Heart-throb… Dreamy… Boyfriend materials…
I have watched for PLOTmy plot >> Wu Lei and another 5 hot looking good guys….
I ALWAYS LOVE SUCH KIND OF PLOT… ???.
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Oh my gosh, the chemistry!
A lot of people complained that this show was slow, which worried me. C-dramas aren't my favorite, because they tend to be bloated with filler, drama, unnecessary breakups, not to mention the helium-voices of the female characters. What made me decide to watch this, I have NO idea, but I'm so glad I did!There are certainly things missing from this show. Disapproving parents, irritating second leads, stupid misunderstandings that cause a long break up (there was one brief argument, but that's it), irritating-voice dubbing (though, to be fair, the dubbing of the voices of the announcers during the competitions, and when Yi Yang was singing to Yin Guo were pretty bad), evil exes coming back after years and wanting to get back together, delusional potential girlfriend/boyfriend doing anything they can possibly do to win the leads over - all of that was thankfully left out.
True, it is slow, but in this case, I loved it. It wasn't story or character driven; it was relationship driven. Leo Wu as Yi Yang and Zhao Jin Mai as Yin Guo were a couple made in heaven. He sees her from afar and determines that he has to meet her. Theirs is a tentative relationship, not really knowing how to talk to one another. His stares - oh my goodness. The word "smolder" in the dictionary should have his picture next to it! Whenever he looked at her, he forgot everything around him, and I forgot to breathe. More often than not, I felt like a voyeur because of their intimate glances and comfortable skinship, They really played that up as well, with their friends always averting their eyes, leaving the room quickly, clearing their throats, etc. Their kisses weren't the best I've seen, but they weren't bad. I loved how he always wanted to be near her, or he'd hold onto her sleeve briefly. I loved how she wasn't skittish or missish. Neither had been in a relationship before, but they were learning as they went. They were respectful of each other and of the time demands required of their careers. I felt that the ending was a little rushed, but since we got so much togetherness throughout the episodes, I can't complain too much.
There was "sort of" a second couple in Yin Guo's half-brother, Xiao Dong (excellent job by Wang Xing Yue) and one of the other billiard managers. I wish they had resolved their relationship better. At the beginning it was like he had a stick up his butt and he didn't appear to like anyone or anything, but he really went to bat for Yi Yang and Yin Guo's relationship.
Filmed mostly in Finland, the scenery was beautiful, though how they managed to have so many different winter jackets is a mystery to me.
There was a LOT of talking about and showing billiards and snooker. That got to be pretty repetitive. Then there was the obligatory section toward the end that was cheerleading for China. I will just fast forward through all of that, since I will DEFINITELY be watching this again!
There was one episode that had me grabbing my tissues. Leo Wu brokenhearted about his teacher really got to me.
This, for me, was a total feel-good watch. I vacillated between secondhand embarrassment of their skinship, and just wanting to watch their relationship develop. This show made me happy, and I smiled a lot while watching it.
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A youth romance that will give you butterflies in every episode ! Highly recommend!
LinYiyang is a genius ex snooker player who had retired because of a conflict at a competition and is living as a student in Finland. He meets YinGuo , an up and coming young billiards player during a snowstorm in Finland and their love story begins.This is a drama that gives you an intimate glimpse into a young couples love story from a fateful meeting, to their building attraction leading to a long distance relationship and the comeback of Lin YiYang as a professional billiards player again.
The lead couple’s chemistry and tension is INSANE and starts not even 15 minutes into the first episode. I actually haven’t experienced something like this in any drama recently ( and I’ve seen plenty ), it was giving me butterflies from the beginning episode to the end and had me glued to the screen.
The drama didn’t have the usual tropes like fighting, love- hate relationship, toxic male lead behavior, betrayal etc..instead It was actually a very real and urban depiction of how a relationship forms between two young people and the uncertainty and insecurity they face in a LDR so I really loved that.
The acting was excellent by all the young cast especially the two leads and the cinematography was just heavenly!!
I appreciate that they took time with the editing so the whole drama was beautifully shot and had a very dreamy vibe to it.
