Intensely romantic
**Never-Ending Summer** is a deeply emotional romance that blends the longing of *Lighter and Princess* with the intensity of *The Dazzling*. The chemistry between Lu Xixiao and Zhou Wan was unforgettable, and every glance, silence and reunion carried so much emotion.Zhou Keyu made Lu Xixiao a memorable male lead—devoted, protective and vulnerable—while Bao Shang En delivered painfully realistic emotional scenes. The beautiful styling and shift from warm youthful tones to a more mature palette also reflected the characters’ growth.
This drama made me cry, stayed with me and has definitely earned a special place in my heart. Zhou Keyu is also quickly becoming one of my favourite male leads.
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Should be titled as "Never-Ending Sadness"
Come to the end of what could have been a better journey. Daniel Zhou and Bao Shang En are great actors and had enough chemistry, but not even that could save the plot which was simply not plotting. Whilst the drama did have a few saving graces, it was still a disappointment overall.On the surface this can look like a happy romance drama showcasing youth and coming of age. The title and poster portray it as a bright, happy go lucky drama. The OST is very light and charming. Episode 1 also starts out to be fun, bright and happy. But the drama *as a whole* is anything but that.
The main problem stems from the 2016 timeline (which takes up 90% of the drama) being full of misery, lies and misunderstandings for the leads. There is no break from it. Leading to the plot, there is very little of any plot existing either. The ENTIRE plotline is literally just both the lead's parents being emotionally and mentally abusive towards the ML/FL. Credit to the actress who played Zhou Wan's mother in particular, she managed fantastically to get the viewer to hate her with a passion.
There is nothing wrong with break up dramas where the leads reunite years later. This drama has been compared to Lighter & Princess and also The First Frost, but those dramas had much stronger plotlines as well as less of the consistent misery before the main break up. This drama does not do that - Zhou Wan and Lu Xixiao do not get much time to be happy together in the past timeline. The first 20 episodes mostly consists of back and forth between Zhou Wan, Lu Xixiao and their parents who blackmail or emotionally abuse them. There were a few moments in between that felt nice like when the leads along with the second leads went to the amusement park, and in the lead up to Ep 20 when Zhou Wan and Lu Xixiao ran away together to another part of the country. But that felt fleeting in comparison to the rest of the unnecessary, badly written sadness.
Whilst I did hugely appreciate Daniel Zhou and Bao Shang En, I did have some problem with getting invested and loving the characters themsleves in particular. Zhou Wan is indecisive for way too long. I understand she was young but she spends over 10 episodes emotionally hurting Lu Xixiao (we as the viewer know why, but he did not). She listens to her mother too many times and makes unnecessary sacrifices that work for no one. She seemed more likeable in the 2026 timeline being an assertive woman who held her own. We have to assume she went through great character development during the 10 year break up.
As for Lu Xixiao, he is convincing as a romantic, yearning die-for-you male lead, and thankfully there is very little of the drama where he seems angry against her for the break up. (Probably one of the more illogical things here was that he immediately associated himself with her again)
The second leads felt like they were written in as filler? They seemed cute at first in the High School/2016 arc. But later contributed nothing and their storyline was badly written. They only had a romantic moment near the end, but it was too late in the drama to care if you weren't invested in them in the first place.
The last episode, 29, was made to be as romantically beautiful as possible. I honestly loved that SHE PROPOSES TO HIM FIRST! 💍 It was such a surprise being totally unexpected, as it's usually always the male lead who proposes. This time it proved Zhou Wan was the green flag 💚 especially considering their past - she did not wait for him to propose or make any moves first. She knew what she wanted and went for it.
Overall a 6.5/10 because I still appreciated some scenes, the leads acting and chemistry, as well as the other cast. Could have had potential in another universe, could have been in the 7 or 8 range if it had better plot.
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Summer will never ends!
One of the best drama I've ever watched in 2026.Great actors and actresses!
I watched this twice and would love to watch it again! Great story line!
One of the greatest scene is when Lu xixiao looked after Zhou Wan when she was under depression. It really shows how true gentleman will act when he falls in love with someone.
