Falling Into Your Smile (2021)

I loved the steady relationship

Simple & LOVABLE
I have rewatched this probably too many times and still can't get enough of it.
The story is simple enough with little drama enough to be enjoyable without being overbearing on the simplicity of the plot.
The FL actress is new from what i have read and could have done a better job but wasn't disappointing either, a little flat but it worked out fine due to her character.
I am not a gamer but it was simple and easily understandable, i did skip a few gaming scenes as they were a bit repetitive.
I LOVED that there was no breakup and though if could be called a slow burn of sort it really wasn't as even before the actual relationship the love was clear.

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A great story with well-developed romance, and AMAZING SUPPORTING CHARACTERS

I just want to say the side characters in this drama are amazing, I love so much of the supporting characters. I love how they all have their own personalities and are fun to watch, my favourites are Lao K (his actor, Gao Han is so attractive I started following him after this drama FHSJHS he was so eye-catching fr) and Lu Yue, the brother. Everyone's acting was great, the leads were greatt. Also Jian Yang, I liked him as well. (his actor zhai xiaowen is so pretty too JDSDJD) The vibes are very pretty in this drama, the purple and red atmosphere of the teams are pleasing to look at and make the characters look so good. The team and their friendship >>>>. The teams constant teasing and their bond is so admirable. I so enjoyed learning more about the team's history and Lao K and Lu Yue's past, though K's one was rlly quick. All these made the ending impact way bigger and more satisfactory. (the 2nd couple was pretty good too)
I rated the music lower as none of it really caught my attention. SEVENTEEN's Ost was nice but its too repetitive for me. Anyways, that aside. The story and characters are all great and I really enjoyed it. I want to mention the development of the romance between Tong Yao and Lu Si Cheng. I find it really natural and well-developed, and they are pretty cute too
I like the gaming aspect, though I did skip ahead on the video game animations I just simply didn't care enough.
Anyways, I recommend it, its a good drama with amazing characters and a good romance and interesting story.

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best esports drama.....BEST BEST

ufff this drama is like having a feast like it contains everything ......best cast...best storyline.....best romcom series.....male lead and female lead both have a very good chemistry like it feels they are like real couple.....but not only mains, support cast was fabulous....all the teams who participated in the competition all of their members were great....this drama deserve more love... it is worth watching you will never regret after watching this.......
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even female lead ex boyfriend was so cute and was so understanding the way he gave his blessing to both lead .....uff this drama feels too real and friendship of female lead and her bestie is just too great......
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it shows all the struggle, hardwork that esports players or idol have to face to live in the society...
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the first esport drama that i watched was gank your heart that drama was also great but it required some modification which this falling into your smile drama completed i guarantee no esports drama can surpress this drama......this drama is eternal
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DO WATCH GUYS AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT
hope there will be season 2 or the same cast in different drama.......ohhh god i become too obsessed with this drama

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It was not just about E-Sports but full of simple, cute romantic drama

It was highly recommended to all people who love e-sports games but for me, it's not just about e-sports that I love about the drama. I love about this drama is that the cast and their characters, they really had a perfect lineup of visual actors and characters which kinda made me fall in love with every single of them. it was the same in the novel which the novel was a great and very cute story. I love the acting of Xu Kai and Cheng Xiao, they really have the best chemistry and fun while on cam and off cam. I hope both of them have the next drama together haha.

P.S. One more thing, I'm kinda disappointed with the ending, but I think it has the possibility to have a season 2 of it. let's just hope that it will be true and when that happens, I want the same cast of it and follow the novel again....

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A highly addictive ideal romance set in an ideal e-sports world

I just loved this story to bits because I couldn't get over Lu Si Cheng. I mean I could forgive the writers for a lot of things just so I could get to the parts where Lu Si Cheng dotes over Tong Yao.

Story:
I loved the progression of the storyline. As many have mentioned before, it's nothing out of the ordinary and it is pretty much set in an ideal world. This is a wonderful light story about a girl who happens to get into a professional team and her journey as they compete for the national championship. There is a second ML and some other characters who are into the ML but these arcs are never focused on for too long. I think people who don't like love triangles will be okay with this.

