Scent of Love

Scent of Love 戀香

Episodes: 21 VCD

Genre: Romance drama (Taiwan + Korean production)

Cast:

Eddie Peng Yu Yan as “Gou Gou” Jin Cheng Tian / Zuo Cang Liang Ping
Qiu Ci Xuan as Yin Xiang Zhi / Quan Hao Yan
Ben Bai Ji Sheng as Song Xin / Ze Tian Da Jie
Li Xi Zhen as Cui Qing You
Damien Lau as Jin Zhi Zhong
Shen Shi Hua as Shen Qiao Ying
Wu Shi Gui as Po Cheng Jun / Li Shan Zhi
Xu Wei Lun as Wang Yi En
Li Xin as Li Min
Ming Zhi Yan as Xu Mei Zhen
Thomas Gao Wei as Yin Jian Zhi

Foreword: When I first saw this series’ advertisement, I didn’t pay much attention to it. My curiosity got better of me and after watching just one episode, I immediately went to the stores to buy the whole vcd set. I don’t know what possessed me, but after finishing the lengthy 21 episodes (approximately 70 mins per episode); I felt it was worth every penny spent. This set off the “Scent of Love” fever and I’ve been collecting the novel, original sound tracks and images since then. This series was different from the staple Taiwanese ‘idol/teen series’ that I’ve grown tired of.

Beware! Lengthy spoilers below…

Story:

An ancient legend has something about being husband and wife for 7 lifetimes. Modern love also speaks of loving till the next lifetime. Who said anything about 'love at first sight'? Isn't it the unfinished love from the past life? Otherwise, why would it be her and not another her?

This is a love story about love that wasn't able to unite in the past life and is destined to continue in the present life. A tragedy from 60 years ago, would it pull along a couple that has the destiny but no fate to be together, to head toward an ending with no outcome? Would destiny change because of mankind’s stubbornness?

Owing to the unbreakable love/hate relationship from their past and present lives, the love triangle of three people - Jin Cheng Tian, Po Cheng Jun and Yin Xiang Zhi - becomes even more entangled.

The unforgettable relationship that Jin Zhi Zhong and his old lover, Shen Qiao Ying, had led to their reunion and also contradictions and doubts. It also challenges the courage and the family relationships that they both have to face.

Love can surpass time, pass through eternity, and can only exists between two lovers as a secret fragrance that they breathe in this transmits on a message that speaks of loving each other forever.

Regardless of whether you believe it or not, that is how love exists, romantically and fragrantly, within the deepest part of each person…

1994, Seoul…

Cheng Tian was just 18 years old when he moved to Seoul with his family. Since childhood, he possessed a keen sense of smell and frequently experienced strange fragrance-filled dreams. His grandfather nicknamed him “Gou Gou” (Puppy) because of this reason. His best friend, Song Xin arrived in Seoul to start his first year of university. Because he was a transfer student, Song Xin’s university arranged for a senior to guide him in Seoul. With nothing to do, Cheng Tian went along with Song Xin to meet the ‘senior’. Song Xin was pleasantly surprised that his senior was Qing You, a beautiful Korean girl who also brought along her two best friends, Xiang Zhi and Mei Zhen to discuss about the drama club they joined. Cheng Tian, on the other hand, got off to a bad start with Xiang Zhi and was overwhelmed by the scent from her body.

While waiting for Li Min to finish shopping, Zhi Zhong went out to smoke and he caught a glimpse of Qiao Ying on the streets. He tried to chase after her, but Qiao Ying ignored his calls as Jian Zhi was by her side.

Song Xin was smitten with Qing You and to get close to her, he dragged Cheng Tian along to audition for the drama club. There, they met Xiang Zhi’s senior, Po Cheng Jun, who was working as an assistant director. Cheng Jun disliked them because he viewed them as rude and ill-mannered, but the director insisted on hiring them as his film’s actors, so Xiang Zhi coaxed Cheng Tian to join them. Xiang Zhi actually had a crush on Cheng Jun and was delighted when Cheng Jun asked her out on a date. Since their encounter Cheng Tian kept dreaming about Xiang Zhi, but he didn’t know those were actually flashbacks of their previous life. Though he didn’t understand why, he was sure that he loved Xiang Zhi.

Sixty years ago, during the Japanese occupation era, Zuo Cang (Cheng Tian’s previous life) met Hao Yan (Xiang Zhi’s previous life) and it was love at first sight. Their love met obstacles because Zuo Cang was a Japanese army pilot while Hao Yan was a Korean girl betrothed to Shan Zhi (Cheng Jun’s previous life). Before heading to war, Zuo Cang promised Hao Yan that he’d come back to marry her. Zuo Cang’s comrade Ze Tian (Song Xin’s previous life) delivered Zuo Cang’s will encoded in a dictionary to Hao Yan. She in return asked Ze Tian to pass her embroidered fragrance bag and tell Zuo Cang that she would always be with him, even in death. Hao Yan planned to run away after all news of Zuo Cang was lost in the war as her family forced her to marry Shan Zhi. To her shock, Shan Zhi died from depression after she told him that she was carrying Zuo Cang’s child. In his dying breath, Shan Zhi told his family to marry him to Hao Yan after his death. To prevent her from escaping again, Hao Yan’s brother locked her away. Depressed and suffering hallucinations of Shan Zhi, Hao Yan committed suicide by hanging herself. At the frontier, Zuo Cang was summoned to the forefront of a very difficult mission. Unfortunately he was defeated in his mission and as Zuo Cang plunged in the vast ocean, he held Hao Yan’s fragrance bag and vowed that they’d be together in their next lives. Zuo Cang, Hao Yan and Shan Zhi all came to tragic ends.

During filming, Cheng Tian tried his best to pursuit Xiang Zhi. On various times Xiang Zhi was moved, but hesitated to accept him because of Cheng Jun and the senior/junior relationship stigma. While helping Xiang Zhi to search for antique tableware, his car almost knocked down an old man who fainted in shock at the sight of him. The old man was in fact Hao Yan’s brother and he was convinced Cheng Tian was the reincarnation of Zuo Cang. He asked his son to tell Cheng Tian about Zuo Cang and Hao Yan’s story, but Cheng Tian didn’t believe their story. Using his sense of smell, Cheng Tian and Xiang Zhi rescued a boy from kidnappers and Cheng Tian got to spend two days alone with Xiang Zhi. During that time, they got closer and Xiang Zhi suggested that he be an aromatherapist because of his ‘talent’. Cheng Tian then promised her the first perfume he made would be the fragrance on her body.

