Most natural and genuine romance with diabetes chemistry.
“They give me butterflies just by them being in the same airspace.” - meWu Lei & Zhao Jinmai, my all-time favorite couple from now on. I absolutely adore the organic evolution of their relationship, from the initial awkward, blind-date-like tension to becoming utterly smitten with one another. It’s rare to maintain such palpable chemistry throughout the entire series, especially considering that they got together relatively early on. Most shows struggle to keep the romantic tension once the couple has formed, but this series deftly keeps the spark alive in every interaction. What’s even better is that their connection feels incredibly natural and genuine, with unbeatable on-screen chemistry that is both sizzling and enthralling, a testament to their exceptional acting prowess and talent. I'm particularly fond of their meticulous attention to detail, evident in the subtle nuances of facial expressions and deliberate gestures executed by the characters. I can genuinely sense the level of hard work and dedication they pour into their acting behind the scenes, as they excellently presented the delicate interplay of ambiguity and tension inherent in the process of falling in love, and how their interactions still shine after coming together.
Quoting roughly from Wu Lei’s acting teacher, Teacher Cui, on them: “Wu Lei is a very serious person. Every time he takes on a role, he always fully immerses himself in the life of that character in advance. Every frown, every smile, every movement is executed with professionalism and in deep immersion of that character. No wonder so many people like him, because the quality he brings to his performances is exceptional. The manner in which they both handle intricacies and communicate when they're together makes their couple pairing very good.”
Lovely, therapeutic, mesmerizing, heartwarming, soothing, wholesome, tender, and comforting.
An absolute treat that cures depression, yet causes diabetes.
I found the casting to be perfect. Alongside the Lin Yiyang-Yin Guo (Yi-Guo) couple, I thoroughly enjoyed the supporting characters like Wu Wei & lil bro Meng Xiaotian. Their presence injected a playful energy into the story, often through subtle teasing or reactions to the leads, while consistently remaining strongly supportive of them. The bromance and rivalry were superb too—the trio Lin Yiyang, Jiang Yang & Meng Xiaodong all harbored mutual respect and admiration for one another, adding to the wholesome feel of the show. Furthermore, all of them played the role of wingmen well, putting in a decent amount of good words for Lin Yiyang along the way. So how can one not like the cast? Heck, even Yin Guo’s friends are good wingwomen.
I also loved the scenic filming locations that contribute to the gorgeous & cozy vibe of the show—filmed in Finland, France, and China; 3 countries & 11 cities. The BGM adeptly complemented the mood of the show, seamlessly blending with the atmosphere and drawing me in, with the OSTs being catchily good as well.
Some people don’t understand that the plot IS the interactions and the growing relationship/romance. The reason some perceive it as dull, draggy, or devoid of any plot is simply because they don't vibe with the chemistry between the couple as much. And for a series that heavily depends on the dynamics of the couple, this can make-or-break the show for you, so just give few eps a try and feel the chemistry urself to see if you’ll like it or not. And if you are skipping/ff-ing their scenes it’s totally pointless/invalid.
Just know that I love the tension and the tender relationship between the two throughout its entire run.
As someone who enjoys playing 8-ball/9-ball pool & snooker, I appreciate the cast’s efforts to learn the sport from scratch, training hard for a few months, immaculately capturing the aura of a professional player and successfully showcasing some impressive plays.
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Here’s a brief overview of the gameplay for those who have never played before (feel free to skip):
In snooker, players must pot a red ball (1 pt) first before they can attempt to pot a colored ball, which carries varying point values (yellow-2, green-3, brown-4, blue-5, pink-6, black-7 pts).
This alternation between potting reds and colored balls (red, colored, red, colored) continues until all the red balls are cleared from the table, after which players must pot the colored balls in sequence from yellow to black. To maximize their points, players need to strategically position the cue ball (white ball), ideally near the black ball (which yields the most points), after potting a red. They must also position for the next red ball after potting the black. The colored balls are spotted—placed back onto its designated spot once they’re potted, as long as there are still red balls on the table.