I think there might be an inevitable comparison between Go Go Squid and this drama among international audiences. To me it was a simple decision to watch as I am a Xu Kai fan. I think Go Go Squid was good, it had a different story even though it might be in a similar industry but FIYS has a much higher focus on the romance which I kind of like more. :)

P.S: I got into this without having read the novel on which the drama is based and wasn't aware of the controversies surrounding the story, so I am not going to talk about it. For those who haven't read the novel- rest assured the story is good with a fluffy romance. :)

Cast:
Xu Kai's acting was good in this drama. I feel he is improving his acting every time I see him and I fall in love a little more.
His transition from a pokerfaced captain to a doting boyfriend is really cute. I just love the way he is around Tong Yao.

Cheng Xiao, well this is the first time I am watching her acting. I know she is a singer and an amazingly flexible dancer. She did a good job portraying the serious and disappointed/upset emotions but I felt there was room for improvement when it comes to her showing love/affection for Lu Si Cheng. Some interactions just fell flat for me.

The interactions between the ZGDX team mates were good and provided quite a few laughs. 'Fatty' was my favorite character among them all. I just love his expressions when he inevitably comes across our couple. :P

Music:
I don't really pay much attention to the music as I don't understand Chinese though I liked the ending OST sung by Xu Kai/Cheng Xiao.

Dislikes:
I felt the PR team for the different teams sucked. I am not familiar for the e-sports industry so maybe this is the way it is in China but I found a lot of professional missteps with respect to team management and PR. There were some instances where I felt Lu Si Cheng had to make decisions wrt to a team member or take a stance during an interview without any discussion with the team or the team manager. The team manager as well sometimes acted indecisive and let others make decisions.
And the players had too much free time which I am sure that is just plain unreal! :P

While these instances could have been handled better, there were so many positives to this drama that they overshadow all my dislikes. :)

Overall:
I loved this show. This is currently my second highest rated show in the romance/light category behind Strong Girl Bong Soon. I would give it a 10/10 for entertainment but reduced 1.5 for the professional missteps & FL's acting I mentioned above.
I am sure I'll be re-watching this drama just for the feels. Hope you do too!

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Non fermatevi ai primi episodi, andate avanti!

La forza di questo drama non si percepisce subito, infatti ero tentata di mollarlo dopo qualche episodio siccome non riuscivo a capire dove volesse andare a parare. Lo trovavo sciatto, piatto, inconcludente. Ma poi è letteralmente esploso affrontando argomenti quali: genitori che non accettano l'esport come un lavoro ma solo come semplici videogiochi, le donne all'interno di un contesto prettamente maschile, il marcio che si cela sui social, cosa succederebbe se un "idol" si fidanzasse, etc. Mi è piaciuto molto come sono state trattate, soprattutto gli ultimi due.
Il gancio trainante di tutto lo dobbiamo per la maggiore a Xu Kai che è riuscito in questo ruolo a trascinarmi all'interno degli esport e letteralmente a catturare tutta la mia attenzione: lo trovo un attore fantastico. Tutte le scene con cui sono state bellissime, non solo perchè è bello ma perchè è proprio bravo.
Unica pecca se così la vogliamo chiamare, ma che per me non lo è stata, è la forte presenza dell'esport: alcuni episodi, principalmente quelli ambientati durante le gare, sono focalizzati sulle battaglie, talvolta riportate in 3D. Questa cosa può essere un difetto per alcuni ma a me è piaciuta molto (forse perchè mi ricorda un mio lontano passato..? Chi lo sa).
Nel complesso lo consiglio, ma davvero portate pazienza e andate avanti. Io in un futuro non molto lontano sicuramente lo riguarderò.

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A Fun Romance between Gamers

Finally back to writing reviews. I’ve watched many shows since the last time I wrote a review but I was just too lazy to take notes on the episodes and how I felt. I re-watched this show a whole month ago but didn’t get to write the review because I fell into a slump. I’m back though. This show is super popular because it has Xu Kai as the male lead, and honestly, I enjoyed this show a lot the first time I watched it. However, after rewatching the show I can say I still enjoyed the show, yet, I wouldn’t say it was super crazy good like how I felt watching Amidst a Snowstorm of Love and Love Me, Love My Voice, etc. The characters were fun to watch, the plot was all about e-sports (which I actually really enjoyed), but I felt like it was missing something to make the show better.



