this drama is my happy place, it's so beautiful <3
So, this is the first e-sport drama I watched. I expected it to be good since Wang Yibo is in the main roll, but IT TOTALLY EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATION!!! I've watched really a lot of dramas, but i never experienced SO MANY EMOTIONS while watching a series! The whole story about the them playing in competions with the goal to become the world champion is really trilling and i deeply felt it!Story:
Tbh in the first few episodes I wasn't really that confinced of the story, but after i got into I feel in love with this drama! The story has many ups and downs and there is indeed some drama and misunderstandings, but nothing that goes on for many episodes, so it's good to watch! We definitly see A LOT of character development for basically all important characters! Not only the main characters but basically for every supporting character as well! Because of that i could really get into the story and feel it deeply!
Acting/Cast:
Wang Yibo is perfect for the role of the male lead. He's very good at micro expressions which helps him to portray Ji Xiangkong in a very realistic way. I feel like Ji Xiangkong and Wang Yibo are very similar in many points, so there couldn't possibily be a better choice of actor!
Wang Zi Xuan also did a great job as the female lead! I actually really like the female lead in this drama because she's not stupid or foolish. She is very hard working and depends only on herself to be successful. She cares about others a lot and tries to be the best not only for herself but also for the people she loves.
Music:
The OST is beautiful and i just love it! Especially listing to the main theme "Burning adventures" by Wang Yibo makes me feel so happy!
Rewatch value:
I officially state this drama as my happy place and i would definitly rewatch it, especially when I feel down, since this drama just makes me smile so brightly!
Overall suggestion: Obviously 10/10! You totally won't regret it!
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This review may contain spoilers
Recommend watching at least once.
I really liked this drama for the most part. Most of the series was great, I loved the characters, acting, and the humor. But in the last few episodes, I got really annoyed with the typical "ex girlfriend pulls a stunt to keep main lead guy by her side," thing. It's one thing if it's in the middle of the series or something, but at the end, I get annoyed with things like that. If that doesn't bother you, I'd highly recommend this drama.... even if it does bother you in a way, it's still worth watching at least once.Was this review helpful to you?
This is the first contemporary Chinese Drama that I have finished. While I am living for Chinese 'Historical' Dramas I always thought that contemporary stories are better of told in K-Dramaland. But Gank Your Heart has proven me so so wrong.
I never imagined that E-Sports would be a topic I would develop an interest in but the Drama did such a great job at conveying the passion within this field that I was literally on the edge of my seat watching these fictional competitions and rooting so hard for the team. I came for Wang Yibo and for the romance thinking I could 'endure' the background setting but then developed a genuine linking in e-sports and its commentary. That's a big plus for the production because it successfully managed to touch the viewers through the character writing.
And for the plot itself: I'm not sure how I could paint this picture best but I feel like it's a combo of what a really good but trope-full fanfiction would look like and pure realism at the same time. It sounds confusing to me too but that's how it is. A lot of scenes and conflicts evolving around the lead couple felt so cliché and 'only happens in fan fictions' dramatic (but it's really well executed so I'm not mad; actually loved it) but then it also tells the simplest and best love story about two characters that are the perfect match for that they thoroughly understand and support each other; a true definition of a couple that is each other's best friend. They are both so genuine and utmost stubborn when it comes to their principles and dreams. They amount of passion they convey will get you super excited about every plot point.
Passion is what describes this story best and the fact that the production was able to make the viewer feel that through the screen makes this a gem of a drama. It takes you on a journey following characters who fight for their dreams no matter what and it was so inspiring that I was torn between binge watching and getting stuff done to achieve my goals haha. The characters just felt so real; the way they handle their problems, build their relationships, acting confused and making mistakes, trying to fix them, trying to grow ... they felt so relatable and thus totally lovable.
Aaaah and the friendship in this drama is so cute and heart wrenching, the supporting characters are no way just decorative plot fillers but all had their own story to tell. The friendship arc also had moments that felt over the top, nearly anime like if you get what I mean, especially towards the end, but again, I didn't mind.
