Speed and Love

Racing glory

This drama took me by surprise, as I was really wanting to watch it, however I was genuinely surprised with the way it unfolded.

The race scenes were absolutely fantastic and the fight scenes were just has good.

The story was good, the characters were so well suitable and they kinda matched each of their characters well. I loved the fact that she was determined to stand by him and he just bent to her in the most touching way.

His bravery to put her first to go see her mother was touching although i felt the timeline was a bit long, he faced his owned challenge while still staying strong to his promise was really touching.

Overall this drama definitely exceeded my expectations and I loved the racing aspects.

Read More

Decent, Flashy and Fangirl-Friendly

It was a decent watch overall but it definitely didn’t live up to the expectations I had before starting it...
The script, directing and especially the editing held this drama back from being truly good for me.

The first few episodes were hard to get through, though things did improve later especially once I adjusted my expectations and settled into the show.
One of the biggest issues was the editing, particularly in the middle portion of the drama. Scenes would abruptly cut to completely different moments that seemed to take place days later, with little to no explanation. This made the story feel disjointed, created noticeable plot holes and repeatedly broke the immersion for me.
On top of that, there were directing and logical issues throughout the drama some scenes simply made no sense and felt like they existed purely for emotional impact rather than storytelling consistency.

That said, the drama wasn’t without its charms. The chemistry between the leads was genuinely enjoyable, the overall theme had potential and the car racing scenes were one of the highlights! A big part of my fangirling came from the fact that the plot reminded me strongly of the Wattpad-style romance novels I used to read as a teen. Making it kind of a nostalgic watch.
Visually, Speed and Love was definitely a feast for the eyes and consistently delivered when it came to aesthetics, making it easy to keep watching.

When it comes to this cdrama my biggest surprise was definitely He Yu! This was my first time seeing him as a ML and both his performance and visuals stood out. I genuinely hope to see him in more lead roles in the future.

Would I recommend this drama? It really depends on what you’re looking for. If you want something visually appealing, chemistry-driven and very fangirl-oriented and you’re willing to overlook the problems it has, then it can be a fun watch. ^^
Would I rewatch it? Probably not. Once was enough for me and if I ever miss parts of it, I’d rather visit FMVs than sit through the entire drama again.

Read More

unnecessary

You know what make Hidden Love so good, there not unnecessary stuff… if this show was like hidden love and just about loving each other and growing stronger together I think this show has potential… but with all this unnecessary detective spy stuff is what lost me… I like the characters and racing… I love the cute lovey dovey scenes… why not just keep it that way… I don’t get it why break them up… honestly if you wanna break them up fine it happens in every drama… come up with a better reason… why a dumb cliche ohhh I want to keep you safe… how about something more meaning like what happen in Sniper Butterfly… that’s honestly a underrated show… if you saw that show you would know what I’m talking about… so how about just keep it as racing and just racing as the plot and not racing to get into some detective spy trying to solve a crime… I’m not here for that.

Read More

More like speed and disappointment

I really enjoyed the first part of this drama. The action developed nicely, and the racing elements and scenes were reasonably entertaining. I even appreciated the slow-burn romance – it was executed well overall.


Now, I know some viewers had mixed feelings about Esther Yu’s performance, but I believe she did a commendable job with her character. Jiang Mu is supposed to be a sheltered, rich 18-year-old girl, characterized by being spoiled, entitled, and overly dramatic to the point of annoyance. While I didn’t like her as a person or character, I think Esther Yu portrayed her effectively.


My issues with the drama started when we moved into the second part of the plot. Although we see a difference in the characters’ personalities that indicates growth in their maturity, it still felt like the plot was stagnant. The same storylines, attitudes, and lines were recycled; I didn’t feel there was any real growth, even though that seemed to be the aim.


If I’m being honest, I think the series might have benefitted from wrapping up around episodes 16 or 17. After that, the plot felt a bit aimless to me. I also found Jiang Mu’s behaviour toward Jin Zhao after their reunion puzzling. The lying and manipulation, along with that petty jealousy, felt unnecessary. While I totally understand that his actions went against her, I would have preferred to see Jiang Mu adopt a more straightforward approach – maybe give him the cold shoulder or make him genuinely apologise, rather than manipulate him into seeking her out.


Lastly, the relationship (bromance?) between Jin Zhao and Lin Sui. I felt more chemistry and connection in their flashbacks and present moments than I did between the actual main leads – unfortunately this, despite my fondness for BL, was off-putting. It felt more like queerbaiting than anything else.


