I Became A Big Star After I Quit The Entertainment Industry

Actually, I really love stories with systems and calm protagonists, especially when they have a showbiz tag. So, the main character (MC) quitting entertainment to become an athlete is fine; it’s not too boring. However, I really felt like both crying and laughing at how Mary Sue-like and overpowered the MC became thanks to the system tasks and rewards. It felt really illogical.

The MC had a time of 10.30 seconds in his latest training and entered a competition. Surprisingly, he upgraded his level from Run 1.0 to Run 2.0 just before the race started. In the preliminary round, he clocked 10.21 seconds. Then, in the next match, he got 10.19 seconds. I thought the MC would control his speed to make the improvement less obvious, but he ended up with 10.18 seconds in the final match. Dude, that's too much of a gap for someone who has been resting for two years. Imagine going from 10.30 seconds to 10.18 seconds in less than two weeks! Real athletes train for years to achieve such improvements. Even with a system, it should take at least six months, not two weeks. This just doesn’t work for me.

I understand why some readers might not enjoy this story, but personally, I'm here for a very overpowered main character, and this story delivers on that front. You can stick to just the main story, but the spin-offs really add depth and satisfaction, making you feel content. The romance is admittedly a bit lacking, but it’s still present. The machine translation is quite readable, especially since the translation pace is a bit slow. This is great if you want to binge-read the entire story without waiting for updates, just like me.

AAAA THAT WAS SO SATISFYING

WARNING: This is a complete Mary Sue/Gary Stu novel, so if you're not into that, I warn you in advance.

Anyways, this is the first time I read a BL novel where romance really isn't the focus. No, it can be said that the romance wasn't even a subgenre in the main story; it's literally not there because you see that the MC and ML behave completely platonically. But you'll still be sure that he's the ML even though he only comes every twenty chapters or so because their interactions just give the feeling of "friends but has the potential to be more than friends."

And the author never really forgets to include the ML in their mini theater at the end (even though the ML's name doesn't show up much in the main story compared to the little theaters at the author's notes, hehe).

So this MC-focused novel wasn't really my type of tea, and I was expecting to be bored after continuous perfect MC things, but I actually persisted through 150 chapters of the main story plus the 100+ extra parallel worlds, totaling 250-300 chapters of the novel.

I am really impressed. Sports are not my thing, but it had actually hooked me into this novel. The perseverance of the MC toward his dream, and despite having a system of his own to help him, he actually was the one who's working hard and the one who makes his scores better and higher. The system was just there, not to be the crutch he holds on to but to support the MC into training more and guide him into becoming better by relying on his own ability.

What I also want to say is, Su Zhe, you've worked hard. Even after the rebirth in the extras, you never fail to be better and to work harder to make better achievements. You never stopped training and have always been relying on your own strength. I'm proud of you, seeing your growth.

Also, the romance part may only be obvious and more pronounced in the extras, but I'm glad the MC wasn't actually alone after being the miracle and hope of everyone. It is always the people at the top having to bear the lonely road ahead, so I'm glad we actually have an ML that is there, and the readers are familiar with, not just someone who came by at the end.

For the ML, although his story looked incomplete compared to the MC, especially since he's not really focused on by the author and his family weren't mentioned or anything, I actually like the ML's character traits in this. He's not someone who is impulsive and is actively chasing the MC to the point of being annoying, but he's just there. Sometimes you'll be so immersed in the MC of the novel that if the ML's name is mentioned, it's surprising, yes, but it's actually very heartwarming knowing that the ML has always been in the sidelines waiting for the MC, not shackling him but just supporting his back and following his road. Like he said, Su Zhe will always be continuously going on this road with a lot of people cheering for him, but whenever he wants to look back, Shao Xincheng will be there standing and waiting for him. He waited until the MC could accept him, he waited until the right time for the feelings, he waited until their careers are stable, he waited until Su Zhe is ready. He waited until Su Zhe responded to him and hugged him under that snowy day.

I just have to say, although the romance part of this novel is mainly in the extras and is limited, it's actually one of my favorite couples.

The MC wasn't dense, the ML wasn't annoying. Throughout the whole story, I was on tenterhooks about when their relationship would go to the next level, but their emotional part coming out after the main story was actually well-placed and well-written. If only it could have been longer.

But I'm happy, and extremely satisfied now. ^^ I hope you give this novel a chance. I promise the MTL is good and easy to read (really, really easy to read).

I just read up to where it was translated because I didn't think it was worth machine-translating. Contrary to other reviewers, I don't mind overpowered characters if the plot is well-written. The issue I had is that, so far, all the races have followed the same pattern: people underestimate him > he races and thinks he can go even faster > he goes faster > he wins or beats his personal best or surprises people with the results > people's faces are slapped, and they also admire how he looks.

There's also a random romance that seems to be happening or not happening. I can clearly tell who the male lead is, but I don't understand how he got attracted to the protagonist in the first place. There's absolutely no chemistry in their interactions. Not that there has to be, but their interactions seem pointless. It's as if they were forced in there just to remind the reader that the male lead exists. I'd rather there be no romance subplot, especially since, according to other reviewers, nothing significant happens in the main story anyway—so what's the point?

