Amidst a Snowstorm of Love

What does it feel to fall in love? Cuddle up and savor the moments of AASOL!

I am trying to get my thoughts together to express how much this drama took over my heart. I did not want it to end. I even went for a walk before I watched the last two episodes. And now that it is done, I am so sad because I will miss seeing Lin Yi Yang and Yin Guo. I also loved Meng Xiao Dong, the FL's big brother (cousin actually). Then there are the other characters with their own unique personalities and all adorable in their own way. This cast was amazingly put together. Before I write a review, I will list all the things I loved about this drama because my head will not get it together to write anything coherent. I blame Wu Lei in his role as Lin Yi Yang. He is sexy and seductive, I literally swooned through each episode. Well let me start the list:

1. Lin Yi Yang played by Leo Wu(Wu Lei) His eyes are expressive and seductive and will melt you when you see him gaze at Yin Guo. But not only his looks will make you swoon. He is the best in his field of sport and will knock your socks off the way he plays a perfect game of snooker. He is also intelligent and scholarly. And he is a businessman.

2. Yin Guo, the FL , seems shy when she is with the ML, but she is a fearless 9 ball competitor/sportswoman. Zhoa Yin Mai plays her part with natural ease. She makes the romance believable in a way that reminds me of one of my favorite actresses, Zhang Jing Yi from Lighter and Princess in that she is also a natural actress who makes the romance scenes believable because of her connection with the ML. You will feel her love for him. She delivers her lines perfectly and knows just how to use her voice and tone to portray the scenes in a way you will feel connected.

3. Love at first sight is one I find relatable. The way the ML fell in love and pursued the FL might not be for everyone but for me, it totally captivated me to the point I watched the scenes over and over again while I waited for the next episodes.

This is a simple romance of love at first sight done right. Wu Lei and Jin Mai's chemistry makes it perfect! It is well worth the watch!

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worth the wait, worth the time. a beautiful slice of life drama.

There are more depth to the story of the drama than what some people said. This is a SLICE OF LIFE type of drama, cause life can both slow you down or pull you up anytime anywhere. There winning and losing, there's misunderstanding, chaos and also contemplation of making decision. There are multi aspects of respect, sportmanship, relationship dynamics portrayed. It's not a typical fluffy all giddy and fantasy romance. It's paced with actual life condition. The chemistry? I don't know about others but they surely showed how it is to be awkward, how it is when you're missing someone so dearly, how and why some are afraid of marriage, how they shot emotions from a simple gaze, everything's there on the right pace. It's a healing life type of drama, not too heavy, not too serious. They did amazingg.

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why ???

I know that watching c drama requires patience as it’s a long haul. I still struggle with this one. why going all the way to Finland to din only Chinese people to interact with ? why is the FL so cringy? She’s a grown woman and yet shies away from any romantic interaction with her obviously smitten boyfriend who irrealistically bears it all with a smile. Hello Hidden Love! Same age and yet more realistic isn’t it ?
And then why so much food ? they spend their time in bars and restaurants eating food all the time. he’s supposed to be broke and yet feeds her endlessly … The FL is cute as a button but she’s too cringy for my taste.
Anyway, like a lot of you have replied it’s not for everyone ! It’s nice to see that we respect each other’s opinions here. Enjoy the show!

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Had potential but turned out - boring

I remember reading the description for this particular drama and thinking that the storyline had a lot of potential but i was truly disappointed after the first few episodes of this show.

Pros:
1) the relationship was very unproblematic with little to no drama, there were no exaggerated fights or arguments and everything got solved quickly
2) majority of it was filmed at an overseas location so it was a change of pace from your usual dramas
3) the osts were pretty good

Cons
1) the biggest issue of this show is the lack of plot besides the romance, im sure the writers wanted to take the "mature" romance with no problems route but there should have been something besides the romance to intrigue the viewers. The sports part of this show was quite boring in the sense that there was no real competition, you always know that either yin guo or lin yiyang will win the match AND even if they lose they lose to another Chinese member so at the end of the day they are all winners
2) all the scenes were forgettable - I don't know if i'm the only one that experienced this but i literally can't remember anything truly memorable from this show and that is imo a major flaw.
3) No struggle for the main leads, all though we see lin yiyang's troubled past, we dont get to see his struggle in getting better at the game nor do we see him lose when he has a comeback after more than a decade, same goes for yin guo. Also the only time ml loses is when he has an injury which made it seem like he was "undefeated".

