Chinese Drama 2023

Once A Youth (Once and Forever) Chinese Drama Review & Summary

Once and Forever

Once a Youth poster

• Genre: Romance, Broken Heart, Life, Youth, Coming of Age, One-Sided Love
• Release Date: 10 July 2023
• Origin: China
• Cdrama: 35 Episodes
• Network: IQiyi

Cast

• Guan Xiaotong as Xie Qiao
• Zhang Yi Shan as Qin Chuan
• Fan Cheng Cheng as Yang Cheng
• Sierra Li as Qin Xi
• Jiang Pei Yao as Wang Ying
• Mao Xiao Hui as Xiao Qian Xi
• Ye Xiao Wei as He Xiao Zhou
• Xu Shao Ying as Tan Hui
• Zhang Yi Wen as Da Long
• Su Meng Yun as Lu Qian Ran
• Li Wen Ling as Granny Xie
• Zhao Zi Qi as Qiao Li
• Hai Yi Tian as Cai Jian Jun
• Sun Gui Tian as Granny Qin
• Mao Le as Xie Zi Run
• Zhang Xiao Yu as Xu Lin
• Elmira Yi as
• Han Le Yao as Li Na Na
• Huang Qi Lin’er as Xie Yu
• Jayden Pan as Xiao Bao
• Li Qi Ge as Xin Yuan
•  Lin Yan Rou as Chen Baojia

Quick Precis

It is a case of one-sided love.  Xie Qiao enrolled at the same university as her long-time crush but only to find out that he will never be into her because he started dating one of her best friends instead.

Episode 1

I love the drama already at first episode.  The nostalgia value is strong.

Anyway, it started in 2001, when Xie Qiao got to the university of her choice.  It was the same school where her long time crush went so in essence, she followed him.  He was He Xiao Zhou.

Xie Qiao has a best friend, Qin Chuan, who has a secret crush on her.  In order to hide his unrequited love, he would teased her mercilessly which made him appear like just a best friend.

They are truly the best of friends. Xie Qiao tells him everything.

Qin Chuan was in Canada but since Xie Qiao made him promised to attend her graduation, he did everythig that is humanly possible to make it happened.  It was eventful for him.  He got mugged by one of his own friends, and then by an armed intruder but nothing would stop him from returning to Xie Qiao.

Xie Qiao and her new dormmates trended at their school. On the first day, Xie Qiao, Wang Ying, Xiao Qian Xi were persuaded by their adorable fourth dormmate, Xu Lin to share her mushroom stew.

The four new friends enjoyed the stew but then they began to fill strange and felt like they were in a boat in the middle of a rough sea.  The capsize and got stranded in an island feeling very cold. They started to make a fire.

The other girls from the other rooms watched the the four almost burning their room.  It turned out they accidentally ate magic mushroom.  They were taken to the clinic feeling really embarassed as they became the talk of the school,  The girls who tried to burn the dorm on the first day of school.

Anyway both Qin Chuan and Xiao Zhou turned up at the same time.  The three were childhood friends and chatted like before.

They were helping her find a suitable elective.

Episode 2