This review may contain spoilers
Kiss the Shark(ifykyk): Along the 40th parallel north
Wow the World is genuinely, unexpectedly funny.
I initially started watching it mostly for Yu Wen, and partly for Xing Xu. But somewhere along the way, I ended up falling for everyone.
That said, I stayed till the very end only for Yu Wen jiejie.
I have only completed 10 episodes so far, but I am taking a break and putting it on hold because my muscles are tired laughing and giggling, moreover i have a lot of airing drama to finish. I will rewrite the review for 20 eps when I restart this.
Yuwen comes across as such a genuinely nice person—someone whose emotions and reactions feel understandable and real. In some interview, she talked about being shy and less talkative as a child because she felt she wasn’t well-spoken enough, and that she gradually opened up after entering the industry. Somehow, that growth shows. Watching her dramas likeYou Are My Lover Friend and My Page in My 90s felt less like watching someone “perform” and more like watching someone simply be themselves. I think YAMLF is where i became a fan of hers.
To some people, her personality might come off as strong or even dominating—but that’s exactly what I love about her. She doesn’t hesitate to say what’s on her mind, and she does that in a polite and fun way. She makes her point, and communicates her opinions without hurting others. She knows when to step up and step down in most of the situations.. The way how clumsy she is still in her actions and words only speak more about how sincere and honest she is with them.
She follows her heart instead of calculating every step too carefully. She’s moderately smart and skillful—not overwhelmingly clever. One that makes you lose guard around her to be friends, and at the same time adore her and find her cool! I understood Yu Wen’s desire to win, but I loved her even more for how gracefully she let things go when they slipped out of her control—often turning awkward or failed moments into humor and lightness. To me, she was the light of the room.
Her outfits were incredible—comfortable yet stylish. Honestly, I wanted all of them. And those moments where she danced her heart out on the streets with foreigners? Absolutely adorable. I couldn’t help but stare in awe.
Watching her felt familiar—like watching a friend. Her thought process, her small reactions, the way she handled situations—it all felt home. She’s smart, but not a genius. She tries her best at games, strategies, singing, guessing, acting—everything. And especially her ability to turn any situation into comedy, combined with her way of speaking, made her endlessly entertaining.
She walked around like a boss and got along with everyone, but her interactions with Hong Lei ge, Naiwen, and Chen He were especially heartwarming. She looked completely at home with them—safe, happy, and genuinely comfortable. They bonded early, always made sure to include her, and quietly took care of her in subtle ways.
Since my focus was completely on her, I noticed a lot—emotions, expressions, tiny details. Some things are better left unsaid. I’m the kind of person who, once I fall for someone sincerely, stays with them for a long time. Perfection doesn’t matter anymore. As long as that affection remains, even their flaws and slip-ups start looking sweet. So much so that when they lose or mess up, I end up getting annoyed at others for being right or winning.
I’m not particularly into overly mushy, cutesy, or hyper-feminine actresses—though I don’t dislike them. Even when someone is cute or soft, I’m drawn to confidently cute and soft women like dilbara. But confidence isn’t something anyone or should i say no one can carry flawlessly all the time. And in those imperfect moments, I admire people who stay true to their hearts and express themselves honestly, instead of making others guess what they’re feeling. I know it’s especially hard for introverts—but Xing Xu, despite being a big one, did an amazing job at that as well.
If Yu Wen was my top favorite, Xing Xu was a very close second.
Xing Xu, felt like the innocent child of the group—the kind you can’t help but root for.
His puppy expressions, his innocence, and his constant tendency to get caught in pranks were irresistibly cute. He was inexperienced, naive, and always walked straight into the lion’s den like a normal kid who doesn’t yet know how the world works—and that’s exactly why I adored him. While I respect skill and excellence, I’m far more drawn to people who are still learning, still making mistakes, still getting up after falling.
Bullied yet deeply adored by his fellow travelers, Xing Xu felt like the group’s shared treasure. Everyone genuinely cared for him, protected him, and wanted him to experience good things.
It’s easy to see why Yu Wen and Xing Xu stayed friends for so many years. Their contrasting personalities worked beautifully. Yu Wen, soft-hearted yet outwardly boss-like, took care of Xing Xu like an old friend would. They teased each other constantly but shared a deep, genuine bond. Yu Wen relied on him during critical moments, and Xing Xu never failed her—always showing up with the same sincerity a she does. He respected her, followed her lead lovingly, and understood that even she could feel scared or overwhelmed. He never teased her seriously—only in light, playful ways. Similarly, while Yu Wen made fun of him endlessly, she always stood up for him and never used his fatal weaknesses against him, to expose each other to embarrassment.
