An Unexpectedly Cute Romance
I am not usually a fan of older woman - younger man romances. But this one, this one was such a pleasant surprise.Its a simple, sweet story - nothing original but still hits the right notes. I found the lead pair likeable and their chemistry was literally fire. An athlete myself, I found the parts about the ML's training, his reactions to rejections & defeat and never-say-die attitude realistic. His passion for athletics was what made me sit through the initial episodes. It helps that both the leads look like athletes themselves.
I also liked that the drama is angst free and doesn't drag unnecessarily (even though I found the whole proposal scene a bit ludicrous. Do people really do that kind of thing?)
Overall, a cute drama for those times when you need a pick-me-up.
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It's a mature, non-cliche, no-break-up drama.
I love sports dramas! I can't believe it is over, felt like reading a feel-good book."to never give up, and never give in. No matter the challenges, we must have the ability to overcome them independently." (In sports, In love)
It's a mature, non-cliche, no-break-up drama. I guess it is a rarity and unexpected from C-drama. Initially, I was skeptical about student-coach romantic relationships but boy! I was wrong. The story evolved naturally, no rush. OST is smooth not too much.
1. Amazing chemistry from the first episode.
2. Acting is top-notch, both ML & FL. He really nailed a 20-year-old's raw emotions. FL the maturity she brought to the character is amazing. Definitely one of her best shows.
3. The skinship and love relationship is smooth and enjoyable.
4. Not the usual c-drama.
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An end that brings shame to an otherwise well developed plot!
The show starts strong with a well thought out story, beautiful acting and character development by the artists and some amazing aesthetics. This show has given me some of the best aesthetics and I've surely taken notes on some home decorations that I would like to implement. What a beautiful use of plants throughout!I like how all the characters have been given importance and have their own story-line. What the bond between the players and how they support one another even in their individual sports. The relationship between the coaches and players is also beautifully exemplified through the sprint team and high jump team.
Another thing worth admiring is the portrayal of immense dedication and hardwork it takes for athletes. Nothing comes easy and we can see that. Love how they have depicted the vigour behind sports and the life of athletes.
However, sadly that is where it ends.
1. The end has to be one of the most absurd ends I've ever seen. The guy wants to do high jump but he is forced into sprinting and then suddenly he goes to do decathlons (still fine) but out of nowhere there is some random absurd rumour (baseless) which is not even investigated or refuted and just like that he goes back to high jump???? Out of nowhere? Do the writers think doing sports is a joke and it is easy to change sports just like that? What absolute nonsense! My two problems with this storyline are that a) it is completely unnecessary in an otherwise well progressing show. Their was absolutely no need of this rumour, conflict and the team not even standing up for their otherwise "very promising" talent. They didn't even try to help him once. Where do you see that in real life, what nonsense!!!! and b) like i said before, that is not how it happens. today you do long jump, tomorrow high jump and then suddenly you're back at long jump!
2. For this to be tagged as sports, there was very poor division between sport and romance. This seems more like a university rom-com than sports drama to me. Sports were taken so lightly throughout.
3. We see great character development for DYC as the show progresses from a childish and overbearing pursuer to a more understanding and sensible partner, but there has been 0 character development for LN. She basically makes DYC feel like she has given up on her own student (which is a shitty af feeling), never apologises for it and then fails to recognise her two roles as a coach and girlfriend. There were instances where she supported him as the girl friend but those were rare. Usually she was walking all over him as the coach. Not appreciated. His outbursts (both in the beginning and end) were very valid.
4. What was this surprise out of nowhere, not planned or executed proposal/marriage? I still can't get over the stupidity of it all?
As I finished the show, I'm left with more questions than answers, and I'm not saying that in a good way. But if we ignore the last 3 episodes, it is a solid watch with some good acting and a childish romance. Must watch for people who're into youth dramas. Not so much for people who look for substance and stories in their shows, because believe me, this one makes no sense.
