- Drama Title: Are You the One
- Also Known As: 柳舟记, You Are the One, Hidden Charm, Liu Zhou Story, Liu Zhou Ji, Jiao Cang
- Director: Liu Guo Nan, Cong Xiao
- Genres: Romance, Historical, Drama
- Cast: Zhang Wan Yi, Wang Chu Ran, Chang Hua Sen
- Liu Ling Zi, Zhang Chi, Yuan Yu Xuan
- Number of Episodes: 40
- Date of Release: August 12, 2024
- Original Network: Tencent Video
- Where to Watch: WeTV, Tencent Video, Viki
- Adapted from the novel: “Jiao Cang” by Kuang Shang Jia Kuang
Hello dear readers… How are you today? It’s a bit hot in my place, I was writing this Are You the One drama review with a jug of iced lemon tea, because a glass wouldn’t be enough. My T-shirt was soaked by sweat and I needed to set my Air Conditioner as cold as possible. 😆😆
Anyhow… I hope you were blessed with nice weather when you read this review. So, before I melt, let’s just start 😆. Happy reading!
Are You the One Drama Synopsis
Liu Mian Tang lost her memory after being attacked by evil forces. She was found unconscious and was taken to Lord Huaiyang’s place. When she opened her eyes, all she remembered was her husband, Cui Jiu. And she mistook Cui Xing Zhou for him. Liu Mian Tang doesn’t remember being connected to the Mountain Yang bandits nor remember that Cui Xing Zhou was her enemy.
Cui Xin Zhou or Lord Huaiyang has been targeting the bandits of Mountain Yang for years. This time, he managed to capture Liu Mian Tang, the beloved concubine of Lu Wen, the leader of the Mountain Yang bandits. He wanted to use her as bait to lure Lu Wen out of his den. Therefore, he must put on an act and pretend to be her husband.
Liu Mian Tang and her so-called husband, Cui Xing Zhou, start a new life in the City of Zhenzhou. Cui Xing Zhou was busy with his official business and often left Liu Mian Tang for days. He pretended that he was obsessed with Go, therefore he always went to sharpen his Go skill.
Liu Mian Tang used her business instinct to open a porcelain business to provide for her husband. As a young woman tried to enter the men’s world, she met many difficulties. Liu Mian Tang was unaware that Cui Jiu was the Lord Huaiyang whom she desperately wanted to meet.
As time went by, Cui Xing Zhou was moved by Liu Mian Tang’s love and sincerity. His heart was heavy with the lies he made up and worry that Liu Mian Tang would remember her past. If someday their real identities were revealed, would they be able to face the truth and their feelings?
Are You the One Drama Review
Dear readers, I was not ready to move on from Lost You Forever Season 2 when I decided to watch Are You the One. I wanted to see Cang Xuan live a happy life with his loved one. That poor guy’s face was full of sullenness and jealousy all through the episodes. So, you could see where my empathy came from.
However, I do realize that even though Cui Xing Zhou and Cang Xuan were the same in terms of appearance, their personality was different. Cang Xuan was cold and serious, but Cui Xing Zhou was more playful and carefree. Sometimes he made me remember Shang Yi Zhi from Fighting for Love drama.
Yet, the way Cui Xing Zhou and Cang Xuan were jealous was the same. They loved to put on a sullen face and watch their loved ones from afar. 😆
Are You the One is a story about enemies becoming lovers. There are some familiar tropes such as stubborn love rivals, rejection from in-laws, or siblings’ rivalry. I feel that this drama was quite well executed, but some things made me disappointed.
They were the cinematography and the plot. People might throw things at me if I said that Wang Chu Ran and Zhang Wan Yi were not beautiful. But I bet they wouldn’t throw things at me if I said that the excessive light in this drama made them less attractive.
In the early episodes, because of the lighting that shines right on their faces, you could barely discern their jaw lines in close-up shots. It seemed that the jawline was merging perfectly with the neck. We are supposed to see shadows under the jaw, but they rarely appear.
The thick and unnatural makeup also made Wang Chu Ran and Zhang Wan Yi’s faces look too poreless as if they were sculpted from jade. I wish to see some natural lines when they frown or laugh, because aren’t natural expressions that we wait for from a top-class actor and actresses?
I used to have a high hope for this drama after I read the synopsis at WeTV, but Are You the One was slightly below my expectations. The plot was somehow predictable. There was no plot twist whatsoever, except in my case is Liu Mian Tang’s real identity.
However, it happened because I misinterpreted the synopsis. It was written that Liu Mian Tang is the first lord of Yang Shang, and I misinterpreted THE FIRST LORD with THE FIRST WIVE. So, I really thought she was the beloved wife of Lu Wen. 😅
I was still hoping for something exciting until the end of the story. I even wish that Leon Lai’s character, Cui Xing Di, was a bad guy. Nonetheless, it was all for naught. ☹
But of course, there were also many things to praise for. For instance, the hairstyles and costumes. The woman’s hair is mostly styled in a high bun and adorned with simple flower hairpins made from jade. I really love Liu Mian Tang’s bow hairband. They looked very cute.
