1One that loved not wisely but too well.
Once upon a time in Beili, there lived a woman who was simply too beautiful 倾国倾城/qīng guó qīngchéng; she could fell a city with one look and fell a kingdom with a second look. This kind of woman is a menace to mankind that can only be locked out of sight in a gilded cage. This is the cautionary tale of a brave man, one that loved not wisely but too well who dared to set her free. And his one true friend who tried to help him do the right thing.Dashing Youth 少年白马醉春风 or Young White Horse Drunk in the Spring Breeze is the highly anticipated prequel to 2022's dark horse hit high fantasy martial arts drama The Blood of Youth 少年哥行. Like its predecessor, it is a youthful coming of age story about friendship, adventure and the spirited idealism of youth. Even though Baili Dongjun is the titular character, it is equally his best friend Ye Yun's villain origin story. They are parallel characters; both innate martial artists and scions of the Beili empire's founding families. As boys, they vowed to storm the martial world together when they grew up; Yun as the Sword Deity and Dongjun as the Liquor Deity. After the Ye family's downfall, they are destined to go down opposite paths. Dongjun lives a charmed life; making a name for himself as Li Changsheng's final disciple at the prestigious Jixia Academy; surrounded by new friends like Sikong Changfeng and Beili's Eight Talented Gentlemen. He reunites briefly with Ye Yun, who now calls himself Ye Dingzhi. In sharp contrast, Ye Dingzhi's path is a lonely one, full of obstacles, inequities, betrayals and brief snatches of happiness.
At its core, this is quite a straightforward story that is cluttered in the storytelling. There are too many digressions into the Who's Who of the martial world and and its pretentious rankings. While the fan service is terrific, such a dazzling array of too hot to handle swordsmen put my exploding ovaries in danger of apoplexy. The surfeit of hot filler characters with shallow side stories distract from the main arcs. For all their fancy swords and pompous rankings, all we see are a few showy poses and twirls before the CGI takes over and screen explodes in a gory orgy of light and digital creatures. While the CGI is well done, it is a big let-down not to see a few well choreographed live action fight sequences.
I was happy to see Hou Minghao dub himself as Baili Dongjun. It makes a big difference in how the character comes to life. While his acting is still a work in progress, he plays a character he can relate to and it shows. Ye Dingzhi is a more complex and intense role, one that He Yu pulls off charismatically. Even though he does questionable things, I empathized with him every step of the way. It would have been nice to see more of Xia Zhiguang's Sikong Changfeng. The humor and camaraderie between all the dashing youths is one of the drama's highlights. Even though the romances are not convincingly written or well developed, I liked all of the couples enough to root for them. The role of Yi Wenjun should have been more sympathetically portrayed instead of just as helpless, selfish and willful. The lovely Ye Yao is only Dongjun's muse, her character doesn't get to do much.
The irreverent Li Changsheng/Nangong Chunshui is the funniest, best acted and most engaging character in this story. Even though his arcs don't tie well with the main plot, the narrative visibly sags after his exit. His parting words to his disciples 凭心而动/píng xīn ér dòng or "act according to your heart" captures the spirit and idealism of youth that is Dongjun's lifelong mantra; one that years later, he passes on to his disciple Tang Lian. He helps Dingzhi steal the bride because Wenjun was not willing and therefor it is wrong to force her. It is the simple, absolute truth that trumps the cynical calculations driven by politics and expedience. He never wavers from this belief. It is true that Wenjun is a selfish, weak and dislikable character who makes terrible decisions with devastating consequences. But she was still wronged in the first place. Thus like Dongjun, I understood, even tried to empathize with her until she was too easily manipulated into returning to Tianqi. That was not only a stupid decision, it showed that she simply did not trust and love Dingzhi enough to wait for him. Poor Dingzhi, he never got any breaks. Even the love of his life failed him at the end. Through sick and sin, it was always and only Dongjun who remained his one true friend.
There is little new in the political plot that wasn't revealed in dialogue and flashbacks in TBOY. Which would be fine if they fleshed out the character stories and the succession struggle instead. But those are dealt with cursorily with Ruojin left as a blank cartoon character and the relationship between the brothers not explored. TBOY romanticizes Prince Langya as a tragic hero, the noble uncrowned king of Beili. In this prequel, he is the character that disappointed me most. He tore up his father's will out of misplaced loyalty and his own selfish desire to live an unrestrained life. He never made the case for why Ruojin was more worthy, supported him unconditionally and in the case of Wenjun, enabled him even though he knew it was wrong. There was never a so called greater good or do or die reason why Wenjun had to marry Ruojin, it was simply a matter of imperial privilege and entitlement. They could have escaped with his help and everything could have been so different. But I don't hold him solely responsible; there were so many malign forces at play and bad decisions that there is plenty of blame to go around.
