My favorite parts were Han Shang Yan's scenes with the K&K boys (97, Demo, and Grunt scenes have a lot of rewatch value, lol), Hu Yi Tian (omg that New Year's dinner scene), and his former Team Solo teammates (although there were way more flashbacks than I expected). I personally like Li Xian a lot and thought he played the character well. Han Shang Yan's not a cold person, he's just very serious and focused, and has grown used to being quite solitary.
As for Tong Nian... first of all, I'm not a huge Yang Zi fan so I was concerned before I started watching that I might not like this drama. However, she doesn't even get her own storyline aside from falling in love with Han Shang Yan. I'm actually kind of disappointed because there was a lot of potential with her online singing and her studies/projects, but it faded into the background. I don't like characters that are too naive and I hated the 'love at first sight' aspect, but I found her character tolerable just because there were so many other characters that I did like.
I loved Xiao Mi and Ya Ya (although her expressions were a tad over-exaggerated) and wished they had more scenes! Ai Qing aka Appledog was also a great character and I loved her short hair and fashionable outfits. All in all, a really fun watch.
EDIT: I've bumped up the music score because I really loved the opening song "A Nameless Person (无名之辈)" and Yang Zi's Milk Bread song is cute.
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Acting great; Plot lacks depth
This is my first review ever, but I felt it had to be done, I had to vent. I agree with many of the other reviewers Tong Nian's character lacks depth and is as they've said bit of an airhead. I believe in love at first sight, I'm sure it exists for people so that wasn't too difficult to believe. What annoyed me though was her pursuit of the ML, at times I felt she lacked even minor self-respect following him like a lost puppy when he clearly wanted nothing to do with her. And despite him being written as a cold character, from the start I always felt he had a lot of depth, but that was based on background alone, he practically supports and encourages youngsters in pursuit of their dreams. He had to have done something right for them to stick with him, his reputation alone wouldn't justify sticking around if he was a jerk. So I felt it was more of an outward demeanor but inside he was actually kind and was fully capable of loving deeply, he clearly values relationships enough to stay hurt by them yet still desire to fix it in spite of his pride. I get one losing their individuality for their other half, it happens frequently in real life and that is something Tong Nian lost, but then again I felt she really didn't have much of a personality other than being kind and infatuated with love. When the ML tells her don't think about love so much, it was perhaps the funniest part because she kind of does. She's school smart but not street smart. Also you don't really see her do much of singing as expected or anything really, even in the relationship she was utterly helpless while the ML was capable of cleaning, cooking and sooo many things. Parts that annoyed me were her childlike moments, like drinking beer the second time for what? to get him in trouble and sleep over at his place, girl no. Or her clingy moments like when is he taking her to see his grandpa when the grandpa just left a day ago. The grandpa and parents I loved they were like real family members at least like mine I feel. However she never spoke up to tell the truth on certain occasions when it could have helped and if you love someone you stick up for them unless I'm wrong, and you can do it respectfully. The actors were wonderfully chosen but the MC script was awful, too naive and not enough character growth on her part. I am also still lost on how he ended up loving her, sure they were sweet at the end but when did he start loving her she was so clingy, it felt more like he took her in as a lady to care for and watch out for but falling in love with her seemed like a bit of a reach. The actors were great but really the script had gaps or something, either way I'm going to read the novel and see if that clarifies anything but from what I've read it's more or less the same.Was this review helpful to you?
This show gave me some "Love O2O" vibes, although the male lead wasn't as handsome as Yang Yang, but TBH their story is very much better :) I love how they slowly build up their puppy love and with all the 神助攻 (loveline helpers) of the show (K&K kiddos, main leads' friends and family members) that makes the couple fall in love! Some scenes were just cute and funny, you will smile widely while staring at your screen without noticing because the couple is just too adorable!
So if you are looking for something light and funny, give this a try and you will not regret :)
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Thanks Li Xian and Yang Zi for bringing out this pure and fluffy chemistry to screen. And to all the side characters, esp the K&K boys, you guys are the scene stealers and you know that.
Go Go Squid! jiayou!
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Weak Story, Loose Ends and no Romance Chemistry.
Since I used to be a PC gamer (SWG WoW etc.), this show attracted me. In addition, I was hoping to see some romance like the profile of the show described. I was in for a big disappointment. But more about that later.The sports gaming concept surprised me. Cybersecurity is a big topic today. I’m not sure how interesting that is to the viewers, but it wasn’t visible anyway. The show is about Han Shang Yan and the people around him. K&K and the CTF world is Han Shang Yan’s life; that much is clear. His only joy in life comes from this interaction. I had a hard time understanding all the camaraderie and past grievances. The story spent so much time trying to make it all significant, but I couldn’t buy into it. Let’s say they had some misunderstandings that lasted for ten years. Were they were life-altering misunderstandings? Maybe, but I couldn’t feel the emotion of the whole thing. Was it Han Shang Yan’s never-ending stoic face that killed the feeling? Crying in the bathtub was way beyond weird.
