This marks the beginning of two successful careers of two of Taiwan’s biggest idols. I think Mike He did a better job in Love Contract (his buddy Joe Cheng even mocks his handsomeness in this drama) but Ariel Lin became a better actress. No matter what I think these are producing new dramas none stop like the popular Devil Beside You, Bull Fighting, Why Why Love for Mike and ISWAK 1 & 2 and Tokyo Juliet for Ariel. If you like either one of them, definitely check out Love Contract. Both are really good even at the beginning of their careers!

Title: 愛情合約 / Ai Qing He Yue
English title: Love Contract
Genre: Romance
Episodes: 20
Broadcast network: TVBS-G
Broadcast period: 2004-Aug-24
Air time: 21:00
Opening theme song: Zhong Jian (中間) Middle by Fish Leong
Ending theme song: Gu Dan Bei Ban Qiu (孤單北半球) Lonely Northern Hemisphere by Ariel Lin

Synopsis

Outwardly, Xiao Feng (Ariel Lin) is a stubborn tomboy and the captain of the Kendo Club at her college. In her group of friends, she is the leader with her demanding nature and abrupt ways. Inwardly however, Xiao Feng is a girl scarred by her past and searching for what she wants most, love. Her friends, Ah Kai (Zhang Rui Jia), Xiao Bai (Lai Zhi Wei ), Mu Tou (Lin Yi Hong), Xin Lei (Zhong Xin Yu, and, Xiao Xiao (Yang Pei Ting) don’t know about that part of her past but they are all loyal friends to Xiao Feng; that is, until Xiao Bai and Ah Kai leave the Kendo Club for the Swim Team. Xiao Bai and Ah Kai are immediately regretful when the captain of the Swim Team, Ah Ken, turns out to be a captain as grueling as Xiao Feng. When one night Xiao Feng announces to her friends she wants love the most, Xiao Bai and Ah Ken devise a prank called the love contract. In exchange for finding swim team members to recruit, Ah Ken must court Xiao Feng.

Cast

Ariel Lin 林依晨 as Cheng Xiao Feng
Mike He 賀軍翔 as Ah Ken aka Liu Jian Dong
Zhang Rui Jia 張睿家 as Ah Kai aka Lin Kai
Zhong Xin Yu (aka Sa Sa 莎莎) as Li Xin Lei
Lai Zhi Wei 賴智煒 as Xiao Bai aka Zhang Yuan Bao
Lin Yi Hong 林逸宏 as Mu Tou aka Lin Song Bo

The Ending *Spoilers!

The ending, it is up to you to decide whether or not it is happy. We find out that Ah Ken and Xiao Feng were originally a god and goddess up in heaven, sent down to earth to find the Love Contract as punishment for being too rowdy and unloving. Ah Ken decides that if they cannot be together in life, it is better to die together, and he brings her to the ocean that had brought the two of them together so long ago and, carrying her bridal style in his arms, walks bravely into the crashing waves. Moreover, it turns out that the contract between Ah Ken and Xiao Feng had Xiao Bai as a third party beneficiary. In addition, in the closing credits we also learn that the contract also involved a covenant not to compete. The ocean once again brings the two together. As they have finally understood the meaning of love, the two are allowed to resurrect as immortal beings again. The lovers are reunited and they run around the beach and laugh and play before continuing on their way, presumably to heaven. Then, time goes on (and a hermit crab scuttles across the camera) and Xiao Feng and Ah Ken return to earth to do something that they never got to do. Get married. Dressed in their wedding glory, they speak of how much they miss their friends. Suddenly, all of their friends run toward them (we’re presuming that their friends have also died) and congratulate them. “It’s been too long since we last saw each other!” they say. Everyone is very happy to see each other. Even Xiao Bai, who had died so much earlier than everyone else, is able to join them. The drama is over, and after so much tears and vaginal pain (someone please check/fix this…) for everyone, they are finally able to indulge in something that is 100% happiness! This final interpretation explores both the boundaries of love and the concept of reincarnation. Source