Perfection
I’m going to be simple, this c-drama is one of the best that I have seen! I think this is my first review, and it might not be the best, but it I’m trying. The acting is very good and I didn’t find anyone who had cringy acting kills that makes you feel sorry. Additionally, the storyline is very good because after each episode you want to learn more about what is going to happen. However, if you’re very very very emocional person you going to cry a lot, but it’s worth it because the story is so excellent. Please, watch it because you won’t regret it.Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
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Why couldn't you be as good as you promised to be?
Ok let me start by saying that the only reason this drama is bad in my opinion...it's because it's NOT great and it wasn't setup to be "just good". And that's annoying because it could have easily been great. I know you don't get it but let me explain. This drama had all of the elements to be a bomb drama. From the costume, to the acting, to the visual effects, the music...just everything was flawless and my expectations were so high...and then the last five episodes happened ?. So the reason the drama is bad it's not because is bad per se, but because of its wasted potential. Compared to a lot of other dramas released this year, it's way better.First, the acting from the main leads was amazing. Everybody deliveredT (yes, with a T at the end) and brought their A game. Luo Yunxi and Bai Lu bodied theirs roles, child. The chemistry between them was the exact type you not only want from people who have worked together several times BUT also the exact friend-lover-enemy dynamic required for this drama specifically. Usually when you say "chemistry" in Asian dramas, actors bring in the sexual/love aspect of it, but sometimes the drama demands the cantekerous bantering that exists in those type of relationship. And given that the story is about that girl going back in time to kill "the devil that doomed the world and kill every single member of her clan" (think going back in time to kill baby Hitler)...so it makes sense that you get actors who are comfortable enough with each other and can pull that type of relationship progression. It's very hard to pull if you're just "acting". But the fact that Lulu and Yunxi are friends, it felt very natural.
Second, as a matter fact the whole crew had impeccable chemistry and good storyline, which made the world building of the story seamless. I personally was able to get immersed and avidly follow along. I was not bored because the chemistry between even the supporting cast help you forget the most blatant plots (they were several). My favorite "brother-sister" romance was between the Fox and Tantai Jin. They were so funny together.
Third, Omg the costumes were amazing. I was expecting just another boring ass tule fabric galore, because apparently fantasy in C-drama means boring colors and even more boring designs with pastel tulles everywhere. Well, I was wrong! They tried very hard to give a good depiction of what the deities as portrayed in "real life" and it was gorgeous. To be fair, it's not like they were the "BEST" costumes ever (I wished they kept the girls shoulders covered sometimes), but the fact that they were so different from what they usually serve us made it 10X better. I am so tires of these damn tulle dresses!!!
So now that I have rambled enough let's talk about the bad: The storyline. Here's the thing, some dramas should NOT be that long. Because, it's one thing for the story to drag and for the characters to have multiple redundant moments were they were completely miserable AND THEN have then have a happy ending but it's a whole different thing when it's a sad ending. As a viewer it's just crushing to watch 40 episodes (that could have easily been 30 eps) for a sad ending from a drama if we're being honest, I only watched because it's a "love story". Like...no one want to watch a sad love story. I mean don't me wrong there are GOOD MELODRAMAS but this one was not setup to be a good melodrama from jump. So as soon as you realize that they are not gonna end up together by episode 35...there is a hard disconnect that happens and everything feels like a waste of time. Maybe it's just me, but that's how it felt. Then, the details and small plot holes that seemed trivial before are now very irritating.
Listen, as a C-drama watcher, I tolerate a lot of things. I don't expect any of these dramas to be some big Blockbusters that's going to win all of the awards. We're all watching this for fun and to waste time ( because some of us are depressed and trying to escape the dumpster fire that is the world right). However, the implicit deal is that us viewers will tolerate "ok dramas"...and they will give us romance and love stories where everyone live happily ever after or a semblance of it. Like, which romance lover has time to watch sad love stories right now? Come on!!!
Anyways, it was an Ok drama and you should watch it if main charactera dying at the end doesn't bother you., Or if you're a fan of Bai Lu and Luo Yunxi.
