First Impression on Love Keeps Going with Mike He and Cyndi Wang

So I checked out episode one of Love Keeps Going which premiered last Sunday with a respectable 1.84, which is about what its predecessor drama Sunny Happiness averaged during its run. I kept my expectations low and my biases in check just to see if the story and execution worked for me.

My verdict is this – Love Keeps Going better keep on going the hell away from me. I almost headdesked myself into a stupor by the end of episode 1, and hilariously, it’s for all the opposite reasons I could have imagined. It’s a pass for me on this one, but there were a few things I liked, including some songs off the OST, so I’ll share a download link at the end of the post.

There was an amazing flip-flop in my opinion of the two leads. Cyndi Wang did not annoy me at all, and her acting has in fact gotten slightly better. I like her character Cha Mei Le, quirks and extreme personality traits and all. Mike He, on the other hand, was dreadful, a huge step back from the pitch-perfect performance he delivered as Xian Yun Jie in Sunny Happiness. I thought I was watching mutant-Mike or something. I loathe his Han Yi Lie character, and Mike’s performance is a combination of stiffness and spitting out his dialogue to convey his attitude.

I also hate the story so far – all the secondary characters are written in such one-dimensional ways, and the thought of Mei Le getting cheated on by her current boyfriend, who happens to be Yi Lie’s older brother, and somehow she and the younger brother end up falling in love, really doesn’t work for me. Plus the glimpse of the Big Medical Condition of Doom in the preview leaves me running away screaming. I can’t watch this drama because I refuse to have my newfounded love of Mike destroyed.

With that said, I have to give props to Cyndi – she carried episode 1 and was the only character resembling a normal human being. She and Mike do have chemistry, though I don’t know if it’ll touch the intensity of what Mike and Rainie Yang have together, or even surpass the delicate tenderness of Mike and Janine Chang.

I’m glad I checked out this drama, because the OST is excellent. Cyndi, whose speaking voice I can’t stand, is actually a singer by training, and I like her as a singer much better. She sings the theme song for Love Keeps Going called “Don’t Cry”, and it might just be my favorite theme song from any TW-drama this year.

Opening credits for Love Keeps Going:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=263sX1ldH68

Click here to download Cyndi’s entire new album Sticky, including the LKG opening credits song “Don’t Cry” and the LKG ending credits song “Sticky”.


Comments

First Impression on Love Keeps Going with Mike He and Cyndi Wang — 37 Comments

  1. thanks koalaaaaa….I’m not fan of MH n CW…but I’m a fan XiaoXiaoBin….hahaha…he so cute…I love him since Autumn Concerto….XiaoLe…haoxiang ni…..

  2. Hehe… you wrote “Yi Xian” – instead of “Yi Lei” 🙂

    I have zero expectations for this one or rather that it wasn’t going to be good. I haven’t watched a Cindy drama since her Smile Pasta one (which I surprisingly liked and watched while it was airing). I’ll probably wait until it finishes airing and marathon it. Hope Mike acting gets better in the series.

  3. I thought I was the only who thinks Mike He was speaking/ delivering his lines awkward! But since Ockoala mentioned it I agree! His just saying his lines thinking he’s acting it! The story is weird w/ too many shifts from diff characters! And Cyndi plays 2 characters? No wonder the girl is too skiny again!!

    XioaLe is my catch here! He acts better compare to the leads! So will watch this after its done airing!

  4. i agree with you koala, in order for me to see the chemistry, Mike He needs some one like Rainie Yang and Ariel Lin.

  5. Thanks koala for the update .. I am not expecting much but hopefully the drama would surpass other Mike He dramas I loved.

  6. I must admit Cyndi’s acting is getting better 🙂
    and the OST is AMAZING!!!!!
    I love “The Next Me” most compare to “Don’t Cry” and “Sticky”

  7. I am waiting to start this … I eventually watch everything Mike is in, but still … in general, your taste is so similar to mine, I’m dismayed. 🙁

  8. i like mike he with rainie and i like sunny hapiness , i hope this one they have a chemistry , calling love is a big disappointment for me coz no chemistry , im not a cydi wang fan but hoping for improvement …. but still rainie is for joseph for now hehehe so i will wait and see if this one will work for me

  9. This is a NO NO for me, my plate is full at this time:

    Watching: In plans: On Hold:
    LTM City Hunter Que Sera Sera
    DTLY Best LOve BBF
    Rebound Midas M3
    Manny Nobuta wo Produce
    Sunny Happiness

    Too much for me!! I have to stop, between the drunkeness and the addiction, I have more than enough!