Knowing that Qing You was into art, Song Xin asked Cheng Tian for information about aboriginal art and he succeeded in gaining her interest. During a visit to the local temple, Song Xin kissed Qing You and this was witnessed by Mei Zhen, who was praying for Cheng Tian. This encouraged Mei Zhen to approach Cheng Tian and give him an amulet as a declaration of love. Cheng Tian gently rejected Mei Zhen, as he only loved Xiang Zhi. Mei Zhen felt sad, but nevertheless persuaded Xiang Zhi accept Cheng Tian.

Wang Yi En has just arrived from Australia to visit Cheng Tian and to celebrate his 19th birthday. Since childhood Yi En’s dream was to become Cheng Tian’s wife, but Cheng Tian only regarded her as a pesky little sister. On the night of his 19th birthday, Cheng Tian bravely declared his affection to Xiang Zhi, but was cruelly rejected by her in front of everybody. Worried about Cheng Tian, Xiang Zhi found him sitting alone in the woods. Cheng Tian gave Xiang Zhi a red Kikyo he painted (red Kikyo doesn’t exist in this world) and told her that if one sacrificed enough, they could transform anything, including Kikyo and love into any color they wished. Xiang Zhi was touched and allowed Cheng Tian to kiss her. However, Cheng Jun emerged and she rejected Cheng Tian. Frustrated, Cheng Tian spent the night in the woods painting a red Kikyo flower on a big rock. The next morning, as Mei Zhen and Xiang Zhi left for Seoul, their bus passed by the stone Cheng Tian painted and Mei Zhen took a photograph of it. Mei Zhen asked Xiang Zhi to re-consider Cheng Tian, but Xiang Zhi appeared nonchalant. Knowing Cheng Tian was unhappy, Song Xin brought him out along with Qing You to cheer him up. Coincidently Xiang Zhi and Mei Zhen also went to the same skating rink where she admitted to Mei Zhen that she had fallen for Cheng Tian, but chose Cheng Jun because he was an ‘appropriate’ choice. Embarrassed, yet wanting to approach Xiang Zhi, Cheng Tian donned a chicken costume and skated along with her. Cheng Tian gave Xiang Zhi a peck (pun intended) in his costume and before he left, Xiang Zhi figured out who he was and called out his name. Cheng Tian looked back and disappeared to cry at the stairs. He wanted to be a prince who could protect the princess, but he had to become an unidentified animal just to get close to her.

Cheng Jun met Yi En at the cinema and was attracted to her prettiness. Cheng Jun denied that Xiang Zhi was his girlfriend in front of Cheng Tian and Yi En and this disheartened Xiang Zhi. Hearing that Xiang Zhi was drunk the night before, an idea came to Cheng Tian’s mind and he asked his father to drive him to visit Xiang Zhi. He was heartbroken to find out Xiang Zhi had spent the night with Cheng Jun and fled away. Song Xin's brother fell into a coma and his father ordered him to return to Taipei. Cheng Tian's mother and grandfather wanted him to return to Taipei to study, so Cheng Tian took a last chance and asked Xiang Zhi out on a date to the theme park. Cheng Jun overheard this and intentionally asked Xiang Zhi to go out on the same day. Cheng Tian waited all day at the theme park, buying a toy each time he played a round of game until the theme park closed. Xiang Zhi was worried that Cheng Tian would wait all day for her so in last minute she dashed to the theme park, but Cheng Tian had already left in disappointment. Xiang Zhi spotted the toys Cheng Tian had hung on a tree and a message to her: “Xiang Zhi, we will meet again. Amen.”

Six years later, Taipei…

Cheng Tian had moved out and now lived with Song Xin. After his studies, he became an aromatherapist and a part-time singer at a pub. He never forgot Xiang Zhi and had spent the past six years dedicated to create a perfume of Xiang Zhi’s fragrance. While Xiang Zhi was away from Seoul to film a documentary, Cheng Jun had an affair with Mei Zhen and they agreed never to let Xiang Zhi discover this. Xiang Zhi found strands of long hair in her comb and signs of someone using her skincare, but Cheng Jun quickly diverted the topic by proposing marriage. Xiang Zhi was reluctant to marry him as she had no confidence in him. She requested for a postponement until she finished another documentary of Taipei. She asked Qing You not to mention to Cheng Tian that she was going to Taipei soon. Cheng Tian and Song Xin, while performing at Qiao Ying’s pub called Memories, were discovered by a radio producer Brother Wang, who invited them to be part-time deejays in his new radio show.

Cheng Tian, Song Xin and Qing You bumped into Jian Zhi at the art gallery. Cheng Tian was upset to discover Xiang Zhi was engaged to Cheng Jun. The radio show was a success and Cheng Tian and Song Xin almost became famous overnight.

Song Xin’s father objected his relationship with Qing You and blamed her for influencing Song Xin to ‘rebel’ from working at his company. Qing You told Song Xin that he was her everything and she could not bear to lose him. Song Xin pledged to Qing You that he would never abandon her. The next day, because Song Xin had a fever and a toothache, Cheng Tian sent him to see Yi En, who worked as a dentist. Yi En pestered Song Xin for his phone number.

Zhi Zhong, upon discovering Qiao Ying was the owner of Memories, frequently went there in hopes of meeting Qiao Ying. Yi En asked Song Xin out for a drink and while he went to the washroom, she answered Qing You’s call and nastily told Qing You that Song Xin didn’t want to answer her call because she was a nuisance. Qing You was upset and complained to Xiang Zhi that she was regretting her decision to abandon her family and career to be with Song Xin. She was doubtful of their future as his family disliked her and everyday she could only spent her time waiting for Song Xin. Song Xin forced Cheng Tian to ask Yi En out to explain the truth to Qing You. Before arriving at Memories, Song Xin asked Xiang Zhi to tell Cheng Tian to give up on her. He felt that Cheng Tian had suffered enough because of her. Therefore, Xiang Zhi deliberately challenged Cheng Tian to go along with her to collect the wedding ring for her impending marriage.

