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Heartwarming sports drama that introduced me to speed skating
Firstly, the male lead and female lead were such a cute couple. At first, I felt like she just looked really young so it was a bit hard to believe that she was a university student but as I kept watching I started really liking the two of them together. The fake dating plot is cliched and has been used a lot, but how they went from that to liking each other and dating was really cute. Their first kiss was so awkward and adorable that it really gave me the feeling of first love. This is a really long show at 33 episodes but I feel like I actually could have watched more. The two main characters go through a lot of challenges and hardships together and worked so hard for their dreams. It felt like even though there was a romance in the show, there was also a lot of clips of them training and being on the ice and a big part of it was about their sports which makes sense to me since they are both athletes. I haven't seen the male lead in anything before but his acting was great.I came into this not knowing anything about speed skating, but I enjoyed learning about this sport and actually ended up watching some clips from the Winter Olympics afterwards. I really liked Coach Zhang and how she tries to give all her team members a fair chance and encouraged them to reach their full potential instead of showing favouritism. I never played sports and I don't know what it's like to train at a competitive level but I really hope that there are coaches out there that support every member of their team, not just the ones that are supposed to be the best. The competition scenes were so exciting it felt like I was watching a real competition, not a TV show. Some of the skating clips are kind of funny, but I don't know if that's intentional.
I liked how Shen Zhen Yi and her best friend Zhu Le Le supported each other and had each other's backs in different circumstances and as a supporting character I feel like Zhu Le Le was an important part of the show. I liked how the show gave her lots of screen time and her own struggles as well and I really empathize with her being scared to truly "like something" and feeling mediocre. I think that a lot of people can relate to having imposter syndrome and fear of failure holding you back. But I feel like this show did try to convey the message that everyone can be a main character and has their moment to shine which I appreciated.
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Passion, Rivalries and Romance
What I Loved1. Shen Zhengyi’s determination: Watching Shen Zhengyi persevere despite numerous setbacks was incredibly inspiring. Her fall during the Wind Chaser audition and subsequent rise showed grit and heart, which instantly drew me into her character. Plus, her constant effort to prove herself to her naysayers was truly commendable.
2. Shao Beisheng’s character development: I absolutely adored how Shao Beisheng evolved. Initially, he was a bit aloof, but as the drama progressed, he began to show more warmth, especially in his interactions with Zhengyi. As he gradually realized his feelings for her, his protective yet gentle nature was a joy to watch.
3. Beautiful Soundtrack: The soundtrack was fantastic and really enhanced emotional moments. Whether it was during skating competitions or intimate scenes between characters, the music perfectly matched.
4. Relationship Dynamics: The romance between Shao Beisheng and Shen Zhengyi was slow-burning and satisfying. Their banter was cute, and when they finally got together, their chemistry was undeniable. Plus, the evolving friendships and rivalries within the skating team added layers to the story.
5. The Competitive Spirit: The skating sequences were well-choreographed and kept me on the edge of my seat. From Zhengyi’s practice sessions to the final competitions, the intensity and tension were perfectly captured, making the victories feel even more triumphant.
What I Hated
1. Xiao Han’s manipulative behaviour: I despised how Xiao Han manipulated Zhengyi for his selfish reasons. The way he took advantage of her naivety, secretly training her to support Xiaoyi in the competition, was downright cruel. His character was frustratingly passive-aggressive and never called Xiaoyi to order for her narcissistic behaviour.
2. Xiaoyi and Xiao Qing’s scheming: Both Xiaoyi and Xiao Qing were frustrating villains. Xiao Qing, in particular, was a nightmare. Like what she did with Zhengyi’s private sketchbook, made her utterly unbearable. Every time I thought she’d redeem herself, she’d come up with another nonsense.
3. Lack of Consequences for Bad Behavior: Several characters, especially Xiaoyi, got away with way too much for far too long. Her arrogance and selfishness went unchecked, and even though she faced some setbacks, I felt she didn’t get the true reckoning she deserved for all the drama she caused.
4. Xiao Han’s Redemption Arc: I couldn’t stand the attempt to redeem Xiao Han toward the end of the drama. After causing so much chaos and manipulating Zhengyi, suddenly giving him a sob story and expecting forgiveness felt forced and unnecessary.
5. Drawn-out Misunderstanding: The misunderstandings between between Zhengyi, Beisheng, and Xiao Qing was unnecessarily prolonged.
Overall, while the drama had its frustrating moments, the characters I loved made it a memorable experience.
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One of the BEST Sport C-Drama series ever!!!!!!!!!!!!