Enjoy watching this drama guys 🫶
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Had potential
the high rating for this is misguided. the story fell short of the opening build up. The FML and ML had good chemistry the actors just had a bad script the pace is very slow and boring even though it's meant to be suspenseful and dramatic.Side characters are pointless to the plot. The romance is adorable but the betrayal seems like a pointless plot. her decite should have revolved around the truth behind her dad's situation which the ML later uncovers etc. It's lacking emotional dept that the story seemed to want to haveWas this review helpful to you?
I did enjoy their romance and thought they had great chemistry. Their romantic scenes were the highlight of the drama for me. Unfortunately, everything else felt way too slow. The drama dragged on so much that I found myself skipping a lot of scenes. Even after skipping so much, I could still easily understand what was happening, which says a lot about the pacing.
At times, I honestly felt like my time was being wasted. Even though the romance was enjoyable, it wasn't enough to make up for how slow and repetitive the story felt. It took me much longer than usual to finish because I kept getting bored.
Overall, I wouldn't personally recommend this drama. That doesn't mean it's bad—I'm sure many people who enjoy slow-burn, leisurely paced dramas will like it. But if you're someone like me who prefers a tighter, faster-moving story, this one probably isn't for you.
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This review may contain spoilers
Does the well-known formula well
Pros:- Acting, these two young actor/actresses did an amazing job, and I look forward to their future works.
- Cinematography with some great scenes. Giving you one of the best dance scenes in c-dramas.
- OST is amazing!
Cons:
- Classic story of poor FL and rich ML, disapproving family, so you won't find anything new here, plot-wise.
Overall, a very good watch if you're into this type of romance drama. You root for them to end up together so bad that it hurts.
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AMAZING!!!
I loved this!!!! The leads had amazing chemistry. She was strong and determined. He was vulnerable and just really likeable. I thought a few parts were a little bit silly and not well thought out, but it didn't spoil the story at all. All the characters were believable and played their role to perfection. Will definitely watch again :)Was this review helpful to you?
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An Absolute 10/10: Incredible Chemistry, Unforgettable Moments, and a Magical OST
I just finished Never-Ending Summer and I absolutely loved it! It’s such a beautiful, emotional drama. I loved following them when they were 18—seeing them fall in love, sharing their big dreams, and facing all the struggles and obstacles together before everything fell apart.Seeing them again as adults was so bittersweet at first. Zhou Wan looked like a successful, accomplished woman who has grown up and totally moved on from the past. On the other hand, Lu Xixiao became a famous painter, but you could feel that he is still broken inside by the past and her betrayal. Yet, he was still so ready to forgive her as long as she loves him..
The chemistry between the main leads is amazing, but Lu Xixiao completely stole my heart. I loved how he wears his emotions on his face and is just a total open book. He doesn't hide his feelings at all and makes you feel everything x100000. Episode 20 completely broke me—the scene where he keeps calling her phone until she finally answers, and the scene where he imagines her dancing with him... those moments are just unforgettable. This is my very first drama with Zhou KeYu, but it's definitely not my last!
Also, I have to mention the OST because it is pure magic. It is perfectly in sync with the vibes of the show and makes every single emotional and powerful scene hit so much harder. Highly recommend!
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This series is a pure emotional rollercoaster that caused me a complete emotional collapse. At first, it tempts you with a beautiful high school summer full of hope, only to throw you into the cold reality of adulthood, manipulation, and suppressed feelings. The music played a massive part in this—it fit every scene to perfection and was the main reason I experienced that emotional breakdown so intensely.The ultimate breaking point is Episode 20, where I cried my eyes out. Watching Zhou Wan tear pieces of her own soul apart, forcing herself to act like a monster and destroy the man she loves over the phone just to save him, was pure agony to watch. Meanwhile, Lu Xixiao on the other end of the line had a shattered heart, having no idea about the pressure she was under.
The dynamic in adulthood keeps you in crazy tension. Lu Xixiao’s tough act and his trap of making her move in were just cover-ups for his ego—he acted angry on the outside, but in reality, he couldn't live without her. Unraveling the puzzle around her father's factory and the schemes of his grandfather and stepbrother will keep you hooked until the very end.
Even though the drama stretches your nerves to the final minute, the ultimate resolution is deeply satisfying. The happy ending and Lu Xixiao’s transformation from a tough guy into a humble man make every single tear worth it.
