Because of Love (2022)

Mature and heartbreaking romance + great chemistry & acting

Completed - 2/2/2022 - 8.25 rounding up to 8.5

"Because of Love" has all the ingredients of a mature melodrama - first love, lost love, tragic pasts, revenge and illnesses. This drama is not for those who are looking for a fast-paced, fluffy, sweet romance. This is about life, hardships, tough decisions, and heartbreaks.

What I Enjoy:

1. Amazing acting - Everyone delivers great acting in this drama, ranging from the youngest and most adorable child actor, to all the veteran actors. We hear a lot about Wallace Chung (ML) and Li Xiao Ran (FL) and they are both awesome in portraying their respective characters and showing a range of emotions. LXR's eyes speak volumes and you can see her determination and stubbornness through her big, teary eyes. Wallace's heart-wrenching cries and emotional scenes are no joke. Both actors are not idol-pretty in this drama. They are tired, gaunt and depressed, esp. for Wallace, a completely different look that fit the character so well. Additionally, the second lead couple, give off a totally different vibe compared to our main couple. After watching Wang Yang in "The Rebel", I am again attracted to his charisma. There's just something about him, who is not super handsome in a traditional sense, but he just sucks you in. It's my first drama of Tian Lei Xi, and she is so pretty and refreshing to watch. But I have to mention two of my other favorites: Morni Chan who played grandfather Nie Dong Yuan, and child actor Mi Ke who played Sun Ping. It should not be a surprise to see veteran Morni Chan playing such a divisive character. I want to hate him for putting our leads through all that suffering, but I can't help understanding where he came from. Little child actor Mi Ke has got to be one of the most adorable kid. I've seen cute kids in dramas before and they are mostly very outgoing and act cute. But Mi Ke's character, Sun Ping, is not. He's just a quiet and intelligent regular kid. He is using his own voice and delivers the lines so well. He's such a precious angel!

2. Chemistry (1st half of the drama) - The chemistry between Wallace and LXR in the first half of the drama is amazing. When ever they came across each other, you feel the angst, torment, longing, passion.... a mixed bag of emotions! I can't help but want them to stop suffering and fall into each others' arms. They have two very passionate kiss scenes - so much emotions!! The teen version of the leads also delivers solid acting. In contrast to the darker adult romance, their younger selves are warm and adorable. They brought some lightheartedness to the drama (before things go south). On the other hand, our second leads have a cat-and-mouse type sizzling chemistry. They are flirting but not flirting and it's incredibly hot. These two romances have very different feels to them. Unfortunately, I only feel this way about them in the first half of the show.

3. Past and Present - This drama uses many flashbacks in its storyline telling. However it's seamless between the past and present. You won't get confused and oftentimes, I feel like I am watching a parallel time line. This is probably the first drama I watch that I don't mind flashbacks and would like to see more of.

4. Realistic sets/costumes - A large portion of the drama takes place inside a hospital. This is probably one of the most realistic, normal-looking hospital I've seen in Asian drama. Many hospitals in dramas look like they are for the high society and look too modern and high tech. But this hospital looks like it's for regular people, even the VIP rooms. Moreover, the area where FL lives also look appropriate to her socioeconomic status. All characters dress the part. ML's slouch-walking and casual wear fit his depressed mood, even though he's a successful cardiac surgeon.

What I don't quite enjoy:

1. Main romance (2nd half of the drama) - The angst and passion seem to have disappeared in the second half. At times, I can't tell whether FL is still in love with ML (though I know plot wise, she is). ML becomes a lovesick, smitten puppy and the torment and longing seem to have disappeared. The romance becomes... normal and calm. Once they sort of got together, there isn't enough romantic scenes to feel happy for them. Maybe this is a mature romance that feelings don't need to be shown as much. I just miss how I feel about the romance in the first half. This is why I did not give this drama a solid 8.5.

2. Loud BGM - The OST is fine and not extraordinary, though I do like the opening theme song. Music is not overplayed but at times the background music is too loud. It's so loud that I can't hear the dialogs and have to resort to reading subtitles.

