Ski into Love

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Ski into Love filmed many more episodes worth of content than what actually aired, and you can tell.

What we ended up with were a lot of scenes of the snowboard just group eating and hanging out. At times, it really felt like I was watching actors kind of do whatever they want in front of the camera. More like a variety show. It didn't seem like the actors were taking the filming very seriously.

The chemistry between the 3 couples was just OK. I never felt anyone pull at my heartstrings.

The plots were all half-assed, most with very weak resolutions. I certainly expected more from a drama adapted from a novel.

I will say, Ski into Love showcased some beautiful areas of China you don't often see in dramas - which, I'm guessing was the underlying agenda of the series.

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Fluffy, mindless romance between an artist and snowboarder

This drama is about the love story between the female lead, a comic artist and the male lead, a snowboarding instructor. The female lead is fired from her job and decides to enter a comic competition. Clueless about snowboarding, she hires the male lead as an instructor, unaware that he used to be a professional snowboarded.

The drama starts off quite ridiculous, with over the top comedy, immature and somewhat obnoxious female lead. However after 5-6 episodes, that’s tuned down and the story is more grounded and in fact turns heartwarming. Although the story is very much surface level, there is a pinch of depthness to the male lead’s character which I liked. The third couple steals the spotlight for sure with its uniqueness (disabled girl) and grounded romance. The last 5 or so episodes are a bit boring but still watchable.

POSITIVE:
- Fluffy, cozy romance.
- Snowy landscapes.
- Mindless watch to relax in the evenings.
- Adorable chibi animations at the end of each episode.
- Short training lessons about snowboarding.
- Cute female lead’s clothing.
- Unique third couple: disabled girl with athlete boy.

NEGATIVE:
- Second couple. I didn’t like their behaviour towards each other. The female lead was unlikable and their backstory was meh.
- SPOILER: Annoying break up because of disapproving parents (ep 17).

OVERALL:
This drama is the definition of a mindless watch. If you hate lack of logic, don’t even attempt to watch this. The plot is whatever, so you are here for the cozy vibes. I enjoyed the romance and most of the characters. Granted, it took me a month to finish it as it was my before-sleep watch. Yes, the story is ordinary but if you like the main leads and want an easy, feel good drama, I recommend it.

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Well-matched Leads

This drama where I think the career of the two main leads are well-matched.

Both of their career are shown and laid out beautifully 💕

One of the drama where the two is actually working while falling in love. And their career is not just a background.

The conflict revolves in their career rather than some stupid love triangles. Their relationship is stress free.

Wei Zhi can draw anywhere. She can ski with San Chong in the morning and draw at night or when Shan Chong teaching his other disciples advanced classes.

While Shan Chong is earning through teaching the advanced classes which comprises of his disciples or promoting some brands.

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No Skiing in Ski Into Love..

First things first.. Why is the title Ski into Love?? And why do they use skiing instead of snowboarding in the drama?? They don’t even ski in this drama.. This can’t be a mistake right??

Anyway.. Ski into Love is actually a pretty simple, no nonsense kind of drama.. Such an easy watch.. No toxic characters, no pointless misunderstandings and the FL’s story outside of the romance is interesting.. Her career as an artist is treated with seriousness in the story..

I am not sure if the shorter length of the drama is a good thing or a bad thing.. On one hand, it worked.. There was no filler and nothing felt dragged out.. But at the same time, it also felt incomplete and rushed.. Esther Yu and Lin Yi had good chemistry yet we barely got to see their actual dating phase.. It all moved too fast.. Honestly a few more episodes would have been great.. Their separation especially felt unnecessary.. His decision was pretty dumb.. They could have easily continued dating while he tried to prove himself to her parents..

Her parents were definitely problematic.. They literally said their daughter raised herself.. No shame in that?? And why was her mother so desperate to marry her off?? On top of that, she kept belittling her career.. And insulting the ML for following his dreams, which honestly was pathetic.. They were being realistic?? In what realistic sense do you let your daughter raise herself and don't feel bad about it?? There’s a huge difference between protecting your daughter and controlling her.. But in the drama, the parents got redemption way too quickly.. They went from pathetic to overly supportive almost overnight.. Again I blame the shorter length of the drama for that rushed turnaround..

There were some really good supporting characters who were actually supportive and fun to watch.. Jiang Yi Ming was the perfect SML.. Honestly you don’t see characters like him often.. The moment he realized she loved someone else, he stepped back without hesitation and even went on to support them..

The ML’s sister Shan Shan and Dai Duo’s love story was also warm and satisfying to watch.. And I am glad that Jiang Nan Feng and Lao Yan’s story didn’t go anywhere.. She didn’t deserve him..

