From slow burn to scorching romances, the latest slate of C-dramas have given viewers love stories that can make hearts flutter and skip several beats. These couples have such crackling chemistry that they made screens heat up with the sheer intensity of their feelings for each other. Here are five couples who scorched the screens and left an indelible impressions in many people’s hearts.
“Will Love in Spring”
When city girl Zhuang Jie (Zhou Yu Tong) travels back home to Nanping from Shanghai, she does not realize the dramatic turn her life will take. She runs into her former classmate, the dashingly good-looking Chen Mai Dong (Li Xian). Chen Mai Dong is a funeral makeup artist and is deeply respected by all at Nanping. One of the most eligible bachelors, he thwarts his grandmother’s attempts at matchmaking, well aware that his profession is not something a prospective girlfriend can adjust to. Zhuang Jie, now a successful medical salesperson, was infatuated with Mai Dong in school. After having lost her leg as a teenager in a car crash, it was the rebellious Mai Dong who had installed confidence in her back then.
However, as adults, the two are very different. Zhuang Jie’s exuberance and free spirit is in contrast to the enigmatically stoic Mai Dong. Even though she makes the first move, Zhuang Jie is unable to commit herself in a long-term relationship as she prefers her independence over anything. But as sparks fly and the two fall hopelessly in love, Zhuang Jie’s own insecurities come to the surface. She has been denying herself pleasure, is hesitant to expose herself to anyone, and regards her body as a burden. However, she has underestimated Mai Dong, who is a compassionate and understanding man and regards Zhuang Jie complete in every possible way, loving her deeply.
“Will Love in Spring” is a heartwarming story of love, healing, and acceptance. As it delves into issues of loss, grief, and death, it also highlights that the biggest celebration is being alive. The chemistry between Li Xian’s Mai Dong and Zhou Yu Tong’s Zhuang Jie is fire, and you can feel the intensity of their passion. Both actors play their parts to perfection and are a treat to watch on screen.
Start watching “Will Love in Spring”:
“Amidst a Snowstorm of Love”
It is love at first sight for Lin Yi Yang (Leo Wu) when he spots Yin Guo (Zhao Jin Mai) at a bar one stormy night in Hel (Finland). Yin Guo is a professional billiards player, visiting Hel for a competition as well as accompanying her baby cousin who plans to study in Finland. She is unaware that this good-looking stranger, who mesmerizes her with his intense stares and goes out of his way to help her and her brother, was a one-time snooker champ himself. Yi Yang, a maverick player, had quit the game in a rage. It has been 11 years since he has been back home to China, preferring to lead a life as a student in Finland. As he feels a rush of emotion every time he is with Yin Guo, her presence reignites the love he had for the sport he had forsaken.
Leo Wu’s Lin Yi Yang won hearts as the irresistibly indulgent and charming lover, who can go to any lengths for the woman he loves. Though Yin Guo is initially hesitant and awkward around him, it does not take her long to realize that this man is pure gold and for keeps. You can literally feel the throbbing passion between these two characters, as every looking touch is electrifying. “Amidst a Snowstorm of Love” has high recall value and is worth a rewatch.
Start watching “Amidst a Snowstorm of Love”:
“Best Choice Ever”
Mai Cheng Huan (Yang Zi) is suffocated by her overbearing mother’s constant interference in her life. Cheng Huan is constantly conflicted and struggles between filial piety as well as seeking her own independence. She decides to break free and devote herself to managing an affluent family’s hotel. It is here where she meets the suave Yao Zhi Ming (Xu Kai), the heir and manager at the hotel. Though Zhi Ming is initially hesitant about Cheng Huan’s aptitude and abilities, he sees that she is determined to make a mark for herself. As they start working together, they develop an easy compatibility, and a slow-burn romance blossoms between the two as they navigate family politics and professional challenges.
“Best Choice Ever” is the classic “enemies to lovers” trope fare. A slow-burn romance, the chemistry between the two is quite heady, even though the drama drops its pace at times.
Start watching “Best Choice Ever”:
“Step by Step Love”
You don’t want to ever mess with President Lu Cen Yang (Zhao Zhi Wei), the astute CEO of an architectural firm. He is meticulous in his dealings, and if you wrong the ones he cares for or him, he leaves no stone unturned in exacting revenge. His biggest rival and opponent is the Yi family, and they try to put a spanner in his success with their underhanded and corrupt dealings. Bu Ran (Lu Yang Yang) is a talented spatial designer, and though she belongs to the Yi family, Bu Ran and her parents are treated as outcasts. However, Bu Ran’s grandmother tries to manipulate Bu Ran in her plan to upstage Lu Cen Yang. As Bu Ran joins Lu Cen Yang’s firm, she sees the warm and empathetic man that he is beyond the cold exterior. Lu Cen Yang, aware of Bu Ran’s identity, realizes that she is a determined and forthright young woman who can take a fall for those she loves. As some serious sparks fly between the two, they are faced with bitter challenges and adversities.
“Step by Step Love” is a breezy watch with tropes and cliches aplenty, but what really gets the eyeballs is the hot romance which unfolds between the two. Zhao Zhi Wei and Lu Yang Yang complement each other well, and their chemistry is quite the sizzler.
Start watching “Step by Step Love”:
“Only For Love”
Shi Yan (Dylan Wang) is an entrepreneur and one of the most sought-after young men in the world of business. Zheng Shu Yi (Bai Lu) is an ambitious and bright business reporter and known for her journalistic insights. Shu Yi wants to interview Shi Yan and is willing to go to any lengths to get access to him. However, as her scheming colleague upstages her, Shu Yi faces a double whammy in her personal life as her boyfriend betrays her for a rich woman. Shu Yi is under the impression that Shi Yan’s niece is the other woman and tries to charm Shi Yan to exact her revenge. But Shu Yi finds herself falling hook, line, and sinker for Shi Yan instead. Shi Yan feels hurt and betrayed when he discovers her true motives, but what pierces him is that he meant nothing more than a headline to her. Even though he tries to distance himself from Shu Yi, he is unable to resist her for long.
The chemistry between these two is blazing hot. They are a couple who understands each other and are equally supportive. The ardor of their feelings is quite the scorcher.
Start watching “Only For Love”:
Hey Soompiers, which one of these couples amplified the hot quotient for you? Let us know in the comments below!
Puja Talwar is a Soompi writer with a strong Yang Yang and Lee Junho bias. A long time K-drama fan, she loves devising alternate scenarios to the narratives. She has interviewed Lee Min Ho, Gong Yoo, Cha Eun Woo, and Ji Chang Wook to name a few. You can follow her on @puja_talwar7 on Instagram.
Currently watching: “Lovely Runner“