Amidst a Snowstorm of Love

Presentation

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Overview

Synopsis

Amidst a snowstorm in Finland, former billiard player Lin Yi Yang meets Yin Guo, a professional nine-pool player, in a bar. He immediately falls in love with her and his entire world is turned upside down. From then on starts a slow-burnt romance between these two who can’t seem to stay apart.

My Opinion (No Spoiler)

This drama is an extraordinary discovery of 2024! First off, I must warn you that is a slow-paced drama, so if it’s not your thing, you may not want to start it. However, if you hesitate, I absolutely recommend you give it a go and do not let the rhythm block you. The male lead is a real green flag who only has eyes for his lover. He’s devoted, affectionate and also putting Yin Guo on a pedestal. She is also quite patient and understanding, as her presence is what makes Lin Yi Yang want to start playing billiard again. They have such good chemistry together and their romance really blooms little by little. I enjoyed every bits and pieces of their story in Finland and later on in China – by the way the drama is an amazing postcard for Finland which is a rather unexpected destination in Dramaland. Need to applaud also the wonderful OST “Love and Shine” that is full of hope and love. Finally, I have to admit that this drama made me discover a new sports (pool, snooker, billiard) of which I knew absolutely nothing. So, it feels good to also learn more about a discipline dramas almost never talk about. I 100% recommend you go watch this gem!

Analysis

• Characters
  Lin Yi Yang
  Yin Guo
  The male trio
• The ups and downs of a relationship
  The encounter
  The first crush
  The 2-year long relationship
  The ending
• The romance
• The sports
  The discovery of an unknown discipline
  The sports embedded in the Chinese culture

Characters: First things first, let’s start by rapidly analyzing the main characters of the show, as each of them has a distinct, yet soft personality that makes them unique and moving.

Lin Yi Yang: Lin Yi Yang (Leo Wu Lei) is a 27-year-old man who carries a lot of luggages from his past. When he was younger, he rapidly became the head of his family and thus had to care for his little brother. However, he had to eventually let his aunt adopt his little brother in order to ensure him a future. Lin Yi Yang found himself alone and with no real family member left during his teenage years. On top of that, he suffered another great loss in his life that left a deep wound: his fall out with his billiard master. From a young age, Lin Yi Yang developed a passion for pool playing. His talent grabbed the attention of renowned Coach He Wen Feng (Li Jian Yi) who took him under his wing and considered him as one of his most favored disciples. Though Lin Yi Yang’s skills were unbeatable, his pride and anger towards the world got the best out of him. After an unfair game during which Lin Yi Yang considered the referee to be in the wrong, he refused to apologize for his disrespect. His master had no other choice than to give him an ultimatum: either stay and apologize or leave the club altogether. Lin Yi Yang’s ego chose for him. He decided to sever his relationship with the billiard world and never to see his beloved master and close friends training with him again. Years went by and Lin Yi Yang lost his chance to ever redeem himself. He left for Finland for his studies and believed that he would never go back to the world he came from. Truth is: Lin Yi Yang fled. He got lost, away from China, his family and his passion. At the beginning of the drama, he’s an empty shell who doesn’t have a goal. He runs from one place to another to earn money and survive, which doesn’t allow him to sit down and think about his life and what he really wants. Despite all that, Lin Yi Yang is calm and composed. He’s a taciturn man who doesn’t express his feelings much. Yet, he proves to be entirely devoted to Yin Guo and desperately in love with her – to me he’s an absolute green flag, who puts his woman’s needs above his own. His kindness also touches people around him (in Finland, in the club and restaurants he goes to, and even in China). Though his pride is the reason behind his confusion in life, him getting over it is the key to his comeback. And the person who makes him realize that is Yin Guo herself.

