When I Fly Towards You (2023)

The Pinnacle of Youth Dramas

Oh my god. I really don't know what I'm going to do with my life now that this show is over.

At first glance this might seem like every other Chinese youth drama — sunshine FL/quiet ML, some grade-obsessed parents, sports day, a playful second couple — but so many things actually made this drama shine above all others.

The first thing is just how the plot really feels like a coming-of-age drama, without being overdramatic or sugary. I know it might be fun and inspiring when we watch a youth drama and a friend group is depressed when they find out someone's transferring schools, only to band together to stop it. But in real life, there are a lot of things outside our control and the only thing you can do is let it happen, know you can get through it, remember everyone still cares for each other at the end of the day — no matter the circumstances. That's what this drama did: physical obstacles were rarely overblown into emotional obstacles. It might sound bittersweet, but the fact that the plot flowed this way made it ten times more relatable to real life.

It really also meant that each character was given their time in the spotlight. Every person dealt with something themselves and everyone else was there to support them. Each person in the friend group had a distinct personality and subplot and it never felt choppy or random. It felt simply like learning more about your friends over time. WIFTY struck a perfect balance between giving its characters freedom and still making them feel inseparable that I don't think I've seen done so well in any other show.

I need more drama writers to take notes from Su Zai Zai, who seems like a typical bubbly FL on the surface but was actually really straightforward, stood up for herself, was smart in her own right, and had her own goals and was realistic in chasing them. She's absolute proof that giving an FL a crush doesn't mean it has to become her entire personality.

Zhang Lu Rang was a fantastic ML too. Once again, he might seem like the typical quiet and smart ML, but he was never mean or rude or overly perfect, and he had his flaws too that SZZ perfectly balanced out. This drama perfectly encapsulated why they belonged together. This was one of the rare dramas where the couples didn't get boring for me after they got together.

In fact, the chemistry is absolutely amazing between both couples, who also had their distinct dynamic and plot development.

Between the friendship warming up your heart and the romance giving me butterflies, there are absolutely no moments in this drama that I would skip. The OST fits perfectly and the cinematography is beautiful. The only bad thing I can say about this drama is that it ends.

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This particular drama teaches you a multitude of valuable lessons.

OMG, I absolutely loved the movie! Its my first time to watch a romance and watch a c drama and I just finished watching it last night, and I'm still in awe! I wish I had known about it earlier, because I can't stop thinking about it! I dream about it all the time because it affected me so deeply. There are so many important lessons that I've learned from it. The most important one is: If something is meant for you, it will come at the right time. I hope the actor continues to work on more dramas like this! Every time I think about it, I can't stop smiling, and I also cry during the episode- part also it gives me butterflies in my stomach. This movie really affects me on an emotional level.😭😭❤️

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Felt nostalgic to the bones

Left me with a sense of fulfillment. When I Fly Towards You is by far the second most peaceful drama (the first being Hidden Love). ZaiZai is the cutest and the most beautiful character ever. Even when she's head over heels for a boy, she always stood her ground, boldly confronted the bullies and worked hard to develop a sense of individuality and independence within. Zhang Lurang.... damn that guy is one charming man. Quiet and aloof yet has a sense of responsibility and loyal to death. The way he was persistent on resolving every misunderstanding that came his way regarding his love life, it was a green flag right there! Every problems were resolved quickly within one episode and it wasn't dragged on much. ZaiZai's best friend Jiang Jia was the best depiction of how a friend is supposed to be. All in all, I loved the drama and it deserves the 9 rating through and through.

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Managed to stay relevant out of the many school youth romance dramas out there

I was overzealous about its popularity in the review forum. Now I knew why this drama was a hit. Basically, it was the authenticity of the story, of the characters, of the dialogues, and of the emotions that no surprise this drama got a higher number of viewership. The story might be made up but it was identifiable in all aspects related to adolescence. The fact that they do away with the glossiness and overdoing of scenes, this drama was able to create an impact.

All five main youth characters were all lovable and funny who formed a nicely typical friendship while studying. Later on, young love started to grow among them because of constant togetherness which led to a happy ending to one of the pairs. I am making a special mention and credit to the screenwriter who gave us lots of prudence words here, which you might consider simple after hearing but practically logical with deeper meanings. This I think was its breakthrough aspect over other dramas. The story showed some of the general representation of a youth who was naturally impulsive, carefree, bubbly, and timid at times; and precise descriptions of their dilemmas over confession of young love, romantic anxiety separation, pressure on academic performances, difficulty in expressing oneself, and uncertainty of one’s dreams. It was packed with life lessons beneficial to young students transitioning to adulthood and the people around them.