And I have to talk about Ji Xiang Kong as a character, because for me he is the best leading male character in a contemporary, realistic drama I've seen in a while, He's not quite that tsundere, cold character we've seen all too often, he's not extremely reclusive or naive nor super extroverted or class-clownish, but an really complex yet simple person (I see a theme here) character, who knows exactly what he wants and who he cares for. He has his principles straight, doesn't care for what other people think about him but deeply cherishes his friends and family, managing to protect them without loosing himself, while the pressure he was under was insane; I would have collapsed so many times hahaha. I'm so so in love with this character.
The only thing I had to cringe about was the sloppy english dubbing at the beginning, when the characters were in Canada. But then again, it's not my first language either and I really shouldn't judge. It just threw me off a little bit.
And for the OSTs: I really liked them !! The opening song fits the overall feel of the drama extremely well. I never skipped it because it got me in the mood watching. And there was one other OST I really liked called 'tian kong zhi wai'.
I would totally rewatch the drama. It's not heavy one but also not as light hearted as I first thought when I started watching.
You should totally give this drama a try
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Must watch especially if you love “The Untamed”
I have searched for this show for nearly a month before finally finding it on some obscure website with English subtitles. I have been a fan of Wang Yibo since first watching him in "The Untamed" in mid-December. When I first read the synopsis of this show, I wanted to see him in a different type of show instead of a costume drama. As he's a gamer and motorbike racer in real life, it only added to the intrigue of how he would play this character. He didn't disappoint. Though I know zilch about games, he was ridiculously good and made a believer out of me. The entire series made me laugh at times and cry at others. The entire cast did a wonderful job and I wish more international fans could see his performance in this series. The reason I gave it a 9 and not a 10 was because I wish the romance aspect of it was less drawn out and all of the villains had better understood connections. Otherwise, I would and will recommend this show to people who are looking for something different. Wang Yibo at just 22 years old is a promising and courageous young actor that will continue to flourish with every role he's in. I look forward to seeing more of the Chinese Michael Jackson (yes ppl, he's really that good at dancing) in the future!Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Wow, just wow! I absolutely loved this show. It was incredibly wholesome and just utterly amazing. I'll now go through each section and explain my rating, as well as other things (that include spoilers, so be warned!)
1: STORY
As I stated, I loved the story. It was simply phenomenal. The portrayal of humanity was (chef's kiss) perfection. For me, I loved how they had evil characters that were fueled by either money or greed, like Zhao Yang and Qiao Xing. At the same time, they also showed how humans are prone to change- Qiao Xing ultimately realizes how she had messed up and chooses to change herself and the way she acts. It's moving and phenomenal.
From a more literary based perspective, I love how the story comes in a circle. We start off the show with Chuan Qi, including Ji Xiang Kong, Lin Yi Xuan, and Gu Fang losing the world IConquer championships. Qiu Ying has messed up on her opportunities to interview them and has to perform her own thing in order to keep her job. All of them are at a low point (not the lowest) but certainly, they're losing what feels like everything. In the end, Qiu Ying is asked to return to her dream job, Ji Xiang Kong, Lin Yi Xuan, and Gu Fang have a realization of their greatest dreams. It's a circle and in literature and cinema, we love circles. They represent what comes around really does go around.
Besides that, the story was just wholesome in general. Luo Tian was crushing hard on Qiu Ying, but despite his own interests, he chooses not to pursue her and rather just protect her in the shadows because he sees how hard she's fallen for Ji Xiang Kong. Mi Ya (her name's honestly just Mia, the translation just offers it as Mi Ya) is still in love with Ji Xiang Kong but she ultimately puts it down and unlike a lot of other dramas, she doesn't do anything to explicitly harm Qiu Ying. Rather, she's just trying to win him back; she's not destroying Qiu Ying's reputation or ruining her career as Qiao Xing does. She's just trying to get the man she loves back. Ultimately, she puts him down, the same way Luo Tian accepted that he may never be able to get Qiu Ying, and that's what makes it so much more wholesome. Of course, there's still Qiao Xing and Zhao Yang, but Zhao Yang's utterly ruined, which is a motif (what goes around comes around) and Qiao Xing accepts her actions and moves forward in a better direction.
What I also loved is that there isn't really a Second ML. At moments, I thought it might be Pei Xi or Luo Tian, but they're not really second male leads, but rather different. What's adorable is that Pei Xi is just a Ji Xiang Kong stan and he literally will follow that man to the edge of the earth. Luo Tian is more a character that pushes them together and not really a male lead.
