Speed and Love

Speed and Love don't mix

I'll start with...Speed and Love just don't mix. Once the action, pretty cars and dreamy Thai setting was gone so was most of my attention.

They had the tools and the cast to make a better story but the first half they focused on the action, rather than consistency with the plot. Then the 2nd half they did a 180* and focused solely on the lead's emotional journeys. As a viewer, I never recovered from the whiplash. I guess reading the novel would help here but the drama as a stand alone story was frustrating. My main beef being that it takes the whole show for Jin Zhao to learn how to respect and trust Jiang Mu enough to allow her into his life. He also has no problem asking their family and friends to lie to her face...for years! And they all agree to it. Both of her parents are terrible people as well. Her father ignored her for years, became a drunk, and really only took an interest in Jin Zhao's life. Her mother hid the fact that Jin Zhao had been trying to call her when they were children when they separated. And then hid her illness from her until the most inconvenient time to reveal it arose. I was unimpressed with how manipulative, needy and unrealistic Jiang Mu's character was in the beginning. But after Jin Zhao's accident she grew on me. Mostly because I felt bad for her. Almost everyone in her life lied to her and never took her seriously, including the man she loved. But bless her heart, she forgave every single one of them.

The side characters were interactive scenery at best. No one really gets their own separate story and I was fine with that. I really liked San Lai as a brother type for MuMu until he agreed to lie to her for Jin Zhao. I liked Lin Sui too. I want him to make me a drink out of his Ferrari 😂 then give me a ride. NaNa, Wan Qing , Feng Zi and the other racing people didn't get enough screen time for me to care about them. Both of MuMu's step parents and step sister were sweet though.

But at least where my mind wasn't pleased, my eyes were. The physical chemistry between Yu Shu Xin and He Yu was electric. Whenever they were in the same room it was fireworks and butterflies.

And as a car enthusiast I enjoyed that part of the first half. They did their research and most of what Jin Zhao, Lin Sui and Jin Qiang said wasn't complete nonsense.

The acting also wasn't bad. If you're not a fan of YSX's babyish characters she's pretty toned down here and did well in the emotional scenes. And for playing a man of few words, He Yu managed to make me tear up a few times. That intense stare of his gives me chills...in a good way.

Happy to be done. I highly doubt I would ever rewatch this but if I did I would stop at ep 19 for sure.

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When the sun and moon shine together

I literally have no words to express how much I loved this C-drama. Ever since it was announced, I was dying to see it. The story totally grabbed me before it even aired, and once I started watching, there was no turning back. It easily became one of the best dramas I’ve seen all year. The plot just pulls you in, and honestly, every single element—the characters, the romance, the OST, the cinematography—was perfectly crafted. I’m just so happy I got to experience this story day by day. I usually never watch Cdramas while they’re airing, but I just couldn't wait, lol! No regrets, even though I’m a little sad to say goodbye now.

I have to say, He Yu absolutely killed it in this drama. It’s my second time seeing him, the first was My Fated Boy, and even though he was super cute in that one, Jin Zhao is on a whole different level. And can we talk about how HOT he looks here?! I literally held my breath every time he was in his "bad boy racer" era. His soft era was nice, but the bad boy vibes? Simply superior. (//ω//) There’s so much depth to his characters. Even after everything he’s been through, he still kept his heart of gold. He’s so naturally kind and caring—honestly, the ultimate green flag. I just loved and will always love this man 4ever! ♥

As for Esther Yu, I’ve been a fan for a while. I know some people aren't into her style, but I really like her. Her character, Jiang Mu (Mu Mu), might seem a bit immature at first, but I loved her character development. We started off with a very innocent, unbothered, loving, and cute girlie, yet we ended with a mature, loving and subtle cute lady. Also, the outfits and styling deserve a full review of their own because they were beautiful! One thing I’ve always loved about this character is that she isn't your typical shy girl—she’s the complete opposite! I absolutely loved how she could keep up with Jin Zhao. I mean, from now on, whenever I hear the word 'Focus,' I’m always going to think of her, lol!