Beware of Spoilers Moving Forward!!!!!!!!!




What Episode did the Main Couple Start Dating?
OMg. They literally take a whole third of the show just to establish the fact they are dating. They are officially together in Episode 21.

I don’t mind slow burns, and in this case it was fine because there is a lot of plot in this show in terms of gaming and the e-sports world. There is also just a lot of hesitation between the two, as her ex-boyfriend, Jiang Yang, was also an e-sports professional gamer and they lost contact because of it, and therefore, she originally didn’t want to have a relationship with anyone in the same field. She also hesitates as the fandom is highkey crazy and a lot of people were convinced they were already dating before, and were already shit-talking Tong Yao for “seducing” Si Cheng.

Si Cheng asks Tong Yao very casually in episode 20 if she wants to try, and she asks “try what?” and he says, me. LOLOLOLOL I almost died here. In episode 21, she thinks he was joking, and was very indecisive on what to do but she almost confessed in a previous episode so I don’t know what she was hesitating for. She then accepts him later in this episode.

Misunderstandings?
They have a misunderstanding in Episode 17 after Tong Yao gets into a fight at an event with another lady who was in charge of that event. She pushes the lady and that lady makes a whole video accusing Tong Yao of physically hurting her and it goes viral. Tong Yao gets banned for one game. During this time, Si Cheng isn’t talking to her and Tong Yao is butt- hurt about it. He explains later on in Episode 18.

There’s also another time in Episode 26 where Si Cheng is acting cold and distant with Tong Yao after the harmful package incident with Tong Yao. He ignores her and acts cold with her for days. In Episode 27, Tong Yao asks Si Cheng if they’re breaking up because he’s been cold, however, he consoles her and tells her he’s just angry at himself that he can’t protect her.

Love Triangles?
LOOOOOOOOOL This show is essentially a harem. Every captain from almost every team loves Tong Yao akjsndkfjsdfs. It was kinda funny. But jokes aside. There really isn’t a love triangle at all.

Jiang Yang tries to get Tong Yao back, however, she was very set in stone that she wouldn’t take him back. She explains to Jiang Yang that the reason she doesn’t want to get back with him is because he never treated her as someone who could walk alongside him.

Another funny character who was obsessed with Tong Yao was Kun from FNC, he was soooo funny. I laughed the whole time his character appeared on screen. He just felt like comedic relief tbh.

Second Leads Romance
OMGGGG. Ai Jia and Jin Yang were so fun to watch honestly. Zhou Yi Ran. my love. My obsession. My fav c-drama actor. Akjsndfkjsnkdfs. Zhou Yi Ran playing Ai Jia was a delight to watch. The first time I watched him was in When I Fly Towards you and his character is so different in Falling Into Your Smile. Their romance was different, but honestly, very true. Jin Yang had no interest in the world of e-sports but she supported Ai Jia throughout it. She ended up buying his team too LOL. and she helped him reconnect with his mom again after she kicked him out for wanting to be a professional e-sports gamer.

Falling Into Your Smile Ending
Falling Into Your Smile has a happy ending where they win at the finals thanks to Tong Yao. Then, we watch Ai Jia and Jin Yang get married and Tong Yao catches the bouquet. It was a typical sweet ending.

Falling Into Your Smile Review- A Fun Romance between Gamers
I gave this show a 7.5/10. I enjoyed it thoroughly as it was a fun show to watch with e-sports, friendship, romance, conflicts, etc. If I’m being completely honest the reason why I can’t rate the show any higher is because I just felt the show was mediocre at best. I don’t know how to explain it. I was happy when the main leads got together, and honestly, some of the conflicts were fun to watch and I understood how they dealt with it. However, it was just a fun watch. I can't say that I was obsessed and eager to finish the show. I think the reason I couldn’t enjoy this show to the fullest was because Cheng Xiao’s acting in this show was mediocre at best. She kind of always had a poker face throughout the show aksjbfksds.