Players will also need to deal with being "snookered," where their opponent skillfully blocks the path to the required ball, typically as fewer red balls remain on the table. Failing to hit the required ball results in a foul, with the opponent gaining a minimum of 4 pts (misses all the balls, or hits any colored ball lower than 5 pts). Contacting let’s say a blue ball when you are supposed to hit a red ball will be a foul that gives the opponent the blue-ball points (5 pts), while illegally contacting pink or black ball will give the opponent 6 or 7 pts respectively. The one with the most points at the end of the game wins, obviously, with the maximum break score of 147 attainable (potting red and only black in alternation) which is insanely challenging even for professional players.
For 9-ball pool, it’s simpler, players just have to pot the balls numbered 1 through 9 in sequential order, starting from the lowest numbered ball. The player who pots the 9-ball (yellow stripe ball) at any point wins the game (so a legal shot—hitting a required lowest numbered ball first, but successfully potting the 9-ball in the process results in an instant win). In the show, you will also see the players determining the order of play or break through “lagging”. This involves each player simultaneously hitting their assigned ball from the head string (horizontal line running across the table) towards the opposite cushion of the table, aiming to return the ball closer to the head cushion (the cushion nearest to where they initially hit the ball) than the opponent. The player whose ball stops closest to the head cushion wins the lag and earns the right to break the rack of balls to start the game.
Breaking first is usually more advantageous since the likelihood of pocketing any balls at the break is quite high. This is even more so for skilled players as they have an even higher chance of performing a run-out or clearance, where they pot all the remaining balls on the table in a single turn, thereby winning the game.
Most people (myself included), at least for recreational/non-competitive players, find snooker to be a much more challenging game than pool. This is primarily due to its larger table size, tighter pockets, and smaller balls, making potting more difficult as there is less margin for error, demanding more precise shot-making. Moreover, snooker’s greater number of balls and its scoring system, which includes more extensive rules and fouls, further adds to its complexity (possibly more strategic depth), and a game of snooker is typically longer than a game of 9-ball pool so it can be more mentally taxing as well.
That said, both snooker and pool demands precise ball control (power, spin, accuracy) for positioning and strategic thinking, since players cannot simply pot whichever ball they want and must always plan for the next or several shots ahead.
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I’m now a huge fan of both Wu Lei and Zhao Jinmai. Their chemistry is electrifying and off-the-charts. If they don’t win the best couple award, I’ll riot, because I don’t know who else could.
Please, for the sake of humanity, give them a few more dramas as lovers, because their chemistry is too good to be wasted on just one project.
I’ll miss this show greatly.
And yes, their chemistry outweighs any negatives for me.
10/10.
Weibo Content (BTS, Interviews, etc):
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-tVcTH8XLtaimpDae1dtmGkXAfbvTcLCERXHEwrl61Y/edit?usp=sharing
Episodes: 30
Runtime: 23 Hours
Please refer to my review’s comments section for further details and discussions regarding some of the criticism or complaints towards the show.
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Missed the pocket by a mile
There are mild spoilers in this review, but nothing that will spoil the story.I promise, I gave up on watching romcoms. I really did. But this was a romance drama and I’ve seen some good ones of those. “Lighter and Princess” for instance wasn’t half bad (even though a friend of mine dubbed it lighter and ashtray— you know who you are…) but I’m afraid this one really didn’t make the cut. So if you are going to feel sensitive about a beloved actor, then this review will probably rile you up and is best passed over. Spend your day happily elsewhere. We all have different opinions and I’ve explained my serious reasons, albeit in a somewhat flippant tone.
I’m not a great fan of the standard tsundere type. “We can talk to each other any time if we have anything to say.” Actual quote from Ep 15, albeit in translation. I sort of hope that it lost something in the process there. To me, someone who can’t talk about what they feel is a bit of a red flag. And the way he stared at her at the start was really creepy stalker stuff. Later he makes life changing decisions which he doesn’t discusses with her and she’s the last to know. The character simply wasn’t my type. But putting that aside, Leo Wu did a good job with Lin Yi Yang, and the chemistry was visible in his face right from the start.