Xia Ling is an utter wreck; he was so adorable that it absolutely destroyed me. I loved his character so much and his relationship with his family, but also with Pei Xi. They really were each other's mirrors and they saw each other so clearly. It was so sweet to see their relationship develop.
There's a lot more I loved about this story, but I'll just leave it at that because otherwise this will get TOO long.
2. CAST
Wang Yibo was the reason I watched this TV show, but I'm in love with the rest of the cast now. They were amazing in this show and really brought the characters to life. Of course, some moments are questionable and a bit rough, but I loved them in this. Wang Yibo was amazing, as expected, especially after watching Untamed. I greatly enjoyed the cast in this and I have to say, my favorite character and actress in this is Lu Yiyi, or Lu Xiao Yu. She was amazing!
3. MUSIC
The music is phenomenal. You can find it on Youtube if you search up Gank Your Heart OST and I have to say, Wang Yibo, you really are good at everything. The song is absolutely mesmerizing and it stirred up all kinds of emotions. I loved it!
4. REWATCH VALUE
As someone who doesn't really rewatch dramas, I have to say, I think I'm going to rewatch this at some point. It's too wholesome and perfect (for me) not to. I loved it and I think I'll probably have to put it pretty high ranked on my list of completed dramas.
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ONE OF MY FAVE!
First things first, I LOVED THIS DRAMA! I just loved it and I enjoyed it so much!So, firstly, I'm no gamer. But this drama interests me so much that's why I literally binge-watch this for two days just to finish it. Secondly, the cast were lit! Their acting was also pretty nice! Thirdly, the chemistry of the two main lead was perfect, well, for me. They're just so cuteeee and lovely! Fourthly, I loved how this made me feel thrilled, nervous, and proud when the scene was in the game setting that made me cheer for them also! It's inspiring and blissful to see them fight for their dreams to be the world champion! Somehow, this could send motivation that in every dreams that we'll pursue, we'll face so many ups and downs. This drama showed to us that if you want to really achieve your dreams, whatever ups and downs you'll encounter, just keep going until you reach the peak of your success! And lastly, I hope to see the main lead more on a chinese drama with the same theme.
Overall, awesome and well done! Highly recommended!
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It reminds me of a couple other dramas that I like.
The drama is really interesting. To be honest, I finished it in two days. First and foremost, I watched GoGo Squid (most recent comparison, earlier this year an dit took me a long time to finish because it felt drawn out. I also watch Love 020 multiple years ago and took a little while. Gank Your Heart is similar to this show but the side characters in this really keep the plot moving (there are still slow episodes though). I really enjoyed the main and subplots, though the one with Miya got repetitive.The acting was good, not too cringe, though there are moments, which are to be excepted in this genre. I like the characters in general too. I'd like to mention the OST, I really liked the music, it was fitting for the show and it's atmosphere, it was up beat fro the most part and I really liked one of the songs (I'm going to look fro it later).
It's worth watching, so give it a chance.
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This drama is soooo UNDERRATED!!! One of the best!!!
I watched this drama without expecting too much because the only reason I watched it is because of yibo but damn this drama exceed my expectations!!! The plot was on point, the story line was flawless, the romantic scene was not exaggerated, and the soundtrack is PERFECT!!! I like how this drama emphasized how the main lead achieve their dreams, the friendship that was built and not only focusing on the romance. This is one of the best e-sport drama and its just sad that it became the shadow of the untamed (although both are really different but because the untamed is very popular, this drama was neglected especially international fans).Was this review helpful to you?
Did not know I'd like an e-sports drama
I did not know I would be interested in e-sports dramas until I watched this. I thought the drama was overall pretty good. However, the male and female lead could not catch a break. Just one obstacle after the other, it was tiring to watch. Because of this, there was not enough screen time for the main couple and it was very disappointing! I did like the fact that their goals changed as it progressed and they weren't stuck on achieving 1 thing. But again, a better balance was needed between this and the romance. For as smart as the male lead is, he makes some truly awful decisions in his personal life which led to me liking him even less by the end of the drama.Was this review helpful to you?
Another one of my favorites!
