The Oath of Love (2022)

ADULT, REAL, WARM LOVE STORY IN A REAL WORLD

For me, this is the best drama of 2022 and 2023 hands down. It's not only a love story, there's a whole world around it.
Adult realistic world, with flaws, good and bad, happiness and sorrow.
A story about everyday life, about family, friends, neighbors. The story is very fluent, the relationships have ups and downs but their development is very natural. The main leads, Yang Zi as Lin Zhi Xiao and Xiao Zhan as Gu Wei have amazing on-screen and off-screen chemistry.
One of the important topics of the drama is the age gap between the leads ( 10 years in the drama, 6 in the novel) but in my opinion the perfect word to describe The Oath of Love is communication.
Working in the medical field is not easy and we can see it in the characters of Gu Wei and Gao Xi, similar but with different point of views. An important element is growth and dealing with parents, and in cases with mortal deseases. Age gap, personality difference, insecurities are well highlighted.Being able to compromise and understand each other, is how a couple can develop true love.
It's slow burn romance but not that slow, and the topic of healing is well developed. The relationship between the leads is cute but not cliché. They complete each other, he is mature and has calm personality, but with a gentle and warm heart inside. Lin Zhixiao has a bright and positive energy. They totally match.
Another special thing of the drama are the OSTs.
- "The Oath of Love (余生，请多指教)), opening theme song by Xiao Zhan and Yang Zi shows the perfect combination of their voices
- "Somebody Liking Someone "（一个人喜欢一个人） by Yang Zi is the first ending
- "The Luckiest Fortune" (最幸福的幸运） by Xiao Zhan is the second ending

I really recommend this drama to everyone wants an adult, real and warm love story.
LAO LIIIIIIIIN ç_ç

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DEFINITELY worth the wait and a must watch!

This series definitely started my 2022 right. I didn't expect to binge-watch all available episodes in one go, but here we are, at five in the morning, writing a review because this series has left me feeling all giddy and fuzzy all over.

While the series feels light-hearted, there are a lot of serious topics that it takes on; what makes it perfect, for me, is how the execution was done- how it is relatable and understandable. It also helps that the chemistry between the main leads is totally electrifying.

To add, I also appreciate how the show was able to decently portray how relationships undergo different kinds of hurdles through all stages, especially at the beginning, such as; age gap, personality differences, insecurities, etc. Being able to compromise and understand each other, is how a couple would be able to thrive; and I'm glad that in this series, they showed both Gu Wei and LZX growing and withstanding the trials that they faced. They're not perfect characters and that was clearly shown in the series, but how they handled and grew because of unforeseen and unfortunate events, made me appreciate and love this series so much.

In this series, expect to appreciate life more. You'll definitely laugh, cry, and feel giddy all over.

The Oath of Love is without a single doubt, worth the wait. Xiao Zhan and Yang Zi gave so much life to their characters that you won't be able to stop rooting for them.

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On the bench

I’m a huge fan of XZ and I love the ML and FL interaction (IRL). I was looking forward to OOL for 2 years+ but I’m mildly disappointed with the series. The only saving grace of the show is the good looking cast, particularly XZ. Im so conflicted because I love XZ but I hateeee Gu Wei’s character. He’s so bloody controlling and annoying to the point i had to fast forward more than half the time. LXZ’s character has so much potential to be something epic but again, character development was very poor - the character doesn’t give YZ justice honestly. Why does she has to be a docile, weak, timid yes girl? I raged at the scene where she was ridiculed by the other female doctor during a formal dinner event and she just apologized and walk off? REALLY?!! I wish they do more justice to both leads. I was expecting at least an arc/ some sort of climax towards the end but yeah, nothing. End of my rant. Tq

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Where do I start with this?! It was worth the wait. It’s been a pleasure to meet Lin Zhi Xiao and Gu Wei. My heart has grown for knowing them.

I normally rattle endlessly to describe dramas, but I’ll attempt keeping this as simple as possible because this story, too, is simply a love story. The English title they chose is so befitting. The meaning behind taking the oath of love with someone and persevering through life’s ups and downs … there’s no gimmick. No plot twist, no mystery, no unexpected. It’s truly just a story about love. If you're into stories driven by actionable plot, this may not be for you, and that's okay! The story is very everyday, very ordinary, very slice of life, but it brings so much joy with each moment we spend with Lin Zhi Xiao and Gu Wei.

I’m not going to lie that it was a slow burn for me. It took me a few episodes to really get it, just like gradually falling in love. I fell a little harder with each episode. When all the pieces clicked, I was hooked, and now I’ll never be the same person because I’ll always be missing this couple. Every episode outdid itself. I couldn’t believe there was more room to love this drama up until the very last ending sequence.