In the end, while I enjoyed the first part of the series, the second part fell short. I found myself practically skipping to the last episode because it felt like a waste of my time.

Read More

Captivating Contemporary C-Drama with Fantastic Chemistry Between the Leads

Speed and Love is all about semi-forbidden romance, fast cars, hot male lead, and a good story that’ll have you tearing up. And it’s definitely worth the hype. I watched it as soon as the final episode aired—because waiting? Not my style! I am a bing-it kinda girl.

Let’s dive in. Everyone's been buzzing about this drama for He Yu‘s Zhao Zhao, and honestly, that’s exactly why I started watching. I totally get it. He is the rugged, bad boy kind of a guy you instantly fall for. Side note: It's refreshing to see a trend in Asian shows where male leads actually look masculine and fit and a little bit like they’re from the wrong side of the tracks—quite a shift from older dramas where the men often appeared to look like they were afraid of going to the gym, had to have a college education, wear only acceptable clothes, and a lot of other things I won’t list. Anyway, Zhao Zhao has been occupying my entire Instagram feed for the past month.

As for our female lead, I like Esther Yu, so I have nothing but good things to say. I find her talented despite being consistently typecast for bubbly roles. Don’t get me wrong; she’s great in those parts, but I wish we could see her versatility shine even more. She needs to do more things like My Journey to You.

However, I do understand why she was cast as Mu Mu. In Speed and Love, her youthful charm fits the character perfectly, at least at the beginning of the drama, and she does evolve as the storyline progresses, which adds depth and we also get to see her acting abilities. I think this was done deliberately to showcase the age difference between the leads.

Speed and Love incorporates all the romance tropes I love.

Step-siblings to Lovers: While they aren’t biological siblings, the dynamics add angst.
Age Gap: The slight age difference between the leads brings a different flavor to their relationship dynamics
Opposites Attract: The classic bad boy/good girl vibe is alive and well here, creating a compelling push and pull between the characters.
And of course, we can’t overlook all the fast cars and crazy driving

Things I loved:

I appreciate that the show focuses solely on the main couple, without unnecessary side plots or additional romances.

The stunning Thai scenery adds to the drama's vibe, and while I enjoyed the bromance between Zhao Zhao and Drunk, I sometimes found myself torn between rooting for them or for Zhao Zhao and Mu Mu. Then I reminded myself—this is a Chinese production! 😂

The comedic elements were spot on, providing plenty of laughs throughout the series.

In terms of skinship, the show excels—there are plenty of cute and steamy moments between the leads. Long gone are the days with a single dead fish kiss at the end of the drama. These two ate. Literally. Each other.

Really good cinematography.

Did I mention? Zhao Zhao?

High quality driving and fighting scenes. Almost Hollywood level. I was surprised considering I hardly ever see those in Chinese dramas.

Things that I did not enjoy as much or they baffled me:

I had some issues with the pacing. The transition between the first and second arcs felt uneven. Too much time was spent on the Thailand arc before the mood shifted drastically, leaving me feeling like I was being pulled out of one narrative only to rush into another just as the series neared its end. C-dramas often stretch out their stories—yet here, they needed more episodes to give each (and I mean second) arc to give it the attention it deserved.

I also found some medical inaccuracies hard to overlook, particularly in the episode where Mu Mu and Zhao Zhao part ways in Thailand. If he had multiple broken bones and a spinal injury, I can’t accept the fact that he could just stand up there in front of her, hiding his pain to make sure she doesn’t know the extent of his injuries. (And please do not give me that crap that love made him do that just for the sake of her. sanity ) While I can suspend belief for love stories, a little grounding in reality goes a long way. I kept on asking myself how he could stand and then sit down in front of her if later on it’s shown he can’t even walk.

Further into the drama when Mu Mu and his doctor talk about his difficult recovery he was still going through, I expected that Mu Mu would be helping Zhao Zhao with whatever medical needs he still had. But as soon as they got back together, he recovered. Unless there was some inaccurate translation they had made it sound like he hadn’t recovered yet when they reconnected, I can only explain this by lazy writing or lazy editing. It didn’t really affect my enjoyment but it was a glaring inconsistency. I think this was a missed opportunity for the writers. This is one of those shows that actually could use a few more extra episodes.

In conclusion:

Speed and Love is a solid contemporary C-drama that deserves all the praise it’s receiving. The chemistry between the characters is palpable, the cinematography is absolutely breathtaking (as a cinematography enthusiast, I give major kudos to the camera team), the color grading is top notch, the acting is great, all the stunts performed well. The small flaws I noticed here and there (like strange/poorly written dialogues at the beginning of the drama) didn’t affect my opinion that this is still one of the better C-dramas. The plot is streamlined, free of unnecessary subplots or antagonistic characters with excessive monologues.

