This review may contain spoilers
Welcome to the New Era of C-Dramas 2026: Heroines Who Can Cook
This drama already deserves an "8/10A) Finally.
Finally, a heroine who actually knows how to cook.
Together with *Love Has Fireworks*, currently airing, that makes... "two"
Two.
Let me repeat that for the television historians in the back: "two modern C-drama heroines who can cook something other than instant noodles." Future scholars will probably identify this era as a major milestone in television history.
I've also noticed another trend recently, and this one is even more interesting: male leads are finally becoming... human beings.
B) Less "Prince Charming, certified to satisfy every teenage fantasy and personally approved by every grandmother as the ideal son-in-law," and more imperfect, believable men. After years of romances where the male lead often felt like an impossibly handsome golden retriever whose life's mission was to worship a heroine who could be equally incompetent and ungrateful
C) Really? Is this actually happening?
Here, the heroine even says "thank you."** (Granted, it takes until Episode 29, but let's not be greedy.) The writers are so daring that she even proposes to the hero herself and says "I love you"!!! about,...10 times!! We've gone from one extreme to the other.
At this rate, she'll probably end up proposing on behalf of half the heroines from the 2025-2026 dramas who never got around to it—either because they ran out of episodes, or because two extra lines of dialogue would have increased the actors' salary. Apparently, kisses are considered more efficient. This drama generously gives us both.
The male lead, meanwhile, is loyal, passionate... slightly obsessed... but also vulnerable. He gets scared. He isn't afraid to be emotionally fragile
D) Now, on a more serious note
The drama works almost entirely because of the chemistry between the two leads. Their relationship develops naturally, never feeling forced by the script. I believed in their love story from beginning to end. What especially stood out to me was the way the actor looks at the actress. His gaze feels the precise emotions reflecting his character.
They're surrounded by an impressive collection of ridiculously beautiful supporting actors, probably assembled as insurance in case the main couple failed to carry the show—which, fortunately, they never do.
The writing, however, is considerably less convincing.
The series introduces numerous compelling storylines—the mother, the brothers' relationship, the father and his sons, several family conflicts—but leaves them unresolved. Everything ultimately exists to serve the central romance.
And honestly...
that's exactly what I'm choosing to judge.
The soundtrack is fairly basic, perhaps even below expectations. The cinematography is soft, romantic, almost marshmallow-like, with beautiful scenery showcasing China, but without much artistic ambition.
This is especially disappointing considering that art is supposedly at the heart of the story.
The male lead actually has the perfect casting for an artist. He has that slightly unconventional, poetic presence. But the drama never explores it. Instead, it falls into the familiar office-drama routine, reducing painting to little more than a day job.
I wanted a genuinely obsessive artist. Someone a little reckless, someone consumed by creation. The ingredients were all there: overwhelming passion, emotional intensity... but everything remains strangely restrained, almost censored. As a result, the character loses much of what could have made him truly memorable.
Likewise, the artistic world itself never comes alive. We never really feel immersed in it. The paintings that supposedly represent a lifetime of devotion mostly end up serving as an elegant prop for the final marriage proposal.
Beautiful...
but ultimately decorative.
Yes, the drama is superficial but effective
When it comes to portraying first love, youthful mistakes, the courage it gets the emotional beats exactly right.
If I judge it purely as a romance drama , it's a 10/10. If I judge it as a complete drama, considering everything it set out to explore and how much of that it actually accomplished, it's a 4.5/10 . But emotionally, it captivates you.
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A Refreshing Youth Drama
Never-Ending Summer is about young romance between a rich, rebelious bad boy and a studious, and poor girl. Does this pairing ring a bell? It's not a new pairing, but it's definitely addictive to watch. I personally enjoyed watching this drama due to the complexity of the characters. While watching this drama, many people compared it to The First Frost, because the man is always chasing for the love of his life, while the woman is always running away due to personal, fair, reasons.Our female lead, Zhou Wan (Bao Shang En) is a very complex character, she may not be liked by many people, but I enjoyed navigating the layers of our heroine. I would say she is a morally grey character, because she sacrificed a lot for people she loves dearly. Doesn't matter what she does in her youth, as long as she could save the people she loves. Some would say she's selfish, mean, and a liar, I think otherwise. Zhou Wan is not inherently selfish, or mean. Yes, she is a liar, but she was forced to do so. Some say she could've just told the guy, however, from her perspective I think she would prefer to keep her issues to herself. She always handles these situations alone, because that's how she grew up. She was alone in a sense, she didn't want to hurt anyone and she thinks she's not the best person if the people she loves are hurt in the process. Her upbringing explains a lot of her behavior honestly. As an adult, I think she finally learned that it's okay to lean on others rather than holding it in, and that's character development in my books. I really enjoyed Bao Shang En's acting in this drama, very natural in my opinion, it felt like she embodied her character quite well.
