- Drama Title: Why is He Still Single?
- Also Known As: 他为什么依然单身, Bu Neng Jie Hun De Nan Ren, Ta Wei She Me Yi Ran Dan Shen, Zhong Guo Ban Bu Neng Jie Hun De Nan Ren
- Director: Qie Guo Wei
- Screenwriter: Bu Xiao Feng, Gui Dong Min
- Genres: Comedy, Romance
- Cast: Wallace Huo, Zhu Zhu
- Number of Episodes: 16
- Date of Release: November 16, 2025
- Original Network: Tencent Video
- Where to Watch: WeTV, Tencent Video, Viki
Dear readers… how are you today? I hope your day is good and you were surrounded by your loved ones. Before we get into the Why is He Still Single drama review, I just want to send a little love to everyone who’s been going through tough times lately.
The Philippines with the typhoon, Indonesia with the floods and landslides, Malaysia with the heavy storm, and Vietnam facing severe flooding. And also to everyone in Hong Kong affected by the recent fire incident. I’m truly sorry for your loss, and my heart goes out to all of you. May strength find you in the smallest moments, and may recovery come soon for all. 🤍🤝
Why is He Still Single? Synopsis
Yu Yu is a famous architect with a quirky nature. He is eccentric, and the way he deals with the worlds and the people in it could be… well, pretty infuriating for others.
Yu Yu is a 40-years-old bachelor who chose to live a single life, claiming it was more convenient for him. He enjoyed his job, his food, his house, his lifestyle, and he didn’t need anyone to “complete” it.
However, Yu Yu was about to experience a major shift in his life after he met his new neighbour. Xia Xiao Man is a young girl who work as a car saleswoman and has just broken up with her boyfriend.
One day, she helped bring Yu Yu to the hospital after he suffered severe pain due to haemorrhage. This was when he met Gu Ye Jia, a very patient doctor who treated his illness. Afterwards, Gu Ye Jia and Xia Xiao Man became a part of Yu Yu’s life.
Bit by bit the people around him started to see that behind Yu Yu’s annoying and infuriating nature, there was actually some kindness there. This time, Yu Yu finally met a person who could balance him and understand him in a way no one else did. The question is, will he realize that he already fallen in love with her?
Why is He Still Single? Drama Review
When Chaos Becomes Therapy
Dear readers, this week I watched two dramas seriously, Fight for Love and Why Is He Still Single? The latter was chosen out of curiosity. While I have so many rants about Fight for Love, I feel like praising this drama a lot.
Why Is He Still Single? is a 2nd remake of the 2006 Japanese drama, He Who Can’t Marry. The first remake is the 2009 Korean drama, The Man Who Can’t Get Married. This sparked a question, what is so special about the story that made 3 different countries have their own version?
The main theme of this drama is about singlehood and friendship. Yes, we could consider it a romance drama because it talked about Yu Yu’s journey into finding love. But the romance was snail-paced, so I was more inclined to the comedy genre.
Why Is He Still Single? is a part of the Tencent Firefly Theatre series. There were many good dramas with high-quality videos that you could find in this series. I’ve reviewed some of them, such as Angel Fall Sometimes, Reborn, and Twelve Letters. These are the dramas that will squeeze out of your tears until the last drop. If you prefer something more light-hearted, you could try Later, I Laughed.
The beginning of Why Is He Still Single? caught my eye. No, I am not talking about the first 5 minutes. I’m talking about the opening song. This song is a perfect synopsis for the drama since it ended with “will he spend the rest of his life this way or turn back to that distant light?” Well, this is the kind of question that I always put in my synopsis part. 😁
This drama has everything that I need to enjoy my weekend. First of all, it only has 16 episodes. Quite short, isn’t it? The story was so easy to follow, too. There weren’t many characters involved. Thank goodness… 😉
There were also not many conflicts. No crazy third wheels, no office politics that made you scream in frustration, no dramatic ex suddenly showing up with a long speech about fate.
If you often watch Cdramas, you might feel that the story was waaaayy too light for your tastebud. But it was good to have something that was different from your original drama diet. Honestly, it felt like the universe finally gave me something that lets my blood pressure rest for a moment. 😅
Instead, they give us daily problems. The tiny kind of drama. The “my neighbour always plays loud classical music every day”, “my boss is scolding me, again”, “life is hard, but we still have to eat and I still had to buy the shoes”, “my father set another blind date for me” kind of problems.