One day, Xiang Zhi got drunk and Cheng Tian let her rest overnight at his place. Xiang Zhi was touched when she saw Cheng Tian’s effort to create a perfume of hers. Not wanting to hurt him further, Xiang wrote on his notebook advising him to set himself free from his fixation on her. Cheng Tian’s only reply to Xiang Zhi was his heart was a cage forever open to her. While reflecting Cheng Tian’s words, Xiang Zhi had a sudden impulse and went back to look for Cheng Tian, but hesitated at the doorsteps. The next morning Cheng Tian was surprised to see Xiang Zhi drunk and asleep at his doorstep. Xiang Zhi told him that she decided to return to Seoul the same day and came to say goodbye to an old friend. Cheng Tian asked Xiang Zhi for a final embrace so that he’d always remember her scent. After Xiang Zhi left for the airport, Cheng Tian found the doll she accidentally left behind and realized it was the same doll he had left six years ago at the theme park. Cheng Tian hurried to the airport and thanked Xiang Zhi for responding to his feelings. All these years he thought his feelings were one-sided. Xiang Zhi admitted this, but told Cheng Tian regrettably that they had missed their timing. Cheng Tian and Xiang Zhi hesitatingly parted as friends.

Back in Seoul, Xiang Zhi caught Cheng Jun and Mei Zhen together and left Cheng Jun. Cheng Jun begged for Xiang Zhi’s forgiveness, but she rejected him as she realized she never really loved him. She explained to him that her lack of courage in taking risks both in career and relationships caused her to be unsatisfied in her job and Cheng Jun gradually became an outlet for her lonesomeness. She tried to love him, but there was another person in her heart: Cheng Tian.

Cheng Tian discovered a new innovation to improve the perfume and this time it was 90% similar to Xiang Zhi’s scent. Feeling excited, Cheng Tian swiftly called Xiang Zhi to inform her of his progress. Xiang Zhi was happy for him and asked him to keep in contact. Xiang Zhi’s aunt, Qiao Ying, slipped out that Xiang Zhi had broken her engagement to Cheng Jun and the ecstatic Cheng Tian booked the next available flight to Seoul to visit Xiang Zhi. Unfortunately, because Xiang Zhi's mother suffered a stroke, Xiang Zhi was absent from home and Cheng Jun took this opportunity to deceive Cheng Tian that Xiang Zhi was pregnant with his child…

One year later, Taipei…

As usual, Song Xin was too busy at work and dispatched Cheng Tian to accompany Qing You. Since his return from Seoul last year, Cheng Tian had abruptly ended all his jobs and stopped making perfume. Song Xin and Qing You felt concerned but any mention of Xiang Zhi would provoke Cheng Tian's temper, so they kept quiet. He was now a rising VJ at a Korean related television show, with Brother Wang as his manager.

Yi En accidentally bumped into Song Xin and smeared her lipstick on his collar. Qing You became suspicious and questioned Song Xin about it, but he feigned ignorance because he didn’t want Qing You to get the wrong idea. Cheng Tian was shocked speechless as Cheng Jun told him during an interview that he was still single (but he also conveniently ‘forgot’ to confess his lies a year ago).

Li Min hired some gangsters to wreak havoc at Memories. Zhi Zhong's frequent visits to Memories further provoked Li Min’s fury and this time, Jian Zhi was seriously injured and needed blood transfusion from Zhi Zhong because they both share the same rare blood type. Zhi Zhong became suspicious of Jian Zhi’s real identity, but Qiao Ying refused to admit, pleading with him not to mention it in front of Jian Zhi. Cheng Tian sensed Xiang Zhi’s scent at the hospital and decided to pay Jian Zhi a visit. He overheard Qiao Ying and Xiang Zhi's conversation about Jian Zhi and was upset to know his father had an affair with another woman and Jian Zhi was their illegitimate offspring.

Qing You was always lonely so she invited Xiang Zhi to stay with her in Taipei. Unknown to other, Xiang Zhi had been jobless since a few months ago, resulting in alcoholic problems. Xiang Zhi was sad and puzzled why Cheng Tian was so hostile to her to the extent of refusing to look her in the eye. Qing You asked Cheng Tian to help Xiang Zhi to look for a job since he worked in the entertainment circle. Cheng Tian appeared nonchalant but in private asked Brother Wang for help, reluctantly agreed to host a pet show in exchange (Cheng Tian previously rejected the show because he was sensitive to the smell of animals). Brother Wang offered Xiang Zhi a filming project regarding hypnosis, but Xiang Zhi was reluctant to accept it. It turned out that Xiang Zhi left her previous company over a disagreement while filming the same topic. Xiang Zhi was skeptical regarding hypnosis so Brother Wang arranged an appointment for her to experience for herself. Slowly, Xiang Zhi began to know what happened to her past life through a series of sessions on hypnosis…

After a confrontation with Xiang Zhi, Cheng Tian finally realized he had been fooled by Cheng Jun for a year. This gave him renewed hope in pursuing Xiang Zhi again, but Xiang Zhi was miserable because of her career and drowned away her sorrows with alcohol. Cheng Tian and Qing You tried to help Xiang Zhi back into the right path by getting her sober. Yi En couldn’t restrain her jealousy and trashed Cheng Tian's perfume lab, injuring Xiang Zhi who tried to protect Cheng Tian’s perfumes. Xiang Zhi’s tears dropped onto the perfume and Cheng Tian realized that was the final ingredient to complete ‘Scent of Love’.

Because of Cheng Tian's constant rejection, Yi En vented her frustration by pestering Song Xin to accompany her, creating a rift between Song Xin and Qing You. Cheng Tian, who considered Qing You as his sister, warned Song Xin to stay away from Yi En and instead pay more attention to Qing You’s needs. Song Xin decided take Qing You abroad to get married as her birthday surprise. On the night of the perfume launch, Cheng Tian declared his love for Xiang Zhi in front of the media and they officially became a couple. Xiang Zhi promised Cheng Tian to reduce her drinking habit and they spent a romantic night together.