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Amazing
Wow this drama was amazing and so intense. I loved that leo and bai came back for another drama, they work so well together and they so well matched.Firstly i love the costumes and the make up they worked well with every part of the drama, the scenes were amazing and they flowed into each other. I loved how Leo played a double role, and they could not have made him even more handsome, those eyes when he played devil were captivating.
Secondly Bai was amazing and she didnt allow her judgement to cloud her sense of right and wrong.
The music was good, the fight scenes although a little unrealistic were good with the effects.
All in all it was an amazing drama, that's filled with how everyone in this life has to fight evil in some way or another, whether it is your own or someone who does... how you need to use to remain positive when things dont workout and not to scumb to the negative, therr were alot of good points tomthis drama when you whats goes around you.
A definite drama to watch... just to see leo in all his outstanding costumes
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Society makes monsters of us all
I am late to the show, but man, what a show it was! I have been picking up and dropping dramas lately, but this one I absolutely felt the need to finish. At first, I thought it was going to be the typical "fairy goddess and evil warlord fall in love and she changes him to be good" trope, but I was so wrong.Actually, I already could tell how wrong I was within the first episode. None of the characters are really black or white, good or evil. There are many shades of grey. And as I sank deeper into the story, it became obvious that the greatest monster is not the devil god or his minions - it is society who brands a person with a seal, giving them no chance to redeem themselves and inevitably creating the monster they love to hate, thus justifying all the bloodshed in the name of "good". Tantai Jin is such a complex character and I can only applaud Luo Yunxi for his portrayal of what actually amounts to 4 different characters in various shades of grey. And even just in the role of Tantai Jin he is believable as someone not understanding why the world "wants" him to be evil, sometimes trying to escape his fate, but inevitable being forced to make decisions that bring him closer and closer to what he doesn't want to become. He tries again and again to love, to find a place in this world, and he always gets hurt, disappointed and his heart broken by those he thought to be closest to him.
I have read other opinions, but I felt the chemistry between the two leads to be natural and magnetic. It was heartbreaking to see how they came to love one another but at the same time, could not stop hurting each other, sometimes willingly, sometimes by accident or misunderstanding. Love - especially with a fate such as Tantai Jin's and Li Susu's - is never as easy as other dramas make it seem to be. Li Susu, as the apparent "good" character, also has flaws, but to be fair, she comes from a place in time that gave her immense trauma and heartbreak. The fact that their relationship is toxic to begin with feels natural and makes absolute sense.
Excellent acting, so many memorable side characters that actually made me cry. Heartbreaking scenes apart from the main storyline, breathtaking costumes, beautiful soundtrack. This drama has it all. CGI was one of the better ones I have seen, you can tell that they put some money into the making of this drama. If I would complain about something, it would probable be editing, as the last 2 or 3 episodes felt weirdly rushed in some parts and some scenes were a bit difficult to follow. But this could be because I don't speak the language and have to rely on what the subtitles tell me. The Bo're timeline felt a bit detached and could have done with a tighter storytelling, but in the end, a lot of this timeline is necessary because it gives tons of context for later parts of the story. Just, while you are watching it, you want to go back to the actual, "real" storyline, because of course you don't know yet how important this dream will be later down the line.
Yes, there is a lot of what we westerners would describe as the typical cdrama nonsense like going to bed in full dress and ornate hair pieces and spitting rivers of blood. As someone not that into the way acting is often done in asian dramas, I was surprised at the total lack of fake crying and annoying female characters behaving like little girls.
Big fan here, big fan. More of this please, I am an absolute wreck now, in the best possible way. :)
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THE POWER OF A STORY
This is my own interpretation of this wonderful story. If yin and yang decided to stroll the human realm as a couple their adventures would be similar. I never had the religion chip, I was born without, but I wholeheartedly think that there’s a natural balance and karma. The story itself, magnificently acted by ALL characters, would be perfect if not for some silly (or maybe intentional) editing mistakes that gave us doubts on actors dubbing and some redundant episodes. It’s also worth mentioning Sun Zhenni an unexpected solid secondary actress. I’m still very much perplex about Deng Wei….I just don’t get if he’s dull because is suppose to be or else. Special effect are good, ending ……magnificent.Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
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Your daily reminder to watch TTEOTM : D
I've seen a lot of C-dramas. A lot of them are quite bad, and a lot of them are mediocre, and rarely do I stumble across what I find (subjectively) to be a gem: TTEOTM is one of those rare findings, with its interconnected storylines, immense number of jam-packed ideas (everything, everywhere, all at once), and superb acting... also I watched this directly after some widely liked dramas such as 'Love Between Fairy and Devil' and 'Hidden Love', so you could say I'm picking this one out from a set of some of the 'better ones.' I would advise you to stop reading here and start watching, but the review so far doesn't do anything to convince anyone. Let's dive into it a little:FIRST, start with the ACTING.
