Quando Eu Voo em Sua Direção (2023)

Little bit dull

I've watched numerous dramas about high school students, so I wasn't initially very interested in this one. The reason I decided to watch it was because of a scene I saw on YouTube that I really liked. However, that scene appeared only at the end.

The drama follows the characters from their teenage years through adulthood, from grade 9 to marriage and having children. It beautifully portrays how the course of life changes and how relationships grow stronger over time. I found the last episodes to be the most compelling.

Another scene I particularly liked was when the younger brother shared his feelings with his older brother's girlfriend. He expressed his worry about his brother and questioned why was he so affected by others' opinions, which had created a barrier between them. He reminisced about the times when his brother cared deeply for him.

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Not the drama for me

Don't attack me, this review is from a person who avoids youth drama. I'm not bashing anyone for liking this since I can understand why people love this.

I started watching this knowing I tend to dislike youth dramas, the only reason why I watched this was because it is an adaptation from the same author as "hidden love" which I absolutely loved. So it was like a challenge to myself to see if I liked this one since I usually don't vibe with school dramas.

But as expected, this one wasn't for me. I knew this was supposed to be more slice of life with a pure and innocent romance but I guess my cynical personality couldn't tolerate the innocent sweetness.

Let me start with the negatives for me:
- The romance was good but not great
The leads had a healthy relationship which I liked but it was just too pure and bland for me. I tend to like couples with chemistry that sparks on screen so I just didn't vibe with the pure milky relationship they had.
- The male lead was bland till the end (I'm sorry)
I get that the male lead is supposed to be quiet and introverted but give him some sort of personality! And the actor could've done more to give life to the character, the expressions he showed were limited so it was like watching a stereotypical introverted character with no depth.
- Can we tone down the puppy-like charm ?
The female lead is supposed to have golden retriever energy I guess, but can we please make it more realistic. Knowing China's obsession with cute female leads, I didn't expect much but again I just need some depth so that she feels relatable. I liked her in some scenes but in other scenes, it was just cringey for me so I skipped it.

But this had some positives for me as well:
- A true slice of life
Lots of dramas claim to be slice of life only to have angsty drama in the middle. But this one was a true slice of life with a slow and relaxed pacing. No major drama or angst between the characters. It just had a nostalgic feel that felt warm and cozy
- Realistic friendships and dynamics
The potrayal of teenagers in China felt relatable. It wasn't exaggerated and just felt normal.
- Healthy relationship goals
I liked how they showed two opposite people can really understand and complete each other. The main couple had a really healthy relationship dynamic. They had mutual patience and appreciation for each other which was great to see.

Overall, it might've been a great watch for someone else but for me, this was just a disappointment (not the show but the watching experience for me). This is just a typical young school romance made really well. But if you don't like this genre, maybe try something else ?

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A short and sweet drama well worth your time

I'll start by saying I'm currently in a phase where I get really impatient with long, dragged out romance plots where it takes forever for the leads to get together. However, with this show even though they spend most of the drama not officially together I found myself not skipping a single scene because the interactions between all the characters were so precious and fun to watch.
I think all the characters had excellent chemistry with each other. Their friendships and journey through youth was really refreshing to watch and because the episodes were so short, they got to the point and it never felt dragged. Honestly, after watching this show I'm wondering why more youth dramas don't adopt this straightforward method of story-telling. It really keeps the content engaging.

I know a lot of people have been saying they like the second couple more than the main couple, but I actually disagree! Although I did love the second couple, nothing tops the main couple in this show for me. Their personalities are just so well matched and Su Zai Zai has to be my favorite lead girl. She's caring and sweet but also has a very straightforward, no-nonsense personality. A lot of classic drama tropes were turned on their heads in this show mainly because of how maturely she handled obstacles and I really respect her character for that. It shows that you don't have to be a cold and calculating type to be seen as a "strong" woman. Zai Zai was cute and affectionate while also being strong and I really appreciated that portrayal. Zhang LuRang was also portrayed very well and I think it's truly a "she fell first but he fell harder" type of relationship :)

In general, if you like romance and if you like light-hearted shows absolutely give this one a go. You won't be disappointed.

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Another lovely Zhu Yi adaptation

Same author who wrote Hidden Love (Secretly, Secretly, Unable to Hide) also wrote this one.

The novel's title is "She's A Little Crazy." I think that about sums up the drama. The actress does a wonderful job being a little crazy, but not annoying. It's the very typical high pitched nasal cutesy Asian female voice, but I think because she's so positive, it's not annoying.

Lots of comedy, lots of heartwarming moments.