I honestly didn't expect to enjoy this series as much as I did. It was GREAT!!!!The acting was superb. It has me sitting on the edge of my seat, biting my nails in anticipation of what was going to happen next.... especially with the last 2 episodes.
The drama does have the cliché ending that we are all used to, but the plot of events involved with the build up makes the ending so much more satisfying. I cried and laughed with the characters throughout the series. There was a lot of character growth, especially with Luo Xiao Yi and Xiao Han. I really hated Luo Xiao Yi at the start of the show, but by the end, there was so much character growth that I started to like her. I recommend this series for anyone to watch. You won't regret it.
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This review may contain spoilers
One of the cutest on screen couples this year… hidden gem! light sport drama u’ll def luv…
What I luv:- The leads r the cutest! Their chems is just so natural... one of the best pairs in this year for me...
- Good casts... I like ML, I watched his drama b4 n I like his playful but sincere act, he looks good too... I wasn’t too sure about FL, it’s my 1st drama of her, but she acted good... the BFF’s story was ok I guess, as individuals they r funny, but their relationship part in the drama isn’t really interesting IMO... I like Coach Zhuang, ML’s coach n FL’s dad, he is so funny... ML’s childhood friend n his GF r also interesting characters...
- Eventhough it’s a youth drama, but the relationship between the leads r really good n healthy... they started from contract couple, to good friends, then the best kinda lovers...
- It’s a HE with the best ending... the leads won the championship in the end after all the hardworks they have done n all the bad things they’ve been through...
What I dislike:
- Xiao siblings! OMG those 2 characters r just so annoying, best manipulators... I know every story has to have villains, n in this drama it’s them... luckily their angsty parts just popped up here n there without creating that many problems for our leads, but still they just annoyed me a lot...
- The wrong person confession scene... why would anyone confess to someone in the darkness without making sure first if the person they r confessing to is the right person? This part is just so stupid! I think it’s just a way for the writer to justify XQ’s (one of the Xiao I mentioned b4) bad behavior... it’s just a bad/lazy writing IMO... n this part made a major mess for our leads, but thankfully it didn’t drag, just an eps of angst (eps21) n afterwards in the next eps they officially became a couple, so there is that... i still think it’s an unnecessary scene though...
- The figure skating part isn’t that believable... it’s not that bad either, but if u only wanna watch this for that part, it might not be a suitable drama for u...
It’s a sport drama with a very good message, u gotta persist n work hard for your dream, in the end u’ll get the best result n achieve that dream... but being a winner doesn’t mean u need to treat all people as ur enemies, just stay being a good person, coz when u do, people will back u up n even some bad ones can even redeem themselves... I’d def recommend it to anyone who likes that genre, plus the leads r just too cute to pass...
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Hearts on Ice :)
A figure skater & a short-track speed skater clash in this youthful drama about the heart & commitment needed to successfully chase your dreams, no matter the obstacles in your way.**As a disclaimer, I cannot attest to the authenticity or accuracy of the sport knowledge portrayed in this drama. The only contact I’ve had with either sport has been through the television screen 🤪**
I enjoyed this drama for the most part, though the misunderstanding between the Leads, as well the annoying love rivals, lessened my enjoyment a bit. If I keep in mind that they’re still young & figuring themselves out it does help me not get so annoyed with them all, haha.
I liked that the duo had all the trope-y drama early on so that when they finally started dating, they had gotten that all out of the way. Once they became a couple, they were a solid & steady duo. They didn’t let anything come between them - not their teammates, not their schedules, & definitely not their mama’s drama (iykyk). They stayed together without hesitation, which is something I always love (I despise breakups!) They always had each other’s back, whether in their personal lives or in competitions. They encouraged each other through every set back & cheered each other on at every match. They were one another’s biggest fan & they were never afraid to show it.
This is a fairly easy watch that doesn’t require much thinking. You can just let the actors do their thing & enjoy the results of a good show about learning who you are, being confident in yourself, & chasing your dreams with all you’ve got. 🩵
_________\\__________//________
-⬇️ S P O I L E R S 🚫 B E L O W ⬇️-
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…
….
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The things I always want to know 😏😉…
- First(real)Kiss : ep.22 💋
- Together : ep.22 👩🏻❤️👨🏻
- BreakUp : Nope 💝
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A likeable youth sports romance that is big on R but small on S
As OTP goes, they have hit the jackpot with this pairing. Both are good actors and their chemistry was great. The height difference is bonus for some viewers but at least it is not so exaggerated that the FL gets a crooked neck just trying to look the ML in the eyes.I'm particularly happy for the ML as he has been the "best man" in several dramas and now it is his turn to shine and show us what he can do in the lead role.