It's magnificent. In a sense, there are dramas where one good actor carries the show, and interactions between the characters (what netizens call chemistry) is pretty lacking. Luckily, TTEOTM not only avoids those pitfalls but puts on quite the show; in fact, I'd argue the acting is so great that you could just watch Luo Yunxi (ML) and Bai Lu (FL) stand next to each other on a computer-generated battlefield for forty episodes and be reasonably moved.
As for individual actors, the star of the show is still Luo Yunxi. He plays half-a-dozen characters quite literally (Tantai Jin / Ming Ye / Devil God / Old Devil God / Cang Jiumin / Tantai Jin Devil God) and manages to make all of them distinctive and memorable. With a variety of expressive postures and gestures, his work here is definitely the best I've ever seen in a C-drama. The death glares from the beginning to the resignation at some points is all magnificently done, and for the record, I've seen a variety of heroes and villains portrayed by various actors- none quite make you feel the plethora of emotions and storyline as deeply as Luo Yunxi here in TTEOTM. It's not just tears shed for a simple but tragic storyline (which happens often, I find), but hollowness and internal conflict upon learning of his childhood, fear when watching the terror he manages to inflict as the Devil God, and contentedness/sweetness for his portrayal of Cang Jiumin (very, VERY much loves the FL). The distinctiveness of the characters he plays, I believe, even edges out Dylan Wang's Dongfang Qing Cang by far... a feat difficult to achieve as Dylan played a spectacular 'devil god' in Love Between Fairy and Devil.
Bai Lu's acting is always very pleasant and charming to watch, and I find her to make cute scenes even 'cuter.' I do think the personalities she plays are somewhat similar and representative of her true personality (to an extent), so the performance does not stick out to me that much... it's definitely great though considering the fact that it's Bai Lu and I love to watch works in her repertoire. Second leads such as Sun Zhen Ni (plays Pian Ran, a charming and flirtatious female fox devil) and Chen Duling (plays the antagonistic character that's kind of a plot twist... not really) portray their characters exceptionally well too, creating a sort of connection between them and the viewer.
SECOND, the STORYLINE.
Going into C-dramas, I have a sort of resignation towards finding an actually logical plot with good execution, so instead I look for a culmination of creative ideas/concepts. If you're one of the people who watch for logical behaviors, etc., I might warn you against this drama. It does have its fair share of strange plot holes especially towards the end and offers relatively questionable explanations for the reason things play out as they do. You might have to fill in your own gaps, and to me that's okay when watching a show simply due to my expectations (if I wanted to see something logical, I'd just neighbor-spy).
But I don't think that should deter you from watching, to be honest. The number of different arcs/storylines in this drama can be a lot to digest, but I think they're all meaningful and used properly. It's also the reason this drama is so great. None of it is fluff for the sake of fluff (the story does not sacrifice itself for the sake of a romance) or unimportant to the ultimate missions that face the characters.... it has a place in explaining the development and history of the setting (World-Turning Jade is an interesting twist), cleverly developing the relationships between characters (Ming Ye/ Sang Jiu is very important, imo) and furthering the plot/story. The way a lot of loose ends are introduced and ultimately tied back together towards the ending of the drama is masterfully done, so much so that the few logical errors/predictable behaviors of characters are forgivable (subjectively). There are just so many creative and inspirational concepts and ideas in this drama that deviate from the typical, predictable 'steam-engine-moves-forward-and-only-forward' storylines. It reminds me, truly, of 'Everything, Everywhere, All at Once'- which had its fair share of plot holes and possibly a slightly simpler plot than this (also more modern, to point out the obvious). I really appreciate the writers and original author of the novel for creating such a piece; most C-dramas need something more complex to show for, and they need that to an immense degree. Nothing is sacrificed for the story here.