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Falling into You fell right into my Favorites
I rearly write reviews, I only do so if I am moved or fall madly in love with a drama or when im bewildered by a drama. This drama is the former... How do I rate this a 20++++??!!! Not possible right lol but this drama would be fully and wholly deserving of such! I thought ALL my favorite dramas were already seen this year then here came Falling into You like a cute lowly kid bursting through the doors out of nowhere into my heart! Listen no one loves a Noona romance like I do and this one was GOLD!!! This story was told so well! The beginning, middle, end, was fantastic Twentine really knows how to tell a story ( Lighter & Princess is also another favorite of mine)!!!! I will say though the production houses & networks really need to start being able to identify quality over quanity scripts and giving more episodes to QUALITY dramas like this one!!! Could've been 30 episodes easily without dragging ? The plot, character, growth of said characters, conflict (flipping typical conflicts on it's head with quick resolution) made this story so enjoyable, moving and rewatchable.ML Guan Yuchen made it impossible for you to root against him even in his bratty moments because he's just so darn loveable! Male Lead of the year seriously!!! I was already a fan of **Wang An Yu** from Skate To You and this just sealed the deal for life! This guy can ACT!!!!!!! He makes you feel every possible emotion as you watch his performance. He is definitely in my top 3 favorite actors list!
This was my second drama of **Gina Jin**'s... I was so impressed by her in *Why Women Love* that I made note of her for the future not realizing it'd just be a few months until another stellar performance! Parents and teammates are gems and highly likeable and watchable! If you're in doubt this is the push you need to watch Falling into You!!! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did ❤️
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Romance in Sports and Sports in Romance
I watched this drama because of the FL. She's gorgeous. I have watched several of her dramas. She is also a good actress who is versatile.What I Enjoyed:
- The FL shone in this drama.
- I liked the plot. There were sporting events going on and whenever there were competitions, it was fun to watch.
- I liked the FL and the supporting cast, in general. FL's male companion, Wu Ze, was a nice guy. Li Ge turned out to be very funny and even endearing. I really liked how clueless Coach Yang was and his reactions when he realised that FL and ML were dating. Watching him pace up and down, at a total loss for words, was hilarious. Da Xia was endearing. Mao Mao Qi turned out to be quite cute too.
- I liked that things moved at a fairly good pace and that it was not draggy.
- Happy ending.
- OST matched the different parts of the story.
What I Didn't Enjoy So Much:
- The ML was kind of cute but he was too immature and too clingy and too whiny and too jealous. Yes, I understood that he was the young hot-blooded lover but he was really quite immature.
Overall, I enjoyed this drama and I'd recommend it to others. It is a light watch that's entertaining. :)
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Falling for Wang An Yu!!
Just finished watching this ..overall a very enjoyable, well made drama..let me get a few complaints that I have out of the way before I start on the positives...the writing was a little inconsistence towards the end and kind of felt like the writers ran out of ideas..it didn't feel like the last 3 to 4 episodes were written by the same people who wrote the remaining episodes..also a few of the subplots were very unnecessary and were not wrapped up effectively..\now let me talk about the positives and that cannot be without mentioning the biggest strength of the show which is its two leads who are excellent in their roles and have such sizzling chemistry with each other..their intimate moments felt so real that I felt like I was intruding on an actual couple ..Gina Jin as Lou Na was a very well written FL who was independent, strong and kind of broke the stereotype of the girl needing a knight in shining armor wherein here it was her who played that role..coming to our ML..this is my first drama of Wang An Yu and I'm already a fan..brilliant acting accompanied by a very well written character brought forth a very lovable, goofy, adorable ML whom you couldn't help but fall in love with...the writing was generally good especially in the first 3/4 th of the drama..the sports event were well shot with audiences feeling edge of the seat excitement..their were tons of cute romantic moments which didn't feel cringeworthy at all...l I would have given it an 8 but I give it a 9 ( the extra 1 point is just for how amazing Wang An Yu was in the drama)!!
