Time To Fall In Love Review (2022)

Let me be upfront. If you really like contract marriage trope, Time To Fall In Love (终于轮到我恋爱了) is likely to be an average to great choice for a romance drama. But if you don’t, stay far, far away! I watched it because it is only 24 episodes. That is the only reason I picked it up and I didn’t bother reading the synopsis beforehand. I wasn’t expecting much to begin with and hence, the disappointment wasn’t keenly felt when it ended. One thing for certain is that this drama is not going to end up anywhere near a top rated list. My Time To Fall In Love review below will have a lot more to say about this production.

My rating: 6/10
Episodes: 24
Type: Romance, Contract Marriage
Aired: June 2022
Images Credit: iQIYI Thailand Facebook

The Cast Of Time To Fall In Love (2022)

• Lin Xin Yi as Su Yan Xi / He Jin Xi
• Luo Zheng as Gu Xi Cheng
• Wang Xu Dong as Situ Shuo
• Li Xin Ran as Lu An An
• Yang Ze as Fu Bo Ya
• Zhang Yao as Nangong Liu Li
• Pan Zi Yan as He Jin Xi
• Zhao Shu Zhen as Grandma Gu

Main Characters

Su Yan Xi / Xi Xi

Xi Xi is an online streamer specializing in make up and cosmetics. She is a warm and sincere young woman who is in need of money to treat her sick mother. Xi Xi has a gentle nature.

Gu Xi Cheng

Xi Cheng is the President of Huayan Group which is a major cosmetics company. He is a workaholic with little interest in dating. Xi Cheng is also rather aloof and unsmiling but astute.

Supporting Characters

Situ Shuo

Situ is the Vice President of Huayan Group and Xi Cheng’s personal assistant as well as best friend. He is loyal and amiable. He also suffers from a fear of intimacy.

Lu An An

An An is Xi Xi’s best friend and online streaming sidekick. She is also a part-time designated driver. An An can be fierce and hot-tempered.

Fu Bo Ya

Fu Bo Ya is an agent and a consultant for a foreign cosmetic company. He is also Xi Xi’s old friend from schooldays. Fu Bo Ya appears as a sincere person who is trying to get close to Xi Xi.

Nangong Liu Li

Nangong is Xi Cheng’s old friend from university with a hint of something more between them in the past. She is a scheming and jealous woman who wants to be Xi Cheng’s girlfriend.

He Jin Xi

Jin Xi is Xi Xi’s estranged twin sister. She is a big spender who is after material things. She is greedy and will stop at nothing to get what she thinks she deserves.

Grandma Gu

Grandma Gu is Xi Cheng’s beloved grandmother. She is old and has a heart problem. But she can be mischievous when it comes to getting Xi Cheng to date.

Synopsis

Xi Xi is a cosmetics online streamer who is late for an interview for a similar position at Huayan Group. At the same time, the President of the company, Xi Cheng, is interviewing candidates to be his fake girlfriend in order to make his sickly grandmother happy. Xi Xi ends up in the wrong interview and has a quarrel with Xi Cheng for the ridiculous position. But a picture of their accidental kiss reaches Xi Cheng’s grandmother and sets in motion the need for him to make Xi Xi his fake fiancee.

However, Xi Cheng ends up signing a contract for the role with Xi Xi’s identical twin sister, Jin Xi, in a case of mistaken identity. Jin Xi then selfishly gets Xi Xi to fulfill the contract obligation on her behalf after getting paid. In exchange, Jin Xi will use part of the money for their mother’s urgent surgery which Xi Xi has no means to pay for.

As Xi Xi pretends to be Jin Xi and acts out her role as Xi Cheng’s fiancee, the couple begins to fall in love with each other for real. While they face jealous third parties who are trying to break them apart, Xi Xi also feels guilty for deceiving Xi Cheng about her real identity. Will Xi Xi find the courage to tell Xi Cheng the truth before the secret is exposed?

Time To Fall In Love Ending (Spoilers Alert!)

Time To Fall In Love 2022 has a happy ending. Xi Cheng goes to look for Xi Xi after 4 months and apologizes for doubting her and their ensuing separation. Although she is reluctant to get back together at first as she is afraid of hurting him again, her heart melted with his sincerity and marriage proposal. Hence, Xi Xi agrees to marry Xi Cheng. At the same time, Situ also has a ring ready to propose to An An. Hence, both couples are getting married with Xi Cheng’s grandmother wanting a wedding without delay.

