Big no for romance fans, try if an e-sports fan. Forced, boring, zero chemistry romance!
To me this is quite overhyped. Overall, "Falling Into Your Smile" falls short for romance enthusiasts, but could be a hit for e-sports fans. The romantic aspect feels forced and lacks chemistry, making it a letdown for those seeking a love story. As someone more inclined towards romance, it proved to be a disappointment.The series shines in its portrayal of the e-sports world, delving into the lives of pro gamers, their personal struggles, industry dynamics, and fan pressure. Romance serves as a subplot, attempting to add intrigue, but it fails to deliver due to the absence of genuine connection between the leads.
Personally, as a non-e-sports enthusiast, this show may not have been the best choice from the start. Despite high ratings and positive reviews, I found it difficult to connect with the characters. Even after persisting for ten episodes, I resorted to fast-forwarding.
Maybe it's just me, but I find there was no chemistry between the main leads. For me, a crucial element in romance is the slow-burning development of feelings, which gives depth to relationships. Like, why they fell for each other? Yeah there were some situation, events where they came close, but to me, it felt like a forced one. Regrettably, this crucial phase felt pointless and stretched over 20 episodes without generating the expected spark. The confession and first kiss were underwhelming, lacking the emotion one anticipates. The female lead's expressionless acting further detracted from the experience, leaving much to be desired.
The confession was quite interesting, and straightforward and does match the characteristics of the ML though but i wouldn’t mind if it took place in earlier episodes, but After 20 episodes, it felt like a rushed one. And the first kiss!!! OMG, this was the worst forgetful one ever. I would say it's cute if it were any casual one, but it's the FIRST KISS damn it, it suppose to have some emotion associated. What made things worse was the expressionless acting of the FL. Her drastically poor performance was enough to drag the whole thing down. She looks cute but pouting and making her eyes big and wide is the only expression she gives, it was torture to watch her like this. The funny part is the title says “falling into your SMILE”, but she hardly smiles bro!!!
Ironically, though I am not a sports lover, but rather a romance fan, these gaming segments were the only thing that motivated me to keep going. Surprisingly, as a non-sports fan, I found myself more engaged in the game segments. Some matches were genuinely exciting, and the in-game scenes were visually impressive, largely thanks to the graphics.
On the bright side, the series avoids unnecessary misunderstandings and lacks a prominent villain, maintaining a light tone throughout. It does offer a decent dose of friendship and bromance, although depth is lacking in both areas. The show exudes a warm vibe, with some genuinely enjoyable and funny comedic moments. Those inclined towards frequent kisses may find this aspect appealing, though the emotional intensity remains lacking.
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Smiling doesn't smile
Youth story, simple and cute.The characters aren’t very elaborate, there aren’t many background stories.
The personalities were entrusted to the actors.
The characters are good or bad depending on the acting game.
It’s full of novice actors, be forgiving, it’s a debut series.
Smiling doesn't smile. The show is based on the leading girl, each character has something to do with her. The lack of smiles and facials will become painfully striking when the male character finally releases and starts playing with emotions.
The male protagonist carries the show on his back.
From the second half of the story, they try to make up for the chemistry with kisses.
The visuals and graphics are fantastic.
I'm not talking to anyone about watching it. But I can't campaign for it either.
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A MUST WATCH!!!
I'm not really into cdrama but thanks to tiktok I saw FIYS and then my obsession with this series started.. I dunno but there's something with the leads and the story that made me hooked.. Plus Kai made me fall for him and I really love Cheng Xiao.. When you watch the drama even the simplest gestures of the male lead can give you so much butterflies.. The last time I fell in love with a drama was wayback 2010 with Playful Kiss, then FIYS came and it gave me the feeling I haven't felt for a long time the same feeling Playful Kiss gave me... And as a girl I wanna have my own man like Lu Si Cheng, hoping I could get one.. I'm a kdrama fan for so long but this year sadly I wasn't able to encounter a kdrama that can make me so hooked like FIYS.. This is a must watch... I highly recommend this drama..Was this review helpful to you?
MUST WATCH!!!
I really didn't regret waiting for each episode of this drama series.It's worth the watch. Worth the time. The acting and cast are superb.
Maybe you're saying that this drama isn't good because they're not focused on the game but to tell you the title is "falling into your smile" not "falling into your play/game". The game is just the way for them to know and to be with each other.
The plot may not be your typical lovers series but all I can say is that their relationship is realistic.
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A drama that's cute and funny. A light but a fun watch!!
