A new spin on the sport drama

"Table tennis is a popular and revered sport in China, but few films and television dramas about the sport have been produced," says Cheng.

"After interviewing dozens of professional players, we realized that the years of tough training can be tedious and boring. However, the players' love of the sport drove them to endure loneliness and survive fierce competitions. I was quite touched by that spirit."

A distinctive characteristic of sports-themed stories in China is that they have a "bar" for the audience, requiring viewers to have a basic grasp of the rules to ensure a more immersive viewing experience. The drama ends each episode with a two-minute animation elaborating on the rules or sports terms featured on the show, such as the types of paddles and the significance of some special training programs.

Liu Yi, a former Chinese national team member, was invited to coach the actors for three months. Filming took place between November 2018 and May 2019, much longer than the time needed to shoot a regular online drama in China.

A major hurdle in the production, however, was the size of the table tennis ball, Cheng says.