Nothing But Love (2023)

Oddly flat

While I did finish this drama I ended up f-forwarding through at least a third of it, largely because I just wasn't that invested in most of the characters.

High points:

I loved the relationship development between the ML and his step-father. Loved it! Actually cried real tears when ML finally calls step-father dad.

Also very much liked the secondary relationship between the coach and FL's best friend. Given their respective romantic back-stories it progressed suitably slowly and was quite sweet.

It was very nice to have a FL who was highly competent, intelligent and with just enough character flaws to be interesting.

FL's boss's wife's story of empowerment. This was change I could believe and really enjoy! Watching her despair and lack of agency turn to quiet self-confidence was a joy.

Low points:

Redemption of the FL's boss (and to a lesser extent the boss's business rival) . I find the idea that someone who is utterly self-absorbed and quite ruthless would somehow change so dramatically to be absurd and honestly felt that the changes went so far as to be OOC. Probably my own cynicism showing but there you have it.

I didn't like the third romantic couple, both of whom also had dramatic personality changes over the course of the drama. Personal growth I'm certainly here for but once again I found the changes to be extreme, OOC and not believable.

For the rest, sadly it was kind of meh. Wu Lei was himself, a touch more animated than I've seen so far and ofc very pretty to watch. I agree with many others that there was very little chemistry between the two leads and as a result this drama distinguished itself by being the first where I f-forwarded through main couple interactions on several occasions.

Can't see myself ever re-watching this one!

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Romance in the small things

If you think Duan Jiaxu is the epitome of the Green Flag, just wait until you meet Song San Chuan.

I've always liked Leo Wu Lei, but when I saw his latest drama, 'Nothing But You,' a sports romance series, I thought, 'Nope, not gonna watch this, it looks boring.' But man, was I wrong.

It was a really good, uplifting story. Quoting thefangirlverdict.com, 'romance in the small things.' I was skeptical about the age gap at first, but the female lead (FL) and male lead (ML) supported each other in their careers, and it was as romantic as any romance drama can get. I almost wish they would get together in real life.

I don't play tennis at all, but watching Wu Lei play tennis in this drama makes me want to try it out as well. Haha. I think this underdog theme in the drama is truly motivational and worth watching. Anyway, this drama has made it to my list of favorite dramas of all time

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light easy not-so-sporty "sports" drama

I really wish this show would've focused more on the sports aspect. You can't really call this one a true sports drama; yes, there is a sports focus, but most of the sports in it are training and talk about rosters and more training. There were maybe 2 actual matches shown in this show, which I find to be ridiculous because the show is 38 episodes and they could've fit in way more matches for the run time. The best parts of the show were the episodes focused on a tournament or match. This show could easily have been maybe a 9.5/10 if a bunch more high-intensity competitions were added.

I didn't mind the age gap too much. I would say the chemistry was pretty good up until ML and FL actually got together, then they weren't so believable as a couple. I found myself skipping most of the last few episodes of them being a couple because it just wasn't too interesting honestly. I liked Wu Lei's pining and devotion toward Zhou Yu Tong's character. This role really suited him so well, he made the character very believable. Wu Lei playing a younger man who is vibrant and pining for the older character works very well. He is indeed, very young, so this type of role suits him very well in my opinion. Zhou Yu Tong aka Liang Yu Tong is very likable also. She has more to her than just being in love with Leo Wu. She actually doesn't act on her feelings for Song Sang Chuan (Wu Lei) up until around episode 30. I enjoyed that. Liang Yu Tong is a very independent, strong working woman who is very driven towards her work. She is a workaholic and not hypnotized by the "glimmer" which could be falling in love. She knows she can do just fine on her own, if not better. I like how this show emphasizes that you do not need to fall in love to feel like a whole person. You can be very much fine and happy on your own and along the way of living you may meet someone who you fall in love with, but that doesn't and should not define you.

Is this show repetitive? Yes, I would say so. Would I describe it as boring. Yup, kind of was. 4/5ths of it is Song Sang Chuan training, there's a training montage, Liang Yu Tong managing the tennis team, then she's watching him or helping him out, and then you have a scene where they are interacting with each other, helping each other solve some problems, rinse and repeat. Although it was repetitive I would say it was moderately entertaining. I didn't skip most of the show and I didn't drop it.

