Skate Into Love (2020)

(Note: this review judges only the drama and will make no comparisons to the original web novel. Though, that would also make for an interesting discussion. Someday, perhaps.)

It’s a special type of emotional experience, watching a drama like Skate Into Love, which has solid strengths yet also a fair share of wobbly flaws. It took some serious consideration for me to establish how to reconcile all the positives and negatives; but after watching the conclusion, I can say that for its genre, Skate Into Love can stand tall in its field.

The basis of the plot is a concoction of classic rom-com tropes. The leads know one another from early childhood and, upon reuniting years later, their relationship becomes an “enemies to lovers” affair. This show's primary differentiating factor is its inclusion of ice sports, which dictates significant plot points and is crucial in the growth of several characters.

The first half of the show overflows with sweet and humorous moments between Tang Xue and Li Yu Bing as their constant bickering turns into genuine care for one another. Their romance is a strong force because they, as separate characters, are both independent people who have flaws as obvious as their strengths. They manage to grow together and are capable of helping each other because they understand the person opposite them incredibly well. It warms the heart to watch and you can’t help but root for them as a couple and as individuals.

That being said, there are some other plot points that beg to be mentioned:

One: third wheels. It’s a rom-com rule that they have to stick their head into the plot. Listen, I don’t make the rules. Take it up with the screenwriters upstairs. They’re the ones who insist on including several love rivals. Some of them can actually pique your interest as they evolve over time, so not all of them are a total waste of your attention. However, it’s my civic duty to throw one of them – Mr. Bian “creepy chuckle” Cheng – under the bus for starting as a minor headache, then evolving into a complete migraine by intervening in the main couple’s relationships in the most boring and inconsequential ways possible. He is, hands-down, the weakest link of this show. You don’t hate him because he’s an actual threat, you hate him because he could be interesting but just isn't.

Then, there are the side couples. Like the third wheels, I don’t even remember how many of them there are. But nonetheless, they pass around the baton for taking over the show every once in many a while. A key positive point about all the supporting characters is that the writers did try to make them more dimensional. Just like the main characters, they each have unique motivations and insecurities, making them feel a lot more human than what could be said for many non-leads in other shows. Whether it be friends, family members, or rivals of the main characters, I really liked how they all had their own lives and problems. That further helped make all of the platonic relationships much more enticing. Even so, it’s incredibly difficult to have a drama effectively focus on a main couple as well as multiple side stories – some will certainly feel like plot filler, especially in early parts of the show, because we don’t see their full development like we can with Tang Xue and Li Yubing.

There are also some moments involving the leads that feel a bit iffy considering their personalities. Don’t you just love when a relationship, consisting of two amazingly communicative characters who deeply seek to understand one another, abruptly crumbles due to external factors that existed but didn’t matter before? To have problems within a relationship is completely normal; and while I’m glad to see them addressed, the way that they’re depicted is sometimes too theatrical. I’m not going to lie. Seeing all the age-old melodrama cliches enter the picture and challenge the romance is almost entertaining – in the same way that watching someone slip and fall is entertaining after you told them beforehand, “careful, it’s slippery”: the ridiculousness of something happening when it shouldn’t is quite…amusing, to say the least.

These flaws aside, I overall found the story to be a good balance of being amusing (even hilarious) at times and serious during others. I liked how sports are involved in some of the characters’ lives, providing them with dreams and purpose. Part of me wishes that there were more competition scenes shown, as the action during them was fun to watch (and inaccurate, but come on. It’s people on ice with knives on their feet; that in itself is deserving of a thumbs-up). Much of that may be due to my own preference, though, since personally like some ice sports and would hardly object to seeing more of them.

As for the acting, I genuinely appreciated the life that the lead actors brought to the story. Tang Xue is a character who – if assigned to a poor actress – could easily be depicted as annoying due to her outspoken nature, but Wu Qian does an excellent job balancing that boisterous behavior with kindheartedness. Zhang Xincheng also shines in the role of Li Yubing. His depiction of a childish yet determined young man is spot-on. Together, these two actors created an excellent picture of a happy and young relationship, full of promises and hope for the future. When evaluating the supporting actors, I found their abilities sufficient for the roles that they're given and certainly wouldn’t mind watching their future projects.

As far as rom-coms go, Skate Into Love is satisfactory. Though it occasionally stumbles, none of that changes how it put some of the biggest smiles on my face out of many of the rom-coms I’ve seen thus far. You really just have to go in prepared to brush off all the cliches, because what’s underneath all that dust is a very sweet story that is worth sitting through.

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It’s been a while since I have completed a drama series, but this was a great one to start my 2020 year (I know it’s already April, but college has not allowed me to truly binge-watch any shows; please forgive me).

