Completed
Once Upon a Drama
1 people found this review helpful
Jan 2, 2024
36 of 36 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 1.0
This review may contain spoilers

A FL immature & disrespectful in her love life, redeemed by her good looks & work skills

If you like dramas where the Main FL character is aware of her beauty and flirts with the ML for half of the drama, initially for revenge purposes (she has been dumped by her previous boyfriend for what she believes to be his niece), gets caught in her acting and actually falls for him, while he is aware she’s acting, but likes her nonetheless because she’s a beauty and skilled at her job…

then for 1/4 of the episodes, they will be apart because he discovers her lie, that it was for revenge, and understands she was not attracted to him per se, before she could confess her initial lie and true feelings…

When they are finally back together, close to the end of the drama, she resumes her princess pouty behaviour, to which he gives in… this drama is for you.

But even then, She keeps teasing him, and shyly (pretend) runs away when he seems to want more with her… then, she totally reverse her attitude when she ends up living at his place because of a hand injury (ep33/36), … She is no longer acting shy and she is surprised that despite her clear invitations, he doesn’t seem to be interested in sleeping with her… until at the end of ep. 34, she gets what she wants, because he sees her crystal clear exchanges with her best friend on the very topic of whether he may have a problem, explaining why they haven’t yet splept together …
I wish the story had been explained to me this way, I wouldn’t have wasted my time on this drama.

There are good moments, funny moments…
But all in all, it displays a very immature and disrespectful female character, who is forgiven her bad behaviour because of her good looks and professional skills…
Only the last ep. Slightly makes up for the above…

Not satisfying watch for me, even if I had low expectations…
the first 1/3 was enjoyable, afterwards, it became irksome, as there was absolutely no character development arc… I’m not into mischievous female characters, displaying a far from recommandable set of personal values in their private life. Not a good example to follow.
Even the 2nd lead couple broke up and was apart for the majority of the drama… because of fear of a serious relationship and commitment …

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Completed
Nhadira
1 people found this review helpful
Jan 21, 2024
36 of 36 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 1.5
Story 4.0
Acting/Cast 2.5
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
This review may contain spoilers

The most boring drama

It's the worst Chinese drama I've ever watched, too slow, it was hard to finish it and needs strength to continue after each episode, FL and f support role are too boring. fl met someone not long ago and showed up at her other house without invitation and she accepted, even riding bikes together lolllll and there is this Shanshan who irritated me the most in this series.
it was a waste of time, 36 episodes for what? i enjoyed only the last three episodes.
A lot of unecesary scenes, it would have been better, too bad.
The screenwriter and realisator need to learn for next time.

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Completed
lemam
1 people found this review helpful
May 22, 2024
36 of 36 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 5.0
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 6.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
This review may contain spoilers

Frustrating and Draggy

This storyline had potential, but there are so many things that dragged this series down that made it so frustrating to watch. I skipped through a lot of it. The cast and acting wasn't the problem - it's the script writing that is ridiculous and insulting to the viewer's intelligence.

Positives (not many):
- ML (Dylan Wang), I watched it just for him. But his voice did not fit the character (they should have used a voice actor to dub him)
- 3rd FL (the niece Qin Shi Yue) - she started out super annoying acting like a toddler w/ the constant whining, tattling and stomping her feet, but that eventually subsided and she becomes quite endearing

Negatives:
- Main couple's chemistry wasn't great. He's supposed to be the older, successful, idolized one and she as the young bubbly one just starting her career. But she appeared older than him so it seemed awkward, like a big sister and little brother dynamic.
- ML's wardrobe was just terrible - nothing fit him properly! As another reviewer commented, it looked like he was borrowing his older brother's clothes
- FL character was so damn annoying - it's not bad acting on the actress's part, it's the scrip writing that made no sense. One minute she's smart, aggressive and outright daring and flirtatious w/ the ML; then the next minute she's a shrinking violet, overly dense/naïve when it comes to love
- The phone ringing interrupting every pivotal moment was so ridiculous! Literally almost every build up to a kiss scene or a confession, their phone rings and they answer it!!!
- 2nd FL (ShanShan) the FL's BFF was so annoying, giving out relationship advice when her love life is a complete mess
- The toxic male dominance was intolerable - how many times did the ML Shi Yan drag the FL around by the arm like a rag doll - in public, in their home, at work places, etc. Some scenes were meant to be cute and some were meant to be anger-based. Either way, there is no way in hell a woman would allow that so it should not be done to that extent in a modern drama. And that scene where Shu Yi's ex BF shows up drunk and obnoxious at her door - Shi Yan leaves a work event...somehow gets there in time to shove past the ex, slam the door, make out w/ the Shu Yi, comes back out and to send a message to the ex that he kissed her and that she belongs to him so get lost. That was just so gross.