I would say that this show is very easy to watch, it makes good background noise and once you do want to pay attention you won't be lost in what is going on. I would watch this show one week then spend other weeks doing something else and come back to the show and still be engaged and not confused. I really enjoyed the easiness of the show. If you are looking for something very intense and emotionally provoking then I would skip this one.

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I can't imagine Song Sanchuan and Liang You'an other than Wu Lei and Zhou Yutong

This drama could have ended for around 25-30 eps. It was a unique drama and the usual sports drama tropes are present. There are certain arcs too that are dragging and could be down to lessen the ep but nonetheless, these didn't really watered down the quality of this amazing drama.
They really delivered the Chinese title (Nothing but Love) of this drama very well. I cannot really imagine having a different Song Sanchuan and Liang You'an other than Wu Lei and Zhou Yutong. Their interaction on screen are sooooooo natural to the point that I felt that it's like an invasion of privacy watching their sweet moments lol, I wouldn't also mind if they have a dating scandal after this, I totally root for them!

All the feels watching this last ep, I was smiling and giggling for the whole 40 minutes.


Just want to recap the highlights of the Ep 38:

- Mr. Gao Li and Jiang Jie's friendship is not the friendship we all asked for but gave to us with wholesome conviction. We know they are both scheming and always on each others neck but to see them joke around (even Jiang Jie splashing water to Gao Li), its so kind of like... "I know you are somewhat a bad guy, but you deserve a nice scene too." lol

- Jiang Jie watching to reconcile with Chen Ke. I was actually hoping or more like anticipating that Chen Ke will welcome back her husband again, rekindle their romance in some sort. We can also see that Jiang Jie wanted it too to happen. But when we saw how happy and vibrant Chen Ke was telling about her younger boyfriend, it was kind of melancholic how she and Jiang Jie parted ways in front of the Top Smash entrance. The feeling of relief and sadness that their toxic relationship ended well but not everyone moved on.

- Lu Nian and Coach Yan lol, I really like how after two years, Lu Nian finally gave her car key to Coach Yan lololol, all his advances finally paid off!

- Jiaojiao and Tao finally renting a house. I have been commenting about it a couple of times in earlier eps and finally, this couple settled down and started viewing relationship and marriage in a more serious way.

- Here I thought they have forgotten about Eel San, but noooo they made it happen to it's screen time, yeheyyyy

- I also love how this drama highlights that usual "LDR welcome back run and hug scene" that has been overused. How You'an was all in shocked, relieved and dazzled by Sanchuan's appearance. The unfamiliarity that you will when the person you love just came back after months of separation. It was so realistic.

- And finally, that epilogue scene is SO SOLID. Love how they gave us a peek on their married life.

SONG SANCHUAN and LIANG YOU'AN, Thank you for giving my Mar-April 2023 a heavy dose of serotonin <3

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Sometimes giving up is more brave than trudging along

Liang Youan is an early 30s professional woman who has been stuck in her role as an Executive Assistant for years. Extremely competent, her boss loathes to let her leave and grow in her career because she's so valuable. She meets Song Sanchuan, a young 20s badminton player, whose athleticism and kind heart strikes her, but he's consumed by his own demons and is not able to break out of a losing rut.

Together, they decide to revitalize an unprofitable tennis club, with Song Sanchuan changing professions from badminton to tennis at the ripe age of 22, unheard of as a professional athlete. They slowly but steadily fall in love, and overcome the perceived divide that their 10 year age gap causes.

This is a lovely story with high production quality and well-written, memorable lines. I really enjoyed the first 30 episodes, as the pacing was good and story developed in a way that kept you interested. However, I think the story would have been better with just 30 episodes and filler content about side couples and Liang Youan's boss cut out.

The acting is superb, Wu Lei and Zhou Yutong looked so natural, especially in the sweet romantic scenes. My favorite supporting character is Song Sanchuan's dad though, as he provided sage advice and comic relief, and supported their romance from the very beginning. What was refreshing was that even though there were flawed, dislikeable characters (e.g. Liang Youan's mom), the leads were cognizant of those faults and biases, and did not let misunderstandings develop between them instigated by these flawed characters.