Colorful Beauty Costumes
The costumes were simple in design and colors. Regardless, I’m in love with the simplicity. The costumes blend well with the detailed and complicated sets. Giving an easy sight for my eyes.
There weren’t many bright colors in the costumes. Liu Mian Tang mostly wore pastel colors throughout the drama. Except for some scenes when she wore men’s clothing. Men’s costumes were good, but for me who have watched countless period dramas, I didn’t find them special, except for Cui Xing Zhou’s black robe in the first episode which I found pleasing to my eyes.
All the beautiful costumes were credited to Stanley Cheung. A seasoned art director and costume designer who was behind the beautiful costumes of Eternal Love (Ten Miles of Peach Blossom), Legend of Fu Yao, Love and Destiny, and Sworn Snow Stride
Great Sets
And the sets… this is the best part of Are You the One. Everything was arranged in a detailed manner. Of course, my favorite was Liu Mian Tang and Cui Xing Zhou’s small courtyard and Zhenzhou City. The house gave a homely vibe that somehow reminded me of Xing Yun’s courtyard in The Legend of Shen Li.
Those houses really made me want to jump into the screen and stay there. The Zhenzhou City sets were complicated and full of details, especially the small road by the river where all the peddlers sell their goods.
Slow Pace Story
Story-wise, Are You the One could be considered a romance story. The main plot revolves around Liu Mian Tang and Cui Xing Zhou’s relationship. The love rivals and the political situations only functioned as obstacles in their life. If you wanted a more exciting story, you might want to see The Double drama since Are You the One was much simpler.
The story pace was quite slow at the beginning but after some time, it gets faster. Since Cui Xing Zhou has been pretending to be Liu Mian Tang’s husband since the beginning of the story, it is understandable that they already share the bed. But to my dissatisfaction, nothing happened. 😆
To be honest, I was kind of annoyed by Cui Xing Zhou’s act of taking advantage of Liu Mian Tang’s amnesia situation. That poor woman was brainwashed by him, but she still sincerely loved and helped him. She thought about him in her every move.
Aside from gratitude, Liu Mian Tang fell in love with Cui Xing Zhou. So, when Cui Xing Zhou finally tasted the bitterness of a broken heart, I was truly relieved and shouted “Serve you right, Mister!!”. 😂
I love how the writer scattered some comedy scenes here and there. I was already laughing out loud in the first episode. Cui Xing Zhou was a capable general with many soldiers around them. However, some of them who were stationed around him were somehow… foolish.
In the first episode, Cui Xing Zhou was suspicious of Liu Mian Tang. He tried to probe her by letting her wander around the street that was full of his spies. Yet, the spies were too stupid and silly. They couldn’t be more obvious with their actions. Nanny Liu also added some comedy through her bad acting skills and “What a sin” lines.
Aside from Liu Mian Tang and Cui Xing Zhou, there were also stories about two side couples. They were He Zhen-Zhao Quan and Liu Yu-Shi Xue Ji. Although their portion in this drama could be considered significant, I felt that Liu Yu and Shi Xue Ji’s relationship was more important and connected to Liu Mian Tang and Cui Xing Zhou’s relationship.
Liu Yu used to love Liu Mian Tang dearly, while Shi Xue Ji was the daughter of Cui Xing Zhou’s rival. He Zhen and Zhao Quan’s relationship only acts as an addition to the main story.
Although I was slightly dissatisfied with the makeup, Zhang Wan Yi and Wang Chu Ran still maintained good quality of acting. I love to see their chemistry. The way they stared at each other was enough to make me blush.
Some Familiar Faces
Aside from them, I saw some familiar faces in this drama. For instance, Leon Lai who was also appeared in Eternal Love (you can read the review at Eternal Love: Ten Miles of Peach Blossom Drama Review), The Flame’s Daughter (The Flame’s Daughter drama review), Legend of Fu Yao (Legend of Fu Yao drama review), and The King’s Avatar. Liu Ling Zhi who acts as He Zhen. You also could find her acting as Bai Jing Ting’s legitimate wife, Yuan Ying in the New Life Begins drama. Zhang Chi who played the silly Zhao Quan also appeared in Will Love in Spring as Cui Ge and in Joy of Life S2.
There was also Huang Can Can (Sun Yun Er) who appeared in Lost You Forever (Lost You Forever (season 1) drama review) as Fangfeng Yi Ying, The Legend of Shen Li (The Legend of Shen Li drama review), and Burning Flames. Cui Xin Zhou’s mother was played by Tong Lei who also acted as Empress Xuan Shen in Love Like the Galaxy (Love Like the Galaxy drama review and Love Like the Galaxy ending explained, and the phoenix immortal Qing Ji in The Blue Whisper (The Blue Whisper drama review and The Blue Whisper ending explained).
