Plot Synopsis
"The Hope" focuses on the story of high school seniors and their teachers, depicting how a gold-medal teacher leads students who have strayed off the rightpath to rediscover their initial aspirations.
Minglong Experimental High School, aprivate high school in Xingzhou City, established Class 11 of Grade 12, led by outstanding English teacher Lei Ming and the school counselor, Sang Xia, to better unleash thepotential of the students.
Li Ran is an ordinary Grade 12 student at Minglong Experimental High School. He lost hisparents at a young age and has been dependent on his grandmother. His grandmother, despite her illness, works tirelessly to support him, hoping he can attend university and fulfill his dream of building robots. Filial Li Ran decides to dropout of school to eamoney and support his family, especially topay for his grandmother's medical treatment.
Lei Ming refuses to give upon any student and tries everything toprevent Li Ran from dropping out. He also recruits students facing various difficulties, including Cheng Yushan, into Class 11.
In order to helpthem regain their dreams, Lei Ming and Sang Xia, from theperspectives of education andpsychological counseling, respectively, teach each student according to their abilities, guide them to developgood study habits, assist them in facing their challenges, improve their family relationships, and cultivate an optimistic mindset. This approach earns the trust and affection of the students.
In the end, Li Ran and the other students successfullypass their exams and enter their desired universities, starting a new journey in life.
Episodes Recap
- 1-4
- 5-8
- 9-12
- 13-16
- 17-20
- 21-24
- 25-28
- 29-30
Episode 1 : Lei Ming joined Minglong Experimental High School.
Episode 2 : Class 11 faced a challenge when recruiting new students.
Episode 3 : Stepfather peeping at Cheng Yu Shan.
Episode 4 : Class 11, which is not recruiting enough students, is about to be canceled.
Episode 5 : Yu Yang successfully joined Class 11.
Episode 6 : Lei Ming's unique training program starts with breaking the addiction to smartphones.
Episode 7 : Lei Ming's Monitoring Room Special Education.
Episode 8 : Lei Ming asked the math teacher to come back and teach a math class.
Episode 9 : Class 11 burned the midnight oil for the exam.
Episode 10 : Jiang Qing Lang returned to Class 11.
Episode 11 : Class 11 held its first parent-teacher meeting.
Episode 12 : Class 11 faces the crisis of dissolution again.
Episode 13 : Lei Ming invited an internet-famous teacher to give a lecture.
Episode 14 : On the day of Shen Yao's birthday, his father came home very late and had another argument with his mother upon his return
Episode 15 : Li Ran is preparing for a physics competition.
Episode 16 : The buried secret in Lei Ming's heart.
Episode 17 : Lei Ming was expelled, and Class 11 was disbanded.
Episode 18 : Lei Li Zhou passed away, and students bid farewell.
Episode 19 : Li Ran and his grandmother moved into Lei Ming's house.
Episode 20 : Li Ran unexpectedly won the competition.
Episode 21 : Sang Xia was confessed to with a banner.
Episode 22 : Lei Ming once again became the center of public opinion.
Episode 23 : Exposure of the farewell letter resolves Lei Ming's inner turmoil.
Episode 24 : Li Ran and Cheng Yu Shan are preparing for the "Wings Plan" exams.
Cast & Role
Li Ran
(Wang Qiang)
Lei Ming
(Zhang Ruo Yun)
Bian Xiao Xiao
(Zeng You Zhen)
Jiang Qing Lang
(Xu Qi Jie)
Sang Xia's episode was really strange. It seemed like he was deliberately provoking Lei Ming. Li Ran clearly has a natural talent for physics, but his father burned his physics books when he was young, which created some resistance.
Jiang Qing Lang and Yu Yang were both chosen by their mothers and not their own preferences. Since none of them were their preferred choices, and they hadn't figured out what they truly liked, why couldn't they choose a promising career path?
Moreover, preferences can change. I used to be average in biology and didn't like it. But then I happened to learn about genetic probability, and I was faster than others in solving problems.