On the opposite side, we have Lu Xi Xiao (Zhou Ke Yu) - your typical rich, yet rebellious male lead. I personally think LXX's personality stems from his broken family. Of course, other things comes in to play as well, but deep inside I don't think he's truly a rebellious guy. Other than having a weathly background, all he really wants is someone who loves him unconditionally and gives the attention he needs. That's where Zhou Wan comes in. The way LXX treats ZW is like she's the queen of his world. When he fell for her, he would always put her first and will never forget her. I think that's amazing, and genuine. He was heartbroken several times, yet continued to love Zhou Wan, because he knew she is not genuinely a bad person. I think this is where the anger stems from as they reunited as adults. Because he loved her with his whole heart, and knew what kind of person she is, he is angry that she couldn't just tell him the truth. As an adult though, LXX was childish AF, it was very annoying and cringe to watch. Zhou Ke Yu's acting as a rebeliious guy was a bit cringe I'm not gonna lie, maybe cause I've seen him on variety shows and can tell he's just acting, and not embodying the bad boy persona. Needless to say, his acting overall was decent as well. It was natural aside from the bad boy vibes he was trying to go for, his puppy eye love for Zhou Wan felt very genuine. I think this is my first ZKY drama, not sure if I've seen him in other dramas to compare but the impression was pretty good.
The music overall was good, the story was decent. It's quite sad honestly to watch in the beginning, but as adults it's all about revenge and reunion between the leads so the drama vibes did shift. I'm not going to lie, I skipped a lot of scenes in the last few episodes. lol I feel like I only watched this drama for the lead characters, no interest in the side characters at all.
If you enjoy rich, bad boy x poor, studious girl tropes definitely go ahead and watch it.
Never-Ending Summer touches upon some dark topics such as loss of loved ones, grieving, depression, abandonment, loneliness, etc. I feel like they touched the surface of some of these topics instead of going deep into it
If you must ask whether I recommend it, I can only say it did not give me the "Omg are you watching this drama?!" vibe when chatting with my friends. Like the only thing I cared about were the main leads, and that says a lot about the drama overall imo.
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Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ 9/10
I started Never Ending Summer purely because of Daniel. I first noticed him in Only for Love and immediately thought, this guy is going to do numbers—he’s tall, handsome, and has so much screen presence. The female lead also caught my attention after Youthful Glory, so I already had high expectations going in.
I’m happy to say this drama completely won me over.
This is such a heartwarming, touching love story. I absolutely love dramas where the male lead is completely down bad for the female lead, and this one delivered. Watching their relationship grow from their high school years into adulthood was beautiful, and I loved seeing how they supported and protected each other through every stage of life.
The high school storyline was one of my favorite parts. It built their relationship naturally and made every emotional moment later on hit even harder. The grandmother’s storyline was also incredibly touching, and I loved how everything tied together by the end.
The chemistry between the leads was excellent. Their romance felt genuine, the emotional moments landed, the kiss scenes were great, and I found myself rooting for them from beginning to end. The side characters also added a lot to the story, even if the second male lead was as annoying as ever.
Overall, this drama is warm, emotional, and full of heart. It isn’t as life-changing for me as dramas like Speed and Love, so I can’t quite give it a perfect score, but that’s more about my personal favorites than any major flaw in the drama itself.
Final Verdict:
A sweet, heartfelt romance with wonderful chemistry, lovable characters, and a beautifully developed relationship. If you’re looking for a comforting love story with a devoted male lead, I’d definitely recommend it.