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Completed
naya
1 people found this review helpful
Feb 18, 2024
36 of 36 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

I can't stop rewatch this drama

I really like the story, actually i watch it randomly because I am bored, but it turns out fun. I never watch drama that the FL is the antagonist, at first the story made me curious but later I am being trapped with the sweet love story and there are many quotes about life that I can relate. Again watching it again and again is not boring rather it make me wanna watch it again and again. The actress and actor is amazing too, I am type of person that focus on expression and voice of the actor, for me in this drama they did really well. I feel like I am not watching the drama but I am being there with them playing the drama because I can feel all the emotion in the drama. I think they just lack in some common sense like when the intern pour water in keyboard but the monitor is the one that shutdown, about the phone and people can hear it I still can relate with it, because nowadays phone have high volume in their load speaker. For the production at first I think its weird but as time goes by, I find it interesting because I like detail so I think its not a problem. The OST is easy listening and my favorite is Emotion Remote Control by Meng Jia. That is all, Thank you Only for love :))

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Completed
xxXATXxx
1 people found this review helpful
Dec 2, 2023
36 of 36 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 5.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 3.5

Wang Hedi look great. Bai Lu was so pretty

It was becoz of these two I binge watch for 3 days and almost got headache. Eventhough there are a few illogical moment between ML and FL, this series really make me swoon and felt giddy² inside. And also let just not start discussing about all then hot scenes... #OmyheartWink*
Truely amaze how the other couples made me rooting for them and want them to have a happy closure too. And just For that, this series deserve overall 8 star from me.
The house was a full studio set. How can that be? It so artistic and realistic. I bet the office is a studio set too. No wonder the lighting was spot on in every angle.

Am I going to watch the full series again? No
Am I going to just watch click bait /tt video scene of Shu Yi and Shi Yan? Oh definitly . You bet on in..

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Completed
snowdiy
1 people found this review helpful
22 days ago
36 of 36 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 8.5

The best cdrama I've watched so far

Why is it 7.9? It needed to be 8.5 at least. The drama is so interesting and the main leads' chemistry is on another level. I've watched all at of dramas with the CEO tropes, but trust me this one is different, It will hook you up from the first episode
* ⠀⠀⠀.          . ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀✦⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀☄️ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀.             .   ゚ .             .                ✦      ,       .
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀☀️
      *           .
.             .   ✦⠀       ,         *
     ⠀    ⠀  ,
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀.        ⠀   ⠀. 
  ˚   ⠀ ⠀    ,      .
             .
      *⠀  ⠀       ⠀✦⠀ 
                  .
    .    .   ⠀🌕
           .
       🚀
   ˚        ゚     .
 .⠀  🌎⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀‍⠀,
   *  ⠀.
     .          ⠀✦
 ˚              *
.⠀           .        .
     ✦⠀       ,              .



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Completed
Nini_is_watching
1 people found this review helpful
Dec 23, 2023
36 of 36 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 5.5
Story 1.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 5.0

There’s no saving a bad script

This was torture. WTF with the “misunderstanding” lasting virtually the whole series? It’s tiring to watch stupidity last all episodes. Trudged through it for the actors but… what a disappointment and wasted potential. The script was just too weak and flimsy and flawed. So much so that even the lead’s star power can’t save this drama. Enjoyed the second leads more than the main leads.

This was torture. WTF with the “misunderstanding” lasting virtually the whole series? It’s tiring to watch stupidity last all episodes. Trudged through it for the actors but… what a disappointment and wasted potential. The script was just too weak and flimsy and flawed. So much so that even the lead’s star power can’t save this drama. Enjoyed the second leads more than the main leads.

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Completed
dramarama001
1 people found this review helpful
Mar 19, 2024
36 of 36 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

So worth the watch!!!!!

