Love Is Sweet Review

Love Is Sweet (半是蜜糖半是伤) was released not long after Dating In the Kitchen. I understand that many Chinese drama fans prefer the former and it is easy to understand why. After all, the male and female leads are more compatible-looking at a glance. But is the high rating of the drama justified? It seems that it is so popular that there are numerous requests for a Season 2 from fans. So, allow me to offer my opinion in the Love Is Sweet review below.

My rating: 8/10
Episodes: 36
Type: Romance
Aired: September 2020
Images Credit: iQIYI

The Cast Of Love Is Sweet

• Leo Luo Yun Xi as Yuan Shuai
• Bai Lu as Jiang Jun
• Kido Gao Han Yu as Du Lei
• Shane Xiao Yan as Xu Li
• Riley Wang Yi Lun as Li Xiao Chuan
• Zhao Yuan Yuan as Qiao Na
• Ariel An Wei Ling as Linda / Du Ling
• Guan Zi Jing as Su Chang
• Qi Yi as Shen Xin
• Gong Hai Bin as Chen Yi Cheng
• Jerry Chang Cheng as Jiang Yao Ming
• Hu Chun Yang as Jia Yuan Ji
• Melvin Sia as Lin Tai Mo

Main Characters

Yuan Shuai

Yuan Shuai is the Executive Director at MH, a top tier investment company. He is suave, rich, and good-looking. Yuan Shuai is well-known in the investment banking circle for his killer instinct when it comes to winning deals and corporate maneuvers. He has been carrying a torch for Jiang Jun for 10 years. Yuan Shuai is also a very good cook and has a pet dog named Wealth.

Jiang Jun

Jiang Jun is a Securities Analyst at MH. She has an allergic reaction to tears which will cause her to develop rashes and faint. Jiang Jun is determined and witty with a plan to get into the investment banking world.

Du Lei

Du Lei is the Executive Director at GH which is MH’s competitor. He is an ambitious man who sees Yuan Shuai as his greatest rival. Du Lei is adopted and has a strained relationship with his father.

Xu Li

Xu Li is Jiang Jun’s best friend. She works in a convenience store to get close to her dream guy, Xiao Chuan. She likes to write romance novels in her free time.

Li Xiao Chuan

Xiao Chuan is a geek and an app developer. He is also Yuan Shuai’s cousin. Xiao Chuan can be totally clueless when it comes to love and romance and believes in the accuracy of his dating app to predict compatibility.

Supporting Characters

Qiao Na

Qiao Na is a Vice President at MH and Yuan Shuai’s trusted subordinate. She is a capable woman but can be cold and demanding. Qiao Na has feelings for Yuan Shuai and is blatant with her hints. But the feeling is unreciprocated.

Linda / Du Ling

Linda is Du Lei’s adoptive sister. She is also an Executive Director at GE. Linda used to work at MH under Tai Mo before leaving to join GE. She is an ambitious woman who will bend the rules to achieve her aim.

Su Chang

Su Chang is Yuan Shuai’s personal assistant. He helps Yuan Shuai to gather information and investigate cases whenever required. Su Chang also offers love advice for his boss at times. He has a girlfriend named Xin Xin and brags to her that he is the Executive Director at MH.

Shen Xin And Chen Yi Cheng

Shen Xin and Yi Cheng are Securities Analysts at MH. They are hostile towards Jiang Jun as they think the latter got the job through connections and see each other as rivals.

Jiang Yao Ming

Yao Ming is Jiang Jun’s late father. He ran a noodle production company before he died.

Jia Yuan Ji

Yuan Ji is the son of GE’s Chairman. He is a music lover who wastes his days away until he met Yuan Shuai and becomes his personal assistant. Yuan Ji is young and brash. He also has a crush on Qiao Na.

Lin Tai Mo

Tai Mo returns to head the Investment Banking Department at MH after a hiatus due to health reasons. He seems like a gentleman and supported Jiang Jun’s hiring at MH but hides a secret.