⭐ 9/10 ❤️
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Summertime Sadness... in a good way :)
This got a lot of traction early on because of how "sad" it was. Yes, the setting is a bit sad in the beginning, but brightens up pretty quickly, and easily has become one of those nostalgic-vibe dramas. Especially because of the time skip from high school to adult. And all rainbows and unicorns is BORING imo. Never Ending Summer had a good balance of many emotions🔥I loved the story. The hardship the female faces was a lot more than usual, and although the male also has his problems, it's nothing compared to hers. The gradual development of their relationship from classmates to ILL DIE FOR YOU lovers was the highlight of the drama, with good side plot as well. The unromantic part of the story was not very appealing, and the way they sort of handle it until the last few episodes was a bit lacking, almost in a way where they meant to highlight the romance more. And their ups and downs of the relationship itself was also quite a rollercoaster so even that alone was enough of a story.
I. LOVE. ANGST. So we know already based on the synopsis, no spoiler, that they separate after that one summer. I was looking forward to the time slip the most, and it did NOT disappoint. I loved it. They did that part so👏🏻 so👏🏻 well. And then after that ended, it was sort of boring. But still, the breakup and reunion makes up for it. The ending also felt quite rushed. So for my preference story wise: reunion>high school>after they get together again at the end. I don't think it's the type of drama I'll constantly rewatch, but I'll remember it for a while.
Casting was perfect. They honestly look so good together, especially that HEIGHT DIFFERENCE. Their chemistry was off the charts, and it's just thanks to both of them equally, always looking so great with whomever they act with. This was actually the first drama of both actors I really liked. Hope to see them again soon!
Always sad when a good happy ending drama ends 😭 bye bye
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Truly The Never Ending Summer
From the OST to the beautiful cinematics, I have truly loved watching this drama. I didn’t read the novel, so my review is based off the novel; but the storyline is beautiful. Yes, there were some moments where I was angered or confused by, especially with the unecessary drama. But I can bypass all of that because of these main actors astonishing chemistry. The way they work so well together is incredible. I didn’t even realized I have seen the ML in other dramas until I had to search him up. This story will put you on an emotional rollercoaster, but if you are down to watch it, Id highly recommend. Some parts I was confused on why the ML was the one who had to court her after she left him. But the ending was not what I expected from her beautiful proposal. This has truly made my summer feel never ending!Was this review helpful to you?
DONT PROCRASTINATE AND JUST WATCH THIS
It is a slow burn, but when it burns, OH DAMN, IT'S EVERYTHING I don't even have words to describe how this series made me feel. It got me out of the Cdrama Slump after The First Frost. I never thought I would enjoy the chemistry between these two so much. Of course, there are plot holes, ofc some things don't make proper sense, but just let it go, especially if you have read the book, which I did halfway through the airing. I missed Lu Xi Xiao so much. At the end of the day, it's supposed to be about how love heals everything, so just let their childhood love heal something for you. I have to say, Zhou Wan in the last episode took my heart. I do swing for BAOBAO now, and I'm also falling deep down the rabbit hole for Zhou Keyu. This was a pleasure watching, ALSO HOW ARE BOTH ML AND FL SO FKING GORGEOUS AND CUTIES AND I LOVE THEIR SMILES <3 I have very rarely seen beautiful smiles on sculpted Chinese actors. These two can just win me over with their smiles tbh.Was this review helpful to you?
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"Even if the world sees you as a bad person, someone will still love you for who you are."
There are some dramas that are just so good in the most unexpected ways. Never-ending Summer is one of those dramas for me. On paper, it has all the tropes I hate, especially the “almost step-siblings” trope. However, despite having its frustrating moments, this drama has become my ultimate comfort watch, mainly the reason being Lu Xixiao.Lu Xi Xiao is easily one of my favourite male leads ever. He's an artist, a problem child, a rebellious teen, a clumsy lover, an adult who is not fully an adult, and most importantly, emotionally vulnerable(something romance male leads are scared to be).
He appears confident and nonchalant on the surface, and no one, except Zhou Wan, understood his insecurities, his fears, and loved him despite all his flaws. They become eachother's safe place, as she, too, had to put on a facade of maturity, and he is the only one she could be childish with.