Yin Guo: Yin Guo (Zhao Jin Mai) is a rising star in the nine-pool field. She belongs to one of the most influential families in that domain – her brother Meng Xiaodong (Wang Xing Yue) being the leader of the number 1 club in the area. Despite her prestigious background, Yin Guo is a humble and simple woman, who doesn’t take success for granted. Indeed, she’s a hard-working and passionate player who just wants to make a name for herself and on her own. At the beginning of the drama, her entire world revolves around her sports. Hence, her arrival in Finland for a competition. But it all changes when she meets Lin Yi Yang. She learns that passion can also be directed towards a person rather than just an activity. At 21, Yin Guo is innocent and pure. She’s never really dated before – although she has had a suitor for quite a while. Her lack of experience – like Lin Yi Yang’s – is what makes their romance so genuine. Yin Guo understands where her lover comes from and the baggage he carries with him. Yet, she never pressurizes him nor forces him to confide in her. Instead, she shows nothing but patience and tolerance, letting him open up to her at his own pace. I think Yin Guo is like a pillar that inspires warmth, trust and stability. She doesn’t judge nor criticize, she’s supportive, calm and kind. These personality traits are the perfect match for Lin Yi Yang, as his life and his mind are both chaotic when they meet. Throughout the entire drama, Yin Guo remains true to herself and her values. Her family, her love and her sports remain the most important aspects of her life. However, she never betrays one for the other. On the contrary, she tries to find harmony and synergies between her three worlds. The female lead is a center of gravity in my opinion, in the sense that she has all the right elements around to allow Lin Yi Yang to reconcile with his past, his friends and himself. If I were to push the analysis, I would say that Yin Guo is a sun and that other characters are planets orbiting around her.

The male trio: The romance in Admist of a Snowstorm of Love is obviously the main focus of the drama. However, I found that friendship was also quite present in the story through the men trio embodied by Lin Yi Yang, Meng Xiaodong and Jing Yang (Chen Jin Ke). These three actually go way back and kind of went through all the hoops together. They symbolize real friendship; the one that experiences drama, distance and time. All are pool players: Meng Xiaodong is the successor a rival club to which Jing Yang and Lin Yi Yang belong. So, they are opponents on the field. Even Jin Yang and Lin Yi Yang fight against each other to become number one. However, things are different in the locker room. These three adolescents formed a bond early on because they share the same love for the sports and struggles. Hence, their friendship that kind of forms naturally. Unfortunately, they had a fall-out when Lin Yi Yang argued with his mentor and quit. He then disappeared never to return (or so he thought). Years later, the trio unexpectedly reunites thanks to Yin Guo. Both Meng Xiaodong and Jing Yang, now leaders of their respective club, express their desire to have Lin Yi Yang back on the field. His abrupt departure disrupted everybody’s world and they also feel like it’s a shame he’s wasting his talent away. That’s the reason why both are keen on convincing him to comeback, even if it’s by using Yin Guo as leverage – as she’s the only one who can change his mind. These encouragements from both men are proof of their friendship. There’s respect and empathy in their relationship. They know what Lin Yi Yang suffered through and don’t want to push him. So, they are using other arguments to make him understand that he belongs to the pool world. Friendship comes before rivalry in this case, as both Jing Yang and Meng Xiaodong are aware of the consequences that would follow the top player’s return aka they would lose competitions, rank lower in the championships, etc… Still, they don’t care and would rather have him back.

The ups and downs of a relationship: I won’t be going too much into details because I think you need to watch and appreciate the romance on screen. Talking about it won’t do credit to it. However, I believe that their love story still deserves some analysis.

The encounter: It all starts on a snowy day in Finland. Lin Yi Yang has been living there for a few years and he’s on his way to a bar named the Red Fish. Along the way, he encounters a group of Chinese billiard players who seem to recognize the former star. Lin Yi Yang hides away and pursues his route. Upon his arrival at the bar, he suddenly stops and stares at the bar’s window. There stands Yin Guo on the phone. For Lin Yi Yang, this is love at first sight. He can’t look away nor move. That precise moment is the beginning of long love story that takes some time to start though. That scene is a moment that feels out of time and reality; even when it comes to cinematography. The snow creates a dream-like ambiance and the storm is the representation of Lin Yi Yang’s inner self. His world has stopped to focus on this one person who swallows him whole like a blackhole. The cuts on the character’s stare perfectly depict this.