I scored high on a small quiz, and that joy made me start liking biology. It created a positive cycle, and my biology grades have been consistently good. If there's talent and the grades improve easily, you gradually develop an interest.
By the way, I work in the architecture industry, and now I deeply regret it. If someone had analyzed the prospects and employment direction for me back then, I would be grateful to them for a lifetime.
Lei Ming has always been doing good things for his students, and nobody understands how much he has gone through.
Sang Xia is an innocent idealist. It's true that her words make sense, and it's not right to have a money-driven mindset. However, for students who come from problematic families and lack the ability to rely on a solid support system, the primary task is, of course, to survive in society.
If you can't even have enough food to eat, how can you talk about ideals?
Exactly! Except for Jiang Qing Lang, the students in Class 11 need to focus on changing their current life situation. They don't even have the opportunity to consider what they like.
That's the reality. Sang Xia, who can't even see the core issue, denies Lei Ming. To put it nicely, it's overly idealistic. To put it bluntly, it's easy to talk when you're not the one experiencing the pain.
I enjoy TV dramas of this genre for a simple reason: I find solace in them, attempting to compensate for my helplessness in reality. This is my personal perspective, so please refrain from criticizing if you don't share the same sentiment.
During elementary school, teachers favored obedient and controlled students. In middle school, teachers appreciated students who could enhance their success rate in college admissions. In high school, when faced with conflicts between students, teachers would handle the issues based on their personal preferences, often distorting right and wrong using their authority.
In college, there was an external male teacher from a university-enterprise collaboration who said to the top-ranking academic committee member, "Actually, you should just marry a wealthy person instead of working so hard.
Unfortunately, I haven't encountered someone in each stage of my life who...
I have to say, Shen Yao is more outstanding than Li Ran in every aspect. Yao is the sun, eternally shining. Ran is the fireworks, momentary yet eternal. (Of course, this is a bit of a forced interpretation). Let's go back to their ideal lives ten years later, as mentioned at the beginning of this episode.
Cheng Yushan said she wants to live a single life, while Li Ran said he wants to have three children. It's a world of difference. The ending is quite good, with controversy and reflection. Ten years ago and today, today and ten years from now, we can't predict any of it.
That's what makes it interesting, isn't it? Haha. Curtain falls, life continues moving forward!
1. Yu Yang: When choosing a pen, there was a lot of hesitation in aligning with the character's personality. The monochromatic style indicates serious psychological issues.
2. Jiang Qing Lang: It was entirely recognized by the watch, which was quite surprising.
Similarly monochromatic, it suggests that he isn't as sunny as he appears on the surface. There are two trees in the painting, one on the house and one outside. It signifies that his mother has expectations for him, but what he desires is different from his mother's expectations.
3. Multiplied by three: Also recognized by the watch, showing signs of obsessive-compulsive disorder. The only person who painted the house entirely black, indicating fear towards the concept of home.
Similarly monochromatic.
4. Bian Xiao Xiao: Used color, but with thin lines. The house is only half-drawn, indicating a lack of belonging and a feeling of being dependent on others.
5. Ran Ran: Psychologically, he is the healthiest in the class.
Bright colors, even drawing the sun and flowers. However, the tree is only half-drawn, indicating confusion about the future. But the fact that he dares to stand up for Yu Yang shows that he is still honest and kind-hearted.
This sequence reflects the severity of psychological issues from heavy to light, which is quite unexpected. Jiang Qing Lang unexpectedly ranks second!
I have to say, it feels very fake. In reality, there are many underachieving students who lack interest in studying. It's not realistic to portray them as potential geniuses and glorify the bottom rung of society.
This approach can mislead students, promoting blind confidence rather than emphasizing the importance of hard work and practicality.
Furthermore, the depiction of psychological counseling is overly simplified. It's unrealistic for schools that previously didn't prioritize mental health to suddenly screen and identify all the key individuals within a grade in just one or two days.