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Insane chemistry
The level of matured-ness that was this series is unbelievable. The chemistry between our leads was off the charts. I must give big credit and kudos to Wang An Yu because his ability to portray Duan Yu Cheng as a young guy who is also matured in so many ways was incredible and very believable. He is such a good actor, I was convinced that although he is young he was matured enough to pursue a relationship with Luo Na.The plot was ok, I enjoyed the fact that we got to see the work and dedication that was put in. My first love is sports and I have the biggest respect for athletes because I know how much effort most of them put into their craft.
The kiss scenes in this drama is hands down the best in any CDrama that I have watched and I have watched quite a few.
2nd place in my opinion is Lighter and Princess between Li Xun and Zhu Yun. They were so fire ? too.
3rd place is Love Designer between Zhou Fang and Song Lin (they are actually my favorite CDrama couple of all time followed closely by Chessman aka Lu Si Cheng and Smiling aka Tong Yao in Falling into your smile).
Rewatch value 7.5/10
Overall 8.5/10
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Best cdrama ever!
Best cdrama ever for romance without the stupid stupid breakups, idiotic manipulative exes, and a FL who isn’t a childish baby voice and actually a nice mature young lady. The chemistry is something else and the kissing scenes plus bonus ? are ?????Of course it wouldn’t be a drama without some stupid drama and I guess the budget didn’t stretch to police uniforms lol because on the couple occasions it called for it, it was nowhere to be seen. However we can excuse this nonsense because the rest of the show is just beautiful. OST & cinematography was fantastic.
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A cute series, which warms the heart!
I came to this series above all for the ML (Wang An Yu) of which I have been a fan since "Forever love"!! He is handsome, so talented that he manages to BE the character :). And he must be in great physical shape to have taken on this role!!!The story (of Twentine) is well constructed, intelligent and all the actors are excellent.
The evolution of the romance is subtle, believable, the relationship is solid, trusting, and without lasting misunderstandings. it's nice after all these series where the unsaid last 20 episodes! Despite the age-gap (in the drama and in real life), the chemistry between the 2 leads is palpable. Finally realistic kissing scenes between lovers!
The production is lively, smart (even the mental images of athletes are well represented) and the soundtracks amplify the emotions.
It is also a drama on athletics, realistic, where the difficulties of the athletes are well described, without exaggeration or "dramaland".
In conclusion, a cute series, which warms the heart!
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Série regardée avant tout pour le ML (Wang An Yu) dont je suis fan depuis "Forever love" !! Il est beau, tellement talentueux qu'il réussit à ETRE le personnage :). Et il doit être dans une super forme physique pour avoir assumé ce rôle !!!
L'histoire (de Twentine) est bien construite, intelligente et les acteurs sont excellents.
L'évolution de la romance est subtile, crédible, la relation est solide, de confiance, et sans malentendu durable. cela fait plaisir après toutes ces séries où les non-dits durent 20 épisodes ! Malgré le age-gap (dans le drama et dans la vraie vie), l'alchimie entre les 2 leads est palpable. Enfin des scènes de kiss réalistes entre lovers !
La réalisation est vive, smart (même les images mentales des sportifs sont bien représentées) et les OST amplifient les émotions.
C'est aussi un drama sur l'athlétisme, réaliste, où les difficultés des athlètes sont bien décrites, sans exagération ou "dramaland".
En conclusion, une série cute, qui fait chaud au coeur !
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Sports meet noona romance drama...what a delightful series!
Older female/younger male romance is my favourite trope and I enjoy watching the Olympics. This series was a delight! This series reminds me of Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo (another favourite series of mine) especially scenes about the slump period and the trainingWhat I liked:
1) Acting - Wow, Wang An Yu gave a stellar performance as a soft-hearted student-athlete. He looked like an Olympian during his high jump scenes - the posture, running and jump. I enjoyed watching Wang An Yu's facial expression especially his eyes. Very expressive. The scene when Coach Luo Na was comforting him when he was wet was heartbreaking. Jin Chen was great at her role of coach and girlfriend too. Luo Na knew when to put on coach hat and girlfriend hat. I read comments commenting on Jin Chen's skinniness but I think that's how a (former) athlete who keeps good care of her body looks like. Chi Jia was also great as Coach Wu Ze.
