Drama Review: Circle of Love

Circle of Love (锁爱三生)

Main Cast & Synopsis

The story is set in the Republican era of China. Xiao Hong Ye and Gu Meng were once lovers, but on their wedding night, Xiao Hong Ye betrays Gu Meng and destroys her family. Fueled by a desire for revenge, Gu Meng devises a plan to kill Xiao Hong Ye. However, during the attempted assassination, Gu Meng sustains injuries and loses her memories.

Now known as Rumeng, Gu Meng becomes the target of both Xiao Hong Ye and Zhou Jiao Jiao as she tries to escape from the Xiao residence.

The male lead, Xiao Hong Ye, is portrayed by Li Jiu Lin. He previously appeared in last year’s “Who Rules The World” as Feng Xie Yue, and has played a lead role as Yin Si Shen in “Decreed By Fate“. Xiao Hong Ye is known as the ruthless young governor of Luo City and is engaged to Zhou Jiao Jiao, Commander Zhou’s daughter. He wears a stern face and treats Gu Meng ruthlessly, chaining her feet together and forcing her to be at his beck and call. However, we see some humanity in him when his feelings get ruffled by Gu Meng.

The female lead, Gu Meng/Rumeng, is portrayed by Guan Chang. Guan Cheng starred as the female lead in this year’s “Green Plum” and was Princess Murong Wan Wan in “Unchained Love“. Gu Meng is the daughter of the Gu family, which was once the richest family in Luo City. After her family’s downfall, she spends two mysterious years planning to kill Xiao Hong Ye. However, on the night of the failed assassination attempt, she wakes up with no recollection of her past. Gu Meng is told that she is Rumeng, a maid who was punished for trying to seduce Xiao Hong Ye. However, “Rumeng” doesn’t believe it, as her fierce attitude remains the same, and her muscle memory still remembers her martial arts skills.

Yuan Zi Ming portrays Zhou Zi Chen, a new actor who has appeared in “Scent of Love” and “Green Plum“. Zhou Zi Chen is the son of Commander Zhou and the brother of Zhou Jiao Jiao. Serving as the drama’s second male lead, Zhou Zi Chen appears to have a gentle personality that contrasts with the male lead, Xiao Hong Ye.

Wu Luo Han is a fairly new actress who portrays the second female lead, Zhou Jiao Jiao. She is the spoiled daughter of Commander Zhou and the fiancée of Xiao Hong Ye. Her jealousy over Xiao Hong Ye’s attention to Gu Meng leads to several unlikely situations for Gu Meng. Despite her status as the commander’s daughter, Xiao Hong Ye does not plan to rely on her for power.

Character Breakdown

Xiao Residence

• He Gui Ling (何桂玲) as Mother Xiao
• Zhang Liang (张良) as Cheng Ming (Xiao Hong Ye’s right hand man)

Gu Family

• Liu Yuan (刘源) as Father Gu
• Hu Yun Yun (胡云昀) as Dong Er (Gu Meng’s personal maid)

Questions and Answers: Plot of Circle of Love

heavy spoilers ahead

Why did Xiao Hong Ye kill Gu Meng’s family?

It is said that Xiao Hong Ye’s parent’s death is due to the Gu family. Without any remorse, Xiao Hong Ye killed the Gu family on their wedding night, which resulted in their split.

Did Xiao Hong Ye love Gu Meng prior to the betrayal?

In the past, Gu Meng fell in love with Xiao Hong Ye first and using her feelings for him, he strung her along to exact his plan for revenge. Although it seems like the current Xiao Hong Ye now has feelings for Gu Meng, his filial piety conscious doesn’t agree with his heart.

Did Xiao Hong Ye really kill the Gu Family?

In episode 19, Dong Er revealed that she saw a man in a red bridegroom’s suit manually blow up the residence. However, at that same moment, Xiao Hong Ye and Cheng Ming were outside of the Gu residence. Xiao Hong Ye had told Cheng Ming to set a bomb in the Gu Family residence. Minutes before the bomb is to go off, Xiao Hong Ye changed his mind and told Cheng Ming to defuse the bomb. As they run back towards the residence in a haste, the Gu Family residence blows up.

When does Xiao Hong Ye and Gu Meng get together?

Xiao Hong Ye and Gu Meng finally decides to accept their feelings and stay with each other as a couple in episode 13. This episode of full of kisses and love between the two; however, Gu Meng still has not recovered the memories of her original identity, leading to their short lived happiness.

How does the drama, “Circle of Love,” end?

After shooting Xiao Hong Ye twice, Gu Meng says, “I can’t forgive myself for hating you so much and also loving you so much. I don’t know how I’m going to survive. Let’s put an end to love and hate in this life.” She proceeds to putting a bullet in her head.

2 years later during the war, Xiao Hong Ye meets Gu Meng in the battlefield and the two smile at each other with tears in their eyes.

What can I watch that’s similar to “Circle of Love”?

Last year’s Maid’s Revenge is a short web drama also set in the Republican era. Both plots feature a female lead seeking revenge as a maid. The male leads in both shows are young and ruthless governors, and both stories are filled with angst. However, the biggest difference lies in the male lead’s attitude towards the female lead. In “Maid’s Revenge,” Fang Tian Yi always loved Dong Tian Yao, and all his actions were driven by his desire to help her. In contrast, in “Circle of Love,” Xiao Hong Ye’s love transforms from hate to obsession, and he is willing to do anything to make Gu Meng stay with him.

Review: Circle of Love

“Forgive me for loving you with deception, but my love for you is real.”

★★★☆☆ 3.5/5

The Good

While loopholes are given in short form web dramas, “Circle of Love” impresses with its focus on plot and some character development despite its short 10-minute episodes. To keep it short, it avoids relying solely on romance and forced sugar. Instead, it portrays the gradual and complex love between Xiao Hong Ye and Gu Meng, even in the face of their toxic relationship. The acting from Li Jiu Lin and Guan Cheng is commendable. What I liked most about the female lead is that she doesn’t blindly fall in love, adding depth to her character.

The Bad

One negative aspect is the excessive use of angst in the story, which feels unnecessary and relies on an old trope. The series could have explored the characters’ complicated feelings resulting from their irreversible past and the mystery of the Gu family murder without resorting to heightened drama. Additionally, the reveal that Xiao Hong Ye isn’t the true murderer of the Gu Family didn’t feel necessary, as the show missed the opportunity to delve into the idea of Gu Meng discovering the true murderer and releasing her hatred for Xiao Hong Ye as a result.

The ending is also disappointing, as the deaths of all three characters would have been a more justified conclusion. Gu Meng’s need for revenge and her inability to forgive herself for loving Xiao Hong Ye would have provided sufficient motivation for their tragic end. This would have maintained the impact of the romance, unlike the alternative of the two main characters meeting each other two years later. Furthermore, considering the severity of their wounds, it would have been impossible for them to survive.

Conclusion

Despite its shortcomings, the plot of “Circle of Love” is well crafted for its production grade. While the maid and governor trope is cliché, the desire to witness the crumbling facade of the ruthless governor keeps viewers engaged. Gu Meng’s intelligent reasoning adds to the show’s appeal, but Xiao Hong Ye’s impulsive behavior and abusive treatment of Gu Meng make him less likable. His irrational decisions undermine the romance, as he prioritizes his desires without rational justification, in contrast to the sacrificial male lead in “Maid’s Revenge.” This angst-filled Republican-based web drama is watchable, but not recommended for those who prefer lighter content.

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