• “I can't pretend anymore. I am only 18”. Lu Xixiao is the only person she can admit this to, and his reply to her confession of being tired of pretending is the reason she gets so scared when he gets harmed later in the show, infront of her, and eventually, leaves him.
• “I've never been really that interested in this world. I never had much hope for the future. Everything just felt kind of boring. But, now that, you’re with me, when I think about the future, I actually find it exciting. I never make promises, or talk about ‘forever’ with anyone, but this time, I really want to say this to you: Zhou Wan, lets spend every summer together from now on”. Despite getting abandoned by both his parents, LXX felt safe enough around ZW to propose something like this, as she healed him, yet she also abandons him, and tells him to forget her, but how could he— when she was the closest thing resembling to a family to him?
I love how ‘Never-ending Summer’ doesn't paint one character as a messiah, and the other as evil incarnate. Both LXX and ZW are flawed characters who hurt eachother, and I wouldn't say their relationship is healthy. It borders on codependency, but what could you expect from two grieving people who have been abandoned? Despite everything they've gone through, their bond is genuinely beautiful. You can tell they both love eachother. Their vacation arc, where they were free from their ‘family’, showed how perfect they're together when the adults in their life don't mess with them.
Talking about the adults in this drama, they're the most infuriating part. None of the adults are responsible, or mature, or rational in the slightest bit. It frustrated me a lot.
Another thing that was frustrating was the second male lead— Jiang Yan. His inferiority complex towards LXX is due to his parents(there are moments where I felt like the reason he still lingers around ZW after getting rejected is cause of he wants to have something LXX has). He resents LXX for getting everything that was supposed to be ‘his’, but that resentment is so misplaced. He crashes out on his mother (understandably so), and LXX, but he works for his father's company. He wants the approval of his father, and he resents the wrong person for not getting it.
Anyways, the casting is perfect. Whoever decided to cast ZKY and BSE in a drama together deserves a raise. Their chemistry is exceptional, and they fit the character so perfectly. ZKY really brought LXX to life. I think it'd be hard for me to watch other ZKY dramas without getting reminded of LXX. I wasn't a fan of BSE’s acting in G2G, but she's great here.
Another thing that I adore about this drama is the OST. Its comforting, and befitting of the show's overall aesthetic. I have them on repeat. Especially ‘When The Milky Way Falls’ by Zhou Ke Yu, and the Sunset Counter one (i am listening to it rn).
Overall, ‘Never-ending Summer’ is a comforting watch. It tackles a lot of heavy topics, like suicide, emotional abuse by family, abandonment issues with care(tho, there's a scene where the ml and fl help a suicidal person, and i hated every bit of it). The main characters with estranged families are relatable, and the romance between the leads feel genuine. The editing might seem a bit weird at times, but the aesthetic of this drama is so beautiful. Its one of those dramas that'd make you fall in love with summer.
^^Bonus(yeah there's more):
• “She actually just stepped out of time. She returned to earth’s most primitive components— atoms, molecules. In the future, she will slowly return to you in another form. When it rains heavily, or the wind blows hard in the future, she can be the big tree that shelters you from the wind and rain. When winter comes, she can also be the sweater that keeps you warm”. Lu Xixiao says this to Zhou Wan after her grandma dies, and its such a beautiful way to view death. Instead of saying something clichéd, he answers in a way that is so him. ZW's mother keeps saying Lu Xixiao is just like his father, but I think he's more like his mother— artistic, sensitive, loving, and obviously, miserable :(
If you decide to watch this drama after reading my long review(tbh this is more of a character analysis), I'd tell you to focus more on the characters, rather than the overall story. Its a very clichéd plot, but the characters make it unique. Also, LXX is adorable<3
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Teenage angst badly done
I dropped this half way through ep 19, can't take any more of this nonsense.It's basically a bunch of teenage pretentious posers playing tough guys, the adults not being any more mature than them. The romance is so cliche it's actually cringe.
The plot is almost non-existent, it just repeats the same situations:
His father alternatively decides to keep him in his room, then let him go, then ground him again, his changes of mind being of course left unexplained.
Bad kids kidnap the FL, ML goes to rescue her and gets beaten up. 10 eps later, what happens? Yes, same thing, same gang kidnap her again, ML goes to rescue her again and gets beaten and stabbed again. At no point does it occur to him to call the police before heading off to get beaten up.
