Love Me If You Dare (2015)

Love Me if You Dare is a criminal, mystery/action drama that is unlike what I have seen before. I usually don't watch Chinese dramas unless they are historical. As a personal taste I prefer to watch Korean dramas instead, but when I do stumble upon a good Chinese drama it is usually mind blowing.
The story plot was epic, the first time I read the summary I was hooked but I did not watch right away due to me being judgemental because it was Chinese. I regret not watching it sooner, because as soon as the first episode was over I could not stop myself. The plot did not revolved around the romance as much as people would think, there was a perfect balance of romance and the actual plot. Unlike some other modern dramas this had a lot of suspense, and the action in this movie was not gangster like, it was quite sophisticated, and let's be honest with a hot actor like Wallace Huo anything looks sophisticated. Sometimes I did feel like some puzzles did not fit, like how the two main serial killers were related. There were obvious connections on how they were related, but it still felt like something was missing, which is why I gave the story a rating of 9.5. Also there was not the usual love triangle, there were two love interest, but one of them coolly decided to let the main lead girl go. For the first few episodes there were different cases and different killers, but eventually everything came together and you realize that it was all connected. I must say that the ending was a big BOOM!!!
The reason why I don't like to watch Chinese dramas as much, is because for some reason the acting looks awkward to me, but recently over the years, it has not felt that way, it is actually nice to watch chinese dramas now. Love Me if You Dare definitely had one of the best acting in Chinese dramas in my opinion. Each actor portrayed their character very well, and it just seemed so natural. Throughout the drama not even once did I think they should change the main leads like i have with some other dramas. There was not any big character development other than the usual "cold-hearted guy is actually warm-hearted and opens up to the world type of thing," like I said not very much character development. Even though there was not a lot of character development, each character was very interesting and had their own unique story with nightmares to overcome, which is why I did not mind that there was no big character change. In overall I gave this category a 10 because I did not find anything lacking.
Music is always important to me, especially in dramas because it helps me set the mood, and of course it makes the scenes more dramatic. Music is hard for me to review, because all the styles and different genres can make something beautiful, so I usually give this category a high ranking, the lowest I remember was probably an 8.5, but this drama definitely gets a 10. I believe there are 12 soundtracks total, including songs and background music. The songs were beautiful and sad, especially if you watch the ending and opening they always give me goosebumps. The music definitely made me feel the suspense of the most intense scenes, and that's something that I don't feel a lot of times. I always feel the warm sweet feelings with music, but I don't usually feel the drama and the edge on my seat feeling when it comes to action dramas, but Love Me if You Dare has accomplished this difficult task.
I would 100% rewatch Love Me if You Dare. I could never get tired of the thrill that comes to figuring out the murders, also the love scenes are always so cute, especially since Wallace Huo's character is this narcissistic person but he is always trying to win the main lead over, which adds a comedy feeling to things. The reason why I gave this category a 9 instead of a 10 was because in my personal taste I usually don't rewatch dramas, because it is difficult to experience those special moments all over again, but Love Me if You Dare made me rethink my way of thinking. I just did not want it to end.
This frustrating feeling that I can't get rid of is all because of this 24 episode journey. I will definitely treasure this drama in my heart and in my memories of love.

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From start to finish, this drama is solid. No waffling!
The drama is really one of the best when it comes to depicting the serious content. It never felt like it was trying too hard to make me feel. It was simple but effective.
I liked that other characters had strong deductive reasoning as well. It's not all about the god-like Professor Bo.
The plot has a twist! How I love twists. The lead up to the ending is really thrilling. Oh so good.

Jin Yan
“Are you using Li Xun Ran's life to gamble with me?”
“Analysing the mind of a perverted madman is my job, not a gamble.”

I think this is the first time I was convinced that the hero wasn't necessarily trying to be mean, he was just speaking his mind. Jin Yan is very direct. He is not good with people. I like that he's not picky about cleanliness or order. Most of the time, characters with his type of personality will be meticulous and OCD, but that's not really his thing.
Jin Yan's straight face is actually quite comical. The actor makes use of body language to give his character a lot of personality. His forwardness means he can ask questions that progress the relationship along quicker but as the viewer you're not really sure what it means that he's asked.
He also has a bit of a naughty side that he delivers so deadpan I can't help but laugh.

“You kissed the President?”
“Yes. During the climax of catching the criminal, I went out of my way to kiss my own sister. Are you thinking that I left my IQ and morality behind?”

Jin Yan is such a great character. It's hard to describe him. He is stiff, but never boring. He cares but is never kind. He's blunt and a little mean but not rude. He is open to learning more about “normal people” but on his terms. His progression into a human is really subtle and fabulous. I loved the unraveling of his personality. He smiles a lot to himself which makes him more accessible. He's not a diva.
I think the interesting thing about him, is that most Korean heroes have the two sides to them, but for Jin Yan, even when he is acting cute, he is still intimidating and even when he's humbly following instructions.
I like that he doesn't think he's a monster. That he knows full well who that title goes to. And the drama also emphasises how he doesn't identify with the murderers. That even though he understands them it's because of talent not because of some sinister connection or that there's something wrong with him.

Romance
This is probably my first time that I swooned over the heroine's romantic lines rather than the hero's. But Yao Yao's beautiful delivery was really touching.
Jin Yan is pretty much always respectful towards Yao Yao which is something you can't say of many heroes. And I like that he appreciates her intelligence and seeks out her input on the cases.
The pair have a very functional relationship right from the beginning. Their dynamic is really enjoyable.
I liked the flirty undertones and how Jin Yan really conveys his admiration for Jian Yao. I love that in a hero. He trusts her.
As the drama goes on, he becomes more relaxed and funny.
However, when he really starts to pursue her, I found the romantic activities a little jarring. It was almost like he had no heart in it, but rather was using formula as a means to an end.
However, once they get together, the drama moves away from focusing on their relationship. I was glad for that because romantic Jin Yan is kind of creepy.