Which brings us to the chemistry... and wow, they really delivered. Their scenes left me speechless more than once. The amount of times I kicked my feet and giggled frantically because of these two is actually insane. AND THE KISSES?! I was obsessed with "hungry" Zhao Zhao. (〃ﾉωﾉ) The yearning and the way this man loves Mu Mu made me want to be loved like that, too (I mean, who wouldn't?). The way Jin Zhao’s intense, hot stares met Jiang Mu’s innocent gazes... honestly, I GASPED every single time.

I honestly have no complaints about the supporting cast! Even with their limited screen time, they delivered exactly what was needed to make this drama a total gem. I wasn't expecting to see Mike Angelo! It’s been a while since I’ve seen him, and I loved his character along with Sanlai Ge and the rest of the crew. The OST is beautiful, and the action scenes—the racing, the boxing—were incredible. This drama delivered exactly what it promised, and I’ll definitely be rewatching it. I’m also planning to read the novel because I heard it’s even better since the drama had to cut some things out.

Conclusion: I honestly wish I could erase my memory just to rewatch it all over again for the first time. I’d watch it forever if I could! This drama is 100% worth it, and I’d recommend it to anyone with my eyes closed. 10/10 ✧

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Drama of the year!

I've been waiting for this drama for a few months to come out and I'm glad that it didn't disappoint me.
The cast is amazing! Yu and Esther had such a great chemistry and the roles fit them really well! I also like the fact that He Yu chose his own outfits and used his driving and drifting skills for this drama, not a stunt double. Mike was noticeable for me as well and did a great job. OSTs were great too, especially the one at the end of every episode.
Overall, I loved every single episode and how the characters developed by time and there was so boring moment.
I already feel so empty after finishing this drama. I'll miss it so much.
Bye Zhao Zhao and Mu Mu!

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Sorry but good riddance

Maybe my review is overly harsh, but I was looking forward to this drama only to be super disappointed. Great acting, chemistry, aesthetic cinematography, and some angst/cute moments here and there but overall the writing and characters sucked.

Mumu is among the top, if not the top, of my list of most useless female leads. I’m not a fan of super cutesy types, but I tried to give the benefit of the doubt. But all she did was be cute. After going to Thailand to find her “brother” without any warning, I feel like she was just someone who was constantly spoiled and accommodated for. Her dad’s second wife and daughter were so kind to her, but I barely saw any moments where she would get close to them. They were all just coexisting but so close/courteous, it felt like a very convenient plot hole to skip over.

Everything else was ML taking care of her, doting on her despite his own worries, but also never telling her. She took a foundation language course, learned how to drive, but is all of a sudden super talented with drifting with just her dad’s verbal knowledge and one class to draw a heart. How she managed to survive and fund her cute clothes and everything else without a job (unless we count others conveniently paying or caring for her) I have no idea.

Everything else was cringey. I skimmed so much of the cliche plots, with the bad boy fighting and racing. The drama really dragged. They had finally started dating around ep 15, then we find more details on why ML is still doing dangerous activities despite not needing the money anymore. The communication was so one-sided or indirect, everything being hidden to “protect” her or “for her own good” was also annoying and dragged the conflict on even more. The mixed signals, lies, and push and pull were also annoying.

The FL was only less naive, useless, and cutesty post break up, but it was disappointing to see how a breakup and separation would really lead to her growing up. It was really all the little things in this drama. It totally makes sense for JZ’s doc to breaks patient confidentiality (unless that’s different in China) to tell her about his condition and give her his medical records. He wasn’t going to tell her about his pain otherwise. Again with the communication. Also it totally makes sense for her to help with his rehab.

15 ep to date, 5 ep of whatever they did dating and racecar and investigation bs, and the rest are post breakup/reunion/reconciliation bs. “Proper” communication probably happened around ep 25. The last few ep’s were more enjoyable. Then they added Wan Qing there (which didn’t make sense to me since it never showed what happened to her after the race and her dad’s toxic business). The pacing felt really slow then fast and all over the place. There’s still some loose ends and unanswered q’s… at least it’s a happy ending

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Weird premise and pretty cringy.