I personally loved this drama soooo much! The chemistry was amazing and the acting was on point! Really loved the second couple with Yu Yuo and Shi Yan’s niece, they were so cute I really wanted to see more of them! The only problem I had with the show was all of their missunderstandings like please learn how to communicate with each other! I also did not really like the best friend of Shu Yi, she was really beautiful and I understand that it can be hard to trust someone but the advices she gave to Shu Yo was not it! And the way she treated her soon to be boyfriend throughout like half of the show was not something that I liked to see. Other than that I really enjoyed it and I will definitely rewatch it!

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Completed
namjhyuns
1 people found this review helpful
Dec 13, 2023
36 of 36 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.0
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 7.5
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 4.0
This review may contain spoilers

Frustrating and boring (very little spoilers ahead to make a point)

To be honest, I found this drama to be mild. It's main problem is the script, trying to find problems where there are none and taking way too long for things to happen. I don't mind a long burn but when absolutely nothing happens on a personal level and, most of the time, the characters are in corporate meetings talking about chips, it's a bore.

On the other hand, there are very real problems, with lots of potential, that take the entire drama to be resolved and it's done badly. Example: leading lady has to constantly deal with a nasty and jealous co-worker who slanders her and even physically hurts her at one point. When the boss can no longer avoid the issue, leading lady's personal life is brought up and questioned. Excuse me? Her relationship it's nobody's business and furthermore why are y'all weaponizing it against her when it hasn't affected her work or the work place in the fist place? Seems to me you are all dealing with a terrible case of sexism among women and a change of attitude would have been nice. But, no, nasty co-worker doesn't even get fired. She's transferred and choses to quit altogether as if she was trying to save some face. Bitch, please. This particular storyline was frustrating.

There are other two couples, apart from the leads, that we spent a good amount of time following, only for them to completely disappear from once they respectively find happiness. No follow up, nothing, until the last scene of the drama.

The one saving grace is the cast, which is flawless in the respective roles they were given and had good chemistry (at times).

It honestly seems like a waste of a good cast on a mediocre story. A shame.

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Completed
Totally-Dramas-Addicted
1 people found this review helpful
Dec 17, 2023
36 of 36 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

A Must watch series for Dylan Wang & Bai Lu fans

Romantic series with Dylan Wang (very cold, rational, young investor CEO) & Bai Lu (economics journalist). These 2 attract each other, turn around and play cat and mouse until episode 20.
2 other 2dary couples: CL2 = CEO investor / video journalist (both players who do not want to give up their style life) & CL3 = college teacher/trainee.

PROS:
+ Bai Lu and Dylan Wang are a great CL, with intense interactions and chemistry. They carry the whole series on their shoulders.
+ All the cast did a good job, with complex characters, who are well developed.
+ Excellent OSTs (even Irish music :)
+ The pace is fast, dynamic, without length.
+ The framing, settings, costumes,... are well suited to the story.

CONS:
I'm not convinced by some characters:
- FL2 is totally stupid on an emotional level. She thinks she's a love expert, because she dates around, but she thinks like an imbecile. A lot of CL's problems stem from her disastrous advice... The kind of friend to avoid like the plague! In each situation, she guides the FL towards the worst possible path. Is this the deliberate will of the screenwriter/director???
- the very very immature FL3.
- the character of Cheng Kang is not even credible: he is indecisive, hesitant, without self-confidence. How could such a character create his own business?

=> A lovely romantic series with a CL that I would like to see again together on screen soon.
**************************************************************************************************************
Série romantique avec Dylan Wang (jeune CEO investisseur très froid) & Bai Lu (journaliste économique). Ces 2 s'attirent, se tournent autour et jouent au chat et à la souris jusqu'à l'épisode 20. 2 autres couples 2aires : CL2 = CEO investisseur / journaliste vidéo (tous les 2 players qi ne veulent pas renoncer à leur style de vie) & CL3 = prof de fac/stagiaire.
PROS:
+ Bai Lu and Dylan Wang are a great CL, with intense interactions and chemistry. They carry the whole series on their shoulders.
+ All the cast did a good job, with complex characters, well developped.
+ Excellent OSTs (even Irish music :)
+ The pace is fast, dynamic, without lenght.
+ The framed, settings, costumes,... are well suited to the story.

