn about life and how to love someone. You can see genuine growth and understanding between the leads with every obstacle they face. The supporting characters were also enjoyable to watch. I've watched all 40 episodes and never got bored along the way. There is a good balance between serious and funny scenes. I can't recommend this drama enough! My favorite drama of 2021 so far and it has become my favorite Chinese drama too. A huge thank you to the writers, actors, and production staff for creating a masterpiece that felt like a warm embrace throughout.Was this review helpful to you?
Against all odds I completed this
I’m going to be honest: I never thought I’d complete this drama. I started watching it offhandedly because I’ve been a fan of bai jingting for a while but the 40 episode count for a contemporary drama was a huge “drags on too long and is probably boring in the middle” red flag for me. Additionally, the first 3 episodes genuinely made me so livid I almost dropped the show then and there because of the female leads initial characterisation (she was so childish and entitled and I rly did not understand her actions at all let alone how she was a qualified doctor) and the tired predictable romance cliches (apparently the webnovel this is based on is over 10 years old .. that carries…)But I persisted ! And for the most part I’m glad I did. I can’t deny that I was right that this dragged in the middle but for the most part I had a good time watching this. Certain plot lines either bored me or irrationally angered me (my poor yanshan you deserved better) not to mention laughable medical inaccuracy in many instances, however the annoyances were minor in comparison to the plot lines that I genuinely enjoyed and particularly in comparison to the truly lovely characterisation and portrayal of the male and female lead (bai jingting and ma sichun did such a good job carrying this drama). I can’t in good conscience rate this drama super highly but I also can’t deny that I had a good time watching and that it feels dear to me. Against all odds I did complete 40 episodes of this which should speak for itself (I’m very fussy with dramas and have a tendency to drop them easily).
I think what really carried this drama as it went on were the two leads, their characterisation, and their chemistry. Some reviewers have commented that their relationship feels too sanitised almost to the extent of bffs or a longterm married couple and I can’t deny that but I also don’t mind ? The way they speak to each other feels so natural and real and all the laughing ?? Truly warmed my heart in several instances and I’m rarely super convinced by romance heavy dramas. I love how the relationship did feel like one between equals with none of the frequently seen cdrama power imbalances or questionable age differences. Both of them were adults with their own sense of self and social circles outside of each other and they both had thriving careers. Their communication especially during the whole shen sister fiasco was honestly so refreshing to see.
As for the several other relationships and characters in this drama . I do have some mixed thoughts. The 2nd couple outside of the earthquake arc mostly just annoyed me but the older couple were pretty endearing even if the flashbacks and long montages for the second and third couples felt … exorbitant (I skipped them). However, in spite of some annoyances most of the relationships in this drama both romantic and platonic were genuinely so enjoyable and a lot of the dialogue genuinely made me either grin or giggle and it honestly caught me off guard. I grew attached to several of the side characters too and thought a lot of them were treated with real love and care and got fleshed out in their own way… except my poor yanshan’s plotline .. who decided that was a good idea. Also why are the nurse characters literally only ever gossiping it’s ridiculous and misogynistic nurses are the backbone of any hospital and I’m tired of medical dramas ignoring that-
ANYWAY. against all odds this drama feels so dear to me. I watched it over 3-4 days while recovering from surgery and overall I’m glad the world and the characters of this show could keep me company. This is a majority very light hearted and heart warming drama with compelling characters and some really interesting and beautiful stories to tell and I’m glad I found it at this moment where I needed something to cheer me up
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Great acting and healthy relationships
You Are My Hero is the rare romance drama that has real, actual, natural acting and believable characters/relationships, but I guess it aspires to be more than just a romance drama as it tries to portray the pressures and challenges of being a SWAT officer and a doctor. Not always realistically, but it tries.The ACTING. Most of the actors so perfectly portray their characters grounded in real human emotion - the uncertainties, the joy, the awkwardness, the fear, the fun, the pressure. They have believable, specific personalities and you almost forget that you're watching actors and start to think these are just real people in real situations.
The RELATIONSHIPS. Thank goodness we can have dramas that portray healthy relationships without dumb misunderstandings - people who trust each other, support each other, and communicate. And we have different types of people having different types of relationships - we get to see the awkwardly sweet courtship, the bold chase, the mature adult certainty, and more. And not just romantic relationships - XKL's relationship with his sister is just... *chef's kiss*.