I do think the character development for all the characters (even relatively minor ones) is really impressively done. Of course the focus is on Tantai Jin, but when we see even Ye Xiwu's older brother (so called coward) fight for the sake of his nation and people towards the end makes you realize that everyone really has an arc. Despite some repetitive, predictable, toxic behaviors of certain characters, the justifications for their motives typically make enough sense for me to accept given their individual personalities. I also appreciate the basic intelligence given to the characters which is way too rare in C-Dramas.
Finally, unlike many others, I appreciated the sad ending, thinking it's reasonable for how the ending developed. Otherwise, the ending would be pretty rushed, and that may not be to be the story's further. You could make it romantic with Tantai Jin's return... but I don't really get the point. It ended in an organic way rather than something really 'forced', and served as a conclusion to what I think is a story more than a set of scenes.
LASTLY, the OST:
Zhang Lei's First Time Loving was the star for me (I recommend it)... in general, it's a decent soundtrack, but not the best I've ever heard. I do think the accompaniment in certain scenes was done really well.
EXTRANEOUS THINGS:
- Maybe a little lighter on the makeup, especially the red lipstick on Tantai Jin...
- Beautiful outfits and well-done CGI... you could watch this just for the fight scenes
Please do watch this, it's one of the best C-dramas I've seen thus far in terms of ideas and acting : )
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I finished this series at 6 in the morning. But I'm done too.
It had a very sad, heartbreaking and hurtful ending. I felt so intense emotions that it devastated me. I didn't want the series to end just so Tantai Jin wouldn't die. I watched it knowingly the ending. But I still wanted them to be happy in another life. Tantai Jin was someone who deserved happiness at least once in his life. Ye Ji Wu will keep him alive in his memories forever. Maybe this was Tantai Jin's last wish. It is also very sad that Ye Ji Wu endures endless pain as a survivor. I wish they were happy, I wish, I wish...If there is anything more painful than an unhappy ending, it is an unhappy eternity.
I know it's a very sad comment, but please don't hesitate to watch this series. Once you watch the first episode, you will already be hooked by the series. And Tantai Jin, you should definitely get to know this character! His tone of voice impressed me greatly. Bai Lu literally fascinated me with her beauty.
The chemistry between Bai Lu and Luo Yun Xi always shines perfectly. I also watched the Love Is Sweet TV series, they were great there too. That's why I hope they make a third series.
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Magnifique
À une époque où les démons dominent les pratiquants et les mortels, les anciens pratiquants croient qu'il est impératif de renvoyer quelqu'un dans le temps pour découvrir l'origine du seigneur démon et empêcher sa résurrection. Li Su Su accepte la mission et assume l'identité de la mortelle Ye Xi Wu, la deuxième fille du général Ye. Elle est mariée à Tantai Jin, le prince captif et futur seigneur démon, et est déterminée à le détruire, consciente qu'à l'avenir, il viendra en massacrer beaucoup. Mais comme témoin de la vie passée de Tantai Jin et de son ascension au pouvoir, une histoire inattendue émerge, qui complique sa quête. (Source : RedLotusPavilion sur MyDramaList ; édité par CK Warrior et d'autres sur MyDramaList) ~~ Adapté du roman Web "Hei Yue Guang Na Wen BE Ju Ben" (黑月光拿稳BE剧本) de Teng Luo Wei Zhi (藤萝为枝).Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
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Best Cdrama i ever watch
Like the headline, this is the best Cdrama i ever watch. I really like the actors, story, costumes, cgi, everything is perfect although the ending makes me cry ?From the first episode, i already captivated by the demon lord and the cgi. The demon lord/ tantai jin is amazing actor!!! and the fighting scenes and effects are great as well. Li susu is charming too.. i just can say this drama is perfect as a whole although i wish they create season 2 … i want to watch the 2 protagonists happy ending :’(
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Very painful romance but I have no regrets
I was hesitant about picking up this one because I had heard that there was lots of drama and angst in the story, but I saw it being recommended too many times (and I saw Bai Lu being praised all around A LOT), so I had to watch it and make an opinion for myself.The story is about Tantai Jin, the demon lord who is destined to bring chaos to the world, and Li Susu, the immortal who witnesses the destruction brought by Tantai Jin and travels 500 years back in time to prevent his rise to power. What Li Susu doesn't expect is to be reincarnated as Tantai Jin's wife, and Tantai Jin to be a mortal who is hated and mistreated by everyone. Just like that, Ye Xiwu's plan becomes more complicated: she has to find a way to neutralize Tantai Jin's evil core, but she also needs to make sure he doesn't die in the meantime.