On the other hand, Song Xin went back to his office to retrieve the flight tickets and proposal ring. He bumped into the tearful Yi En, who just saw Cheng Tian and Xiang Zhi kissing on national television. While they were both drunk, Yi En seduced Song Xin and they had a one night stand. Qing You, worried for Song Xin, traced his call back to the motel and went there to look for him, discovering their affair. In shock and sadness, she tried contacting Cheng Tian and Xiang Zhi, to no avail. With nowhere to go, Qing You left her final message to Cheng Tian on voicemail before jumping into the sea. Song Xin arrived too late only to discover Qing You’s slipper on the dock…

Cheng Tian, Xiang Zhi and Song Xin were devastated by Qing You’s suicide. Over-ridden by guilt and sorrow, Song Xin resigned and decided to launch exhibitions of Qing You’s ceramic works. Yi En learned her lesson and decided to give up Cheng Tian for good by returning to Australia. Qing You’s incident reminded Xiang Zhi of her painful past with Cheng Jun and Mei Zhen, increasing her lack of confidence in men. She continued to reject Mei Zhen's pleas for forgiveness. Cheng Jun came to Taipei in hopes of pursuing Xiang Zhi in her moment of sadness, much to the jealousy of Cheng Tian. However, Cheng Tian understood that Cheng Jun could help Xiang Zhi look for directing jobs in Seoul, so he reluctantly let Xiang Zhi meet him. Afraid that Xiang Zhi would leave Taipei, Cheng Tian proposed to her but Xiang Zhi was hesitant, because of Li Min’s objection and more importantly her own awareness of their past fate.

Zhi Zhong went to Seoul and discovered Zuo Cang and Hao Yan’s tragic tale. He was warned that they would perish for love because of the influence from their past lives. Upon hearing of Cheng Tian's plan to marry Xiang Zhi, Zhi Zhong tried to discourage him, but Cheng Tian refused to listen. Fearing that tragedy would befall Cheng Tian, Zhi Zhong begged Xiang Zhi to leave Cheng Tian. Xiang Zhi agrees and left Cheng Tian without a word…

Another year later…

Cheng Tian was still dejected by Xiang Zhi’s abrupt decision to leave him. While filming a show, he saved Jian Zhi from falling into a cliff and fractured his limbs. Jian Zhi, feeling guilty for his frosty attitude towards Cheng Tian, visited him at the hospital. Coincidentally, Li Min and Zhi Zhong were there. Jian Zhi was disappointed by Zhi Zhong’s denial toward him in front of Li Min. Song Xin returned from his travels and learned that Xiang Zhi left Cheng Tian a year ago. At the same time, Xiang Zhi and Cheng Jun came to Taipei to film a movie. Cheng Tian saw their news on the television and thought Xiang Zhi left him to be with Cheng Jun. The truth was Xiang Zhi never forgot Cheng Tian and Cheng Jun was just her colleague. Her addiction to alcohol had worsened and it begun to affect her liver and nerve system.

Yi En suddenly came back from Australia with a baby. The baby was the result of Song Xin and Yi En’s affair. Not wanting to be burdened with motherhood, Yi En decided to give the baby to Song Xin. Song Xin disliked the baby and asked Cheng Tian to take care for him. On pretext of Qing You’s death anniversary, Song Xin arranged Cheng Tian to meet Xiang Zhi at the art gallery. True enough, Cheng Tian bumped into Xiang Zhi at the entrance. Xiang Zhi told Cheng Tian she left him because she couldn’t love him anymore. Cheng Tian bitterly asked why she was still wearing the necklace he gave her when he proposed. Xiang Zhi's illness struck and Cheng Tian helplessly looked on as Cheng Jun carried the unconscious Xiang Zhi away. Xiang Zhi was warded at the same hospital Cheng Tian was staying in, just below Cheng Tian’s room. However, Xiang Zhi left early and Cheng Tian never saw her again…

Yet another year…

While helping his father to move, Cheng Tian found Zuo Cang and Hao Yan’s photograph in Zuo Cang’s dictionary. Inside contained a letter Xiang Zhi sent to his father after she returned to Seoul, assuring him she’d never meet Cheng Tian again. Cheng Tian confronted his father and knew the truth why Xiang Zhi left him. He told his father that one would eventually die, sooner or later. If it means death to love Xiang Zhi, then he was willing to do so. Cheng Tian tried to contact Xiang Zhi but it seems she had disappeared from the face of earth. Song Xin suggested to him to contact Cheng Jun. Upon meeting Cheng Jun, Cheng Tian received the bad news…

The Casts:
1. Eddie Peng
i. Zuo Cang Liang Ping (1941)

"Hao Yan, in the future, I will follow the smell of the fragrance to find you…”

Zuo Cang was a young Japanese pilot who coincidentally met Hao Yan and fell in love with her. Though he realized their love was forbidden, he couldn’t bring himself to leave Hao Yan. Before Zuo Cang left for the war, he pledged that he would return safely to marry her and give her happiness. Alas, Zuo Cang was defeated in his mission and before his demise, he held Hao Yan's embroidered fragrance bag tightly and promised that he’d use the fragrance of the Kikyo flower to identify her in his next life…

Because it was a time of turbulence, all the characters in 1941 carried an air of maturity and forlornness. Eddie managed to carry this kind of air and also the esteem of a Japanese soldier. He was thoughtful and gentle to Hao Yan, but to the rest of people he was confident and defiant. I like it when his eyes lit up passionately; you can understand why Hao Yan was drawn to him like moth to fire. He was always there to reassure Hao Yan of his undying love for her. Eddie's portrayal of Zuo Cang was convincing to me, as in his role as Cheng Tian below. What bothers me is the wig he wears as this character; a bit unnatural.

ii. Jin Cheng Tian
“I love you; longer than you’ve imagined, deeper than you possibly expected… I came to this world; just to search for you…”

Cheng Tian possessed a keen sense of smell since childhood, thus the pet name “Gou Gou” (Puppy). Born to an artistic father and wealthy mother, Cheng Tian led a very sheltered and comfortable life, giving him an optimistic and naïve outlook in life. Since moving to Seoul, Cheng Tian started to have recurring dreams filled with fragrances. After meeting Xiang Zhi, he become inexplicably attracted to the familiar fragrance from her body and fell deeply in love with her. Thus began 10 years of a bitter and painful love story…