ML did a wonderful job getting into character. He's quite different in "Falling Into Your Smile." Although the FL does 98% of the talking and the ML 2%, his lines are well delivered, perfectly timed. I think it's just as hard to play a quiet role because the acting is completely done by micro facial expressions and getting the right aura. The actor nailed it.

Music is mostly pleasantly retro, sometimes cheesy but really only where it needs to be.

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If you want a light and warm drama, this is the answer.

For the first time watching this drama, I stopped at the second episode and didn't want to continue because I felt bored. after this drama was declared over and people praised this drama, I felt confused, what's so special? then I convinced myself to continue watching. then I realized that this drama is really interesting and warm. This drama looks cliche but has special little plots. I like all the characters who have their own strengths and weaknesses, they support each other. The most important thing is the two main characters smart and solve the problem quickly. I regret not watching this drama earlier. I regret not enjoying my youth like they did.

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CAN'T GET THEM OUT OF MY HEAD FRFR!

it's my first time giving a review after all the dramas and movies i've watched, but wifty made me do this!
 
my brain isn't functioning so well right now, but i must say that this drama deserves more hype than what it has gotten so far (and is currently getting) because i myself can't get the youthfulness this drama has brought me as a teenager who's about to graduate shs in less than a year! 
 
this drama made me go kilig and giggle A LOT, I SWEAR 🙋 it's sooooo comforting to watch because of how supportive and lovely they are to each other (may it be for friendship or for a romantic relationship). 
 
THANK YOU MY JIANGYI SQUAD FOR THE COMFORT! MAY WE ALL FIND OUR OWN RANGRANG IN THE FUTURE, ZAIZAIS OUT THERE 💛
 
GO WATCH IT BECAUSE THIS IS DEFINITELY WORTH YOUR TIME AND KILIGIN DIN KAYO KINA RANGRANG AT ZAIZAI KASI SINONG HINDI KIKILIGIN SA KANILA 😭😭😭😭

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Beautiful and uplifting

When I Fly Towards You manages to capture the fleeting moment in life when possibilities are endless. Back when we say goodbye to childhood and we become young adults going out into the world to expand our understanding as we discover ourselves through others.

On a technical aspect the cdrama is shot digitally but there are snippets filmed with an analog camera, visually making you understand you are being told this story from the POV of someone remembering. This adds a layer of nostalgia. Smart and beautiful to watch.

The acting is what I expect from a youth drama that understands itself: good natured, solid and well-rounded performances of characters growing up as we see them going through different every day experiences involving school, friends, family and love.

Overall, I fully enjoyed this cdrama that features an easy to cheer for characters, with good chemistry, learning about life and themselves. This is why I love youth dramas, they can be a source of joy and energy.

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currently watching this…

I like the main lead (guy) and I’m quite irked with the female lead… just give me stalkerish vibes and a little bit annoying, but her best friend/classmate, she’s really pretty in my opionion, and has more depth in character, I do like her way better than the female lead. watching it because base on the reviews it’s a nice sweet drama. so let’s see if I’ll continue watching it or will just eventually drop this, by far my favorite c-dramas are love O2O, lost you forever, put your head on my shoulder. I enjoyed watching I hear you, and some of shen Yuen’s series..

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No melodrama, no annoying characters—just normal people growing up

TL;DR at the end with no spoilers.

There's something about early 2000s camcorders that takes me back to my childhood, though to be honest I don't remember ever having one at home. Maybe it's the look of the onscreen interface, or the video quality, but it makes me feel like what I'm about to watch are memories of easier times in my life. Fittingly, the FL of this show makes a point of documenting her life using precisely one of those camcorders: at the end of every episode and also in many other scenes she films herself and her friends, and there are references to these clips interspersed throughout the story. Somehow, this evoked in me a sense of nostalgia for past events in the story as I watched, although I had seen them happen mere hours before; it surely has to be one of the strangest feelings I've experienced lately.

Complementing that is the expansion of what feels like the ending into 5 episodes—which show us glimpses of their growth into adults in between timeskips—as opposed to the first 19 episodes that cover their high school years. The longer ending gives us plenty of room to contemplate what is now 'long ago' for the characters at the same time they themselves look back on those days. It's not just you as a viewer remembering some scenes by yourself: it's you empathizing in real time with what's on their minds. That's very neat, if you ask me. If something leaves you indifferent, that means you've wasted a part of your life on it.

