First Impressions: Only for Love and Rising with the Wind

Note: I discussed both these shows at length in my latest podcast, Episode 5.

Ironically, I only decided to watch Only For Love due to a very negative review ranting against it. Seeing this post made me feel less like a crazy person because so many people were squeeing about this show in forums.

Because I hate to say this, but I was already bored at the 30-minute mark of this drama.

Show is pretty, but the story is one I have seen a million times over. Dylan Wang of the hitmaker Love Between Fairy and Devil, plays a very typical cold CEO and this doesn’t require much acting muscles. He isn’t terrible but he isn’t charismatic either. Interestingly, most fans criticise his voice (he isn’t dubbed here), which they think isn’t very authoritative enough for a CEO character.

But I can see why his fans would gravitate towards this – it’s a comfort watch of a popular trope – powerful CEO and ordinary girl. It is an “insert yourself in this role” drama. Great for new fans of Cdramas.

But for old hats like me who, especially do not like CEO romances? Torture 😂

If you want something meatier. Eeeh good luck.

I didn’t watch beyond episode one. None of the characters stand out for me, both leads are bland 🤷‍♀️

This was a drama where I wished a serial killer would disturb our couple just so we could add some excitement to the plain vanilla, old-fashioned plot 😂

Even the camerawork is unexciting and old-fashioned.

Its shortcomings become really apparent after I watched Rising with the Wind which is also about another male lead who is a corporate powerhouse, but the shots are dynamic and interesting.

It moves and feels different. The show even starts with a woman at the put of despair staring down a ledge. You are immediately intrigued, wondering what’s up.

The female lead is fiery and interesting. She is so uppity and flashy in the first few scenes you know that she is in for a rough ride in the future. The two actors seem much better actors too.

She’s manipulative, arrogant, and very ambitious. An alpha female.
Our male lead is less interesting for now – equally arrogant and manipulative. A typical financial shark in the business world.

“You are nobody with your father,” someone accuses her.
And indeed, what can she be without the prestige of a powerful businessman father?

You immediately realise that’s what the story will be about and I am actually curious enough to know more.

Now this is how you grab viewers from the first episode.