Novellisteer - Chinese Drama Review Of A Little Thing Called Love

In the beginning, I thought the Chinese drama A Little Thing Called Love would be one of those cliché high school first love stories where the girl follows the guy everywhere. This drama also reminded me of Le Coup de Foudre—check out the review. The music was okay, and I have two favourite songs from it; their links are below.

The drama tells the story of an ordinary girl who falls head over heels for the most popular guy in school. Xia Miao Miao is a shy, artistic student who develops a crush on a handsome, talented classmate and embarks on a journey of self-discovery throughout college. Because of Liang You Nian, Xia Miao Miao decides to make a change. With the help of her friends, she learns about fashion, joins school clubs, and studies hard to raise her grades. Her ordinary life becomes more colourful by the day.

There have been a lot of high school first-love dramas, but this one ticks that box and more. It quickly became one of my favourite first-love dramas, even with its flaws, because it isn’t the freshest show out there.

This Chinese drama is a remake of Crazy Little Thing Called Love (the Thai version, which I never watched, so I can’t compare the two).

Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Thai Original Story)
Screenwriter: Zhao Qian Qian
Genres: Comedy, Romance, School, Drama, Family
Episodes: 36
Aired: Oct 23, 2019 - Nov 21, 2019
Original Network: Hunan TV
Duration: 45 minutes
Content Rating: 13+ - Teens 13 years

Theme Songs

“Chu Lian 初恋” by Lai Guan Lin (our male lead!)
“Ming Yun 命运” by Li Yi Ling

I had no idea this drama existed, and even if I had, I would probably have ignored it, assuming it was just like every other first-love drama. That was until I came across a clip on YouTube.

The song that person used was quite catchy, which led me to watch the drama. I have to say, it proved to be different. The chemistry between the leads is top-notch—even though I don’t know much about chemistry or love. Seeing how young the cast is, they did a great job portraying their characters.

The way school life and relationships are portrayed feels organic. The story is beautiful, and I like how they made it complete and satisfying. The characters’ development, especially Miao Miao’s, was well done. The actress playing Miao Miao is so cute and beautiful, especially with the braces and braids.

“The reason why we study is that we want to improve what we don’t know.”

A Little Thing Called Love tells the story of how a timid girl tries to become a better version of herself. Self-discovery doesn’t always have to be about finding your purpose; it can be driven by other things. That’s one lesson I learned.

In the beginning, Miao Miao follows her dream because of You Nian, and she follows him to the same university. Thankfully, along the way, it becomes something she wants for herself and not just for somebody else. It’s also an encouraging story, especially for students who find college difficult. With enthusiasm and hard work, Miao Miao proves it’s possible.

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What I love most about this drama is the development of the female lead, Xia Miao Miao. She grows from a timid, shy girl into a brave, confident, and independent young woman, thanks to her friends and her beloved Liang You Nian.

Another interesting thing to note is that all these changes don’t happen overnight. Yet, I dislike how the issue of beauty was handled—Miao Miao is encouraged to change to fit society’s standards and feel more worthy of the male lead. Watching the drama, we can all agree that she is cute and beautiful, even with the braces and curly hair. I understand the message they were trying to pass along.

Miao Miao thought that if she changed and became more beautiful like most girls on campus, You Nian would fall in love with her. Without realizing it, she affects him as much as he affects her. Not only did her physical appearance change, but her character also matured in ways that made me keep cheering for her.

You Nian is a male lead full of warmth, who liked Miao Miao from day one without judging or commenting on her appearance. He’s sweet and nice to everyone—except those who tick him off or try to get with his girl (which I love).

One thing that helped Miao is that You Nian sticks to what he wants to do. This trait helps Miao Miao when she wants to switch her major to something she wants from the beginning, sparking a change in her and showing how hardworking she is in achieving her dreams.

The drama also focuses on other couples, like Lin Kai Tuo, You Nian’s younger stepbrother, and the issues between them, which are understandable.

The drama touches on family issues, such as Liang You Nian’s family. His father married Kai Tuo’s mother, causing tension between Kai Tuo and You Nian for a while. One misses their birth mother, and the other their birth father.

This drama also emphasizes individual choices—like majors in universities—suggesting that if your family wants you to take a major, but your heart wants something else, follow your heart. That’s what Miao Miao ended up doing.

Another thing to note is that there isn’t much character development for anyone except the female lead. Most characters retain the immaturity they had in high school. While the acting in this drama isn’t top-notch, the love and connection between the characters feel real, which kept me watching. I love that this drama brings some emotion to the table, making me enjoy their little quarrels and the way they argue with each other—it kinda makes me feel single!