The ending to this story leaves that bitter after taste that the bad guys won. It makes too convincing a case that a too beautiful woman who can topple kingdoms must be safely locked out of sight so she can do no harm. Both Wenjun and Dingzhi paid a high price for their mistakes but too many people who pushed Dingzhi down the dark path got off unscathed. In the novel, Dongjun has an epiphany about his own dào/道 or convictions in the middle of his fight with Dingzhi. He switches sides and punches the daylights out of the emperor instead. He scolds him: "She does not like you, why force her to marry you? She has escaped and is living a happy life, why lock her up again? You are the emperor with a harem of 3000. My brother only loves one person. Live and let live. Learn from your brother, he can even let you have the throne, why can't you let my brother have one wife?" Even though it changed nothing it was something that had to be said. Without this scene, Ruojin is never called out or held accountable for his role in starting a war over a woman. Instead it is Dingzhi who is destroyed and villainized for trying to hold on to a grass hut in a tiny corner of the world where he was happy. It is very hard to feel good about a story that ends like this.
This messy and disappointing prequel was in some ways limited by what was already canon in TBOY but still could have been better on multiple fronts, Nonetheless it is a chock full of eye candy and a fun watch if you don't look too hard at it and ignore the inconsistencies with TBOY. Even though this is a critical review I enjoyed the drama. I am just mad because it had the potential to be almost as good as TBOY. But it wasn't and so I can only rate this 8/10. I am still happy to recommend it , especially if you loved TBOY. If you liked Wuxin before, you will love him more after knowing his parent's story.
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A Visual Feast of Stunning CGI and Unforgettable Friendship
This was a visual feast! The drama balanced political elements with a touch of light-heartedness that managed to maintain my interest. As someone who isn't usually into costume dramas, it was a perfect pick.Baili Dong Jun's character was well-written; a responsible spoiled brat with an unhealthy amount of love for liquor and a soft heart for the people he cares about. I particularly enjoyed his interactions with his father. His friendship with Ye Dhing Zhi and their story were the highlight of the drama for me.
Ye Dhing Zhi's character evoked mixed feelings - it made me both sad and mad. Sad because he didn't deserve such harshness, and frustrated and mad due to the choices he made that led him to his predicament. The journey from Ye Yun to Ye Dhing Zhi was tough!
But promises were kept, and we saw our liquor and sword deity and I devoured every scene of them!
I knew how it was supposed to end, but it was still devastating for me. But actions have consequences and some of those consequences are sad! Can't shake off that bitter-sweet feeling! *sigh*
The character who I couldn't sympathize with until the end was WenJun. Her choices and motivation behind them are still unclear to me, and seemed pretty selfish and stupid at some point. (A bit harsh but I am still frustrated!) She didn't deserve Dhing Zhi.
Also, I enjoyed the master-disciple interactions. The dynamics were fun to watch !
All the fight scenes were visually stunning, some of the best CGI I have seen in Asian dramas! It was such a stand-out aspect. Also, all the cast adds up to the rich visual experience. All of them are very attractive. The title does suit the drama perfectly because everyone is truly dashing! *grins*
Though I haven't watched TBOY and thus I can't compare the two, I still enjoyed this.
Overall, this was a visual treat with an amazing cast, impressive CGI and a plot that remained engaging throughout the 40 episodes.
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Swordfights And Broken Dreams: What Could Have Been
Overview of Plot:-Baili Dong Jun, the mischievous young master of the Marquis of Zhenxi's mansion, has always defied convention. With a passion for brewing wine that stems from a childhood pact with his friend Ye Yun, who tragically died young, he's determined to become a "Liquor Deity." But fate has other plan. He met a masked girl while idling around and fell in love at first sight. The girl asked him to become famous and promised to find him by then.
As he embarks on a journey to learn martial arts from the world's top master, Li Chang Sheng, he forms an unbreakable bond with Sikong Chang Feng, a young man aspiring to become the Spear Deity. A chance reunion with Ye Yun, now known as Ye Ding Zhi, sets him on a path of self-discovery and responsibility. Together, these young heroes navigate the martial arts world, forging their own destinies.