While on the whole, the show was good and enjoyable, it is not all sunshine and unicorns either. First of all, the show was slow in pacing. There was little doubt that the OTP were the chosen ones but there was a lot of push-pull and denial, mostly from the FL, and this went on for two third of the show. Several times during that long lead up to the confession, there were opportunities to just say the magic words and seal the deal but each time they (or individually) would push back and shout "we are only friends!" Even though they were practically confessing a minute ago. It slowed down the whole proceeding and extending the show by several episodes (probably by design). With no serious love triangles in sight and growing impatient from all involved, it was frustrating to watch and doesn't give us much rewards for hanging on.
The unicorns finally came out to play after the confession and you can almost feel the collective sigh of relief and everything just looks so much brighter and happier. Even subplots that threaten the leads sporting careers felt less threatening as we can see how supportive and loving the leads are to each other and you can really get behind them. I suppose one of the reason for the "go slow" in the early parts is that they were supposed to be elite athletes in figure skating and speed skating respectively. So some time and efforts were devoted to setting up that storyline and all the trials and tribulations that entails. The only problem is that both leads can skate but they are not even within shouting distance of an elite athlete. So lots of trickery were used to try to convince us otherwise. Cropping the shots strategically, a bit of CGI on doubles' faces, wide shots and moving rigs/platforms for action close-ups were used. Some were passable while others almost laughable. That plus the drawn out romance really made the first half a slow dance on ice.
With the focus largely on their developing romance, the sports aspect is given a more superficial treatment. Yes, lots of training scenes but they felt like b-rolls. There are lots of repetition but not a lot of details and tactics. Just do it, do more and try harder. It is even worse for the figure skating. A lot of the time the coach is just there to video the skating on his phone. Where is the choreography? Where is the review/critique/technical discussions? Just shouting "good/push harder" on the side line is not coaching. So if you are into figure skating or speed skating then this show will make you groan but otherwise, the sports are just backdrops and take up screen time between the romantic bits. It is ok but please don't look too closely.
There is a 2OTP and they are cute and sweet but they definitely played second fiddle to the leads.
In general, the writing is very text book youth drama. There are no shocking twists, there are ups and downs with their careers, friendships and love lives but every setbacks leads to breakthroughs. Old wounds will resurface but everything will be resolved in the end. Every dark cloud have a silver lining just about summed it up.
OST is nice and cheerful. You won't be humming anything afterwards but that's not the point. Rewatch is similar, it is a nice and easy watch but there are few highlights that will make you want to watch again and again.
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Trials & triumphs of athletes
FOR AUDIENCES WHO: want to watch something light and has a happy ending. Who are interested in sports and journey of athletes. Who likes friendship stories. For those who want a fuss-free couple relationship.NOT FOR THOSE WHO: want to focus on the complexities of couple relationships or who just want to focus on romance. Not for people who want to watch a lot of conflict in the story.
STORY:
It's the usual story of athletes chasing their dreams. There isn't anything new but I like that they don't just care about the main characters. They care about the supporting characters and their journey too. There's no villain here, everyone is just striving to better themselves and reach their goals.
I like that even during moments where Shen Zengyi has failed, she doesn't lose sight of her goals. Plus, I always like female leads who have their own lives that are different from their partners. I also love the sismance and bromance stories here!
CINEMATOGRAPHY & EDIT:
I like that they use a lot of wide shots to show the movement of the skaters, usually it's difficult because they have to hide the fact that they're using body doubles for the stunts. Though sometimes it's obvious when they use a stunt double.
As usual with tv shows, they use fast-paced editing and use a looooot of camera angles even for just short scenes.
Still, they're able to convey the excitement felt during the competitions and training montages.
The parts when they show the short track speed skaters starting ahhh so amazing. I love it when they show Zengyi running in the start of her races. It's so intense and exciting.
ACTING/STUNTS:
I like the actress playing Shen Zengyi. Her acting feels natural and I like that even in realizing her feelings, she still seems strong and independent. The actor playing Shao Beisheng felt lacking to me. Sometimes I don't feel anything from his acting. I don't know it felt too blank. He was cute with Zengyi (especially when he cried while hugging her when they got together, so cute!) and when he's messing around with his friends, but I felt he couldn't really carry the scenes on his own.
Their friends though, Lele and Qu Zhi were so cute. Their story was so interesting and funny. I actually cared more about their relationship than the main couple's.
It was a bit obvious, the parts when they used harnesses for the stunts, either because their bodies were too stiff or because it was too impossible to perform a stunt then shoot it.