I don't know if this counts as an accomplishment, but this was the first story to actively make me angry in all my years of reading. I have a soft spot for entertainment and sports stories, so when this one combined both genres, I desperately tried to like it and even continued reading beyond my initial annoyance out of sheer stubbornness to see if it would improve. Alas, I just ended up infuriated, and my last thought was, "I want a damn refund."

The beginning was actually quite good, and I didn't mind the overpowered main character (MC) from the start. In fact, I was excited—who doesn't love a track prodigy who pursued another career and then came back to excel in his original field? Up until chapter 60 or so, I genuinely had a fun time reading. The problem is that the longer it went on, the more grating the story became. The overpowered nature of the MC isn't handled very well; he's able to do too many things (running, hurdles, group relay) in such a short amount of time. As others have pointed out, all the minor characters are just there to gloat or point out how great or good-looking the MC is to an unnatural, over-the-top degree (the entire country of Japan calls him Snow Leopard Boy?? An ultra-famous fashion designer makes him his muse??). There are also pointless plot points, like the system having him train shooting skills or ice skating for no real reason except to make him look good in a few minor scenes. Even the romance aspect is lacking, as the main love interest (ML) just likes him from the start, and they interact less than a handful of times in all 143 chapters, only getting together in a chapter in one of the extras.

When you're reading a story, you'll always run into the question of "Why am I reading this?" or "Why do/should I care about the MC?" The answers are usually things like plot, characterization, mystery, etc. But this story almost kills every reason you could have. Plot? The MC gets his running and hurdling skills from the system, so it's really monotonous with no buildup. Romance? The ML and MC have little to no interaction, so the romance is almost nonexistent. Even the entertainment part can be thrown away because it focuses 99% on running, with the MC himself having no clue why he even entered the entertainment industry in the first place. He didn't want to be an actor or a singer, he didn't even care about being famous, and he's as stumped as we are as to why he switched industries in the first place. Characterization is also the same from beginning to end, so even character development is nonexistent.

I genuinely wanted to like this story, even in my annoyance, I still kept buying the next chapter in hopes of improvement. I can see that the author did try her best at writing it, but in the end, it just wasn't good for me. The more I read, the more I was absolutely bored to death by the sheer amount of repetition. Every race went: MC runs race → everyone else: "omg he's so fast, so gorgeous, who is he, I adore him, Omigosh he's like a snow leopard! An elf! A gorgeous creature!" → MC wins/breaks a record → MC adored by the masses. Maybe track stories aren't my thing, or maybe the whole rebirth extra is better, but unfortunately, I can't find any more patience to read after finishing the main story and the 10 extras. I do want to clarify something, though: after chapters 1-153, that's the end of the main story, with the rest being an "If" story where the MC decides to go down a figure skating path instead of running.

This novel is a masterpiece! Despite its length, I have read it three times, which speaks volumes about how much I enjoy it.

In summary, the main character (MC) possesses a "golden finger" that enables him to integrate his bodily functions with the skills he can learn. While this might sound like an instant power-up, the system doesn't just grant him skills out of thin air. Instead, he must spend hours in a "white space," learning the basics and gradually integrating these fundamentals before mastering the advanced techniques of each skill.

As someone who loves sports anime and manga (like Haikyuu!!, Slam Dunk, Kuroko's Basketball, and Free!), this novel really strikes a chord with me.

The romance aspect is minimal, but the male lead (ML) remains a constant presence throughout the story. The romantic elements become more prominent in the alternate universe sections. Another highlight for me is the depiction of netizen reactions, which I find particularly engaging.

While the novel isn't without its flaws—there are a few loopholes, though they are minor—the overall experience is both fun and captivating. If you enjoy sports stories with a talented MC, this novel is definitely worth checking out.

Ultimately, it's a matter of personal taste, but giving this novel a try won't hurt—and you might find yourself invested enough to spend quite a bit of time with it.

Although I do enjoy reading some Mary Sue or Gary Stu stories from time to time, I can't help but feel it's such a waste.

Mary Sue/Gary Stu can be a delightful read when you're in the mood for some overly sweet, pampering romance, but this novel is clearly more focused on the main character's (MC) development—or at least their reputation and popularity development.

I feel it's a waste because the MC's story is already compelling on its own:

An unfortunate idol who faced bad luck (thanks to an incompetent and pit-digging "promoting" agent) fails to gain recognition and quits the entertainment industry to return to the sports world as an athlete, rising to stardom.

The story didn't need to be as Gary Stu as it is, given that the MC has a stubborn and hardworking character. It might have been better if the MC was a different kind of Gary Stu, or if the author had spent more time detailing the MC's independent growth, such as their training, physical transformation, and the transition from an idol lifestyle to an athlete lifestyle. Instead, the focus on the system somewhat undermines not only the MC but also the opposing athletes who train year-round, as well as the male lead (ML) who was motivated and fell in love because of the MC's stubbornness and hard work.

———

I found myself skimming through most parts after Chapter 28 because I realized the story was more about boasting about the MC than about the MC's journey to becoming stronger. I also noticed that fans, netizens, and side characters have far more dialogue than the MC and ML. The author uses these characters to praise the MC...

So, in my opinion, the story focused on the wrong aspects, which made it feel bland.

MTL up to chapter 86, readability 90%.

All about track and field sport training or competition. So far, the main lead's appearance has been very brief and sparse 🙈. He only showed up as background filler 🤭.

Will continue later... Bye for now.