And don’t forget Xu Rong Zhen who played Mrs. Lian. She used to act as Madam Bu in Unchained Love drama. When I was watching that one, I always had the urge to curse Madam Bu every time she appeared on the screen. 😂
The directors of Are You the One were Liu Guo Nan (Sword and Fairy, Stand By Me, The Glory of Tang Dynasty 1&2) and Cong Xiao (The Glory of Tang Dynasty 1&2). They still work together for two upcoming dramas, titled Love Under the Floral Rain and Feng Shen Zhu Tianqi-God’s Revelation. I’ve read the synopsis for the drama and was quite interested in Feng Shen Zhu Tianqi-God’s Revelation. So, let’s wait for them to be aired.
In the end, I still enjoyed this drama. Are You the One was a good drama if you didn’t have many expectations and just came to seek entertainment for your busy day. And don’t worry, Are You the One ended with a happy ending for everyone. You can read it more detail on Are You the One ending explained post.
Are You the One Drama Characters
Cui Xing Zhou / Lord Huaiyang
Cui Xing Zhou (played By Zhang Wan Yi) was born into the royal family. His mother is the Empress Dowager and his father has long gone. As a lord, Cui Xing Zhou was born with many privileges. He is smart and wealthy, and his family is unlike any other noble family. His mother gets along well with the concubine and Cui Xing Zhou has a good relationship with his half-brother, Cui Xing Di. Cui Xing Zhou’s life lacked nothing.
Because Cui Xing Zhou was born away from the center of power, he grew up as a carefree person. Although he was sometimes playful and spoiled, he was a filial child. And this was where his problem came. Because he was filial, Mrs. Lian made use of this to get him as her son-in-law.
By manipulating Cui Xing Zhou’s mother, they made Empress Dowager Wu think that Lian Bing Lan was the best candidate for Cui Xing Zhou’s wife. And since he was so smart, Cui Xing Zhou could see that Lian Bing Lan’s feelings for him were insincere. Therefore, when he felt Liu Mian Tang sincerely loved and cared for him, he fell head over heels with her.
Liu Mian Tang
Liu Mian Tang (played By Wang Chu Ran) is a smart and calculative woman. She has a deep and complicated mind, even when she forgets everything. Her knack for business, open-mindedness, courage, and decisiveness made Liu Mian Tang an independent person compared to other female characters in this drama. Liu Mian Tang is also a sincere and sensible person.
After she woke up and forgot about her past, Liu Mian Tang felt gratitude for Cui Xing Zhou. Later, the feelings turn into love, and she treats him sincerely with all her heart. It’s no wonder that when she found out about the past and Cui Xing Zhou’s deception, her heart shattered into pieces.
Zhao Quan / Marquis Zhennan
Zhao Quan (played by Zhang Chi) is Cui Xing Zhou’s best friend. He was a good doctor and had been taking care of Liu Mian Tang since she was found by Cui Xing Zhou. Unlike Cui Xing Zhou who has a military career, Zhao Quan lived a free life. Although he seemed carefree and reckless, Zhao Quan is not like any other young lord who loves to indulge his life in wine and women.
On the contrary, he is a man of principle, polite and respectful of women. However, when he met He Zhen, he turned into a high school boy who loved to tease his crush.
He Zhen
He Zhen (played by Liu Ling Zi) is the only daughter of the He family. The He family is well-known in the porcelain industry. However, because she was born as a woman, her father and siblings looked down on her. They were not willing to acknowledge her talent in business. He Zhen has a crush on Cui Xing Zhou since he helped her.
Unlike Liu Mian Tang who was brimming with courage and independence, He Zhen still had the character of an ancient woman who was submissive and put all her hopes on men until she met Liu Mian Tang who inspired her to be more courageous.
Zi Yu / Liu Yu
Zi Yu (played By Chang Hua Sen) was a part of the Mountain Yang bandits. He lived there as a young master and was very close to Liu Mian Tang. Although Liu Mian Tang didn’t reciprocate his feelings, Zi Yu still kept her in his heart even after she was missing.
Zi Yu seemed like a weak scholar. However, you could not underestimate him. His clear and smart mind was his strength. Zi Yu had a secret, his real name was Liu Yu and he was part of the royal family.
Shi Xue Ji
Shi Xue Ji (Played by Yuan Yu Xuan) was a kind, clever, sensible, and patient woman. She looked timid, but she was perceptive. She accepted her betrothal with Zi Yu the bandit, because she thinks it was better to live with him rather than stay at her house. She was shocked when she learned that Zhi Yu was different from her imagination.
Unlike any other noble lady who was strict about their diet, Shi Xue Ji enjoyed and loved to eat. For her, eating was a way to escape from the bitterness.
The Conclusion
Are You the One is a good drama that is perfect for your weekend binge-watching moments. However, if you are looking for something complicated, this one is definitely not for you.
Are You the One’s story was quite simple but it still entertaining. All you need to do is open your eyes and enjoyed the beautiful faces of Wang Chu Ran and Zhang Wan Yi as well as the visuals. No need to think too much because the plot was predictable. Hope this Are You the One drama review helps you well. So, happy watching, dear readers!