3. Last few episodes in the business world seem to be out-of-place. The tone of the drama changes. Maybe a few more episodes should be dedicated to develop that part of the plot to build up the drama a little more.

Other Observations:
1. It took a little while to get used to Wallace's accent but I like it. I will take the actors real voice anytime over dubbing.
3. I thought the kid has a GPS bracelet, how come they can't find him?
4. There are no true villains. I might not agree with their actions but I understand why they act that way.

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Maybe She Will Defrost on a Warm Day!

This is my first review!

Watching Because Of Love was like going through a real-life experience in a short period of time.
I've watched many K/C/J/T dramas but none of these dramas affected me as much as Because of Love.
What was it about?

A young couple very much in love was forced to break up because the male lead's father wanted his son to be ready to take his place as CEO.

Because of this, the romance was severely stopped and from that point on the female lead had extreme anger against both the male lead and his father. This anger lasted almost until the end of the drama. To make the situation worse, the young couple got pregnant and a son was born, unbeknownst to the young man.

A lot of anger, revenge, sexual frustration, the feeling of unrequited love, and most importantly the lack of forgiveness on the part of the female lead was carried throughout the drama.

Both of the main leads suffered tremendously for seven years until finally the last episode #30, almost everything got solved and peace was made.

About the actors:
I feel that Wallace Chung essentially made this drama successful. I think his father did an excellent job on his part also. Of course, the child was adorable. I do have my doubts about the female lead - perhaps too stoic, too unforgiving, too uncommunicative. I felt that she didn't add too much to the drama and instead she subtracted from it. Her stoic facial expressions rarely changed throughout the drama.

Others had their own side stories with excellent acting on each of their parts.

As far as the story goes, it was excellent halfway but drowned on the beach toward the end. Ok, they were husband and wife at the end but no visual satisfaction for the viewer. Almost until the end, she had the same stoic face and he was still dependent on her love to make him happy. Good luck to him. Maybe she will defrost on a warm day!

I give this an 8 mainly because of Wallace Chung's excellent acting. One deeply felt his pain, his joy, and his sorrow.

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Tearjerker

This is storyline told at its purest, it’s so simple yet so complicated with the intricate feelings and the complexity of the human mind. Nothing is every black and white in life and this drama shows that life is hard and complicated the choices we make pave ours life. But we also have should have ability to move forward instead of letting our past dictate the rest of our life, we can see what vengeance can do to one’s life. Wallace’s acting stands out and continues to amaze me. His acting is so haunting and just simply a masterpiece. He is so good at what he does. Supporting cast of his father who did an amazing job as a complicated misunderstood father. The adorable son Ping Ping, who is much wiser than his age, breaks your heart, he played it so wonderfully. The vibrant and beautiful Vicky who added much needed sunshine in the series. Her character with ML is a joy to watch, totally shipped these two together in the series.

I wished they have shown us more that NYS had the strength to move forward without Tang Jing, you can see glimpses of this towards the end. But so many things unfolded and than they were back together in the end. The first half of this drama made sense to me why she couldn’t be with him. But after ML found out about his son after FL kept it a secret for 7 years plus . Plus all of the past history and misunderstandings that had lead to breakup . It was just cruel the way he was repeatedly getting abused by the FL. So many people in Tang Jings life was affected by her selfish decisions, which she claims were selfless. But to me were really decision based on her own self worth and pride. She hurt so many people along the way. She had a very strong case of victim mentality and this really took away from this drama.
Not only did she take away the ML chance of being in his sons life for the first seven years of his life, she took away ML relationship with his own father that really never got salvage. She really took away every possible relationship he had with anyone away, with herself, his dad and his own son. She took away his self worth, not because she broke up with him. But for her lack of trust in him, the way she treated him . Her pride was always an obstacle in the relationship right from the beginning of their relationship. One of his quotes was “I’m I that unworthy of love that I can’t be trusted”. He even told her (in the younger years) that he questions, if she truly loves him. Cause people who love each other never think of their pride first.

ML became a shell of his former self. The happy go lucky confident young man, became someone who always question his self worth. I’m glad that drama realistically portrayed that those years took a big toll on him. Even with her being back in his life, he never really was his former self again. Experiences changes you, time is not always kind.