Cheng Tian was a childish character. But even with his immaturity, it was hard not to love him as he was also devoted, kind and gentle. Not to mention his perseverance in loving Xiang Zhi after countless times of getting his heart broken and rejected. Even though Xiang Zhi put him through anguish and bitterness, he couldn’t stop loving her because of their destinies. For example, it was agonizing to watch him mad at Xiang Zhi for a stupid misunderstanding caused by Cheng Jun (you get really irritated by Cheng Tian’s pettiness) but we know, despite him saying “No, I’m over her”, he still cared about her. His adoring gaze and tender declaration to Xiang Zhi were enough to melt the coldest heart. Honestly, I get teary whenever Cheng Tian professed his love touchingly to Xiang Zhi only to have his heart crushed again. I’m really surprised that Eddie can give such a good performance in spite of his young age. This was only his second series and already he has such improvement. With his good looks and boyish charm, Eddie is definitely one rising actor to look out for.

2. Qiu Ci Xuan
i. Quan Hao Yan (1941)

“I fell in love with him at first sight…”

At age 18, Hao Yan, whose Korean family ran a medicine store, was engaged and about to be married to Shan Zhi from a neighboring village. She accidentally bumped into Zuo Cang and fell in love with him at first sight. Their love affair was opposed violently by her family and Shan Zhi, causing her much misery. After news about Zuo Cang was lost in the war, pregnant and haunted by guilt over Shan Zhi’s death, she committed suicide by hanging herself.

It was not easy to act as both an 18-year-old girl and then a late 20’s character in a same series. Qiu Ci Xuan's portrayal in this series is impressive because she can carry the naivety of Hao Yan and the maturity of Xiang Zhi at the same time. Hao Yan’s world was limited to her family medicinal store until she met Zuo Cang. Zuo Cang gave her courage in love and she tried to stand up to her family, but to no avail. Her love for Zuo Cang was so deep that she was willing to die to be with him. However, after Zuo Cang went to war, she had to face the pressure from both her family and Shan Zhi. After Shan Zhi died of depression, Hao Yan began to feel guilty and have hallucinations of Shan Zhi’s spirit threatening to harm Zuo Cang. Distressed and with nowhere to go, she saw death as the only solution.

I prefer Ci Xuan's portrayal as Hao Yan than Xiang Zhi. You can see all the happiness, sadness, helplessness on Ci Xuan’s face as Hao Yan. Ci Xuan looks really pretty in traditional costumes.

ii. Yin Xiang Zhi

“Cheng Tian, do you love me? When everyone has given up hope in me, will you still love me?”

Growing up in a single family, Xiang Zhi had an independent but stubborn personality. Because her father died of liver disease during her childhood, Xiang Zhi felt compelled to project a tough figure to protect her mother and younger brother. Through helping her crush, senior Po Cheng Jun, to film a movie, she got acquainted with Cheng Tian and Song Xin, who was her best friend Qing You’s junior. She was initially attracted to Cheng Jun’s talent and creativity, only to realize she was falling for the younger Cheng Tian. Terrified of her true feelings and the junior/senior relationship stigma, Xiang Zhi rejected Cheng Tian and chose Cheng Jun. A few years later, disappointed by Cheng Jun’s infidelity she bumped into Cheng Tian in Taiwan, and their rocky path of love continued once more. Xiang Zhi had an addiction to alcohol, and this was an omen of a deathly illness in the future…

Xiang Zhi was a practical and serious person. She rarely let her emotions control her mind and preferred to hide her feelings so the audience might get a feeling of aloofness from her. As Cheng Tian said, it seemed that the letters “NO ENTRY” were permanently imprinted on her forehead. Xiang Zhi had low confidence in men, partly because in her past life she was controlled by the men around her. So in this life Xiang Zhi instinctively distrusted men and would rather rely on herself. You might want to kick her every time she hurt Cheng Tian's feelings because we know she felt the same about him but was too stubborn to admit it. I feel sorry for her after she met Cheng Tian in Taipei again but Cheng Tian sort of loathed her because of a misunderstanding caused by Cheng Jun. She didn’t even know what happened! She lost her job and fiancé and now she had to put up with Cheng Tian’s attitude. Come to think about it, Cheng Tian suffered ten times fold. In their happiest moment together, she found out the truth about their past fate and believed that their love would inevitably end tragically. She left Cheng Tian not because she didn’t love him, but because she loved him too much to see him suffer. Only after her death, Xiang Zhi told Cheng Tian that she loved him and she believed one day, they would meet again. I like Ci Xuan's transformation from a cantankerous university student to a disillusioned director and then an ill alcoholic. We can notice the subtle changes and maturity in the character of Xiang Zhi over time. Good performance from Ci Xuan! So far I’ve only seen her alongside Jang Nara in Success Story of a Bright Girl and Ci Xuan really shines in this series. Though Ci Xuan is not the usual ‘beauty’ type, she has an attractive quality to her.

3. Ben Bai
i. Ze Tian Da Jie (1941)

“Zuo Cang… for Hao Yan, you must try to be the only firefly that survives night after night…”

Zuo Cang's fellow pilot in the Japanese army. He supports the love between Zuo Cang and Hao Yan. Ze Tian is like an older brother to Zuo Cang, giving advice and comforting him. He supports Zuo Cang and Hao Yan’s love and tells Zuo Cang not to give up hope surviving the war. He reminds Zuo Cang of his promises to Hao Yan.

ii. Song Xin

“Gou Gou, I did everything for you!”