Years later, when Ye Ding Zhi is manipulated into launching a devastating war against Capital of Beili, Baili Dong Jun must confront his friend and make a choice: save the world or save the friend he once swore to protect.
My Views:-
As a fan of the sequel, 'The Blood Of Youth,' I approached 'Dashing Youth' with high expectations. Dashing Youth had all ingredients to be a compelling drama- an intriguing setting, complex characters and rich storyline. However, the execution fell short exploring the story's full potential. The convoluted timeline made it challenging to keep track of characters' ages and relationships, detracting from the overall experience.
Baili Dong Jun's charismatic personality shines through, showcasing a captivating blend of responsibility, humor, and compassion. His journey from a spoiled young master to a responsible individual is marked by ups and downs, making for an engaging narrative. The interactions between him, Li Cheng Shang, and Beili's eight young masters are enjoyable, adding fun to the story.
However, Yue Yao's character had potential but was reduced to merely supporting Dong Jun. I would have appreciated seeing her take action against her sister and persuade her to let go of her obsession. Or at the very least, showcasing her fighting skills and improvement would have added depth to her character. Unfortunately, her role was limited to walking and talking, making her feel more like a prop than a fully fleshed-out character. While I don't mind romance, it should be written convincingly to resonate with the audience. The romance between Dong Jun and Yue Yao lacks depth, feeling unconvincing and more like fluff.
Ye Ding Zhi's complex character conveys the intricacies of his struggle, making his tragic journey from Ye Yun to Ye Ding Zhi both captivating and heart-wrenching. I find myself having mixed feelings towards him – sympathy for the cruelty he faced, yet disappointment in his subsequent choices. His decisions led to regret and made his only son a public target. I was well aware of his eventual fate, but knowing it and actually seeing it unfold are two very different things. It's a bittersweet journey.
Coming to Yi Wen Jun, her character failed to evoke sympathy from me. Her decision to flee to Ding Zhi was understandable, but leaving her son Xiao Yu behind was perplexing. Her subsequent choices were poorly made, making her a self-centered character who destroyed three lives – Xiao Yu, Ye Yun, and Ye An Shi. I stand with Dong Jun; Ye Yun may have never blamed her, but I do. And I really wonder if she ever loved anyone except herself.
Sikong Chang Feng and Beili's Eight Young Masters are interesting characters, and I was invested in their relationship dynamics and storyline. Exploring their characters further would have added depth to the narrative. I crave more of their stories.
Xiao Ruo Feng's character, admired in 'The Blood Of Youth,' left me with conflicted feelings in 'Dashing Youth.' His actions and decisions lacked a clear greater good, leading to his sorrowful end in the sequel. A more nuanced approach to his character would have been appreciated. Had he chosen to help Ye Ding Zhi by persuading his brother and then becoming the emperor, he wouldn't have had to face the betrayal from his brother. He wanted the best of both worlds, which ultimately made him a threat to both sides.
Li Cheng Shang's romance plot and secrecy surrounding his immortal identity lacked conviction, feeling inconsistent and shallow. His secret identity was shared with numerous individuals, undermining the intended secrecy. The engagement with his fiancée was also unexplained, making the romance feel unconvincing.
Most of the female characters were a letdown, with underwhelming and one-dimensional roles that lacked substance. The antagonists, too, were unimpressive, lacking the depth and menace necessary to make them compelling and formidable foes. Their easy defeats felt unearned and unsatisfying.
Furthermore, the tone was inconsistent, careening wildly from lighthearted moments to angsty scenes without a clear narrative direction. This made it challenging to become fully invested in the story.
Additionally, the character development was often told rather than shown, leaving viewers to fill in the gaps themselves. This was particularly disappointing, as it prevented from forming a deeper connection with the characters.
On a positive note, the casting of actors to play father-son roles across generations was a highlight. Notably, Bai Shu as Xiao Ruo Feng, Fan Jin Wei as Xiao Ruo Jin, Yan Jie as Baili Cheng Feng, and Li Hong Yi as Emperor Tian Wu brought a sense of continuity and cohesion to the story. The bond of brotherhood between Baili Dong Jun and Ye Ding Zhi is a standout for me which kept me captivated throughout the show.
Acting:-
The cast delivers a mixed bag of performances. Hou Ming Hao did well as Baili Dong Jun, bringing a charming and carefree energy to the role. However, his emotional range is sometimes limited, and he struggles to convey intensity in pivotal scenes.