The first half of the drama focuses on the couple’s building romance and it is in the second half that billiards mostly comes into play. I enjoyed all those sequences too and the billiards scenes were mostly performed by the cast themselves, so kudos to that.
I also liked that the central focus was the lead couples relationship and didn’t deviate much into subplots.
I hope lots of people watch this drama, cos initially it didn’t seem to be my type too cos I like historical drama , betrayal, revenge etc like nobody else lol ?
You just have to watch it to know how special this drama is ..
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Might become your next comfort watch
Mind you, this is my first ever review here. I've been watching dramas since 4 years now but no drama compelled me to write a review as much as this one did.This might not be your "hidden love, "when I fly towards you, or "lighter & princess" but this can be your new comfort drama. I liked all the dramas mentioned above but this one, despite having some flaws, touched me so much.
Once in a while you watch a drama that is realistic but also has that "too good to be true" aspect that makes it a drama. It is one of them.
I can't force you to watch it ofcourse, but if you are into slow paced, love at first sight, awkward cute introverts mains, unique sport and competitions, no 3rd party breakup, mature realtionship, good side characters...then give it a go.
Happy watching!
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WHAT IT IS TO FALL IN LOVE!
This is a simple love story beautifully produced. You get to watch what it is like to fall in love. Anyone who has experienced love at first sight knows this is real and not as far-fetched as cynics might think. Even though the story is simple, Wu Lei and Jin Mai made it so special, that many viewers find themselves starting over at episode 1 as soon as it ended. I certainly did! Wu Lei's gazes and stares are seductive such that I imagine if we the viewers can feel its effect what more the FL! And Jin Mai's performance as a shy girl who finds herself drawn toward this handsome man while making us feel connected to her awkward moments was perfect as Yin Guo. She played her character in a way I doubt anyone else could. The blend of shyness in her private relationship with such control as 9 ball player makes her character unique and appealing. And most of all the natural chemistry that made Wu Lei and Jin Mai bring out the best in each other created one of the most believable couples I have ever seen. They made it all seem so natural to be in love.While this is not a complex drama, it does have a plot with some conflicts but nothing that takes away from the "falling in love" vibe. Some emotional moments might not evoke happiness, but most of this drama will leave you smiling and yes....swooning.
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worth the watch 100%
I’m a person who can’t handle a drama with more than 20 episodes usually, so, like all cdramas I watch, I got intimidated by the amount of episodes this had BUT OMG I RAN THROUGH THEM SO FAST!!! this was SO. FREAKING. AMAZING. I wasn’t bored for one second watching this and I even wanted more episodes.I love how Yin Guo had her own career, supported herself and everything and I think Lin Yiyang is literally the most PERFECT man ever. He was such a gentleman, and he was portrayed in a way that it was obvious he was written by a woman. Leo Wu is popping off recently and out of the few cdramas that I rlly rlly enjoyed recently, he’s been in 2 of them. I loved seeing him play a mature reliable character after seeing him play a playful silly one in “nothing but you”.
Also, never have I seen a cdrama create tension and chemistry between 2 people THIS well!! seriously, some of the scenes in this show where they didn’t kiss in were more exciting to watch than their actual kiss scenes, but that doesn’t mean their kiss scenes weren’t good, it’s just that their chemistry is SO AMAZING that the drama would do fine without any kisses. EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS WAS SO GOOD I RECOMMEND
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Tenderness, Determination and Longing = Love
This drama displays emotional growth, career aspirations and inspirational longing that leads to lasting love. The ML gave an enriching performance of ego, humility, patience and compassion. The FL was wonderful in her display of innocence within first love experiences while striving to accomplish her career goals. The chemistry! Warmth, tension, attraction, and tenderness were all swoon worthy. The depth of emotion with the supporting cast was noteworthy and rich. The sensitivities of friend family relations were heart tugging reminders that tomorrow is not promised to anyone. The backdrop, scenery and production truly pull you into each changing scene. This is a beautifully written, cast and performed drama paced to make your heart ebb and flow with the understanding that we all have our faults, growth needed and strengths. But with love and understanding, the other side of progress can be beautiful.A MUST WATCH!!!