She also literally squeezed the life out of the second lead the fake husband Sun. She let him be the “father” and “husband”and she let it dragged on for all those years without giving him any sort of commitment, communication, love or kindness. If you can commit you shouldn’t be selfish for your own needs and let him continue to be with you. He was also a happy, confident man when they were younger. The years he spent with her really took all of his confidence away.

Her sons life was in danger multiple times. Your pride shouldn’t be confused with the life of your son, you shouldnt be playing games with someone’s life. Nor should you be able to decide a father and sons relationship and than continue to do so when he found out he was the son. She felt like she had suffered all these years and the world owes her for all her suffering or in this case NYS and his family. Her hatred and thirst for revenge was never founded as his father never had anything to do with her fathers death. Let’s say that he had anything do his death, the fact was that her fathers death was an ACCIDENT to begin with. That’s all it was, she can perhaps blame him for the cover up but not the actual death. Throughout the drama, it is mentioned she never ever had any solid evidence,it was just an assumption that she made. But that assumption ruled her life and really affected so many people in the process.

Many many viewers in China were unhappy with the middle of plot with so much dog blood coming from FL. You know what would have made a lot of viewers happier despite all the wrong decisions Tan Jing made? An apology to those around her or at least an acknowledgement of some guilt that she felt.

1. An apology to NYS for robbing him of 6 years with his child. An apology for wavering so many times and choosing to trust anyone but him
2. An apology to NDS for believing he was behind her dad’s death without any solid proof. An apology for driving a wedge between him and his son. An apology for robbing him of 6 years and robbing him once again when she ran off with the child knowing that the grandfather also loved him. Only a blind person can’t see that he loved his grandson and the feelings were mutual
3. An apology to her son for depriving him of his father. An apology for delaying his surgery because of her selfish means to keep him by her side when his life is on a string.
4. An apology to Sun for depriving him of the warmth he deserved. Knowing she could not return his feelings she should have never had him commit his lifetime to her. As soon as NYS walked back into her life, she just tossed Sun to the sidelines because she no longer needed him.
5. An apology to Vicky because she walked into their lives and ruined what could have been a better relationship than her own with NYS. Also knowing that Vicky and NYS were together and offering up her body to NYS. What decent person does this?

She took the money NDS offered then cried victim. She tried to prostitute herself to NYS for money to cover the surgery instead of telling him that Ping ping is his son. People make mistakes but Tan Jing never once regretted how many she hurt along the way or felt any remorse for those she hurt. She thinks she’s so selfless yet she was always so selfish using everyone around her.

Though it was a happy ending and they got back together. I wished that instead that the ML, NYS found his own happy ending without her. That his life and self worth isn’t define by her. That he is worthy enough for love, worthy enough to live his life to its fullest. The love that they had was beautiful, but it’s in past and nothing could salvage all the damaged it had caused. Happy memories can remain that and he can create his own happy memories with someone else . I really had hope that we would have seen some of redemption of the FL at the end or seen more closure of all the problems and loose ends .

Overall beautiful beautiful cinematography throughout the drama, many scenes you wouldn’t think you would cry, you did. It was an excellent high quality drama, worthy to watch to the end . A heartbreaking drama that hooked me from the beginning.

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Tropey melodrama that was buoyed by the acting but hamstrung by the script

The promise of this show is old school tropey. Rich, controlling patriarch ruining his kids’ lives. Misunderstandings, forced separation, single motherhood, the works. Classic melodrama from go to whoa. Hence, I would focus on what worked and what didn’t.

What worked:
The acting: All the key actors were superb. This is a perfect vehicle to test their mettle. Many scenes were done without OST or even dialogue. It is all about projecting the longing, penned-up emotions, hatred and confusions to the viewers. It could be a challenge for some but not this ensemble. My heartstring was bow tight by the end of many episodes. Have tissues handy.

The production: It complimented the story very well. It is realistic and believable. Gritty when it should be. It does not dress everything up in glitz. In fact, a lot of the mood is set by the lighting, especially in the hospital. Shadows and lights all played a role. It was a complete package.