This might be a bit controversial but Esther Yu’s character felt pretty one dimensional.. There wasn’t much to her acting.. She mostly relied on her charm and being cute.. Honestly her characters tend to look the same across dramas.. The only real difference is the outfit and the timeline.. It almost feels like watching the same character in different settings.. The only exception I guess is My Journey to You.. Where she actually played a different role and was pretty damn good.. Her cute and bubbly style is fine at first and she does have good expressions that are fun to watch.. But after a while it starts to feel repetitive and a little boring.. I like Esther Yu as an actress but I really wish she would step out of the cute girl characters..

Overall it’s an okayish drama.. I think it will cater to a lot of people’s tastes.. But for me, it lacked real substance.. Worth watching if you like light romances but not something I would revisit..

P.S. His confession scene and proposal scene were both good.. He didn’t let an avalanche ruin his confession.. Respect!!

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Light and enjoyable watch but not very memorable!

I enjoyed this drama, but the story felt very rushed and abrupt at some point. Maybe it was because they had sqeeze in the episodes, which had a negative impact on the overall outcome of the drama.
I really loved the simple and cheery personality of wei zhi. Though she was a bit too forgiving ( could never be me).
Loved shan Chong too, and thank God he wasn't the typical cold ML. The relationship was quite mature and pleasant. The breakup also felt reasonable unlike most break ups in dramas. But the progression of the story felt a bit choppy. The side characters also felt out of place some times, again probably because of the short number of episodes.
Yan and jiang's relationship could've progressed better, too.
This had potential to be a great watch if they didn't sabotaged it condensing the number of episodes.

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A Heartwarming Journey of Dreams, Romance, and Snowy Beauty

Ski Into Love is a refreshing and heartwarming drama that brings a rarely explored aspect of Chinese culture to the screen—the beauty and traditions of the northern regions. It's not often that we get to see the charm of China's snowy landscapes and winter sports culture in dramas, making this show feel fresh and captivating.

At its core, this drama is lighthearted yet meaningful, perfectly suited to both Yu Shuxin and Lin Yi. It’s the kind of feel-good romance that’s perfect to watch at the transition from winter to early spring, when you're looking for something cozy yet uplifting. The romance itself is everything we could hope for—sweet, engaging, and filled with undeniable chemistry between the leads.

Beyond the main couple, the supporting characters play a crucial role in making the story richer and more enjoyable. They don’t just exist for comedic relief or background drama; they genuinely contribute to the emotional depth of the show. They help us understand the main characters better, bring moments of laughter, and make us fond of the entire cast.

Wei Zhi’s character is particularly lovable—cute, bubbly, and full of determination. While some may critique Yu Shuxin for taking on similar(over cute or "childish as they like to say) roles, her natural charm and energy make it impossible to get tired of her performances. Her struggles with unsupportive parents add a realistic touch to the story, but it’s also refreshing to see that her family isn’t portrayed as irredeemably toxic. They are capable of reflection and change, making their arc satisfying.

Another standout character is Shan Shan, who represents ambition and passion while living with a mobility disability. The best part? The show doesn’t portray her with pity or make her struggles overly dramatic. Instead, it treats her with the same respect as any other character, highlighting that having a disability doesn’t define a person’s worth or limit their dreams.

Ultimately, Ski Into Lovedelivers an inspiring message about perseverance, chasing dreams, and surrounding yourself with the right people. The breathtaking scenery adds an extra layer of magic to the story, making the journey of Wei Zhi and Shan Chong all the more immersive. If you’re looking for a drama that’s both heartwarming and visually stunning, this one is definitely worth the watch.

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Bland

This show reminds me of those sports Disney movies from the late 90s, early 2000s like Double Teamed, Brink, Luck of Irish, etc., although; looking back, some of those weren’t great but this doesn’t even hold up to those. Most of this show is pretty bland and I can’t continue watching.

What I liked:

I like that they are able to show actual snowboarders because they can cover their faces. It would have brought things down even more if they had shown those odd close up green screened shots (like when they are fake riding horses) that mimic snowboarding. At least they got that much right. The only other thing that was decent was the scenery. The snow-capped mountainous views are beautiful.

What I don’t like:

The plot. It’s a very basic setup with a basic script. No characters have any true depth. They aren’t even that interesting or likable. The villains are bland and even the conflicts are lacking. This seems made for teens with a failed attempt to try to throw in a couple of adult themes with her raunchy secret comic. Sort of cringy. I’m not going to go into too much detail about the child like behavior from Yu Shenxin because it’s her default character setting. I can get past it in some shows but would have liked to see her evolve from it in this show about mid-20 adults being in love. Another thing that bothers me about this show is the snowboarding sort of just takes a backseat to everything. With the Chinese title and English title focused on snowboarding greatness, (Ski into Love could have been a play on words: skiing back into the love of snowboarding…but I was mistaken and it’s pretty basic just from watching this) you would think we’d get a more snowboarding comeuppance story but we definitely do not. It only scratches the surface. Lastly, I don’t find most of the couples that interesting.