CONS:
Je ne suis pas convaincue par certains personnages :
- La FL2 est totalement idiote au niveau émotionnel. Elle se croit une experte en amour, parce qu'elle papillonne, mais elle raisonne comme une imbécile. Une bonne partie des problèmes du CL découle de ses conseils désastreux... Le genre d'amie à fuir comme la peste ! A chaque situation, elle guide vers la pire voie possible. Est-ce la volonté délibérée du screenwriter/réalisateur ???
- la FL3 très très immature.
- le personnage de Cheng Kang n'est pas crédible : il est indécis, hésitant, sans confiance en lui. Comment un tel personnage a-t-il pu créer son entreprise ?

=> Une jolie série romantique avec un CL que j'aimerai revoir together on screen soon.

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Completed
sunny4ever
22 people found this review helpful
Nov 7, 2023
36 of 36 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 9.0

Why is the Chinese drama Only For Love the most sensual romance journey of the year?

I don’t know what everyone else is watching, but it is not Only for Love, considering their scoring. Dylan Wang and Bai Lu are giving masterpiece performances in this intelligently written cat and mouse game of love.

He works 24/7 growing his business, and has become quite successful, as he distances himself from the old money of his father. She is a financial and business reporter, only after the true story of his financial wisdom. The way she hooks him is a masterclass of what women do best.

Out of nowhere during her interview with him for her magazine, she begins to flirt with him. He is totally caught off guard, but recovers very quickly. The last thing he needs is to be diverted mentally from his business, away from his quest to make money. He is super intelligent, with great business acumen. He sees it coming and he knows how to avoid this flirtatious trap. What is working in her favor is that she is really knocked off her feet by him, but in the front of her mind, he is just a romance challenge to conquer. She is equally as intelligent, graduating from University with a double degree. It is just a game, she tells herself.

Only for Love is so sensual. The viewer anticipates each move of the other in this game of avoidance and entrapment, and the teasing games between the two is what draws you right in like foreplay.

Only For Love needs set-up time to allow this drama to smolder. Please don’t be impatient with this cat and mouse game.

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Completed
Dame
0 people found this review helpful
Feb 4, 2024
36 of 36 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 4.0

Some of my frustrations are listed below...

It took me 2 whole months before I decided to watch this. I admit, I read reviews and summary reviews on series that I plan to watch. But do not get me wrong, I am never swayed by bad reviews of low rate, I will still watch the series as long as I like the main couple and the ending is a happy one. I cannot just watch sad endings even if the main couples are my favorites.

Now, the 7.0 overall rate is still high but I will give this score because I like the main leads, especially FL BUT I do not like them as a couple. I mean, I do not get excited when they are on screen and I do not long for them to be on screen together.

I felt that there were so many plot holes and I do not think there was much development on the FL character, the ML character development (if you can call it) was weird because it was so abrupt. Almost half or even more than half of the series, they do not know who they were talking about! I mean, is that even possible? When my friends or colleagues talk about their crush, we always want to know their names and I mean, sometimes they will not give their names but eventually, especially, if they are always together, we can create the conclusion that he/she was the one she/he was talking about! All characters are all professionals here, and we are led to presume that they are all smart! But no, they are not. and that is one of the most frustrating things about this series.

Another frustration, is the FL is perceived to be "good with words and expressing the feelings of the person she is interviewing to the public" but, OMG, why was it so hard to tell the ML about the "part" of the reason why she approached him? And why was it so hard to apologize especially when she knew that she needed to say it and that is what the ML was waiting for (and of course her explanation)? Speaking of explanation, why did she not properly explain her side? I mean, we all just assume, that since the ML is worried about her, then everything is ok!

Do not get me started with the FLs best friend and ML best friend as a couple. My frustration with them is their mouths and their beautiful brains are for display only. They do not use it to talk about the things they want to say to each other or to analyze the situation they saw or heard. They use their mouth to throw hurtful things at each other and their brain draws conclusions based on the small amount of time they see or hear.

Now the MLs niece and MLs other bestfriend. I do not have a frustration about them only how their characters are written and also the lines. I can say that they are almost the most normal couple in the drama.

Another frustration, there is no climax at all. I mean, the story was a steady line then go down then neutral again then down again.

So, you can watch this but do not expect to be excited throughout the drama or to feel any tension like what I felt in episodes 10 and 11 in the Destined series.

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Only for Love (2023) poster

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  • Score: 7.9 (scored by 11,269 users)
  • Ranked: #2646
  • Popularity: #582
  • Watchers: 25,794

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