Falling Into Your Smile (2021)

fav drama ever

whoever is kind of apprehensive about watching this drama, just trust me and watch it.

it has ...
1. no unnecessary misunderstandings or drama (especially between the leads)
2. the second male lead is genuinely such a nice guy and doesn't really get in the way. super respectful of the female lead and her wishes (men need to take notes!!)
3. cutest friendship group / bromance of all time within the team. so glad none of the team members have a crush on her (i would hate that so much) but instead they're all so supportive of each other like brothers. provides the comedic relief and makes me want to be in some part of team just to have a bond like theirs
4. insane chemistry between the two leads!! she does NOT kiss like cardboard (like so many other cdramas) and i feel like its like a "normal" amount of kissing in an actual relationship. like sometimes dramas have like one or two kisses the whole show ...
5. the second lead couple is top tier! the tropes are completely different (like long, on-and-off relationship but not toxic) and he's literally also a perfect man (alongside the ml) and the bff is so gorgeous
6. great balance between gameplay and working hard and the romance aspect

AND my favorite part is:
it shows the internet's toxicity and how it impacts public figures, and it does it in such a realistic manner that i feel it really helps me understand how actors and idols feel. like as an army (but casual listener of other kpop groups) and being in the kpop world, the no-dating, threatening idols things is such a daily occurence and i think it's portrayed really nicely in this drama. how much the internet can twist things, the lengths 'fans' would go for their partner to not date, etc. and its consequences

all in all, top tier, best drama of all time! 100/10 recommend

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A combination of fluff + comedy + reality gives the perfect drama!

This is a must watch drama.

The plot is very realistic as it tells us about what idols/celebrities go through irl, right from hardships to fame. This also indicates how toxic some "fans" invade their private lives and try to cause harm.
The chemistry between the leads is very cute, make sure to check out their behind the scenes!
This drama also highlighted the fact that friendships and team coordination is important for a team's harmony <3
The graphics throughout the OPL scenes were very sick and cool!!
I really loved how they they focused on breaking gender stereotypes.

You will surely have a good laugh throughout, trust me!

"See you next year" - hoping for S2 :)

If you see this review, you're obliged to watch the drama :> (joking)
Thanks for reading

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One of my favorite dramas I've ever watch and I'm being so honest!

It so interesting and cool that they added the cartoons in the game. The love and humor in this show is so adorable. The main leads are just so cute and I feel so lonely watching it because I'm lonely HAHA. Anyways, if you love watching romance that have e sports or video games I would recommend this one to everyone even if you don't like video games. I would definitely watch it again if I lost my memory. All the characters are so handsome and gorgeous. K, Lao Mao, Fatty bring all the humor in and Lu Si Cheng is especially handsome. He is such a jealousy type and his relationship with Tao Yao are super cute and cheesy.

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Full disclosure: I do not game *at all* and I still found this show entertaining!

I feel like the main couple are good for each other and through the show you can see character development and how they are growing because of each other. The romance is slow but cute. At first it was just him teasing her a lot but then he starts doing small things for her, like bringing her slippers and taking care of her when she has her period which warmed my heart and reminded me of my boyfriend. Since it's a drama though, there are super cheesy unrealistic scenes sometimes *shrug*.

Despite having some fluffy scenes though, the show still had substance and I like the ​realistic way they portray the life of a celebrity / public figure. As much as the esports players are loved by their fans, they also experience a lot of hate and I feel like the show does a really good job at showing that through the FL and ML's challenges.

And although I found it hard to keep track of what was happening sometimes, I thought the scenes where the players were competing were still entertaining with the CG effects and everything.

Things I didn't like about the show:

If you watch the show, you'll just have to accept the fact that there is a ton of product placement. There's also a few e-sports gamers who are supposed to be Korean and the dubbing is pretty cringe.

I don't know if its because I binge-watched it and then took a small break before continuing but I feel like them finally getting together was a bit anti-climatic for me.

That being said, it was a cute drama that I feel like is worth watching even if it's not one of my favourites.

Solid 7.5

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CHEMISTRY LEVEL x 123456789

This is my first C-Drama after a long hiatus in K-Drama and it exceeded my expectations. I discovered this when I watched its short clips posted on Facebook and eventually giving it a try. I wasn't familiar with any of the characters at all and this is rare since I only watch dramas that has a familiar cast in it. I repeated this drama for how many times already, just can't move on with the perfect Chessman!

Really, this drama never failed to give the 'kilig' feels in every episode, there's always something new about the main leads. The story was not in a rush, and this makes the viewers anticipate the next episodes more. Viewers know that they are looking forward with the finals of OPL. The story has a flow - that's the point.

Casting was superb! Each character showed their significance in the story and portrayal was also excellent, especially Xu Kai and Cheng Xiao. Given that FIYS is Xu Kai's first modern C-Drama, he really slayed the character and made me think that he fits more in modern dramas than historical ones! On the other hand, Cheng Xiao is originally an idol (member of WJSN or Cosmic Girls) which was why I didn't expect that she can act so well!

It also has the best OST! The casts sang some of the OSTs, including those in the K-Pop industry WayV and SEVENTEEN! Also, for those who are interested to play the game, I think the info they are stating in the drama are majority accurate. I started playing Onmyoji Arena the heroes I can play are the ones usually mentioned in the drama LOL.

In addition, I also loved how they showcased the moving-on phase of Sunflower. It's just sad that he will just be a lesson and memory to Smiling, and realized that there are things that can't go back to its original place anymore.

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Cute

I really like this drama. It fun and engaging.

