The TV series Skate into Love, starring actor Zhang Xincheng and actress Wu Qian, is set to attract viewers with a combination of romance and winter sports. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Skate into Love, a Chinese TV series that stars Zhang Xincheng and Wu Qian, is a good mix of romance and sports.

Adapted from a novel of the same name by Jiuxiaoqi (pen name), the 40-episode drama has been airing on Jiangsu Satellite Television, Zhejiang Satellite Television and streaming platform Youku since March 19.

The show had a rating of 7.4 of 10 points on review site Douban by April 7.

According to the Sina Weibo account for TV content, Sina TV, the show ranked first for online popularity on April 1, and Zhang was cited as one of the most influential actors in an ongoing TV show for his performance as the protagonist, Li Yubing.

The TV series  Skate into Love, starring actor Zhang Xincheng and actress Wu Qian, is set to attract viewers with a combination of romance and winter sports. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The drama tells the story of a romantic relationship between ice hockey player Li and Tang Xue (played by Wu), who dreams of becoming a short-track speed skater, and how they support each other in athletics.

"As a girl who loves sports, I really like the background of this series," a Douban user comments, "and the pursuit of their dreams."

Series director Chu Yui-pan says the audience can relate to the perseverance of the young characters in overcoming obstacles and the bittersweet love between them.

"Such elements were considered when shaping the characters," he adds.

The show's cast and crew had to ensure that the sets for winter sports looked professional. They built a rink to shoot scenes of ice hockey, speed skating and figure skating. China's Olympic medalist Wu Dajing was consulted and many other athletes and coaches were invited to work on set.

Wu Dajing says the cast and crew tried their best to create a professional environment. "They worked really hard to understand the sport (speed skating)."

The actors and actresses also underwent training for one month and a half, tutored by professional athletes.

"They had to meet basic standards, including doing some movements by themselves and avoiding silly mistakes," says Chu.

Since it was difficult for regular crew members to balance on ice while shooting with real athletes for the show's competition scenes, former short-track speed skater Li Zongrui was taught some filming so as to capture high-speed movements.

The TV series  Skate into Love, starring actor Zhang Xincheng and actress Wu Qian, is set to attract viewers with a combination of romance and winter sports. [Photo provided to China Daily]

"By promoting this drama, we want to support the 2022 Winter Olympics that will be held in China and support the development of winter sports (in the country) so that more people get to know about them," says series producer Liu Ning.

The show is attracting attention from ice hockey players, too. Liu Zhixin, a member of the Chinese women's hockey team that won the Women's Hockey League Championship Season 2019-20 in Russia, also watched the show.

She says she had watched Japanese TV series Pride, which stars actor Takuya Kimura, and other films about ice hockey made in the United States and Russia.

"This time I noticed Skate into Love and realized that it is time for Chinese people to know about this sport," Liu Zhixin says on her Sina Weibo account.

Not all viewers, however, are pleased with the show. A few comments on the same micro blog say there were lapses in set design.

The series will also be broadcast in Russia, Japan, Thailand, Singapore and Spain.