The story flows very nicely. There is a lot going on, but the pace is not too fast and it allows to follow all the events well without getting confused, all without ever needing to slow down too much. There's also a very good balance between the dramatic plot elements and the more fun, romantic, and fluffy ones, which was a huge relief to me.
The cast was amazing all around, with very likeable characters and great villains as well. I was impressed by the ML the most for his performance as Tantai Jin: he was able to portray a very complex character, managing to show warmth and coldness as needed without it ever feeling unnatural. I've seen a good amount of anti-hero protagonists, but this is one of the few who were actually unsettling to me, in the best way possible!
The quality of the production was very high, with special effects that never looked out of place nor overdone. The OST also matches the core moments of the drama and enhances them very well.
I can't lie, the story made me suffer a lot. There's lots of moments that made my heart ache for the characters, and after almost 40 episodes I was starting to feel a little tired from all the heartbreaks I had to watch. Despite this, I enjoyed this story and its characters a lot, and I can easily recommend it to any fan of the Xianxia genre.
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Mixed feelings
Story: It is an intriguing story. Fast paced, enemies to lovers trope to the max. Although it's a repetition from some dramas in the past, but some points in the story are fresh. The struggling mind of the MC about his identity is very intense which made me feel emphatic for him. And his passionate love for his lover is very pitiful yet infuriating. In the middle episodes, I felt a little bit dragging, but some of romantic scenes from side characters are fun. And the ending felt rush in explanation yet too much repetitive scenes.Acting: This was the most part that gave me mixed feelings. I admire Leo Luo and Bai Lu's acting, they really can act well as the MCs. The character's depth emotions are portrayed excellently, especially with Leo's eyes expression. But I can't feel the chemistry between them. I can't feel the love and the hate from their interactions. It's very different from the drama when they first collaborated. The productions also have some good and bad parts. The visual is very much pleasing, specially the costumes and CGI. However some scenes were illogical because the costumes was too grand for the setting. At last, I found the editing was the big disappointment for this lush drama, to the point that it feels not coherent despite they already have many benefits from visual and acting.
Overall: I recommended this drama if you like character driven story. The character development is very enjoyable and Leo played it emotionally heartbreaking.
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Todavia sigo recordando lo maravilloso de esta serie
Hace mucho tiempo que no veía una serie china tan espectacular, comparándolas todo el tiempo con las coreanas y siempre consiguiendo mas defectos. Esta vez desde el comienzo de la serie, quede maravillada del vestuario, la producción, los efectos y lo mejor, la historia. Guao, que historia tan compleja y tan bien contada. De verdad no quiero dar spoilers, y pensándolo bien, no puedo, es muy difícil, jajajaja. Solo explicare de que se trata para que entiendan.La serie empieza con una gran batalla entre los inmortales y el dios demonio, que los mata a todos, solo se salva Li Su Su, ya que la envían a pasado a ver como pueden cambiar esta terrible realidad. Ella llega como una mortal, que esta casada con lo que llamarían el feto del diablo, ya que es una persona, totalmente maltratada, humillada, por todos incluyéndola a ella. Y asi es como comienza esta travesía en donde ella trata de cambiar el futuro de él, mientras empieza a entenderlo, conocerlo y saber todas las vicisitudes que va pasado para transformarse en este dios demonio.
La recomiendo 100%, a mi las series chinas me parecen muuuuuy largas y con muchas escenas que yo podría cortar, esta ver, los 40 capítulos se me pasaron rapidísimo, el intro y la canción inicial son una belleza. Vean y disfruten.
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