Zi Yu
Zi Yu at first seems like the stereotypical sidekick. He's a good sidekick. He knows Jin Yan's quirks well. I love the little conversation he had with Yao about his best friend.
“His emotional intelligence is basically zero.”

He has some really awesome moments when he's got Jin Yan's back.

Jian Yao
This heroine is amazing. She's very firm right from the start. Unafraid to be a little rude but isn't bratty at all. She doesn't fall for any of Jin Yan's games (not that he plays a lot) and she can give him a fine and sophisticated setdown.
As one of the characters says, Jian Yao is both book smart and street smart which is refreshing in a heroine.
Despite considerable desensitisation to serial killer plots, I was terrified right along with Jian Yao.
I felt Jian Yao's horror towards Jin Yan but similar to her, also felt the curiosity of the mystery and the intrigue of the hunt.
She's efficient and capable.
Towards the second half of the drama, her character sort of withers away. She doesn't become annoying, she just becomes very unimportant to the plot.

It's been a while see a drama really gripped me. I was looking for a drama that would cheer me up and was trying for all the comedies, but nothing worked like the satisfaction of a good drama regardless of genre.

P.S. The book that this drama is based on is really good. You can read how Fu Zi Yu and Jin Yan become friends. It's awesome.

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If you enjoy Sherlock Holmes, CSI, Criminal Minds or other crime dramas, you will likely enjoy this drama. The main male lead is simply spectacular and the cute romantic developments are both subtle and enjoyable a midst an otherwise more intense story line. There is a lot of problem/resolution as cases are solved with a nice subtle overarching story line mingled in so the story and pacing felt spot on. My only issue was with the "American" actors. Yikes! Didn't totally love the last 5 minutes of the drama either (which isn't typical of a drama for me) and it hinted at a second season. I hope that's true! Overall great watch.

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Whoa, this TV Series is absolutely incredible.

Firstly, the storyline is so in depth and some of it was honestly beyond me, it blows my mind that Hai Yan wrote this. The psychological knowledge is something I'm very inspired by, as I want to be an journalist but I'm very convinced to follow a path in psychology and crime instead. I'm so intrigued by psychopaths, murder cases, and serial killers. I love the suspense in this series, it takes a long time to get through, though I spent a day binge watching it ;) I think its so worth it because the plot is so carefully structured and takes time for everything to come together nicely. The characters were all so interesting and above all I think these are the best actors and actresses I've seen in any country, movie or TV Series. The cast portrayed their roles so perfectly, Bo Jinyan much reminded me of Sherlock Holmes to begin with, but eventually I found him to be more convincing and more of a serious and realistic character. Wallace Huo is so freaking handsome and played the role flawlessly. Jian Yao is very inspirational to me, I think her character is certainly a good role model and I love the line Bo Jinyan said to her, "its his biggest mistake. He thought you were my weakness. But actually, in truth, with you by my side, it makes me feel stronger" even though she is a victim she is no damsel in distress and thats what I love about her role. Jian Yao is not a young woman making foolish sacrifice for love, she doesn't need to be held back or protected because she is a woman, she makes Bo Jinyan stronger and therefor is not a disadvantage to him, instead she is his greatest weapon. The romance element of the series had me hooked, its not some stupidly thought out series that neglects a decent plot, it is more so a perfectly written series that also has a romantic storyline that perfectly intertwines with the crime element. Xie Han is very interesting as the psychopath, I think his character development over time became much more intriguing and on a non-serious review side note - his wardrobe is pretty damn cool + the actor is handsome. Fu Ziyu and Li Xunran are kinda the second male leads if you will, since I would say Xie Han is also a lead along with Bo Jinyan, I love them so freaking much and I cant even...their characters just made me fall in love with this series soooooooo much more. Honestly, as a whole, this TV Series is incredible and I would recommend it to anyone who has the time! The actors, directors, writers e.g. did an amazing job.

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Initially, I wanted to give this a solid 10, but after thinking about it for a while, I came down to a 9.

I loved everything about the first 10 or so episodes: the first meetings between Bo Jin Yan and Yao Yao, the mansion scenes and the first cases those two (those four, to be exact) worked on. I also loved how the scenes were shot. There was darkness, close - ups and mystery in all the right places. That got me invested into the story. However, let me just say that the story got progressively creepier and I had a hard time binge watching the last couple of episodes because of that. I have a very vivid imagination and even if the torture scenes were not always explicit, my memory overcompensated for them. The last 8 episodes were too much: the crimes were too perfect, the pace was too fast for me and the tricks were just too well thought out.

I was also not a huge fan of the romance in this drama. It progressed too quickly and it wasn't all that great. It did move the story forward, but it didn't make my heart race. I liked the initial attraction between the main leads, but I didn't think they fit together as a couple.

Wallace Huo really is an incredible actor. He does a good job in the first half of the show, but a remarkable job during the couple of last episodes. There are scenes acted out by him that blew me away. I liked his scenes with Sandra Ma, but I can't say I loved her equally much in this. As usual with East Asian dramas, a lot of the non- Chinese actors were so so. I do think that LMiYD had better English speaking actors than most of the shows out there, but many of them were not even half as good as the Chinese protagonists. That ruined some scenes for me. It was difficult for me to rate the cast because of that.

Overall though Love Me if You Dare is really a great show and I recommend that you watch it and see for yourself.

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