Having watched this set of five good decent kids in the most candid narration of experiences set at grade 10 days following university life up until to working environment, I supposed, it obtained a distinguished spot in the collection of this genre that conveyed positivity and encouragement. How nice also for this drama to have brought us to our memories of shared experiences of our very own first stomach butterfly feeling and simply recalled that “Liking someone means caring for him or her”, and that person becomes “Your ultimate solution, like a magical remedy that can cure everything.” The love story of Zhang Lurang and Su Zaizai was a thing of cuteness and maturity, another envious beautiful romance to name. If I were to pick a drama out of the many that left me happy thoughts after watching it, When I Fly Towards You is one best fit to mention.

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It's like a shot of espresso for your soul—energizing, addictive, and oh-so satisfying.

Picture this: you're scrolling through your streaming platform, looking for your next binge-worthy obsession, and BAM! You stumble upon this little gem. Let me tell you, from the moment I hit play, I was hooked like a fish on a line.

First things first, let's talk about the characters. Su Zai Zai? Total firecracker! She's got this infectious energy that just lights up the screen, and her chemistry with Zhang Lu Rang? Off. The. Charts. I swear, sparks were flying from my laptop!

But it's not just about the main couple—oh no, this drama's got a whole squad of side characters that'll steal your heart. From the goofy antics of the friend group to the heartwarming bond between Guan Fang and his grandma, there's never a dull moment.

Now, onto the love story. Su Zai Zai and Zhang Lu Rang's journey from high school crushes to grown-up lovebirds had me on the edge of my seat. And let me tell you, their confession scene? I was practically squealing with delight!

But hey, I'll be real with you—this drama isn't without its flaws. There were a few moments where I wished they'd slowed down and given us more juicy details, like at graduation ceremonies or during the second couple's love story. Seriously, they deserved way more screen time!

But despite these tiny hiccups, "When I Fly Towards You" is like a shot of pure adrenaline straight to the heart. It's got romance, it's got drama, and most importantly, it's got heart. So, if you're in need of a pick-me-up or just want to indulge in some seriously addictive drama, look no further than "When I Fly Towards You." Trust me, you won't regret it!

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Youthful and light coming-of-age drama

This was a really light, fast and cute watch. Overall, I thought it was pretty good, but I must enlighten how the first few episodes made me cringe so hard that it felt even a little painful at times. Su ZaiZai’s flirtatious approach was so embarrassing and hard to get used to that I almost dropped the drama because of it. I don’t really like when the female protagonists are so head over heels out of nowhere that they make it way too obvious too early in the story. Thank goodness Zhang Lurang wasn’t the rude and arrogant kind of popular guy and also fell for her pretty quickly.

My favorite character was Gu Ran. I really wish the drama had given him and Jiang Jia more screen time in the university phase of the drama… The way their relationship was resolved felt really rushed. I wasn’t satisfied enough!

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This is a very tenuous coming of age drama that is full of fluffy moments for the leading couple. The leading couple develops a nice relationship that transforms them in subtle ways; they are both steadfast and endearing in their relationship. Although the romance takes time to develop and the romantic scenes are a bit lacking, mostly from the female lead, this drama is quite nice to watch. It is a drama about a group of friends and their journey into adulthood. There are no major conflicts and their passage into adulthood is really nice to watch. The female lead was a tad overly enthusiastic and eager but she also has a sense of maturity and awareness that influences people around her, especially the male lead. Overall, this is a lighthearted drama with a very lovely romantic story and great camaraderie among the group of friends. Enjoy it!

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I LOVE THIS DRAMA SM

i cried immediately after i finished the show i cant let it go bro😭 this is the first time ive ever been SO attached to a show let alone a cdrama?! i hvnt even been this attacted to kdramas bro, this drama hit different like it literally made my life a million times better, i love whoever wrote this drama and whoever casted the cast for this drama, this made my life worth it with this drama fr🫶🏻 the plot the chemistry between the 5 friends and the chem between the 2 couples as well, i wish they started dating earlier esp guran and jia but lurang and zaizai also shouldve dated earlier because 5 eps of them dating IS NOT ENOUGH, anyways this is probs the first and last drama ill suffer post drama depression from, this drama did smth to me istg i love it too much ill never let go and i fell inlove wif zhang lurang(zhou yiran) as well overall this show is ♾️/♾️ i will defo recommend it to everybody its too good not to watch, if i didnt watch this drama my life would probably be a million times more depressing this drama actually changed my life im too attached to this couple i cant watch any other shows where they're dating smbdy else ill cry AND THEIR RS IS SO CUTE I CANT ANYMORE