Like most C-Dramas, this one moved slowly at times. Some of the scenes looked staged with little attention to detail. A little more attention to that detail would have made it more realistic. Repeating scenes is also a habit you see in C-Dramas, especially looking back in time.
Back to the romance, the age difference between the FL and the ML didn’t bother me. They are only one year apart in real life, so it was hard to make that an issue. However, watching Han Shang Yan (Li Xian) acting like a boyfriend was like watching a blind man searching for something he dropped. You know he will find it eventually, but you are not sure if you should be watching him explore. It’s not the first time I’ve seen Li Xian play a stoic, rude, arrogant character who never smiles, but it does wear on you after a while. He has a great smile. I wish he would have used it more in the beginning. In this show, he calls her a child, a kid, and a little girl. I hope that was a translation issue because who goes around calling their girlfriend a child or a little kid. Their romance, if you can call it that, progresses gruelingly inch by inch. Why would any girl in her right mind want anything to do with this guy? At this point, no matter what they do to redeem this character, it may not be enough. That’s the problem with the 40+ episode dramas. They dig the hole so deep that the character who crawls out of the hole is never the same.
Eventually, they come together as a couple if you can call it that. I didn’t feel the chemistry at all. Are these two not allowed any passion in this relationship? I’m talking about the kind of passion that drives the love you feel for the other person. It shows on your face, and it shows in your body language; it spills from your heart. Unfortunately, none of that showed on screen. Now the kisses. If you can’t commit to the kisses, the romance will look awkward no matter what you do. Kissing is not only about lip contact; it’s a mindset of emotion. They might as well have been doing a fist bump; it would look less awkward.
It’s was evident that the only thing that matters is the CTF world. With Han Shang Yan at the center of this universe. The show spent very little time thinking about Tong Nian’s capabilities, aspirations, and dreams. When the show started, and Han bought Nian a stack of games, I thought she would become an integral part of this world. Since she was a computer genius, it would have been interesting for her to become a game wizard. The story, however, continued to keep her on the outside. She seemed to be a toy for Han to keep himself occupied. He pats her on the head a lot. Is she his pet? Why does she wear a stupid backpack everywhere she goes? Is it because she’s 19 years old, and that’s the way they show her age? When she turns 20, she gets to take the backpack off? If they wanted to make her look like a schoolgirl, they succeeded. Of course, doing that lessens the romance, the awkward proposal, and everything else attached to the couple.
The music was all over the place. At times it was beautiful, and other times it felt like elevator or funeral music.
Subtitles:
I think they overused the word pitiful. In English, it just isn’t used in the context they use in this story. There were a few other translations that felt a little off. Why did Han call his teammates children? Why not use the term guys, young men, or even boys? Calling Tong Nian a child or little kid all the time was either a bad translation or a lousy script, you pick. But overall, I thought the subtitles were decent. I would give them a 7.5.
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A story on fighting for your dream
This gave me a very bad first impression that I almost dropped it. The second hand embarrassment I felt for Tong Nian as she kind of stalked Han Shangyan in the first few episodes was just too much. After Episode 4, it got better. I did not really like the main romance because I felt that Tong Nian was too submissive. It's good thing that he never really took advantage of her. Grandpa was their matchmaker, without him they would not get together or get back with each other. The second CP of Mi and Yaya made up for the sweetness I was looking for in this show.More than the romance, the journey of team solo as they fight for country pride either as individuals or as a group was the main essence of this show.
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Obviously there were small elements that didn't suit my tastes. For example, I didn't appreciate the fact that the FL looked more like a child, both in behavior and in clothing than a young woman. As well as the ML was always brooding and almost mono-expressive. But overall the author was able to write a wonderful friendship/love story around the concept he choose, e-sport. The soundtrack became my addiction, specially the intro/ending music of each episode.