Synopsis

Yuan Shuai and Jiang Jun know each other from childhood. He is 2 years older than her. They went to the same school and lived in the same neighborhood. Jiang Jun is allergic to tears and would faint when she cries. So, Yuan Shuai collected money from Jiang Jun’s father every month with a promise to take care of her. However, Jiang Jun sees him as a big bully with his taunts and dirty tricks. Eventually, they parted ways when Yuan Shuai went abroad to study and Jiang Jun transferred to a new school.

10 years later, they meet again when Jiang Jun applies to join MH as an analyst. Yuan Shuai tries to block her from getting hired. When that fails, he makes things hard for her with the intention to make her quit. Jiang Jun dislikes him and begins to see shades of his bullying again. But Yuan Shuai thinks that it is for her own good as the harsh investment banking environment is not suitable for a woman who couldn’t cry. As they are forced to work together, Jiang Jun begins to see a different side to Yuan Shuai who has been secretly in love with her since their schooldays.

Love Is Sweet Ending (Spoilers Alert!)

With such a drama title, it is expected that Love Is Sweet would have a happy ending. In the last episode, Yuan Shuai finally gathers the courage to propose and Jiang Jun readily accepts. In the final scene, Jiang Jun announces to Yuan Shuai that she is pregnant. They are both delighted with the news as they hug each other before turning around to ask viewers for suggestions on baby names. You can check out my Love Is Sweet episode summary for a full drama recap.

Why Yuan Shuai Always Bullies Jiang Jun

Yuan Shuai has been bullying Jiang Jun since they were kids. During their schooldays, his intention was to toughen her up so that she wouldn’t cry so easily when faced with difficulties. So, he pretended to be a bad person but caring about her a great deal privately. When Yuan Shuai mistakenly stole her speech write-up instead of her love letter to a boy, she ended up crying on stage as she couldn’t remember her lines. She fainted and the incident impacted her emotionally. It cemented her impression of Yuan Shuai as a big bully.

Yuan Shuai wanted to apologize to Jiang Jun and had written a letter to confess his feelings before rushing to catch a plane to further his studies abroad. He waited for her at school but he didn’t get to see her as she had transferred to another due to the trauma. They didn’t meet each other again until 10 years later.

At MH, Yuan Shuai feels that the harsh and pressuring investment banking field would cause Jiang Jun to cry. Hence, he bullies her again to get her to quit until he realizes that she has changed and not the meek lamb whom he used to know.

The Side Couples

Xu Li and Xiao Chuan have been married for a year. She is unhappy at first as she feels that Xiao Chuan’s love for her has diminished with the passion fading from their married life. But a chance meeting with Yuan Ji and subsequent misunderstanding force Xu Li to tell Xiao Chuan about her feelings. They manage to resolve their differences on their wedding anniversary as Xiao Chuan takes the initiative to show that he still cares and assures Xu Li that he wants to be with her forever. Xu Li also finds out that she is pregnant then.

Yuan Ji has a crush on Qiao Na the first time he laid eyes on her. He has been courageously wooing her for over 2 years despite their age difference. Qiao Na ignores him at first but his persistence pays off when she finally asks him to be her regular driver.

Shen Xin and Yi Cheng are dating. Su Chang also mentions to Yuan Shuai that he has proposed to Xin Xin and she accepted.

Did Du Lei Confess To Jiang Jun?

Yes, he did. Du Lei confesses to Jiang Jun in Episode 34. She rejects him and he forces himself on her before Yuan Shuai arrives to rescue her from the situation. Du Lei lost his mind in his desperation to keep Jiang Jun by his side. He is triggered when Jiang Jun mentions her intention to resign from MH.

In the end, Du Lei resigns from MH and quits the investment banking circle as requested by Yuan Shuai as he had committed fraud pertaining to a client’s financial statements. Yuan Shuai lets him go without reporting to the authorities to save MH’s reputation as well as to return a favor since Du Lei had helped Jiang Jun in the past.