It's likely that they weren't adequately prepared with the necessary resources, and conducting a comprehensive mental health assessment takes time. The storyline is quite exaggerated, another "feel-good" drama, "fantasy drama," or "inspirational drama.
I suspect that many students, influenced by such shows, believe that they can succeed without being serious and dedicated. They wait for a magical transformation one day or waste their time indulging in fantasies, or they strive with an inflated sense of self-importance, setting unrealistic goals.
However, the harsh reality eventually crushes their confidence, leading to even greater frustration.
Those who are inherently struggling and have no interest in studying are not suitable for the path of college entrance exams. The independent recruitment system is more suitable for them. The real focus should be on those who have good potential but struggle academically due to external factors and learning environments.
That's the true purpose of having this experimental class. Otherwise, do you think everyone can get into Tsinghua University and Peking University? Teachers are not gods and cannot provide them with the answers to the college entrance exams.
For intelligent students who underperform due to external influences or a lack of a conducive learning environment, there is still hope to improve their grades. However, what about students who are rebellious and refuse to study?
If their family environment is not an issue and they are willing to learn but simply struggle to comprehend, how should one handle such a situation?
Oh my, it seems that Sang Lao Shi (Teacher Sang) is really going to be infuriated. Among the five children, four of them have only the college entrance examination as their path to changing their destiny.
She already possesses three times what Li Ran has and cannot have anymore... Using naive and idealistic facts to condemn Lei Ming really lacks credibility.
Why such an inexplicable ending? They could have shown a bit of college life 12 years later. Li Ran could have been seen riding a skateboard for fun. They could have shown Li Ran's research achievements and Bian Xiaoxiao's live study sessions.
They all experienced a transformation and made a comeback, including Yu Yang, whose life was changed by the history teacher. It would have been more enjoyable to see their lives in college without having to change the cast.
Actually, Teacher Sang is not naive. But to be honest, in today's environment, do employers really prioritize the most suitable person? Do HR departments consider all those factors? Not all HR professionals are like Teacher Sang. People are forced to make compromises.
No one will provide food for someone solely based on their hobbies. Hobbies have never been a consideration for those at the bottom.
I just finished watching the first five episodes, and it's so amazing! The plot is gripping, giving this school drama a suspenseful vibe. It turns out that life is like a horror movie, and the backgrounds of each character are heart-stoppingly intense.
It feels so real that it's almost daunting to confront. The combination of the background music (BGM) and visuals is incredibly impactful! The filming is excellent, and the editing is exceptionally well done, leaving a lasting impression that's hard to shake off.
This is definitely a drama worth watching.
Lei Ming has been patching up his life for 38 years, constantly striving and repairing. Suddenly, Lei Li Zhou grew old and developed dementia, forgetting about him. The students were handed over to Zhi Xiang. It seems like fate hasn't been kind to him, never truly affirming his worth.
Just when things were starting to improve a little, a bigger blow came, crushing his frail backbone, weighing down his shoulders, leaving him with thinning hair, and a face that appeared withered.
Oh my, the first episode laid out the relationships between the characters, and from the second episode onwards, the amount of information just skyrocketed.
By the third episode, I was so stunned that I couldn't even utter a word.
Let me point out a few things:
1. The details about Yushan's younger brother have already been set up. He helps his sister by pulling out a chair, interrupts their stepfather, and refuses to tell his sister about not having his own room. Later, when Yushan moves out and the disc incident happens, it's likely that the younger brother is siding with Yushan.
He's probably not a purely bad child and still has a conscience.
2. According to the usual plot design, Lei Ming's understanding should have been expressed by Sang Xia. However, it's unexpectedly Gaoxiao who speaks the understanding words.
Sang Xia has consistently been in an awkward character setting, and it's unclear what kind of complete character development the screenwriter has planned for her. But it seems we'll have to wait until Lei Lizhou's storyline unfolds to see Sang Xia's full character development.
The director wouldn't leave such a big loophole in her character setup.
