Lost Romance (2020)

Lost Romance first half, Found Romance second half.

It was hard for me to get into this show. I dropped this show twice, both within the second episode, and I could not understand why it is a highly rated show. I found the older He siblings and Chuchu were annoying, and their acting was below C grade at best. In addition, it was a slight challenge to delineate between the novel-land and the real world in the first few episodes. As I was starving for more romance shows (this woman needs a breather from all the latest dark kdramas!), I decided to give it a third try.

I want to see what the fuss is all about, especially from the positive reviews that I've been reading. And oh boy, I was glad I picked it up again. Episodes 10-20 were the best. The storylines was tighter and polished, as compared to the first half of the series. The two leads, Vivian Sung and Marcus Chang, interactions soared in the second half.

For you who is reading my review and finding it a bit hard to watch this show within the first few episodes, keep fast-forwarding those annoying bits and stick with the couple's journey. You will not regret it. I hope you will fall in love with the couple and how Zheng Xiao En's spunk captures the heart of both He Tian Xing and Si Tu Ao Ran. This drama has become one of my high re- romance tv shows!

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Satire to the world of overbearing CEOs

Its just really funny , how they mock the romance dramas here , specially the fact that the CEO will come to rescue the FL out of nowhere !! I was laughing hard through out . Few comments such as CEOs do not eat Ramen or they don't have breakfast etc , were hilarious ! Though they still followed the same path , while mocking it, along the path !

The cast is so good looking and hot and their acting is even more nicer ! There is no reason not to watch this show !

The only part I dint like was the FL trying to figure out the books and plot for SML , I felt that was so unnecessary . Though I really liked him and at some point had the SML syndrome too , but that plot dint enchant me ! Also how did he himself knew that he was a character ??? That being said , the rest of plot is very well written and it has some nice romantic scenes too , which actually makes u believe , how much they love each other !

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Steamy Romantic Comedy

I’m not going to lie - I adore skinship. I love the hand holding, the sweet and/or steamy kisses, and the all encompassing hugs. When I looked up the best Asian dramas to find the most skinship, Lost Romance was the first on everyone’s list. It does indeed have it all, including a sensual and explicit love scene between the leads. He Tianxing/Situ Aoran and Zheng Xiao'en, as played by Marcus Chung and Vivian Sung, were on fire from the moment they met. Their witty banter, comedic timing, and instant chemistry made it easy to root for them in both the fictional and real world. Their fictionalized selves were over the top and exaggerated, which made for a nice contrast to their more reserved and introspective real world selves. The gradual connection they developed over the course of the show felt natural and genuine.

While I adored the main leads so much, it was hard to not to fall in love with second lead Duanmu Qingfeng. He very much encompasses the archetypal “nice guy to his egotistical best friend” role, but he truly made for a memorable and swoony second lead. The other supporting fictional characters in the novel, whether friend or foe to the main leads, made for a fun and memorable ride. The only characters and story that fell flat for me was the real world dramedy occurring with He Tianxing’s family. The tone and plot of this story felt too tonally different and disconnected from the breezy, if somewhat silly, fictional world.

The story is very much a spoof on the romantic comedy genre. It excels at making fun of popular romantic tropes in the beginning and ending of the series, but it does fall into its own trap during the middle section. I didn’t mind this digression too much. Considering I love the romance genre, I enjoyed the two leads become a part of the tapestry of the novel rather than remaining outside of it. However, I could see some viewers enjoying these parts less than the rest of the series. I also appreciated that the story attempted to tie together the real and fictionalized worlds. Several of these “story within story” shows* do a poor job of giving a proper ending to both storylines, but this show did both in an interesting and unique way.

The OST and directing were outstanding. I could watch this show and listen to the soundtrack over and over again. However, my biggest issue is Zheng Xiao'en wardrobe. I didn’t mind the muted tones or cozy look, but the shape and style of the clothes looked terrible on her. It was even more noticeable compared to the rest of the female cast, especially He Tianxing’s sister. Was this design choice to illustrate her as more chaste? To show her roots in romance? Who knows. I was also extremely sad the cute promos they played between scenes were not in the actual show. I wanted to see the two acting cutesy with cupcakes!