As a sports drama, I did wish that the tennis scenes were better. I got tired of seeing cuts of Wu Lei hitting a tennis ball and then another cut directly to him waving the trophy. I felt like Ping Pong with Bai Jing Ting was able to shoot the actual competition much better, and you actually saw significant growth in technique as an athlete. Overall, very good nianxia (older woman younger man) drama that I would recommend to slice of life and romance fans alike.

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Great Actors + Great Acting + Great Plot = Enjoyable Watch :)

I was looking forward to this drama after knowing that Leo Wu would be starring in it. It is quite obvious that I am quite a fan of this fine, young actor. Leo Wu can act so well. It is not a dread but a joy to watch him on screen. (Some actors cannot even be called actors as they cannot act at all.) Leo Wu is truly a fine, young actor and having watched different dramas in which he has starred in, I must say that he adds sparkle to these dramas because he is truly in character and very believable as the character that he is acting as.

What I liked about this drama:
- Fine acting from everyone in this drama especially the ML and FL.
- I liked that their relationship developed quite organically and that it was not forced or super one-sided. Rather, both parties fell in love and truly liked each other. What held them back was their 10 year age gap which is actually quite a large age difference. I liked that the drama explored this topic openly and pointed out that there would be challenges due to this pretty large age gap. I also liked that they decided that they would face the challenges together. The relationship was treated quite maturely and thoughtfully.
- Liang Tao ended up not being a hateful b*tch which I appreciated a lot. The sisters ended up helping each other and looking out for each other despite having different mothers. I was quite heartwarming. I liked that their relationship was realistically portrayed too.
- An Cong, ML's "father", was such a nice man. He looked out for his "son" and provided some comic relief.
- The drama showcased the difficulties faced by sportspeople and how they really challenge themselves physically for the sake of their sport. The "shelf-life" of sportspeople is short and this point was highlighted by the drama.
- The supporting cast members, like the coach, FL's best friend and other sportspeople, were great in the drama (but not-so-memorable).
- Intelligent and realistic script/ plot with some very meaningful lines.
- Happy ending.

What I disliked about this drama:
- Jiang Jie was an enigmatic man and an as*hole. As FL pointed out, he wanted everyone and everything to go his way and to have things revolve around him but well, sadly, people have their own minds and ideas. He was forcing his will on others which was painful and annoying to watch. He wore one utterly "done with life" resigned look throughout the drama which was a pain to watch. I did not like seeing him on my screen. I cheered when his wife finally decided that she wanted out from this man.
- The middle-aged men in this drama were power hungry and manipulative people. Well, I guess this is how things are in the working world where it is cut-throat.
- Jiang Jiao Jiao did not endear himself to me even until the end but he sort of redeemed himself.

To me, the ML and FL lead made this drama work very well. They had natural chemistry and I would totally be able to see them as lovers despite their 10-year age gap. Their excellent acting was wonderful. It was nice to see such easy and effortless interaction and "flow"/ "energy" between all the actors and actresses, especially the ML and FL. I'd say: Please watch this drama! :)

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For corporate millennial ladies in late 20’s and beyond

“Ever since I started work, I worked hard to be of value to my boss so my contribution at work will transcend my gender.

…but I am wrong…

If your boss can’t leave you, you cannot “graduate from” your boss.”

With the rise of working female and talks of feminism in social media over the years, the show biz is quick to capitalise on the market opportunities through commercialisation and stories that center on these themes. What makes Nothing But You stand out among the lot of crappier stories, rather considerably is the realistic portrayal of Liang You An (LYA)’s corporate struggles in today’s middle class’ ladies.

This is a modern corporate lady contemporary show done right.

How many late nights, urgent calls and contemplative car rides we have taken, thinking about our progress at work, recognition, value and purpose. How many times have we thought about quitting the stressful and meaningless job, but came up with a blank because we also do not know what we want to do next. Our parents and society would say we are thinking too much. Yet, shutting the voices down also dulls us, gradually but surely. And that’s on the career aspect.

On the relationship aspect, LYA’s perspectives were also spot on. I like that the show didn’t characterise her as an ambitious woman who didn’t want love. Yes, she takes a long time accepting her feelings and undeniable attraction to Song San Chuan (SSC). Yes, she has her fair share of reservation through their journey. Which is realistically, how a lady who had built a decade of independence, would feel and behave.