Hong Lei ge, Naiwen, and Chen He were pure joy. Honestly, they were the soul of the show. Without them, it could have easily become awkward. Hong Lei and Yu Wen developed a lovely father-daughter / best-friends-across-generations dynamic. If you removed even one of these three, the show wouldn’t feel the same. They were the pillars holding everything together—bridging gaps, easing awkwardness, including everyone, and keeping the energy alive with their experience and warmth.
Chen he is aboslutely hilarious and weird as a person, i can almost see myself in him sometimes. hahahha The more random and quirky he is, the more I get obsessed!! He draws our attention to the smallest and unnoticeable things and cracks us up uncontrollably. Turning ordinary into extraordinary, he has that charm. I truly resonate with this character!! The way he is, anything he does doesnt seem out of place, no wonder he can easily perform tasks otherwise awkward or impossible for other, because howmuchever weird he beahves, people pass it as him being normal. I love how he sincerely eats away, he is shockingly quiet most of the times... but when he does speaks~~ HE rocks!
Didi was another standout—adorable, talented, and a scene-stealer. I wanted more interactions between her and Yu Wen, and I replayed whatever little we got at least three times. Her dance, singing, and intelligence were impressive.. She would come onto stage only to rock!—especially the moment she lifted Yu Wen. Too cute.
Liu Yuning, unlike xingxu was an incredibly intuitive player. Early on, he rated his familiarity with everyone as a 1—except Gong Jun, whom he gave a 9.9. He mentioned being introverted and nervous, even asking Jun to help him socialize. Ironically, it turned out the opposite way. Gong Jun was among the quieter ones, while Liu Yuning kept winning again and again, as if he had a third eye. I won’t lie—I got irrationally annoyed at one point, probably because I never win games with my own friends and felt painfully jealous. He was one of the most entertaining companions of the trip.. Always providing the background music!!!
Gong Jun, the “nightangle,” was another major highlight. Other reviews probably cover him in detail, since he was consistently entertaining in whatever eps he was in and ridiculously handsome. His English skills helped the group a lot, and I loved how his high notes constantly messed with Liu Yuning. These two chaotic besties—always paired up, even during punishment—were hilarious.
TBC………………..
I initially started watching it mostly for Yu Wen, and partly for Xing Xu. But somewhere along the way, I ended up falling for everyone.
That said, I stayed till the very end only for Yu Wen jiejie.
I have only completed 10 episodes so far, but I am taking a break and putting it on hold because my muscles are tired laughing and giggling, moreover i have a lot of airing drama to finish. I will rewrite the review for 20 eps when I restart this.
Yuwen comes across as such a genuinely nice person—someone whose emotions and reactions feel understandable and real. In some interview, she talked about being shy and less talkative as a child because she felt she wasn’t well-spoken enough, and that she gradually opened up after entering the industry. Somehow, that growth shows. Watching her dramas likeYou Are My Lover Friend and My Page in My 90s felt less like watching someone “perform” and more like watching someone simply be themselves. I think YAMLF is where i became a fan of hers.
To some people, her personality might come off as strong or even dominating—but that’s exactly what I love about her. She doesn’t hesitate to say what’s on her mind, and she does that in a polite and fun way. She makes her point, and communicates her opinions without hurting others. She knows when to step up and step down in most of the situations.. The way how clumsy she is still in her actions and words only speak more about how sincere and honest she is with them.
She follows her heart instead of calculating every step too carefully. She’s moderately smart and skillful—not overwhelmingly clever. One that makes you lose guard around her to be friends, and at the same time adore her and find her cool! I understood Yu Wen’s desire to win, but I loved her even more for how gracefully she let things go when they slipped out of her control—often turning awkward or failed moments into humor and lightness. To me, she was the light of the room.
Her outfits were incredible—comfortable yet stylish. Honestly, I wanted all of them. And those moments where she danced her heart out on the streets with foreigners? Absolutely adorable. I couldn’t help but stare in awe.
Watching her felt familiar—like watching a friend. Her thought process, her small reactions, the way she handled situations—it all felt home. She’s smart, but not a genius. She tries her best at games, strategies, singing, guessing, acting—everything. And especially her ability to turn any situation into comedy, combined with her way of speaking, made her endlessly entertaining.