** I’m looking at you, The Romance Between Tiger and Rose

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Lost Romance is a great fantasy romantic comedy. The two worlds (the real one and the romance novel where she is transported into) are intertwined by the leading couple’s romantic stories. Both stories are interesting and the leading couple does great bringing their characters to life on both worlds. It is beautiful to see their reunion as lovers in the real world and how it enfolded. Even though there are many good actors in the drama, the leading couple has such a strong presence that it really shows that the drama is about them, their struggles through life, and healing and loving each other in the most beautiful tenderly and passionate way. Both actors, Marcus Chang (as He Tiang Xing/Situ Ao Ran) and Vivian Sung (as Zheng Xiao En/Xiao En) gave a stellar performance and their chemistry is off the charts. Enjoy it!

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Beautiful and Hilarious Twist on Tropes

I didn't have too high hopes for this drama but I absolutely loved it. If you like drama's that throw tropes on their head and acknowledge clichés you love this one. The story was simple but I loved it a lot. Both the drama and comedic parts of the plot I enjoyed. I thought I knew where the plot was going and was proven wrong quite a few times which I like. The writing was self aware but also allowed the romance to have the trope-y things viewers love. The cast is amazing! I hadn't heard of the main actors before but they did very well and I will keep my eye out for them from now on. The couple had great chemistry and made it easy to ship them. The minor characters were also good and put a lot of care into their performances. This is a good show for veteran drama watchers looking for something funny and heartwarming to watch.

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Wonderful kiss scene !

It has been so long since I watched Taiwan drama, recently I’ve been watching a lot of Korean and Chinese drama, I’ve seen a lot the main character but I’ve never really watcher their drama but I know that they are so popular in Taiwan so I expect that the drama will be worth to watch.
This drama remind me to a korean drama calle ‘Extraordinary You’, the differences is the background story, so I don’t find this drama so special for me but you can try to watch it if you would like to watch the similar genre.
The thing that I like fron this drama is they have a wonderful kiss scene for me, they make it look so romantic for me, I hope that korean drama will have this kind of scene too ???

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Be prepared to throw common sense out the window

Being a huge fan of Marcus and Puff, I was so excited to see the two headline this drama, but I came away largely disappointed.

Story: The first episode makes sense if you lost your brain somewhere in the streets of New York City. Maybe it's because it's been a while since I last watched TW dramas (last one I watched was Back to 1989, actually), but it's just so out of touch with reality and not believable at all. I honestly wanted to toss my iPad out the window just to see if it would still be alive just like how Tianxing was barely alive after falling from the rooftop of a skyscraper. BUT, if you're okay with: gangsters showing up to a corporation's board meeting, gangsters openly beating up a board member at a board meeting, siblings trying to kill each other just to get a glance(!) at the will of their (still alive) father, a murder witness not calling the police about an attempted murder, murder witness believing that there's no need to report said attempted murder because the victim is a vegetable, etc., then please, by all means, continue watching. I get that it's a fantasy romance, but there should still be some logic (especially when we're still in the real world!). It would be much more believable if there was some more underlying motivation to He Mingli's quest to murder half-brother than just wanting to be the CEO.

If you can get to the 2nd episode and beyond, you should be (mostly) in the clear as that's when we actually start to get into the main story, and we see the romance we (and Si Tu Ao Ran) know and love. In addition, the second lead syndrome is very real in this drama. so if you're one of those people who fall for our second leads, be prepared. In this case, I think the writing for the second lead is too strong, because usually even though we all silently cheer for the second lead, there's always a reason why the ML is actually more endearing and fits the FL better. Unfortunately, I, cannot really see that because Qing Feng really seems more ML material than our actual ML in how he treats our FL. Therefore, 5/10.

