The Rules of Love

Merperson Yang Luo Tian has always gone as a boy for most of his life. That is until he saved Lie Heng Yu from drowning. When a merperson first falls in love, the equivalent of puberty hits and their body begins to take on one gender. Yang Luo Tian finds his body and mind slowly turning female. To avoid scrutiny over her sudden changes, she switches colleges, only to still pose as a man after being recognized by her childhood friend. She soon ends up roommates with Lie Heng Yu. As if it’s not hard enough hiding her gender from him, she also has to hide the fact that she cries pearls and her scales flare up when her skin touches the water.

Directed by —, The Rules of Love leans on a strong ensemble — Li Junyao, Fan Xiaodong, Yuan Liruoxin — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The series landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 2019.