The only reason why this isn't a 10/10 for me is that the story and pacing is just ok. As much as I loved the characters and relationships, I was pretty heavy on the fast forward throughout the drama. It starts with an exciting beginning scene, but then the first 10-15 eps are heavy on trope-y setups, and then various plot arcs around the SWAT stuff and the hospital stuff (while they seem to be well-researched and portrayed) I liberally fast forwarded through since many of them had very little impact on the advancement of characters and relationships, which was what I was there to see.
Where this drama shines is in showing the relationships and interactions between the main characters (and 2nd and 3rd leads). The trust. The communication. The adorable awkwardness of XKL and MK! The amazing sibling relationship between XKL and XKY! XKY and SYH's adult maturity! So much to love!
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Highly recommended
The series is very cool. Like others, I do not like watching series or movies with a sad ending. For me among other series that I've been watched (Chinese Series), this is the best so far for this genre. What I like most is that romantic comedy that does not need a villain.For me, the ending is the fulfillment of the postponed proposal of Xing Ke Lei to Mi Ka.
Hoping for Season 2 of You are My Hero as the next chapter of their lives from an engaged couple to a married couple.
Thank you very much for this wonderful series (for all of the cast and crew). I really enjoy watching it.
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Positives:
* I love that women are portrayed as strong characters: they are all independent and kick-ass in their own fields. There are some maiden-in-distress situations but even those are caused by circumstances and not about the woman’s weakness.
* There is a good amount of action, both medical and SWAT, which helps to move the show along without an overt antagonist. It's nice that the show doesn't have a conniving evil villain to move the plot.
* The SWAT action is done well. I like the flow between the two worlds. Both worlds are given equal time and both are action packed to help move the story along at a fast and exciting pace.
* I really like the two leads. The ML is adorable (he was awesome in Rise of the Phoenixes!) and the FL nails her character. Their romance and love is cute without being syrupy. Extra kudos for making the FL realistic and not coating her in make up and dressing her up in ridiculously fashionable/tight clothing like they do in American doctor shows.🙄
* Even the side romance/love stories are done well. I like the best friends’ romance: also done well and a cute side storyline. I like that there are very few misunderstandings and romantic detours.
Negatives:
* The medical action is not done as well as the SWAT parts (maybe I’ve seen too many really good medical procedurals - loved House.) As a part medical drama, it was annoying to watch them perform CPR without doing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. It's a necessary medical procedure and not a romantic gesture and yet they avoid it like the plague.
* As with many longer shows, there are some slow downs. This was particularly true for episodes 30-34.
* I understand the FL character is suppose to have a more subdued personality but Sandra Ma speaks so softly in this entire show, it’s like she’s whispering all the time. That got annoying and made it hard to hear her clearly.
Conclusion:
I found this drama refreshing and fun to watch. The relationships held my attention and got me fully invested in their emotions. It is action packed and moving between police and medical procedurals helps keep everything fresh and not bogged down in either worlds. Overall highly recommend!
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One of the better romance/action dramas
This has a solid story line and plenty of characters to keep it interesting. There are no typical annoying chacacters or interfering parents to cause the viewer distraction and frustration. A variety of scenarios and plotlines keep you watching with interest. My only frustration and complaint is that those responsible for the production of these dramas give us yet another in what seems to be a continuous line of female leads with stupid, unflattering, unkempt hair syles and absolutely no sense of fashion. Why are the guys always made to be well groomed and fashionable and their female counterparts made to look like they just rolled out of bed and dressed in ugly clothes?Was this review helpful to you?
This one trumps it all for my favourite romance drama!!!
I have been watching dramas for years. I have become my own expert about my own like and dislikes. It's a strange things to say but after a lot of dramas you tend to come across tropes and storylines that are predictable and no longer hold their charms. Just like a jaded relationship- try your best but sadly it no longer feels special. Romance dramas in particular are difficult. The audience have seen it all and there is nothing new under the sun to like.But boy I was wrong with this one. It got my attention right from the first 5 minutes and it never wavers right through a freaking 40-episode session. I suddenly have an even wider and newer perspectives about romance and relationships. Something in me has been rekindled. The bar has been set impossibly higher. I feel giddy and delighted. How is it possible that a romance so super clean can have many a scenes that make me blushed like mad? In short, I am in love with drama, and will be so for a long long long time.
Give this drama a go. Just watch the first 10 minutes of it and you will know what I mean. You can thank me later.