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I hope it gets better, it didn't
I was enjoying the storyline, right into they made Tong a mumbling, mindless lady. She is supposed to be a genius, so why did the writers do that to her. When Han told them that she was his gf, she should of stated no I'm not. For some reason Chinese Writers/Producers love to make the leading young ladies mumbling, tell me what to do, I can't stand up to a man women. Why? They always make the men strong, demanding of females, Do what I say, pouting and arrogant. Why? How about making a storyline where both the Male and Female are positive role models. Just because the female isn't weak minded and a codependent person doesn't mean they can't fall in love. It's getting really old always having a so called arrogant, don't care about any one else, demeans women towards the end leading men. They always says sorry, lady forgives them and the get together. I agree with Lan's mother, he is too old for her. Tong is portrayed as a stalking. mindless, naïve, submissive person. I will bet if Han told her to get down and bark like a dog, she would gladly.Ep11 was really powerful. You can tell they use to be very good friends. Something happened which pulled them apart. It's a shame, that happened. Han is a bore. He acts inappropriate towards Tong with impunity. I am trying to like him, but as of now it isn't happening. I am glad that I am knowing more what happened in his past which makes him act this way. Han has a personality of a rock.
I have to ask: Is it a custom in China where the man pats the female on the head like a pet? I know where I am from, there would be a fight, if a man did that to a female.
There are some really good laughs in this. Just like I said; you can tell the pouting Han is beginning to change (so predictable). It is a complicated story land and if you don't watch it closely you will miss it. The storyline drags in part, too many flash backs. I am 14 episodes in and I still don't like him. Isn't Tong supposed to be a Brainiac? Tong totally disregarded what her mother told her. Lan promised her mother not to have contact Tong. How many times did he break that with no consequences?
I am going to keep watching to see where it is going to go. I like the supporting cast, great chemistry. There was no chemistry between tong and Lan. The only person talking common sense was Tong's mother. The father was an enabler. No father would want Lan for a son-in-law. Tong turned out to be a submissive stalker. She knew nothing about love, but she loves a guy approximately 10 years her senior. What, Lan couldn't find a woman around his age? In the end I disliked both of main characters.
How in the world can someone give this series a 10!?
This series is 20 episodes too long. This was a waste of 3 days of my time. I will not watch this a second time.
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overrated
i forced myself to finish this drama and still fails to see why this drama received such rave reviews.FL is creepy stalker who is way too aggressive yet she is forgiven by drama gods for her crazy behaviour because she looks pretty and acts docile.
ML smirks too much, thinks too much of himself and seems to fall for FL only because he keeps bumping into her and was forced to dating her.
The chemistry was thin.
The plot was non existent - the whole story consists of ML + FL 'building their relationship' around ML's schedule of gaming in the hope of becoming #1 in the country?
when i say building relationship - i mean the FL gives endless (creepy) support - while the ML takes it all for granted but sometimes act chivalrous to FL as payback.
Way too many flashbacks - we get it, SOLO was awesome, then disbanded because of personal issues of the leader ? like the leader not allowed to have personal issues?
the issues was between him and his GF - why must the team be broken up over iit?
i know the ML gave a whole speech about the why - still, i dont get it.
overall - watch if you like computer hacking thing and/or super big fan of the ML/FL
skip if you are looking for a solid romance/character development drama
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Get to the point!
This show was entirely too long! The first 10 episodes were a whole lot of nothing. I had a problem with the relationship of the main leads, and here's why: First, I loved him. He was like Mr. Darcy, not suffering fools, cold on the outside, but feeling really deep emotions. And when he started to smile? OMG, I waited for those smiles! That was the high point of this show. She was cute and did a good job on the part as written, but the character was too immature. She liked him for no apparent reason, stalked him and stared at him for the first 10 or so shows, had no opinions of her own, and was perfectly happy to just follow him and his life. She was too much of a doormat. I felt that her clothes, especially, were very distracting. Too oversized, so many layers and those stupid headphones around her neck. Though I didn't find the romance necessarily believable, it was sweet. The kisses? For his part - great! For her part? Open eyes, fish lips, not believable at all. And after stalking him through most of the show, he asks her to marry him and she rejects him? No way. And I didn't get the character of Wu Bai (DT) - I didn't get that at all. He was quiet through most of the show, staring a lot at others. I didn't know if there was supposed to be something deep and hidden in him, but I didn't feel it was necessary to the show. I did like the character of Mi Shaofei and the female lead's roommate, that was cute. So, overall, I'd have to say that most of the points I gave this rating were because of the male lead.Was this review helpful to you?
But for this series? I fast forward and skip every single bit about the flashbacks and the gaming and only watched for the TINY bit of romance between the two leads.
Maybe I have no interest in gaming series, but it just DID NOT entice or interest me at all.
The romance was okay, but then again, it wasn't enough for me to continue.
I do not understand the hype around this series, and I can't recommend it since I didn't finish it and barely watched any of it I fast forwarded so much of it.
Very disappointing!
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