The chemistry is top tier. Yang Zi and Xiao Zhan put so much heart into bringing Lin Zhi Xiao and Gu Wei to life as naturally as possible. The subtle actions and micro expressions are insane! For the first time, I felt like a Chinese drama (known for extending episodes for viewership) was far too short. I need more time with them! Like, the rest of my life!

And this OST. THIS OST?! Every song will play at my wedding, judge me all you want. Every song is a love letter from the characters' perspectives, and it's just so beautiful c':

No production is without flaws. This one was in the supporting characters and their lack of presence. But listen….. for the love that I have for Xiao Xiao and Dr. Gu? I didn’t mind that the supporting characters lacked some development in favor of more time with the leads. As much as I love characters who stand on their own, this is just not enough to budge my rating. I love the leads that much. So grateful to have seen this. <3

Who’s starting the petition to cast Yang Zi and Xiao Zhan in another drama ASAP, and where do I sign my life for it? Help a girl out.

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Worth the all the hype

First of all, I must caveat this review by stating that I watched the original (web) version and not the TV version so my thoughts about the airing schedule at the end may be irrelevant to some.

Despite having to wait an extra half a year to begin watching TOOL, my anticipation for this drama did not wane at all and having now finished it, the drama was well worth the hype. Yang Zi ("YZ") and Xiao Zhan ("XZ") have historically done a beautiful job in their previous dramas and this was no exception. As someone that typically watches dramas at 1.5x to 2x speed and in one go after all the episodes are released, this was one of the few dramas I found myself actually savoring each episode and watching at normal speed in real-time with the airing schedule (at least for the Tencent app).

Music - any soundtrack with YZ and XZ is amazing , this one doubly so because they both had solos and a duet together. The other songs were great too; though only the main theme (their duet) is on Spotify, I found myself searching for the other songs on Youtube to listen to. Even the instrumentals were amazing; the orchestral scenes were well filmed and seemed realistic (other than Lin Zhi Xiao's ("LZX") individual scenes - from what I understand YZ tried to learn the basics of the cello, but it's not exactly an instrument you can pick up in a couple of months). On a scale of how much I loved the soundtrack, I would buy a physical CD if I could.

Acting - YZ and ZX had amazing microexpressions throughout the series. I loved how you could see them fighting to hold back tears or hiding smiles in certain scenes. The actors made me laugh and cry with them because I felt like I too was their friend witnessing their story. The supporting cast were also great - though I didn't like the side couples as much (especially Gu Xiao and San San - they were both a bit annoying together), I loved how supportive their friends were. You could also feel the love the parents had for LZX from their acting.

Plot - Overall, the plot felt realistic for a modern drama. Nothing was too cheesy (maybe some of the medical diagnosis, but I'm not a doctor and most of it seemed like it was within the realm of possibility). The love story between Gu Wei ("GW") and LZX was at a moderate pace: not rushed, but also not so slow that the whole drama was about them falling in love. Even in their misunderstandings, they came from very real human emotions of not wanting to be too vulnerable in front of the person you love, especially in the early stages (in terms of length of time) you're dating. Both YZ and SZ did an amazing job of showing their characters' growth from the beginning of the drama until the end. In addition, while the overall plot was about romantic love, there was also plenty of familial and friendship love - LZX's friends may not always have the best advice, but you can tell that they truly care about her as a friend. Even GW's coworkers/ friends (including Dr. Yan who was anti-GW at the beginning of the film) was supportive of him as a doctor. The familial relationships were also realistic - from Teacher Lin pushing LZX to be better to the support Mrs. Lin shows to LZX to how the parents treat their daughter's boyfriend (in terms of wanting the best for their daughter but also respecting her choices) to how Mrs. Lin as a housewife cares and loves her husband. Despite not caring as much about the other side characters, I do wish the ending didn't rush over their stories and they resolved them rather than just glossing over them.

Book vs series: if you enjoyed the book, this differed quite a bit from it; not that it's a bad thing, just different. Other than the character names and LZX meeting GW due to her dad's diagnosis, there isn't a whole lot in common (eg - movie is mostly getting to the fall in love state while much of the book is about them after they start dating).

The only thing I found extremely annoying about this show was how difficult it was to figure out the airing schedule (one weekend it was one episode per day and another weekend it was two episodes on Saturday and one on Sunday). I did appreciate getting two episodes a day during the week though - it was nice being able to watch more episodes together than having to wait a month for the full drama to finish!

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"Beauty is shadow of imperfections.... "

It's not perfect.... it lacks, in many ways. The plot isn't unique or out of the box, with the most uninteresting side couples (for me), annoying besties (whom suggestions suck, literally), very stereotypical second leads who don't know their place... ah, how can I forget bad dating advisors.. that you should stay miles away if you're interested in dating lol xD. Apart from this there are still some problems, but gotta say still I enjoyed it a lot.