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This review may contain spoilers
Medical + military + slice of life = romance drama all in one
While the synopsis of You Are My Hero caught my attention, the length stopped me from starting it. Fear not though, the writers keep your attention from the beginning all the way to ep 40 through events such as earthquakes, toxic workplaces (in the hospital), cute secondary couples, and more. I really loved this drama and recommend it for contemporary drama watchers!PROS
❀ Lovable leads and couples that you want to root for | While the three main couples (there are four, but the other one is much more minor) have different backgrounds, you want to root for all the characters to get together and find their happiness! The themes of each couple go like this:
1. Mi Ka x Xing Ke Lei: Throughout the series they take turns saving each other, as one is a doctor and one is in the special police force. I love this balance! While their romance wasn't steamy, it was sweet all the same. Both of them are in their first relationships as well, so except a lot of blushing and not knowing what to do when it comes to relationships.
2. Ruan Qing Xia x Shu Wen Bo | City girl/popular reporter meets country himbo who's heartfelt but a tad ignorant. I thought this pair was sugary sweet and loved their chemistry. Fair warning that for this couple there IS a second ML that is also really nice and wholeheartedly devoted, lol, but Xia's loyalty to Shu Wen Bo stays true.
3. Xing Ke Yao x Dr. Shao | LOVE this mature couple, who's on the older side compared to the other couples, and getting their second-chance relationship. Dr. Shao's character is terse/strict yet kind-hearted while Xing Ke Yao, who is Xing Ke Lei's older sister, is savage and straightforward. They were together when they studied abroad and broke up, but neither forgot the other. With the help of friends, they slowly grow closer after meeting each other again in China!
❀ Slice of life energy when it comes to communication and trust | This translates to very little misunderstandings, and although there is some miscommunication going on, the couples learn and grow from those events.
❀ Highlighting frontline workers | When the earthquake event happens (around the teens episodes), it was thrilling to see all the characters step up and work to save earthquake victims. Sometimes they were a team, sometimes they were doing their own department's things. But the whole time, the cast was being pro-active in saving lives in such an intense emergency.
❀ Cute romances and chemistry | I really loved Sandra Ma's character as a hardworking neurosurgeon and her interactions with Bai Jing Ting's character who was in the special police force. While both had busy jobs, they were understanding of one another and flexible when it came to their relationship. Not much skinship or kisses (maybe a couple throughout the series), but their silly and relaxed interactions were so sweet and always brought a smile to my face. They had great chemistry and in general the acting was really well done!
CONS
✕ The second couple (Ruan Qing Xia x Shu Wen Bo) got a little iffy at times | I like how RQX is the chaser in this relationship, but I feel like their conflict was dragged on a bit in the drama. That is, SWB felt as if he wasn't good enough for her, even though she's open about chasing after him, and keeps rejecting her. It got tiring at some points, and RQX's chase was annoying at others. I felt bad for both characters throughout the chase, BUT when they do land on the same page it's really sweet and satisfying to see. I just think it could have dragged less, lol. (Also, I love how the nickname for SWB is "piece of wood," because he's a little dense when it comes to relationships.)
✕ 40 episodes became too long for me... | I don't think the show dragged the 40 episodes out, as there was also some form of conflict that needed to be addressed throughout the series, but I personally didn't have the stamina to keep up with 40 eps. I think when it comes to contemporary romances, 30 eps is my limit haha (and 24 is the sweet spot!). Nonetheless, it helped that the plot never got boring. I think I was just exhausted since I basically binged the series in a couple of days. If I spread the episodes out more, this might have been less of a problem.
✕ Misunderstanding level: 3/10 | They happen but are discussed and fixed because the characters are written as proper adults. This goes for all couples. Nothing that will drag or make watchers annoyed.
OVERALL
This was the first contemporary romance Chinese drama I've seen in YEARS, and it was a great one to start out with. The three powerful couples were composed of lovable characters and the production really allowed the actors to shine, despite it being 40 episodes. Definitely recommended!
(Note: My rewatch value is set to 5.0 always as a default as I'm not the type to rewatch dramas EVER. Thus, I do not take it into account when calculating overall score.)
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This review may contain spoilers
Love this show. It was heartwarming and realistic. Main couple, once they committed to each other, worked and talked their way out of each problem. There was respect and love for each other and their work as well. Second and third lead couples were also great. They added extra elements to the show. No dragging plots, no evil characters, female leads were all strong and independent.
Will definitely rewatch. This will be my go to show whenever I want a quick pick-me-upper. Will miss Dr Mi Ka and Xing Kelei.