The amount of incredibly irritating details is unbearable:
FL just does the compulsory screaming and crying scene before she decides to call an ambulance.
He wakes up in hospital after being stabbed in his chest. First thing he does is asking her to help him remove his respirator, she immediately complies without a second thought to the fact that this should be a doctor's decision. He actually states there is no need to call a doctor, he knows better.
FL is shouting at ML from behind some bushes. He cannot find her by simply following her voice like any other mammal in the planet, instead he runs around in all directions except the right one.
The ML as one facial expression: broody. So does the FL: dreamy.
To top it all, the ML hairdo is so puffed up it looks like a middle aged western woman.
This is teenage angst really badly done. In fact, it only needs a little push to make it into a parody of it.
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MY TOP 2026 C-DRAMA!!!
All the reviews have been talking about the story, the angst, the acting, yes, which all are amazinggg, but can we appreciate the OSTs!?!?!?! THEY HAVE ME HOOOKEED. Also, the cinematography is just fascinating, the scenes are so well put and honestly just beautiful. If I had to point smt out, it would be to see more of grandma's actual personality and not just her being sick, Yes, its important to her character but as someone who has raised her granddaughter alone after all her family's been through, I believe we can see her point of view of the trauma as well. Right now, it just seems she is bringing her granddaughter down. WDYM she left her college entrance exam for you and you did not even say anything to show remorse?Other than that, LOVEEE THE CAST, THE ACTING, AND HOLLLYYYYYY THE ANGSTTT!
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Review based on Episodes 1–12 episodes
**Never Ending Summer** starts with a premise that promises far more than it is ultimately willing to explore.For a brief moment, a confrontation between mother and daughter makes it seem as if the series is about to leave behind its conventional coming-of-age romance and evolve into a revenge thriller built around abandonment, resentment, and emotional manipulation. Unfortunately, that never happens.
Instead, the drama retreats to the safest possible route. The family conflict becomes nothing more than fuel for the romance, while the story repeatedly falls back on misunderstandings, emotional blackmail, repetitive relationship drama, and conflicts that could be solved if the characters simply had an honest conversation.
The biggest disappointment isn't the romance itself. It's the wasted potential. Every time the series finds a genuinely compelling conflict, it immediately steps back and returns to the familiar cycle of "together, apart, together again." As a result, nothing ever feels truly irreversible, and the emotional stakes gradually disappear.
The mother-daughter storyline had the potential to become the heart of the drama, but it ends up functioning as little more than another obstacle for the main couple. That decision makes the entire narrative feel surprisingly predictable despite having all the ingredients for something much more psychologically engaging.
In the end, **Never Ending Summer** feels less like a character-driven drama and more like a classic melodrama dressed up as a modern youth romance. There is certainly an audience for this kind of storytelling, but if you're expecting the series to fully embrace the darker emotional implications of its own premise, you'll probably come away feeling that its greatest strength was also its greatest missed opportunity.
Background entertainment. Perfect to leave on while doing housework.
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A burning love
This drama was a total rollercoaster making me cry, laugh, pained and confused. I started with no expectations but finally finished watching with a full heart.The romance was intense, burning and passionate. Every stare, convo, quarrel between Zhou wan and Lu Xixiao was so good. Their chemistry is no joke. Zhou Keyu and Bao shang en did a very great job. Kudos to them.
If you are comtemplating to watch, please give it a try. You might like it.
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Bank
hai hai ggggggg bheja hai meri ID Chali nahi aa raha tha aur ek baar bhi nahi hai didi ke liye hai didi ke liye hai didi ke liye hai didi ke liye hai didi ke liye hai didi ke liye hai didi ke liye hai didi ke liye hai didi ke liye hai didi ke liye hai didi ke liye hai didi ke liye hai didi ke liye hai didi ke liye hai didi ke liye hai didi ke liye hai didi ke liye hai didi ke liye hai didi ke liye hai didi ke liye hai didi ke liye hai didi ke liye hai didi ke liye hai didi ke liye hai didi ke liye hai aur ek nahin hai didi ke liye hai didi ke liye hai didi ke baad bhi nahi hai didi ke liye hai didi keWas this review helpful to you?