The charm of the drama lies.. in the main couple, and how smooth Dr. Gu is, honestly from the description I was prepared for some icy-cold, aloof, super-serious doctor... which he was for a bit, but later bruh how could you say you're not romantic with your high-level flirting skills, I wonder. The process of their relationship development was raw, natural... you can exactly point out why would Gu Wei is interested in Lin Zhixiao who hasn't even graduated yet, they have 9 yrs age-gap... but she's like the bright sun who lightens up everything, energetic, optimistic, hardworking, ready to face problems... in many ways exactly opposite to Gu Wei who often try to hide from problems, and that's why they complement each other very well.

Their chemistry is on fire, their interactions, how comfortable they are in each other's presence are soothing to watch.. and finally, a couple who talks, has a conversation to sort out things and just don't brush off problems as if they never existed though sometimes a little late... have to admit there were many moments I wondered it's acting or it's real?

Yang Zi did great job as LZX, specifically with serious scenes... her emotional outbursts, sometimes cute while sometimes heartbreaking. Xiao Zhan's micro expressions... his expressive/teary eyes got the essence of the character.. and thank god it wasn't overdubbed. The little theatre after every episode was cherry on the top... can this get any cuter?

I usually skip opening theme (due to spoilers), but I never did with this one.. reason? ost! the soothing and perfect starting of each episode. I love entire sound track.. songs are catchy, meaningful and suitable for the temperament of drama

Though some support characters have very cliche characterization.. such as FL's bestie, both second leads... but I liked the characterization of the parents, in the start, they don't come out very likable but some time later we understand their concerns are genuine. From some comments, I got to know that LZX's relationship with her parents was good in the novel... but I actually prefer the way it's portrayed in the drama... not lovey-dovey, the bickering one.. there's a saying (or maybe I made it up) 'We fight most with the people whom we love most.' And it's coming from personal experience lol.

I was prepared for melodrama, some super serious arcs, or a bit of tragedy (the prior synopsis gave the vibes) but as a result, I got many heart-fluttering, peak comedy moments... and I'm satisfied with what leads delivered together.

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Mediocre and at times quite absurd. Overall, a steady ride.

This drama can be your typical, romantic, feel-good, with a bit of angst type of drama.
The story starts with the C word and is set in a hospital environment, so this is not everyone's cup of tea.
As the story progresses, the drama is quite predictable, with the exception of its ending( where they could let the audience guess about the illness' prognosis. No everyone should die of illnesses in dramaland)

The leads are cute and have good chemistry, But YZ needs to learn how to act. Her acting is always the same! I felt like i was seeing Go Go Squid all over again with just a different male lead. Even the way she dresses is the same. And last but not least, she CAN'T kiss the MLs.
The ML on the other hand, delivers good character development and can cheer up the audience in just a few seconds.

The soundtrack was ok. The selection was limited.
There was a bitchy SFL who just wanted the ML at all costs, but she learned her lesson and that didn't drag much.
The side stories were quite ok. Not much angst or complications.

This drama could have been shorter and much sweeter if not for the dragging and cringe-worthy scenes.
Overall a really average drama. If you like hospital setting mixed with romance, this is for you.

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My Dr. Gu

In "The Oath of Love", my favorite character is Gu Wei, played by Xiao Zhan. Dr. Gu is a brilliant doctor who is dedicated to helping his patients manage their pain. He is confident and self-assured, but also empathetic and compassionate. I was impressed by Gu Wei's performance, which brought Lin Zhi Xiao played by Yang Zi a cellist complex personality to life on screen. Gu Wei's relationship with Lin Zhi Xiao was one of the highlights of the drama for me. As they worked together to find a solution for the chronic disease of Lin Zhi Xiao's father, they developed a strong bond that was both professional and personal. Throughout the drama, Lin Zhi Xiao's experiences with Gu Wei challenged his beliefs about pain management and patient care, leading to a compelling character.

Overall, "The Oath of Love" is a well-made drama that features strong performances, engaging writing, and beautiful cinematography. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys medical dramas or character-driven stories.

- Hanieh :)

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It was a great drama

For a person who read the novel first I can tell the changes made it more interesting
I loved all the characters from ml and fl to second and third couple oh no I won’t forget lin papa and lin mama. I wish the second couple had more screen though their interaction was cute .
About the story you are going to enjoy every second of it, from the first episode to the last one. the way gu wei and xiao xiao met was hilarious and funny and their love story was full of love and respect and understanding toward each other
Their story is not slow not rushed
I just love and adore their first meeting the second was even more fun to watch now that I remember it, I just want to go and rewatch it again.
The leads chemistry was great like really you would think they were real couple, the kiss scenes were so good I could not control myself and rewatch them so many times.
The last parts of this drama made me cry a river and also laugh a lot.
Their families were so understanding and respectful you can see their love for their children. It is the first drama ever that I’ve watched and everything was so beautiful and realistic!
the happy ending was well written

I should thank the director, writer, all the cast, Specially the main leads yangzi and xiao zhan it surely was an unforgettable journey, I am going to miss both of you so much

And the other thing that I must appreciate is the well written songs , I listen to them almost everyday they are full of love and soothing
Definitely I would recommend this drama to everyone who love to watch a beautiful love story

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Most of the fans are hating on OOL because of Yang Zi and Xiao Zhan, I totally understand that if you dislike one of the casts so you choose not to watch. But OOL is totally different from any other modern chinese dramas, the storyline captures my heart mostly, beautiful and touching yet filled with sadness. I hope you guys can watch Yang Zi as Lin Zhi Xiao and Xiao Zhan as Gu Wei only!!