COUPLE RELATIONSHIPS:
Healthy relationship of the main couple. They were very supportive of each other and understand that they have their own lives and goals. They build each other up. So cute and sweet!
The second couple, had much more misunderstandings. I felt they could've solved it sooner if they just talked but I still liked them. They're cute.
OVERALL:
It's okay but I wouldn't really rewatch it. It's enough to watch it once though it doesn't really stick to me after. Or I'll rewatch it for the competition scenes. It was enjoyable though because the sport is interesting and the competitions. Their journeys and the ending was so satisfying. It's generally likeable and I recommend that you watch it.
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not a very professional review
it's a very nice show in all honesty. the plots were good although some were not very realistic, not everything have a solution to things in reality but this show did motivate me and it's very inspiring.the cast was okay and i really love all those side characters. i love luo xiaoyi, she is half good and half bad? but she's a good character. her acting is very good and yeah HAHAHAHA i honestly don't know what to say but u will see it urself.
this drama is actually have some comedy to it. it adds to it y'know. the part where i keep telling myself “我看不下去了” ( "i can't" ) is when u actually put urself into the character's shoes and u will actually pause the video to breath before continuing because it's very intense and you are just worrying for the leads lol and sometimes the sweet cringe scenes will actually make me pause the video and take a minute to laugh too.
i don't really like the ending? right after the asian cup for shen zhengyi, it's just shao beisheng and her. it is cute and all but i wish they added a scene where by all of them gathered together.
im someone who don't usually rewatch drama so i actually don't know the rewatch value and also i finished this in 2-3 days non-stop it's not boring at all. i haven't watched the bts but i heard that it is also as good so im gonna watch it soon HAHAHAHA
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not really skate into love plot but its good
I picked this up for no reason so I definitely didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did. i was totally unfamiliar with the cast but I'm glad i gave it a chance. I'm no "FIGURE SKATER" or anything, i can't stand for more than a sec wearing skating shoes so all I did was simply enjoy whatever skating stuff was portrayed in the drama because it looked cool and thinking, damn that's some nice moves.I felt the 'ROMANCE' and sports had the right amount of screentime in each ep. the entire time I'd be swooning over the main couple and cheering for their success in sports too. nothing overshadowed anything. tbh, i felt the FL's acting was a bit forced in the beginning but she grew on me after a while. ML's acting was really good (heard he was in some popular drama before idk).
CHARACTERS:-
Zhuang Yue (Wang An Yu) is more stunning and godlike during the opening sequence as he struts his stuff in the skating rink as a university prince of figure skating.He is a rising star but when he met Shen Zheng Yi (Song Zu Er) who challenged him to a competition in front of young children, Zheng Yi won hands down.
Shen Zhen Yi (Song Zu Er) looks adorable. I'm loving her fringe and ponytail. Zheng Yi is an 18-year-old girl who wanted to join the university professional speed track skating club without formal training, which was a pre-requisite.
OVERALL:-
The leads have good chemistry and we can clearly see how there's only a thin line between hate and love. they start as enemies, fake date, fall in love. yes, that's some typical contract story but no, you can't skip yet. oh and brace yourself for the love triangles. it's still worth the watch if you ask me though.
It was a good rom com to watch between airing korean melodramas and apocalyptic thrillers.
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I am so much!!!! In love with the series
Loveeeeee this series and cant move on to other one Love
Loveeeeee this series and cant move on to other one
Loveeeeee this series and cant move on to other one
Loveeeeee this series and cant move on to other one
Loveeeeee this series and cant move on to other one Love
Loveeeeee this series and cant move on to other one
Loveeeeee this series and cant move on to other one
Loveeeeee this series and cant move on to other one
Loveeeeee this series and cant move on to other one Love
Loveeeeee this series and cant move on to other one
Loveeeeee this series and cant move on to other one
Loveeeeee this series and cant move on to other one
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Sweet, innocent, young love
I just discovered this drama recently. I had watched Song Zu'er in "The Prisoner of Beauty" and Wang Anyu in "Falling Into You," so I was pleasantly surprised to find that they had a project together.What I loved about this drama:
- The chemistry between the ML and FL, as well as the second couple. Their love stories were cute and sweet.
- The friendship between Shen Zheng Yi and her roommate, Lele. It's wonderful to see positive stories about girls' friendships and their support for one another.
- The way the ML and FL are there for each other by listening, validating, and supporting each other's experiences, aspirations, and dreams.
I hope Song Zu'er and Wang Anyu will have another project together. They are so cute together!
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