It’s easy to think that SSC represents the idealistic side with his career and theme focusing on sports and career switch. Represents the beacon of hope because he is young and full of possibilities. Look a little beyond the stereotype though, 20’s in sports can feel like our corporates’ 30’s, or even beyond, as many competitive athletes retire by SSC’s age.

Hence, they met at the right career juncture of their own. An athlete who found renewed spirits to step on the court again, a corporate worker who found renewed purpose to take charge in her career.

And then, only when they had their direction in life, they found “Nothing But You.”

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Nothing prepared me for this drama. I went in with no expectations, and I came out with a new understanding of how people can take different paths in life, and still succeed as long as they put their heart in it. Not to say that they haven't produced dramas with inspiring messages of how to live your life to the fullest before. But this sports-oriented show delivers that message without being preachy.

The drama kicks off with Zhou Yu Tong as an efficient personal assistant who is quick on her feet, excels at handling multiple tasks, and successfully resolves many issues for her demanding boss. Liang You An crosses paths with an athlete trying to make ends meet by joining a competition sponsored by You An’s company.

Song San Chuan becomes smitten with You An at first sight, and his loyalty is endearing and his smile adorable all throughout the drama whenever You An is around. He latches on to You An as his saving grace when he finds himself in limbo and could not get past his trauma playing professional badminton, as it reminds him of his mother, who abandoned him during one of his important matches. You An saw San Chuan’s potential and suggested that he switch sport.

New to tennis, San Chuan struggles to find his footing with his unambitious teammates and a new coach with peculiar training methods. But his tenacity and You An’s faith in him made San Chuan shine in a sport that had shunned him at the beginning. Through this journey, San Chuan understands he can rely on his family and friends for support, and that he didn’t have to bear all the burden. I also liked the fact that You An developed a backbone and learned how to say no to her ex-boss or to others who thought they could easily manipulate her.

I enjoyed this drama a lot, and there were no secondary or tertiary characters that made me pull my hair. All the characters were well-rounded, even the seemingly devious ones. “Nothing But You” tells us that everyone can achieve their dreams: if you don’t give up, have faith in yourself, and have supportive people surrounding you.

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Ma romance de l'année, un must!

Ah! enfin! Je n'y croyais guère, blasée que je suis, mais enfin un drama où chaque épisode du début à la fin m'a fait sourire, rire et "shipper" pour tous les couples à 100%!
Voici donc sans conteste ma romance de l'année!

Je vais être honnête, la seule raison qui m'a fait cliquer sur le premier épisode, alors que le drama était encore en cours de diffusion, n'est pas des plus originaux : Wu Lei ! Voui, voui, je suis une méga fan de Leo! Honnêtement, il n'est pas le style d'homme qui me ferait craquer à une soirée, mais crénom de nom ! son jeu n'a cessé de progresser (depuis ma première fois, « Nirvana in Fire »), et par ce qu'il a toujours su me toucher par la finesse de son jeu, la force de son interprétation, c’est toujours avec impatience que j’attend ses rôles.
Ce drama confirme encore une fois la qualité de son interprétation. Wu Lei nous apporte la touche rafraichissante d'un jeune joueur de tennis (et de badminton) de 22 ans, fougueux, dynamique, talentueux cumulé avec la maturité étonnante d’un homme de 10 ans de plus. Sans oublier l'intensité de ses expressions émouvantes face à la victoire sur lui même ou face à son adorée. Je ne peux imaginer un autre que Leo pour nous faire croire à ce personnage si adorable.
Face à lui, une actrice que je ne connais pas mais qui sans l'ombre d'un doute a su tenir un rôle parfait. Zhou Yu Tong est non seulement ravissante et féminine, mais irradiant d'une lumière intérieure incroyable, elle a interprété de manière magistrale une femme forte et indépendante qui a su rester au fond une enfant pleine de malice ! Son charisme réside essentiellement dans son interprétation d’une femme de 32 ans avec un coeur d’adolescente, pleine d’assurance et en même temps fragilisée par un certain complexe vis-à-vis de la hiérachie. Et bonus non négligeable, l’actrice a été superbement mise en valeur par des vêtements tantôt chic et féminin et tantôt « casual » et toujours autant féminin. Mention spéciale au styliste donc….