The last scene is a repeat of the first whereby Xi Xi is late and rushing to an interview at Huayan again. But this time, Xi Cheng meets her at the kerb. He teases her that she will have to stay home to become Mrs. Gu if she misses the interview and fails to get the job. The drama ends with the couple kissing.

When Did The Couple Get Together?

Xi Cheng seriously confesses his love to Xi Xi in Episode 16 after losing his temper. He was angry when Xi Xi brought up his past and tried to make him open up his heart to her. She is reluctant to accept his love initially as she is deceiving him about her identity but gives in to her feelings for him. They officially start dating then.

Prior to that, the couple’s growing feelings for each other has already been obvious as early as Episode 6 when Xi Cheng wants Xi Xi to stay by his side forever. She is also touched when Xi Cheng bids back her mother’s necklace for her in Episode 7 during a charity auction.

Xi Xi also gives Xi Cheng a kiss in Episode 11 in front of Nangong when she gets fed up over Nangong’s various schemes to get close to her man. She tells him that the kiss is Grandma Gu’s idea of claiming ownership. In Episode 15, Xi Xi is again moved when Xi Cheng protects her from getting hurt due to Nangong’s nefarious scheme.

Is There Any Breakup?

Before Xi Xi and Xi Cheng got together, there are a few quarrels along the way due to Nangong’s and Fu Bo Ya’s schemings to sow discord between them. In Episode 12, Xi Xi gets angry with Xi Cheng when he advises her not to go against Nangong as the latter is her superior. This is after Nangong claimed credit for Xi Xi’s design ideas. Xi Cheng eventually apologizes to Xi Xi for neglecting her feelings and they get back on good terms in Episode 13.

But Nangong continues to provoke Xi Xi by claiming that she was Xi Cheng’s beloved in the past and will remain so. Hence, Xi Xi tells Xi Cheng to sort out his relationship with Nangong once and for all before looking for her again. Xi Cheng does so in Episode 14 to try to put an end to Nangong’s schemes.

After Xi Xi and Xi Cheng start become a couple in Episode 16, the focus turns to her deception about her real identity. When it is exposed, Xi Cheng is angry and disappointed. He leaves her in Episode 23 as he fears that she is only after his money to treat her mother and thus, her feelings for him must be fake. Being heartbroken, Xi Xi decides to leave the city to return to her hometown with her mother. Xi Cheng rushes to look for her before her departure but couldn’t find her.

The couple only reconcile 4 months later after Xi Cheng has worked hard to successfully launched a new product range that has Xi Xi’s design ideas. It is his way of showing he still loves her. He proactively woos her back with an apology and proposal after learning that she still feels the same about him.

Is There A Love Triangle?

Nangong appears in Episode 7. She and Xi Cheng were university mates. The early impression is that they were once lovers but she left suddenly without saying goodbye. Her reason for leaving is that she wants to be successful first so that she is qualified to stand beside Xi Cheng as his significant other. But Xi Cheng is not interested in her at all and is forced to tell her the truth in Episode 14 when she keeps creating trouble for Xi Xi due to her jealousy.

Back in university, Xi Cheng and Nangong were members of the Astronomical Society. She was the only female in the group. Other members often tried to pair them up while Xi Cheng was only being gentlemanly. She mistook that for romantic affections. Nangong finally quits Huayan in Episode 17 after being rejected again.

Fu Bo Ya’s Agenda

Xi Xi and Fu Bo Ya are only friends although he seems to be pursuing her initially. However, his real love is Nangong. He reveals this to Xi Xi in Episode 18 after setting her up by circulating photos of them hugging. His intention is to break Xi Xi and Xi Cheng up so that Nangong has a chance at happiness. Fu Bo Ya met Nangong while they were studying abroad. She appeared during the darkest moments of his life and he fell deeply in love with her. Hence, Fu Bo Ya hates Xi Cheng because the latter is the source of Nangong’s misery. All Fu Bo Ya wants is for Nangong to be happy.

Fu Bo Ya becomes agitated after his attempt to break Xi Xi and Xi Cheng apart fails during a press conference. Xi Cheng has evidence that Xi Xi has been set up and framed for being unfaithful by Fu Bo Ya. When Nangong arrives and starts taking some of the blame for what happened, the press’ attention switches to her. She runs away from the venue with Fu Bo Ya going after her. He is knocked down by an oncoming car after pushing her away from danger. Before Fu Bo Ya dies, he tells Nangong that he loves her.

Nangong decides to leave the country to start anew and bring Fu Bo Ya’s ashes to the place they first met. She says her goodbye and apologizes to Xi Xi in Episode 19. Nangong knows Xi Xi’s real identity through Fu Bo Ya but it doesn’t matter to her anymore. Nangong doesn’t want to get entangled in a love she can’t have any longer. Otherwise, Fu Bo Ya’s sacrifice for her would be in vain.

