The Whirlwind Girl (2015)

I personally think it is the best idol Chinese drama of 2015. All four perfect guys are in this drama. The one that gives but doesn't want anything in return; the rich guy; the nice, warm guy; and the cute, energetic guy. My favorite is definitely the male lead Ruo Bai. I have a huge crush on him and I really like Yang Yang. This drama makes you really motivated because the female lead along with her friends' support keeps improving in taekwondo. The theme song is also pretty motivating. Yang Yang who plays Ruo Bai plays his character extremely well. He doesn't smile but when he does, it makes me squeal. His voice is also deep and sounds really nice, not to mention that he is really handsome. The female lead is a bit repetitive because she adds senior behind all her senior taekwondo competitors. However, she does a pretty good job otherwise. The story isn't super creative but I really like how they focus on taekwondo. Without the taekwondo, it would be more of a typical drama. THERE IS A SEASON 2 SO BEWARE BECAUSE YOU WON'T SEE THE ENDING (UNLESS THERE IS MORE THAN 2 SEASONS) UNTIL SUMMER 2016!

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*SPOILERS MAY BE AHEAD*

First of all, let me say that I do not REGRET WATCHING THIS DRAMA RAW (No english subtitles). While episode 1-4 on Viki got me excited and interested, I still wanted more episodes. So I resorted to the RAW episodes. Even though, I don't understand some parts, I still get some sense of what is happening in the episode. Now moving on!

Also note that
Odd Episodes are about 50 minutes - 1 hour long
Even Episodes are about 30 minutes - 40 minutes long

Story: 9/10
Qi Bai Cao loss her parents in a fire. She was picked up by Qu Xiang Nan during the fire and he became Qi Bai Cao's shifu (I think that's how you spell it), Qu Xiang Nan was a great Taekwondo in the final competition. He won the final rounds, but he was later tested for the use and help of drugs, and tested positive. Qu Xiang Nan's reputation sunked to the lowest and he stopped doing Taekwondo. Several years later, Fang Ting Hao, another great Taekwondo won the final rounds, but was falsely framed for using drug to help him win. Thankfully he didn't and tested negative.

I'm going to stop there, since I don't want to spoiled everything. Overall for the story I enjoyed and many parts teared me up (Especially in the later and near end episodes). If you understand the chinese language, then I advised you to watch this drama.

Character: 10/10
I understand that Qi Bai Cao's character portrayed by Hu Bing Qing won't appealed to several people, but understand one thing she is protective of her friends/families and, once she sets a goal, she goes for it. The three main guys' character were pretty well done too. Especially Chu Yuan's and Ruo Bai's character.

Acting: 9/10
I haven't really watching any of Hu Bing Qing's drama, since she seems to be a new actress. In my opinion, she can cry good (Maybe to me :P), and the the other actors/actresses stay true to their character.

Music: 9.5/10
I loved the music and the instrumentals. I want to find the instrumental musics so much, but I can't find them anywhere T^T. There was 2 main songs that I took a liking to.

Rewatch Value: 6/10
Eh, 32 episodes, it took me about 5-6 days to finish this drama, but hey it was worth it! I wouldn't watch it again, because there are so many other dramas to watch too. But if I ever go back to this one, I'll probably watch the cute and fighting parts.

Pros:
+Three guys to ship the main girl with
+Great music
+One long and short episode (Odd/Even)
+One of the dramas that stays true to its genre.
+Good characters portrayed by actors/actresses
+Main girl's hairstyle (Hey, it's pretty to me :P)

Cons:
-It won't attract many romance-watching drama people because it has less romance
-It won't appealed to many drama-watching people because it's a sport drama
-Season 2, because not alot people watch seasons, some rather prefer a full 10-20 episodes drama series.
-Special effect won't appealed to some people

(I die-hard ship Qi Bai Cao with Chu Yuan at first, they were the first OTP I shipped in the drama, but later on Ruo Bai's character got me. Ruo Bai's character is really nice and caring for Bai Cao)

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This is one frustrating drama.

First of all, the story is decent, it's nothing new. What differentiates it from other dramas though is that this one focuses more on the martial art Yuan Wu Dao and the struggles the protagonist has to go through to get stronger.

Secondly, the special effects and editing are way too over the top for me. There are many scenes that are shown like 5 times in a row but from different angles, it's like they have to show every reaction for about 3 seconds. Also, there are many fighting scenes that look way too fake, they overact the falls and some kicks look strange (I'm not an expert though).