And let’s be real—it’s all about He Yu! The boy is going places. I’d never seen him in anything else before Speed and Love. I’m looking forward to see what else he’ll have coming out soon.

If you are looking for an exciting contemporary C-drama with great chemistry and high production value, I totally recommend. Enjoy the ride!

Read More

I quite liked this drama, but I am giving some minus points for the story. I didn't like that much the FL character (I like Esther Yu, I think she acts really well), the way she was written, some of her reactions give me "pick me girl" vibe sometimes and I didn't like that.

Spoiler
I didn't mind the break up, but the way how the FL was lying about getting married, then generating the wedding invitation with AI (like excuse me it was so obvious, the image quality of that "photo" was so bad), was cringe. At this point I was speed watching and skipping a bit, the ending could have been a bit shorter.

Read More

You might suffer a little in the middle and dont trust those who says esther yu acted bad here

So i have finished this drama a long time ago i basically watched this during my exam it was so good that i risked my exam to watch this it became an addiction since the first episode the story the cast the main couple the bgm and the songs everything was so good before watching this drama esther yu's skii into love and when i fly towards you were first on my drama list now speed and love became my favorite of them all amd please dont trust those who says esther yu cant act they are just spreading hate towards her since i have watched this drama i wanna say that esther yu aka jiang mu acted a little childish during her story in thailand where she was 19-20 she acted comfortably infront of jinzhao but then after their separation and during her time in china where she was 27-28 she acted more maturely 🍬🍬

Read More

In my opinion, this is an excellent drama! One of its biggest strengths is the atmosphere it delivers. After thinking it over, I feel like it makes up for the fact that, for most of the time, nothing particularly major happens — the focus is mainly on the relationship of the main couple, which flows smoothly and pleasantly for the most part, without major obstacles (with one exception) — but while watching, you don’t feel that at all. I never had a moment where I was bored or where an episode felt dragged out. It also makes up, to a large extent, for the fact that many plot points are introduced and then never developed, often simply forgotten. I also have to admit that I love the “bad boy” trope — someone who is tough on the outside but deeply loyal and caring toward those closest to him, especially that one person — and we definitely get that here.

I really enjoyed the pairing of the main couple — Jin Zhao and Jiang Mu — who were complete opposites. He was confident, mysterious, cold, and reserved, while she was chaotic, open, and a bit silly. On top of that, they had amazing chemistry and tension that was insanely palpable through the screen. I also loved his provocative personality, which she gradually started to adopt as well. Around each other, they became better versions of themselves, always wanting to be the best for one another, often putting the other person’s happiness and well-being above their own. Of course, they had their flaws too — for example, Jin Zhao sometimes made decisions for her, assuming he knew what was best.

I also loved many of the side characters and think that some of their stories could have been developed much more. The whole group of guys completely stole my heart — especially San Lai. He was a wonderful character. I loved him on his own, I loved him paired with Jin Zhao, and I loved him paired with Jiang Mu, so I’m really disappointed we didn’t get more of his story. The subplot with his father was introduced as something important and then just… left unfinished. A small personal downside for me is also that we didn’t get his relationship with Na Na, which I was hoping for. And there’s one thing about him that doesn’t sit right with his otherwise amazing character — why did he suggest to Jiang Mu that he could replace Jin Zhao someday if she wanted? Bro? I really hope he didn’t have feelings for her and that it was just a dumb comment — that’s how I choose to interpret it. Don’t ruin my friendship dynamic with lines like that. Another character I loved was Lin Sui — “Drunk.” I’m not even entirely sure why. He had a very specific personality and vibe that I really liked. I also enjoyed his interactions with Jin Zhao and that scene where he was the fifth wheel during their reunion after years.

On top of that, the whole racing storyline and everything related to cars was handled really well. Similarly — although obviously in a more condensed way — his journey back to full physical fitness after the accident was also portrayed well, especially the emotions tied to that process.