This drama is really good. As someone who is too much into esports, I found that aspect of the drama to be quite fun. It is cute and fluffy. The bickering of the leads as well the team members is just so funny and also cute at times.Lu su cheng is portrayed as a cold but caring character and Tong yao feels somewhat like a realistic character. What I liked the most is both the leads have a lot of bickering scenes and they are just so funny. Lu su Cheng loves pulling Tong yao's leg and the reaction of their other teammates when they bicker, that makes the scene even more funnier.
Also I love the scenes between lu yue (lu su cheng's brother) and Tong yao. They quarrel and compete like siblings.
Moreover ZGDX other members K, fatty, cat, god ming and the manager, they are like cherries on top of the cake. And also the second ml jian yang , he is just so cute. He makes me feel bad at times but then he surely was at fault and he missed his chance.
Also FL's best friend, Jin yang and her boyfriend, Ai ji a, they have a great chemistry. They are just so cute.
It's really been a while since I have enjoyed a cdrama so much. I just love this drama.
P.S: It's already been more than a year since it ended. I tried rewatching this again and I found it a bit cringy but nevertheless funny. Also, I really do love the esports aspect. The acting is a little stiff but honestly if you ask me it's still worth a watch!! And now I would say it's a 8-8.5 rather than a 9 but based on what I felt then I don't wanna change the rating.
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This review may contain spoilers
Must Watch Lighthearted Esports Drama!
This drama balances issues within the Esports industry with comedy, so the entire show ends up being very lighthearted while showcasing real issues in pro gaming. This is not the first gaming drama to have come out, but it is the first to cover Esports, and what was also unique was how detailed it got when portraying actual scenarios within a game. Even if this isn't League of Legends, the little things in this drama make me think "ah yea, that happens in League too!" If you're into watching people learn and grow within their respective industry, I'd give this one a shot.The story is relatively predictable in the way that sports dramas are predictable. It follows the story of Tong Yao, the imaginary first girl Esports player, as she rises with her team ZGDX towards the world championship.
I've played League for 7 years, I compete in TFT tournaments, and League of Legends is very much a part of my life now. I do League for fun, but I'll play a few games every day with my friends. In my games, there are different circumstances leading to different consequences, and Falling Into Your Smile captures these in a lighthearted way. These can be small or big things, but I appreciate the inclusiveness. For example, not sleeping until late due to tilt from a bad game is one small thing, and the possibility of being banned from pro gaming due to toxic behavior is a big one. The plot remains fresh because a lot of scenes don't really happen outside of pro-gaming, and even if it does, the drama uses humor to keep the audience hooked. The humor plays a huge part in this show. Tong Yao's interactions with everyone are adorable/understandable, and I have yet to find a scene in the story to skip. The show is not all bubbles and flowers; it puts some weight of certain plot points, such as when Tong Yao was defeated in a practice match and she lost her confidence momentarily. Even though it had no real impact because it was a practice match, the loss of faith that resulted could have been devastating, and as a competitive player, it is very relatable. I heard how this show got a lot of negativity when it first came out from pro players because they thought it was inaccurate, but my response to that is: this drama is meant to be light hearted. It's an inspirational growth drama.
The other big plot point are the games themselves. For those who don't game, the game plots are, to some extent, factually accurate. This includes last hitting creep minions, getting camped by the enemy jungler, being too aggressive, being not aggressive enough, etc. A lot of scenes are tinted with comedy and become relatively low impact, but they are accurate at their baselines. One thing I did find amusing was the gaming cinematography where they suddenly zoom in on a few characters in the game. The cinematography is animated pretty well and I'm entertained, even though I have no idea what's going on, having not played this game.
There is a romance subplot for those looking for that, and while it's moving along slowly, Tong Yao and Lu Si Cheng's interactions are so cute. I could watch Lu Si Cheng tease Tong Yao with his poker face all day long! I'm actually glad that the romance subplot isn't too fast, because as the show stated, she's there to compete, not get a boyfriend. However, you can really see the main characters start to care and fall for each other. The side characters are also quirky and fun to watch, and ZGDX as a team has stolen my heart. The drama shows other teams, not just ZGDX, and the characters from those teams are loveable in their own way too.
Overall, if you're looking for a cute rom-com that takes place within the Esports community, give this one a shot! It is definitely the best gaming drama I've seen, and it takes a nice dive into the Esports world. Add that to the fact that the characters are super cute, and you've got yourself a show!
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Story. Well. . .No comment.