Xi Xi And Jin Xi’s Relationship

Xi Xi and Jin Xi are identical twins. During their childhood, Xi Xi was the one who got all the attention which made Jin Xi jealous. When their parents divorced, the court awarded Xi Xi to the mother while Jin Xi to the father. While Xi Xi grew up with a mother’s love, Jin Xi hated her father and stepmother. Thus, this increases Jin Xi’s dissatisfaction towards her sister.

Jin Xi returns from abroad after plastic surgery and blackmails Xi Xi for money in Episode 20. She is now jealous that Xi Cheng is in love with Xi Xi when it was her that signed the contract with him. She schemes to live with them when she runs out of money and hides their mother in an unknown location to force Xi Xi to do her bidding.

Xi Xi finally finds out where their mother is in Episode 22. The spiteful Jin Xi reveals their identity swap to Xi Cheng to break him and Xi Xi up in Episode 23. Xi Cheng warns Jin Xi that he could have sued her for contract violation by getting another party to take her place. But he gives her money instead for her to rebuild her life as she is Xi Xi’s sister. Xi Cheng also tells Jin Xi that Xi Xi deserves everything that she has got through her own effort and sincerity. Thus, she cannot possibly have Xi Xi’s life by just swapping back their identities.

Jin Xi then decides to leave the city. Xi Xi tries to ask her sister to stay with her and their mother. But Jin Xi admits to Xi Xi that she is envious of her and doesn’t know how to face her. She asks Xi Xi to take good care of their mother instead.

Xi Cheng’s Obsession

Xi Cheng’s obsession with having things in pairs stem from his guilt of causing his elder brother’s death. They were very close as siblings. When he was a young boy, his brother saved him from an oncoming car. Xi Cheng was playing marbles on the road then. His brother was hit instead and died. As a result of his brother’s death, his mother became depressed and his father eventually left her. Xi Cheng was then brought up by his grandmother and the effort subsequently put a toll on her health.

Therefore, Xi Cheng bears tremendous guilt ever since as he feels that he has ruined the whole Gu family. Things must be in pairs as there were supposed to be 2 of them. His past is revealed in Episode 16 when Xi Xi finds some old photos in his drawer and wants him to share his pain with her.

Second Couple

Situ actually suffers from a psychological fear of intimacy. After spending a drunken night with An An in Episode 4, his psychologist advises him to try to get close to her to overcome his problem. So, Situ pursues An An relentlessly. An An’s heart begins to melt until she notices his phone message from his psychologist in Episode 12. She thinks that he may be trying to get close to her for his own selfish reason.

Situ coaxes An An back and confesses his feelings in Episode 13. He admits that he has psychological issues but assures her that he is not treating her as his medicine but that he genuinely likes her. But Situ becomes more cautious thereafter as he is afraid of pressuring An An. On the other hand, An An feels frustrated by Situ’s lack of initiative to get closer to her. They get together as a couple in Episode 15 after Xi Xi prodded Situ to open up about his feelings for An An.

Their relationship is tested in Episode 19 when Situ is forced to hide Xi Xi’s identity from Xi Cheng. Since Xi Cheng is his friend while Xi Xi is An An’s friend, they end up being on opposite camps. But Situ doesn’t want their friends to affect their relationship in Episode 20 to which An An also agrees. So, they remain loving to each other with a planned proposal by Situ and a wedding on the cards in Episode 24.

Time To Fall In Love Review – Contract Marriage Cliches

Time To Fall In Love 2022 is nothing more than a cookie-cutter type of contract marriage drama. Whatever cliches you can think of is all crammed into the 24 episodes. Accidental kiss – check. Sickly grandmother yearning for a granddaughter-in-law – check. Childhood link – check. Jealous third party – check. Well, you get the drift. There is nothing in the drama that is refreshing in terms of plot. Everything is recycled stuff that we have seen before in Once We Get Married, Hello Mr. Gu, and many more. But why are we still watching then?

I guess this kind of drama gives us a form of escapism. The feel good factor of watching a fairy tale automatically draws us in even when we know what to expect and how it will end. The sweetness is just too tempting to ignore. Add in a handsome male lead and a cute female lead to generate the right amount of chemistry and we are ready for another fairy tale ride.

Good-Looking Male Lead

I know many women watched Time To Fall In Love for Luo Zheng as he is indeed a handsome hunk. The role of a company president is also a walk in the park for him as this isn’t the first time he has played such a character. In fact, in Nothing But You, he not only plays a CEO but the drama also has a set of twins who are forced to swap identities. Sounds similar, right?

