Love Around


Love Around is a 2013 Taiwanese idol romantic-comedy television series. The television drama was produced and created by Sanlih E-Television starring George Hu as the male main lead and Annie Chen as the female main lead. The Chinese title literally translate to "Real love black and white". Filming began on 15 May 2013 and finished on 5 October 2013. It began airing on 9 June 2013 on TTV channel after King Flower. Final episode aired on 27 October 2013 with a total of 21 episodes.
This marks the second series that George Hu and Annie Chen co-starred and paired up with each other after Love, Now in 2012. Due to the success and positive response of their pairing on their previous drama "Love, Now" Sanlih decided to pair up George Hu and Annie Chen again, 3-month after their previous drama ended.

Synopsis

Two individuals with opposite family backgrounds, she is the daughter of a former Chief of Police and he is the son of a former triad boss, become friends when both have just been dumped by their significant others. They use their heartbreak to console each other but soon their friendship turns to love, but their love may not survive when she publicly offends a man she doesn't know is his father.

Summary

It' s Zhou Zhen's birthday, but his heart is broken. His ex-girlfriend who had previously promised to celebrate each birthday with him, broke up with him recently due to his family's background. His father was a former triad boss who has since left that life for over 10 years and is now a land developer. To get over his heartbreak he goes to a recreational batting cage facility, and by chance he meets Liang Xiao Shu, who is there to purchase a birthday gift for her boyfriend. The baseball bat that Xiao Shu wants is not for purchase and must be won by entering in a batting contest. In order to practice for the contest, she uses an empty batting cage that Zhou Zhen has reserved since he does not like others by his side when he is batting. Zhou Zhen ask her to leave and they have an argument about having common courtesy for others. Zhou Zhen does not listen and ask her to leave immediately or else he will have the staff drag her out, knowing there is no way to reason with him she abides and walks away. During the contest Xiao Shu finds out it is impossible for her to win since she is not good at batting. Seeing how great Zhou Zhen is at batting she begs him to enter the contest and win the baseball bat for her by telling him it's a gift she really wants to get her boyfriend for his birthday. He agrees, seeing it's a gift for her boyfriend's birthday and wins the baseball bat for her.
Xiao Shu is extremely happy she got the prize and can't wait to present it to her boyfriend. While on her way to meet her boyfriend, she accidentally gets in a taxi that Zhou Zhen is already riding in, she apologizes and gets out. Seeing it's heavily pouring rain and Xiao Shu just standing out in the open waiting for another taxi Zhou Zhen guilt gets the better of him and he ask the taxi driver to turn back. He decides to share the taxi with Xiao Shu. Xiao Shu spends almost the entire taxi ride talking on her cell phone with her mom and hadn't noticed when Zhou Zhen got off at his stop. She asked the taxi driver about Zhou Zhen when she notice he wasn't in the taxi anymore, the driver tells her he has already been dropped off at his stop but has also already paid for his and her fare. She ask the driver to turn back to his stop because she wanted to pay him back for paying for her fare. While looking for Zhou Zhen at his family resort/hotel she sees her boyfriend with another women. She decides to follow them and confront them. Zhou Zhen sees her and follows her since he does not know why she is there. Upon confronting her boyfriend Xiao Shu gets dumped by him and yelled at for being too conservative and cold. Zhou Zhen witnesses their argument, not being able to take it he beats up Xiao Shu's ex-boyfriend.
The two slowly become friends to get over their heartbreaks, but Xiao Shu not knowing Zhou Da Kuan is Zhou Zhen's father offends Zhou Da Kuan on her radio program since she does not believe he is a fully reformed person and is still using his mafia ways in business dealings. Upon hearing her radio broadcast Zhou Da Kuan is furious and ask his colleague to buy out Xiao Shu's radio station. He also enlist friends to remove their advertisement from her radio station. Since Xiao Shu does not want her parents to worry about the situation at the radio station she relays her problems to Zhou Zhen. Zhou Zhen finds out that his father is behind all the problems happening at the radio station. Not wanting to have disagreements with his father and still wanting to keep Xiao Shu as his friend, he ask Xiao Shu to give him a job at her radio station so that he can secretly help her stay afloat.
Xiao Shu and Zhou Da Kuan's situation gets cleared up later on and Zhou Zhen is asked by his father to leave the radio station and return to his work at the family resort. With Zhou Zhen no longer at the radio station Xiao Shu realizes she had fallen in love with him. Not knowing how to tell him she uses all kinds of tactics to see if he likes her too, even praying to the god of relationships and offering Zhou Zhen a piece of candy from the shrine that is supposed to make the person that eats it fall in love with the person that offers it. Zhou Zhen refuses the candy at first making Xiao Shu feel lost, but being away from Xiao Shu has also made Zhou Zhen realize he has feelings for her too but he too does not know how to approach her about it. He later finds out the meaning of the candy Xiao Shu had offered him earlier and eats it in front of her letting her know he wants to be with her too.
Xiao Shu and Zhou Zhen parents decide to set up a lunch date to meet each other since both of their children are in a committed relationship. Each side finding out that they had met before because Zhou Da Kuan is the person responsible for the accidental death of Xiao Shu's younger brother. Liang Mama's mental disorder comes back upon meeting Zhou Da Kuan again. Liang Papa demands Zhou Zhen end his relationship with Xiao Shu immediately as he does not want anyone related to Zhou Da Kuan involve with his family. At first Zhou Zhen refuses but seeing how severe Liang Mama's disorder is he agrees to end the relationship hoping Liang Mama's disorder won't become anymore worst. Zhou Zhen lies to Xiao Shu telling her he has gotten back together with his ex-girlfriend. She is heartbroken but is aware of the true reasons why he broke up with her and fights for their relationship to continue.
Xiao Shu regains part of her childhood memory and remembers that her father is also to blame for her brother's death. She thanks Zhou Da Kuan for taking the full responsibility all these years and also lets him know she was at the scene of the accident and remembers everything now. Zhou Zhen realizes how much pain Xiao Shu must be in due to their break up and remembering the details to her brother's death, he decides to get back together with her because he still loves her very much and can't bear to see her go through so much pain alone. He lets her know that love is between two people and that he is horrible for not even fighting for their love. He apologizes for breaking up with her and lets her know how much he really loves her.
Liang Mama finds out her husband is partial to blame for their son's death. She ask for a divorce because she can't forgive him for hiding such a huge secret all these years. While away from his family Liang Papa and Zhou Da Kuan make amends and let bygones be bygones since both are aware they will most likely end up being in laws. Xiao Shu proposes that she and Zhou Zhen get married because she wants to reunite her parents at her wedding day. At first Liang Mama does not agree to Xiao Shu marrying Zhou Zhen because she does not want to see her husband. When Liang Mama finally agrees to them marrying Zhou Zhen questions Xiao Shu if she really wants to get marry and then proposes to her with a heart shaped ring. They get married at the chapel at Zhou Zhen's resort.