But out of what did all this romance spring? There was no witty dialogue going on, no flirtation to lighten the mood. Love seemed to conveniently blossom out of thin air. Followed by a lot on him chasing her, and her pushing him away whilst being pouty petulant. Did the writers actually know why they “fell in love”? It sort of didn’t seem like they did.
Ok, setting the why question aside, and to be fair, I’ve fallen in love for no reason I could explain to myself. To start off with, the romance was pretty cute. It ticked all the standard boxes, as well as all the cliché boxes and all the stating the obvious boxes and a whole bunch of the cringe boxes. It’s really the only reason to watch the drama at all, and you will just about get it in real time, inching inexorably forward, through every tiny nuance. But that’s Chinese romance drama so if I don’t like it, I should just stfu and not watch it! (There, said it for you.) There’s a lot of defensive play nestling up against the cushions and the occasional escaping from an impossible snooker, but they ping around the table and drop the 9-ball without going in off. After about eight episodes I’m kinda over it but I hung in there. Then they really start straying into a sort of toxic, sacrificial relationship dynamic where A (him) relentlessly does everything for B (her), and she takes it all and doesn’t seem to do anything much in return except sleep a lot and cry prettily. Romantic? More Red Flag waving as far as I was concerned.
Which leads me into Yin Guo’s character (Zhao Jin Mai). Take a pound of sugar, some marshmallows and a handful of pink and fluffy with a great big dollop of childish sulky, petulance and a large spoonful of wet weekend; stir constantly for 30 episodes and it should come out pretty much the same as it went in. Really, couldn’t they have written a little bit of an edge in there somewhere. She was supposed to be a competitive sportswoman with an ice queen attitude in her games. I’m afraid that was wishful thinking, ‘cause nowhere did I actually find any believable link between those two supposed sides of her. There’s an internal stillness and concentration that is present in any professional sportsperson, that is born of single-mindedness and dedication, and I just couldn’t see that in Zhao Jin Mai’s eyes or in her character. Leo Wu made a much more convincing job of lining himself up down the cue.
The thing that actually was pretty glacial was the pacing. If you remove the PP from each episode in Helsinki, you’re left with about 5 minutes of real action. I like slow paced dramas but you really have to plumb the character depth to make them work. Unfortunately, here, character exploration was limited to squirming, shyness and ludicrous amounts of hesitancy for at least the first eight episodes. They needed way more variations in dynamics in their relationship to make it interesting and engaging.
There were a lot of characters who just seemed to hang around like loose red balls after the break, getting in the way of a clear view of the black. Not at all enough plot to go round for sooooo many characters. They could have cut the acting budget by half with very little effort and no-one would have noticed. And what is that first rule of writing? — never introduce a character without a well defined and clear purpose. Take Meng Xiao Dong (Wang Xing Yue) for instance and his maybe/maybe-not relationship. It was hinted at and never really explored or resolved so why was it there at all? And it wasn’t like they were short of time.
The lack of any real plot or serious character development meant that the forward momentum was sadly lacking and it became tedious and boring, with each episode pretty much indistinguishable from the previous one.
My final beef is Lin Yi Yang crying poor and it turns out “all” he has is 55,000 US$ and ownership of a billiard hall. Give me strength, I’m lmao at this point. It’s like crying poor because you can’t afford your annual holiday in San Tropez. What planet are people on? Definitely not mine, I’m telling you that. It’s a complete misuse of the word and an absolute insult to a whole world of people who struggle to live their lives and support their families with three less noughts in their bank accounts.
If you enjoyed Road Home, then you will find this a slight step up. The production values in this one were actually reasonable. It was well lit and in focus!
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The Perfect Winter Watch!