He Yu, on the other hand, impresses as Ye Ding Zhi, bringing depth to the complex character. His performance is captivating, making Ye Ding Zhi's journey both heartbreaking and compelling. I have seen him in 'The Legend of Shen Li' before and was looking forward to his work here. Ye Ding Zhi is way more complex character than Baili Dong Jun and He Yu did amazing in his role. Nevertheless, his screaming scenes during the wedding of WenJun could have been better.
The supporting cast, including Xiang Zhi Guang (Sikong Chang Feng), Bai Shu (Xiao Ruo Feng), and Wanyan Lou Rong (Lei Meng Sha), deliver good performances, but their screen time is unfortunately limited. Hu Lian Xin brings elegance and grace to her portrayal of Yue Yao, making her a delightful addition to the cast.
Cinematography:-
The sets and costumes are visually stunning, transporting viewers to a vibrant and immersive world. However, the over-reliance on CGI in action scenes detracts from the overall experience. While the visual effects are impressive, they often feel overly reliant on virtual powers and lighting, giving the fight scenes a more Xuanhuan/Xianxia than Wuxia vibes. More practical action sequences would have elevated the drama's authenticity and impact. Nevertheless, the cinematography is generally pleasing, with beautifully designed costumes and sets that enhance the viewing experience.
Overall, 'Dashing Youth' had the potential to be a captivating drama with its intricate setting, complex characters, and rich storyline. However, it fell short due to poor execution, inconsistent tone, and underdeveloped female characters. Despite some impressive performances, particularly from He Yu as Ye Ding Zhi, the drama's flaws detracted from the viewing experience. With some improvements in writing, character development, and action scenes, this could have been a truly unforgettable Wuxia drama. Despite the issues, I did enjoy the drama but it failed to become a standout.
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Give it a Chance.. it's worth
Writing this after watching 8 episodes...I found this drama accidentally while watching some YT videos. So I just watched.. literally binged watched.
I don't know why some people have given low rating to this drama. Normally its happen after 20+ episodes because of fillers. But this one so far interesting. Maybe because they don't like genre. Anyway usually I don't write reviews but I am writing this because I don't want some drama enthusiastic to miss this drama because of a bad reviews. So give this a chance.
The cinematography is absolutely stunning. The creators took great care in introducing each character through well-choreographed fight scenes. These scenes aren't just background noise – they're beautifully filmed and truly set the stage for each character. The fight choreography itself is top-notch, and the CGI seamlessly blends into the action.
The acting is on point as well, and the plot has me hooked so far.
If you're looking for a drama with impressive visuals, engaging characters, and a captivating story, don't be discouraged by the bad reviews. Give this one a try – you might be surprised!
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Journey of the Dashing Youth ~ circumstances, choices and fate
Two people with same starting point and aspirations. In the avenue of rose, one walked the path adorned with petals and other walked the path of thorns.The hunger for power and throne of the adults changed the destinies of their innocence. Yet the childhood promise made back then held their strings of fate together. But what is predestined cannot be predicted. No one knows how circumstances can change the choices they promised on, to the choices they made.✅ Plus points:
- Distinctively eye-catching CGI, beautiful and aesthetic cinematography, stunning costumes, and overall visibly heavily invested project.
- Studded with eye-candies in and out.
- Grand entries of the characters.
- Pacing was good.
- Comedy was serving
- Scenes between the two childhood friends, Baili Dongjun and Ye Dingzhi won it for me.
- Shifu-disciple dynamics >> Li Changsheng and his eight 'interesting' disciples were clown boys at their fullest.
- Li Changsheng's humor was one of the most unserious and wisely savage existences for me. Enjoyed his presence throughout the show.
- He Yu (actor playing Ye Dingzhi) was a surprise to me. Never seen any of his works before. His acting skills impressed me. Will be keeping an eye on his future projects.
❌ Disappointments:
- Most of the major events (especially the fight for throne and Beili-Beique war) were heavily laden by grand CGI or digital arts in pic format.
- Duel action scenes were started with mere face off, then either skipped or covered by fancy poses, flickering sleeves, and random hand swishes here and there. Based on the comment section, it seems all the major fight scenes were cut off despite being shot.
- The timeline and the plot detailing was totally messed up. Some of the events already shown in TBOY (child story released in 2022) were unexplained or did not match, causing confusion in the plot sequences and actual events and hence leading to plot holes.