Cast

Main cast

Love Around did not release an official soundtrack album. Majority of the songs used for the drama soundtrack are from Bii's 2013 album "Come Back To Bii". Other songs in the soundtrack are taken from Miu's 2013 album "The Power of Being 存在的力量", Elleya Tao's digital single "I Love You" and Jhan Yu Chi's 2013 album "Before Departure 啟程前".
* 30 September 2013 : Love Around Official Photobook – barcode 4717095572034 Takami Corp. 高見文化行銷股份有限公司 – Author: Sanlih E-Television 三立電視監製
* 2 July 2013 : S-Pop Vol. 7 July 2013 – barcode 4717095583306 Wisdom Distribution 大智通文化 – Author: Sanlih E-Television 三立電視監製

Filming locations

Love Around was filmed entirely on location in Taiwan. Asia FM 92.7, the radio station depicted in the drama is an actual free to air radio station in Taiwan with its headquarters and broadcasting station in Taoyuan City, Taoyuan County. The building and set used in the drama to depict the radio station is actually an office building located at 257 Xinhu 2nd Rd., Neihu District, Taipei City, which is only a few blocks from Sanlih's broadcasting headquarters in the Neihu District of Taipei. The resort that Zhou Zhen owns is the former "Leo Ocean Resort" now called "EHR Hotels & Resorts Yilan", located in Yilan County. The homes of both main lead characters are located in the newly developed area of Danshui District New Taipei City.

''Taipei, Taiwan''

Episode ratings

Love Around ranked first in its pilot episode, and has continued to rank first for all its episodes. Its drama competitors are CTV's Love SOS and The Birth of the Queen, CTS's Lucky Touch, and FTV's Fabulous Boys and IUUI. The viewers survey is conducted by AGB Nielsen.

Awards and nominations

The 2013 Sanlih Drama Awards Ceremony were held on 22 December 2013 at Sanlih's headquarters and broadcasting studios at No. 159, Section 1, Jiuzong Rd, Neihu District Taipei City, Taiwan.
YearCeremonyCategoryNomineeResult
20132013 Sanlih Drama Awards 華劇大賞Best Crying AwardGeorge Hu & Annie Chen
20132013 Sanlih Drama Awards 華劇大賞Best Kiss AwardGeorge Hu & Annie Chen
20132013 Sanlih Drama Awards 華劇大賞Best Lady Killer AwardJian Chang
20132013 Sanlih Drama Awards 華劇大賞Best Foolishly AwardWang Juan
20132013 Sanlih Drama Awards 華劇大賞Best Screen Couple AwardGeorge Hu & Annie Chen
20132013 Sanlih Drama Awards 華劇大賞Weibo Popularity AwardGeorge Hu
20132013 Sanlih Drama Awards 華劇大賞Weibo Popularity AwardAnnie Chen
20132013 Sanlih Drama Awards 華劇大賞Most Popular Overseas AwardGeorge Hu
20132013 Sanlih Drama Awards 華劇大賞Viewers Choice AwardLove Around
20132013 Sanlih Drama Awards 華劇大賞Best Actress AwardAnnie Chen
20132013 Sanlih Drama Awards 華劇大賞Best Actor AwardGeorge Hu