    • @ angelito : despite all of these menu of yours..i think LTM is the most drama which absorb ur energy to maximum level..rite? ^^

      • Yeah, LTM kick the crap out of me!!! Take my live source, and turned in to garbage!!! That get me hooked since day one, and now I am a freaking junkie!!!! OMG I need help, hospitalization, shock therapy, food deprivation or something like that!!! LOL

    • well…we need preview 11 and 12 to be exact. I hate waiting and been repeating over and over again..
      btw back to this drama (before we get ban since we’re not in LTM tread) … as soon as I saw the preview that Mike He is sick, i tell myself “what the heck is this?” don’t we had enough with sickness and death?? Aigoo…pls taiwan find something new…

      • Ahhhhhh!! We can’t live without the cliches!!!! LOL, someone in every drama is dying or die because an incurable disease!! Or kill, or get killed by one of the parents, making that love like Romeo and Juliet, totally awesome, grisly forbidden!!

  10. Holy hannah, chingu. That’s a harsh review for Mike. I’m going to stay away from the drama. Not that I had any intention of watching it

  11. Haven’t seen it yet but does anyone find the plot familiar? I have a feeling I have seen this somewhere before (and I can’t remember where).

  12. i figured the same…mike he , in my opinion is in danger of “over-exposure”—he just looks beat up and “tired” (just sayin’) 🙁

  13. I had to check it out to see how bad it could be….and I just love how the story is told & carried out. It’s sooo funny! I like it. I think in the story you’re suppose to hate Mike and love Cyndi. The story is fresh and really funny.

  14. When I read that he will fall in love with his brother’s girl, I said no.no.no .no! I hate those kind of strories, too cliche for me.

  15. hi koala!

    i’ve only recently discovered your blog & all i can say is, much <3!! thanks for your thoughts on this drama – never thought i'd put it in my line up in the first place, so thanks for taking one for the team. 🙂 & i thought this comment was hilarious: "My verdict is this – Love Keeps Going better keep on going the hell away from me."

    love your recaps!

    • I love that comment too “Love Keeps Going better keep on going the hell away from me.” Got me laughing out loud. I love the Rainie and Mike pairing. Haven’t watched any of his dramas except the ones with him and Rainie in it. Don’t really have any desire to watch a Cyndi drama. Maybe the next time I’ll watch his drama is the next time he pairs up with Rainie again. But for now, Rainie and Joseph are superb in DTLY!!! That drama is sooooo addicting.

  16. I like this song. And I like the one that Mike sings.. sometimes. It’s weird. I think they have chemistry but obviously MikexRainie is like off the kilter chemistry which can’t be found everywhere. I will marathon it later and fast-forward annoying parts

  17. i had this drama on “I am going to watch” list until i saw the preview where Mike says he loves her but he is sick…., I just dropped it at that instant because i am not good at handling sad ending drama/movie. Yet…..I was still hoping it might not be so and been waiting to hear what Koala might say and ….. well…. this drama will have to be off my list i guess.

  18. I actually liked the first episode which was a 180 from my original expectation. Usually I just watch first episodes to get them out of the way and wait for the 2nd or 3rd to see if a drama will be good. LKG’s 1st had an interesting intro to each character, kept pace, and I actually liked Cyndi (usually I find her childish). I think that Mike will get better once his character has something to do besides be antagonistic. I think that I will hold on a little longer; especially since I think this drama is only supposed to be 11 or 12 episodes.

  19. I don’t think you should judge Mike based on the first episode because he gets better as the series advances.

    As for the cliche storyline, I don’t think that’s Mike’s business because after all he did not write the script. And the storyline really doesn’t matter if the actor can deliver his professional acting to the audience, I won’t say Mike’s perfect but at least his acting has been honed till today’s level throughout the years, not with luck but sheer hardwork.

    No offense but just my two cents’ worth.

    🙂

  20. Hello ockoala, 1st time posting ^^
    I actually watched yesterday the 3 first episodes of this drma, it was a great surprise for me! Even if the story is kind of cliché! I just love the fact that Cyndi Character is so good written so far! Like you said she looks like a real human being and not the typicl , good, dumb, crybaby girl who needs a hero to save her! She did her everything alone to solve her problem! she’s nice but not the annoying way! She has to be my fve tw heroine of the year! She has a lot of chemistry with Mike too, when they fight and because he is already into her and of course she does not know! I like this drama but I’m afraid of the second part “I love you but I’m sick” I hope they won’t hurt the drama this way !