Where do I start….Okay I’m all for a good childhood sweetheart trope but these two literally grew up together. He took care of her as a baby (probably even changed a few diapers) so it’s pretty weird to me. It would’ve been better if the writers made it into a slow burn romance with him realizing later on that he loves her romantically. But noooo, this guy was yearning for her all these years (he even carries a keychain around stating that he’s yearning for her). It just doesn’t make sense.

Acting wise I think the ML is giving his all. He’s got the smolder down and it’s electrifying but Esther Yu - WHYYY. I know a lot of people think her baby voice and childlike expressions are cute but to me, it seems like she’s trying too hard to keep up with this facade. I think someone like Sun Zhenni or Lu Yu Xiao who are naturally cute would’ve been a better choice to cast.

I am on episode 16 and trying to hold on because of the ML and Mike Angelo (he’s fun to watch).

Also, why is the ML always so sweaty while everyone looks cool as a cucumber??

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great cinematography but the story falls a bit flat for me

I'll start this off by saying that I have not finished this show (very close to dropping as well..) but I do plan on getting through it since it was very recommended. I'll maybe updates this review when I've finished.

Overall, so far at least, I really enjoy the cinematography and it being set in Thailand for sure adds to the aesthetic elements. The scenes are pleasing to look at and they have this vibe that is pretty calming?? I'm not entirely sure how to describe it but it's easy to watch and you don't have to overthinking it much.

However what my main cons are with this show is how the romance between the FL and ML are almost overly romanticized at a point?? Like before they got together those moments were cute and had lots of tension but after it just became flat and repetitive. I suppose if you're really into those type of "hot" scenes then you'll really enjoy the show. But for me personally, these scenes get redundant and lack the emotional essence that cdramas usually have.

(01/04/2026 update)
So I finally finished the drama and will say it turned out better than I expected during my previous check in. One thing I didn't really like though was how everyone just pretty much FL in the dark during the 8 years they were apart?? Like not a single person around ML thought like hey maybe this isn't what FL wants.. Idk, I'm just generally not a fan of these "I'm not good enough for them/they deserve better" tropes when clearly like VERY clearly the FL is not the type of person to want to be left in the dark over something like this. Also wish they showed a bit more emotional depth in the resolution part cause it feels a bit rushed almost?? like they showed their moments apart and the sad moments + "explanations" but I feel like FL got over being lied to for a whole 8 years WAY too quickly. (Maybe it's just cuz I would've been a bit more salty if I was her..)

I do appreciate how MuMu has a more mature/grown vibe in the second half of the show. While I did enjoy her younger personality in the first half it did feel a bit awkward watching her in certain scenes... (just personally not my taste) so I'm glad they were able to show a bit more of a mature side of her (but I mean she also is a lot older so it's kinda expected).

Honestly though, I'm reading my old review and not much has changed. There were less eyecandy moments in the second half than I thought there'd be (and I'm also lowkey thankful for.. don't shoot me), but as soon as they got together again it also go boring again... like they're cute but it feels more like I'm third wheeling (and not in a good way if yk what I mean ;-;). I personally love emotionally heavy and deep stories so though this show was romantic, it was pretty surface level to me and lacked a lot of depth that I find interesting and resonating to watch. But then again, if this is your time of thing, I'm not here to judge you.

Also, right after the car accident, I feel like the plot started to get really confusing?? Though it felt more like an editing/post production error rather than the story itself (since I mean the story is pretty obvious and like you can expect what happens). But a lot of the clips felt really choppy and they'd have the "1 month later" clip but then it just made no sense?? Idk I feel like a lot of the scenes were jumbled there and I even had to rewatch them to make sure I wasn't missing anything so.. Ig if anyone can explain why MuMu was still in thailand after the 1 month later clip even though she said she was going to head back to visit her mom asap? and like did Jin Zhao just magically heal in the one month since I thought he was struggling to even stand properly, let alone meet up with her at some balcony cafe thing (I lowkey thought it was a dream at first too since it like showed a clip of him sleeping and it like zoomed out of his head so I was like oh maybe he was just dreaming about letting her go since she kept texting him even in canada but like if they "broke up" idk if girl would be doing that?? like cuz i swear it felt like she still saw them together but they stopped talking idk im so confused. But also like they give flashbacks to that moment so I'm pretty sure it's not a dream??) Anyways if anyone can explain that part to me that'd be great bc I was confused asf.