Direction: Good actors need a good director. When the team is firing, the scenes were off the chart. The bathroom tryst, the drunken “apology” in the FL’s hallway, the return to their hometown during his regression, and more. Each of those scenes are worthy of rewatch and classroom discussions.

The young actors: Thank goodness for them. I can’t imagine the older leads dressed up in school uniforms. The young actors pulled their weight. Well done!

The son: Finally, a child is allowed to behave naturally. There are meaningful dialogues but no wisecracking one-liners. When you pair that up with an adult voice actor trying to sound like a kid, it is cringe worthy.

No dubbing: Hallelujah! The emotional impact of this show needs that connection and expert dialogue delivery. A floating voice will ruin it.

The Script: A win and a miss. At times, it is a wonderful script and allowed the plot to play out slowly, but steadily. The story is grounded. It is not over the top. At least for a good 2/3 of the show.

What didn’t worked:
The Script: Ahh, I see, all the old tropes have taken up residency here. There is enough directorial and acting firepower to make it work but the script really developed cracks in the later half of the show. It is almost as if the weight of the tropes has overwhelmed the writer.

Case in point, the mental illness trope. It allows for some light and breezy scenes which was great fun to watch and showcased the acting of the leads. But the tone abruptly changed. Why bait us? Ditto the business shenanigans towards the end. It changed the feel and dynamics of the show. It was a plot looking for a story. There were hints of something more but it just ended up toeing the line. (see below)

The Ending: It really pains me to write this. Almost everything to do with this show was on point and then the ending happened. After 29 episodes, the show basically says, we can’t deviate from the clichés/tropes. Every loose end tied with a regulation approved knot. Yes, job done but it felt rushed, awkward and unsatisfying.

To elaborate further; Sheng Fang Ting’s story could have ended much better. Considering Sheng was portraited as driven and angst filled but not evil. He could be kind and caring. He has a hidden agenda and an axe to grind but what if the writer takes the high road, let the brothers have the private chat but instead Sheng said, “I was going to take everything away from you but you are not like father. I respect you as a man. Now we shall fight side-by-side and save OUR company.” The ML was so touched that he signed the company over to Sheng because he has the business mind and is the worthy successor. Shu Qin overheard it all as per the script but now she is even more in love with Sheng. All the elements are there. The show could have pivoted at that point. After the relentless groom, this is one little sugar pill I shall gladly accept.

Similarly, there was a lot of communication between Sheng and Shu before the wedding. All that stopped. No scenes of them talking or arguing. Sheng could have told her his past and how he suffered. She can decide if she’d forgive him. That is logical. But the trope (or censors) demanded a morality tale. Revenge might be sweet, but the price you pay is much, much worse in the end. We get that but do we want it?

The last straw was the resolution of the puzzle of the FL’s father death. It was farcical. It is the key reason for the barrier between the leads and caused multiple deaths. The whole plot was wrapped up in moments with only a deadpan voiceover about crimes and punishment. Is that it?

Elephant in the room:
The timeline: The leads broke up 7 years ago and the actors looked to be in the 30’s (they are actually in their 40's!). But the leads should be in their late 20’s (school/college/pregnancy). We seemed to have lost 10 years. It is not a deal breaker but it can pull you out of immersion.

Negative comments abound about Wallace's accent but diversity is a fact of life. Dubbing and homogeneity has a lot to answer for.

To be honest, this show was tracking a perfect 10 for the longest time but some script issues and then the ending gave me pause and it lost its shine. I would rewatch parts of it for the superb acting but not to the end, especially the ending.

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Prepare Tissues!

Because Of Love is not your typical fluffy romance drama like To Fly With You or Love At Night. This has a more matured and depressive mood to it with a past heartbreak and a struggling mother who is always short of money to treat her sick son. The plot is not anything groundbreaking with a link to the past as young lovers before circumstances forced the girl to initiate a breakup which actually reminds me of Here To Heart. Then, of course, the pair meet again and all the pain is then brought to the fore. In short, this is a second chance romance story with tissues needed along the way.

