When you get the opportunity to meet your first love again after almost 10 years, would you let fate take its natural course, or would you take any risk to make things happen? In some cases, both decisions are needed because even when fate is strong, life needs a little extra help to make its wonders. Starring Wei Zhe Ming and Zheng He Hui Zi, “You Are My Fateful Love” depicts this very question in a modern story where destiny and love work extra hard to bring together two sincere, though timid, hearts. Here are some reasons why you shouldn’t miss this C-drama!
Warning: spoilers ahead.
1. The relatable characters and personalities
As a promising web novelist, Ruan Yu (Zheng He Hui Zi) has gained popularity for her engaging love stories, despite not having that much experience in romance herself. However, when accusations of plagiarism against her arise, she faces the greatest crisis of her career. Determined to save her reputation, she hires an expert law firm to help her prove her innocence. What she never expects, though, is to discover that one of her lawyers is none other than Xu Huai Song (Wei Zhe Ming), her old high school crush and the man who inspired her latest hit novel.
Xu Huai Song remains exactly as she remembers him: quiet, mature, and nonchalant. However, Ruan Yu never got the chance to know Huai Song’s true personality, which, in reality, is easygoing, cheeky, and even a little mischievous. He’s the complete opposite of the person she thought she knew. The duality of this character makes him stand out among other male leads, breaking away from the classic perfect image of Prince Charming. He has his flaws and even a goofy side, which makes him more humane and relatable.
On the other hand, Ruan Yu might appear at first like a hopeless romantic. But that can’t be further from the truth. She is very down-to-earth, sensible, and kindhearted. Her profession as a novelist doesn’t mean she is naive or a pushover, even when she can be a little clueless sometimes. This leading lady is strong but in a subtle and natural way. And that same personality is the one that will allow her to find her own happiness.
2. The funny dynamic between the leads
When Ruan Yu thought about rewriting the story of her high school years in her novel, but this time with Xu Huai Song having a secret crush on her, she could never have imagined how close to the truth she was. In fact, Huai Song had already fallen for her first. However, due to family circumstances, he never got the chance to confess his feelings. After 10 years apart, he is determined not to let go of the opportunity to win her heart once he discovers she was also in love with him.
That’s where the chaos begins. Unable to be completely upfront about his old antics as a teenager and reveal his true personality, Xu Huai Song has no other choice but to keep appearing to be a cold and indifferent man who is now a top-tier lawyer. Funnily enough, Ruan Yu also ends up keeping up appearances, which makes it impossible for them to realize how compatible and similar they are.
But, as they spend more time together while working on Ryan Yu’s case, they open up to each other, going from estranged classmates to real friends, letting go of their reservations and apprehension to show their true selves. And, though Ruan Yu gets constantly confused by his contradictory actions, she can see past the mask he is wearing, inadvertently opening up her heart once again to this new version of him.
3. The chaotic and endearing friendships
Contrary to other dramas where the secondary characters tend to be a little boring or plain, in this show, the friendships are one of the best elements of the story. Liu Mao (Li Jun Xian) isn’t only Huai Song’s work partner, but also his most loyal friend, a certified cupid, and one of the funniest characters in this show. Once he learns about the past between his friend and Ruan Yu, Liu Mao does everything in his power to help his friend. Even if he himself doesn’t have the best of luck in the love department, this man with a heart of gold is Huai Song’s ultimate supporter, making you fall in love with his chaotic yet endearing character.
But Huai Song isn’t the only one with good friends. Ruan Yu’s bestie and editor, Shen Ming Ying (Chen Hao Lan), is the successful career type that any woman dreams of being. She is determined to help Ruan Yu succeed in her career, and she isn’t afraid to fight whoever tries to sabotage her. Despite her own personal life falling apart after discovering her long-time boyfriend is cheating on her, she pulls herself together and decides to move forward. Her driven personality and passionate work ethic are exactly what Ruan Yu needs, both as a friend and as a co-worker. And somehow, she even finds an honest love in none other than Liu Mao.
4. The sweet second chance romance
This drama starts with the nostalgia and melancholy of knowing that some loves might never be. But the characters finding their way back to each other despite time and distance is what makes this story really special. Throughout the episodes, you can witness how their points of view tell two different stories, with their mutual love as the common thread. They might have missed each other during their teenage years, but life gives them the greatest and rarest gifts of all: a second chance.
It might have a lot of cliches, but they still work for a reason. Once they get together, every moment drips with sweetness and enchantment. In that sense, Wei Zhe Ming knows how to become the perfect partner in a romantic drama, and this time Zheng He Hui Zi complements him perfectly with her beautiful charm. If you are looking for a drama that gives a classic romance with some slow-burn, but with the certainty that the couple is already on the path to their happily ever after, then this is the one for you!
Watch “You Are My Fateful Love” here:
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Andy zar is an avid drama watcher, from K-dramas to C-dramas, she believes any weekend is a good weekend to enjoy 12 hours of binge-watching dramas. She loves romance, web comics, and K-pop. Find her on Instagram @wuaitboni.
Currently watching: “Filing for Love,” “You Are My Fateful Love,” and “The Wonderfools.”
Plans to watch: “A Splendid Match” and “Reborn Rookie“