I know a lot of people aren't big fans of Esther Yu (some of yall drag her way too hard tho like chill out) and I can understand why her acting might not be everyone's taste but, especially with these types of characters, I really can't think of another actor that could give off the same essence that Esther did with MuMu. I will say though, when I first watched the teasers and trailers, I was hoping for more a mature ML/FL kinda dynamic but also not entirely surprised since it's an Esther drama. Would love to see her play more diverse characters though like her character in MJTY (?? I haven't watched it yet but apparently she's and assassin in there so I will fs have to binge it sometime soon).

Overall I'd give it a 6/10. if I was just rating the cinematography and vibes alone, it'd def be a 10, but a lot of the moments just lacked depth and the story wasn't all that interesting (and in fact quite cliche) for me to give it a higher rating. I did start watching the show in 2x speed towards the end and it was really funny so

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Raw & Edgy Meets Noble Idiocy; The Ability to Make A Choice is a Must for All.

I added this for HY having only seen him in a few costume dramas and wanting to see him in a different genre. I knew Esther but very few of the supporting cast especially the Thai folks. I remember when this thing was filming in Thailand and they had an earthquake but thankfully everyone was unharmed and production soon wrapped. It proved to be an interesting story and glad for the HE as well.

Pros: I'm proud of HY for this role. His story is raw and edgy in regards to the boxing, racing, and the undercover work for both. He really lived and breathe this character you could tell. It wasn't just about the romance, but it was about the story behind it, how his character had basically grew up suffering, because even though his adopted father and family fell apart soon And he had all those hardships in Thailand when they got there that he told the FL in the first or second episode, he chose not to repeat the cycle. He chose a more righteous path which was a lot harder to take and caused him to be hurt so often because he was involved with a lot of the stuff that was illegal. Granted he wasn't the only undercover dude they chose, but this story for him had a lot to do with evolution. He never had it easy until the end and being with the FL and coming to the realization that he did. Everything that happened to him after the crash and learning to walk again and going through that whole time where it was like he had a little bit of hope, and then it was taken from him again only in a different way. But he kept going. Also, very proud with how he dealt with PTSD and other psychological issues. It was very realistic.

The FL basically grows up in a rich and entitled household, where her mother spoils her with a big brother though obviously adopted and not buy blood so when she finds him again as a 19/20 year-old in Thailand, along with her biological father and new family they reconnect and she obviously has feelings for him that it takes him a while, but he does reciprocate. Unfortunately, their romance at that time only lasts a week before his big accident. She, however, is no slouch she does know how to stand up for herself for the most part. Their relationship after the fact, only happens because she reconnects with him due to the fact that They both returned to their city in China, and the whole story is basically about him being the sun, her being the moon because of their names. Their break is that of six years and in that time she gets to grow up and gets a job he gets to finish the education he never got to before and also gets a job, opens the café of their dreams that they talked about for her and she, because of her senior, and now that she works at the observatory finds the café and finds their supposedly lost dog.

I won't go into a whole lot of detail in the story because there's just a bunch of little nuances that people need to watch to understand, but that's the gist. All the characters were flawed, there was not a perfect character in sight and it made it even more realistic. This was a raw and edgy show and so were its characters. Comedy was on point and the chemistry was awesome. Especially after they get back together after the break toward the end, there was a scene or two where the screen was definitely smoking. Though I do have to say the stepmom of FL was a hell of a lot better than her actual mom though at the end her mom did get better come around and treat ML the way she should have when he was a kid. She made her amends in my eyes.

