A touching story of first love, youth, and fighting for a dream

Watched this for Part 1: Ice and Snow Love and was impressed by the quality of it. Part 1 is gorgeous in filming, acting, and setting. TODoI's mix of tribute drama, sports drama, and idol drama elements could have easily gone wrong but Director Bai Tao pulls it all together to tell a poignant story of the love and struggles of a figure skating pair. There are so many gorgeous shots. And while the choice of how to shoot the figure skating doesn't always work, the imagination and hard work behind bringing it to life can be appreciated. Also in Director Bai Tao's favor is his ability to shoot some of the best "innocent" kiss scenes I've seen in years of watching Cdrama. They feel like a breath of fresh air after a sea's worth of dead fish kisses.
Chen Ruoxuan and Peng Xiaoran can also be thanked in this regard. They breathe life into their respective characters and make the journey of Yan Zhenhua and Li Binghe's romance one that feels unforgettable its portrayal of a bittersweet first love. Peng Xiaoran especially shines in her role as Li Binghe. For viewers wanting a female lead with personality and determination, Li Binghe is an absolute gem and her character arc alone is worth giving this drama a try.
I'd recommend this drama to fans of sports dramas, fans of idol dramas who are looking for a little more depth and don't mind BE, and fans who enjoy the artistry of film-making. The BE tag might scare some viewers away but TODoI was so moving, I don't have any regrets despite its rocky ending (there's closure in the second part anyway). In fact, I don't even like sports dramas but not only has TODoI: Ice and Snow Love become a drama in my list of top 5 Cdramas but it has also renewed my faith in Cdramas as a whole.

Read More