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A feel good innocent romance and coming of age drama made full of heart and care

PROS:
-Effective cinematography and shooting styles, I also love how the changing four seasons is shown throughout. The accompanying OST are wonderful too.
-Beautiful lines and quotes, among my top favourites:
Ep1: The rainy day that disappeared, I really want to get sprinkled again
Ep 5: If time can be suspended, I hope they will always be my good friends, the kind that never leave
-Green flag characters; the main characters in this show have positive outlooks and actions in their life
-Female lead Su Zaizai is one of the female lead with most positive attributes in Cdramaland - bold, cute, kind, chivalrous, brave, able to stand up for her rights and help others in need, and more mature than what her energetic personality suggests. Her sunny disposition rubs others in a heartwarming way(including the viewers such as me).
-Male lead Zhang Lurang is an introvert but unlike negative introvert characters in the past, he's reactive to Su Zaizai's advancements, it's a two way arrow. His little smiles which keep growing by the finale is adorable to watch.
-The 'squad' of 5 is adorable, their friendship gives off a special feel to adults like me, something that I may once feel back then in my schoolyears but get lost in time as time goes by and adulthood takes over. One of the most effective friendship scene where I shed my tears is when Su Zaizai found the rest rummaging the trash to help her. Great shots, great emotions felt without much dialogues or exaggerated emotional outputs.
-There are not much about the family members, but they are nicely depicted to show how Su Zaizai and Zhang Lurang grow into their sunny vs introvert characters. Other than that, Guan Fang's grandma has some of the subtly emotional scenes of the drama, and I also feel for Zhang Luli. His talk with Su Zaizai tugs at my heart.
-There is no prolonged third parties or major incidents in the storyline, most issues got resolved within 1 or 2 episodes.
-24 episodes at 30-min runtime is just nice, the pacing is comfortable for a leisure binge or daily watch

CONS:
-The female lead might feel too shamelessly into the male lead in the first few episodes (it gets better as male leads reaction gets more obvious and more of female lead's positive personality shown from episode 5+)
-Storyline is generic and lack of dramatic twists and turns in the plot, it's a flat slice of life drama about some kids growing up into adults, full of youth romance tropes
-The romance is innocent, even their kisses at the end feel innocent though sweet, there are no steamy romance and intense sexual pleasure
-There is not much details towards some other characters and sub lines in the end, such as Zhang Lurang's parents
-Their daily school-college-work life feel too idealistic and gave off a dreamy vibe, lack of touch with realism

OVERALL:

It's a story of a little sun and a sunflower finding and 'flying' towards each other. Must watch if you like coming of age genre with an innocent, pure young romance done exceptionally well. One of the best in this genre. Stay far far away if you want intense romance, dramatic issues, dark characters, tragic events, harsh reality...

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A sweet and comfortable love story, ever so slightly heart-clenching

If you are looking for a minimal-stress, comfortable love story, this one's for you!

This is the most stress-free youthful love story in 2023 by far, with slightly heart-clenching stories that are not hard to watch. With a relatively simple storyline, it successfully showed us how a simple one-sided love develops into a lifelong
relationship, and tells the story of each character and how their surroundings sculpted their character while they grow.

In this drama, there are multiple layers of relations such as self-esteem, family, friendships, and couple relationships. Everyone had their own stories and struggles (not too dramatic), and I clenched my heart for every one of them when watching their stories unfold. This drama touched on some important life stories in the most lighthearted way possible, without dragging problems or conflicts on for too long in the plot.

The main casts were all great in their roles, and the whole drama was so comfortable and enjoyable! All of them could speak up at the right time and worked hard while standing up for everything they believed in. They were all so mature when it came down to important issues and could be playful when it was allowed. I cannot explain further how much I loved the way the characters were written.

Throughout the whole drama, I laughed (and cried a little) along with the characters. I could sometimes relate to their struggles, being sad with them whenever something negative happened, and feeling proud whenever they achieved something great. It was like looking back at my youth, and seeing character development (without too much of a heavy plot) felt really enjoyable as well.
Since there was nothing in the plot for which I had to deduct points, When I Fly Towards You fully deserves 10 points from me!

See you next time, peach

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