“In the past, no matter how hard I worked, how hard I fought, I would always feel empty. Since life is unfair, why do I fight like this? There is no place I have to go, nothing I want with all my heart, no one I need to be with. Until…we met one another in a snowstorm.”________________________________
Where should I start? Perhaps with the statement that if you are looking for a fluffy Cdrama rom-com to watch in the middle of winter, Amidst a Snowstorm of Love is a strong candidate for you to consider. It is a drama full of cute romantic scenes, strong friendships, and endless support from so many different characters. I started this drama in the middle of a pretty bad Cdrama slump, and this was the perfect comfort drama for me to watch while it was coincidentally snowing outside. The leads meet in Finland during a snowstorm, and their story of love and persistence unravels from there. Additionally, much of the plot revolves around the pool table, as the leads are nine-ball and snooker players. Coming into this drama, I knew almost nothing about the sports, but I found myself watching each player anxiously as they competed, silently cheering them on. Amidst a Snowstorm of Love was adapted from the novel of the same name by Mo Bao Fei Bao (墨宝非宝). The novelist’s name may sound familiar; she also wrote the original novels for Go Go Squid!, The Flame’s Daughter, and One and Only.
The first ten or so episodes of the drama are essentially the build-up of Lin Yiyang (ML) and Yin Guo (FL)’s relationship. Lin Yiyang and Yin Guo meet in an evening snowstorm in Finland. The first third of the drama was a bit slow for me, but it quickly picked up speed. Lin Yiyang is an international student in communications, and Yin Guo has come to compete in a major nine-ball competition. Much of the drama is centered around their cute moments in Finland, or as I commented earlier, are basically snapshots of the two walking around in the snow. And of course, food, food, and food! The Chinese characters speak English for a good portion of the drama in Finland. Lin Yiyang and Yin Guo’s relationship is literally the biggest green flag you’ll see in CdramaLand. They are extremely considerate of each other, are amazing communicators (after countless dramas with stupid misunderstandings, thank you!!), and are supportive of each other’s goals. Their little WeChat conservation moments are adorable! Additionally, despite Lin Yiyang being away from the pro-snooker life for over a decade, Yin Guo didn’t hesitate at all when she told him she would support him if he wanted to compete again. Lin Yiyang was the Chinese snooker champion by 13, but soon ‘retired’ due to conflicts with the judges. Yin Guo also started nine-ball at a young age and is currently one of the top internationally-ranked players.
You could say that Lin Yiyang took the initiative for their romantic relationship, but both of the leads were drawn to each other from the get-go. It was so sweet to see Lin Yiyang and his friend Wu Wei taking time out of their day to show Yin Guo and her cousin Meng Xiaotian around Hull, Finland. Lin Yiyang would go on such long train rides just to see Yin Guo again! They’re both more introverted, so as they got to know each other, it was more common to see them eating and chatting over the phone than actually speaking to each other. And after Yin Guo went back to China, they continued to talk to each other over the phone nonstop. The communication between the two is mature and impeccable. There are no stupid misunderstandings at all, and although both leads have attracted a lot of admirers (especially Lin Yiyang), there is just an amazing level of trust that leads to absolutely no jealously at all. I also appreciate the fact that the ML and FL’s admirers backed off after seeing the two together. Thank you, thank you!
Another essential aspect of the drama is the undying support the characters pour on each other. Not only does Lin Yiyang help Yin Guo get ready for her first competition in Finland, but the support is mutual. As Yin Guo slowly learns about Lin Yiyang’s past, she and his old friends are thrilled to learned that he wants to go back to professional snooker. And the bromances are so funny and heartwarming! Even before I knew that the novelist for this drama was the same for Go Go Squid!, I could see similarities between the close-knit friendships tied together by a shared love for the sport. In the beginning, I thought that Yin Guo’s other cousin, Meng Xiaodong (Xiaotian’s older brother) would be a problem in their relationship due to his seemingly hostile past with Lin Yiyang, but I was so wrong. Meng Xiaodong turned out to be one of the most supportive people towards both their relationship and Lin Yiyang’s return to pro-snooker. (There’s plenty of eye candy as well, but that’s just a plus!) We also witness the rekindling of friendships between Lin Yiyang and his former peers whom he left years ago.