Du Lei finally understands what it means to truly love someone through his conversation with Linda in Episode 36. He is seen smiling when he learns about Jiang Jun and Yuan Shuai’s marriage.

Du Lei and Linda’s Relationship

Du Lei and Linda are actually adoptive siblings. Mr. Du adopted Du Lei because the latter shares the same birth date as his dead son. Hence, Du Lei always feels that his life is controlled and he was pressured to succeed since young. Du Lei also sees himself as merely a substitute and hence, couldn’t get along with his adoptive father.

Linda has always cared about Du Lei since he was adopted. She has feelings for him and confesses at one point. But Du Lei has already fallen for Jiang Jun and rejects her request to change the nature of their relationship. Linda becomes jealous and tries to harm Jiang Jun.

Eventually, Linda gets her punishment for being Tai Mo’s accomplice. She feels relieved after admitting what she had done. She ends up opening a flower shop 2 years later and bumps into Du Lei again.

How Did Jiang Jun’s Father Die?

Yao Ming was running a noodle manufacturing business, Jiangnan Flavor. The company ended up as MH’s client when it needed money to expand. Then, Tai Mo and Linda persuaded Yao Ming to sell his business to C Group which was turned down. Their plan was to use the noodle’s established brand name to market a lower quality product with a longer shelf life. When Yao Ming refused, Linda used C Group’s President to bribe Yao Ming’s staff to create a food safety issue. This caused cashflow problems for the company which forced Yao Ming to sell it to C Group.

When Yao Ming found out that it was a set-up, he got angry and confronted Tai Mo and Linda. He was having hypertension but Tai Mo stopped him from reaching for his pills. Linda trembled and stood by as Yao Ming was dying of a heart attack.

Tai Mo is worried that Jiang Jun joined MH to investigate the case. So, he tries to harm her. Yuan Shuai and Du Lei cooperate to expose Tai Mo through an elaborate scheme to prove that he is the real owner behind C Group. Yuan Shuai also convinces Linda to testify against Tai Mo.

Love Is Sweet Review – Sweet It Is!

I guess the title says it all – Love Is Sweet is indeed a sweet love story. The plot is simple and the tears allergy seems odd but the execution is well-done. 36 episodes do seem a tad too long for a rom-com as many tend to end up with boring stretches but not this one. The combination of the romance with some business cases help with the overall pacing of the drama. The business side of things is unlike Perfect Partner though as it is not the focus but merely paves the way for the couple to cooperate and get to know one another better.

Where It Differs From The Usual

Many rom-coms start off with the main couple hating one another such as Midsummer Is Full Of Love and Mr. Honesty. But Love Is Sweet is a bit different because the guy’s interest in the girl is established very early on. They know each other from childhood and he has been carrying a torch for her for years. So, the phase of the male character having to discover his feelings for her is not needed in this drama. Yuan Shuai just loves Jiang Jun secretly and all his actions are geared towards wooing and protecting her right from the beginning although she sees it differently.

The other refreshing change is viewers get to see the couple living together for about half of the story. Normally, we will only get this in a contract marriage drama like You Are My Destiny. Other rom-coms would typically see the couple getting together at the end after a series of misunderstandings. But in Love Is Sweet, Yuan Shuai and Jiang Jun are already lovers midway through and viewers will witness a lot of sweet moments as they live under one roof. I think this adds to the satisfaction for the viewers to be able to see a minutiae of their interactions as a cohabiting couple.

The Plot (Spoilers Alert!)

To cut to the chase, Love Is Sweet is basically an office romance drama. The plot development is predictable as the drama unfolds. You will know who will the characters end up with eventually. It is the journey of getting there and the aftermath that will draw your attention due to the couple’s chemistry. There is the usual jealous third party but fortunately, it doesn’t really affect the main couple as there is trust between them and they are firm in their love for each other. So, this story line is nipped in the bud throughout the drama except for a very short stretch as it inches towards the end.