That said, there are also a few plotlines (aside from San Lai’s father) that I have some issues with — bigger, smaller, and minor ones.
Major issues:
→ Liang Yan Feng’s character. Out of nowhere, it suddenly turned out that he was “good” and part of the alliance. There was no prior setup for that, and it was never revisited later. On top of that, almost immediately everyone completely forgot that he spiked Jiang Mu’s drink — and he even ended up getting invited to their wedding.
→ Wan Qing — “Snakey” — and her father’s business. I don’t have an issue with her being at the wedding, since from early on she was shown not to be a bad person. My issue is that, first of all, I don’t understand why the subplot where she kidnapped his father even existed, since it was later completely ignored. Second, we never saw how she processed the situation involving her father or what she thought about it. Third, we never really found out what consequences her father and his employees faced — we only know they were arrested.
→ He Zhang. He was also forgotten, and we never found out what consequences he faced or what happened to him afterward. I’m especially disappointed because I was hoping for some development in his hinted relationship with Wan Qing.
→ We never got a deeper explanation of that darker period in Jin Zhao’s life, when he was apparently called “Brandy,” and I think that could have been really interesting.
Minor issues (things I missed, but that didn’t affect the story much):
→ The fighting subplot involving Jin Zhao. In reality, we only got one fight, even though it was implied that he fought regularly — at least that’s how I understood it. So first, I would have liked to see more fights (my “bad side” speaking :D), and second, a better explanation of why he fought and why he suddenly stopped (unless it was explained through the alliance and I just missed it — I had some long breaks while watching).
→ It also occurred to me that Jin Zhao and Jiang Mu told her mom about their relationship, but we never got a scene where they told her dad XD. The poor guy is still living in the dark while they’re off riding a motorcycle to get married.
→ We never learned Jin Zhao’s birthday :( — it was initially presented as a mystery they wanted to uncover, but I guess they just… stopped caring.

Read More

The Adrenaline Rush of Precarious Street Racing and Love for a Toddler-Like Teenager

Welcome back to my review. As usual, I’m sorry for delaying “Speed and Love” review because I’m just too idle to write down my thoughts (FYI, my holiday will end in three days, so I’m making sure that I complete this review before getting back to school and being busy again). Without further ado, let’s just dive into the review.

“Speed and Love”, formerly named “Star Trails”, is a rom-com drama adapted from Shi Jiuyan’s novel with the same name (in Chinese), staged in the perilous world of street racing in Manshi, Thailand (supposed to be a remote area in China named Tong Gang). The series revolves around a pair of nonblood-related siblings, Jin Zhao and Jiang Mu. After a crushing divorce, their dad moved out from the house and took Jin Zhao with him to Thailand, where they struggled to make ends meet to the point that Jin Zhao needed to quit from high school and took up odd jobs instead, including establishing a self-independent garage and joining high-stake racings in the midnight to earn some cash for the family. FYI, Jin Qiang married another Chinese woman, Zhao Meijuan, at that time and bore a new daughter, Jin Xin (no doubt there will a lot of mouths to be fed).

Meanwhile, Jiang Mu stayed in China with her mom, Jiang Yinghan, at Nanjing. However, Jiang Yinghan soon found a new Canadian-Chinese boyfriend, Chris, and they decide to marry together and live in Canada from then on. Nevertheless, Jiang Mu didn’t agree on her mom’s remarriage and demanded to stay behind in China for she didn’t have a good impression on Chris. After having petty arguments back and forth, Jiang Yinghan finally agreed to let Jiang Mu stay at her father’s place and told her about the past of Jin Zhao as well. This piece of truth only fueled Jiang Mu’s personal desire to search for Jin Zhao and her hope to rekindle the old memories together.

After settling down in Thailand, Jiang Mu enrolls a language foundation course and a Thai high school too (though this is a heavy point stressed in the novel, it’s completely brushed aside in the drama since it’s going all out in the aspects of emotional tension and sexual interactions). Not only that, she also learns about Jin Zhao’s new life and finds that he’s beginning to look like a stranger in her eyes. To understand his world better, she also learns how to race since Jin Zhao always participates in illegal street racings. Soon, she falls in love with Jin Zhao and slowly peels away his thick fortress, ultimately gaining his heart. But an accident will occur in no time and the two are separated for a very long time, breaking each other’s heart while still yearning. Will they finally give in to their fates or fight against it to stage another fluffy love story?

To put it frankly, I do agree with most of the viewers that the plot is very cliché except the racing part. Firstly, the myriad numbers of tropes crammed into this drama is pretty outstanding, considering it only has 29 episodes. Nonblood-related siblings, spoiled girl x bad boy, accidental hugs, friends coming to disturb your peaceful moments of kissing, noble idiocy, ML decides what’s good for FL without asking for her consent. Those tropes have been utilized by other rom-com dramas and some even do better than this one. Honestly, if it hadn’t been for the electrifying chemistry of the main leads, most people would’ve dropped it long ago, and so do I.

