School uniforms, wooden desks, bike rides, a basketball field and rebellious classmates are the backdrop of the recent Taiwanese blockbuster You Are the Apple of My Eye. Unprotestingly, you feel yourself transported back to the sweet days of adolescence. In this romantic drama based on a semi-autobiographical novel (那些年,我们一起追的女孩, literally: The Girl We Chased Together in Those Years), best-selling writer-turned-director Giddens Ko tells the story of five mischievous students, including Ko Ching-Teng (based on Ko himself). With the fame of Giddens Ko and a well-selected cast who interpret their roles with youthful, effortless innocence, the movie became a huge hit in Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Since its January 6 debut on the Chinese mainland, You Are the Apple of My Eye has quickly become the highest grossing Taiwanese film ever in Chinese cinemas. The storyline is simple, light and not strikingly original, but viewers feel strong emotional resonance with the natural and unpretentious presentation of adolescent life through real-life scenarios. “Adolescence is like a heavy rain,” says Ko as the movie begins. “Even if you catch a cold from it, you still look forward to experiencing it once again.” And that’s why You Are the Apple of My Eye has touched our hearts. After all, we all like to taste a raindrop once in a while.