So, my guess is it could be slow-moving and predictable for some. But it is also a very well-executed drama that effectively moves you and touches your heart. Just like Shining For One Thing, this is achieved through a brilliant cast, great cinematography, and a very apt setting which enhance the overall angsty mood. It is the whole package that makes Because Of Love very real to the audience. It may not have a refreshing plot but it is exactly the seemingly ordinary that makes the story relatable.

Having said that, there are also two weaknesses in the drama that I think are worth highlighting – the way the flashbacks are told and a faltering last third of the story.

Constant Flashbacks
Because Of Love relies on intermittent flashbacks to tell the viewers what happened in the past. So, the scenes will flip between the present and their student days whenever the leads are triggered into reminiscing about the past. This happens quite often in the first 8 episodes or so. It is done without warning at times and you will have to adjust to the change in time setting before it reverts back to the present just as quickly.

Therefore, if you prefer flashbacks to be told in one long sequence rather than in a back and forth manner, then Because Of Love could start off being highly annoying. Personally, it did take a few episodes for me to get used to the story telling technique. I guess this is done to heighten the viewers’ angst and to emphasize that the leads are still thinking of each other after all the years apart. So, don’t get turned off when you start watching and discover all these constant flashbacks. The story will grow on you and leave you with a strong desire to see the couple reconcile.

A Not So Great Last Third (Spoilers Alert!)
To me, the first 20 episodes of the drama is highly engrossing. But it starts to lose its intensity and falter in the last third. The mental regression suddenly changes the tone of the drama and Yu Sheng’s recovery looks too simplistic to be real. The couple is then shown to be back together after the real culprit is exposed which has nothing to do with Yu Sheng’s father.

However, the viewers are shortchanged here as there is a lack of scenes of the couple towards the end to address everything that has happened in their lives. At the very least, there should be a heartfelt communication between them after all the misunderstandings and pain. Unfortunately, there is no such satisfaction for the viewers.

As for the side couple, their ending is also a bit rushed with no proper accounting of Vicky’s thought process on how she arrives at the decision to leave. It is not a bad conclusion to the drama overall but there just seems to be a few missing scenes here and there which could have increased viewers’ satisfaction and fulfillment.

Wonderful Acting
The casting director deserves accolades here for picking the right people for the roles. The last time I caught Wallace Chung was in The Sword And The Brocade which is a period drama. In Because Of Love, he delivers as usual with a very convincing performance as a pensive and melancholy doctor who can’t seem to get over a lost love. He is not a handsome hunk here and he doesn’t try to be. Instead, he gives the character a sort of depressive vibe. The pain and yearning are written on his face that viewers will automatically feel for him.

Li Xiao Ran is also excellent as Tan Jing to me. This is a very steely but sad character due to her circumstances. So, you can see it through Li Xiao Ran’s impassive facial expressions which show her determination and stoicism on the surface but her eyes will tell you how she is suffering inside. Her chemistry with Wallace Chung is also impressive as both of these veterans know how to take advantage of their characters’ anger and longing for each other to set the mood in their scenes together.

Li Xiao Ran’s chemistry with the child actor is also worth a mention. They manage to bring out a very special bond of mother and son and for his part, Mi Ke is a joy to watch as a viewer. For someone so young, Mi Ke delivers his lines so well and with an innocent charm that fits the character perfectly. Mi Ke and Morni Zhang’s scenes are also extremely touching as both young and old seem to have a natural affinity for each other.

A Stoic And Cold Female Character (Spoilers Alert!)
I suspect that Tan Jing may not be a likable character to all. This is because she is cold and impassive on the surface and her actions may not be agreeable to some viewers. For instance, she didn’t tell Yu Sheng that Ping Ping is his son which is grossly unfair to him. She also didn’t trust him in her custody fight with his father. Hence, Tan Jing is a flawed character with a lot of stubbornness and pride in her. Her coldness might also not win her any supporters.

