bojojoti

I've never played Go, but I was drawn into the competitive world of that game by the endearing characters of this drama. Shi Guang was a naughty, lazy child when the spirit of Chu Ying came into his life and introduced him to Go. Shi Guang naturally rebelled and rebuffed Chu Ying's attempts to teach him. Their interactions and growing relationship were rewarding to watch develop.

All of the relationships were realistic, as were the villains—which were run-of-the-mill bullies and trash talkers. The viewers watched the leads grow from young children to seniors in high school, and the character growth of each was gratifying to watch. With such a large cast, it would have been easy for some to be filler cardboard characters, but most were developed and distinctive.

I had put off viewing because it had 36 episodes. Sixteen hours is generally my sweet spot, but I would have happily watched at least 40 with this cast and story. The drama could have used more episodes to tie up loose ends: Hong He's love interest and his future; why the monk was so unhelpful; explanations surrounding Chu Ying; I would have liked to have been shown some championship wins of the two MLs together.

I highly recommend for those who like slice of life, rich relationships, and universal lessons about dreams, loss, and adaptation. I also recommend watching with a box of tissues at hand, because it's surprisingly touching.

I added an extra half star for the pure enjoyment factor.