2) Writing - I didn't read the novel so my comments will focus solely on the show. I love watching the journey of Du Yu Cheng throughout the series. From high school to university and professional athletics training. I also love that writers feature different types of track and field events from training to competition.
3) Luo Na characterisation - I love how the writers balance the different roles held by Luo Na - assistant coach, girlfriend, friend, daughter. As an assistant coach, she knew when to be confidant to her students. She also knew when to follow her instinct with the case of Zhang Hong Wen.
4) Duan Yu Cheng characterisation - I always giggled when watching his antics. Duan Yu Cheng is crybaby and playful, at times childish. I think he's needy/clingy with Luo Na because of his upbringing but he never showed signs of toxic masculinity.
5) Romance - wow, palpable chemistry between Wang An Yu and Jin Chen right from the start. Their kissing and intimate scenes were really hot.
6) Supporting casts - Wonderful supporting characters such as Coach Wu Ze, Xia, Jian Tian, Lian Shu, Jia Shi Li. Mao maoqi is my favourite because he is so endearing.
7) The reunion at the end - It's great to see Jia Shi Li in the last episode.
What I disliked:
1) A lot of the romance scenes were for the benefit of Duan Yu Cheng. I wish there was a scene or gesture that was done by Yu Cheng for Luo Na as his girlfriend not coach.
2) The English song that was played during competition between Duan Yu Cheng and Li Ge made me laugh because that was a love song but the scene called for rivalry!
3) I disliked Mrs Duan's action during Yu Cheng's decathlon competition. She shouldn't barge like that since it might disrupt his focus on the competition.
Favourite scene
The scene when Coach Luo Na was comforting him when he was wet. Heartbreaking. Wang An Yu's best performance in this series.
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Perseverance always wins
Overall the series is very good. Showing you that never giving up on your dreams will work, as long as you persevere through all the hardships, no matter how tough they get. All the casts actually did a nice job bringing this series to life. However, personally.... I find the male lead's extreme clingy"ness" and childishness in certain things very irky. It does have it's appeal but I still feel that it is overdone throughout the whole series. Nonetheless, I managed to watch thru the whole series, though it wouldn´t be rewatched because of the clingy"ness". Nice music pairing though!Was this review helpful to you?
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Great feel good and utterly positive grown-up romance drama…
What a great feel-good romance. This is not just another sports drama. It is so much more. The balance between the romance and the « track and field » theme is just right. There is not one evil character, not any lasting stressful situation. the parents portrayal is positive: for once we get a lovely mother, who loves her son and initially disapproves of the relationship, but never did she try anything nasty, not to mention the great father, colleagues, etc…that’s just how respectful and supportive of each others the various characters are of each others….You smile from beginning to end, with a few emotional tears along the journey. The personalities of of characters are well drawn and make you easily relate to them. There is no unnecessary secondary plot or leads, although the people around the main leads all contribute to making this drama warm and special. The story is extremely well paced. I didn’t feel the need to fast forward… the chemistry between the 2 main leads feels so natural and true. Absolutely lovely is the depiction of the evolution of their feelings, The sweet moments they share together as grown ups in love is just perfection.In terms of mature balanced relationship with no stupid lengthy drama, meaningful situations and dialogs, I think this one is my favourite pure love story. The OST serves the drama perfectly.
Wang An yu has a very generous acting style, far from the preferred cold type . He was already great in Forever love… but here, The range of emotions he is able to display with his partner… he is extremely well paired in that regard with Jin Chen. The way they smile and look at each other,… their level of chemistry, … sparks are flying to the viewer.
they really deserve the spotlight. Very curious about WAY next project. I
All in all, An Extremely comforting and throughout positive drama
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