To conclude, this is the kind of show that i purely watched to see if it could get better and unfortunately it didn't for me. The acting was pretty good but their potential was limited, after having watched the fl in reset and the ml in love like the galaxy, I feel like their talents were limited with such a lackluster script. The romance scenes were good but they weren't memorable, you could find it in literally every other drama but this one just had much more famous cast. They should have also made lin yiyang's comeback one with more setbacks because it is impossible that he still retains same level of skills after 10+ years of not competing professionally. Yin guo's skill should have been backed up with evidence of her struggle as none of the leads were shown to have truly struggled in order to get better. The rewatch value for me is close to 0 because there is no scene that i particular find unique. I definitely want to see the two leads in a more plot heavy show (myb historical?).

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More Diluted Than Plain Water

[I respect other reviewers and their individual choices. There are plenty of dramas out there to suit every taste. Direct your support or lack of to the drama itself. If you support this drama, good for you and please continue to. Please write your own good reviews. If you do not support this drama, please also write your own review. We are reviewers. Not personal attackers. We review. We do not attack. Reserve your opinions for your reviews and not for the reviewer who is responding to the drama itself and not to other external aspects. I am responding to this drama that I have watched and I am not personally attacking any actor or actress in real life. It is all based on this particular drama only/ this particular reel life only.]


I had high expectations of this drama because of Leo Wu. He is a fantastic actor and I have seen several of his outstanding works. I was looking forward to be impressed and blown away yet again but alas... it was not to be.

What was Okay:
- The cast was all right. No one was particularly painful to watch. Acting was quite natural and all.
- The scenery overseas was beautiful.
- The music, though not memorable for me, was okay.
- Overall, it was not an awful drama... it was just dry and dull and undramatic! Nothing much was going on. Perhaps, this was a plus point for other viewers as there wasn't much angst but as an impatient viewer, I wanted things to hurry along just a bit more. I guess this drama wasn't as dramatic and impactful and moving as hoped for.

What Did Not Work:
- The FL started off okay but then, she became exceedingly dull and uninteresting. There was hardly any growth in her character and while the ML did so much for her to express his deep affections for her, I felt that it was quite one-way. She behaved in a "princess ill" (gong zhu bing) manner IMO. She could have done so much more as the FL and as the girlfriend of the ML. She was too passive and too coy. It was quite perplexing and frankly, annoying. She seemed startled by his love and his acts of affection almost all the time.
- There was nothing much to watch. There was nothing exciting. I kept on watching till the last episode in the hope that something dramatic and interesting would pop up... but, nope, nothing. Everything kept to the same slow (not healing) pace and kept being mundane and inane throughout. *sigh* Even the "ball scenes" were not that many and not that "sitting on the chair's edge" gripping.

It was not a terrible watch but it was quite a bore and a chore.
I'll say that watching dramas that are way more dramatic are my cup of tea.

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So unrealistic in many aspects. Bad acting from ML.

1. Unrealistic:

Let's get straight to the unacceptable points.

(1.1)
The way the ML stares at the FL as if he has a lot on his mind but doesn't say anything—he literally stares all the time since they first met, even before the FL showed any interest in him—is super creepy in real life. I don't think any girl in their right mind would fall for a guy who looks that psycho.

Actually, I've met a guy who did exactly that before and it creeped me out. I couldn't reject him in a normal way. I had to think fivefold just to make sure he wouldn't feel offended and try to seek revenge instead. To be fair, he might not be that psycho. I didn't really know him since we only met once, but I didn't want to know him better to find out, either.

So, to sum up, staring at someone you're interested in like that doesn't make people want to be your friend. It scares them !

(1.2)
During a championship match in Finland, the MCs start to talk about the athlete's love life right before her match. My gosh! How rude and inconsiderate! They don't consider at all how publicly bringing up such a personal matter might affect the athlete psychologically during the game.