C'est donc un couple magnifique que nous ont offert Wu Lei et Yu Tong. Leu jeu naturel nous fait oublier leur différence d'âge, 5 ans les sépare dans la vie réelle, et c'est avec un vrai bonheur que nous voyons ce couple se chercher avant de se tenir la main sans la lâcher une seule fois. Cela me rappelle d'ailleurs "My fated Boy", qui avait le même thème de "noona", et avec le même type de couple, mature, naturel et émouvant dans la sincérité de leur geste et leur conversation.
Leur histoire, on y croit dès le départ. La tranquille maturité et l'assurance dont fait preuve San Chuan nous ferait presque oublier qu'il n'a que 22 ans (J’ai encore le souvenir du récent drama « falling into you » où les enfantillages du protagoniste masculin me faisait grincer des dents). J'ai fortement apprécié que ce personnage ne soit jamais dans le conflit. Que cela soit avec son coach, avec ses amis ou la femme aimée, il ne cherche jamais l’opposition. Admettant sans aucune réticence ses limites et les compétences de chacun, il respecte l'avis des autres et porte toujours une attention particulière à l’opinion de ses proches. C'est un vif soulagement que d'avoir enfin un personnage qui ne cherche pas à prouver que SA vision des choses est la bonne. En effet, particulièrement dans les dramas de sport, les protagonistes ont tendance à s’autoproclamer des dieux, nous avons souvent affaire à des conflits internes ou externes, mettant souvent l’ego de ce dieu en défaut. Ce n’est pas forcément une mauvaise chose, mais c’est souvent too much, apportant des situations de tension entre les protagonistes. Ici, vous n’aurez pas droit à ce genre de conflit, ou si peu que cela en reste dérisoire.
Sa relation avec les autres est donc tellement agréable qu'on en oublie presque que la vie est remplie de "con". Bien que psychologiquement instable au départ, il n'impute pas ce poids aux autres et sa libération est donc d'autant plus méritée. Nous avons donc ici un personnage équilibré et dont le principal ennemi n’est autre que lui même. En effet, une fois n’est pas coutume, et bien que cela soit un drama dont le cadre est le tennis, l’emphase n’est pas mise sur les adversaires rencontrés. L’obstacle majeur de San Chuan restera jusqu’à la conclusion lui même. On n’adhére ou pas à la philosophie sous-jacente : Rejeter la faute sur les autres ne nous fera au final jamais avancer. Vaincre ses démons intérieurs. En ce qui me concerne, j’ai aimé cette façon implicite de nous valoriser la vie. San Chuan est un personnage dont les actions semblent moins retentissantes et héroiques que ce que nous avons l’habituide de voir et qui pourtant sonne comme une réalité plus proche. Résoudre le quotidien par des actions simples, faire des concessions et poursuivre sa route. Cela peut paraitre ennuyeux, mais pas ici, pas avec Wu Lei.
Cela est d’autant plus vrai avec You An. Son habileté et ses compétences sont remarquables, nous donnant cette rassurante impression que tout ne peut qu’aller bien sous ses ailes. J’ai adoré voir un personnage dont les réparties intelligentes s’allient avec un ton posé redoutablement efficace. Difficilement déstabilisée, le personnage apporte sa touche de faiblesse lorsqu’elle fait face à San Chuan. Leur romance fut incroyable. Je ne nierai pas que nous sommes loin d’une passion intense qui nous briserait le coeur. Mais. une romance où le respect de chacun est flagrante et où le respect de l’un et de l’autre apporte une solidité rare à un couple. Une romance où la complicité explose à chaque interaction. Une romance dont la force ne cédera jamais. Hé bien, cela fait du bien. Pas de conflit externuante. Pas d’opposition puéril. Pas de jalousie maladive. Pas de quiproquo malsain. Pas d’ultimatum angoissante. Pas de rupture larmoyante! Oui, oui, une relation 100% remplie d’amour, de respect, de communication. Des calins à tout bout de champ. Des rires. Une histoire qui fait du bien.