Lastly, I want to praise Zhang Ruoyun's acting skills. Audiences can always trust his commitment to quality choices, and he never disappoints the viewers.
As a teacher, watching this drama gives me a wonderful feeling. It allows me to immerse myself in the role of a teacher and also experience what it's like to be a student. As a student, we might have had various issues in our past academic lives, but watching this drama truly brings a sense of relief.
As a teacher, witnessing improper behavior from educators evokes a sense of reflection and a determination to improve. I truly love this drama.
In reality, Shen Yao is definitely the better choice. Li Ran's attitude and communication skills are far worse than Shen Yao's! And Li Ran really didn't put in as much effort as Shen Yao! You say someone who consistently ranks first in the prestigious school, wins awards in academic competitions, and even excels in medicine without any talent?
You call Li Ran's half-year of effort "effort," but Shen Yao's over ten years of hard work isn't considered effort? Can you pass without Shen Yao giving you hints? Shen Yao can instantly identify the chief examiner and understand the meaning behind Zheng Qian's artwork at a glance.
Isn't that talent??? And then there's Professor Lei Ming, who actually says, "Endurance doesn't matter, explosive power doesn't matter, demand is the most important." He says such things openly in front of the students.
What's wrong with Shen Yao? Why should she be ridiculed with the term "glider"? Is Shen Yao not working hard? Is Shen Yao not excellent? Did Shen Yao not earn her spot based on her own abilities?
Is Shen Yao not a student worth teaching?
They have chosen a group of exceptional individuals, which goes against the concept of helping underachieving students improve their grades. It's just that after the merger of the two schools and the combination of underachieving and outstanding students, there was a grand spectacle on the playground that had nothing to do with the subsequent student selection process.
The plot seems somewhat deliberately uncomfortable to watch.
I can't understand how Lei Ba could give away his own son's tuition to someone else. There are so many unfortunate people in the world, can he take care of them all? Who should love his own biological child if not him?
It reminds me of someone who sponsored many impoverished students but when they were critically ill and needed money for medical treatment, those vampires still wanted to ask for money. Only when we work hard for our own money do we truly understand the value of it and strive to be a good person, while those who gain without effort eventually start taking things for granted.
It's like the classic story of "The Farmer and the Snake." Did that so-called Ye Chao ever come forward to repay Lei Ba when he was critically ill and needed money for his elderly care expenses?
If you don't love your own son, then don't get married. If you can't take care of your family, then don't get married! Does he even have his son in his heart? If I had a father like that, I would have already started a fight at the motorcycle place.
This is using the name of love to harm your own family. The family members can't even resist because nobody would believe it if they said it out loud. Others would only think that such a good person wouldn't do such a thing.
The injured family members can only endure the grievances.
Li Ran is indeed not only childish but also impulsive and inclined towards violence. This child, it's not that I don't pity him. There are many people in the world who have a hard time, but since he has already experienced hardship, it would be better if he could learn from it, stay calm, and not match up with the mature Cheng Yushan.
Look at Jiang Qing Lang and then look at Shen Yao, especially Shen Yao. They both faced difficulties, but in the end, they used reason, methods, and courage to break free from their own haze. Character is important. Excellence is excellence; it's not just about having good grades.
During high school, there's both studying and things we enjoy. If it's solely about the high school entrance exam and the reversal of fortunes, then why bother including the family? Everyone should just live at school and focus on studying there, right?
But is that the reality? Those of us who have experienced the high school entrance exam know that we've made it through with the influence of our families, classmates, and the overall learning environment. It's rare to find an environment where you can purely focus on studying.
Sure, some people may question why there needs to be romantic relationships among students in the drama. But they are just ordinary people, and they have the right to have a crush or like someone in such an environment. Moreover, it's not like the romantic storyline dominates the plot.
It just happened to be mentioned in this particular episode. Some people are making a big fuss about it. You can criticize the way the romantic storyline is written, but you can't say that it shouldn't exist at all.