Available on Netflix and Viki
Aired: March 11, 2025 to March 22, 2025
🌸 Chinese Drama Review
Ski into Love
Ski Into Love is a Chinese drama based on the web novel Xu Guo Wang Zai Dong Mian (Hush, The King is Hibernating) by Qing Mei. Directed by Gia Lee—known for hits like Hidden Love, Everyone Loves Me, and Mr. Bad—this 23-episode drama delivers romance with the best winter scenery.
Esther Yu (of Love Game in Eastern Fantasy and Love Between Fairy and Devil) stars as Wei Zhi, the only daughter of a wealthy family who’d rather chase her dream of drawing comics than take over the family business. When she’s accused of using AI in her work, she loses both her pen name and her comic. Reeling from the scandal, she stumbles across a snowboarding video featuring Shan Chong—played by Lin Yi (Put Your Head on My Shoulder, Everyone Loves Me)—and impulsively heads to the mountains, where fate makes him her snowboarding instructor.
Shan Chong, a former bronze medalist turned snowboarding coach, is carrying the emotional weight of his own injury and his sister’s tragic accident. As he and Wei Zhi warm up to each other (ironic, given all the snow), they navigate their parent’s expectations and career choices. The plot? Not exactly groundbreaking. But the snowy vibes, heartfelt moments, and swoony chemistry make Ski Into Love one of those dramas that’s easy to cozy up to—just don’t expect to be on the edge of your seat.
Rating: 🌸🌸🌸 ✨(3.5/5 Blossoms)
Spoilers Ahead
I’ve mostly watched Esther Yu in xianxia (仙侠) dramas—those fantasy-heavy stories filled with immortals, magic, and epic realms—so seeing her in a modern-day setting definitely threw me off at first. That said, her signature cute-yet-feisty charm still fits perfectly here. Lin Yi plays his usual “cold and brilliant” persona for this role, showing just a bit of a gentler side, especially in scenes with his sister and love interest. While neither actor strays too far from their usual character types, they still manage to bring a familiar warmth that works well for this cozy winter romance.
Their first encounter Shan Chong is working a temp job in a bear costume, and Wei Zhi steps in to save him from a group of kids trying to yank off his bear head. He sees her face and is instantly intrigued, but she never sees his. They cross paths again at a comic show where he asks her to pretend to be the artist his sister admires and sign a comic book—ironically, it’s actually her work. But after the AI scandal, someone else from her team signed a contract with Tiger Company and took credit for her comic. Fueled by frustration and a snowboarding video, she heads to Beishan—and that’s where their real story begins.
As Shan Chong begrudgingly heads out to meet his new student, he spots Wei Zhi in a stylish pink ski outfit, snapping selfies with her friend. Instantly clocking her as a total newbie, he tries to bail before even talking to her. Their first real interaction is a little frosty—pun intended—especially after he realizes she’s the real comic artist who just (unknowingly) turned down his sister’s request for help. Protective big brother mode kicks in, and he’s a bit harsh, even commenting that her friend is skinnier and would probably fall more gracefully. When Wei Zhi lies about her height while getting her snowboard, he calls her out. Then, to figure out her dominant leg, he nudges her to fall forward and backward—and when she uses both legs, he smirks and says, “It’s too early to bow for red envelopes,” a cheeky nod to the bowing traditions of Chinese New Year.
🌸 What I Loved 🌸
Some of the best moments? Shan Chong’s former students teasing him for going soft—especially when he hands Wei Zhi that pink turtle cushion she’d been eyeing (adorable). The chaotic failed proposals near the end? Comedy gold. Wei Zhi’s hidden comic account, where she vents and sketches her petty revenge fantasies? Iconic. Toss in the cute animated segments, and educational snowboarding tidbits, and the ever-charming Wang Run Ze as the underrated second lead, and you’ve got plenty of reasons to stick around for the snow shenanigans.
🌸 What I Didn’t Like 🌸
There wasn’t enough character buildup to really understand why Shan Chong suddenly starts being nice to Wei Zhi—aside from his friends teasing him, saying he was way harsher on them as students. It isn’t until a few episodes later when he teaches another female student who shows interest in him and we finally see just how cold he usually is. Until then, the shift in his attitude wasn’t as noticeable.
And let’s talk about the “crush” moment—Wei Zhi falls for Shan Chong after watching a snowboarding video where she never sees his face. Then, in classic drama fashion, she coincidentally meets him in person—without her contacts, of course—so she still doesn’t recognize him. She only realizes it’s him later because of his wristband. But when that reveal happens? It’s super underwhelming. She’s mildly embarrassed, but the moment just doesn’t land the way it should. There was no real buildup to her crush, so the whole thing felt kind of flat.
Now, about that title: Ski Into Love… when it’s clearly snowboarding?
Also:
- The constant “don’t attempt dangerous stunts” warning popping up during every trick was overkill.
- Wei Zhi’s jealousy of Shan Chong teaching another female student felt way too soon—they barely knew each other!
- Their breakup came too early to hit emotionally, and honestly, I was never on the edge of my seat. Once she won first place in her comic competition, you could practically see the ending a mile away.
🌸 Final Thoughts 🌸
The cartoon segments at the end were undeniably cuter and full of charm—honestly, they captured the whimsy the live-action version was clearly aiming for but didn’t quite nail. The drama had potential, but the emotional beats often missed their mark, leaving some scenes feeling a little hollow.
Surprisingly, I actually enjoyed it more on a second watch. Knowing the plot helped me pick up on subtle hints and director choices I totally missed the first time around.
This isn’t a “drop everything and binge it now” kind of drama, but it’s a solid pick if you’re in the mood for a soft romance with snowy vibes. The leads did what they could with the material, and the wintry landscapes were definitely a highlight. But if you’ve just come off a drama like First Frost? Yeah… this one might feel like a warm-up act.
Have you watched Ski Into Love? Drop your favorite moment—or your biggest ‘meh’—in the comments.