Personally, I think the drama could have ended at Episode 30 but somehow, it was stretched by another 6 episodes. The transformation of Du Lei from bad to good flows well with the story. But the last few episodes whereby he transforms back to being bad is a little forced as that part of the character development is not well explained. It is not that the last 6 episodes are boring but merely unnecessary to lengthen Du Lei’s story. Perhaps an extra 2 episodes would have suffice to tie up all the loose ends with a proposal thrown in.

Acting And Chemistry

The cast definitely did well in Love Is Sweet. Leo Luo fits the role to a tee with his good looks as a suave and confident Yuan Shuai. It is really a change to watch him in this romance drama compared to his melancholic roles in Princess Silver and Ashes Of Love. He made full use of his smiles and smirks to project a charming and also domineering man.

Bai Lu is known for her versatility as an actress as she can appear at ease in different roles. In this rom-com, she gave Jiang Jun a very down-to-earth feel. Bai Lu convincingly projected an adorable and a tender Jiang Jun during those loving moments with her softened expressions. For more serious scenes, her demeanor will change with a more steely expression that is portrayed very naturally.

It is obvious that Leo Luo and Bai Lu are very comfortable with each other from their behind-the-scenes clips. Hence, it is not surprising that the high comfort level will translate to a sizzling chemistry on-screen just like the couple in Love Designer. Leo Luo and Bai Lu seem to have a natural couple vibe that makes viewers ask for more. The compatibility is obvious and the sweet story simply takes the sparks up a notch.

I think the difference is plain to see if we were to compare the chemistry in Love Is Sweet with the lackluster Leo Luo and Yukee Chen pairing in And The Winner Is Love. It will also be interesting to check out Bai Lu and Lai Yi’s performance in Overlord.

My Verdict

If you like romance dramas, you can’t miss Love Is Sweet. The relationship is more mature unlike college romances like My Unicorn Girl. So, I like it that there is none of those juvenile antics that are typical of first love rom-coms. It is not entirely free of cliches but they are kept at an acceptable level and done right to help minimize the cheesy feeling. So, there is no escaping those accidental hugs and kisses that are so common in these dramas.

Although the plot is not top notch, the overall pacing is good. There are no unbearable boring stretches and the main couple’s story development follows a well-paced sequence of events. Yuan Shuai and Jiang Jun share a very trusting and supportive relationship which is satisfying to me as a viewer. It is sweet to see how Yuan Shuai indulges and pampers Jiang Jun and can’t get angry with her for long. His defenses simply crumble with his love for her.

The second couple’s story lacks spice to me but I’m still fine with it as they don’t take up that much of time in the drama. Furthermore, Riley Wang does have his fair share of fans and he is cute to watch. Xu Li can be an annoying character with her infatuation over Xiao Chuan in the beginning but the good thing is you can skip their story and will still be able to enjoy the drama without missing much.

Forget The Details

If you want to enjoy Love Is Sweet, don’t take it too seriously though. The details are not grounded in reality and you will have to overlook them for better enjoyment. For instance, the protagonists are too young to assume such senior roles in the investment banking field. Jiang Jun’s tears allergy is also such a strange condition to have. Thus, just watch it for the romance and chemistry of the main couple and not let the details bother you too much.

For this Love Is Sweet review, I would give it a rating of 8/10. I like it that the producers have taken a simple office romance plot and made it enjoyable with a talented cast, sizzling chemistry, and smooth pacing to keep the chain of events going. Therefore, it is easy to get hooked to the story and the main couple as the romance develops with an overload of sweetness. The bonus are the kisses which are aplenty in the drama from passionate smooches to loving pecks on the forehead. A few comical moments will make you laugh while the interruptions to their intimate moments will probably cause you to squirm.

Overall, I would recommend a watch for Love Is Sweet unless you really can’t feel the chemistry between the leads. If that is the case, then a big chunk of the drama’s attraction will be missing and it might well be a big bore. But personally, this is definitely one of the better romance dramas for me for 2020.

==> Love Is Sweet is available on Amazon Prime (affiliate link)