Rhea
Malaysia
A Very Different Rom-Com
Frankly speaking, I really don’t know what to make out of Intense Love after watching the whole drama. It doesn’t resonate with me in the beginning but it gets better as the drama progresses. I got used to the way it was being projected to the viewers. Hence, I could finish watching all the 24 episodes. I think this rom-com is very different from the usual fare and that is why I would term it as a love it or hate it drama. It is either you can accept the unique way the characters and story have been projected or you would find it absolutely cheesy and cringey.
Why This Rom-Com Is Unique
Intense Love is a pure escapism type of rom-com to me. It is not grounded in reality and doesn’t even try to be. The main characters are unreal. Dr. Zhou is already a senior doctor and professor at less than 30 years old. Jin Bei is an actress who tries to seduce Dr. Zhou by being cutesy and intimate. Some viewers would definitely find her acts over the top and they are because nobody would behave that way in real life!
Even in Love The Way You Are whereby the female lead has a disease that is out of this world, the rest of the story is very much anchored in reality. But in Intense Love, they have let the female character to be as outrageously beguiling as possible and the romance to be incredibly perfect. Thus, the rom-com is unique because it doesn’t aim to relate it to real life one bit but to give you an avenue to escape to fantasyland and dream of perfect love.
Acting And Chemistry
What pulls me in when I look at Ryan Ding’s acting is his eyes. They are expressive and conveys the emotions he wants viewers to see. With Dr. Zhou being a cold and rational character, Ryan Ding doesn’t have the luxury of using much facial expressions and body movements to convey his feelings and love for Jin Bei. Instead, we will be left heady with all the looks and stares that he gives the female lead. Zhang Yu Xi also has very beautiful eyes and a pretty face which are exploited to the full in the close-ups during the intimate scenes. Her acting is a little exaggerated at times but I would blame it more on the character that she has to play than her acting ability.
Overall, I think there is good chemistry between the 2 leads and they do look good together. There is no awkwardness in the kissing scenes although you can’t expect them to be as steamy as those found in K-dramas either. Kissing scenes that are considered mild by Western standards do get censored in C-dramas as can be noticed in series such as Love Of Thousand Years and Here To Heart. Generally, the intimate scenes in Intense Love look natural which is important to give the right feel in a romance drama.
The second couple is also cute to watch although I wouldn’t say that it is a perfect pairing. Somehow, Yuan Song reminds me of a similar character which is also portrayed by the same actor in The Love Equations.
My Verdict – Watch It For The Fluff
My recommendation to watch Intense Love comes with a big warning sign – not everyone will be able to stand it! If you are looking for something that has a great plot, then you should definitely give this a miss. This rom-com is just about 2 people falling in love and then dating with minor misunderstandings thrown in to make up 24 episodes. There is little angst and negative emotions in the main couple’s love story. There is no break up to protect the girl kind of cliche which is found in Girlfriend. It is merely an overload of fluff and sweetness which is akin to Love 020. Hence, if you like Love 020, then Intense Love might well be your cup of tea.
Don’t Overthink
The story is simple. The female character is unreal. The whole setting is superficial. So, if you want to watch it, you have to do it without thinking too much. It is pure drama-land to help you escape from the realities of life. It is littered with cuddles and a satisfactory amount of kisses although I think The Love By Hypnotic is still the champion in terms of the number of kisses in a rom-com.
However, it takes a few episodes to get into this drama and that is why I will only give it a 6.5/10 rating for this Intense Love review. It is very tempting to drop this after the first 2 episodes because it does seem over-exaggerated. As I have mentioned, you have to get used to the very different style of presentation of the story compared to the usual rom-coms. My suggestion is to watch 4 to 5 episodes before you decide if you should drop it. If you do, I can’t say that you will miss much either. But if you don’t, you will be treated to an avalanche of sweetness.
Why This Rom-Com Is Unique
Intense Love is a pure escapism type of rom-com to me. It is not grounded in reality and doesn’t even try to be. The main characters are unreal. Dr. Zhou is already a senior doctor and professor at less than 30 years old. Jin Bei is an actress who tries to seduce Dr. Zhou by being cutesy and intimate. Some viewers would definitely find her acts over the top and they are because nobody would behave that way in real life!
Even in Love The Way You Are whereby the female lead has a disease that is out of this world, the rest of the story is very much anchored in reality. But in Intense Love, they have let the female character to be as outrageously beguiling as possible and the romance to be incredibly perfect. Thus, the rom-com is unique because it doesn’t aim to relate it to real life one bit but to give you an avenue to escape to fantasyland and dream of perfect love.
Acting And Chemistry
What pulls me in when I look at Ryan Ding’s acting is his eyes. They are expressive and conveys the emotions he wants viewers to see. With Dr. Zhou being a cold and rational character, Ryan Ding doesn’t have the luxury of using much facial expressions and body movements to convey his feelings and love for Jin Bei. Instead, we will be left heady with all the looks and stares that he gives the female lead. Zhang Yu Xi also has very beautiful eyes and a pretty face which are exploited to the full in the close-ups during the intimate scenes. Her acting is a little exaggerated at times but I would blame it more on the character that she has to play than her acting ability.
Overall, I think there is good chemistry between the 2 leads and they do look good together. There is no awkwardness in the kissing scenes although you can’t expect them to be as steamy as those found in K-dramas either. Kissing scenes that are considered mild by Western standards do get censored in C-dramas as can be noticed in series such as Love Of Thousand Years and Here To Heart. Generally, the intimate scenes in Intense Love look natural which is important to give the right feel in a romance drama.
The second couple is also cute to watch although I wouldn’t say that it is a perfect pairing. Somehow, Yuan Song reminds me of a similar character which is also portrayed by the same actor in The Love Equations.
My Verdict – Watch It For The Fluff
My recommendation to watch Intense Love comes with a big warning sign – not everyone will be able to stand it! If you are looking for something that has a great plot, then you should definitely give this a miss. This rom-com is just about 2 people falling in love and then dating with minor misunderstandings thrown in to make up 24 episodes. There is little angst and negative emotions in the main couple’s love story. There is no break up to protect the girl kind of cliche which is found in Girlfriend. It is merely an overload of fluff and sweetness which is akin to Love 020. Hence, if you like Love 020, then Intense Love might well be your cup of tea.
Don’t Overthink
The story is simple. The female character is unreal. The whole setting is superficial. So, if you want to watch it, you have to do it without thinking too much. It is pure drama-land to help you escape from the realities of life. It is littered with cuddles and a satisfactory amount of kisses although I think The Love By Hypnotic is still the champion in terms of the number of kisses in a rom-com.
However, it takes a few episodes to get into this drama and that is why I will only give it a 6.5/10 rating for this Intense Love review. It is very tempting to drop this after the first 2 episodes because it does seem over-exaggerated. As I have mentioned, you have to get used to the very different style of presentation of the story compared to the usual rom-coms. My suggestion is to watch 4 to 5 episodes before you decide if you should drop it. If you do, I can’t say that you will miss much either. But if you don’t, you will be treated to an avalanche of sweetness.
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