The other thing that I found interesting and very very rare was the fact of how closely the series followed the novel. I'm not a source material reader, but all novel readers when I inevitably asked for spoilers, literally went bit by bit by bit, and it was exactly like that in the series. So that was a huge plus as usually the series deviates heavily from the novel you don't even recognize the novel according to people, but here it really was on point. I felt that every character was necessary. I loved a lot of of those supporting cast like SL, Mike's character was comic relief with ML, Patrick's character, Nana, Crazy Jin or whatever his name was, even Snakey at the end was a good person and no longer a rival to FL. There were others I just don't remember who they were. Even the antagonists did a good job playing those roles.

Obviously location being Thailand, for the most part was beautiful and rich and great where it was, modern drama costumes and ML motorbike riding, OST's were on point. It was obvious everything else was done by professional racers or CGI and that was fine. My only question was was it really HY doing all those martial arts because it did not look like a stunt double to me.

Cons: I mentioned noble idiocy in the title and for sure, I had a problem with that. Though he didn't want to be a burden (post accident with the severity of his injuries) on her life given how young she was at the time and chose to separate himself from her and then cut contact so she could go to school, which she needed to do and what not and he could recover and he could heal, go through rehab and eventually also go to school, he still should've told her the truth. He could've waited a few years, but he should've never hid that from her or taken the ability to choose away from her. Even when they reconnected, it took her walking away and before that telling him well, "what if I had ended up with an abuser and a loser and someone who cheated on me, do you know that by cutting off contact you were also gambling with my future?" That was exactly what he needed to hear. He had essentially no right to take that choice away from her. She was not stupid back then and not only that, but they also lied about the dog saying that the dog was lost and had other friends not contact her. All these choices hurt her badly. Why not give her the dog? Why say he was lost? Even getting her own father, stepmom, and stepsister to lie. A lot of lies that shouldn't have been told and things that should've been done differently.

I don't understand why modern dramas have been cutting intimate scenes like kissing scenes and going straight into after the fact or just they start kissing and then fade to black and next scene? We're not talking about showing them doing the entire deed, but with this series, a lot of the editing was incredibly choppy, especially when it came to that part. Also, the ending was beyond rushed. That last episode shoved so much into it that no wonder they chose eloping sequence as opposed to the actual full wedding that was filmed and was caught by fan sites. They could've spaced it out so much better within those last few episodes but they shoved three episodes worth into one.

Would I recommend it? Yes I would because this drama was definitely different for most modern dramas you see nowadays. The rawness and the edginess of it with the boxing and racing, especially in the beginning how do you thinking fast and furious meets fight club with romance.

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2025 is ending with 1 of the best lovestory of the year and 1 of the best Modern Cdramas EVER!

I have been in a Cdrama/Kdrama slump lately and this drama took me out of this.
I have watched a lot of dramas and this is in my personal opinion one of the best electric, natural onscreen chemistry that I have ever seen in a drama between 2 leads. It is mostly my favorite part of the drama.
I remember watching this and thought that it felt unlike a lot of Modern cdramas I have watched lately and it is mostly because of the location since it was filmed mostly in Thailand. It is so beautiful and it gives nostalgic vibes.
I love this drama so much and I have so much to say about it but I just recently finished it but the words are not quite coming out clearly yet to express my love for this drama. I said a lot in the comments section though
I love the cinematography, the shooting location, I mourned the loss of their garage, I love the camaraderie between the other supporting actors in the drama....
Also I want the people who keep complaining about Esther every time she has a drama airing to please go watch something else. She portrayed a very young mumu and later an independent/confident moment years later like she was supposed to. I was really crying in her emotional scenes....Esther did an excellent job with her character for this drama and I dont see anyone playing this character better than her.
He yu He yu man....what a revelation. I remember seeing him from a short web drama from a few years ago so I am so glad that he got his big break with this drama. The way he portrayed Jin chao who was hopelessly crazy in love with mumu was a sight to behold....seriously what an actor....I was fully convinced while watching the drama.

I feel like I am all over the place with this review and this may not convince you to watch the drama but if you want to see one of the best love story ever created , an insane chemistry , lots of skinships and beautiful moments between the leads , a growth arc for the leads, a great supporting cast, beautiful shooting locations, top notched cinematography....please give this drama a chance.

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