There was 31 episodes and I finished them all in 4 days. So that show you how much I enjoy it.

The lead actor was amazing, his expression and body language match perfectly with his character. He look so cute when he smile as well.

But the lead actress was a little stiff. Not to the point where it ruin the chemistry for me but still noticeable. Especially after I read the novel that this drama was based on. In the novel, the main character was playful and cute but our lead actress just have one expression.

Overall, this was a super cute cdrama. I noticed that I really like e-sport drama and so I will definitely rewatch this again.

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Enjoyable but acting is lacking

I did enjoy this drama. I like the storyline and overall pacing. I didn’t get bored in between, which often happens with cdramas because they are so long. I’m not interested in gaming, but the drama managed to keep me engaged during those parts.
I was disappointed with the acting. Both female and male leads were very stony faced and had an overall lack of emotions. The show was dubbed, which already annoys me, so when the facial expressions do not convey emotions that are not possible to convey with ones voice, the acting looks flat. I also didn’t feel the passion between the main leads and didn’t believe they were really in love. it feels more like young first love than anything serious.
Nevertheless, I still enjoyed it for what it was. My expectations were not very high, so I wasn’t overly disappointed. It managed to keep my attention which is a great plus. Even though sometimes it was overly sweet, I still felt giddy at times.

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10 STAR RATING ??! ? ISN'T THIS RATING TOO LIMITED ?? THIS DRAMA CAN'T BE RATED JUST 10* !!!

It should be rated beyond.Unlimited ratings should be given !! I normally have no patience to write down any kindaa reviews... I like to just enjoy every drama I watch and keep it to myself... This is my top fav drama especially in this genre of esports .... Infact this drama beats all the genres undoubtedly.... I have watched this drama several n several times with love and never have I ever been bored of it .. I still feel the happiness, excitement, cheerfulness when I 1st watched it .. literally Rewatch value should be infinity ♾.. I have watched it so many times tht I have lost the count of it ... This drama defines sportsmanship, love,passion, respect, value,gender equality, no judgments,never give up what u love , accept failures with a positive attitude and come back stronger,grow and help others grow too ... I am giving my time to write for the 1st time and submit my review of how I felt ... Eventhough its hard for me to express how I felt , I hope I have expressed enough. This drama won my heart ❤ and how ... LOVE ! LOVE ! LOVE ! and simply just LOVE !!!!!!

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superb drama

Highly recommended of all time☺️☺️..
I've just completed the whole series..and damn it was so good..you'll never regret watching it..
The casting,the plot of the story was really good..even you're not into e-sports game..this series makes you love the whole damn thing..and started playing games too..
It makes me addicted to it ..that makes me played it too..
I'm not into cdramas actually but this made me watch it over and over again..
The male and female lead role brings more color to this drama series..
i just love it so so much..
love from ph????..

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Decent drama with sweetness overload

This drama has been in my watchlist for a while now but only managed to finish it today. Maybe because I am not into games or e-sport of any sort, that's why I tend to put off watching it.

Admittedly, I find the first few episodes a bit dreary and has to fast-forward some of the scenes and episodes but once the story picked up and the romance becomes somewhat profound, thanks to the chemistry of both the main and second couples, I get to appreciate it.

The plot was uncomplicated, predictable in fact, and there was no toxic love triangle which made it a decent one in my books.

For a non-gamer like me, I have to admit that the special effects, especially the slow-motion portions of the battle games and its characters, was visually good, imho. If you're looking for a youthful romance, with little sweet kisses and cuddles here and there, this one's for you.

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Light and fluffy rom-com that is weighted down by its setting

If you look at this show purely from a rom-com perspective then it is quite good but tropey. Nice cute CP with not a lot of "drama". Some swoon worthy moments but I can't help but feel that the ML did most of the heavy lifting. The FL is cute and pretty but for the longest time, she has minimal facial expression and a pout. When they do kiss, I felt that she was kissed rather than they shared a kiss, if you know what I mean.

The elephant in the room is the backdrop of the e-sport scene. There has been several other shows using that theme but this one has a very singular focus on one MOBA game and it does felt a little claustrophobic as all the antagonists and protagonists came from that pool. Sometimes it is the fans or management or players behaving badly. No wonder they got some backlash from gamers saying that they portraited e-sport in a bad light. To be fair, the show did expend a fair bit of energy on promoting the goals and aspirations of the players but they do live ostentatiously so the message is definitely mixed. It would be interesting to see how much traction this show will have in the current push by the Chinese government to limit online gaming by the younger generation. Just to round out the topics de jour, we also see the issue of rabid fandom and cyber-bullying. Maintaining the light tone, things never get truly out of hand.

OST is light and fluffy and rewatch value is limited as the show is padded out with a lot of gaming sequences which you will either love or be confused by.

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This is a nice and sometimes frustrating romantic comedy within the world of ultra-competitive e-sports. Although the female lead gets better once the romance starts (episode 21), she was insufferable and judgmental while showing an emotionless expression and acting impulsively and meddlesome. Although the romance is definitely there, the male lead was the force behind the fuzzy feelings in the romantic interactions. It is not necessary to have knowledge on gaming, but the drama spends too much time showing the ugly side of media shaming and its effects on the public figures, in this case, e-sports players, the thrill of gaming, and the influence of the fans on the players’ rise and fall of/from fame within the online gaming community. If the viewer is interested on e-sports and its culture, the drama provides much to watch, but the leading lady, maybe because her acting might have been asked to emulate an e-sport’s emotionless character, failed to create a nice romantic chemistry with the leading actor, even as much as he tried : (

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