Song Xin was Cheng Tian's childhood friend and came from a wealthy family. Like Cheng Tian, Song Xin was very cheerful and talkative. He transferred to Seoul to study and met Qing You, his senior in university. Song Xin was smitten with the sweet Qing You and began to pursue her. He was always there to support Cheng Tian through all his ups and downs. After his elder brother become comatose, his father forced him to take over the family business and thus put a lot of mental pressure on Song Xin. On another hand, Song Xin’s father objected his relationship with Qing You and this put a strain on their relationship. The presence of Wang Yi En further complicated the matter and created a tragedy…

Song Xin might not be a good son or lover, but he was a good friend. Though Cheng Tian never heeded his advice to give up on Xiang Zhi, Song Xin was always prepared to be there when Cheng Tian fell, to support and comfort him. To a certain extent Cheng Tian was more important to him than Qing You. Song Xin certainly loved Qing You deeply, but because of Qing You's wholehearted devotion to him, he began to take her for granted. When Song Xin realized his mistakes, it was already too late and he loathed himself for that. You can see Song Xin transformed into a bitter person. Though he did regain his cheerfulness in the end, he still couldn’t contain his disgust at the sight of Yi En and their son. I could understand why he hated Yi En, but the baby was innocent. I guess to him the baby was a permanent reminder of his mistake. This is my first time seeing Ben Bai act. All I know is that is he a member of a popular band B.A.D. – thus explaining the wonderful theme song “Yuan Lai Ai” sung by him. And his acting is not bad, though there is plenty of room for improvement.

4. Li Xi Zhen as Cui Qing You

“Song Xin, you are my everything… I’ll be lost without you!”

Cui Qing You was a gentle and kind-hearted Korean girl. She was Xiang Zhi and Mei Zhen’s best friend. Qing You had unique talent in making ceramics and carried an artistic, elegant quality. She fell in love with Song Xin and was willing to commit 6 years of long-distance relationship with Song Xin. Later, she abandoned her family and career to follow Song Xin to Taipei, but was disappointed because Song Xin’s family did not accept her because of her family background. In order to please his father, Song Xin agreed to work at the company and frequently left Qing You alone in the unfamiliar environment. Qing You silently waited upon Song Xin night and day, increasingly frustrated in their relationship as days went by. Song Xin began to take her for granted and his suspicious relationship with Yi En distressed Qing You. On the eve before Song Xin planned to propose to Qing You, he got drunk and had a one night stand with Yi En. Qing You found out and in a fit of sadness decided to end her life, giving Song Xin no chance to make amends.

Qing You really loved Song Xin so much that she was willing to sacrifice everything for him unconditionally. So, basically Qing You was the female version of Cheng Tian, right? Wrong. They were both devoted to love, but had different approaches to it. One good example was where Cheng Tian and Qing You had a debate about suicide for love. Cheng Tian disagreed because by surviving you could still fight for your relationship whereas Qing You thought suicide was a romantic solution. “If I’ve lost my love, beside death, what could be a better solution?” Cheng Tian sensed the inner frustration Qing You felt and tried to warn Song Xin.

Li Xi Zhen looked really pretty and tender as this character. Plus, she has a really sweet and soft voice. However, her crying skills still need polishing because I felt like hearing a child wailing whenever she cries. I weep when her character dies; it is so tragic!

5. Damien Lau as Jin Zhi Zhong

“Qiao Ying, I’ve been searching for you all these years!”

Jin Zhi Zhong has always been the figure of respect for Cheng Tian. He is mature, controlled, sensible, and totally different from his domineering wife. Zhi Zhong is a gifted ceramist and lectures the art classes in university. He once had an affair with his student Shen Qiao Ying twenty years ago and this has left an unforgettable memory for him. As fate has it, Zhi Zhong bumps into Qiao Ying in Seoul and stirs back the old memories between them. Zhi Zhong now faces one of the hardest decisions in his life…

Qiao Ying once scorned Zhi Zhong as a man who on one hand pretended to be a good family man but yet desired his ideal notion of romanticism. Twenty years ago, Zhi Zhong used Cheng Tian as a reason for not leaving his wife. Now Cheng Tian has grown up but still Zhi Zhong is unable to make up his mind whether he wants to leave his marriage or forget about Qiao Ying. After Zhi Zhong found out about Jian Zhi’s real identity, he wanted to reconcile with Qiao Ying. However, what irritated me was he was too timid to admit Jian Zhi was his son in front of Li Min. Jian Zhi directly looked into Zhi Zhong's eyes and asked “Who is my father?”. The only answer Zhi Zhong gave him was by looking away. After a long struggle, Zhi Zhong finally asked Li Min for a divorce. I like this character for being a good father to Cheng Tian, but dislike his lack of courage in love. Because this role has a calm exterior, Damien conveyed varieties of emotions through his eyes. His happiness, yearning, anger and frustration reflected clearly in his gaze.

6. Shen Shi Hua as Shen Qiao Ying

“Jian Zhi, please forgive me.”

Qiao Yin is Xiang Zhi’s aunt. When she was studying ceramics with Zhi Zhong, she fell in love with him and they had a passionate love affair. Knowing that Zhi Zhong won’t leave his family, Qiao Ying chose to suddenly disappear. After Jian Zhi was born, Qiao Ying gave him to her sister to raise as her own child. Many years later, Jian Zhi and Zhi Zhong met by fate, causing Qiao Ying to hesitate whether she should tell the truth about Jian Zhi’s identity and resume her love story with Zhi Zhong.

Qiao Ying appears to be independent and strong, but every time she saw Zhi Zhong she couldn’t control her inner turmoil of loving and hating him at the same time. She cared deeply for Jian Zhi, and to avoid him finding the truth, she evades Zhi Zhong and forbids Jian Zhi from associating with him. Qiao Ying is more rational than Zhi Zhong in terms of love and relationship.

7. Wu Shi Gui
i. Li Shan Zhi (1941)

“I’ll never forgive you! I’ll always be there to destroy you and Zuo Cang!”

Hao Yan’s fiancé from a neighboring village. Gentle and kind, Shan Zhi deeply loved Hao Yan. He was willing to forgive and forget about Hao Yan’s affair with Zuo Cang, but turned resentful after he found out that Hao Yan was carrying Zuo Cang’s child. Before he died of depression, in his last breath, he still wanted Hao Yan to marry him after his death, forcing Hao Yan to commit suicide because of the disgrace of being pregnant before marriage with another man. He wanted to torment Hao Yan mentally.

“Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned”. This also applies to men as well, In this case, Li Shan Zhi. He was a kind and gentle man, but his pride and feelings were hurt when his beloved fiancée attempted to leave him for another man – a Japanese soldier at that. Thinking that it was just a fling and Hao Yan would forget Zuo Chang after he left, Shan Zhi was shocked and enraged when Hao Yan confessed to him that she was pregnant and she only loved Zuo Cang. Unable to face the humiliation, he died in anguish and decided that Hao Yan and Zuo Cang too should suffer what he had gone through. He vowed to always stand between Hao Yan and Zuo Cang. True enough, his wish was granted and he caused a lot of grief and pain for Xiang Zhi and Cheng Tian in their next lives.

ii. Po Cheng Jun

“It is natural for men to make mistakes.”

Cheng Jun was Xiang Zhi’s senior who worked as a assistant director. Because of his talent and good looks, Xiang Zhi had a crush on him. However, maybe because of influence from a past life, in this life Cheng Jun had a playboy personality and was unable to stay faithful in love. After 6 years, Cheng Jun began to pressure Xiang Zhi to marry him though he had an on-going affair with Xiang Zhi’s best friend, Mei Zhen. That was the last straw for Xiang Zhi. Cheng Jun was regretful but realized that Xiang Zhi feelings were moved by Cheng Tian during her last visit to Taipei. Thus, in a moment of selfishness, he lied to Cheng Tian that Xiang Zhi was pregnant and they were going to marry according to plan after all. His action caused Cheng Tian’s world to collapse and Xiang Zhi felt confused why Cheng Tian never contacted her for a year after that…

Cheng Jun was not a bad person, he was just human. Influences from past life may have triggered his desire to possess Xiang Zhi and obstruct Cheng Tian and Xiang Zhi’s love. That explained why he was so attracted to Xiang Zhi and mean to Cheng Tian at first sight. Even after Cheng Tian and Xiang Zhi were officially together, he still didn’t give up pursuing Xiang Zhi. The only redemption Cheng Jun did was by taking care of Xiang Zhi in her last days and passing her dying wishes to Cheng Tian.

Wu has a macho appeal in this series, but I found the beard he’s sporting 90% during the series rather annoying. It makes him looks like he hasn’t showered for days. He looks great enough without the beard; his huge eyes are quite intimidating. Maybe it’s me, but the dubbed voice sounds too whiney for me. I feel that this character should have more exploration in character development, but instead the script turned him into another male ‘vase’.

8. Xu Wei Lun as Wang Yi En

“Cheng Tian ge ge!”

Yi En was Cheng Tian’s mother god-daughter who had a crush on Cheng Tian. Cute and intelligent, Yi En was adored by the Jin family, with the exception of Cheng Tian himself. This was because Cheng Tian saw Yi En as petty, conceited and domineering; just like a carbon copy of his mother. Yi En was too obsessed to become Cheng Tian’s wife, though Cheng Tian repeatedly reminded her that he only saw her as a little sister. After she found out that Cheng Tian was in love with Xiang Zhi, she became increasingly jealous and started to pester Song Xin for news about Cheng Tian. Her domineering behavior aroused the suspicion of Qing You therefore Cheng Tian warned both Song Xin and Yi En to stay away from each other. Yi En decided to irritate Cheng Tian by harassing Song Xin more often. When she saw Cheng Tian and Xiang Zhi kissing on national television, Yi En got drunk and seduced Song Xin for a one night stand.

Before I comment anything, let me say this: “I HATE HER!!!” That’s precisely how I feel about this character. The first time she appears on screen, I already have a hunch that she is one of those mandatory irritating character in every romance series; the girl who won’t get the message “He will not love you!” It was still acceptable until her selfishness caused Qing You’s death! Qing You was a nice person, yet Yi En was nasty to her for no apparent reason. Her one night stand with Song Xin triggered Qing You’s suicide and she was not even remorseful. She said she was repentant but she didn’t really feel guilty over Qing You’s death. Instead, she wanted to leave Taipei so that she’d “sleep peacefully at night”. And she even has the guts to come back suddenly and leave her baby (a result of the one night stand) with Song Xin because she’s to young to take care of him. Sigh ~ I don’t know whether to feel sorry for Song Xin or think that he deserved it. Qing You's pent-up feelings were the real reason she committed suicide, Yi En was just a trigger.

Xu Wei Lun's acting was all right because this character wasn’t hard to portray – just sulk and yell 80% of the time and you’ll get along fine. Sorry Wei Lun fans, just my two cents.

9. Ming Zhi Yan as Xu Mei Zhen

“I’m just too afraid of loneliness…”

Shy and yearning for love, Mei Zhen was good friends with Xiang Zhi and Qing You. During her university years she had a crush on Cheng Tian, but was kindly rejected by him. Seeing that Cheng Tian loved Xiang Zhi deeply, she tried to convince Xiang Zhi to accept him only to be hurt at Xiang Zhi’s insensitive retaliation about her own crush on Cheng Tian. After repeatedly being hurt in relationships, Mei Zhen's personality began to change into a flirtatious woman who never committed any long term relationships. Soon, Mei Zhen became engaged in a secret affair with Xiang Zhi’s fiancé, Cheng Jun…

I understand why Xiang Zhi couldn’t bring herself to forgive Mei Zhen. The ultimate betrayal came from the person she trusted the most is too unbearable for her. Mei Zhen didn’t love Cheng Jun, their affair was just another method for her to dissipate her loneliness. She selfishly thought that as long as Xiang Zhi never knows, she can carry on her affair with Cheng Jun.

10. Li Xin as Li Min

“Zhi Zhong, you will never survive without me!”

Cheng Tian’s mother who came from a rich and noble family. Prideful and domineering, Li Min relationship with Zhi Zhong has always been cold as she never forgave his affair with Qiao Ying. Afraid of the outside world’s view, she chose to hide her resentment in her heart when she discovered that Zhi Zhong was seeing Qiao Ying again. Her hatred for Qiao Ying also extended to Xiang Zhi, thus she was against Cheng Tian and Xiang Zhi’s relationship.

Li Min can get really annoying when she’s jealous, because she gets unreasonable and aggressive at the people around her, especially Zhi Zhong. You can say that she drove Zhi Zhong into Qiao Ying’s arms, but it takes two to tango. She has the right to be upset, yet the real reason for her pain is her reluctance to let go of Zhi Zhong. Li Min regards love similar to business. She hates to lose. In the end, she realizes it is futile forcing Zhi Zhong by her side and decides to set him free.