And this is an international arena in Finland, no less, where people generally don't have a culture of prying into others' private lives, nor are they the kind of extroverts who like public gossip. This is in no way expected to happen in Finland at all.

(1.3)
The ML was kicked out of the club and eventually retired from the career when he was 16 years old... They cast a 12-year-old boy to play that role... -_- It's unconvincing. Later on, they also cast a 6 year-old to play a 2 year old boy... It's not believable!

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2. Bad acting of the main character:

The worst performance goes to the ML... I'm quite disappointed that he didn't do well. I've watched him since he played Nirvana in Fire and always cheer for him. But after Nirvana in Fire, he gained significant public attention and transitioned into main lead roles very quickly—which was too quickly and too soon for him.

Since then, he's been playing many roles older than himself and he hasn’t been able to portray them properly. It's especially obvious in this role. I see there're 2 main points where the actor misinterpreted the ML's character, which are:

(2.1)
Being mature means being stiff.

The actor was about 21-22 years old when he played this 27-29 year-old character, but this isn't a free-spirited 27-29 years old. The ML is an orphan who was kicked out by his teacher in his teenage years. He lives on his own, reflects a lot on life and that experience shapes him into a very determined person.

However, the actor portrays this character just by being stiff. Throughout the series, he maintains a stiff expression while not talking. It's as if he thinks being stiff equals maturity and coolness. On top of that, many of his gestures—such as the way he points his fingers, uses his hands to make signs or tries to communicate with his eyes—don't feel natural at all. It's obvious he isn't used to making those gestures and is just pretending to look cool.

Watching him is like watching a teenager who wants to be an adult, so he straightforwardly imitates what he thinks adults do to appear cool. Most of his gestures look forced. It truly feels like a kid overexerting himself in an attempt to be cool. Watching him, I find him comical rather than cool, and I feel pity for him rather than enchanted.

Actually, there's another guy who acts in much the same way as the ML—thinking being stiff equals being mature and cool. But he has far less screen time, so he's not as much annoying as the ML. That guy is the FL's brother.

(2.2)
Being in love means being in heat.

Honestly, the ML acts like he's in heat all the time. It's as if he's prepared to have sex with the FL at the first blink each time they meet. But his character is supposed to be quiet, determined and self-controlled. So when he's constantly portrayed as being on the verge of losing control and dragging the FL to bed, it comes off less as restrained passion and more like someone who simply can't help himself. He acts like a young boy ruled by his hormones, driven by sexual desire.

At first, I hesitated about whether to place this point under character design or acting, but I still think the fact that these scenes feel far more sexual than romantic mainly stems from the actor's interpretation of the role. So, I'll leave it here.

(Note about FL):
On the contrary, the actress who plays FL has done a very good job. Her nuance in acting is great. Her presence in the series is smooth and natural even in some of the over-cringey scenes.

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3. Shallow character design:

Both main leads have one-dimensional characters. There's nothing complicated about them. They're programmed to love each other without doubt, so they're overly accepting of what the other does, even when those actions would be clear red flags to most people.

For example, the ML like to control the FL. He orders food for her without asking her preferences and places it in front of her while she's already eating something else. He also buys her train ticket and forces her to travel back to where she just came from (although with him this time) without asking her opinion again. He even arranges for his friend to be her tour guide without checking whether she has her own plans.

It's a troubling dynamic that lacks depth and realism, leaving much to be desired in terms of both character development and relationship dynamics.

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4. Nothing in the story:

Finish watching it and I feel so empty. After 30 episodes, there's nothing to the point that I doubt whether this series is actually meant to promote Finland tourism. I seriously wonder if the Finland Tourism Organization had sponsored the show, given that it's set it in Finland—one of the most expensive countries to live in despite having nothing much for sightseeing—for more than half of the series. (The first full 15 episodes take place there and they still come back in the later episodes.)

In the end, the only things I get from this series is to see the very intimate kissing, hugging and flirting scenes between young actors and actresses who play the main leads, plus endless scenes of the ML acting like he's in heat and wanting sex with the FL the whole time. So, if you're their fans, welcome. If you're not, it can get irritating.

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5. Messed-up timeline:

They're confused and mess up the timeline for a few time.

