Drama Digest
A gripping love story in which the fates of numerous young people from various origins and charms become linked in unexpected twists and turns.
Yan Jin, a businessman and former anti-drug police officer, decides to look into a drug-trafficking case that resulted in the murder of a close friend. As an undercover officer, he infiltrates the group and meets Ji Xiao Ou. Zhan Yu, who has a one-sided infatuation with her, becomes envious. However, Zhan Yu was assassinated, and Yan Jin is the prime suspect. Yan Jin is all set to clear his name and investigate the death of his close friendship with the assistance of Ji Xiao Ou.
The Feel-Good Part
It was a brilliant method to present the narrative by showing the views of both Xiao Ou and Yan Jin so that viewers could piece the whole thing together. The direction and camera work/angles are excellent, flowing easily between scenes while also building suspense/drama. The scenery and props are also incredibly realistic, indicating that the producers spent a lot of money on making this drama. Each scene’s tone and emotions are enhanced by the soundtrack. The songs really help tug at your heartstrings and bring tears to your eyes. The actors had amazing chemistry and each one portrayed their scenes so well.
The Disappointing Factor
The thing about thrillers is that if the plot is not resolved within a certain period of time, the show becomes boring. That’s exactly what happened with this series. The pace of the show is quite slow and seeing as how it stretched over 40 episodes, it might be too much for many viewers. They could have easily wrapped up the story way earlier, instead, they continued to drag out the story. Towards the end, it may feel like the writers are going around in circles. A lot of the episodes will make you gnaw your teeth in irritation and that is not a nice feeling to have when you are watching something.
In-Depth Analysis
One must admit that “To Love” is a drama that has been meticulously crafted by a good director, and screenwriter with stunning cinematography. Despite its length, the manner in which the story is being told is something very rarely found in Chinese dramas. Overall, the show is really interesting to watch and packs the right punches at the right times. The actors have done a wonderful job in bringing out all the emotions in the story and truly breathing life into the production. It is truly quite lengthy for a thriller drama and I believe they would have done better if they divided the show into 2 seasons instead of resolving everything within the span of 40 episodes in a single season.
Star Power
We see the handsome Lin Geng Xin and Cass Gai as Yan Jin and Ji Xiao Ou respectively alongside the gorgeous Du Chun as Zhao Ting Hui. Lin Gengxin, often known as Kenny Lin in the film industry, is recognised for #1 box office smashes such as “Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon” (2013), “My Old Classmate” (2014), and “Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back” (2017). Both Cass Gai and Du Chun are also heavy weights in their own ways and all three of them have delivered blockbuster performances.
Overall Opinion
“To Love” or not to love is the question posed by this series. I would suggest you find out the answer for yourself!