Acting/Cast. It just wasn't par to my expectations. Either that or cutesy stuff really isn't my thing. It wasn't that great of a chemistry and their chemistry just seems stiff. Honestly, I didn't love the characters either.
Music. I liked certain tracks.
Rewatch value. I personally, would not rewatch it, I couldn't even get through most of the show without skipping most of it.
Overall. I do not recommend it, but whatever floats your boat.
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Miscast Female Lead
I’ve watched so many Kdrama and Cdrama and well aware of actors getting cast in dramas due to their popularity in music industry, I’ve seen it in a lot in Korean dramas.Cheng Xiao is absolutely lacking in looks, charisma and of course acting. For one reason Her face that resembles an animated character due to extensive cosmetic surgery, that she actually look mean and unsympathetic.
Absolutely no chemistry between the two leads because of her being miscast.
She is better off playing Antagonist characters.
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This review may contain spoilers
Best and most favorite esports drama of all time
This hit me hard,this rom com esport drama made me create twitter account just to get some glimpse of the couple,thats how good the series is,their chemistry is unimaginable and unbeatable for me. From ep 1 their chemistry is deadly, you will notice that from their first eye interaction, bickering team mates like tom and jerry, those jealousy words and banters like colllecting stamps.So much good words to say despite that this is ongoing it really attracts both chinese and international fans. As a fan I am looking forward for every episodes that they reveal each day. Wishing them to be not just the best chinese drama for 2021 but be one of the best and unforgetable love couple in chinese and the whole world.Best Drama out right now so far not just for 2021 but for the rest.
I was a bit surprised when I read that Chinese audiences disliked the show when it premiered because honestly this is a fantastic lighthearted show about a falling in love while doing what she loves. I'm so over Dramas that are melodramatic and this was perfect for people like me that just wants some happiness.
Now let me further elaborate the great things this show does.
Couple- They are visually perfect for each other, from physical up to their characters. They are also both talented. I heard that supposed to be Cheng Xiao is not the original main character it was suppose to be Esther Yang luckily she did not accepted it.
I cannot imagine myself if Cheng xiao is not the Tong Yan here.She really deserved the role so refreshing and cute but not OA.
Song/Music-the whole series did composed at least 30 songs where all the players on each team has its own song/version. See how talented they are.
Unique cast-this is my first time to see a cast that all played and unique on their own way, from the couple to their team mates, her bestfriend who is so cool, to their rival in sports, to their coach, even to their parents who is so supported in their own way.
Lessons-Although it was been criticized due to plagiarism i think it is not fair , its understandable that they just adapted it to a novel there will be a time that some looks like the rest. I will totally agree that it causes intrigues/debate on China as it reflects a slap truth to some about toxic fans. Hoping they will tried to watch it so they will understand how close it was to the reality.
I appreciate the lessons that this what the author wants, that although those people we idolize whether in sports/ television they are still just a human, not a saint who cannot commit mistakes.They have a personal life which is different unlike what they portrayed and if we truly loved them we should support them.
Favorites scenes-everytime xu Kai (Lu sicheng) are saying you are collecting stamp again, first eye interaction, first unofficial date where they buy fish, 2nd date when they are secretly go to watch movies, when lu si cheng confessed the reason why she loved/like tong yan to Little fatty, everytime cheng recite those article in law (anyway he was a political science and law graduate on the series), kiss on the bus, when they sleep together, caught by little fatty, when cheng was mad and did not talk to Tong yan due to the beating incident, when cheng said I am afraid that I will have a soft side when tong yan ask him why he was avoiding her, and most especially when li si cheng kiss tong yan as public declaration on the match
I thought after Love 020 thats the end of it, I am biased and vocal that I am an avid fan of chinese drama that I usually bragged it to my friends who usually love like Love 020, go go squid, gank your heart, skate into love, boss and me and so many more and watch korean drama. I am so happy everytime I saw and learn if someone appreciate chinese drama. This is my first time that while waiting for ongoing , i am also reading the novel to understand those episeverytimodes that is not yet out. And every episodes is really worthile to watch and read. I came to a point where I watch it everyday with or without subtitle.
Definitely , this will be placed as my number 1 tv series in chinese from the time I started watching Chinese drama.
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Good halfway. Dropping after the leads get together. Boring toward the end. Abrupt Ending.