Well, if you don’t mind watching his good looks again, he should make you happy with his performance in Time To Fall In Love. He is dashing in his suits and appears as the typical domineering and successful executive that women would fall for. The younger female lead also has a sweet face to complement the male lead although her acting still needs improvement. Her scenes with her evil twin sister isn’t up to notch for someone who is supposed to be angry and frustrated.

As a couple, the chemistry is good which is why the drama is still watchable for a recycled plot. The hot kisses help to raise the bar and I guess this is one of the reasons why it gets attention. Basically, this is what you are watching this drama for – the handsome lead, good chemistry between the couple, and great kisses. I’m sure you will be replaying that kiss in Episode 17 with their overflowing love and passion.

Annoying Characters (Spoilers Alert!)

While the chemistry and kisses help to sell the drama, the weaknesses are also glaringly visible. The supporting characters are annoying with a typical jealous third party who is hellbent on breaking the main couple up with a self-entitled notion that he must love her. Another is half crazy with the way he goes about trying to seek happiness for his beloved. If 2 annoying characters is not enough, there is a third with a deep trauma from an unhappy childhood and blames it all on the protagonist.

So, Time To Fall In Love is not all sugar and fluff like My Little Happiness and Perfect And Casual. These supporting characters will get on your nerves at times especially when they are so unoriginal and one-dimensional. Personally, I think 3 villains are a bit too much for a 24-episode contract marriage romance drama when viewers are generally after the sweetness that it can offer rather than the angst.

Furthermore, the evil motivations and schemings are not well-written that the characters’ actions just seem so idiotic. Who would hire someone to drive a love rival to a deserted location and hold her up against her will? How can a person schemes to break up a friend’s relationship just so that the woman he loves can have a chance with the same man? Their doings are utterly illogical especially when the actions are criminal in nature. Hence, these supporting characters have this level of desperation written in them that are frustrating to watch.

Weak Plot (Spoilers Alert!)

Overall, Time To Fall In Love has a weak plot that you wouldn’t want to question if your sole purpose is just to enjoy the fluff. Everything about it is predictable… and senseless. To me, the identity swap deception isn’t even necessary. In the beginning, the guy only wants someone to play his fake fiancee for his grandmother’s sake. So, it doesn’t really matter who actually signs the contract. They look alike anyway and she could have been honest about it. He gets a perfect partner for the part and she gets to ensure her mother has her surgery.

Further down the road, they fall in love and she has plenty of opportunities to tell him the truth. The excuse of being afraid to lose him is so flimsy as she knows he loves her and has asked her numerous times to open up her heart to him. It is simple logic that being honest has a higher chance of maintaining the relationship than continued deception. The other excuse of her mother’s safety also doesn’t make sense as she could have easily told the guy her predicament without her sister knowing.

In short, this is just a girl’s fairy tale of a man who would take the initiative and apologize to make his woman feel pampered and loved even when it is not his fault and she is the one who deceived him. So, switch off your brain and don’t watch this for the plot. Treat it as a guilty pleasure for those times that you need a happily ever after fairy tale to lull you into a sweet dream.

My Verdict – You Know What You’ll Get

If you have watched 2 or 3 contract marriage Chinese dramas, you will know where Time To Fall In Love will lead you to. If you are going to judge this against other dramas, this would belong in the mediocre category with its lack of originality and weak plot. But then, you don’t have big stars and big budget for better quality unlike romance dramas such as You Are My Glory and She And Her Perfect Husband. Therefore, starting with a low expectation will help temper any disappointment.

More importantly, you must not be bored by the recycled plot of a contract marriage drama. The romance, passion, chemistry, and compatibility between the leads must excite you enough for it to be enjoyable. Suffice to say that the leads in Time To Fall In Love did reasonably well to give viewers palpable chemistry to make hearts flutter especially with their kisses. If this is enough for you, then this production would turn out to be sweet and pleasurable. But if it is not, then other factors such as the plot will come into play and the weaknesses will become painfully obvious.

For this Time To Fall In Love 2022 review, I would give it a score of 6/10. I know it is not meant to be plot-heavy and serious like Almost Lover and Light Chaser Rescue but there are too many tropes that it makes me feel that the production team isn’t even trying for the viewers’ sake. Hence, I don’t recommend this unless you really love contract marriage dramas to a fault. Personally, I’m pretty neutral when it comes to this genre and I would still watch if one comes along. But the copy and paste for this one simply screams in your face and that is a little too much for me to take.