Personally though, she is not a hateful character to me. Whether you can relate to her will depend on your ability see things from her perspective. I can understand why she broke up with him and kept quiet about her pregnancy. That is because she didn’t want to drag him down with her so that he could fulfill his potential. Moreover, his father’s involvement in her father’s death is a major barrier for her. When they meet up again, she just isn’t prepared to confront the past as that would be opening up old wounds. Moreover, he is dating Vicky then.

Basically, Tan Jing is not that type of person who can easily forgive and forget. If you can accept this flaw in her, then her pain and actions will be easily understood. Otherwise, she will seem too cold for a female lead character and that will take away some level of enjoyment from this melodrama.

My Verdict – Watch!
Because Of Love is definitely worth watching to me. It moves away from the typical substandard romance dramas that are getting too common like Meeting You Loving You and I Am The Years You Are The Stars. It is hard to get a matured love story that is well-executed with great acting and this is where Because Of Love shines. The couple’s past is also revealed bit by bit and this also helps to make it intriguing. As this is a serious romance drama with the lead couple being in their 30’s, it will resonate better with a more matured audience. In fact, I would think the younger viewers might find the pace to be too slow and hence, boring.

If you are worried about this being a tearjerker, then I would say that it is not as sad as it seems. If you can tolerate One And Only or Go Ahead, this should be less taxing on the emotions. Yes, some scenes will make you cry and tissues will be needed. But they don’t weigh you down considerably and it is not all sadness and tears throughout the whole drama. Some scenes are touching rather than truly sad especially those that feature the little boy. Thus, don’t let the tearjerker label stop you from giving this a go.

For this Because Of Love review, I would give it a score of 8/10. Watch it for the acting and simple story that successfully evokes deep feelings in the viewers. The plot is really nothing great. But this is a more of an emotionally driven romance drama that relies a lot on the acting skills of the cast to move viewers which was effectively achieved. This is what you will be signing up for when you get on the ride!

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Nostalgia of first love ...

Ok, so let's start with the basics...the storyline of this drama is very classic Mills and Boons, thus very stereotypical and we can all guess the outcome, despite the unnecessary later part twists and turns.
The production sets are not extremely expensive, mostly filmed in a hospital room, a small working class apartment amongst others...
The OST does not really engage nor elevate the scenes...
So what makes this drama so special:
1. The dialogues and the quietness of the scenes... as viewers, we are given insights of the thoughts of the actors. We can follow through their choices, their motivations, their fears, their way of rationalising their decisions. We become them...
2. The actors are phenomenal in their rendition of the characters. Emotions just ooze out of their eyes and body expressions. Lin Xiao Ran is really that exhausted by life woman and overwrought mom struggling for her child to get better as the meaning of her life depends on him. Wallace Chung is a really nice person who cannot get over this 'betrayed love' but who accepts the truth and does not force nor press on this woman to resume their love as if nothing has changed nor happened. The second leads add freshness to the drama...love the profound yet simple dialogues of the SFL when she discusses with the ML.
3. The cinematography is stunning as it really uses dark, narrow and almost stifling spaces to show the living conditions of the FL while the open yet stark white light of the ML's apartment as a means of translating the barren existence of the later. Yet, as the drama progresses, the lights and dark moods change.
4. The direction of the drama is so cohesive in managing all these small details. The director and production/editing team do not spend time on artifices nor on melodrama, nor over-the-top scenes to elevate it but rather, they delve into these details, on the lengths of the take of scenes to keep the focus on the drama.

All in all, this drama does its job very well, that is to make us question emotions, relationships, choices we make, etc.

Alas, can first loves really be trusted? Can first loves be recovered again and can it evolve in the future or should we keep these beautiful feelings of first loves in the nostalgic and perfect realm?

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Great Performance by Little Actor

Any family that has a sicken child with a serious disease from birth can empathize with this story. In this drama, the whole story revolves around the child, trying to get him back to health. It’s tormenting and painful to see the child’s little body going through all the pains and sufferings. If you have experienced the anxiety before a surgical operation, you could empathize with the characters’ anxiety here too. This is a story that is full of loneliness, despair, longing, waiting, at the same time, lavished with determination and devotion.