For example, they say that a year and a half after the male lead's first comeback game, he moves back to China. That's supposed to be about 2 years after the ML and FL first met. Two months after that, the ML and FL go to Finland for FL's competition, but they say the FL has competed in that arena before which was last year, which would be the same time when they first met.

Another instance comes toward the end. When the FL finds out she isn't pregnant, she asks why the ML looks happy. The ML says something along the line of how, when he was 22, he knew so little, and if his life had stopped there, he wouldn't have become as successful as he is today. But they first met when the FL was 22. By that point in the story, more than 2 years should have passed. She can't possibly still be younger than 24.

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6. Mundane music:

Their background music sounds mundane and lacks originality, esp. the tracks used during all the competition scenes. They resemble free MIDI music you'd find on the internet. It's like they simply use whatever they can find to fill the silence during those long scenes where no one is talking.

And yes, those competition scenes are far too long each time. They use them to drag out the overall length of the series.

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Love & Shine with Billiards

Watched this for WL and the sport aspect. Also was interested in the fact that they traveled to various foreign countries to film. This was the second time I'd seen WL in a sport-modern drama but this was more romance focused. I think I was only familiar with a few of the supporting characters. It was love and shine with billiards.

Pros: I didn't read the novel as I never do so can only review from a viewer's prospective. One thing this drama drove home about WL (LYY) and his acting was that the guy has the ability to give both bedroom eyes and looks that can drop an entire army. In this case, straight from episode one, he knew who and what he wanted. This was a case of love at first sight and he was hooked.

The story was really about pursuit and he gave his all. Furthermore this drama could do loss very well like losing his coach just as he finally returned home properly. That legit made me weep as it brought back grief that I've been personally dealing with. The FL (YG) was alright though I liked her more when she acted maturely as opposed to the pouting as that got old quick. And the supporting cast were awesome and fun especially MXD and JY were great when paired with LYY; so comedic it was like the 3 stooges.

All of the OSTs, scenery especially in Finland and France was beautiful. I really liked the rock/techno compilations when the leads and friends were in competition and ready to kick ass. The sport aspect of it was great, wish there was more of it and explained. The chemistry between the leads was very sweet and it got funny when in the comment section we had a very long discussion about did they or didn't they and if they did, which they did (I admit it lol); when was the first time? The fact that this show could bring about mile long conversations is what made it very successful.

Cons: Now while I did enjoy it very much, it wasn't without problems. For example why didn't they show MXD and LL's love line through to the end? It was very unsatisfying to leave them hanging when MXD was essentially the SML and a great friend/cousin to the leads. Their relationship should have been aired out more. Also why wasn't MXD there at the proposal at the end or in the 3 year time lapse rounding out? LL was but he wasn't? It was weird.

I wish they had balanced the billiards portion more with the romance side of it. There was so much of the getting the leads together and their relationship before we ever got to what they both loved doing. I'm great with fluff but it should have some meat and potatoes too. Would have also been great to explain to the audience what 8-ball, 9-ball, and snooker actually was and how it was played. Also, though I understand cultural differences and whatnot, the FL pouted way too much and the ML did most of the heavy lifting even emotionally. At some point, I said to myself that a 23 year old woman should act her age. That tantrum she threw and then expected him to call her when he didn't do anything wrong but was the one that was sad and needed comforting in the one "fight" they had made me roll my eyes.

The weird hosts that turned an international competition into a dating show was unnecessary and unprofessional when you're trying to show an actual competition on an international scale. Is it so common in cdramas or in China in general for everyone to be so nosy? Everyone wants private stuff to be public. Obviously hiring some actors that were referees who couldn't even speak English made it even more unprofessional looking. If you're going with an international event, you have to make it look as realistic as possible not just certain things that had just a tad too much propaganda which was also 7 versions of unnecessary.

Would I recommend it? Yes. It's very good despite the cons and will have you laughing, crying, and cheering in all of the right places. Definitely give it a whirl.

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A midst a snowstorm of emotions and possibly a manic episode

This drama starts off sweet, and fluffy... Aloof boy falls in love with a girl they eats, sleep, look at scenery, train, repeat there is not much plot but its is an easy watch that is nice to look at.