Story/plot: -8.5- I enjoyed the storyline for the most part. The focus on ice sports was a unique twist to this show and was one I have not seen in specifically c-dramas yet. Loved the main leads, and adored the supporting characters. The lessons each character learned throughout the drama were unique to each individual, and it was heartwarming. It was a great rom-com mixed with the touching aspect of each character striving to reach their goal while having strong support from friends, family, and loved ones. With that being said, there were a few points I wanted to address. 1) 40 episodes for this drama was, in my opinion, a bit too much. It was bearable to sit through, but barely. I think the reason for these added episodes is due to this next point. 2) There were too many side couples. Although I did appreciate and adored each side couple, it took some time away from the main leads. Each couple might have not had that much time to themselves, but when you accumulate 5 different side couples each with let’s say 30 minutes of screen time and story building, that already adds up to 150 minutes, or over 3 episodes. The focus was switched between the different couples so many times, and I wished they used that time to instead focus more on the main couple, especially after that climatic scene around episode 33-34. With that being said, 3) That climax around episode 33-34? Unnecessary and semi-frustrating. The relationship between Tang Xue and Li Yu Bing afterwards honestly did not come back to like what they had before the incident. They tried to resolve it afterwards, but I felt like there was some kind of awkward tension between them that was never truly “resolved.”

Acting/cast: -10- Initially, I was hesitant about the main lead pairing of Janice Wu (playing Tang Xue) and Steven Zhang (playing Li Yu Bing) because I was still caught up with them playing different characters in other dramas. However, just after the first episode, all of my doubts were disregarded because these two were honestly perfect for their lead roles! Each individual played their role very well and altogether created a great and memorable cast. I suppose the one thing I wish was focused more on was the transition between Tang Xue’s past self and her realizing how she acted towards Li Yu Bing; I felt like Li Yu Bing just accepted that she was different back then, has changed to a better self overtime, and that’s it (but this is more of a plot concern rather than a cast concern).

Music: -10- The soundtrack for this drama was truly perfect. They knew how to fit the mood of each specific scene with the song that accompanied it; best one I have heard in any drama yet! I loved the outro song, “The Moment I Met You” (当遇见你) and have been listening to it nonstop; if you are interested, you can find it here on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRmyqGE0zw8&list=FLqDXyD0Srhes9ywsutKGnDg&index=2. I am still looking for the piano piece that was played throughout the drama, so if you know the title of the piano piece I am referring to, please comment it down below!

Rewatch value: -7- Adored it the first time through, but I can not rewatch this entire drama from episode 1-40 over again. I already had the urge to skip many scenes (don’t worry, I did not) when I was watching it for the first time, so I know I will be skipping many scenes if I do decide to rewatch it. There were many cute scenes between Tang Xue and Li Yu Bing that I would rewatch, but other than that, this was more of a one-time-enjoyment type of drama.

Overall: -9- This drama caught my attention, and I was glad I was able to enjoy binge-watching it through a stressful time right now between being stuck indoors and stressing over finals week for college. It left me feeling empty after finishing it, which is a good sign since that meant I enjoyed watching the series. Although I believe there were some things that could have been altered, I still fangirled throughout watching this and thoroughly enjoyed it.

If you are looking for a rom-com where each character learns how to grow into their better selves, I would give this drama a go! If you have already finished this drama and are looking for something that revolves around rom-com and sports, I recommend My Mr. Mermaid (it is centered around competitive swimming)! Thanks for reading :)))

Chào for Now!
Lily L.

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I thoroughly enjoyed this show; it had a perfect balance and the characters were depicted well by the actors and actresses.

Story (9/10): In my opinion, the story was engaging. I liked how this show was centred around ice sports, as it provided exciting scenes during competitions and matches. The plot also depicts the hardships and satisfaction of a sports career and many lessons are shown through various character experiences. The romance throughout felt natural and I liked how the characters supported and encouraged each other, growing and improving with each experience. It also showed the balance in romantic relationships and how relationships should inspire you to be a better version of yourself and that both people should encourage each other to achieve their dreams. The plot was carefully balanced with aspects of youth, romance, sports, growth and family relationships, but I disagreed with the abrupt breakup and getting back together, which is why I've given it a 9/10.

Acting/Cast (9.5/10): The acting in this show was great; Janice Wu is such a good actress and carefully presents all the aspects of her character. Her chemistry with Zhang Xincheng was mostly good, although I found it a bit awkward and cheesy at some parts... The supporting actors performed really well too and I liked the friendship and chemistry between all of them.

Music (10/10): I really liked the music; a lot of the cast sang OSTs and their voices are actually really good. The music was appropriate for each scene and I've added the OSTs to my playlist :)

Rewatch value (9/10): I don't usually rewatch dramas but... I might end up coming back to this one in the future. I loved how the balance was perfect and there were no scenes I really wanted to skip, apart from maybe the parts with Bian Cheng, which felt a bit too out of place and extreme.

Overall, I highly recommend this show!

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Waaaay too looonggg!!! UGH!