BACKGROUND INFO-----------------------------The male lead (Ji Xiangkong) is an e-gamer representing team Legends. The female lead (Qiu Ying) started off as an interviewer in a small company. Ji Xiangkong and Qiu Ying meet at the national e-gaming finals competition in 2018. Because of certain reasons, they meet again. Though they don't understand each other very well so hate each other in the beginning. But as they know each other better, they reconcile and become good friends. Ji Xiangkong started Qiu Ying's dream of becoming the first Chinese female commenter in the national e-gaming competition. Of course, they both meet people who are trying to ruin their careers. They push together to solve these problems, but then Ji Xiangkong's ex-girlfriend came back from America. Ji Xiangkong needs to find a balance to keep his ex-girlfriend from interfering with his current relationship.
STORY------------------------------------------------
First off, I just want to say that this drama is on my "BEST DRAMAS EVER" list. The story was literally amazing. I love how there was a really good balance between love and career. It is super great to see how these relate to each other. The leads start off sort of hating each other, mainly because they didn't understand each other. But eventually they become good friends and catch feelings. There were actually three main conflicts in the story. The first one is when a manager in the Legends e-sports team tries to kick the male lead out of the team, which happens towards the beginning. In the middle, is about the female lead and her work rival. And in the end, is regarding the male lead's ex-girlfriend. Nothing really "breaks" their relationship, but they will get upset at each other at times. But for the first two conflicts, it affects their careers, not their love life. I think the thing that really gets to my emotions, is the friendship, and the adventures they travel together. It's really awesome seeing how the characters grow, learn, and go through so much together. The bond and brotherhood hooked me instantly, and made me feel like this drama was more meaningful than just a simple love story. It is truly insane how much this captured my heart. Such a beautiful story, and it made me cry over happiness.
ACTING/CAST--------------------------------------
Wang Yibo is pretty popular right now, but it's funny how I didn't watch Gank Your Heart fully because of him. I was more looking at the story, but of course, with Yibo and Wang Zixuan as leads it makes it 10 times better. I do have to give extra credit to Zixuan though. One thing that would really ruin a drama is if the leads are cringy. Zixuan's acting was so natural, I really loved it. She didn't try to act cute, and she didn't try to overexaggerate any emotions. Same goes to Yibo. Both lead's acting was so natural and everything was executed so well. Support characters also did an amazing job, and really brought the story to life.
MUSIC-----------------------------------------------
Great music, especially loved the intro song Wang Yibo sang called "Most Burning Adventures" or "最燃的冒险".
REWATCH VALUE---------------------------------
Yes, definitely worth rewatching. I'm personally not the type of person that likes rewatching dramas, but if I wanted to rewatch any drama, this would be it. Most of the time, I would rewatch a few scenes because of the relationship, but this it was the story for this drama that captured me.
OVERALL--------------------------------------------
Really amazing drama. This is another on of my favorites now! Recommend to anyone out there, and it's very meaningful. I caught myself in tears towards the beginning! If you haven't watched this, then now is the time! This is a seriously good drama.
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This review may contain spoilers
I started this drama with not many expectations but this drama really proved me wrong. I started watching for Yibo but ended up falling for so many more characters. Qiu Ying and Xiang Kong's love for each other was so pure and they acted that part out super well. (It felt more than real OK SOMEONE FIND ME A JI XIANG KONG) Them, as each other's support and reliable partner; they emerged from the bottom to the top and the final parts of the drama had me in tears. Many lessons learned through this drama. Don't expect major twists, the drama is a very light and fluffy one. Predictable but worth the watch.
The gaming scenes were very well done in my opinion, especially the world championships part. Their reactions were top notch and I really felt as if I was present, watching the actual game even though it's just a fictional drama. The antagonists were really annoying and frustrating but I guess they've done their job well in pissing everyone off HAHA. Yi Yi and Yi Xuan are the best friends one can ever ask for and the way Yi Xuan is so smitten for Yi Yi is very endearing. (If Yi Xuan is the best support player, he's a even better brother man the loyalty)
Everything was plotted well and fell into place, making it relatively natural. Character developments were apparent, making me feel like a proud audience as time passed. Also, Xiang Kong and Qiu Ying's hug scenes make me want to melt and combust (it's so !!!!!!!)
Definitely one of my favourite c-dramas now and I will definitely rewatch it. The OST is very nice too and it's placed very aptly. I miss the characters already omg I love the teams so much :(((( Watch it, don't hesitate! Even if it seems a ~little~ draggy at times, just fast forward/skip it a little and pull through, it'll be worth it, I promise you.
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