This drama is adapted from a very popular Japanese manga (comic) which was later also made into an anime (cartoon) in the early 2000s. The adapted story tells the struggle in bringing awareness of weiqi and retaining interests in the game among the youths, and the arduous path to fame and glory for the successful players. Weiqi is also known as GO in Japan and Baduk in Korea.

Despite being one of the oldest board games and was started in China more than 2,500 years ago, weiqi has not received a lot of attention, especially among the Chinese youths who favor Chinese chess. For years, Korea has been the champion and in recent years China produces multiple world class players to challenge the champions. Weiqi is a must-have and common item in all Chinese historical dramas today. All emperors, scholars, officials and generals are expected to be well versed at the game.

What seemingly a very simple board game, using only any drawn grid boards or tiles on the ground with any black and white pieces, weiqi is one of the most complex games. There are no complicated pieces, no complicated moves. Anyone can play it anywhere, any time. And yet it can be challenging and difficult to master. For me, weiqi is a philosophy; it helps us realize many analogies in life and understand the philosophy of life. It has no restrictive form and yet there is a name for every position on the board and a term for every action a player takes; it is intriguing and mesmerizing.

All the actors are unrecognizable to me, but their acting is one of the best - natural and believable. Shi Guang (played by Hu Xian Xu) is just like a kid in your neighborhood. He’s not very fond of academic work and fully absorbed into his toy cars (when he was a little boy). He is restless and at times, reckless, but he is the most endearing character who has great dynamics with everyone he encounters. Often, he is unintentionally funny.

When the spirit of Chu Ying (played by Zhang Chao aka Juck Zhang) appears to him, they become friends. Chu Ying uses Shi Guang as a medium to play weiqi, and his first opponent is Yu Liang (Hao Fu Shen) who is the youngest and the best weiqi player and his (Yu Liang’s) father is the nation’s number one weiqi player. To Yu Liang’s dismay, he loses the game and it is the most unforgettable event for him. He vows to work harder and wins back his honor. Since Shi Guang is not interested in weiqi in the first place and doesn’t want to be used by Chu Ying, he refuses to comply to Chu Ying’s instructions in playing the game. Chu Ying disappears. For years Shi Guang is happy with his life and has forgotten about Chu Ying until one day he’s back playing weiqi again in high school. Chu Ying returns. This time, they become pals. Chu Ying teaches Shi Guang all the skills, polishing him up for competitions. They love each other and they are inseparable. Chu Ying is Shi Guang’s angel but others think Shi Guang is having an active imagination and an imaginary friend. The path to become a professional player is covered with challenges and obstacles as Shi Guang finds out. Like all other weiqi players, his daily life is mundane; he plays weiqi eating, sleeping and all the time. I wish the drama has focused and showed the viewers more on how he has won playing with the more seasoned players with his strategic and unconventional moves. Unfortunately, all these are skipped and we only know of the results at the end of the competitions.

When the time comes and he has to leave, Chu Yin leaves without saying goodbye. Shi Guang is devastated. He grieves for the loss of a good friend who is also a part of him. For months, he’s lost, rendering him dropping out of weiqi. He returns when he realizes Chu Ying is now in his weiqi; they have become one.

Hu Xian Xu’s acting here is amazing. He captures the whole essence of the character of Shi Guang who is a happy-go-lucky kid with not much on his mind. He loves his friends but at the same time, mischievous to everyone. He may not be intelligent academically, but he is quick witted and can always find a way out of his predicament. His final few episodes are heart wrenching, crying for the loss of his soulmate, and I cry with him. Hu Xian Xu’s acting is so natural and so authentic, making the viewers laugh and love him.

Chu Ying is the spirit of an ancient weiqi player who is being slandered and whose name disgraced. He comes to Shi Guang by accident and piques Shi Guang’s interest in weiqi. They form a formidable alliance and become soulmates. For years, he helps Shi Guang realizing his potential. To others, Shi Guang seems like having an imaginary friend, speaking to himself and playing with himself all the time. The scenes are sweet and funny.

Zhang Chao’s depiction of Chu Ying is commendable. His portrayal is so real and makes the character such a lovable and beautiful ghost for all to enjoy. The contrast in their outfits is just so hilarious and yet so outstanding. His chemistry with Hu Xian Xu is undeniable.

Shi Guang has many buddies like Hong He (Zhao Hao Hong) and Shen Yi Lang (Sun Can), but none have the chemistry like he has with Yu Liang (Hao Fu Shen). Though they have met each other in episode one, they have not been together until the final episode when they are building a double team for the world championship. They bicker and banter a lot like young boys do, but their chemistry is amazing. I wish they have shown the scenes how the duo beat other renown weiqi couples with their unspoken communication, a look in the eyes, reading each other’s body language. For Yu Liang, Shi Guang is the light that brightens him up, and with his brightness, Shi Guang shines (their names).

This drama deals in depth with the relationships of Shi Guang with his mother, with Yu Liang, with his friends, and most of all, with his teacher, Chu Ying. It is delightful, funny, humorous and meaningful. The characters are flawed, interesting and well developed. This is one of the dramas that I’ve enjoyed thoroughly. It is also one of the very few that respects viewers’ intelligence. I love how they use the child actors for juveniles Shi Guang and Yu Liang, both children have resemblances of the older Shi Guang and Yu Liang, and the kid actors are adorable and great in their acts. I find myself smiling from episode one until the last. My only qualm is perhaps with the fan that Chu Ying has left for Shi Guang. I wish the writer has done it differently than giving a physical object of Chu Ying to tell the viewers that Chu Ying has never left Shi Guang but with him in his weiqi. I would love to have thought there has never been a Chu Ying but an inner voice of an unwoken prodigy. But with the fan, this has ruined the scenario for me; Chu Ying does exist but it’s hard to fathom how his immaterial fan materializes and becomes a solid object in front of Shi Guang.

Seeing the dedication of each player, their respect for each other and their humbleness, really makes my heart warm and brings a warm tear to my eyes. Winning is not everything, but the process in taking part in a competition is the most exhilarating experience one can enjoy. As with everything we may do in life, winning doesn’t really mean success and losing doesn’t really mean failure; it’s how we look at winning and losing.

As the world moves towards popular culture, ancient board games such as weiqi is being forgotten. Like ancient languages, fewer and fewer people know how to play and have the interest in weiqi. This drama tries to create awareness of the most wonderful game and promote interest among the youths. I hope after this drama, more people pick up playing weiqi. As for me, I am definitely doing so, crossing out one of the items which has been on my bucket list forever.

My verdict
This drama does not have all the big names, and yet it is well written and performed. The attention to details, in particular the norms of the era, is both immaculate and applaudable. This is an endearing and my most favorite non rom-com drama that evolves around weiqi and competitions. Even if viewers think weiqi is not their favorite subject, this drama is still an amazing watch because the story is so well told, the acting is fabulous and authentic, and the subject weiqi is deep and fascinating.

Some viewers have complained the final few episodes that the director has spent too much time dwelling into Shi Guang's pain and his breaking down. I actually love this breaking down period. It's a period of discovery and realization for him; I feel many people have missed that element here and therefore couldn't understand what the director's intention is. I wish the director has also delved further into Shi Guang's relationship with Yu Liang after Chu Ying, how the duo have communicated with each other silently, especially during their double competitions. Their body language part is too short and shallow without the depth like how it's been done for others.

This is a drama that deserves to be on everyone’s to-watch list. Strongly recommended.

TWO THUMBS UP!