I find the storyline for Love The Way You Are (身为一个胖子) to be a bit different than your typical romance dramas. That is why I decided to give it a go although I’m not a big fan of Derek Zhang. Furthermore, it is only a 24-episode drama which suits a rom-com just fine. There are certainly some positive lessons that can be learned from this storyline and I’m pretty sure that many who have suffered from weight problems could relate to the main female character. But is it a great drama in terms of entertainment value? The Love The Way You Are review below will try to explore this aspect of the drama.
Episodes: 24
Type: Romance
Aired: December 2019
Images Credit:IJQ TV
The Cast
- Derek Chang Xuan Rui as Ruan Dong Sheng
- Judy Qi Yuan Di as Eva / Zhen Yuan Yuan
- Qiu Bai Hao as Xiao Nan
- Ma Meng Wei as Luo Yi Ren
- Xiao Ran as Ni Hao
- Zhang Hao Jin as Rebecca
The Main Characters
Ruan Dong Sheng
Dong Sheng is a successful chef with his own group of restaurants and business called Qing Corporation. While he comes from a rich family, he has a strained relationship with his mother. His father was also a chef but died many years ago in an explosion at his restaurant. Dong Sheng has lost his sense of taste and relies on scientific precision to come up with delicious dishes. He can be aloof and has no interest in the opposite sex except for Eva.
Eva / Zhen Yuan Yuan
Eva is a top rated model. But she also hides a big secret that if exposed would cost her her career. She suffers from a rare disease which causes her to become fat within minutes if she consumes food greater than 1000 calories per day. Her past as a fat girl and failed relationship with Dong Sheng has resulted in much insecurities and psychological baggage. But it has also made her into a determined and ambitious woman.
Xiao Nan
Xiao Nan is Eva’s manager. They have known each other from school days and treat each other as siblings. Xiao Nan is protective of Eva and is the only one who knows her secret. He doesn’t like Dong Sheng for how he had treated Eva in the past. His love interest is Yi Ren.
Luo Yi Ren
Yi Ren is the Communications Director at Qing Corporation. She is a workaholic and helps to settle most of Dong Sheng’s business as well as personal problems. Her work brings her into contact with Xiao Nan whom she dislikes a great deal in the beginning.
Ni Hao
Ni Hao is Dong Sheng’s private secretary. He looks innocent and harmless. He will take orders from his boss for both his business and private matters.
Rebecca
Rebecca is also a top model and Eva’s rival. She is a schemer who does not hesitate to bring down others to get what she wants. Rebecca has feelings for Dong Sheng but it is a one-sided love.
Synopsis
Dong Sheng and Yuan Yuan used to be in the same high school. Yuan Yuan was a fat girl who developed feelings for the rich and good-looking Dong Sheng. But she ended up being punished and humiliated in front of all her schoolmates which left her feeling hateful towards Dong Sheng who did nothing to protect her. This also made her unable to face her past which caused her to strive to become a slim and pretty Eva of today. Eva is now a top model but she has a rare disease that causes her to become fat almost immediately once she eats above a certain amount of calories per day. This is her well-kept secret that she needs to hide from everyone.
When Dong Sheng returns to China to expand his business after spending a number of years abroad, he meets Eva again. But he doesn’t know she is Yuan Yuan as her appearance has changed tremendously. As their interaction increases because of business needs, he seems to develop feelings for Eva but feels guilty for betraying Yuan Yuan whom he still pines for.
How would Dong Sheng find out that Eva is Yuan Yuan? Will Eva’s secret be exposed eventually? What would happen to their relationship in the end?
Love The Way You Are Ending (Spoilers Alert!)
Love The Way You Are has a happy ending that sees Dong Sheng and Eva getting married in the last episode. His mother also realizes her mistake and accepts Eva as she is. Xiao Nan and Yi Ren also end up being together after the latter has a scare that she would die because of leukemia. However, that turns out to be a false alarm. But the incident forces Yi Ren to be impulsive and to do things she wants to do including being with Xiao Nan. This opens us the opportunity for Xiao Nan to pursue Yi Ren when they find out that her leukemia diagnosis is merely a mistake.
Did Eva’s Secret Get Exposed?
Yes, Dong Sheng’s mother finds out about Eva’s secret through an anonymous letter sent by Ni Hao. She tests it out on Eva on the eve of an important catwalk appearance. As a result, Xiao Nan convinces Rebecca to pretend to be Eva. Rebecca tries to fool everyone by hiding behind a mask. Ni Hao then sends a message to everyone to reveal Eva’s real identity as a fat girl. When the press starts to chase after Eva for answers, she courageously admits that she has a weight problem and how it has affected her throughout the years.
The owner of the modeling agency, Jason, is angry with Eva for lying to him but he also admires her for her designing skills. So, after Eva’s secret is exposed, Jason offers her the opportunity to design her own fashion line.
Why Ni Hao Wants Revenge?
