First Impressions: Love The Way You Are (爱情应该有的样子) | Chinese Drama

Love The Way You Are (爱情应该有的样子)

Synopsis

Love The Way You Are (爱情应该有的样子 / Ai Qing Ying Gai You De Yang Zi) is a 2022 Chinese romantic drama that is part of iQiyi’s Sweet On (恋恋剧场) 2022 series. The show is a Chinese adaptation of the popular South Korean JTBC 2018 romance drama, Something in the Rain, which starred Son Ye Jin and Jung Hae In. If you enjoyed Something in the Rain, you might want to consider watching Love The Way You Are.

Love The Way You Are is about Yin Yi Ke, a marketing employee at SC’s beauty company. Yin Yi Ke is in a four-year long-distance relationship with Li Ze Lin, who doesn’t support her career decisions. As a woman in her 30s, Yi Ke is pressured to give up her career aspirations and get married. During this shift in Yin Yi Ke’s life, Xu Guang Xi, her stepbrother, returns from abroad. Through supporting each other, their feelings blossom. 

First Impressions

impressions on episodes 1 – 12

Characters

Angelababy from A Murderous Affair in Horizon Tower (2020) plays Yin Yi Ke, a beautiful woman in her 30s. She lives with her father, stepmother, and younger brother, Yin Yi Bo. Yi Ke is a woman who can stand up for herself in her company. She’s responsible, can quickly develop solutions, and is respected by her team. Being in a relationship with her lawyer boyfriend, Li Ze Lin (Qiao Zhen Yu), and recognized as a leader in her department, Yin Yi Ke’s life seems to go well. However, a lack of communication and support between Li Ze Lin and Yin Yi Ke makes Yi Ke question their relationship. Meanwhile, jealousy from Jiang Wan (He Mei Xuan) ignites trouble within the marketing department. 

While Angelababy isn’t the most outstanding actress, I think she has come a long way since I’ve seen her in First Time (2012) and General and I (2017). She made it easy to root for Yin Yi Ke and made me want to see her succeed in finding her happiness as she maneuvered her way through her daily challenges. 

Lai Guan Lin from A Little Thing Called First Love (2019) portrays Xu Guang Xi, a game animator that won several awards abroad. Guang Xi’s old classmate Chen Mu Sen (Guan Zi Jing) introduces him to the gaming company he works for, located in the same building as SC. Not only is Yin Yi Ke his childhood confidant, but Xu Guang Xi’s mother remarried Yi Ke’s father when they were young, making Yin Yi Ke his stepsister. Although they have a six-year age gap, Xu Guang Xi’s maturity, support, and confidence to pursue Yin Yi Ke make her heart flutter. 

This is my first time seeing Lai Guan Lin act, and I have to say, I’m enamored by the dimples. Lai Guan Lin has the perfect demeanor for a younger man who falls in love with an older woman. He has a sweet innocent boy look that can act playfully as the younger brother. At the same time seeing Xu Guang Xi mature, supportive, and flirty can easily make one’s heart patter as it does to Yin Yi Ke.

Other Characters

Several characters in the show add fun and lighthearted elements to the show. The following four characters are possible side couples in the show. Tian Yi Tong plays Qin Yi Ran; she is Yin Yi Ke’s friend and coworker who has a bold and independent personality. Qin Yi Ran gets off to a bad start with Chan Ye (Zhang Tao), who is the boss/dad of the animation company. Chan Ye’s demeanor and style are similar to an older man, thus making Qin Yi Ran assume he is older than his actual age. Though the two bicker every time they meet, there seems to be a spark between them that draws the two together. This couple is probably one of my favorite pairs to watch so far. It’s interesting to see Zhang Tao dress down to make him look older and less like a CEO, like how I last saw him in Lucky With You (2021). Though Chan Ye seems timid and unsure most of the time, he’s quite assertive when he wants something, an attractive point for Qin Yi Ran. 

Yin Yi Bo (Liu Yi Tong) and Xia Xiao Man (Ling Mei Shi) are the next possible couple. Yin Yi Bo is Yin Yi Ke’s younger brother who still lives at home. While he is supposed to be studying, Yin Yi Bo is a secret streamer. Xia Xiao Man is a beauty streamer who gets a groundless tip-off about a popular celebrity and Yin Yi Ke during the spokesperson shoot. Xiao Man decides to push the rumors to the public, causing Yin Yi Bo and Xiao Man to get off to a bad start. However, finding out about Yin Yi Bo’s secret gig as a streamer, the two decide to rely on each other. Xia Xiao Man’s personality is a bit immature, but I see the potential of these two becoming a cute side couple. 

Like Chen Mu Sen, the other coworkers in the beauty and video game company add fun, friendliness, and warmth whenever they’re on screen. Apart from the supporting coworkers, there are rivals within the marketing department and others who pose a threat to Yin Yike. This may add a dash of workplace drama throughout the show. Yin Yi Ke’s father is overbearing, which will probably cause trouble later. As he likes Li Ze Lin and Yin Yi Ke has yet to tell her father about their breakup, misunderstanding and future arguments are brewing. Meanwhile, her stepmother, Xu Guang Xi’s mother, is caring and sweet towards all three children.

Overall Impressions

I have a really good first impression of the first twelve episodes of Love The Way You Are (爱情应该有的样子 / Ai Qing Ying Gai You De Yang Zi). While I haven’t seen Something in the Rain, this does make me want to pick up the Korean drama. I typically enjoy slow-burn romance, and while this isn’t slow-burn, it brings in this soft and subtle love that makes me heartwarming to watch – reminding me of slow-burn romance. The following are the highlights of the show so far:

1. Romance is well done and doesn’t feel forceful. Xu Guang Xi doesn’t push his love onto Yin Yi Ke. Instead, he treads slowly but confidently to show his love for Yi Ke and make her realize her feelings. Guang Xi supports Yin Yi Ke in choosing her job and what would make her happy. It’s the start of a healthy relationship between the two, as they have yet to let any minor challenge stop them from being together. 
2. There’s a good balance between lighthearted and mature. The drama brings in more serious topics like women in their 30s, workplace harassment (sexual and/or bullying), struggles within the workplace, struggles within a relationship, and familial problems. But it has not felt too heavy because it gets balanced with lighthearted scenes between the leads and the supporting cast. 

I am concerned about their familial relationship on top of the romance story. I find it a bit confusing how it will work within their family dynamics. I understand that they have no blood relations between the siblings. However, is this seen as normal in Chinese culture? Is Xu Guang Xi really Jin Lan’s son, or is he adopted? Will the parents divorce? Did I lose myself somewhere in the translation? Apart from that, there aren’t many deep underlying themes to ponder thus far. I am curious how the rest of the show will unfold as many viewers of Something in the Rain have pointed out similarities. This concludes my review of the first twelve episodes of Love The Way You Are (爱情应该有的样子 / Ai Qing Ying Gai You De Yang Zi). If the drama continues to make my heart flutter, I’ll be back for a final review. 

If you have started Love The Way You Are, do share your initial opinions with me!

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