How this drama is being cut and edited is rather confusing at the beginning. As the story is unfolding, there is a lot of flashbacks and backstories. In fact, two timelines are playing out concurrently, one telling the present story and the other the story of how Nie Yusheng (Chung Hon Leung aka Wallace Chung) and Tan Jing (Li Xiaoran) have met during their adolescent years in high school.

I find it strange that when ex-lovers meet again, they act like strangers to each other; there’s no surprise, no nods, no eye contacts, no nervousness -- nothing, as if they have never met before. This strange phenomenon doesn’t only apply to our main leads, it also applies to our second lead couple, and even between father and son. Only the backstories reveal that these people indeed are no strangers to each other, and with flashbacks, only then viewers see their emotions and subtle expressions. As viewers get accustomed to the style of storytelling, it becomes rather enjoyable as the details are explained well in the backstories and flashbacks.

Nie Yusheng is almost like a walking corpse haunted by the past. Playing a tormented and bitter heart surgeon, Chung Hon Leung’s acting is very convincing, especially with the scene when Nie Yusheng breaks down and sobs. However, as many viewers have commented, dubbing in his own voice, it has given inconsistencies to the character. There are times when dubbing with the actors’ own voice is good, but not here because Chung Hon Leung’s native tongue is Cantonese. This has made him speaking Mandarin with a Cantonese accent which doesn’t go very well in this drama because he speaks differently, perhaps too differently from everyone else. It is even harder not to notice when the adolescent Nie Yusheng speaks perfect Mandarin and an adult Nie Yusheng doesn’t. I also find it hard to watch Chung Hon Leung playing the role of the adolescent Nie Yusheng when he loses memory as this is really a long stretch for the actor.

Tan Jing (Li Xiaoran) is mature and patient, enduring all the hardships that are thrown at her, at work and in life. A devoted mother, she would do anything for her child. Li Xiaoran has played her character convincingly showing the motherly side of her character with full marks.

I have really enjoyed watching the two young actors playing the adolescent Nie Yusheng (Zhan Yu) and Tan Jing (Fan Shiran). These two talented actors have truly captured the essence of the young couple and their amazing chemistry. I wish the director had continued to use the same actors into their adulthood instead of switching to Chung Hon Leung and Li Xiaoran because with the older pair, the whole feel of the story has shifted. Perhaps this is the effect that the director has wanted to show the viewers: how growing up has changed the couple and their chemistry.

My most enjoyable moments are probably when little Ping Ping (Mi Ke) comes on screen. The little actor is a gem and he nails the role so naturally. All his dialogues are intelligent and heart touching. His moments with his grandfather are precious as the viewers can really feel the love, joy and resignation of the relationship.

My Verdict

This is an adult romance drama that cannot be watched with skipping episodes nor with fast-forwarding as every scene is a hint to the next part of the story. From the beginning until about episode 12, it’s a rather excruciating watch as the viewers experience the longing and emotional pains of the characters. Misunderstandings are abound with words heard out of context and being misconstrued. This drama perhaps has the greatest and longest misunderstanding, from episode 1 to the last, that has kept our main characters apart. It is also a drama with mysteries, murder, coverup, office politics, family conflicts, revenge, and more. It is the little Ping Ping that has brought the adults back to reality and sanity, as watching him is the most heart warming experience. The story carries the message that, the one who is obsessed with revenge ends up with nothing; the one who leaves power and materialism aside and holds on to the people he loves gains everything.

A drama worthy of our time. Recommended!

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The characters' age is off

A very good drama. The acting is superb. But this age gap keeps bothering me. According to the storyline, Teng Jing got pregnant and have birth to the Ping Ping when she's around 20-21 coz she was a third year student in the university. Then 7 years later they met again. So, both of them are supposed to be either 28-29 or maximum 30-31 years old. But why they casted the actors in their 40s??? I just couldn't understand. If the time gap is 17 years in stead 7, that would make sense. But making actors in their 40s act the roles of 30s yo, just don't make sense, well at least to me. It gives the same feeling like "the rebel princess" ... watching a 40 yo woman acting like a 15 yo because that's the character's age according to the storyline.