Ni Hao’s father worked for Dong Sheng’s father in the restaurant. His father was also killed in the blast. Ni Hao’s mother also had a hard time working for Dong Sheng’s mother. His mother died later due to sickness which left Ni Hao an orphan. So, Ni Hao hates the Ruan family and works for Dong Sheng to find an opportunity to exact revenge. Since he knows Eva is Dong Sheng’s weakest link, he targets her to make Dong Sheng suffer.
There is a twist in the end though. Ni Hao’s father is actually a petty thief who had been stealing money from the restaurant. On the night of the blast, he was caught stealing money by Dong Sheng’s father. After hitting Dong Sheng’s father on the head with a glass bottle, he dragged him to the kitchen. As he tried to lit up a cigarette, the blast occurred and both of them were killed.
When Ni Hao finds out that his father was a thief, it forces him to rethink his version of the truth. Dong Sheng also forgives Ni Hao as the latter has suffered a lot in his childhood. He asks Ni Hao to manage his late father’s restaurant which he wants to reopen. Ni Hao accepts. As Ni Hao reconnects back to his past, he also learns to let go.
Why The Explosion Occurred?
Just as we think that everything is going well with Dong Sheng and Eva, another twist to the story unfolds towards the end. Eva finds out that she is responsible for the blast that happened which killed Dong Sheng’s father. She used to frequent the restaurant when she was very young and was close to the workers there. Someone triggers her memory and she remembers turning on the gas stove that night. As a result, she rejects Dong Sheng’s marriage proposal and runs away.
When Dong Sheng manages to find Eva, he tells her that she has nothing to do with the explosion. He also asks his mother not to blame Eva because the truth is his father was trying to commit suicide that night. Eva did turn on the stove but Dong Sheng had turned it off afterwards. Dong Sheng’s father had a debt problem and he blamed his mother for refusing to help. His father had turned on the gas that night and Ni Hao’s father’s lighter was what caused the explosion.
Is Eva Cured Of Her Disease?
Yes, she is cured of her rare disease. When Dong Sheng’s mother needs blood transfusion due to an accident, Eva willingly steps in as a donor. But to do so, she needs to be above a certain weight. So, she makes herself fat to donate her blood. Somehow, that changes something inside her body and her disease mysteriously disappears. Nevertheless, during the wedding ceremony, Eva is shown as both fat and thin as they take their vows. I guess this is to emphasize the moral of the story throughout – that Dong Sheng loves Eva just the way she is.
Love The Way You Are Review – Unique Story But…
If there is one thing I like about Love The Way You Are is that the plot is unique and refreshing for a romance drama. While a fat girl falling for a handsome boy is nothing out of the ordinary in real life, the rare disease that makes her transform from one size to another is not. So, it is interesting to watch as Eva becomes fat after overeating above 1000 calories and then thin again after a few days of dieting. It is also heartwarming to watch how Dong Sheng loves Eva no matter her size. I guess it does teach us that love is about acceptance and you have to love someone the way they are.
However, I also believe not everyone will have a liking to this plot because it does seem weird to see the main female lead changing body size throughout the drama. So, be warned that it does take some getting used to if you are into more realistic light romances like Go Go Squid! Personally, I can accept it after the first few episodes but what makes me feel bored is the constant denial by Eva that she is Yuan Yuan and her rejection of Dong Sheng when it is already clear that he knows her identity. Hence, for love stories with an uncommon theme, I would prefer The Romance Of Hua Rong over Love The Way You Are.
Acting And Chemistry Between The Leads
Everyone played their roles well here, including the second couple. While I get the feel that there is a bit of overacting in some scenes involving the main female lead, it is still acceptable given that it is a rom-com where reactions tend to get exaggerated. I can gloss over that flaw in the drama.
However, the chemistry between Derek Chang and Judy Qi is only average to me. They are pleasing to watch as a couple but there is no off-the-charts chemistry here to make it satisfying to rewatch their scenes together unlike, say, Well Intended Love no matter how bizarre that drama is in terms of storyline. And if you are looking forward to the kisses, I think there are not many of them throughout the drama that can make your heart swoon like the way it does in The Love By Hypnotic. Most of the time, the kisses are short as the camera tends to pan away from them. So, if you enjoy watching the kind of satisfying kisses that are more drawn out, they are somewhat lacking in this drama.
My Overall Verdict
Love The Way You Are is a light and fluffy drama that is kind of angst-free like Lucky’s First Love. If you really have nothing to watch, then it might be nice as a filler while you wait for something else to be aired. To me, it just doesn’t have the sweetness level of Love 020 if you are looking for an innocent romance. Of course, neither would it fit if you want to watch something more matured and emotional such as Here To Heart.
Overall, for this Love The Way You Are review, I would categorize it as a low priority watch. The storyline is different compared to other romance dramas which I think is its main selling point. But the rest of the factors that would make it truly stand out as a romance drama is kind of missing. So, watch it for the unique plot and not so much for the romance.
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