However, I want to praise about how well the racing arc is done, especially Jin Qiang’s methods of how to adapt to tricky situations by relying on your neural instinct. The machinery of car is also explained in basic language so that viewers of non-physics background can grasp the foundation easily (one of them happens to be me, since I’m very awful in physics, but don’t get me wrong, I have deep fascination for mechanics and machinery stuffs).

Now, please welcome our high-and-mighty spoiled little queen Jiang Mu. Well, she does act like a spoiled 10-year-old little chick, as if she were a vexatious mosquito hovering around Jin Zhao’s orbit. No offence, but I’m also a picky eater and tend to pick out the vegetables that I dislike. However, there’s a little discrepancy between me and her. At least, I keep my tongue well shut while nitpicking the vegetables, unlike Jiang Mu, who keeps pouting and scowling interminably till I get irritated of her. Also, why does the designer love to dress Jiang Mu in conspicuous sexy clothing that apparently doesn’t fit her image as an ordinary high schooler at all? Even she only wears her uniform as a formality to conceal the black shirt and mini skirt beneath. And how does she know about cars just by having a single glance (the part where Xiao Yang and Tie Gongji are having a difficulty at)? And how does she manage to learn drifting after having seen Lin Sui performs it one time? And from when does she develop a feeling for Jin Zhao? I know it’s a taboo stuff for others when it comes to siblings falling for each other, but I think that’s fine for me. The thing that keeps troubling me is perhaps she had fallen for him since her childhood years and that feeling grows incessantly over years in the shape of the spoiled queen (don’t get me wrong, she initiates most of the intimate acts). Esther Yu’s acting and baby-ish voice don’t help much with Jiang Mu’s interpretation either. She’s trying hard to act like a toddler just because the script demands so, and she turns 180 degree into a mature woman in six years, but not that mature though. Check out the reason below after I finish blabbing about the ML.

For the ML, I actually and truly love him very much that I also want him to be my boyfriend. Welp, who doesn’t want to? He can race, cook, dry your hair, repair the water heater, exceptionally outstanding in physics, draw, fetch you back from school as if his time had been reserved just for you, and many other things I can’t think of anymore. But, the noble idiocy really irks some people and I really don’t know why because noble idiocy is a rudimentary key point during their separation arc or it would’ve been less fulfilling (for me). Also, Jin Zhao’s character is also shaped from the harsh reality of the world and how he can overcome the trials and vicissitudes of life. I think He Yu has shone brighter than ever and it’s his outbreak role after several mediocre performances. He totally rocks Jin Zhao’s portrayal and embodies his essential point quite well.

For this paragraph, this is going to be a hell of a ride, so please bear with me. The show does convey dangerous moral impacts about how to selflessly sacrifice your dignity for someone you’re not supposed to love and how unrequited love soon blooms into a bold yet dangerous possessiveness. This is shown when Jiang Mu confronts Wan Qing in an unfriendly manner and keeps thinking that she has an affair with Jin Zhao, when he actually never reciprocates her feelings. If Jiang Mu had initiated a more proper and clearer communication instead, things wouldn’t have gone awry and the girls would’ve made such good friends from the get go (I tried really hard to suppress my urge to yell at Jiang Mu, seriously). Not only that, the show also romanticizes taboo stuffs such as how you ogle for that person to be your emotional anchor when things go wrong or unlike your expectation. If the person-in-demand doesn’t give you the respond that you desire, you’re going to start throwing tantrums here and there, in order to attract his attention back to you (which is not worth your time at all). I even have to restrain myself not to take any lessons from this show so as not be deluded into an astray path, given that this show is directed for young teenage girls like me, who will be self-deluded in your little fantasy bubble and have a great rage when your reality turns out to say no to you.

Now, to the OSTs. Yes, I love most of the OST in “Speed and Love” especially the upbeat hip hop track sung by Yan An (not Pentagon’s member). I also like the sultry song by Alyce Zhou (R.E.D) and the wistful memory in Zhang Bichen’s track. The other tracks are as pleasant as well. Backgrounds and settings are thumbs-up for me, while the costume can be toned down a little bit for our dear Jiang Mu.

Will I rewatch? That will be a 50/50 answer. If you’re looking for hot sexual tension and dozens of intimate scenes, then you’ll have a great fun here. However, if you’re into a coherent storyline, I’m sorry to say that this show doesn’t fulfill this requirement. It’s time to end my review now (since I have to go to sleep now), good luck and happy watching!!!

Read More