Let's Tug It! | Review

A rope + eight boys = lit.
Notable Actors/Actresses

Chen Jing Ke: Guo Yan

Yi Da Qian: Xue Tian

Producer

Lin Yu Xian

Chinese Title
不就是拔河麼

Isn't It Just Tug of War? 

Genres: Contemporary, Slight Romance, School, Bromance, Team, Sports

Network: iQIYI

Year: 2023
Episodes: 24

Jump to Comments

Table of Contents

Cast

Review

Rating

Highlights (Why You Should Totally Watch)

Favourite Scenes (Spoiler Section)

Tidbits (Chinese)

Cast

Players:

→ Chen Jing Ke: Guo Yan = Mr. Grumps with a trauma

→ Yi Da Qian: Xue Tian = Free-spirited and passionate 

→ Lei Feng Rui: Gao Shan = Tall guy, but shy guy

→ Zhang Shu Lun: Wang Shu Lun = Fu er dai

→ Liang Xiao Long: Shen Jun Hai = Brother complex

→ Zhou Zheng Jie: Wu Qing = Smallest guy with the biggest heart

→ Yang Yi Kai: Zhu Ge = Four eyes with the brains (and not the money)

→ You Hao Ran: Pang Zi Qiu = Biggest guy with the smallest confidence

Girls: 

→ Lin Xin Yi: Xiong Xiao Xiao = cheerleader + singer

→ Ma Yu Jie: Zhou Tong = coach

Review

Yes to brotherhood! Guo Yan and Xue Tian are chaotic, fighting over anything and nothing, and sometimes with nothing on... (; But their best fights are together against others. (I’ll never understand why Guo Yan hated Xue Tian in the beginning though. The guy was standing and Guo Yan was offended by his existence. The guy was talking over water and Guo Yan was having none of it.)

Yes to Competitions & Competitors! From losers, our boys rise to the top. I love watching the eight of them fight together on one line. One for all and all for one. The game is more strategic than I thought. They also introduce "the feel of the rope", an abstract concept, but I love the way it's visualized with blackouts. The competitors are formidable too. I love their animated characteristics. There’s Li Cai, the snarky, sinister glasses guy, and Shi Lei, the scary buff who's actually quite the softie. 

No to Romance! Me! A romance addict not wanting romance! I even hated one of the CPs: the coaches. It burns my eyes seeing her date that cockroach. I love the girl, Zhou Tong. She’s tough, she’s admirable. But Lei Ming, I hate with a passion. I have no tolerance for professionals committing professional misconduct. These boys in their 20s could break their backs because he was selfish and irresponsible. And then this incompetent cockroach gets a full redemption arc, a romance, a loyal team who loves him for who knows why, and a family story!! 

The other CPs (which really added nothing to the drama): 

• Guo Yan x Xiong Xiao Xiao x Xue Tian – a teeny harmless love triangle. 
• Gao Shan and his long distance gf – the fact that he isn’t single after that confession is comedic. 
• Shen Jun Hai and broadcast girl – ok fine, they’re kinda cute. 
• Wang Shu Lun and his idol – this was “tragically” hilarious. 
• Just my thoughts, but I think Zhu Ge and Pang Zi Qiu could have been a gay couple. There are no signs, but for some reason, I just felt it. 

Yes to the Ending Arc! Filled with tears and feel-good moments. There were emotional highs and lows, comedic spurts, and they played surprisingly strategic games. Most importantly, Coach Lei Ming was mostly absent. Yay! If the entire drama was like the ending arc, I could have given this a 5/5. I love their team energy, their passion, and the way they value each other. They were down 1 guy (not a spoiler because it was in Ep1), but they fought like they were 8. 

Rating

Rating: 3/5 ♥♥

I am proud of drama for ending strong. But really, Drama could have accomplished more by covering less. Investing in the 8 players, and their individual hurdles is more than enough for 24 episodes, but Show had to include stories for the coaches, the cheerleader, the broadcast girl, and the soccer team next door…! 

Highlights (Why You Should Totally Watch)

Training scenes 🤤

Water scenes 🤤

They dance too... 

...it's actually not that impressive, haha There's a suit version too...! xD 

There's neat ending artworks. 

Favourite Scenes (Spoilers!)

(*If I remember them...* 

[Ep2] The first time Guo Yan protects Xue Tian (in soccer). That was cool. 

[Ep3] When Xue Tian is the only one who noticed Guo Yan's limp and gave him medication. That was sweet. 
[Ep4] Watermelon scene. My heart dropped when they were short 0.3 kg. 
[Ep5] Guo Yan can "feel the rope". It was this episode I thought there was chemistry between Guo Yan and Zhou Tong...but you know... Lei Ming happened. 

[Ep5] When Lei Ming was out and Zhou Tong became their coach! Too bad that was short-lived. And I'll never understand why the boys wanted Lei Ming over Zhou Tong. 

Mr. Sinister Glasses Dude (I don't like his character, but I love his portrayal) 

[Ep15] Li Cai arrogantly challenges our team with their signature copycat tactic and ten-second KO. 

[Ep17] The boys pulled the bus! I hope their butts were cushioned when the bus reversed... Pang Zi Qiu rose to the occasion and pulled everyone up with his sheer strength and determination. Then they all "felt the rope". An emotionally high episode. I was not crying. No. 

[Ep19] Wang Shu Lun's heart breaks at Xue Tian's sister's wedding. It's hilarious! 
[Ep21] Guo Yan sprinting in at the last second of the episode. I saw it coming, but it still felt so good. 

[Ep22] Shi Lei!!! I didn't know he was so cute! He has a heart-to-heart with our big guy (Pang Zi Qiu). They share their nervousness and root for each other while taking a dump! Biggest dump of their life right there. LMAO. Meanwhile Wu Qing hears them both in his own stall while covering his nose from the smell. HAHAHA. 

[Ep23] I'm so proud of my boys owning Li Cai and mocking him with cute blindfolds. Too good, too good. The fact that it was all part of the plan blew my mind, slightly. 
[Ep24] This is not a favourite scene: Lei Ming plans to propose. I will reject it on behalf of Zhou Tong. 

Chinese Tidbits

Guo Yan’s nickname for Xue Tian is 二哈 (er ha). It means “husky” but when applied to non-huskies, it means “stupid”. Other than Xue Tian being stupid (which he's not!), the nickname serves more purposes:  

• 二 means two. Xue Tian is second on the rope after Guo Yan. He’s the guy Guo Yan can always fall back on. 
• In Ep22, Guo Yan says Xue Tian has grown up. He’s no longer a 二哈 (a mortal dog) but the 哮天犬 (Howling Celestial Dog) owned by 二郎神. Notice it also starts with  二. 二郎神 (Erlangshen) is a celestial deity with the third eye on his forehead. His most recent appearance was in The Starry Love). Essentially, Guo Yan is calling himself a deity, the owner of Xue Tian.