11. Thomas Gao as Yin Jian Zhi

“Who are my parents?!”

Growing up under the protective care of his mother, aunt and sister made Jian Zhi into a shy, introverted young man. During his university years he moved to Taipei to stay with his birth mother Qiao Ying and there he met his father, Zhi Zhong, with whom he shares similar talent in ceramics. Jian Zhi was shocked and confused after he discovered his real identity. He couldn’t understand why his mother abandoned him and his father didn’t dare to acknowledge him.

If it weren’t for his physical size, you might have taken Jian Zhi as a girl. However, he has more courage than Zhi Zhong and is willing to stand up for his mother in front of Li Min. My mother and sister dub his hairstyle as the ‘ugliest hairstyle in the world’. I know, this kind of hairstyle is kind of ‘in’ at the moment but honestly it really looks like a coconut on his head. Jian Zhi might have inherited artistic talent from his folks, but Cheng Tian was far fortunate in terms of looks!

Conclusion: The originality, pace and quality of Scent of Love was one of the best Taiwanese series I’ve watched over the years. The stories are well-interwoven and the content touching without corny quotes and draggy dialogue - sorry, but I’m not into Qiong Yao-esque stories. Plus, the soundtrack got me hooked right away, especially the theme song “Yuan Lai Ai” sung by Ben which incorporates elements of traditional folk songs into it. The purple hue in the flashbacks added a dreamy mood to them, especially against a sea of Kikyo flowers.

Another reason I like this series so much was because:
1. It doesn’t have draggy love quadruple relationships. It focuses on the relationship of each pair with little or no interference from the supposed ‘third party’.
2. The leads weren’t inflicted with ‘sudden terminal illnesses’ (leukemia, cancer etc) – another staple storyline in most romance series. Yes, Xiang Zhi did get inflicted with a terminal disease, but it was an accumulated consequence of her debauched lifestyle of excessive drinking.

However, I found the repeated usage of Lennon’s “Jealous Guy” whenever Zhi Zhong and Qiao Ying appear a bit redundant and to certain extent, boring. Okay, we get the message you both cannot forget each other, can we move on now? Even with this minor setback, it’s still a great series and I will definitely recommend this series. Just prepare some boxes of tissues to spare and a soft pillow to sob with…

Favorite Characters:
i. Cheng Tian
ii. Song Xin
iii. Xiang Zhi

Characters I Dislike:
i. Yi En
ii. Zhi Zhong
iii. Cheng Jun

Favorite Pairing: (Lover/Friend)
i. Cheng Tian and Xiang Zhi
ii. Cheng Tian and Song Xin

Memorable Scenes:
i. To Xiang Zhi’s amusement, Cheng Tian corrected her that he was already 19 years old; therefore he was not a child.
ii. Cheng Tian standing in front of the themepark as the lights switched off. The look on his face was so sad…
iii. Every time Cheng Tian cried for Xiang Zhi. His love for her was deep, even beyond his comprehension.
iv. Song Xin and Qing You’s promises to each other in the rain.
v. Cheng Tian's declaration of love for Xiang Zhi during the launch of “Scent of Love”.
vi. Qing You’s final words before her suicide. It put us through an emotional rollercoaster; feeling sorry for her and angry at Song Xin and Yi En at the same time.
vii. Xiang Zhi's rejection of reconciliation with Mei Zhen at the dock. We can see how painful Mei Zhen’s betrayal and Qing You’s death were to Xiang Zhi.
viii. The flashbacks of Zuo Cang and Hao Yan's bittersweet tale.
ix. Xiang Zhi and Cheng Jun’s conversation about the mermaid story. Xiang Zhi's preference of the mermaid dying alone signifies her deep love for Cheng Tian.
x. Xiang Zhi's spirit giving Cheng Tian her last message in his dream, telling him to be strong and that she loved him. Xiang Zhi NEVER said “I love you” to Cheng Tian while she was still alive.

The Soundtracks:

Theme song “Yuan Lai Ai” sung by Ben Bai
Ending theme “Deng Dao Tian Qing Li Kai Ni” sung by Van Fan
Ending theme two “Yue Ban Wan” – I had no idea who sang this, but the melody was soft and lovely.
Another two songs are “Bu Neng Ju Jue”, a good debut from Eddie himself and “Jealous Guy” by John Lennon.

Why? Factor:

The ending: I’m not into thespian endings so I was a little disappointed with this series' ending. What I couldn’t accept was Xiang Zhi’s decision to leave Cheng Tian. I personally don’t think they’re predestined die for love, but rather settle their past debts.

Zuo Cang promised Hao Yan unlimited love in a future lifetime, so in this life Cheng Tian dedicated everything to love and comfort Xiang Zhi.

Before her death, Hao Yan felt guilty about Shan Zhi's death and vowed to atone for the sins she did. For Cheng Jun, Xiang Zhi cruelly rejected Cheng Tian repeatedly and wasted six years of her youth with Cheng Jun, enduring his unfaithfulness silently. Before their wedding, Cheng Jun betrayed her by committing an affair with her best friend Mei Zhen.

In the case of Shan Zhi, he vowed to always be in the way of Zuo Cang and Hao Yan’s love and threatened to harm Zuo Cang. Without fail, consciously or subconsciously Cheng Jun was always there to wreck Cheng Tian and Xiang Zhi’s love, causing great pain to both of them.

However, the real reason Zuo Cang died was because of the war (he was a forefront pilot, therefore death was imminent), not because of love like Hao Yan and Shan Zhi did. Therefore, Cheng Tian was not meant to have a tragic ending because of love.

I also had fun trying to trace some slip-ups or bloopers in the series, which mostly occurred during the 1994 timeline. The director seemed to forget that, at that time, the hairstyles were not layered like Cheng Tian’s and there was hair no rebonding treatment available for the ladies to get super straight hair! Plus, at that time, the mobile phones were bulky and ugly, yet the cast used up-to-date (2003) clamshell phones!

Official sites:
Taiwan: http://pgm.ttv.com.tw/Drama/2003/ScentOfLove/index.htm
Korean: http://www.itv.co.kr/tv/drama/perfume/perfume_main.asp