I would say that the only major roadblock in Lin Yiyang and Yin Guo’s relationship is Yin Guo’s mom, but she wasn’t much of a problem either. I won’t say why she wasn’t initially supportive of them being together, because it’s explained in the drama. However, her initial dislike towards Yiyang is pretty reasonable. I also think that this progression from dislike to a loving embrace really shows Lin Yiyang’s character changing for the better since he was that stubborn and haughty snooker champion as a teenager. Some people were unhappy with the lack of "subtance" in the drama, but then were upset about the mom. (Just an example of how we can't cater to everyone.) I’m also going to take a minute here to appreciate his amazing teacher, Mr. He Wenfeng. Lin Yiyang was his last student, whom he treated like a grandson. Mr. He is the teacher all of us want, and Lin Yiyang wouldn’t be where he was at 13 or today without his guidance.
In my opinion, Wu Lei and Zhao Jinmai had amazing chemistry. It didn’t help when their characters were so loving and supportive towards each other either! Even as opponents, every clap and congratulations were extremely genuine and everyone was happy for one another, no matter who won or lost. All the actors and actresses made the rom-com enjoyable, with plenty of smiles and laughs. The OST is cute and perfect for the leads' happy moments together. Amidst a Snowstorm of Love was the first drama I’ve watched that shines the spotlight on the pool table. Since I know basically nothing about snooker and nine-ball, I can’t testify to whether the drama showed gameplay correctly, but it sparked my interest in the sports. And given that China is currently very high-ranked internationally in terms of snooker and nine-ball, the drama also was able to raise awareness for the sports in China, and of course, outside of China.
All in all, Amidst a Snowstorm of Love is the perfect cuddly winter watch! It is a perfect combination of romance, friendship, and healthy relationships across the board. You are not only transported to the world of pool, but also get to experience a Finnish winter and amazing love story. It’s definitely a plus if you start this drama when it’s snowing outside. (That’s what happened for me!)
Thanks for reading!
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This review may contain spoilers
I tried
Not sure what to like about the show. I started it with so much hope.Amazing scenery being set in Finland.
But I had trouble buying into the chemistry of the 2 leads. And when the drama is entirely about their relationship that is particularly troubling.
Pace of the drama was way too slow - each of them staring at each other, first awkwardly then lovey dovey. Same for the supporting cast looking at them. It's almost laughable. I bore with it will episode 25 and then started skipping the remaining 5.
Them playing snooker started of as a simple plot tool, but the shots/scenes of them playing got repetitive/same and I wasn't sure of what the point of the snooker was. It was always the on table camera shot of them hitting the ball and pocketing it. And they were either winners or runners up in All tournaments.
The last episode was to have been wildy romantic but I could not ignore the poor attempt dubbing the singing of Leo Wu and cue collage of all their scenes in the entire drama.
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screaming, squealing and swooning.
oh my god what have they laced these episodes with! simply can't stop watching them. from the very first scene, the cinematography is breathtaking. i really love the setting of the show- winter aesthetic never fails to deliver. also, shooting abroad with the snowy backdrop was legit one of the best decisions made. it doesn't feel like watching 30 episodes. everytime an episode ends it feels like it's over so soon. everything is made so well to make it look like watching an extended movie, you'll find yourself casually transition to next and next episodes on autopilot.acting:
as expected, both Leo Wu and Zhao Jin Mai deliver standout performances. Wu Lei is the best on screen boyfriend for the year. oh boy, the way he's hopelessly in love and expresses himself with his entire being is simply adorable and incredibly sexy at the same time. he plays his character with so much nuance. man he conveys a range of emotions with just his eyes and even when he's just... there, he makes his scenes so impactful. i haven't seen many actors that have this much captivating aura tbh.
