LayarHijau.com – Despite early criticism directed at Liu Haocun for refusing to film kiss scenes, the youth romance drama Be Passionately in Love (陷入我们的热恋) has received generally positive feedback from viewers. Starring Liu Haocun and Wang Anyu, the series currently holds a Douban score of 6.5—slightly higher than The Prisoner of Beauty (只此江湖梦), which stands at 6.4.
Many viewers praised the drama for its sweet, nostalgic portrayal of young love, as well as its faithful adaptation of the original novel by Er Dong Tuzi, with around 90% of the storyline staying true to the source material. One user commented, “The chemistry between the leads is really sweet, and I love how faithful the drama is to the original novel. It feels like a warm nostalgic trip back to youth.”
The female lead Xu Zhi was also highlighted as a refreshing departure from the typical lovestruck heroine. “Xu Zhi’s character is refreshing—not the usual love-struck girl but someone clear-headed and mature. The scenes with her grandmother add a lot of charm and humor,” a viewer wrote. For many, the drama offers the perfect light, heartwarming romance that evokes memories of adolescence.
However, criticism still surfaced, especially among viewers who rated the drama poorly. Several noted that the lead actors’ performances felt stiff and emotionally flat. “The acting feels a bit stiff, especially from the leads. Sometimes it’s like they are just posing rather than really feeling the emotions,” one user remarked.
Others found the plot too slow and predictable. “The story is too slow and predictable. It’s like a sugar-coated version of youth with no real depth or challenges, which made me lose interest quickly,” said another. Some felt the romance was overly sweetened and idealized: “I felt the romance was overly sweetened to the point of being unrealistic. The characters seemed more like idealized versions rather than real people.”
While the adaptation was praised for its loyalty to the novel, a few readers felt it lacked the book’s emotional nuance. “Though it sticks to the novel, the adaptation lacks the novel’s emotional depth. It feels watered down and forced in some parts.” Others also noted awkward or unnatural dialogues that broke the immersion: “Some dialogues and interactions felt awkward and unnatural, which distracted me from the story.”
Despite the criticisms, Be Passionately in Love has resonated with fans of simple, warm youth romance stories. The production team’s emphasis on ‘pure love’ over physical intimacy appears to have struck a chord with a particular audience segment, helping the drama hold its ground amid controversy.