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Heartwarming Love Story
I love the story, plot and setting of the series. The first few episodes are filmed in Finland which gives the story a beautiful, panoramic view and post card like setting, a perfect place for Leo Wu and Zhao Jin Mai to showcase their amazing chemistry and acting skills. The story evolves with these two young couple, Yin Guo and Lin Yi Yang who are both talented in playing billiards. Lin Yi Yang fell in love with Yin Guo at first sight and he slowly and purposely pursue her. Their love story gradually develop as the story progresses.It's my first time watching Zhao Jin Mai in a series and she's really a gem, her micro expressions are on point and her acting skills are brilliant, as for Leo Wu, he never fails to deliver, he's such a talented young actor.
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Disappointing for me.(:
You know that feeling when, after watching a series, you regret that you started watching it? So this is exactly my case. I'm quite surprised how many people love it and how highly rated it is online. It was too slow and boring. Chemistry of the main characters nothing-much. Wrong choice of the main actress. I find her so childish, emotionally immature! The series suffers from many boring parts, individual episodes could have been cut into the usual half-hour pieces. Somewhere after the eleventh episode, I simply gave up on the series. I'm sorry, I don't like to write bad reviews and I usually try to cover it up but....Was this review helpful to you?
Amazing drama!
Cant say anything more, its just sooo amazing! From actors to director to settings and locations. Just great! My fave drama of 2024. FL & ML did a good job. Sweetness overload. I think Finland is one of the location in the drama. The cinematography on all locations are all on point. Very good production staff, they really did well.Was this review helpful to you?
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Cozy and Comforting
I will be honest. As the title suggests, this is a love story so please don't expect action or drama since that will lead to only disappointment. As for me, this was exactly what I was looking for. This is a healing and comfort drama. I was seriously anticipating some of these after the whole gruesome era of sad endings and thrillers. If you are looking for something thrilling or suspenseful then this one is not for you, it has a simple storyline that kinda reminds me of Skating into Love. It has a nice and refreshing concept. This is one of the best dramas I have watched this year after My Demon and Doctor Slump which is still ongoing. I genuinely love how realistic their relationship felt. I love how nicely scripted this drama is, it shows all the aspects of the struggle an individual faces in a foreign country as well as the fact that he helped her so much coz he liked her nevertheless he would have helped her even If she was an ordinary citizen from his home country is so touching and wholesome. The way their relationship progresses and how she helps him overcome his long-term trauma. I love how supportive they are of each other and it shows in their eyes how much they love each other. I seriously question If a guy as amazing as Lin exists. Guo was amazing as well, she knows what she wants and goes for it. Overall, the story was amazing and it was portrayed well. I gave this one a 9 and even wrote a review coz I love both the leads and I am a bit biased towards them, maybe I wouldn't have given it an almost full rating If the actors were different but then again that would change the whole thing. I have been their fan for a long time. I have known Leo Wu since I was a kid lol and I got to know Jinmai a couple of years ago. I have been waiting for this drama for quite a long time and I have to say, I am satisfied. The OST seems pretty normal in the beginning but it grew on me later. The production and Cinematography was just about perfect.Was this review helpful to you?
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A MUST WATCH DRAMA
The actors really portray their roles very well. Again a must watch drama from China. Proud of Wu Lei and Jin Mai and all other casts. Thank you for sharing us a beautiful love story and a passion for something that you love.Playing snooker was not something everyone known, but in this drama you will see the how passion and hardwork can play magic in one's lives.
I like also the main characters. A very cold and sad man meets the sweet and charming girl in the middle of a snowstorm. To be able to have a long distance relationship while being truthful to each other, and keeping in love are something that I wanted to experience (though not for long distance relationship, kidding).
The chemistry is so good. You can see the new side of how good Leo Wu as a sweet young man. A greenest among all man. You will see how gorgeous and charming Jin Mai here and the way she act. They are all really good at this drama.
Congratulations to writers, directors, actors and
all crews for making this drama a hit. You make everyone happy for sharing this kind of love story.
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