The first crush: When Lin Yi Yang finally manages to enter the Red Fish, he can’t seem to act properly around Yin Guo. He’s clumsy, not really himself which gives the impression that he’s cold and taciturn. However, he’d do anything to keep the connection with his crush. So, he offers to find her and her cousin a taxi back to their hotel, leaves his WeChat number and slowly starts to weave his relationship with the 21-year-old woman. Later on, he does everything he can to reunite with Yin Guo by inviting her at the restaurant (several times, although he can’t afford it), showing her the town, and making her train at the pool bar he often goes to. There’s no doubt that Lin Yi Yang is trying hard to pursue Yin Guo, even though his actions may not be interpreted as such. Now, moving on to the female lead’s perspective. Yin Guo feels attracted to Lin Yi Yang the second she meets him. He’s handsome, but also intense. This makes her uncomfortable (in a good way), as she doesn’t really understand why she’s feeling like that. Lin Yi Yang is also a man of few words, which surrounds him with mystery. Yin Guo wants to satisfy her curiosity by knowing more of him; but he gives her very little space to play. So instead, she focuses on his actions, the places he takes her to, the food he makes her test, the people he wants her to meet. Lin Yi Yang’s capacity to always put Yin Guo first reassures her in the idea that he’s good person worth the shot. Let’s not forget also that Yin Guo is 21 at the time and Lin Yi Yang is 27. His maturity and the life he built in Finland (goes to university, works part-time, etc…) are comforting signs for Yin Guo that he’s trustworthy. Both are like magnets drawn to each other. Yin Guo is innocent and doesn’t know how to approach her crush, because she feels like he has a lot to unpack. Meanwhile, Lin Yi Yang may be 27 but with no real experience in dating, and thus doesn’t have the codes. The beginning of the drama felt like a dance to me in which both characters try to find the right balance without forcing it. On top of that, the 2 lovers are in their own bubble far away from distraction which enables them to create an unbreakable bond.

The 2-year long relationship: Following their time in Finland, Yin Guo and Lin Yi Yang embark on a journey together scattered with hurdles. First, there is Lin Yi Yang’s financial situation. He’s still studying at the university and thus can’t leave Finland right away. Moreover, he’s rather poor. That’s why he’s constantly working, splitting his life between studies, jobs, and his past-time pool playing. He’s also poured a lot of money by investing in a pool bar in Finland, so that pool amateurs can gather and share their passion – and even participate in competitions. This means that Lin Yi Yang is tied to Finland and can’t follow Yin Guo back to China. Second, the plot also focuses on his past, his fall-out with his master and the reasons why he quit the field. This leads also to a certain reluctance from Yin Guo’s parents to let Lin Yi Yang in. On Yin Guo’s side, there is the presence of a potential love rival, although this narrative arch is not actually developed much. All of this results in a 2-year long-distance relationship kept away from public’s eyes and parents’ knowledge. Naturally, the pair overcomes struggles without much difficulties and in the best possible way: by sticking together. Unlike other dramas, I really liked the fact that the show proved you can be together and protect your relationship, even if you’re continents apart, your family is against it, or anything else. Dramas have a tendency to advocate for break-ups before characters realize they need each other, instead of emphasizing communication and trust within the couple. These 2 elements are the essence of Yin Guo and Lin Yi Yang’s romance which explains why they never separate. They are conscious of the risks and issues, but challenge them with patience, tolerance and love.

The ending: The last scenes of the drama takes us back to where it all began. Yin Guo and Lin Yi Yang are back in Finland 5 years after their magic encounter. They’ve grown and matured. They are now well established champions with their own careers and businesses. It’s the end of a cycle that finishes as beautifully as it started. The leads are happy and together, more in love with each other than ever and in the presence of what matters the most to them: their friends/family (embodied by Jing Yang’s kid), friends (all the people in the pool bar), the Red Fish (symbol of their love), the sports and of course winter and the snow. I believe the drama could not have ended on a better note than this.