She walked around like a boss and got along with everyone, but her interactions with Hong Lei ge, Naiwen, and Chen He were especially heartwarming. She looked completely at home with them—safe, happy, and genuinely comfortable. They bonded early, always made sure to include her, and quietly took care of her in subtle ways.
Since my focus was completely on her, I noticed a lot—emotions, expressions, tiny details. Some things are better left unsaid. I’m the kind of person who, once I fall for someone sincerely, stays with them for a long time. Perfection doesn’t matter anymore. As long as that affection remains, even their flaws and slip-ups start looking sweet. So much so that when they lose or mess up, I end up getting annoyed at others for being right or winning.
I’m not particularly into overly mushy, cutesy, or hyper-feminine actresses—though I don’t dislike them. Even when someone is cute or soft, I’m drawn to confidently cute and soft women like dilbara. But confidence isn’t something anyone or should i say no one can carry flawlessly all the time. And in those imperfect moments, I admire people who stay true to their hearts and express themselves honestly, instead of making others guess what they’re feeling. I know it’s especially hard for introverts—but Xing Xu, despite being a big one, did an amazing job at that as well.
If Yu Wen was my top favorite, Xing Xu was a very close second.
Xing Xu, felt like the innocent child of the group—the kind you can’t help but root for.
His puppy expressions, his innocence, and his constant tendency to get caught in pranks were irresistibly cute. He was inexperienced, naive, and always walked straight into the lion’s den like a normal kid who doesn’t yet know how the world works—and that’s exactly why I adored him. While I respect skill and excellence, I’m far more drawn to people who are still learning, still making mistakes, still getting up after falling.
Bullied yet deeply adored by his fellow travelers, Xing Xu felt like the group’s shared treasure. Everyone genuinely cared for him, protected him, and wanted him to experience good things.
It’s easy to see why Yu Wen and Xing Xu stayed friends for so many years. Their contrasting personalities worked beautifully. Yu Wen, soft-hearted yet outwardly boss-like, took care of Xing Xu like an old friend would. They teased each other constantly but shared a deep, genuine bond. Yu Wen relied on him during critical moments, and Xing Xu never failed her—always showing up with the same sincerity a she does. He respected her, followed her lead lovingly, and understood that even she could feel scared or overwhelmed. He never teased her seriously—only in light, playful ways. Similarly, while Yu Wen made fun of him endlessly, she always stood up for him and never used his fatal weaknesses against him, to expose each other to embarrassment.
Hong Lei ge, Naiwen, and Chen He were pure joy. Honestly, they were the soul of the show. Without them, it could have easily become awkward. Hong Lei and Yu Wen developed a lovely father-daughter / best-friends-across-generations dynamic. If you removed even one of these three, the show wouldn’t feel the same. They were the pillars holding everything together—bridging gaps, easing awkwardness, including everyone, and keeping the energy alive with their experience and warmth.
Chen he is aboslutely hilarious and weird as a person, i can almost see myself in him sometimes. hahahha The more random and quirky he is, the more I get obsessed!! He draws our attention to the smallest and unnoticeable things and cracks us up uncontrollably. Turning ordinary into extraordinary, he has that charm. I truly resonate with this character!! The way he is, anything he does doesnt seem out of place, no wonder he can easily perform tasks otherwise awkward or impossible for other, because howmuchever weird he beahves, people pass it as him being normal. I love how he sincerely eats away, he is shockingly quiet most of the times... but when he does speaks~~ HE rocks!
Didi was another standout—adorable, talented, and a scene-stealer. I wanted more interactions between her and Yu Wen, and I replayed whatever little we got at least three times. Her dance, singing, and intelligence were impressive.. She would come onto stage only to rock!—especially the moment she lifted Yu Wen. Too cute.
Liu Yuning, unlike xingxu was an incredibly intuitive player. Early on, he rated his familiarity with everyone as a 1—except Gong Jun, whom he gave a 9.9. He mentioned being introverted and nervous, even asking Jun to help him socialize. Ironically, it turned out the opposite way. Gong Jun was among the quieter ones, while Liu Yuning kept winning again and again, as if he had a third eye. I won’t lie—I got irrationally annoyed at one point, probably because I never win games with my own friends and felt painfully jealous. He was one of the most entertaining companions of the trip.. Always providing the background music!!!
Gong Jun, the “nightangle,” was another major highlight. Other reviews probably cover him in detail, since he was consistently entertaining in whatever eps he was in and ridiculously handsome. His English skills helped the group a lot, and I loved how his high notes constantly messed with Liu Yuning. These two chaotic besties—always paired up, even during punishment—were hilarious.
TBC………………..
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