Personally, I liked most characters, but the FL is just way too annoying! She is constantly whining and screaming and she's always prying into other people's affairs; why should everyone tell her their secrets? As if that wasn't enough, she can't make up her mind about who she likes, confusing the viewers, as well as the other characters; I understand she can be confused but there are limits to that. Honestly, she is one of the most, if not THE most annoying FL I've ever seen.

The icing of the cake was the ending, this drama has one of the worst endings I've ever seen. It's like they mixed 3 genres in one story (not gonna say anymore as to not spoil it).

All in all, I wouldn't recommend watching this drama.

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Could do Better

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE
- Bai Cao: she was good in her sports and had a good attitude but sometimes she can be very stupid. I get that sometimes it can be hard to tell when I guy likes you but the way she acted made it even more annoying. Another thing was when she jumps to conclusions too much like bitch calm the fuck down we know you are good. (God knows that the only reason I continued was because of Yang Yang same as most of us)
- Chu Yuan: Oh boy do I hate this guy. I don't get why he acts like he must have everything and the way he interacts with girls that he claims to be his litter is just stupid and nasty. I don't know whether it is just me but I find him really clingy. (i don't blame that Fang girl)
- the effects: they are soo fucking unrealistic. I get that they are trying to make it look good but them trying so hard that made it look really bad. The worst part for me is that her flipping in mid-air three times. (it is possible but the way she hangs in the air like no that shit is too fake).
- the romance: fine 3 boys like 1 girl and all three of them have their good sides which were really pleasing but the way the romance side of this show played out was terrible. not only was it cheesy it just didn't make sense.
- the ending: how the fuck did the show end like that. so you mean to tell me they used up 30 something episodes and that was how they decided to end it. (just fucked up)(Please if someone can explain this ending please do)

all in all the show wasn't terrible but at the same time I would not recommend it to anyone
if you are watching the show and you came to look at the reviews cause you are in doubt please just drop it and finish the good ones then come back.

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First off, I really enjoyed The Whirlwind Girl (Yang Yang!) I started it mostly for the eye candy that is Yang Yang but also cause I wanted to find a sport-related drama to watch. I went in with low expectations, just wanting to find something light to pass the time but really grew to love the characters and storyline. I'm the type of person who gets bored of dramas easily but I can tell you that I finished watching this one in a week or so. If you don't want to read the detailed review, I advise you try this drama out if you like: Eye candy, Sports (lots of versus/training scenes), typical teen romance, friendship and self-discovery.

Story (9.0/10):
I really enjoyed the initial storyline and theme. It was different and not overly cheesy which sometimes happens when sports and romance go together. I liked how there were enough episodes for character development and even though most of the characters developed and matured, they didn't change their original personality or morals. The only reason why this section isn't a perfect score is because I wish they could have spent more time on the main couple and reduce some of the side stories and screen time for the side characters. The main couple had such good chemistry that I wish they had more scenes together. I also wished the ending was less rushed (especially considering the fact that they had lots of time to develop what happens at the end earlier on) and the abrupt ending. Lastly, there were some parts that weren't revisited that should have been.

Acting/Cast (10/10):
Hu Bing Qing as Qi Bai Cao - Unpopular opinion with the cnetz but honestly I liked Hu Bing Qing's portrayal of Bai Cao. She pulled off the hardworking, shy, naive Bai Cao well and I didn't think her action scenes were bad at all (keep in mind I don't play the sport or watch it very often though). For sure her acting could use some work but I thought her lack of experience as an actress was what made her character very real. Her real life personality also seemed similar to Bai Cao except she seemed more shy and less outspoken in real life.

Yang Yang as Ruo Bai - I think it's pretty clear that I'm Yang Yang biased, but in all honesty his acting was very strong throughout. He really breathed life into his character which wasn't easy. His character was so easy to love, all the big things that he did for the main girl, being the silent hero, etc. I'm officially in love with Ruo Bai. I haven't seen that many works of Yang Yang yet but from what I have seen this could be his strongest portrayal yet. I really admire his hard work behind the scenes to fit with his character (there were certain cuts where he would ask the director for advice on how his cold character would act towards a certain situation).

Bai Jing Ting as Yu Chu Yuan - In my opinion, out of the main actors, it wasn't hard to see that he was probably the weakest actor out of the bunch. However, he really fit with his character and had me convinced that he was a soft-spoken gentleman in real life. I liked his character at the beginning and sympathized with him more than a couple times. However, his character did get kind of annoying near the middle/end especially when you realize that he doesn't really have anyone to blame except himself. I wish his character had more development but another thing I didn't like about this character was that I felt that he was either dense or selfish in some of the scenes, if you watched the drama you would probably know what I'm talking about.