During the first 16ep, I gave this drama a score of 7.5. Then the score dropped to 6.5 up until ep28. Lastly, it dropped even more to 5.5 after I finished watching the last 3 episodes.---------------------------------
(1) Plot and Script [~]
The plot and script of the first half are rational yet fulfilling and not bland. Consequently, I don't feel any dragging. But their rationality turns out to change during the latter half, for example, the security system at where the leads' team lives is pretty good in the beginning. When FL's ex and ML's blind date want to come seeing them, the security stops them at the gate, doesn't allow them to pass that point by themselves. But during the latter half, a huge bunch of media can go past the gate to wait at the building's door for the leads' team. How come they can openly pass the gate like there's no security anymore?
In the first half, the love storyline is cute and rational, too. It's not greasy or obsessed with kissing like we normally see in other Chinese idol dramas, but that changes during the latter half as well. The script after the leads get together also starts to be 肉麻 and 有土味 (tasteless/out-of-date flirtation + cheesily goosebumpy dialogue). The ML calls FL "小姑娘 (~little gal)" in a way that isn't a tease or joke... And the FL teases ML by calling him "臭流氓 (~ya gross rascal)".... Ummmm those words make them sound like they come from the 90s -- not the right word choice in a very contemporary e-sport drama at all for me.
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(2) Cast and Acting [~]
Not the best acting, but I'm satisfied with all the cast. They all create a good atmosphere in the group. I like to see when they all are together. The chemistry doesn't exist only between the FL and ML.
For the ML, he doesn't have the best acting skills to perfectly serve his role. His subtle anti-social character is portrayed only by frowning with the eyebrows without his facial muscles involved. And he's supposed to be fluent in Korean, but it's clearly obvious he can't move his mouth in accordance with the way to pronounce the words. Despite all that, he still has the vibe that seizes me to stop and look at him.
Nothing to complain about the FL. I like this type of character.
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(3) Music [~]
Acceptable but not that good. The music serves it ok for an e-sport rom-com that needs to offer a contemporary, fast-pacing, competitive atmosphere, but they don't have enough music in the stock. The background music starts to be repetitive even in the same scene. And when the music repeats itself in a scene, it makes the viewers feel that the scene is starting to be too long, so instead of generating an exciting atmosphere, the result turns out to be the opposite.
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(4) CG [+]
In the e-sport/gaming dramas, we can't not include the CG topic. This one is good. It's the drama sponsored by Tencent, the biggest gaming company in China, and it's like I can see they assigned the game creating talents from the game department to create the CG in the game competition scenes. Good job but some scenes are still too long.
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(5) Toward the end [-]
It's like the writer runs out of ideas toward the end. The storyline goes nowhere anymore and they just drag especially during the last 3 episodes. However, even though they drag the story pretty much, they can't make the story end with the same tempo. They suddenly rush the progress during the last 10 minutes and end it abruptly. It's like they're fed up with their own job and don't want to have any kind of relation with it anymore, so they half-heartedly made these last few episodes before intolerantly ditched it at the end. The ending is especially disappointing. I feel like being thrown to it without getting to walk properly to perceive each step toward the last point. I don't feel they have 'the last point' even. They rush it to the point that I don't feel the drama has a closure. The story surely ends, no more story in it, but it's still the kind of hanging end that the viewers' feelings just hang in the middle.
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Sweet, light-hearted
I enjoyed this cdrama a lot. I was watching the newly released raw episodes just because I was eager to know what happened next. It's not like the story was very deep or intense, I was just curious. It's just what I needed after a long day of school or work.The acting was good, what really irked me were the voiceovers, especially in the Korean ones because they did not match the actors at all, but this dabbing thing is a problem of Chinese production overall.
What really surprised me was the great music. The playlist features stars like Seventeen and WayV, and of course many more artists FROM THE CAST. The music was the best I've heard from a Chinese drama so far.
I would rewatch the drama for the music and sweet moments definitely. There is no gian plottwist without which the drama isn't enjoyable, so that's great.
Overall a very sweet and easy watch.
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One of a kind
Whilest at first glance, the story may not seem that original, in the world of a c-esport-dramas, this story is completely different to others majorly. for example, the two leads in this show are e-sports players whereas in a phenomenon such as Gank your heart or go go squid, its just the male who is the professional e-sports player. There is not a boring moment at all and if your looking for a drama that will give your butterflies, just watch it.Cast
This show is casted very well. Xu Kai, plays his characters really well and his eyes are just beautiful. whilst there was controversy on cheng xiao's acting, (lack of expressions), i think she played her character very well and thats why we all got so invested in her journey.
i have rewatched this show so many times, i wish i could start to watch it again with no memories of the show so i can get butterflies again.
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