Amidst a Snowstorm of Love: A Tale of How Love Motivates People

 

With Sword and Fairy 4 and 6 flopped domestically, industry pundits have high hopes for Amidst Snowstorm of Love to make a big difference, and be this year's first successful drama from mainland China. 

The only drama from mainland China this year that earned a high rating in Douban is Like a Flowing River season 3 bannered by Wang Kai, Wu Lei's co-star in Nirvana in Fire, so a lot of drama viewers trusted Wu Lei's star power to make this February opening C-drama a successful one.

This is Wu Lei's second sports romance drama in succession after Nothing But You in 2023 where he starred as a badminton player turned tennis pro. It was a success by industry standards and went on to become the second highest-rated (8.2) modern romance drama in Douban in 2023 after Meet Yourself.

He had not filmed a costume series since he wrapped up filming Love Like The Galaxy (2022) in December 2021, and we missed him in the costume genre because Wu Lei is so talented in martial arts. Hopefully, he will film a wuxia drama soon. 

Wu Lei and Zhao Jinmai

Amidst a Snowstorm of Love is bannered by Wu Lei and Zhao Jinmai, two talented drama stars from the mainland whose popularity draws from their acting skills and not from online traffic. 

They are products of China's two top acting schools - the Beijing Film Academy (Wu Lei) and Central Academy of Drama (Zhao Jinmai) so there's a high hope for them to carry the drama to success. 

Wu Lei as Lin Yi Yang

Interestingly, Leo Wu and Angel Zhao (their English names) both started in the industry as child stars. Angel is also the first Chinese actress to be paired with Wu Lei in a drama who is considerably younger than him. She was born in 2002 while he was born in 1999. 

Zhao Jinmai as Yin Guo

All of Wu Lei's leading ladies in his previous dramas are older than him. Zhao Lusi (Love Like The Galaxy) is a year older than him. She was born in 1998. Zhou Yutong (Nothing But You) is five years older than him, and Dilraba Dilmurat (The Long Ballad) is seven years older than him.

Story of Amidst a Snowstorm of Love

Anyway, let's talk about this drama. It's quite a familiar plot - two young athletes meet and fall in love. Not a new story but given the fact that Wu Lei and Zhao Jinmai are two talented actors who can turn a lackluster script into a gem, we have high hopes this is not just one of those random romance stories we grew tired watching. 

Wu Lei and Zhao Jinmai

With an interesting lineup of supporting cast who already starred as main leads in other dramas: Wang Xing Yue (Scent of Time - 2023), Ding Xiao Ying (Battle Through The Heaven - 2023), Chen Jing Ke (Hello Mr. Gu - 2021, and Let's Tug It - 2023), Dong Zifan (A Love Journal - 2022), and Dai Si (The Other Half of Me and You, and Storm Eye - 2021), this drama would surely be an interesting watch.

Wang Xing Yue in Amidst a Snowstorm of Love

Amidst a Snowstorm of Love is a drama adaptation of the web novel, During The Blizzard, written by Mo Bao Fei Bao, whose other novels were also made into series, Go Go Squid starring Yang Zi and Li Xian  (2019), One and Only and its sequel Forever and Ever starring Bai Lu and Ren Jialun (2021), and Road Home starring Jing Boran and Tan Songyun (2023).

Ding Xiao Ying in Amidst a Snowstorm of Love

The original title, During The Blizzard, refers to the weather when the two main characters, Yin Guo and Lin Yi Yang, met by chance in New York City. 

Lin Yi Yang (Wu Lei) is a talented former snooker (a category in billiard) player, but he left the sport after a mistake he made in his youth and went abroad.

Wu Lei as Lin Yi Yang in Amidst a Snowstorm of Love

Yin Guo (Zhao Jinmai) is a professional nine-ball player who went to New York for an open match. By chance, she met Lin Yi Yang. After getting along, she realized that Lin Yi Yang was a talented billiard player. 

Wu Lei and Zhao Jinmai in Amidst a Snowstorm of Love

But although he left the sports 10 years ago, Lin Yi Yang has not given up billiards. He eventually fell in love with Yin Guo. To pursue her, he tried his best to fix his life and decided to return to the arena and fulfill his dream of becoming a billiard champion.

So this drama tells a tale of how love motivates people to walk on the right path of life and work on their dreams. Amidst a Snowstorm of Love will premiere today, February 2, 2024, on Tencent/WeTV at 6:00PM.