Si la romance principale est adorable, les deux autres ne le sont pas moins malgré une importance moindre à l’écran. Mon seul reproche d’ailleurs. Cela n’arrive pas souvent, mais j’aurai aimé un peu plus de Coach Yan/Luo Nian. J’ai adoré leur interaction et surtout surtout les réactions et expressions à mourir de rire de coach Yan face à Luo Nian. Leur temps d’écran fut infine mais a illuminé le salon à chaque scène où ils apparaissent ensemble. Zhang Tao est un acteur qui joue souvent des rôles secondaires et c’est bien dommage, car je le trouve expressif et surtout séduisant ( ^^).
La romance secondaire a mis un peu plus de temps à m’atteindre, mais une fois bien enclenchée, le couple Liang Tao/Jiao Jiao devenait une évidence. L’évolution de Jiao Jiao m’a particulièrement émue, de gamin boudeur à ami/amoureux fiable, que cela soit ses relations familiales ou avec ses amis, j’ai été particulièrement touchée par l’honnêté de ses actions. Reconnaissant devant ses « mauvaises » actions, il n’esquive jamais ses responsabilités. Son amitié avec San Chuan sans être la meilleure bromance de tous les temps était un juste mélange d’humour et de loyauté sincère. On apprécie qu’aucune rivalité triviale ne vienne entacher leur lien et que la confiance, que cela soit entre ces deux là ou entre les autres membres de l’équipe, soit un principe naturel.

Les personnages secondaires sont bichonnés et cela est indéniablement un must dans la qualité du drama (pour moi en tout cas). En effet, que cela soit les « vilains » ou les protagonistes, tous les personnages ont une vie, un sens ici, une raison d’être ce qu’ils sont et ce qu’ils vont devenir. Ce ne sont pas juste des outils qui servent à aider le protagoniste à avancer. Bien au contraire, ils font partie intégrante de la vie de nos héros, ils ont une psychologie propre et des obstacles qui leur sont dûs et qui n’empiètent pas sur le chemin de nos tourtereaux. Les relations se tissent et se détissent sans pour autant que la frustration ne nous prenne à la gorge. Le divorce, par exemple, des parents de Jiao Jiao est inéluctable, nous le sentons dès le départ. Mais bien que les moments ne soient pas des plus joyeux, nous avançons et comprenons les deux parties et j’apprècie que leur « moment » ne soient qu’à eux, personne ne se permet d’intervenir afin de leur donner des leçons de moralité. Ils sont confrontés à leur choix et échec, et au final leur chemin se séparant partiellement, ils n’en deviennent pas pour autant des ennemis irréparables.

Le décor planté, ici le tennis, est intéressant apportant la valeur à la progression humaine, à l’esprit d’équipe, à la reconnaissance de sa victoire. Ce n’est pas à proprement parler d’un drama de sport bien que le tennis ait une place importante. J’ai aimé le fait que l’ennemi de Son Chuan ne soit jamais son opposant, mais lui même. Il n’est jamais question d’adversaire, mais de se trouver. Et c’est aussi ce qui rend ce drama si plaisant.

Je ne le dirai jamais assez, un drama de qualité selon mes critères doit réunir plusieurs éléments qui en font un must. L’humour, la sensibilité et l’intelligence des dialogues, les romances matûres et en même temps si adorables, des personnages secondaires attachants, des protagonistes charismatiques, des valeurs de la vie auxquelles j’adhère, Wu Lei, une héroine intelligente pétillante de vie et de joie…bref, ce drama est donc une totale réussite et ma romance 2023 sans hésitation.

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So happy to see Leo Wu act like his age again...

“Nothing But You” has a pretty good balance of romance, sports and business. I really like watching both badminton and tennis, and learning about the training and experiences of these professionals. Compared to many sports romance dramas, it should be noted that the business side of things do take up quite a lot of the drama time. If you are just looking for romance and don’t like business, you might be bored. I personally enjoy the balance of it all.

I think the best thing about this drama is casting Leo Wu and Zhou Yu Tong as the main leads. I am so happy to see Leo Wu in a modern drama again after “Cross Fire” (amazing drama I strongly recommend) and in a role where he can act his age. As much as I love seeing him as a tough prince or general in “The Long Ballad” and “Love Like the Galaxy”, it’s nice to see him act as a 22 year-old. It’s refreshing and he’s so adorable.

