Go Go Squid: The Heart-Fluttering C-Drama That Will Surely Win You Over

Iconic and romantic. Inspiring and heart-fluttering. Funny, warm and sunny.

Go Go Squid might seem like an average romantic-comedy at first but don’t be deceived by its slice-of-life concept, it is a modern C-Drama classic that deserves to be rewatched again and again and again. It simply radiates charm, positivity and cheerful energy.

Set in the exciting world of eSports, the show tells the story of Tong Nian (Yang Zi), a genius achiever and online singer, who falls in love at first sight with the cold and distant Han Shangyan, an eSports legend. Busy with his dreams and aspirations for his eSports team and club, Han Shangyan (Li Xian) is emotionally unavailable until Tong Nian’s persistence breaks his walls down and uncovers the best version of himself in life and in love.

The C-Drama has been well-received commercially and critically. Most of the critics and the fans largely attributed its success to its unique concept, the overflowing chemistry between the lead stars and the magnetic presence of actor Li Xian. Incidentally, Go Go Squid catapulted the actor into a whole new level of stardom making it his breakthrough project despite acting since 2011.

Overall, while the heart-melting romance on the show is a nicely done bait for viewers, it is actually the story of pursuing dreams and finding lasting friendships that gave the show so much depth and color.

To be specific about it, Metro.Style shares some of the things and lessons to love about the hit C-Drama.

Success isn’t solely confined to academic achievements and traditional careers. In the series, the older and traditional ones look down on Han Shangyan for making a career out of gaming. He’s almost apologetic just for being happy and for choosing an unconventional path to success. Asian parents, like their Chinese counterparts, would have to get used to new industries and rethink what success means. Nowadays, success isn’t just about academic achievements, being a doctor or a lawyer. There’s a great, big world out there with vast potential and the gaming industry happens to be one of them.

Love knows no age gap. The main leads Han Shangyan and Tong Nian have a 10-year age gap which makes it one of the hurdles, apart from the judgment, they have to face. But love conquers it all and makes room for compromises and learning from each other. Seeing them grow in love and in their relationship will certainly touch your heart (and maybe because of the countless kilig scenes!) 

Love and success reward the brave. You can’t just dream and be disheartened right away. You have to fight for both love and success. With Tong Nian, she’s more than just a girl who chased a man. She’s actually an all-around achiever who happened to fall in love and bravely went for it despite the initial heartbreak. In the case of Han Shangyan, he quit at the peak of his career but was brave enough to pursue a fresh start as founder of a new eSports team—and for giving love a chance, of course. 

Treasure your friendships. The most touching scenes of Go Go Squid feature not the lovers but the legendary Team Solo and the friendship that has been severely tested for so many years. There’s a special kind of goosebumps when you witness the group patch things up and rebuild their beautiful friendship.

Teamwork makes the dream work. K-pop group BTS was right with this line. The recurring theme of team work especially with scenes featuring eSports clubs like Team Solo, Team K&K and Team SP working together to win. Team K&K will always have a soft spot in the hearts of the viewers not just for their silly and fun quips and personalities but also for the display of teamwork to achieve that seemingly elusive championship.

Work with passion for your mission. Whether when it comes to falling in love or chasing after your dreams, the main and supporting characters have all shown that working on your goal or mission with passion will certainly lead you to accomplishing it. 

These are just some of the important lessons from the show. Metro.Style also took the time to get the views of fans who enjoyed the show immensely.

Eunice Uy, an avid Go Go Squid viewer who coincidentally works for a technology and security solutions, shares her thoughts about the show.

“Maganda ‘yung storyline and it’s a complete package: it touches on love, family, friendship and even business. And Li Xian looks so good!” Eunice shares.

The appeal of the male lead isn’t lost on e-commerce platform marketing specialist Romina Cunanan either. 

“I think the fans were hooked on the show because every girl loves a soft-hearted tough guy. I found it so cute that someone so cold and cool like Han Shangyan would melt like butter at the sight of Tong Nian. It’s really a scene straight out of a drama that we wish happens in real life. It doesn’t hurt that Li Xian is such a hottie too,” Romina exclaims.

The show takes advantage of the sizzling chemistry between actors Li Xian and Yang Zi by playing up the sweet scenes that are guaranteed to inspire smiles, giggles and warm fuzzies. The production also seems to know the viewers’ soft heart for Li Xian as it captures his incredible good looks in every angle. He truly was—and is—the ace of the show.

Summing it up, if Go Go Squid drama itself is a game, everyone and everything will enjoy a win-win scenario.