The romance: Now that I’ve talked about the characters’ relationship, I think it’s important to deep-dive on the impact their love had on one another. Indeed, they changed each other’s lives for the best. On the one hand, Yin Guo received devotion and unconditional love. Lin Yi Yang gave himself and everything that he had to support, comfort, reassure his woman and make her happy. On the other hand, Lin Yi Yang’s entire world changed thanks to Yin Guo. He was feeling empty and alone for years after having argued with his master he considered a father. The 27-year-old man had no goal and pursued a meaningless life. He was like an empty shell, working, studying, eating, working, sleeping, etc… Yin Guo’s arrival in his life brought light to him. She illuminated his days and brightened his future. She alleviated the weight on his shoulders by providing him with love, support, and confidence to confront whatever happened in the past. Indeed, Lin Yi Yang was not at peace with himself, thus incapable of healing his wounds. However, he found a purpose with Yin Guo. He thrived to become a man worth of standing by her side and protecting her. To achieve that, he knew that he needed to clean his past and make some changes. So, he went to China and reconciled with his former master. He asked for forgiveness and realized that the old man had been waiting for him all along. He then had to overcome his loss and grief. Yin Guo also gave Lin Yi Yang’s wings in terms of professional projects. For starters, he went back into competition and rekindled with his passion. All of that to be part of her world, but also to earn enough money to accomplish his dreams. Lin Yi Yang proved to be a driving force for his club, as he became its leader for 3 years and implemented a good number of changes such as inviting world players who were ranked lower, giving more attention to the sports using his popularity and opening billiard rooms to attract a broader public (aka to make it less private). Lin Yi Yang was only able to deploy his wings and show his potential thanks to Yin Guo. She gave him a meaning, a purpose and a destination: herself.

The sports: There is one aspect of the drama that I loved: it made me discover a discipline I had never heard of. And I like it so much when I get to learn more about unknown activities.

The discovery of an unknown discipline: To be absolutely transparent, I didn’t even know that there were pool, snooker, billiard (you name it) championships. I thought it was played for leisure, and I obviously thought wrong. Moreover, it’s a sports that you rarely see in dramas. This was actually the first one I watched that shed light on this field. It took me a very long time to understand the differences between billiard, snooker, nine-pool, and I’m not even sure I know them all; but at least the drama didn’t specifically focus on one sub-category of the sports. It showed it as a whole in all its complexity. I got to see the stage, but also the behind-the-scenes and the difficulty to make it more known to the public (so it appears). Well, that’s a victory for the show, as its massive success surely rose awareness on the field and probably convinced many to try it out.

The sports embedded in the Chinese culture: Apart from boosting awareness, Amidst of Snowstorm of Love did a very good job at showcasing two main characteristics of the sports merged with the Chinese culture. First of all, the respect of the master. Here, it’s clear that Lin Yi Yang adored his master Mr. He, a well respected coach in the industry. On top of that, Mr. He is an elderly person which reinforces the respect he’s owed. Respect of the seniors is deeply embedded in Asian cultures in general and this notion transpires from the drama. It’s also visible when Lin Yi Yang questions the authority of the judge which makes him quit after his game. His attitude and insolent behavior tainted his reputation amongst judges of the field. So, Lin Yi Yang needs to redeem himself and act properly to regain his honor. It’s also his only way to sway Yin Guo’s mother who is a judge in the same industry and disapproves his former behavior. However, the male lead takes over his master’s club and works hard to erase his missteps. After a while, Yin Guo’s mother considers he’s matured and done enough to show that he was really apologetic and that he had changed. That’s a real turning point in the leads’ romance because they finally get approval from Yin Guo’s parents and can now go public.

The second characteristic of the sports that perfectly merges with the Chinese culture is the hard-work, training and determination to be the best. Athletes are proud to represent their country – that’s the patriotic view – and don’t fear going to huge lengths to bring medals home. The drama reflects that winning mindset by displaying the Chinese Team’s endurance and resilience to reach the top. Lin Yi Yang partakes in a vast number of competitions (which is rather tiring) and all team up to be on top of the podium. The podium scene with the Chinese flag is key to understanding patriotism and the values taught to Chinese athletes such as hard-work, perseverance and resolution. Thrive to be the best, because this is what it takes to actually be a champion.