# One and Only
**One and Only** (Chinese: 热烈, Rè Liè, literally "enthusiastic" or "ardent") is a 2023 Chinese comedy-drama film about street dance, directed by Da Peng (stage name of Dong Chengpeng, 董成鹏) and starring Huang Bo as street dance veteran Ding Lei and [Wang Yibo](https://www.edgepedia.org/wang-yibo) as the young dancer Chen Shuo[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt20865078/) • [2](https://sino-cinema.com/2024/02/25/review-one-and-only-2023/). It was made as a theme film for the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, built around breaking, the dance sport making its [Asian Games](https://www.edgepedia.org/asian-games) debut that year[3](https://www.hangzhou2022.cn/En/presscenter/spotnews/latestnews/202307/t20230731_68638.shtml).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Original title | 热烈 (Rè Liè); also known by the working title 惊叹号 ("Exclamation Mark")[4](https://www.1905.com/mdb/film/2255776/info/) |
| Director and writers | Da Peng (Dong Chengpeng), directing and co-writing with Su Biao[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt20865078/) |
| Lead cast | Huang Bo as Ding Lei; Wang Yibo as Chen Shuo; supporting roles include Mintao Liu, Yunpeng Yue, and Song Zu'er[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt20865078/) • [5](https://www.tvguide.com/movies/one-and-only/cast/2060158479/) |
| Release | Premiered at the Shanghai International Film Festival on June 17, 2023; mainland China release July 28, 2023[4](https://www.1905.com/mdb/film/2255776/info/) |
| Runtime and language | About 124 minutes, in Mandarin[6](https://www.ifco.ie/en/ifco/pages/A2A299E300360AAD) |
| Box office | Exceeded 300 million yuan within three days; total of 913 million yuan (about $126 million in China)[3](https://www.hangzhou2022.cn/En/presscenter/spotnews/latestnews/202307/t20230731_68638.shtml) • [7](https://www.1905.com/mdb/film/2255776/guided/) • [8](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/One-and-Only-%282023-China%29) |
| Production | Alibaba Pictures, China Film Co., Ltd., Ruyi Entertainment, Shanghai Hanna Pictures, and Shanghai Tacheng Pictures; distributed by CMC Pictures[9](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/one_and_only_2023) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
Chen Shuo (Wang Yibo) is a young dancer in Hangzhou obsessed with breaking. After his father's terminal illness leaves the family in debt, he works a string of jobs, helping at the family restaurant, running errands, washing cars, and performing at parties and small events, while practicing dance daily[10](https://raisingchildren.net.au/guides/movie-reviews/one-and-only) • [4](https://www.1905.com/mdb/film/2255776/info/).
Ding Lei (Huang Bo), a street dance veteran, invites Chen Shuo to join his club, the Exclamation Mark (惊叹号) dance crew, but the invitation has a hidden purpose, and Chen Shuo's place in the team becomes precarious when Ding Lei's former star dancer Kevin returns[5](https://www.tvguide.com/movies/one-and-only/cast/2060158479/) • [11](https://tv.apple.com/sg/movie/%E7%83%AD%E7%83%88/umc.cmc.5rxfh7r5uaj32odtv0cg2e6ld?l=zh). The story builds toward the National Street Dance Competition, with the coach and dancer facing obstacles that include a wealthy, jealous rival who threatens the team's existence[10](https://raisingchildren.net.au/guides/movie-reviews/one-and-only) • [12](https://culturemixonline.com/review-one-and-only-2023-starring-huang-bo-and-wang-yibo/). In the end, Chen Shuo and Ding Lei defeat the rival team led by Kevin and win the national championship[13](https://www.chinanews.com/cul/2023/08-25/10067200.shtml).
## Origin and production
The film began as a commissioned project: the Hangzhou Asian Games organizing committee invited Da Peng to make a film connected to the Games, with the only requirement that the story be set during the Games preparation period[13](https://www.chinanews.com/cul/2023/08-25/10067200.shtml). Da Peng chose street dance because the 2023 Games added new events including breaking, and because the discipline combines entertainment and competition[13](https://www.chinanews.com/cul/2023/08-25/10067200.shtml).
Casting came before the script. Da Peng approached Huang Bo and Wang Yibo first, reasoning that knowing the actors' dancing abilities would shape the story; both were drawn to a project that combined their two passions, film and dance[13](https://www.chinanews.com/cul/2023/08-25/10067200.shtml). Dance consultant Wang Shengjiong (Danny), founder of the BIS international street dance competition and a WDSF-certified breaking judge, joined the creative discussions with Da Peng and Su Biao around March or April 2021, and location scouting in Hangzhou followed in early 2022[14](https://www.sohu.com/a/711111599_120735701).
The film was shot in Hangzhou, and netizens called it a "Hangzhou live map for tourist destinations" for its appearances of [West Lake](https://www.edgepedia.org/west-lake), the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre, Hangzhou Metro Line 9, and other city landmarks[3](https://www.hangzhou2022.cn/En/presscenter/spotnews/latestnews/202307/t20230731_68638.shtml).