- The story is so touching as GW is one of the boyfriends you'll never encounter in this life, such a green flag, sweet, kind and caring towards LZX a lot.
- LZX is kinda immature and childish but you will find out that she has been the strongest among her family, willing to carry her family's burden and she never complains once even though she is so tried.
- The love between GW & LZX is so sincere and pure, at one scene where GW is holding an umbrella for LZX when he saw her running without umbrella in the rain. Then LZX also makes sure GW is also under the umbrella. THAT WHAT MAKES MY HEART FLUTTER, a man is caring towards his beloved and at the same time, his woman also cares for him back!! This type of love is what everyone wants, TRUE & PURE LOVE!!
- Not to forget abt Yang Zi & Xiao Zhan's chemistry is on next level, so insane, NO JOKE!! I can't imagine other actresses and actors acting as LZX & GW, they are born for these roles.

- OOL not only includes love between a man & a woman but also the relationship between a father & a daughter. A father tends not to show his love completely in front of his family but he has always been the back bone of the family, gives all of his love to his wife & his daughter.
- LZX & Mr Lin's scenes always never fails to make me cry, especially when LZX's family and GW's family met to discuss abt the wedding, Mr Lin's words for LZX is so touching and that's when I START CRYING NONSTOP!! Father's love for his daughter is so pure and sincere yet can break your heart into pieces at the same time.

Thank you director, actors, actresses, scriptwriters, crews and everyone for creating this masterpiece which wins my entire heart completely. I wish there are more types of dramas like this. Also, I hope to see Yang Zi & Xiao Zhan in another drama like historical xianxia or republican will do!!

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A love that naturally bloomed after an open conversation and small interactions.

After waiting for years for the drama to air, finally it arrived! Though at first when I read the synopsis, I thought that the plot doesn't really have something to offer, but I still wanted to check it out not just because of the leads but also the original and alternative titles of this drama caught my eye. I started with not really high expectations, but ended up loving it so much! Unsurprisingly, it wasn't perfect and I wish they did better on writing the other characters. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the whole drama and my March was less boring thanks to this.

I love how the story and relationship progression of the leads eventuate, it was really well-written and the heart-fluttering moments made me crave for more. The way the FL and ML slowly opened up to each other is truly one of the biggest assets this drama has, and the Little Theater (the short ending clips on almost every episode) made the show so much better and realistic. That’s one of what I’m looking forward to the most in TOOL - I'm amazed with the idea of adding something like that the first time I’ve seen it.

Like what I’ve said before, the leads are like open books. They show a wide-range of emotions, thanks to the cast's acting, that's why we can easily tell what they are feeling - especially the ML. I'm so satisfied to see that Gu Wei isn’t the type who tends to be one-dimensional when they portray an aloof character. Xiao Zhan definitely gave life to his character, he has shown his complexity in a natural way, has great micro-expressions and delivery of emotions. Meanwhile, Lin Zhi Xiao is a person who can get nosy at times but she’s optimistic and sweet who tries her best to handle a difficult situation. She’s emotional that's why her feelings were more visible - which is opposite from the ML who hides his emotions, though his soft and caring side was very exposed with his actions lol. They got a lot of comfort and encouragement from each other which led to them having mutual understanding despite the different professionalism and age gap. Watching them grow closer naturally made the chemistry get stronger and stronger.

There are just some side characters who’ll give a problem to the main leads instead of helping them solve their conflicts, which can really just get frustrating at times so I feel like they were unnecessary - but the main couple did their part so well, they outlined the bare essentials of the story nicely that I can willingly ignore the dissatisfaction I might have because of these characters. Zhi Xiao's parents were great though, they showed a realistic portrayal of a parent's way of thinking.

As for the OSTs, of course they were so good! Hearing Xiao Zhan and Yang Zi’s voices every time before the drama starts is so pleasant to hear, and the ending OST that Xiao Zhan sang described Gu Wei’s feelings and thoughts well about Lin Zhi Xiao in the drama. I can listen to any of the songs in loops, whatever mood I’m in. Overall, it was a pleasant watch and GuLin CP surely became one of my favorite couples.

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