Chen Sean as Fang Ting Hao - To be honest, he was one of the characters I really disliked at the beginning cause his role was so typical and cliche. I didn't like how he was always on screen and found his character annoying and over most the time. However, I did like his input and thoughts near the end of the drama and I thought the actor did a good job portraying his character. I thought it was especially sweet when he spoke out for another character in the show despite not gaining anything from it. I think his character developed a lot although it was a bit sudden.

Wu Leo as Hu Yi Feng - So this is where I found a new actor to follow! He was my next favourite character after Ruo Bai and honestly if Xiao Ying didn't want to date him than I would. I think by how he portrayed his character you could easily see that he is a good actor with lots of experience. He knows exactly what type of expressions to portray and how to deliver his lines all while being natural. I always looked forward to seeing him on screen and I really wish we could have seen his character being developed more (he was pretty much cheerful, playful and chill throughout the whole drama). I wish there was a scene where we saw more about how deep his character was, what's behind his cheery smile all the time and a scene where he would spill the secrets he was holding onto. I really liked how he was beside Ruo Bai the whole time and understood him well. I kind of wish that there was a spinoff regarding his character. Him and Xiao Ying together were really cute and I wish they shared even more scenes together.

Music (10/10):
Not much to say but I really did enjoy the music. Many of the times it fit well with the scenes and I especially liked the instrumentals that were used during touching parts, action scenes etc. I think the music did it's job by putting you in the mood they wanted you to feel but not distracting you from the scene itself.

Rewatch Value (9.0/10):
I probably wouldn't mind watching this drama again with a friend but there would be many parts that I would like to fast forward. However, the cute scenes and action scenes I wouldn't mind seeing again!

Overall (9.0/10):
Honestly, I think that ranking it a 9.0/10 is a bit high. There were many things about this drama that I would like to change and I'm pretty bitter about the cast for season 2 although that has nothing to do with this score. The main reason I ranked it a 9.0/10 is because apart from all the complaining I did regarding the boring scenes and story loopholes, it's been a long time since I had so much fun watching a drama.

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" It's competition not sympathy. Nor is it modesty. Competitions rely on abilities. Using all of your sweat and desperation, taking out all of your efforts, trying to the best of your abilities to get the champion cup. That's the spirit of competition."- Ruo Bai I loved this drama. Yes I did like it and no I didn't think I would. I love sport so much, I love sport theme and genre in dramas and this one is one of the best in that genre. It was so refreshing, so relaxing, it got me all energetic, persistent, happy and in love. It may seem a bit draggy in first 10 episodes but once the whole story is there it really gets cool. It wasn't some mind blowing drama nor it wasn't some masterpiece but it was clever enough. Why I liked it this much I have more than one reason. First of all, character development is great, I really like the way they made characters grow, become mature and how they changed for the better. I loved many sentences in this drama, I think the script is pretty decent for this kind of drama, comedyromsport drama and two leads are cute and amazing. Qi Bai Cao is brave, cool, impulsive, loyal person who doesn't give up even if she had to die, she fights 100% to become the best, she trusts in her people and her teacher no matter what anyone else says, she is hardworking girl who got there on top with her own abilities, sweat and efforts even if she wasn't the most talented one she believed in hard work and withstanding till the end. Ruo Bai is..well he became my favourite male character from modern dramas (after Mahoro's Gyoten and IWGP's Takashi). Ruo Bai is selfless, intelligent, cold guy who is an ordinary guy without money or prestige or rich family to support him and give him everything. He through hard work got there where he was and through his beliefs he succeeded. I fell in love with him cause of his mind, cause of his selfless deeds, cause for him actions are important, not words, cause he did so many thing for the people he cared about without even telling them what he did. It's when his friend described him "He will always talk less but do more", that was it. In one sentence he actually said everything I thought about him,and that's why he became my dearest guy. The guy has it all. ;) He didn't need any recognition for what he did. Cause it's simply his deepest honest heart. Admirable for sure. I love how slowly feelings are developing by each episode, how story is so realistic and ordinary, I like both of them, they are hard working people who have faith, determination, will and courage to live, fight and strive for the best with their pure, honest and loyal hearts. And their chemistry is so good, I'm so sad they won't be in second season, it won't be the same. :( Side characters are also funny, my cutie pie Wu Leo aka Fei Liu, he is so cool in here and made me laugh, smile and happy all the time. :P He added much more comedy and some awesome bromance scenes too, his relationship with Ruo Bai is one of a kind. There are others who didn't grab my attention, the other two main guys weren't that interesting but they weren't boring to death either. Music was fine, nothing too catchy and some parts did annoy me but considering 32 episodes it was totally bearable. Lots of good feelings, competition spirit, cool moments, great friendships and support, good chemistry and gorgeous beyond words Yang Yang were enough for me to enjoy in this drama and become a fan of two leads.