Zhao Jin Mai's acting is equally commendable. she brings grace and authenticity to her role with subtle gestures. impressed by how she delivers her dialogues being expressive and realistic at the same time. overall they complement each other so so well. best duo of the year istg.
together their chemistry is top tier. I've not found a single scene where their chemistry is below perfection, its always sizzling. their interactions elevate the entire mood, there's like an invisible magnetic pull beutween them- like every glance loaded with unspoken intensity and sparks fly. forget butterflies i get the whole damn fireworks going on. Yin Guo and Yi Yang have this chemistry that's not just seen but felt and resonates.
lovable side characters:
also it's a huge bonus that the side characters aren't boring or annoying! Jiang Yang, Meng Xiao Dong and Wu Wei in particular stood out to me for being incredible support characters that we don't usually see in dramas.
• Wu Wei has this soft aura around him who's easy going, supportive and the kinda person you can always count for being by your side. when he was genuinely happy for Yi Yang and sheds happy tears on hearing about his comeback, wow that one scene showed how much he truly values and supports his friends.
• Meng Xiao Dong is prolly my fav of them all (no surprise there). he's hot, wears suits, has this cold unapproachable aura and hot (oh i mentioned it already nvm). he's the scene stealer in this show for me.
• Jiang Yang seemed cold at first but soon turned out to be a sweet guy who also goes beyond limits for his friends. i don't think he's much appreciated but man is the one who was persistent to bring Yi Yang back to court.
• also honorable mention to Xiao Tian who we saw more in the beginning and towards the end of series and was the first shipper of main leads lol. he's got this bubbly personality that automatically makes you smile.
i could go on and on about all the characters as well but if you haven't watched yet, I'll let you witness it firsthand. I'll just say it's hard not to love the characters- mentioned or not. they all have amazing chemistry and it truly shows how close their friendship is. they've picked just the right actors for the right roles I'm so satisfied. this cast really had actors that can act well. i could also say the same about the actresses but one stood out to me in particular- the actress who played He Jia (He laoshe's daughter); she was simply excellent with her delivery and micro expressions. unfortunately she wasn't highlighted much in the series but her performance was hands down the best among anyone here.
final words:
i can't say it's perfect, this show definitely has its own flaws. i would say there are some scenes that seems to not fit in with the pacing or overdone or even unnecessary at times. also I believe some scenes (like intimate ones) were cut off due to censorship. also I'm a little disappointed with the screentime of side characters, i was hoping to see more of other couples as well. but truly it can be overlooked by everything else that made up for it- like the stellar performances, mesmerizing soundtracks, not to mention the overall aesthetics, that combine together to create a cozy atmosphere that seems like a warm hug on a cold day!! it was such fun experience watching and swooning in the comment section (shoutout to angela who couldn't keep her excitement in like many of us and was so relatable with her timely comments). bittersweet to say goodbye to this show and hoping to see the cast in future works. snowstorm may have passed but it's always in our hearts ❤️
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This drama is made to give you butterflies! The romance is just beautiful...
Two calm and young humans fall in love amidst a snowstorm in a snowy country! This sentence sums the whole drama up.From the beginning, we get to see lovers who fall in love in a pure way, just like snow. It's just serene and sweet, and nothing more.
There are obstacles. There are past issues. There are some grains of mystery involved, but their romance development is on-point and flowing like the wind.
The scenery is marvelous! we get to see European cities covered in snow, trees, and cute cafes. It's one of those Aesthetic dramas that satisfy your craving for beauty.
The OSTs and main songs are sooo beautiful. The lyrics match the whole story and it's mesmerizing.
Also, there is no love triangle or exes from the past.
The leads have the healthiest relationship ever and their communication is so sweet.
Also, it's notable to mention that this drama has the most beautiful romantic scenes. The leads get to kiss and hold hands whenever they are given the chance! it's just pure ROMANCE.