The e-sports plot was fun to watch and I did really enjoy that part of the show as this was my first time seeing a plot like this. The fandom being crazy for the guys were super real, the chronic injuries that professional e-sports gamers face was shown, the stigma of being a professional gamer was also explored. I really appreciated and enjoyed these arcs in the story.

Falling Into Your Smile is a fun watch where you see pro-gamers explore the world of romance, team bonding, dealing with societal stigmas on gaming, etc. I did enjoy the show and it was a cute, fun watch and I didn’t regret the time I took to watch it.

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Love this drama!

I really like this drama for its easy watching. There's no big drama, but the issues the characters faced feels relatable and real. I love the bond that each of the teams share, and especially team members of zdgx who are all so hilarious and charming at the same time. Especially, watch xiao pang's reaction every time he unintentionally stumbles on the scenes with the main couple. Lao K and Lao Mao are also a wonderful pair, with Lao K being a bit more aware of the main couple's feelings and quietly supporting and pushing them to each other, while Lao Mao is just blur on the whole thing but also being a supportive team mate. Lu Yue is great as Tong Yao's frenemy and Lu Si Cheng's biggest supporter. Ming Shen being a good older brother for the rest of the team mates makes me feel fuzzy and warm. Xiao Rui is a great as the manager who always supports the team, picks up after the members and make sure sure they are well-fed.
The main otp has the best chemistry and all their kiss scenes are not cringey but feels natural and watchable. I can see how comfortable Lu Si Cheng and Tong Yao are with each other. Also, it's quite funny to watch Lu Si Cheng keep teasing Tong Yao but not admit that it's because he actually likes her that's why he does that. Tong Yao is cute as the FL lead who is slowly, but a little unwillingly, falling in love with her captain.
Most important for me to decided if I'll watch and like a drama is how relatable the FL is and how much I like the character. So Tong Yao for me is a wonderful character as she is not over the top in her reactions, doesn't make me cringe with her actions and decisions, is a strong female character in an industry dominated by men, yet still have her soft side that is able to empathize with others.
Another great thing about this drama is how they have so many quotable sentences that can fit into our every day lives uses.
This drama has a high binge and rewatch value for me.

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A Straightforward Story, Told Well

I enjoyed this drama a good deal more than I was expecting to. The story is relatively straightforward -- romance, competition, and the pressures of publicity -- but it goes through the familiar beats with a sense of professionalism and respect for the audience that I really appreciated. It's not about, for instance, if the main team will win the championship at the end, but about the theatricality and execution of the match.

Things I particularly appreciated. The show has a minimum of contrived fake-outs (no mid-term breakup for the main couple, no bizarre twist at the end, no angst about whether a happy ending is OK), and focuses rather on watching a sweet relationship develop, and a fun sports competition play out (with economical use of montages and result summaries to let us focus on the interesting matches). The supporting cast was also pretty good, and in particular the dynamics of the main sports team was fun -- a lot of great banter, spiced with just a bit of drama. And the music was really outstanding: there was no overused ballad for the main couple, instead just really effective use of songs in context (Naomi Wang's pre-match song gave me goosebumps the first time it was used).

That's not to say it's a perfect show. If you want a more original plot, this isn't the place to look: it's comfort food. And there are some of the usual cliches of romances (FL trips and is caught by the ML at least three or four times). Sometimes I thought this sat a little awkwardly with the characterization of the FL, though overall I appreciated very much that they didn't feel they needed to make her 'manly' in order to portray her as an outstanding e-sports player.

I had a few other miscellaneous complaints, mostly fairly minor. There's a lot of product placement, of the same brands that keep showing up in other shows, and when this is too blatant it can be a bit exasperating. Some of the material with online harassment and publicity was overegged a bit. I don't think making the ML so super-rich added much, and just felt like trying to cram in one ML cliche too many. All of these criticisms are just my opinion, of course, and didn't seriously get in the way of my enjoyment of the show.

To sum: If you want a fun show that's very professionally put together, and won't hit you with a lot of emotional manipulation, this is a good choice.

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