“Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad times. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses.”―Ann Landers

Love doesn’t always begin with attraction. At times, it means just sitting beside each other and quietly watching the stars. “Feel What You Feel” doesn’t settle for anything less than that blissful feeling you experience for the first time, when you fall for someone. It slowly sneaks into your heart and renders you speechless when you encounter the person who makes your heart flutter. This show is a seamlessly poetic rendition at portraying the tragic yet heartwarming vibes of “First Love.” It is especially difficult to accept when it involves a person of the same sex. This show is characteristically set in the 1980s when homophobia was quite prevalent and being in a same-sex relationship wasn’t easily acceptable. The ending is forbidding and defiant, but I’m glad that the main protagonists ended up together, no matter how difficult their love story seems!!

Storyline & Chemistry-

Ming De University law students Yu Lei (Sun Cai Zhen) and Chen Ke (Liang Bei Yi) are first introduced when they move into the same dormitory. Initially, Yu Lei misunderstands Chen Ke’s relationship with his cousin Zhang Han (Zhou Qian Xiao). Both are meritorious students and Yu Lei ruthlessly competes with him, until he realizes that he doesn’t feel jealous about his sister. He is actually attracted to Chen Ke. As they spend time together, Yu Lei is drawn towards Chen Ye’s kind nature & innocence. Chen Ke comes to terms with his feelings first, but Yu Lei brands their relationship as brotherhood. Rejected, Chen Ke decides to swallow his emotions and travel abroad for his future studies. On learning that Chen Ke would be traveling abroad, Yu Lei realizes the depth of his feelings and confesses his feelings for Chen Ke. Sun Cai Zhen & Liang Bei Yi have a solemn chemistry. Sun Cai Zhen literally embodies Yu Lei’s bright & cheerful personality while Liang Bei Yi balances the act with his calm disposition. I really loved watching them figure out their feelings for each other, slowly yet steadily!!

Final Impressions

I really loved the interludes at the end of each episode, depicting Yu Lei’s longing for Chen Ke!

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to accept his feelings for Chen Ke, he just confused his love with brotherhood. It certainly took a long time before Yu Lei came to the realization that he had romantic emotions for Chen Ke, which caused undue duress to their relationship. The supporting couple, Li Ming (Huang Huai Ting) and Ouyang Han (Cheng Hao) were more flavorful. I enjoyed their chemistry & camaraderie better!

Rating- 3.5 out of 5

Streaming on- Gagaoolala/ Viki