Crush: The Sweet Romance About a Radio Hopeful and the Songwriter She Admires

Why this one

Crush (原来我很爱你, Yuanlai Wo Hen Ai Ni) is a 24-episode sweet romance from 2021 whose hook fits in one line: a young woman who wants to work in radio falls for a visually impaired man, and he turns out to be the songwriter whose music she already loves. Sang Wuyan (桑无焉) is a final-year university student working as an assistant at a radio station. Su Nianqin (苏念衾) writes songs under the pen name Yi Jin (一今).

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Three things stand out. It is adapted from a novel by Mu Fusheng (木浮生), published under the same title. It was the first lead role in a drama for Evan Lin (林彦俊), an idol-group alumnus, so it works as a case study in the route described in From Idol to Actor. And it has a split reputation: viewers who liked the first half describe a second half that lost its footing, while the show still holds a score in the low 8s on MyDramaList.

The series streamed on iQIYI from August 3, 2021, and is finished.

The setup

Sang Wuyan is about to graduate and works as an assistant to a radio host, with the ambition of becoming a presenter herself. Su Nianqin is a visually impaired man she meets by chance. According to the iQIYI synopsis, the two fall in love, and she learns that he is the songwriter Yi Jin. Pressure from outside and misunderstandings between them end the relationship, and three years later their paths cross again.

The structure is a common one in romance dramas: a first stretch of courtship, a rupture, then a second-chance story. What gives the premise its particular shape is the radio-and-songwriting setting, which puts voice and music at the centre of a story about a character who does not rely on sight. One English-language reviewer notes that the production uses camera perspective to reflect his point of view.

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Cast and crew

• Evan Lin (林彦俊) as Su Nianqin (苏念衾), who writes songs as Yi Jin (一今)

• Wan Peng (万鹏) as Sang Wuyan (桑无焉)

• Li Jiahao (李嘉豪) as Wei Hao (魏昊) and Niu Yukun (牛玉坤) as Xu Qian (许茜), both listed in the supporting cast

Yu Cuihua (余翠华) directs. The source is a novel of the same name by Mu Fusheng (木浮生). The series is an iQIYI production and runs 24 episodes of about 40 minutes each. Chinese Wikipedia reports filming in Xiamen and Quanzhou.

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A first lead role for Evan Lin

Evan Lin, whose Chinese name is Lin Yanjun (林彦俊), placed fifth on the survival show Idol Producer (偶像练习生) in 2018 and debuted that April in the temporary group Nine Percent, according to English Wikipedia. The same page calls Crush his first drama as male lead. Sources differ on whether it was his first drama of any kind: iQIYI's listing and a Taiwanese Marie Claire report call it his debut, while English Wikipedia lists an earlier supporting role in Fall in Love (一见倾心), whose filming ceremony took place in June 2020.

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The role asks for something specific from a singer-turned-actor. Su Nianqin is a songwriter, so music is part of the character, and one reviewer notes that Lin sings several songs on the soundtrack. Marie Claire's Taiwanese edition describes his cool, reserved public image as a match for the character. An English-language blogger praises his performance as a blind character and the chemistry of the central couple, especially in the first half.

The wider background on how idol groups feed casting is in From Idol to Actor.

The score, and the second half

On MyDramaList the series shows a score of about 8.3 out of 10 from nearly 17,000 users, and a cast page of the site shows 8.4, so the figure is approximate.

The most consistent complaint in English-language reviews is pacing after the opening stretch. One blogger writing in 2022 loved the first half, then described the middle as "one horrible thing happening after another," called the last two episodes rushed and said several obstacles were dropped without follow-up. The same review found both leads stubborn about talking through their problems. A search summary of other MyDramaList reviews gives a similar account: a second half that some reviewers wanted more compact, and loose threads around the supporting couple.

What they share is a shape: the setup and the central couple work for these viewers, and the extra obstacles added later are where the enthusiasm drops.

Where to watch

In mainland China the series streamed on iQIYI starting August 3, 2021. iQIYI's international site lists all 24 episodes with English subtitles. Availability varies by region, so check iQIYI's international app or site in your country first. We could not confirm a listing on any other service.

What overseas viewers are saying

Overseas reception in English is mostly written reviews, not live episode threads. The reviews describe a romance that is sweet and well acted in its first half, praised music, and a late-story slide in pacing. On Reddit, the r/CDrama archive has one post for the series, a September 2026 question about Crush and Wan Peng with a single reply.