Acting/Cast: As I said, I love Marcus and I love Puff, they're two of my favorite TW actors, so no questions there. They've always had great chemistry with their co-stars in the dramas they've starred in before so no surprise that they have great chemistry together in this one as well. I do wish Vivian's wardrobe was better, but it's not as distracting as other dramas (cough cough Go Go Squid cough cough). Simon's acting is too good because Qing Feng has landed me solidly in the second lead's camp. 9/10

Music: I love how the music is used at appropriate times and it's not too obtrusive either. 10/10

Rewatch: He Mingli flash froze my soul and broke it into pieces while Qing Feng picked up all the pieces and glued it back together only for Si Tu Ao Ran to kick him away and sweep me into his arms. Do I want to go through this painful process again? No :( Would I watch it just for Simon as Qing Feng? Heck yes. 5/10

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Lost Romance: A Captivating Tale of Love, Self-Discovery, and Irresistible Chemistry

To be real, when I first turned on “Lost Romance” (2020), it was because of the fantasy romance aspects, but I didn't anticipate myself to fall so hard for the plotline and especially not the way these characters rolled me in. However, it took me by surprise just how its own narrative consciously plays with blurring the line of reality and fiction as it lets the protagonist navigate into a literary world without always treating by our common conventional wisdom.

The story, though it has classic romance elements, captivated me with the originality of its plot. It's easy to identify with the protagonist, a romance editor who suddenly finds herself inside one of the books she helped create. I loved how she tries to use her "knowledge" of romance stories to win over the male lead, only to realize that things aren't as simple as they seem.

What really hooked me was the incredible chemistry between the protagonists. From the beginning, their interactions are full of charm, and the connection between the two grows so naturally that it's impossible not to root for them to end up together. They go through ups and downs, and every shared scene has that emotional intensity that made me both sigh and smile along with them.

On top of that, the actors' performances are fantastic. The female lead is funny and full of life, and it was very easy for me to connect with her. The male lead, on the other hand, has a deeper development throughout the story, and following his personal journey was one of the highlights for me. The characters' evolution throughout the drama was something I really appreciated, as it wasn't just about superficial romance. Each of them grows individually, making the relationship all the more meaningful.

The personal growth of the characters is one of the aspects that touched me the most. The show is not just about romance, but also about self-discovery and growth. I enjoyed seeing how the challenges they face – both in the fictional world and the real one – help shape them and bring valuable lessons about love, choices, and destiny.

Overall, "Lost Romance" was an experience that exceeded my expectations. It strikes a great balance between moments of fantasy, comedy, drama, and romance, and the result is a story that kept me hooked from start to finish. If you enjoy romances with a touch of originality, well-developed characters, and irresistible chemistry between the leads, I highly recommend it.

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Not the mainstream Chinese Drama.

Story : This one is a not-so-mainstream reality-to-novel drama. A bit boring at first 2/3 eps, I literally took a 6 hour nap after first 3 episodes, but after that it gets better and after 10 eps, I am hooked. The FL got into the novel and changed the novel's script. usually in reality-novel stories like this the lead got into the novel and does what the writer writes in the novel. This one is unique cuz the leads write the novel themselves through what they do in the novel. The struggle for power within the 3 siblings and their uncle is very mainstream but somehow good in execution. The references taken from popular dramas are really fun (CLOY, DOTS, Goblin, Meteor Garden, King Eternal Monarch). Many fun and cheesy parts, and the couple progressed REAL FAST. Fastest progress from all dramas I've seen.

Notes(spoiler): I am just bit disappointed bcoz they can make Susanna and her assistant Jason a secondary couple but it failed, coz they are done after Jason's confession, without showing their progress or anything, which is a pity(it made me -0,5).

Acting is perfect. They portray the characters well, the transition between the overbearing to caring, warmhearted CEO is perfectly acted by Marcus. Vivian is also good portraying Xiao En, a very open, cheerful and active FL. Simon Lian also acts good as Duanmu Qingfeng, the 2nd ML. He portrayed the caring CSO very well.
Cheesy? Yes. Funny? Yes. Chemistry? Got it. The kiss? crazy. The progress? rapid.

OST is perfect. The songs are darn good drops. First time having Trap music for drama ost, and I LIKE IT LIKE CRAZYYY. Especially 對愛入座(Loveseat) by Ariel Tsai, what a drop. Very perfectly executed Air on G string remix. The usage are also good, all in the right moment(cuz I've seen some dramas that put happy music in the evil scenes).

Gonna rewatch if I have time, eps 5 onwards.

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