Living in a nordic country myself I really enjoyed watching my c-fluff in a culture and setting close to the one I live in (even if they might have made a few mistakes). With the added bonus that most of the non Chinese he people where shwen to be friendly.

After a while the boy who is supposedly poor manages to spin of surprising the girl with grand gestures, flights here and there, the boy pretty much never sleeps all signs of a manic episode... There is also a bunch of not so secret following(slight stalking), helping from behind the scenes and misshaps... with a HUGE amount of patriotism, the Chineese are the best, morals, morals as far as the eye can see and the usual propagande those of us who enjoy c-fluff have gotten used to ignoring.

And from then on the red flags of Chine keep adding up and all the sweet and fluffy potentially green flags that they tried to sell off in the beginning where long gone... A process those who have been in not so good relationships can relate too, but here sold off as oh so sweet, normal and mostly romantic, even if they do throw in a few good lines here and there.

That said the female lead rocks, she is amazing in every single way, relatable, fun, smart, talented... Fine she fell in to the dudes trap, but that only shows us that bad ass women fall too... But by the end of it I was hoping she would run away and start an ICE 9 ball cult up north somewhere.

Oh they also play a lot of snooker and 9 ball...

So to sum it up, I would recommend you watch the first 10 or 15 episodes for the fluff, but do not expect any plot and just ignore the other half of the show...

P.s there are no annoying side characters

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The perfect winter romance with billiards as sub-plot

This is the perfect winter romance to watch on a cold night, wrapped up in a blanket and drinking hot cocoa. It’s one of those rare green flag dramas that can easily warm your heart with love while watching. The drama is about how two sports players meet on a snowstorm night in Finland and fall in love. Every episode is filled with fluffy, sugary romance and beautiful snow landscapes. The episodes are slow paced, we follow the daily lives of the main leads and how they fall in love with each other which means the audience spends extra time watching them cuddle, eat and walk around the city. The chemistry between the leads is so hot that you always feel like you are peeing into their most intimate and private moments in the best way possible.

The first half of the drama is focused on the relationship build up and mostly takes place in Finland. I preferred this half more as it had the perfect sugary romance.The second half of the drama is focused more on the plot as it revolves around the sports competitions in the field of billiards (snooker and nine-ball). This half is more serious with some sadder moments and mostly takes place in China.

POSITIVE:
- Natural and hot chemistry between the leads. Their eye contact, hair touching, hand caressing is EVERYTHING. I always feel I’m peeping into their most intimate moments as if I'm watching a real life couple.
- Hot kisses. Yes this needs a separate point because the way male lead is pulling her for a kiss is FIRE.
- Romance that makes you swoon, squeal and blush like crazy.
- No stupid love triangles.
- No annoying break-ups.
- No annoying characters.
- Beautiful snow/winter cinematography.
- Support cast shines as much as the main leads.
- Top-notch winter romance that’s perfect to watch on a cold night with hot cocoa in hand.
- One small misunderstanding that was resolved quickly.
- Heartwarming vibes all the way.
- Main leads that have small normal flaws instead of being unrealistically perfect. They still make mistakes like all humans and learn from them.

NEGATIVE: (4 small things that bugged me but they didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the drama)
- Plot in the second half of the drama (revolving around sports competitions) wasn’t the most exciting to watch.
- 2 sad/depressing episodes. I didn’t care about that particular plot line and I felt it had too much screen time. I would have preferred if the drama had only happy moments without sad parts like one of my favourites dramas (I won’t name it here).
- No second couple. Before the drama started I read that the actor WXY will have a love interest so I was excited to see that. But he didn’t have much screen time and his love story wasn’t explored. In fact it ended up being unfinished.
- I feel too single after finishing this drama (this is more of a joke but you get me right).

OVERALL:
The drama is perfect if you are a hopeless romantic who wants a slow paced romance that will feel you with heartwarming vibes, butterflies in your stomach and wants a male lead whose gaze is so hot it can literally melt Antarctica.