This could have been a great, inspiring drama if not for a few blaring factors:
1) Stupid break up scene✔️
2) Too many side characters and side plots✔️
3) Too many episodes ie became repetitive and going in circles✔️
4) Love triangle or quadrangle ✔️

Ok this is what I liked:
It’s a sports drama. So I really like the training aspects, the games, the competition, the stress, the ups and downs, the emotions, the struggles- all were very real. Sometimes it got too emotional and had too many pep talks, but it was ok. Looks like the actors could skate really well too :)

The love story between Li Yubing and Tang Xue- I also liked. From being bullies to falling in love. I especially liked Epi 26 where he professed his love for her in front of the whole crowd at the ice rink! Very man :):) What I did not like was as usual- lack of communication which led to a break up. In my opinion, Tang Xue was the one at fault for not being honest. She herself hates being lied to, and she yet she lied to her bf and stood him up many times! Although she couldn’t tell the real reason, she didn’t have to lie and stand him up. What did you expect him to think and react??

All the other side couples/ storyline were too much- I practically skipped all the scenes about Huanhuan & bf, the other roommate and Deng, any scene regarding veterinary, some scenes of the coaches bickering, oh and the most irritating Zhou Ran and Bian Cheng!! Can’t stand the way she talks- just wanna slap her! It was a very predictable storyline so even though I skipped quite a bit, I didn’t miss much.

There were a few good moral and life lessons to learn which I did appreciate. It made me tear at some scenes too. And I liked the ending where they acknowledged all the past medalists for China in the Winter games. Bravo!

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This drama had a good start, not gonna lie, i was quite hooked to it. But then the too many screentimes of the side-couples and love-triangles made me lose interest in this real quick. But I still watched it some more since the main leads are adorable , I did skip most of the side-stories part though as it was not as interesting to me. I'm not really into the sports genre and this was pretty good to get me to finish it (although i skipped some episodes since a lot of them felt like fillers) honestly if they were to cut this drama short it would be cool too if it had 24 episodes instead of 40. Plot wise, it's okay to me nothing that blows my mind or make me feel hella attached to this. acting is 10/10 definitely !! along with everything else.

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I started this Drama for Wu Qian, and she's the reason I finished it. A real actor, she breathed life and depth into her role. The story itself was fine, and one or two of the side arcs were sweet. BUT, it was far too long. Thirty episodes would have been an absolute maximum for this thin story to really work, twenty-four would have been better.

They could have achieved that by ditching the pointless, go nowhere "love rivals" storylines. Had they done that, and perhaps trimmed the side lovelines from 4 to 3, they could have made a taut, compact story that still spotlighted both the main romance and the messages about sports, personal growth, and choices.

Despite that, I enjoyed the Drama overall, and was impressed by much of the dialog given to Wu Qian's character in the draggy last 10 (at least as translated in the subs). Overall, the strengths outweighed the flaws, putting into a rare category for my small number of completed C Dramas

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a must watch!!

A light-hearted and inspiring drama. The plot did not catch my attention at all because it sounded like a typical drama but boy i was wrong... i like the balance of the drama, good pacing and character and romance development between not only the leads but supporting leads too. The main leads also look super good together, so aesthetically appealing HAHAHA Other than the good love line, I like how the drama still brings its focus on conveying its message of not giving up and pursuing your dreams.

OST is also really good!! Overall, this drama gives me a "Sassy Go Go/Cheer Up" (kdrama) vibe. Please give this drama a chance and try the first 3 episodes, im sure youll get hooked on!!

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So far I love it. The FL and ML are lovable. They have a lot of cute moments too. The theme is ice related sports and university. I also usually like dramas where the leads bicker a lot and have a love-hate relationship. I also really like the ML and his roommates. It's not too cringe and the characters have their own color and goals. The backstory moments are cute as well - I love how they added those to the end of each episode, its really cute.

I'd totally give it a try if I were you. The OST at the end of the episode is SUPER good, try listening to it!

I'll fix my review once I complete the drama :)

EDIT: I haven't finished this. The drama started to drag lol. But most people like it so see if you enjoy it too. The first half was worth watching.

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In my opinion, something about this show just wasn't good. The beginning was good and I really liked it. All of a sudden Tang Xue and Li Yubing started dating. And I was like "oh ok the show is probably near an ending". When I realized there were 40 episodes. Usually, a show with 50 episodes doesn't bother me, but the fact that I decided to not continue to watch this was because they already started dating, I could not possibly think of anything that could go wrong. I was also being forced to watch this show, so I didn't have a choice, and that's why I dropped so late. I eventually asked my sister what happens, and it honestly didn't shock me. I felt like I was wasting my time watching it. The show was good, it's just I didn't want to waste my time on it. I'm also more of a historical fan than modern-day, although historical is harder to understand, but that's what makes it good.

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I was so excited for this drama because I am the biggest fan of Janice Wu . This is the first drama that I have enjoyed from the beginning.

Story- At first I thought it would be all about skate or competition but I was wrong. The story is all about the dream , competition, friendship , and love which is the best part of the drama. From this I got to learn more about ice hockey skating, ice figure skating and speed skating.

Character- As I already mention before that Janice Wu is my favourite actress but after this Steven Zhang had also become one of my favourite actor. This is the first time that I liked all the supporting cast.

You may watch this drama on Vikki and YouTube
Love from India❤️

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