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“The opponent is not important. What’s important is that you know what you’re good at.”

As with most Chinese dramas that I watch, I skim through most of it stopping on the parts I like but in the end I get really attached to the characters.
I like how the relationships evolved in this drama.

The romance can be quite ambiguous. I guess it had the feel of young people not knowing the fickleness of attraction.

Ruo Bai
Yang Yang is such a romantic actor. I first saw him in Love O2O and that show didn’t really give him the chance to act the great range of emotions that he displays here so beautifully.
Ruo Bai respect Bai Cao’s loyalty and her kindness and her calmness in the face of mean people.
Also, because he’s a kind person, he wants to look out for her.
His face is amazing. He’s the kind of actor that is hot when he’s frowning and adorable when he’s smiling. Also his voice. Anything he says is sexy. “Even if you lose, it doesn’t matter.”

I love how Yang Yang can make such a stiff and emotionless character so compelling. I like that as a teacher he views Bao Cai quite analytically but because of that he falls in love with her because he likes what he sees. He knows about her because its his job to, but he ends up liking her.

And the hair cutting incident. OMG. Ruo Bai’s reaction is priceless.

I really like that Ruo Bai isn’t good at everything. But he is good at giving inspirational speeches. A few of them are just psychological jabs, but when he gets going he is so motivational haha.

I found his relationship with Bai Cao fascinating. There are a lot of angsty heroes out there but Ruo Bai’s behaviour makes sense to me. His character is already the quiet type and the fact that all the things he would like to say to Bai Cao are always being witnessed by not one but two love rivals, there really is no room for him to speak.
But he is very zen and calm and selfless and happy to quietly love Bai Cao without her knowing. “Here in this time...it’s as if I have the whole world already.” *be still my beating heart

I like how his facial expressions started to have more warmth and he started smiling at her so sweetly.

Ruo Bai’s BFF really brings it home for the viewers.

BFF: Are you just generous or mentally unstable?
Ruo Bai: It’s fine if she’s happy.

At the end of the drama, Ruo Bai really goes for broke, it was just incredible. Yang Yang does an outstanding job.

Bai Cao
Bai Cao does a lot of crying and whinging. She’s a typical stand-up, righteous character. I like that she didn’t just take the sport at face value but really thought about what was going on in the game. I really like that she used her brains and strategy to defeat her opponents.

Everyone consistently accuses Bao Cai of everything under the sun, her motives, her thought processes, her life. The girl can’t catch a break.

I like how easily Bai Cao dismisses Ruo Bai’s hotness and kindness. She just sees him as a coach and totally takes him for granted. But later on she reveals that she knows she is like his family, so it was an interesting turn. I especially think that she is one brave chick to confess first to Ruo Bai because he wears his walls so stalwartly and comfortably I would never have dared.

My favourite bits was when she was practicing with her serious face on and her movements were so fluid and she acted so naturally and kicked so nonchalantly.

Ting Hao
This character starts out really predictably, but the actor really owns the personality so I enjoyed this dude's screen time quite a lot towards the end.

Random Notes

I like that there was a twist to the fat-shaming. And obviously fat-shaming is never good but they rounded out the chubby characters a bit better than usual.

It was also funny to see the girls fashion styles when they weren’t all geared up to fight.

Chu Yuan is so passive and dense and slow I have no words.

Guang Ya was my favourite secondary character. She’s so goth.

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I liked this drama very much. It was a really nice drama. I watched this drama as It was sports based. The acting of the actors was really good and the plot was good too. The acting of the actors was up to the mark and I liked it. It is a drama with great plot. I wasn't actually expecting that BAI CAO would fell in love RUO BAI when in the entire drama she was seen having feelings for YU CHUAN. But I shipped them as well. I felt really bad for TING HAO as he did everything for BAI CAO but still she rejected him, so yeah. I was unable to understand the ending and it kind of seemed incomplete. But It was a good drama after all. This drama had a little romance and its main focus was on TAEKWONDO. So, the ones who love to watch sports based drama It is a good option.

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