I was initially concerned about the age gap, since noona romance is not my favorite. The male and female leads reminded me of the leads in “The Rational Life”, but better and more compatible. Even though Song San Chuan (ML) is only 22 years old, he’s gone through enough in life to be quite mature. I also appreciate his character to not be always portrayed as the forever mature and act-older-than-his-age character either. I love that he can still act young and sweet, and Leo Wu is the perfect Song San Chuan. On the other hand, Zhou Yu Tong played the more mature Liang You An very well, too. Professionally, she’s experienced and mature, but when it comes to love, she can still act like a little girl. Even with a 10-year drama age gap between the lead characters, they make a very compatible match as both can be mature and childish at the same time. Leo Wu and Zhou Yu Tong have great chemistry. It did take a while for them to be officially together, though there’s enough sweetness and affection throughout the drama. Viewers' patience is rewarded with many cute and sweet scenes between the leads once they are together as a couple. I can’t help but smile whenever they are both on the screen acting cute.

I really like how Song San Chuan and Lian You An support each other professionally and personally. They have honest and open communication. You won’t find misunderstanding or miscommunication. They are not afraid to verbally express their affection for each other, while also showing their love through actions. Towards the end of the drama, San Chuan supported You An through a difficult time when a family member was sick. I already like San Chuan, but what he did here put him in my “Ideal Man” custom list. In fact, all the characters in this drama are super supportive of each other. There really isn’t any annoying, irritating and selfish supporting character that I hate. I might find FL’s sister a little annoying in the beginning, and wasn’t that interested in her romance, but she got better throughout the drama. I love the bromance between the 4 Top Smash players, the sismance between FL and her best friend, and especially the stepfather/stepson dynamic.

The pacing of the drama is good and there’s enough happening to keep me engaged and focused. It’s evident that Leo Wu and other actors put in a lot of hard work in the preparation of their roles as professional athletes. I greatly appreciate their dedication, and their muscles and abs. LOL The badminton and tennis playing scenes look pretty realistic.

If I have to criticize this drama, I would say I am a little disappointed in the injury subplot. I know it’s hard to not show any injuries in a sports drama, but still, it was quite predictable. I also felt that the pain issue was resolved rather quickly and then all of a sudden the player is back at the top of their game, and we’re informed by a few quick news articles. Maybe some scenes are edited out? I would have liked to know more about the other two male players, rich boy Chen Zhe and high schooler Dai Yi. I also wanted a little more romance between FL’s best friend and the coach (maybe a little less time on the secondary couple). Towards the last ¼ of the drama, the dubbing got worse. I appreciate the actors using their own voices, but the post production got sloppy and the lips don’t match the words. Censorship again?

Overall, I had a great time watching this drama. I like both Leo Wu and Zhou Yu Tong, and love their chemistry and playfulness. I enjoy the equal screen time of romance, sports, and business and find the acting to be pretty good overall.


Completed: 4/15/2023

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Best modern drama of 2023

Absolutely loved this show. Every episode was engaging, fun and easy to watch. Came for Wu Lei, stayed for him and everyone else. If you are looking for a mature storyline whose characters have depth, look no further. Time and effort was spent on the lead and also supporting characters. The script writer made me care about the characters and i liked all of them immensely, despite all their little quirks and flaws. I was completely invested in all the side stories when usually they are just fillers but in this case i was invested in every story. Wu Lei nails it with his acting again, portraying a young athlete struggling with demons of his past while trying to forge a new career. Zhou Yutong is believable and likeable as the smart and streetwise but restrained career lady. There are no tropes in this drama: no lame 3rd party love triangle, no silly misunderstandings, no money grubbing gold digging women looking for a rich boyfriend. What i loved was also the friendship and sismance between Liang You An and her best friend Luo Nian. I am very fortunate to have friends like thag in my life too. I probably enjoy this show a lot more as im 40, so a lot of the dialogue rang true and resonated with me. My fave is when You An said:"There can never be 50/50 in a relationship, when 1 of you is down and out and can only give 1%, the other person who truly loves you will not mind giving the other 99%.

Leggi di Più