The new Chinese drama Speed and Love is winning hearts this December. This show mixes fast-paced street racing with a touching love story. At its center are two childhood companions whose lives took wildly different paths. They are played by a talented group of actors who bring the story to life.
The drama premiered on December 12, 2025, with its first six episodes dropping at once. It tells the story of Jiang Mu, who travels to Thailand to find her long-lost adopted brother, Jin Zhao. She discovers the gentle boy she knew is now a hardened street racer and underground boxer. Their journey from separated siblings to potential lovers is the heart of the series.
Who Stars in Speed and Love? Meet the Main Cast
The two leads of Speed and Love are well-known actors who perfectly capture their characters’ complex emotions.
Esther Yu, also credited as Yu Shuxin, plays the female lead, Jiang Mu. Fans will recognize Yu from popular series like Love Between Fairy and Devil and Moonlight. In this role, she portrays a young woman who grew up sheltered in southern China. At age 19, after learning her brother was adopted, she bravely travels alone to Thailand to find him. Her character is determined, bright, and refuses to give up on the brother she loves.
Playing the male lead Jin Zhao (also called “Brandy” or “You Jiu”) is actor He Yu. He Yu is known for his role in the drama Blossom. His character’s life changed drastically after his parents’ divorce. Taken to northern China and then Thailand by his father, Jin Zhao was forced to fight for survival. He transformed from a gifted student into a street-smart mechanic entangled in the dangerous worlds of illegal racing and boxing.
The Supporting Characters Creating the Drama’s World
A strong supporting cast fills out the vibrant and sometimes dangerous world of Speed and Love. These characters are friends, rivals, and family members who shape the leads’ journey.
- Mike Angelo plays Lin Sui, a key figure in the underground boxing scene. He is often seen managing the fights where Jin Zhao competes.
- Fei Qiming takes on the role of San Lai, a loyal friend to Jin Zhao who runs a shop. He is one of the first to warmly welcome Jiang Mu and seems concerned for Jin Zhao’s safety.
- Patrick Nattawat Finkler appears as Liang Yanfeng.
- Sun Meilin portrays Wan Qing, also nicknamed “Snakey”. She is a complicated character with a clear interest in Jin Zhao and connections to the local power dynamics.
- Li Ao plays Na Na, a woman Jiang Mu meets on her flight to Thailand.
- Guan Zijing is Jin Fengzi, Jin Zhao’s flamboyant friend with red hair who rides a motorcycle. He often provides transportation and company.
- Casper (Chu Xiaoxiang) plays the boxer He Zhang, a formidable fighter who works for the local auto shop owner and faces Jin Zhao in the ring.
Other notable support comes from Luan Yuanhui as Jin Zhao’s father, Jin Qiang, and Yvonne Yung as Jiang Mu’s mother, Jiang Yinghan.
What is Speed and Love About? The Story’s Core
Speed and Love is adapted from the popular web novel Shuang Gui by author Shi Jiuyuan. The Chinese title “Shuang Gui” translates to “Double Track,” symbolizing the two separate life paths the main characters have been on since childhood.
When Jiang Mu and Jin Zhao were nine years old, their parents divorced. Jiang Mu stayed with her mother in the south, living a relatively simple life focused on school. Meanwhile, their father took Jin Zhao north and eventually to Thailand, where he was thrown into a struggle for survival. Their worlds became completely different.
The story picks up a decade later when Jiang Mu, unable to accept his disappearance, flies to Thailand to find her brother. The reunion is a shock. The elegant, award-winning brother she remembers is gone, replaced by a toughened man involved in high-stakes street races and underground boxing matches. The drama explores how they navigate this new reality, deal with their changing feelings, and whether they can find a way to a shared future.
Where and When to Watch Every Episode
Speed and Love follows an intense release schedule. The drama consists of 29 episodes, each about 45 minutes long. It premiered on December 12, 2025, with the first six episodes. Since then, new episodes have been released daily, with the series finale scheduled for December 28, 2025.
The primary platform for the drama is iQIYI (available on iQ.com). It is also available for streaming with English subtitles on Rakuten Viki and other regional platforms.
For viewers planning their watch, here is the release schedule for all episodes:
- Episodes 1โ6: Released December 12, 2025
- Episodes 7โ8: Released December 13, 2025
- Episodes 9โ10: Released December 14, 2025
- Episodes 11โ12: Released December 15, 2025
- Episodes 13โ14: Released December 16, 2025
- Episodes 15โ16: Releasing December 17, 2025
- Episodes 17โ18: Releasing December 18, 2025
- Episodes 19โ20: Releasing December 19, 2025
- Episodes 21โ22: Releasing December 20, 2025
- Episodes 23โ24: Releasing December 21, 2025
- Episodes 25โ26: Releasing December 22, 2025
- Episode 27: Releasing December 26, 2025
- Episode 28: Releasing December 27, 2025
- Episode 29 (Finale): Releasing December 28, 2025
The series is directed by Yu Chungchung (known for Love Is Sweet) and Ma Ming, with the screenplay by Zhao Xiaolei.