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A whole new league in itself
This drama is a breath of fresh air. Plenty of people claim that the premise is similar to DOTS but the only similarities they have are the occupations of the leads and the earthquake incident. But in YAMH, the earthquake part only takes up a little chunk in the storyline (about 10%).This story has depth, no frustrating moments, and the relationship and chemistry of the leads ARE ON ANOTHER LEVEL.
Sandra Ma is such a great actress. She is not afraid to look haggard, normal, and stressed out in front of the camera - just like the rest of us. On the other hand, I wasn't particularly interested in the ML before starting this out, but a few episodes in, he started growing on me. HE IS THE ABSOLUTE CUTEST ML IN ALL OF CDRAMALAND AFTER YANGYANG. He is that charming.
Also, their acting is very natural! The way that they interact with each other really does look like all the other couples out there, and there is no hint of awkwardness in the way that they interact, even the skinship! The amount of ad-lib I believe this series has only goes to prove this point.
And the plot! The plot was dragging at some points, but I didn't really care about those. I cried about 3 times watching this. The romantic scenes between the leads were not cringey/corny/roll-your-eyes level. The conflict were all internal and there was communication among all the characters. This is what I specifically liked about Xing Kelei and Mi Ka: the fact that they both compromised and communicated their issues to each other - like an ideal relationship.
For anyone thinking twice about watching this, this is a sign to start that first episode.
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This is what you call a good C-Drama!!
Very extraordinary modern chinese drama that you don't see often! By far, one of the best chinese drama of 2021! It has good amount of romance, friendship, action, and suspense! Love that it doesn't only focuses on the love life of the characters but it also shows a lot of police and doctors scenes which I find very entertaining as a crime show lover! Also, love the character development here, where characters changed for the better! Everything is just so well thought, from the storyline, to the cast, to the music, and the acting! Definitely a drama worth watching and I'll rank it top 5 in my list of good chinese dramas!! It's that good!Was this review helpful to you?
this gave me a toothache but in a good way
If anyone is looking for an adorkable romance, definitely check this out! One of my favorite parts about this drama was actually the romance, which is kind of a first, actually. I love a good romance, but I rarely find dramas with a romance I'm invested in. But these two are SO adorable and SO sweet, I literally could not stop smiling. Both the leads are so awkward and dorky that it makes their relationship like 80% cuter. I definitely do not like cheesy romances, but I really, really loved this one (although the romance isn't really that cheesy, just super sweet). Their relationship is also very, very healthy, which we always love to see :). They get frustrated sometimes because their professions make it so they aren't able to see each other a lot, but they're mostly super supportive of each other's careers and ambitions.Surprisingly, I enjoyed watching Mi Ka's growth as resident surgeon as much as I did watching the romance. It was really interesting to see her work in the hospital, especially since her personality makes her a brave, hardworking, selfless doctor. I loved her friendship with Chief Shao (although it created a lot of unnecessary drama) and seeing how much she cared for her patients. Honestly, the reason I probably liked Mi Ka's hospital scenes so much is because I just loved her as a character. She was super strong and she proved over and over again she could stay calm under a crisis even if she was scared. The emergency plot events were really interesting, and I found myself extremely invested in how it all worked out!
Xing Kelei's unit was also hilarious. I really wish we got to see more of them because their mischievous antics and teasing were so fun to watch, and I could really feel the bonds between them. I was a little upset to see Zhuo Wenjing's role as the only female officer in the unit disappear quite a lot after she played her part instigating a very, very short drama (not on purpose tho!) between the two leads. Still, I loved seeing how well she fit in with the other men. There was definitely a whole slew of strong female characters in this drama (stan Xing Keyao), which I loved.
I did not, however, particularly enjoy the second leads' romance. I found the second female lead (Mi Ka's best friend Ruan Qingxia) irritating a lot of the time. Some of the things she did to chase the second male lead were pretty out of line, and while she tried to come off as decisive and independent, she only seemed clingy and stubborn. The love triangle that developed with her and two other male characters was boring and annoying. I skipped most of her scenes, especially if they had to do with her romance with the second male lead (although this is also another adorkable romances for you adorkable fans out there).
Overall, this drama surprised me in the best way possible. I honestly loved how awkward their romance was XD, and the plot overall was pretty interesting. Watching their individual careers develop was just as enjoyable as the romance. I recommend checking this drama out if you're looking for something fluffy, tooth-rottingly sweet, but also with strong, ambitious, and independent characters.
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