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Character, not plot, drives this story

this is character driven and the main characters both exist in a space saturated with despair so you get long stretches where it feels like nothing is happening b/c it's just shots of people speaking quietly and being sad.

and that was mostly fine. but.. Li Xiao Ran isnt as dynamic in her profound melancholy as Wallace Chung so it's harder to connect to her character. she has 3 expressions and speaks so close to monotone that it's often impossible to read her emotions aside from "she sad". it doesnt feel like purposeful characterization either b/c she is like that with her 6 year old son as well.

the last 5 eps go off the rails. it's so different in purpose and tone that you almost get the feeling it's not what the writer had originally intended.

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A good drama with great acting!

This is a very well acted melo-drama with a good dose of real life grittiness mixed in. The 2 leading actors acted so well in their roles and their on-screen chemistry was palpable! The tension between the 2 leads just grabs you and pull you into the story, and it keeps you in the story as the mystery surrounding their past unfolds. The scenes with Wallace Chung and Li Xiao Ran were just mesmerizing and gripping!
The real star though is the little boy, Ping-Ping! This young actor played the Ping-Ping so well, without going overboard on cuteness that i tend to find in so many c-dramas. I really enjoyed watching him! I loved the scenes where he's thinking about how to make money! He was so deep in his thought! The casting director for this show did an outstanding job casting these actors in their role! Bravo!
My one and only criticism is the hair cut they gave Wallace Chung's character. That was truly tragic, and not in a good way. It felt like they slapped a toupee on his head and called it a day. Talk about a bad hair day - for 30 episodes!! I just don't see the purpose of making his character look like that. The costume director could have done better I think.
Aside for that little hiccup, I really loved this drama. The acting was wonderful and the story moving! it's definitely a good watch!

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Cliché Central

OVERALL
Sometimes melodramas are worth the roller-coaster ride, and sometimes...they're not. This is one of these times. I recommend skipping this drama, no ifs, unless, you know, you're desperate.

THE STORY
This drama was supposed to be my cup of tea. I mean, it has mature vibes, good actors and a child. And yet, it turned out to be the complete opposite: a melting pot of melodramatic clichés, with a bland female lead and an over-the-top mean male lead. What's really tragic with Because of Love is that you can clearly see this is a prehistoric drama. The world has moved on from many of the annoying tropes of this series, such as never-ending misunderstandings between the leads or the idea that family has to be united by blood. It's totally out of fashion. Dramas are trying to show more communication between their leads these days, not less, and as Go Ahead shows, 21st century is about acknowledging the ties that aren't made by blood. Watching Because of You feels like regressing back in time, and not in a good way. I for one have zero nostalgia for these old TV tropes.

I have to mention, on the positive side (and it's really the ONLY positive point) that the OTP has two or three AMAZING scenes. Like really great love scenes. So good that they keep you watching to see if there's more...but there isn't. The drama is so busy with being overly melodramatic that the romance ends up receding to the background. After 24 episodes, I got sick of waiting for the greatness teased by these few scenes and dropped the drama. Bottom line: just skip.

THE ACTING
Good, but that was to be expected. Both actors are pretty seasoned, they know what they're doing. Their chemistry was also off the roof, which makes it all SO frustrating because the drama could have been much better if it had been exploited to the max. Sigh. Oh, well.

THE MUSIC
Inexistent haha I'm sure there was, but I only remember the LACK of music! It's something that I usually like (a lot better than the excessive background music we hear in 70% of dramas), but in this drama it sometimes made me sleepy...

REWATCH VALUE
Null.

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This drama is special.

This drama is special. Li Xiao Ran and Wallace Chung are wonderful actors.
I have never seen such an amazing chemistry between the lead couple. EVER. Whenever they were together it was like seeing fireworks. Seriously.! I have seen so many dramas but this has by fare the best chemistry ever.
Wallace was amazing at his role. His acting was superb and so believable. As was XiaoRans. An amazing female and male couple
The acting was generally great from the whole cast and deserves a perfect score.
Wallace Chung’s performance is outstanding! Superb acting from the whole cast.
The writers and director did a wonderful job... This show is awesome!

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