- The characters were fun, but compared to TBOY, where every single character (including supporting+guest roles) managed to shine and exude their individuality, DY failed to do it for me.
Despite all the disappointments, I would still recommend a watch, cause, yes, if considered as a standalone, I pretty much enjoyed this drama! Have fun watching ^^
Did not find a page for special episode so decided to write it here, "what if we made a different choice?"
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Pleasing CGI but disappointing execution.....
Actually I have to say that this drama didn't reached my expectations but still I like the drama....POSITIVES:
The cast is nice.... it's full of handsome boys...not to mention especially liu yue and junyu I really liked them. I wish they could make a spinoff with them ??
Visual effects and CGF is spectacular not to mention how good they are..
Music is wonderful....I especially liked the opening ost...?
NEGATIVES:
I think the director and script writer should have atleast watched it's sequel I know no drama would completely follows novel but atleast it should have followed it's sequel.....not to mention how they messed up the time line they just made a huge head ache viewers.....
As for ming de's character it's ok but it's to much to place rape concept....just to make him hate by viewers....
Wen jun's character "beauty....who brings disasters" they just made me to hate hate her so much... actually I had some sympathy for her TBOY....
The amount of time skips they done is inside they just narrated the most important part of the story in just 1 min.....
★I know this may offend some people but have to say this.....I can't imagine this as a prequel to TBOY.....
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Such a visual treat! The characters, the costumes, the actors, and the visual art are terrific!
I went in expecting something like Mysterious Lotus Casebook and it does have the same feel to it. However, this one actually has more depth. There are so many characters, I had to go the cast list and keep checking who was who until I was sure that I could recognize them.The entry of the snake was amazing & he was in the spotlight that he seemed to like. Loved the fight scenes, the sword forest reminded me of the keys flying in Harry Potter. Baili Dong Jun's character seems so silly, kinda like Fang Duo Bing from Lotus Casebook. I am looking forward to episodes where Dong Jun starts training.
I wonder when next we are going to see Sikong Chang Feng. I liked him the best so far and hope that he is cured.
It was fun to watch Dong Jun's interaction with his family. He is such a brat to treat his father that way, but I see that there are no grudges between them. He is loved by all of them. They have fun together. His mother and uncle are also devoted to him. I'm afraid that the Dong Jun's father, grandfather, and master might die right at any given moment with the way things are going. Here's to hoping none of them die, but we know a few of them will die. Well the master's gone. Dong Jun seems like a bratty yet pretty resilient guy. I wish they would release more than 2 episodes daily. I know what's coming but Ye Ding Zhi is such a dependable person and cherishes Dong Jun so much. I don't want to see it all go awry! And at the same time, I want to know more about them.
They meet, they separate. I initially thought that they'll grow together but their paths aways diverge. What I like about Dashing Youth is that the characters are powerful and it is shown, their skills aren't nerfed the way they were in The Blood of Youth, when even the most powerful sword techniques always lost. It was good to see, Li Hong Yi as the founder. Hope we see more of him. Baili Dong Jun is kind of immature to accept Yue Yao's real identity right now. I remember Sword and fairy 4, Yun Tian He was so damn understanding and mature about everything Ling Sha did.
I feel sad for Ding Zi and Wen Ju, but it doesn't seem like the lot of them are that invested in their romances, they are much more focused on the fights and brotherhood. I get the alliance between Shadow sect and future emperor is important, but Wen Jun is just going to be a secondary consort who'll be neglected in the palace in the future. It is not even the polygamy that bothers me, Wen Jun has no choice but to marry him. She has not even the tiniest bit of feelings for her fiancé. The worst part of political marriages is that they exit! I mean do we as so called intellectual species lack even that bit of creativity or will to come up with a solution that doesn't hinge on forcing a woman or man to marry someone that would probably end up mistreating them? Nope, because we prefer it easy. I feel so disappointed in Prince Langya. Like Baili, I'm team Ye Ding Zi for this round. They did him wrong time and again, first his family now what could have been his chance at a decent family life. All for the so called greater good.