Overall, a very sweet and romantic modern Cdrama. It's a must-watch imo :)
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This review may contain spoilers
The Best Boyfriend in Modern Dramas
Leo Wu’s portrayal of Lin Yi Yang in “Amidst a Snowstorm of Love” undeniably stands out among the green flag men on screen. For Yi Yang, a former snooker champ, it’s love at first sight when he meets Yin Guo (Zhao Jin Mai), another snooker champ, on a stormy, snowy night at a bar.Though he's at a loss for words to express his feelings, his actions speak volumes. Yin Guo is swept away by the sheer depth and purity of his emotions. His gestures, though subtle, leave a lasting impact—from booking her a comfortable hotel room before a game to warming her slippers on a cold day, and even traveling halfway across the world to wish her a happy birthday. He is stable, supportive, proud of her achievements, and happy to bask in her glory. This relationship is one of equals, and it’s his unwavering love and sincerity toward Yin Guo that drives him to go the extra mile in his own life.
Leo Wu has immortalized Lin Yi Yang as one of the dreamiest on-screen characters, setting a high bar for what makes a perfect boyfriend. Hopelessly devoted to Yin Guo, his patience and endearing charm, coupled with those heart-melting kisses, make Lin Yi Yang the epitome of boyfriend goals and the Mr. Romantic many seek.
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weak story, poor writing, skip the first 15 eps
Early on I got very bad vibes of Love Me, Love My Voice, a show I rated at 5/10. There are parallels in the relationship development but I'll try not to repeat the same review.The 1st thing I notice is the Canada Goose branded outerwear in the opening scenes in another Chinese-in-a-foreign-land scenario. There's a lot of nice designer winter wear in the first 6 eps, yet how is it possible to have packed 5 different puff down jackets into the single suitcase each character carries. But I digress.
Yin Guo is a 21 y/o pedigreed pool player who arrives in Helsinki, Finland with her cousin to check out a univeristy he's interested in while she herself is signed up for a local 9-ball tournament. They meet 27 y/o Lin Yi Yang, a graduate student & retired champion snooker player. It took 4 episodes just to get this much information. I didn't know when the story was starting, what the characters' backgrounds were, or even what their university majors were (& never will find out by the end). In fact, the first 15 eps could easily have been condensed into 3 eps. A lot (& I mean a LOT) of time was spent with the ML staring silently at the FL while she shifted around awkwardly. They don't talk much, but somehow the ML decides he's madly in love. He admits he doesn't know how to date so all he does is take her out to eat, resulting in 8 eps of food touring all over Helsinki. Everyone else just talks about their relationship status. By Ep13 the 9-ball tourny was only a distraction, there's still no story in sight & I've just watched one of the emptiest 15 eps of a drama ever.
This is the 1st time I've seen Leo Wu so stiff & expressionless, like he doesn't know what to do with his character, trying to portray someone deeply pained but not quite getting it. At least with his last sports drama, Nothing But You, we got a detailed glimpse of the tennis world. In Snowstorm there's very little explanation of world of cue sports. Billiards, snooker, pool, 8/9-ball... it's obviously a varied & highly nuanced game but no insights are offered by the time the show is already half over.
Not until Ep15 does the story finally get off the ground after characters from YiYang's past gradually get introduced as they all start converging into Helsinki for the tournament. Things move along as YiYang makes a career decision, the professional competition circuit begins, and he comes to terms with the events of his past, clearing the way forward to a future he strives for. In the beginning it seemed that Yin Guo would be the central character. However, by the 2nd half, all the story conflicts & developments involved YiYang, making him the central character. The show was more interesting whenever there was less focus on Yin Guo, which leads to the question of how important a character is she really, considering all the screen time she gets. She's left unchallenged, unchanged, & actually does very little for YiYang except sleep with him (& almost carelessly at that). After the conclusion of an exciting pan-Asian cue sport competition, the drama reverts to the conventional wrap-up ending, i.e. waste of time final episode, and without really concluding any of the supporting characters' arcs (who weren't that developed to begin with).
So, a disappointing show given that Leo Wu has been in so many other far more entertaining dramas.
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This was a struggle to watch...