Rating: 10/10 – Outstanding actors, a perfectly fitting soundtrack, incredible chemistry, and a story that gets deep under your skin. Highly recommended!
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its so good
like bro im obessed my new fav drama............ zappa al DM. jp cm dlShe married a clod ceo for revenge,tamed his 3 wilds kids and became the familys darlingShe married a clod ceo for revenge,tamed his 3 wilds kids and became the familys darlingShe married a clod ceo for revenge,tamed his 3 wilds kids and became the familys darlingShe married a clod ceo for revenge,tamed his 3 wilds kids and became the familys darlingShe married a clod ceo for revenge,tamed his 3 wilds kids and became the familys darlingShe married a clod ceo for revenge,tamed his 3 wilds kids andWas this review helpful to you?
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just perfection. a 10/10 from me
I genuinely have nothing bad to say about this drama. It perfectly portrayed the emotions of two teens and then their reunion in adulthood. I’ve been a fan of BaoBao for a while but I had no idea Keyu was this good. For everyone saying that their relationship is confusing because one day Xixiao hates Zhou Wan, the next they’re friends, then lovers - it’s absolutely normal, especially for their teen years. As for their adulthood, in the 10 years they weren’t together I think he never really hated her, he just missed her and was hurt because he didn’t know the reason she left. But after they cleared the misunderstandings their relationship truly flourished, so this drama is a 10/10 for me, already rewatching 🥰*edit
Okay so a hundred tiktoks and at least a thousand ost listens later I’m here again to express the feeling in my heart about this drama.
First of all the relationship between Zhou Wan and Lu Xixiao is more complicated than one may think, because if you put yourself in Zhou Wan’s shoes you’ll understand why she decided it’s better to leave Xixiao. She was only 18, just discovered that her boyfriend’s father has something to do with the bankruptcy of her dad’s company and even his death. She was also pressured by Xixiao’s grandpa to leave him, so in her mind the better choice was to hurt him by lying than to make him basically choose between her and his family. As for Xixiao I absolutely get his mood swings in 2026 lol😭 Like he tells her to never show up in front of him again or he’ll make her beg and cry, but then he’s the desperate one. All of his reactions were reasonable tho - from his pov Zhou Wan lied to him and hurt him without any explanation and then 10 years later she says nothing about it. Sh*t, I’d have mood swings too😅😅 Howeverrrrr our boy is so down bad he completely forgives her the moment he lays eyes on her again (even tho he appeared angry, I just know he was so relieved to see her again) .All I can say is their love story is very beautiful and they both overcome their own fears together.
ALSO I have to say the ost is absolutely amazing, this is one of the ost’s that make you feel like you’re levitating, crying on the inside, smiling - basically feeling every emotion haha😆
In conclusion I absolutely recommend this drama!!!
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Love isn't easy, isn't it? But it still beautiful, isn't it?
I'm craving romance and I'm curious about Zhou Keyu (I know him from the truth), and of course Baobao Bao Shangen. And it's unexpectedly worth it! KE YU I SEE YOU!!Story,
I expected a lot of general premises about modern idol drama. I know I will find a lot of misunderstanding. In an easy way, I expected common, but I got extraordinary! This misunderstanding is actually quite a lot yet surprisingly enjoyable. Thank you director, screenwriter, and the actors for bringing this beautiful story to life.
Acting,
OMG CHEMISTRY IS CHEMISTRY! This is the first time I saw Keyu and Baobao acting, how come I never decided to see them? Should I watch their other dramas?
Their acting actually complements each other. From the small gesture to happy or depressed scenes actually made me get a rollercoaster mood in the middle of the dawn. Sometimes crying, sometimes laughing without noise, or even punching my shark and sheep doll (because my shark got his new sheep friend now).
Even the backburner, second and third couple, and the other actors are soo good!
And Ke Chun! HEY I CAN SEE YOU BOSSY CEO!! Watching you in long drama is actually quite nervous, but GOD YOU SLAY THAT CHARACTER! At some point people keep calling you and that main couple are actually not acting at all.
Music,
I decided to put all of the songs to my playlist. Yeah, the soundtrack was really good!
Overall and Rewatch Value,
If you are craving for fluffy romance that makes you feel the softness of the clouds, the warmth of spring sunlight, or even the coldest pole, you can watch this.
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