Fight for Love – Series Review & Episode Guide

Binh is an aspiring musician who works part-time at a coffee shop. He writes his own songs and plays them on guitar, but he is too shy to sing in front of an audience. Whenever he performs, he wears a mask to hide his identity. Binh is deeply self-conscious because his body is badly scarred, which has left him feeling unattractive and unsure of himself. Even so, his desire to sing and perform never fully goes away.

Recently, Binh performed at a night market. When the police arrive to shut down the market, the place erupts into chaos. Vendors scramble to pack up and run. Binh gets swept up in the commotion while getting ready to leave. In the middle of the mess, he bumps into a handsome stranger. He accidentally breaks the camera the guy is holding. The camera is completely ruined and won't turn on again.

The stranger is Thang, who demands compensation for his broken camera. Binh accepts responsibility and offers his contact information, promising to pay him back. They even start following each other on social media. At first, Binh assumes Thang is just keeping tabs on the guy who owes him money. In reality, Thang comes from a wealthy family and couldn't care less about the camera. He simply thinks Binh is cute and sees this whole situation as the perfect excuse to get closer to him.

Thang sets out to get closer to Binh. First, he applies for a job at the same coffee shop where Binh works, even though there's no opening. Thang convinces his friend, Truong, to quit so he can take over the position. Then he also rents a room nearby, making the two of them neighbours. Binh still believes Thang is doing all this because he cares about getting his money back. Binh's friend, Vinh, points out the obvious and suggests that Thang might actually have a crush on him.

Even though Thang likes him, Binh has no interest in starting a new relationship. He's already secretly dating Van, his coworker at the coffee shop and a fellow aspiring musician. Van insists they keep their romance hidden, so no one else knows about them. Even Binh's friends still think he is single. When Thang starts flirting, Binh shuts him down every time. Despite being rejected, Thang doesn't stop fighting for his attention.

At first, I was excited about Fight for Love. It came from the same studio behind Stormy Honeymoon, a cute little romantic comedy from a few years ago. I thought this series would be just as sweet and lighthearted. Geez, I couldn't be more wrong. The story? A hot mess. The romance? A total flop. The entire series is drowning in cliches and the most toxic tropes. Each episode only gets worse. It's the kind of awful BL drama that makes me shake my head and ask, "Why would anyone wanna waste their time to watch this!?"

Right from the start, this couple rubbed me the wrong way. Thang meets Binh once, and they have one conversation. Suddenly, he's applying for the same job and moving in next door… Excuse me, what!? Why is Thang completely rearranging his entire life for some random man he barely knows? He seems like a stalker, especially since the other guy shows no romantic interest. Binh tells him, "I'm sorry, but I don't like you." That rejection is clear. Any normal person would take the hint and move on. But not Thang! He keeps clinging to this one-sided crush. His desperation makes their scenes together feel so awkward.

Many obstacles get in the way of this romance. At the start of the series, Binh already has a boyfriend. Then, he's left devastated after their breakup. By the time he's emotionally available, there are so few episodes left. It doesn't help that the couple spends no quality time together. Do they flirt? Nope. Do they have heart-to-heart chats? Not even once. The story wants us to believe that Thang and Binh have fallen in love, yet their relationship lacks substance. Scene after scene, there are zero sparks between them. Where's the connection!? Where's the chemistry!?

Fight for Love should focus on the leads and develop their romance more. Instead, it wastes too much time on the supporting cast. The story is obsessed with Binh's toxic ex-boyfriend. Most of the plots revolve around Van, who doesn't deserve that much attention. Van is constantly stirring up drama and scheming against the main characters. His nasty antics make the series so uncomfortable to watch. Worst of all, Binh falls for it! Van might as well be twirling an imaginary mustache while cackling like an obvious villain. Somehow, Binh still gets manipulated by him.

Binh's actor (Thai Khang) nails the emotional moments, particularly in those crying scenes. Wow, he's a good crier! His telegenic co-star (Dac Thang) lights up the screen whenever he flashes that smile. Both leads have the potential to become fan favourites, but they're working with such awful material. The poorly written story makes it impossible for them to shine. On the bright side, at least Fight for Love seems well-produced. The visuals are pretty and crystal clear. Considering this studio doesn't have a massive team, they know how to make their series look damn good.

Fight for Love has a happy ending, but the last few episodes totally annoyed me. Every bit of drama circles back to the annoying ex. Even though the bad guy doesn't win, he still hogs most of the screen time and overshadows the romance. I'll never understand the obsession with his character. The main couple only gets one little kiss in the final scene, leaving me underwhelmed. Between the garbage story and the nonexistent romance, Fight for Love has been a waste of time. If this studio wants to succeed in the BL genre, the writing needs to be so much better.