Despite all the rave reviews, I REALLY struggled to watch this drama. The meet cute of love at first sight is not my favorite trope, but it can be good if done right (DOTS, Strong Woman, Go Go Squid. Etc…). Here it seemed unreasonable and forced. There is absolutely no build up of why the ML falls in love with her.I was not fond of the FL either. She lacked depth, and her expression remained the same throughout which makes it hard to become engaged. Also, I just would have liked to have seen the ML paired with someone who could have matched his intensity, at least a little bit. I think Leo Wu’s infatuated stare works best with FLs with a little more energy and reciprocation.
Let’s face it, with his longing looks, Leo Wu could make a tree fall in love with him. I might have preferred a tree opposite him in this. At least it wouldn’t have kept dodging him every time he tried to get close. I just felt the ML was dragging the FL through most of the scenes.
The slow pace is also an issue for me. While I do appreciate these types of dramas, and I do like them sometimes, I have to be in the right mood and patience to watch them.
I do think if you're looking for something that is very low angst, a lot of eating, sleeping and minimal dialogue or Hallmark Channel-isk (skin deep love vs bone deep love), then you might really like this.
For the record, because of the hype, I tried to watch this several times, but after numerous attempts, I had to let it go. Summed up: This series is like hating tomatoes (LAFS trope, FL, slow pacing), knowing you hate tomatoes, but having everyone tell you to just try it, you’re going to love it, but in the end, you not only still hate tomatoes, you’re mad.
2 Stars. 1 for Effort. 1 for Leo Wu.
Note: The above review is based solely on my opinion which I feel is important to express. It is not meant to offend anyone who is infatuated with this series.
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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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Such a sweeeeeettt heart touching romance drama!!!!
I've never really written a proper review on any of the dramas I've watched but this one's special. I loved this drama so much, like the plot, the vibe of the drama, the acting of the leads, the chemistry, everything was so perfectly done! I loved how the main couple's (tbh the side actors as well) acting was so natural and just flawless, no cringy stuff at all. It sometimes felt as if I was a third wheel while watching their sweet scenes lmao. Nevertheless, I'm definitely recommending this drama to everyone who might come across this review. Especially to those who love "all-sweet" romance, no cringe, no misunderstandings, no love triangles, no meanies to break the leads apart, supportive friends/family type of dramas- this one's for y'all. :)Was this review helpful to you?
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Heart warming, touching, admirable.
Amidst a Snowstorm of Love ❄️❤️I finished watching all 30 episodes, last watched ep 30 at 3:15 am and since that moment I've been feeling blank.
This drama made me feel a lot, and taught me quite some interesting points of life too. Their first giddy yet awkward love story may happen to anyone else too. The feelings of falling in love for the first time, the struggle to keep a conversation running, the unsaid thoughts, the sensational skin ship. Everything's relatable.
Not to mention how they portrayed the background stories of each characters and their growth. How they may be immature and hard headed at first but then learnt better of how to get a hold of themselves and think about others. Particular conservative Chinese identity that some character showcased, the importance of respecting others especially elderly, they showed great effort thru all of those. They also portrayed the sport amazingly well even tho there are some flaws still in the real sport terms. The dedication for the sport they love, their brotherhood and the bond they created while striving for a sport that they are proud of are so admirable. From coaches to the team and fans, they legit put on a great sportsmanship.
The actors and actresses blended well in their characters as if the directors hand picked them out from the novel. From main to side characters, they each have their ray of lights. The panoramic views from different location they shooted this, the soothing melodious music background and original song tracks they produced for the show were so brilliant and fit the concept exceptionally well.
Relationship, either with your family, friends or lover, relationship exists everywhere. There might be times where things won't go the way we wanted but surely, patience and tolerance will save us. There's more to relationship than just hugs, kisses, or compliments. Sometimes they can be words of comfort, acts of service, and even the presence alone, of both parties in well condition is enough to link up a relationship.
This drama is truly a relaxing healing drama. Worth the wait, worth the hype, worth the time watching. Surely gonna repeat watching this all over again anytime soon.
Kuddos to the author for writing such masterpiece and to the director, crews, actors and actresses for making such a beautiful series.
Amidst a Snowstorm of Love, after every snowstorm, there'll sunlight again, and then, you may feel the warmness again.
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