I always wondered how Xiao Yu / Prince Chi came into existence, especially with the Wenjun's if not dislike then disinterest in Xiao Ruo Jin. She has already been forced into a marriage so it wasn't difficult to follow that thread and consider that the same happened during their consummation. To this day, a lot of Asian families still force women into marriage disregarding how they will be treated afterwards. They are often married to men who think of them as property to used. So, Ruo Jin drugging her was not surprising. I'm surprised that people think it is out of character for him. Unless the writer of the novel comes out and says that's not what happened and they consummation was willingly done there is no point in defending. Ruo Jin wasn't an upstanding man in The Blood of Youth, he isn't one here either. He is going to be sacrificing his brother in future and with what happening to Wenjun, I am done. He will always be a coward in my books.
Okay, the funniest part of the drama is when they all take their sweet time showing off their moves just expecting the other party to wait and watch them build those moves. I enjoy the visuals but I'm surprised no one kills each other while that happens.
Thanks to Blood of Youth, I already knew how this one was going to end. So, no surprises there. Sometimes even in fiction the bad trumps the good. Have never liked Ruo Jin, have no idea how anyone looks at him with respect. He couldn't even get that bloody kingdom on his own, if not for Ruo Feng literally doing everything for him, while the sicko decides to invest in a fantasy that all his consorts are with him because they had a choice.
Poor Ye Ding Zhi, he was sacrificed for the peace of Beili by the righteous, long before he even decided to become a demon.
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Great fighting scenes, but wish it was more
To start off, the first few episodes did capture my attention, but I did ended up fast forwarding a lot of the scenes. There was just so much talking going on.The fight scenes were great and I did enjoy everyone's arch. I love that they all grew up to be mature martial artists. I am not going to lie though, the whole premise of this show is love. I love "love," don't get me wrong. Love is one of the greatest feelings in the world and I am a sucker for romance and love. However, the fact that the entire show is base on love and how it can destroy a person is kind of sad.
Ye Dingzhi turned evil not because of his revenge for his family, but because of one person. I know, I know, he wanted revenge for what happened to his family, but listen to me, did he really? If he did, why didn't he just straight up go and kill Prince Qing? He had so many chances to get revenge for his family. It wasn't until he lost Yi Wen Jun the second time that he went crazy. He wanted the world to burn because of one person.
Don't get me wrong, I do love the fact that he was willing to do anything for the love of his life, but that does not warrant killing hundreds and thousands of innocent people just because he lost her. Remember that she made the decision to leave. Baili Dong Jun and Sikong Chang Feng had fought along him to help him take her away, but yet, he put them in the same turmoil again.
I love Baili Dong Jun, but I did not like his undying loyalty to Ye Dingzhi. I get it, they're best friends. They grew up together and he thought that his only friend had died, and when they reconnected, he was happy. But he was willing to do anything for his friend. I understand that he treated Ye Dingzhi well, but I don't think it warrants him to sacrifice everything he had worked so hard for to save him. Ye Dingzhi was a lost cause the moment he allowed Yue Qing and the Sky Beyond people to manipulate him.
Don't come for me, because I really wanted the both of them to have the happy ending that they deserve after all they have been through, but I feel that Baili Dong Jun's undying loyalty to Ye Dingzhi was over doing it.
I have not watched The Blood of Youth, and I am planning on watching it after this. I want to see what differences they made between the prequel and original plot.
Characters:
Baili Dong Jun - he grew up. He went from this arrogant child to a true master artist. Even though he was still arrogant, he now has what it takes to back himself up. I feel that Baili Dong Jun's character was wholesome, but I do feel for him. I understand his conflict in saving the world and saving Ye Dingzhi. He wanted to do both, but he needs to understand that he can't. He can't bring his friend back from the brink of despair. When we first met him, he was this carefree boy who wanted to be nothing but a Liquor Deity and be the best brewmaster in the world. But he had to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. He lost his sense of carefree to the politics of the world. He went from someone who was always happy to someone who rarely smiles. He lost a lot to save the world and Ye Dingzhi.
Ye Dingzhi - when we first saw him, he was a loner but then he made a lot of friends. His past was indeed sad and he lost everything. But he also gained a lot too. I was really hoping to see him grow as someone who can overcome the past to have a better future. I wanted him to have a happy ending, but it wasn't meant to be. He ended his life to save his friend and the woman he loved the most, and I would have to say that that was the most unselfish thing he had done since he turned into a demon obsessed person. I do truly feel bad for him and everything that he had gone through to be able to get manipulated by people, but I feel that what he did at the end, was a means to end it all.
