What’s a romance drama without its worth of swoon-worthy kissing scenes, right?

Well, viewers of Chinese drama Be Passionately in Love are up in arms over the glaring lack of… action.

In episode eight, a much-anticipated kiss between Chinese actors Liu Haocun and Wang Luzhou built up the tension with their noses practically touching, only for the camera to abruptly cut away.

Tease, much?

Other scenes followed the same frustrating pattern with zoomed-out shadow shots or sudden cuts to leaves and trees.

Romantic… if you are into trees.

Naturally, viewers were enraged with many saying they felt cheated.

Who wouldn’t after investing time into following a love story that refuses to deliver the basics?

Fans also complained that Haocun’s character in the novel, which the drama is based on, is known as a full-blown kissing fanatic.

While some blamed camera trickery for cheating audiences, industry insiders have claimed that Haocun has a personal “no kissing scenes” rule in her contract.

This rule has allegedly cost her roles in other major productions.

An insider even leaked an alleged screenshot of the drama’s script with several intimate scenes confirmed but all of them seemingly vanished in the final edit.

It is unclear if it was a creative decision by the production team or a demand by Haocun’s camp.

Frustrated netizens didn’t hold back with one commenting, “If you don’t want to shoot kissing scenes, then don’t act in such dramas”.

Another chimed in, “Since you have already received a salary for a romance drama, then don’t shortchange audiences”.

However, some of her fans rushed to her defense citing recent regulations by the National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) that limit intimate scenes of underage characters to under three seconds.

In earlier episodes, the leads are still portrayed as high school students.

However, critics weren’t convinced and doubled down on claims of the “no kissing” clause in Haocun’s contract.

At press time, Haocun and her management team have yet to respond to the allegations.

Photos Sinchew