And somehow, watching these small everyday issues felt more relatable than any big dramatic twist. It’s like this drama tells me to sit back, relax, and enjoy these people trying to survive one awkward situation at a time. 😂
Yu Yu’s annoying and infuriating nature, combined with Gu Ye Jia’s sassiness, Xia Xiao Man’s naivety, and Shen Wu’s eternally scolded-yet-so devoted energy, created the kind of chaos that made me laugh even when I didn’t plan to. Their dynamic interactions surely made my day.
The next thing that I like about this drama is the fact that Why Is He Still Single? chose Wallace Huo and Zhu Zhu as their main leads. This year, Wallace Huo is 45 years old while Zhu Zhu is 41. Yu Yu was said to be a 40-year-old man.
Even though Gu Ye Jia’s age was never mentioned, I guess she was somewhere between 32 and 36. Gu Ye Jia’s father was desperate to find her a husband and given that Gu Ye Jia herself is a successful doctor in a private hospital, respected by her colleagues, so the age range makes sense.
These days, many dramas cast younger actors to play older roles, and it sometimes feels a bit off. So it was nice to see older actors play the character that actually matches their age.
The wrinkles look natural, and they didn’t have to pretend to be older with heavy makeup or awkward styling. It feels honest and believable. Something that I really appreciate.
Why Is He Still Single? was not the first drama of Wallace Huo and Zhu Zhu acting together. They were previously acted in The Tale of Rose, where Wallace Huo played as Pu Jia Ming, Huang Yi Mei’s soulmate, while Zhu Zhu played as Jiang Xue Qiong, Huang Yi Mei’s friend.
Why Is He Still Single? showed how solid their acting skill and the chemistry between them felt effortless, even though they didn’t play lovers. So, seeing them together as the main couple feels like a pleasant surprise for me. They bring nuanced acting and at the same time maturity into this drama.
Aside from them, there were also Fei Qi Ming as Shen Wu and Li Kai Xin as Xia Xiao Man. I loved Shen Wu’s character. He might be a little childish and immature, but he is a warm and kind person.
Fei Qi Ming often got this kind of role. You could see him in this type of role in Ski Into Love, where he played Lao Yan, or as Cheng Yao in Our Interpreter. If you like his work, you could also check out his other dramas, such as Love Game in Eastern Fantasy, Ray of Light, or Rising with the Wind.
Veteran actors also filled the scene with their steady acting that never disappoints. Familiar faces such as Edward Zhang (The Story of Pearl Girl, The Immortal Ascension, Love You Seven Times), Liu Jia (Our Days, Blossoms in Adversity, Meet Yourself), Yun Zhu Sheng (Moonlit Reunion, Fighting for Love, A Dream of Splendor), and Li Yi Xiang, who turn out to be the actor who played Ye Yi Bo in Twelve Letters.
This drama truly brightened up my weekend, that I decided to postpone my rant in Fight for Love drama review. I’ll save that emotional chaos for later, because right now my heart just wants to enjoy this tiny piece of joy.
However, there was no perfect drama in this world. Although I like how they set up detailed sets for every scene, there were obvious green-screen scenes with bad editing.
When Yu Yu and Gu Ye Jia followed Papa Gu to a farewell party for his Harley, Wallace Huo and Zhu Zhu sat on a bench waiting for the sunrise. The scene reminded me of the ” The Lovely Night scene in the La La Land movie, where Seb and Mia wander up the quiet hillside overlooking Los Angeles and end up on a bench.
This is one of my favorite parts of the movie. So at some point, I was hoping that Wallace Huo and Zhu Zhu would jump and dance. 😜
But the green screen made the moment look a bit too artificial. It looked like they were floating on a postcard instead of sitting outdoors. The lighting didn’t blend with their hair, and you could see that the background was blurred. It was a sweet moment in the story, but the editing kind of stole the magic away…😒
The Story – Being Single Was Peaceful… Until It Wasn’t
Why Is He Still Single? Focused on Yu Yu’s story of love, work, and friendship. He is a 40-year-old bachelor. No, he is more than just a bachelor. He is a VERY eligible bachelor who is rich, famous, handsome, and good-looking.
The one that would steals your heart if you saw it in the magazine cover. But in real life, Yu Yu is quirky, eccentric, annoying, and stingy. Then Yu Yu met Gu Ye Jia, a 30-something bachelorette. She is a hard-working doctor who has devoted her entire life to her job. Both Yu Yu and Gu Ye Jia choose to remain single for personal reasons. Sound familiar?
Many people in their 30s and 40s today choose to remain single, and it’s becoming more common than before. Back in the 90s, both men and women were pushed to marry early. Men were expected to settle down once they had a stable career, and women were told that being single at 30 was basically a crime…😅
Then came the 2000s. Things started to loosen up a bit. Men and women delayed marriage because they wanted to focus on their careers or chase higher education. They still planned to marry but were less in a hurry.