## Release and box office
One and Only premiered at the Shanghai International Film Festival on June 17, 2023, and opened in mainland Chinese theaters on July 28, 2023[4](https://www.1905.com/mdb/film/2255776/info/). Its box office passed 300 million yuan within three days of release[3](https://www.hangzhou2022.cn/En/presscenter/spotnews/latestnews/202307/t20230731_68638.shtml), and it finished with 913 million yuan in China, a strong commercial result[7](https://www.1905.com/mdb/film/2255776/guided/). The Numbers records $126,447,363 from China and $127,129,674 internationally, with smaller releases in Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Russia (CIS), and South Korea[8](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/One-and-Only-%282023-China%29); IMDb lists a worldwide gross of $128,818,285[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt20865078/). The film returned to mainland Chinese theaters in a re-release on April 3, 2025[4](https://www.1905.com/mdb/film/2255776/info/).
## Reception
Critical response was favorable where it was recorded: Rotten Tomatoes shows a 96% Tomatometer from one review, and critic Carla Hay of Culture Mix called it "one of the best dance films of the year," praising the choreography, cinematography, and acting[9](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/one_and_only_2023) • [12](https://culturemixonline.com/review-one-and-only-2023-starring-huang-bo-and-wang-yibo/). Audience reviews on the site emphasized its warmth and Wang Yibo's performance[9](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/one_and_only_2023). The Children & Media Australia review judged that the film breaks no new ground with its story but carries positive messages about self-belief and determination, with dazzling choreography and cinematography[10](https://raisingchildren.net.au/guides/movie-reviews/one-and-only).
The film also had a civic afterlife: Guangming Cinema, a program producing accessible versions of films for visually impaired audiences, screened a specially adapted version of One and Only at a Beijing community center for attendees including visually impaired viewers[15](https://www.chinadailyhk.com/upload/main/pdf/2025/12/15/633f6b21be7f6b2f47108953798dee0d.pdf).
## Themes and significance
The film's stated messages are believing in yourself, continuously striving for improvement, and the rewards of kindness, humility, and hard work[10](https://raisingchildren.net.au/guides/movie-reviews/one-and-only). Da Peng described it not as a "street dance film" but as a story of ordinary people, "small characters" struggling against difficulties, built from the real experiences of dancers[13](https://www.chinanews.com/cul/2023/08-25/10067200.shtml).
Because breaking made its debut as a formal Asian Games event in Hangzhou in 2023, the film served as advance publicity for the sport; the Hangzhou 2022 press office noted that audiences were amazed by the breaking competition scenes and that the niche sport would reach more people through the film's popularity[3](https://www.hangzhou2022.cn/En/presscenter/spotnews/latestnews/202307/t20230731_68638.shtml).
## References
1. [One and Only (2023), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt20865078/)
2. [Review: One and Only (2023), Sino-Cinema](https://sino-cinema.com/2024/02/25/review-one-and-only-2023/)
3. [Film breeds craze on breaking as well as city's culture, Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games](https://www.hangzhou2022.cn/En/presscenter/spotnews/latestnews/202307/t20230731_68638.shtml)
4. [热烈 详细资料, 1905电影网](https://www.1905.com/mdb/film/2255776/info/)
5. [One and Only – Full Cast & Crew, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/movies/one-and-only/cast/2060158479/)
6. [One and Only (2023), Irish Film Classification Office](https://www.ifco.ie/en/ifco/pages/A2A299E300360AAD)
7. [热烈 导赏, 1905电影网](https://www.1905.com/mdb/film/2255776/guided/)
8. [One and Only (热烈) (2023) Box Office, The Numbers](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/One-and-Only-%282023-China%29)
9. [One and Only (2023), Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/one_and_only_2023)
10. [One and Only movie review, Raising Children Network / Children & Media Australia](https://raisingchildren.net.au/guides/movie-reviews/one-and-only)
11. [热烈, Apple TV (Singapore)](https://tv.apple.com/sg/movie/%E7%83%AD%E7%83%88/umc.cmc.5rxfh7r5uaj32odtv0cg2e6ld?l=zh)
12. [Review: 'One and Only' (2023), Culture Mix](https://culturemixonline.com/review-one-and-only-2023-starring-huang-bo-and-wang-yibo/)
13. [大鹏：我觉得拍电影就是要真实, 中国新闻网](https://www.chinanews.com/cul/2023/08-25/10067200.shtml)
14. [专访《热烈》舞蹈总顾问Danny, Sohu](https://www.sohu.com/a/711111599_120735701)
15. [China Daily HK e-paper, December 15, 2025](https://www.chinadailyhk.com/upload/main/pdf/2025/12/15/633f6b21be7f6b2f47108953798dee0d.pdf)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Comedy and romantic films (individual works) › Comedies of 2023*
*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license