    • “I love you but I’m sick”
      hey this kind of scene in dramas is too common but I believe the writer is not stupid to put it, he/she must add something new and different to this drama. I’ve seen a clip that Mei Le will be there during Yi Lie’s surgery. Also they cut the preview when he’s still talking to the cam.

  21. i am so glad to hear that there’s also someone out there who dislikes this drama as much as i do ! i like cyndi wang, but not with mike ! with nicholas teo of course, she was truly superb in smiling pasta. This paring of cyndi and mike just does not work for me, although rainie is with joseph right now i still can’t help to feel a spang of discontent when i see mike together with someone else other than rainie or ariel (janine is an exception) and LOL what happened to mike’s hair ?! I finished watching why why love a couple of days ago, fast forward till now and his full head of beautiful black styled hair is gone, and with that his youth and energy seems to be washed out as well. At first i was actually excited to watch love keeps going because hey ! who doesnt love a heartwarming, typical idol filled drama ; but now.. i dont know i find that the narration is kind of wonky, the character of yi lei has been done before, and mei le’s helpful and innocent personality is at times far too ridiculous, uncalled for and just plain out unrealistic. This drama has lost my interest sadly…

    • have you seen till the episode 4??? it’s quite entertaining 🙂 the pace of this drama isn’t draggy. you should watch or fast forward it lol

  22. I really really tried to get on Mike He bandwagon but that guy can’t act to save his life. His only drama that I’ve watched till the end was Sunny Happinness and I still think that it was a bad rip off of Fated To Love You.

  23. I so hate people forming a first impression and hving the cheek to write something to condemn a drama/movie after watching but a fraction of the drama. I personally don’t like taiwanese shows in general but this has captured my attention so far. this is by far better than the one rainie is in… drunken love(?).. which started really well n then it went flat after the sixth episode. she is nevertheless a great actress.
    miké he’s acting is as he always is.. a lil forced n a lil fake but he looks good so i wont complain. give me a mike he drama anytime. and cyndi is great, this being the first drama i see her in. i am looking forward to the next episode impatiently.

  24. Hi miss koala!
    Your blog has added tremendous bliss to my everyday routine. I’m currently a student at UC Berkeley and lots of times just being able to check up on your blog brings sanity back into my life. I believe I’ve started following you since My Princess, and have followed you through other things such as Mary Stayed Out All Night, Dream High, Sunny Happiness, Drunken to Love You, Lie to Me, etc. and was kind of sad you didn’t enjoy Love Keeps Going. I was looking forward to reading your thoughts on it as it progressed and all but I do understand if it wasn’t your cup of tea. Just wanted to say that if you do get curious again, Love Keeps Going gets a lot better as the episodes progress. Mike He in particular just needed to have more of an outlet to get into character, something that was very difficult when all he had to work with was like someone above said, “just being antagonistic”. Hopefully you will give this drama a second glance in the future — sometimes the first episodes of a drama after all (like Lie to Me), are not always captivating.

    Hope your summer is going well & keep on blogging please! Your insight is much appreciated <3!

  25. Ive been up to date with this drama, it is kind of boring / frustrating to watch stupid characters (who made bad decisions) until the 1st car crash. It gets better from then on.

  26. i watched the whole drama and thought it was quite pleasant
    what really bothered me was actually the supporting actors and actresses
    esp. mike’s onscreen brother

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  28. OOOOOOooo,people!Why is everyone against this warm drama?I am on the 7th episode and even haven`t got bored so far.Yes,I addmit there are a few confusing moments(thanks to you all and my natural curosity now I am expecting a sad ending,oh great).It is only my second taiwanese drama(after Why Why Love),but I love it better than bunch of korean ones(Lie To Me is in the list)- those made me frustrated towards Korea`s dorama industry(movies are still great).Don`t know,I like Cyndi×Mike as well as Rainie×Mike.And where did you find Cyndi or Mike acting poor?I`ve found them very natural,funny and loving at the same time.Especially Cyndi-her character isn`t dumb and pessimistic,also her acting is really freshy,I like her expressions.And ost`s songs are good as well (just downloaded her album).Mike is also great-at least not worse than hollywood stars nowadays.There is something captivated in atmosphere taiwanese creating before the camera-another than koreans or japanese.
    Of course,it is only my visual opinion and as it is said “beauty in an eye of a beholder” but I was very sad not finding enough defending comments (thank you both- Justleng and H0neyfreshh!!!), so I interfered.I am not pushing anyone to watch it against will but I think it is silly to not giving drama,movie or book a chance just because of someone`s preview–no offence,Koala!

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