Now in the 2020s, everything shifts again. Men and women choose to stay single because life is expensive and dating is tiring. They prefer peace over a stressful relationship. Many don’t feel the need to settle just because society said so. Being single in your 30s or 40s is normal now. And honestly, many people are happier that way.
Older people, especially those from our parents’ generation, usually don’t take it too well when their children stay single for too long. They get worried and tend to overthink. Then they start doing thing that was a little too far. This is a very common theme in modern Cdramas.
My ire was immediately provoked when writing this part. I suddenly remembered Mai Cheng Huan’s mother in Best Choice Ever, the one who secretly planned an engagement party for her daughter. Without even asking for her consent. Aarrggh… Liu Wan Yu is one of most annoying mother character in Cdramaland. 🤬
In Why Is He Still Single?, Yu Yu was pushed to get married by his mother. Meanwhile, Gu Ye Jia’s father was determined to find her a husband. Mama Yu’s method of finding a wife for Yu Yu was still acceptable. However, Papa Gu was on another level.
Every month, Papa Gu got a “monthly slot” to arrange blind dates for his daughter. Gu Ye Jia gets to decide how many dates she will attend, while Papa Gu decides how many potential husbands she gets to meet on each date. This led to an unusual arrangement, like an online meeting with 8 single men. On lunch break. 😂😂
Actually, Yu Yu and Gu Ye Jia might cross paths earlier since they often visited the same places. Gu Ye Jia worked at the same hospital as Yu Yu’s brother-in-law, Zhong Lian Chuan.
Gu Ye Jia and Yu Yu went to the same convenience store and even ate noodles at the same restaurant. Although their first meeting was unpleasant, it was Gu Ye Jia’s personality that attract Yu Yu. She was the first woman who didn’t get annoyed by him.
Yu Yu even felt that she understood and tolerate him better than anyone else, including his long-time friend and partner, Lin Sa. So it was made sense that whenever he felt stuck, Yu Yu will got to her office because her presence and clarity could sweep away his confusion.
Yu Yu was surrounded by a limited number of people. Other than his family and colleagues, the only regular person in his life was Li Huai Qing. He is the owner of the vintage shop. Yu Yu’s family consisted of his mother, sister, brother-in-law, and niece.
At work, Yu Yu has Lin Sa, the manager, Shen Wu, the apprentice, and Wang Xiao Xiao, Lin Sa’s assistant. Later, his world grew with the arrival of Xia Xiao Man, his new neighbour, and Gu Ye Jia, his doctor.
Xia Xiao Man is a young woman in her 20s who is still figuring herself out. She didn’t know her strength and didn’t have a clear life goal. Her only dream was to find a reliable husband.
Xia Xiao Man was not an ambitious person. She loved luxury but still looked for someone who earned the average salary in Shanghai. Xia Xiao Man was still living in her naive era. She lacked experience and hadn’t met enough people yet.
Actually, Xia Xiao Man has a lot of potential. She got a good taste in style and also good at cooking. I thought that she would eventually open a restaurant business. Yet, she didn’t have business ability like Lin Sa.
The same goes with Shen Wu. He was in his late 20s and had been Yu Yu’s apprentice for quite some time. He has a long-term relationship with Wang Xiao Xiao.
Shen Wu’s ability might not be as skilled as Yu Yu, but he is a hardworking and diligent person. Aside from Gu Ye Jia, he and Lin Sa were the only ones who really understood Yu Yu.
As a friend, Yu Yu is not the best choice. People tend to avoid him. He do good things not because he has a compassionate heart (well, maybe he has a little bit), but because he doesn’t want his peace to be disrupted.
In short, he helps you so you’ll stop bothering him. And honestly, that’s the most Yu Yu thing ever. For instance, in episode 10, Xia Xiao Man was hospitalized for appendicitis and a hand fracture. No one was there to take care of Dao, her beloved pug.
Yu Yu never cares about animals. He even refused to find a friend for his goldfish, saying that he did it for its own good. More fish means they will fight for food and air. 😅😅
But when he has to take care of Dao the pug, he slowly begins to like him. So when Xia Xiao Man was broke and couldn’t afford dog food, he stepped in. Not because he cared about Xia Xiao Man, but because he didn’t want his favourite dog to suffer. And for Dao, Yu Yu did everything he could to help Xia Xiao Man sell a car.
Yu Yu’s taking care of Dao led to a very interesting conversation between him and his mother.