I admit that I wasn't sold on this show at first. I get an irresistible urge to pause when something cringy is about to happen because I hate the secondhand embarrasment, and the FL does a lot of that in the first couple of episodes to get the ML's attention. Thankfully, she drops that soon and instead shapeshifts into the worst nightmare of the government's censorship board: a teenager who is open about her feelings towards a member of the opposite sex. So much so that, in the real world, no sane bystander would be able to deny that she is verbally throwing herself at him, but here everyone avoids acknowledging the elephant in the room. It doesn't come as a surprise, though, seeing how Chinese dramas tend to normalize high schools cracking down on mere rumors of a relationship between two students. Coincidentally enough, the taboo is lifted in the very day of the graduation. This raises some obvious questions, but I won't go into that.

Leaving that little bit of social commentary aside, the dynamic between the ML and the FL is actually quite endearing. I've been past the point of tolerating overly insecure and controlling characters for years now, and I appreciate that these two and their three friends are just normal people. Everyone has their flaws, but they're not exaggerated for melodrama. You just see their relationships evolve over the course of several years. I missed some more development in their background stories, but I suppose the extra screen time was used to flesh them out as a group so it's okay. If I had to complain about something, it'd be that the relationship between the ML and the FL is too perfect: they always trust each other, always know what the other is thinking, always want to be together, and almost never have significant problems or disagreements. It's nice to watch, but real people can't be held up to these standards.

The contrast between the primary couple being obvious about their relationship and the secondary couple dodging the issue until the last minute was interesting, but the fifth friend whose role was just to add some variety and comedic relief... poor guy. The show makes it abundantly clear that this is about two couples in the making who always sit and stand beside each other, which results in the fifth friend always being relegated to the outside of the group. The only time he's allowed to be in the center of the group is when they're all sitting on the stairs in front of the hospital with him after he'd been taking care of his grandma on his own while she was hospitalized. Maybe I'm splitting hairs, you tell me.

All in all, the plot is all about putting them in everyday situations and having them work out their relatable but not life-changing personal problems. There's not much suspense or mystery because you know how it's going to end by the two-minute mark: the opening already tells you that much. You're just along for the ride. And, if you like the characters, the ride is great.

The thing with endings is they have a lot of influence on the aftertaste of the whole story. I'm reluctant to rewatch or reread things that I loved—and know I would love again—even 95% of the way through just because the ending ruins it all. Luckily, in this case the show ends in a satisfying way, arguably not rushed, and also justified by the events that lead up to it without last-minute asspulls to shift the narrative towards a certain conclusion. I think checking this point off is what makes it the best Chinese drama I've watched so far—for a grand total of four, that is.

To wrap up this review, I just want to comment on the pattern I've been noticing of having male protagonists be good at basketball. If I had a nickel for every time I've seen that in a Chinese drama, I'd have four nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it can't be a coincidence at this point considering it's a 100% rate.

TL;DR:

Watch this for a great coming-of-age story with main characters that don't create forced melodrama and are actually reasonable people. It's hard to describe this type of show in just a few words, but it manages to differentiate itself from other works in the way characters and interactions are crafted. Admittedly, this is something more felt than rationally analyzed, but I think a big part of it is just developing characters to deserve the happy ending the show openly promises you from the start—and then not fucking up the ending itself, of course. You won't find heavy drama here, but it doesn't need it either to tell a compelling story.

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easily in my top 3 favourite dramas of all time now!

if you’re looking for a good quality drama overflowing with young romance and cuteness, this is definitely the show for you. there is zero cringe factor at all. everything is just very sweet <3

the simple plot was well delivered as much of the drama has this dreamy tone which accompanied with the use of a camcorder gives the drama a lovely feel. each episode ends with the female lead filming a log for her video diary and a cute quote to finish which i loved. even the intro song was so cute i never skipped it once!

the main romance is cute, the supporting leads romance is cute, the friendship between the gang is cute with lots of funny moments but also serious ones where u can see how they’re individually all such good people who care so much for each other.

the cinematography is beautiful, the show is well paced, there is no shortage of cute romance scenes especially the last few episodes which will really have you smiling like an idiot, the music is good, the actors are all cute and did well and lastly you can really feel the effort that was put into the show. the characters even have weibo accounts which they posted on while the show was airing!

there are zero cons to this show, im heavily attached to all the characters now. my only regret is not waiting for all the episodes to come out before watching T_T

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Simple High School Romance

By far of all the dramas I've ever watched and edited, this has been my favourite drama!

Although I've watched many dramas, this drama felt more realistic with a simple plot that shows both romance and friendship, especially in a youth drama. The cast was amazing and had so much chemistry even though they may not have been the most popular actors/actresses but I felt it was more suitable for the drama rather than having popular actors/actresses that may not have fit into a youth drama. Also, I liked that the drama concluded their story from their youth to their adult life which really makes the viewer get attached to the show at the end.

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