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Such a beautiful slow paced rommance

This drama is a love story that spans 30 episodes. Each episode is captivating and engaging. The drama has a gentle and refined tone, with a lot of romance and sweetness. The script is well-written, and the actors deliver excellent performances. The drama portrays a mature and realistic relationship, without any unnecessary conflicts or angst. The male lead expresses his jealousy in a cute way, while the female lead reassures him with her confidence and wisdom. This drama is a must-watch for anyone who loves C dramas, or wants to try them for the first time. The only thing I wish is that the flirting phase lasted a bit longer. But even without it, the story is perfect.

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Don't waste your time. The story is boring and horny young love with no drama. Acting is mediocre

Amidst the Snowstorm is a romance drama about young lovers who met each other on a snowy winter day in Finland, where the FL was there for a Billiard competition.

The story is so stupid and slow; there is no drama. It is young love. I should have dropped it, but since Wu Lei is playing the ML, I stick with it. I should have dropped it; it was so dumb, and the onscreen chemistry between him and Zhao JinMai was not good.

The Synopsis:
Yin Guo has become a notable athlete and professional billiards player. After receiving an invitation to play in a tournament in Hel, Yin Guo eagerly accepts. Little does she know that what will follow will change her life forever.

Before Yin Guo can even start training for the upcoming competition, an unexpected snowstorm leaves her stranded with Lin Yi Yang, and an instant connection is made. Helped along by her cousin, Yin Guo, and Yi Yang continue to get to know each other better long after the storm subsides. But even as they draw closer, Yin Guo has yet to learn that Yi Yang has a lot of history in professional billiards. A true genius in the sport, Yi Yang once basked in the spotlight of professional billiards fame, but that was long ago.

Inspired by Yin Guo's love of the sport, Yi Yang decides the time is right to return to the world of professional billiards.

My Reviews:
1. I finished Amidst the Snowstorm and was not fond of it much. The story was so boring and slow.
2. No drama between the main CP and the supporting cast was pointless. They were there as fillers, but it was not necessary. It is like "Love Me Love My Voice," which I dropped after 16 episodes.
3. Zhao JinMai acted better in Reset than in this drama. She didn't act well, and her character was annoying.
4. She and Wu Lei have similar facial features, making them look like siblings rather than lovers.
5. Wu Lei's character is so horny that he keeps wanting to kiss her, and she rejects them most of the time. It got so old and repetitive, and it was no longer cute.
6. I watched as background noise while doing my chores. I didn't pay much attention to it because it was so dull. It would have been better if it finished in 20-24 episodes instead of 30.

Overall, it was very boring, where I walked away doing chores or FF it. I give it a 5.0 rating. This type of story should not be made into drama. It was all about eating and hanging out with no substance.

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Hitting the Brakes on the Hype Train: This Rom-Com Needs a Spark

So, I just had to spill the tea on this drama. Buckle up, because my journey through this drama was like riding a rollercoaster during a snowstorm – full of twists, turns, and plenty of icy surprises!

Alright, so picture this: I'm all excited, hearing all these rave reviews about this drama. People are going on and on about how amazing it is, so naturally, I dive right in, ready for a wild ride. But oh boy, was I in for a surprise!

At first, things seemed promising. The setting in Finland was breathtaking, like stepping into a winter wonderland. And the main leads? Cute as buttons! But as the episodes rolled on, I started feeling like I was stuck in slow-mo mode. I'm telling you, it felt like time itself was taking a leisurely stroll while I was stuck in slow-motion mode, desperately waiting for something, anything, to break the ice and inject some excitement into the storyline.

Despite my best efforts to stay awake, I found myself nodding off more times than I care to admit. It was like watching paint dry, except less exciting. It was as if the plot got lost in the snowdrifts, leaving me wandering aimlessly through a never-ending winter wonderland of romantic clichés and repetitive scenes. I kept waiting for that big moment, you know, the one that makes you sit up and go, "Whoa!" But alas, it never came.

Overall, "Amidst the Snowstorm" was like that awkward first date that you really wanted to go well but ended up being a snooze fest. Sure, there were some cute moments and picturesque views, but it just didn't hit the mark for me. Maybe I missed something that others saw, but hey, that's the beauty of diverse opinions, right?

So, if you're up for a slow-paced journey through a winter wonderland with a side of snooker, then go ahead and give it a shot. But if you're looking for a drama with a bit more oomph, you might want to snowplow past this one and find something with a little more spark.

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