Mama Yu: Let me take care of it for a few days.
Yu Yu: Fine, have you ever raised a dog?
Mama Yu: I raised you 😂😂😂😂
I guess you could already guess the ending of this drama. Yep. It’s a happy ending for almost everyone. Nothing too dramatic and nothing too heartbreaking. It was just a simple and touching wrap-up that leaves you with a little warmth in your heart.
The Characters
Yu Yu (Played By Wallace Huo)
Yu Yu is the king of awkward moments, not great with social stuff, and a bit clumsy with conversations. He is a living social disaster. He is childish and stubborn. Always throwing sarcastic and rude remarks.
His partner, Lin Sa, and his assistant, Shen Wu, have put up with his eccentricity every single day for years. Yet they stay loyal because behind all those infuriating words he said, there was kindness.
Yu Yu is a perfectionist, and he will accept nothing less than perfection. He is a PROUD person and very judgmental of others. He set a high standard not only for himself but also for others. He will push himself harder than anyone else and get obsessed with details. He needs everything to be in order. He also wants things done in “his way” because to him, that’s the correct way.
The people around Yu Yu grew accustomed to his unempathetic, selfish, and stingy nature. A funny contrast to his home design style, which highlights warmth and character. He especially focused on the place where the family could sits and eats together. This is what he called a “warm zone”. Another contrast to his single life. 😜
Yu Yu is a real artist. His creativity is off the chart, and it showed not only in his design but also in his food. Yu Yu is a foodie. He loves cooking expensive dishes and always arranges his plate like some experienced chef. But it didn’t stop him from ending up in the hospital because he ate spoiled food, like he couldn’t even tell the difference.
His dislike of marriage was often shown whenever he visited his sister’s house. He often said something like “I’ll do whatever I want, eat whatever I want, buy whatever I like. That’s the joy of being single. (Are you) jealous?” or “You got married, and you keep telling others to get married. Is marriage an MLM? Are you recruiting downlines?” as a casual remark to his brother-in-law. 😂
Gu Ye Jia (Played By Zhu Zhu)
Gu Ye Jia is a successful doctor. She studied abroad and is highly experienced. As a doctor, Gu Ye Jia is kind, responsible, and considerate. She is also soft-spoken and patient with everyone she treats, until she met Yu Yu.
In her daily life, Gu Ye Jia is a steady and mature person. She is the type of woman who knows how to stand on her feet and doesn’t let other people mess with her life. She thinks before she reacts and always stays calm and focused, no matter what. People saw her as an independent but not cold person. Rational, but still full of empathy.
Gu Ye Jia is honest, straightforward, but not rude. She didn’t sugarcoat anything just to make people like to be around her. If she sees something that isn’t right, she’ll say it. If she sees someone going the wrong way, she’ll point it out. All that while being gentle with her words, a complete opposite of Yu Yu’s sarcastic and rude remarks.
Xia Xiao Man (Played By Li Kai Xin)
Xia Xiao Man is an adorable young woman. She is a bit naïve and unambitious. Yet, she is independent and self-reliant. As a single woman living in a city, Xia Xiao Man is also cautious, practical, and realistic. She is like an open book, easy to read because her expressions are always written clearly on her face.
Her family was nowhere to be seen, except for an uncle who also happens to be her landlord. Xia Xiao Man is friendly, approachable, confident, and carries a lot of positive energy. She is strong and never gives up easily.
However, when it comes to her job, she didn’t have Qing Qing’s eloquence and confidence. And on top of that, she gets car sick easily even though her job required her to accompany clients on test drives.
Shen Wu (Played By Fei Qi Ming)
Shen Wu is Yu Yu’s apprentice. He worked under him and helped him with everything, like drafting, drawing, doing research, handling site visits, and even preparing his coffee.
Basically, Shen Wi supports Yu Yu both professionally and personally. He often steps in as damage control whenever Yu Yu’s attitude goes off in front of clients.
It was easy to fall in love with Shen Wu’s character. He is helpful and considerate, attentive and caring. He is also diligent, hardworking, polite and dependable. Sometimes he can be a little nosy and or impulsive. But behind those flaws, he was the kind of person who notices others’ needs and acknowledges others’ kindness in a way most people don’t.
The Conclusion
Why Is He Still Single? is a very light entertainment for your weekend. It’s the kind of drama you can watch without stressing your brain. All you need to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy the chaos these characters bring.
However, don’t blame me if after you watch this Why Is He Still Single? drama and read this review, you’ll be craving steaks and hot pots. Because food is one of the best parts of this show. Happy watching!