This show will definitely be loved by the actor’s fans but I wanted to check it out since there isn’t much showing at the moment. Didn’t disappoint me, just not for me. Probably my fault for watching more serious dramas and then this at the same time. Taints my perception.

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A Second Chance Watch That... Mostly Stayed in the Friend Zone (for Me)

Ok, after dropping this show once, I decided to pick it up again and push through it. In short—it has its cute and wholesome moments, but overall, I feel like it's aimed at a much younger audience than little old me. Unfortunately, that meant I found the plot pretty weak and uninteresting. Also, sports dramas aren’t usually my thing, but I gave it a shot for the cast.

What I enjoyed:

The wholesome vibe: That cool feeling when you're surrounded by good friends and generally good-hearted people was definitely there. The atmosphere was heartwarming and gave off the comfort watch feels.

The leads: Both main characters are incredibly likeable and genuinely kind people. Their relationship was sweet and pleasant to follow (not touching that painfully cliché break-up part though… let’s just pretend it didn’t happen).

The OST : A+ on the soundtrack. I actually really enjoyed most of the tracks and they matched the tone of the show perfectly.

What didn’t work for me:

Hot take incoming—but I didn’t see any romantic chemistry between the leads. They gave me best friends vibes, not lovers, and I kept waiting for a spark that never came. That’s just my personal take though!

Esther – Look, I love her. But I really wish she’d step out of this typecast bubble she’s stuck in. This is like the 5th drama where she’s playing the exact same character. I know she’s capable of more range, and I’d love to see her explore different roles. Also, most of her outfits in this drama felt more like they were designed for a 12-year-old... which made certain scenes tough to sit through. I think we’ve all seen enough of that overly cutesy act by now.

Final thoughts:

If you’re looking for a light, comfort watch with inspirational undertones, an easy-breezy plot, and a cozy romance (if you feel it), then this might just be the drama for you. But if you're expecting something with depth, or a fiery romance arc... maybe look elsewhere.

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Light-hearted fun

This drama starts out really promising, with lightning quick pacing and really interesting characters. The ML was more stoic but never unkind, and the FL was bubbly but not annoying. The snowboarding theme is fun, and the OST has two songs in particular (one upbeat and one slow and romantic) that really clicked with me and added to the great vibes.

I’m not completely sure the second half of the show keeps the same energy. Both the ML and FL’s arcs seem a little anticlimactic and vague. While I don’t need the show to get in the weeds about the manhua industry, I would’ve loved to see a clearer journey, starting from storyboarding the story, pulling inspiration, actually drawing it, and especially going back to conferences with volumes and merch, since that’s where the first episode started. Instead, it felt like she was just constantly “gathering research” and then the next thing we knew, her manhua was steadily successful. For the ML, I think there also wasn’t much to his snowboarding journey; he was good at it and never stopped being good at it. While 23 episodes is short and doesn’t really allow for a lot of arcs, I think having some more organization and struggle could’ve made their journeys feel more worth it.

The romance is really cute, but it also sort of hiccups in the second half. The leads go on a break (or whatever that was) but they basically don’t interact for a stretch of episodes, which is unfortunate because it could’ve been an opportunity for each of them to support each other in their blossoming careers. The “getting back together” scene is just fine, but I think this is the type of more emotionally-charged scene where the cutesy acting of the FL doesn’t quite work.

The side characters are fine. The ships have their cute moments, but they’re also not that memorable.

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BAD SELECTION OF FEMALE LEAD; BUT AN INTERSTING STORY WITH OTHER CHARACTERS

Ski Into Love had so much potential to be an absolute hit—beautiful scenery, a refreshing winter sports theme, and of course, Lin Yi doing what he does best: being effortlessly charming and pulling heartstrings like a pro. He carried this drama with grace and sincerity, delivering a performance that deserved a far better match.

Unfortunately, the weakest link in this series was the female lead, Esther Yu. Her overly exaggerated mannerisms—whether it was her voice, the way she walked, or just her general behavior—felt like she was dropped in from a completely different genre. Instead of matching the tone of the story and the depth of the male lead, she stuck out in a way that was more distracting than endearing. It honestly felt like the series would’ve soared higher if her character had been toned down or cast differently.

On the bright side, the supporting characters were a delight. They brought heart, humor, and some much-needed balance to the show. If you're someone who can mentally "mute" a lead and enjoy the rest of the package, this drama might still work for you. It has its charm, just… with a side of frustration.

Watch it for Lin Yi. Endure it for Lin Yi. And maybe pretend Esther Yu’s character got lost on the slopes.

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