Go Go Squid! Season 1 (Chinese Drama) Review

“Go Go Squid!” is a 2019 Chinese drama that revolves mainly around two teams that frequently take part in CTF [Catch The Flag] Competitions. These competitions have teams try to best each other in solving computer security problems while simultaneously defending their own computer systems against incoming hackers.

Starring:

Li Xian as Han Shang Yan A.k.a. Gun God
Yang Zi as Tong Nian A.k.a. Little Squid
Hu Yi Tian as Wu Bai A.k.a. DT
Li Ze Feng as Wang Hao A.k.a. Solo
Wang Zhen Er as Ai Qing A.k.a Appledog
Lee Hong Chi as Mi Shao Fei A.k.a. Xiao Mi
Chen Xi Jun as Ou Qiang A.k.a All

Gun God

Han Shang Yan a.k.a. Gun God (Li Xian) is a 30-year-old man that used to be part of the famous CTF Team “Solo”, named that after the call name of their leader Wang Hao (Li Ze Feng). When Solo decides to leave the team to care for his daughter, Han Shang Yan decides to retire from the game.

Several years later he starts planning his own company under which he will be training a new generation of CTF players. After his first company in Norway has obtained secure footing, he decides to also open up a branch in China, where he successfully trains a new team named “K&K”.

Although it has now been 10 years since the Solo team disbanded, Han Shang Yan still hasn’t forgiven Wang Hao a.k.a Solo for abandoning their team. Because of his resentment, he even went as far as terminating all relationship with the rest of the members.

Solo now works for a company and is in charge of training their CTF team called “SP”. SP and K&K are frequently competing against each other in championships.

Go Go Squid!

Tong Nian is a 20-year-old girl studying computer science at the university, but is mainly interested in app developing. In her spare time, she makes song covers that she puts online where she already has a solid following under the username “Little Squid”. On some evenings she helps out at her relative’s internet café.

It is at this café that she first lays eyes on Han Shang Yan. Tong Nian is immediately drawn to him. She learns that he is involved with the K&K team and decides to go and check out one of their championships.

***

Han Shang Yan thinks the internet café girl to be slightly annoying. All the more he is surprised to find her at the championship location. Through a misunderstanding he believes her to be the girlfriend of one of his players. After she confesses to him that it was him she came to see, he immediately sets her straight by telling her he’s neither interested nor does he have the time for relationships.

Fate will have it that they meet again at a family and friends gathering. His and her family apparently go way back, especially with his grandfather. They gathered everyone to try setting up Han Shang Yan with Tong Nian’s cousin. To get out of the situition, he convinces Tong Nian to act as his girlfriend.

Han Shang Yan’s grandfather welcomes Tong Nian with open arms. Often inviting both of them over to his house. While spending more time together, Han Shang Yan starts to appreciate Tong Nian.

Will the outspoken and warmhearted Tong Nian be able to break through the barricade around Han Shang Yan’s heart?

Author’s Note

Is this a must watch? In my opinion no, it is not. Do I regret watching it? Definitely not! I would probably even watch it again.

In the beginning I found the main girl’s character to be very annoying. But with time, just like our main lead I started to warm up to her and learned to appreciate her for what she was. I thought that when push came to shove, she would let everyone trample all over her but she surprised me by holding her own against adversaries and also delivering some great comebacks while doing so.

On the other hand, would it have killed them to change her hairdo every now and then? Her half up half down hairdo got real boring real fast.

The show pulled me further in by showing snippets of the past when the Solo team was still together. It made everything more nostalgic and the chemistry among the actors was great.

I loved the computer game aspect of this show, although I would have enjoyed them showing a bit more in detail what was happening on the screens during the championships. I also believe CTF [Catch The Flag] could have been better explained to the viewers so that we mere mortals could all better understand what was going on.

Another thing I loved about this drama was its message on forgiveness. Han Shang Yan needed to first forgive himself and overcome his stubborn pride in order to also forgive his old teammates. All the while his teammates waited for him to come back to them.

If you watched “Go Go Squid!” or decide to watch it, I would like to know what you thought of it. Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time!

-R-