Yi Wen Jun - her past wasn't that great either, but I do feel that she was the cause of everything. Like Baili Dong Jun said, he does blame her because she left. If she never had left, none of this would have happened. Please don't come for me because I do agree that she had a hard life, but she was happy with Ye Dingzhi, but I don't think she would have stayed with him either. She had another child that was waiting for her and I feel that her heart was always with the other child. She probably feels regretful for not taking the child with her. As someone who is a mother, I understand her, but I just wish she would have explained everything to Ye Dingzhi. She should have left with Sikong Chang Feng and explain everything to him. There were people who were willing to give up their life for her and Ye Dingzhi and yet, she chose to go with the Grand Eunch. She chose to return to the palace. So yes, I agree with Baili Dong Jun. She should have never left in the first place. I do give her credit for thinking about Ye Anshi and returning to the palace. Even though, I do feel like Baili Dong Jun alone can protect her child with Ye Dingzhi, I feel that it would be a hard and long road for him and she understood that. She understood that she couldn't put Baili Dong Jun in that situation.
I rated this drama an 8/10 because of the fighting scenes. The fighting scenes were great and the CGI was amazing, but, I did not like the overall plot of the story and I feel that they rushed it at the end. They could have cut a lot of scenes out that I skipped because they were pointless to the storyline. Also the timeline is all over the place. I was honestly confused as to how long things were because of the timeline. Baili Dong Jun spent a year in his backyard being grounded and during that time, Yi Wen Jun was pregnant and had a child? I mean, we just found out that she was pregnant, and then the next scene she already gave birth. Like, huh?
I was going to rate this drama a little lower, but when they were fighting, it was incredible so I decided to give it an 8, if it wasn't for the amazing fighting scenes, I would have given this a 6.5-7 rating.
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Could have been better
A little disappointed in this one since the Blood of Youth was very good.The Good
CGI was great at times and grand when it came to the fight scenes. I appreciated all the connections thrown in from the Blood of Youth, down to details to some of our favorite characters. I also think the some of the cast did a great job playing their roles, whether they made us hate or love them. I also appreciated the well placed comedic moments.
The Bad
I don’t think the focus of the plot was well thought out and the scenes were not executed very well. This made for a much weaker prequel to the Blood of Youth. It’s also hard to watch this as a standalone with so many character introductions and no explanations to the casual watchers on who they are and why they are important. It’s as if the directors assumed the audience would have all watched the Blood of Youth. The fight scenes seemed to be mostly nonexistent which is disappointing since this is a wuxia and Blood of Youth had so much of it to show. This was 90% talking and 10% fighting. Most of us tuned in for the high action that we thought we’d get. It attempted to focus on poorly written romantic connections that left me unconvinced. I love a good romance but it was poorly written in Blood of Youth and was the same here. Half of the time, I didn’t understand why these people liked each other. I also think some of the acting of the main cast wasn’t that great either and was hard for me to connect with the characters. I would have liked to see more details of Ye Dingzhi/Ye Yun’s rise and fall instead of just telling us about it. Story seemed to focus mainly on him even though he is billed as 2nd lead with Baili Dongjun as main. He was definitely overshadowed, which was odd.
I wouldn’t rewatch this one. I feel like it can be skipped all together and just recommend Blood of Youth. I’m looking forward to the at sequel and will even check out Dark River when it airs.
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Dashing Around with Helen of Troy
I really loved TBOY so wanted to see what the prequel was like. It was also cool to see a lot of TBOY actors play their fathers or masters or ancestors or even themselves for 3 individuals. There was a lot of connections in understanding TBOY. But the storyline and timeline overall was really all over the place hence it felt a lot like it was dashing around with a Helen of Troy character. I feel this review will have pros and cons mixed so won't separate them.This was a bitter story for the SML or YDZ who only lived happily for a smidge of the time and for a woman or WJ who though swore she loved him, left him every chance she got by acting really gullible and naive. The ML or BDJ was the sole true carer and one who would do or die for the SML as soon as they were reunited after being separated for a decade. TML or SKCF was another great friend to BDJ, though I wish he had more screen time to show their bond. I found that SML's screen time was also very small in the beginning until we were finally bringing about his end. The fact that the series made a mad dash through the timeline with much in narration and art form or cartoons reminded me a lot of The Long Ballad. I wanted to see those wars and fight scenes just like they were shown in TBOY not just the CGI--though impressive--didn't have the same feel as a wuxia with swordsmen going at it where you could see it. And forget about ages, we couldn't figure out how old Wuxin or XS were or whatever it was. The producer and screenwriter had a lot of math problems.
Much like in TBOY, XS was the one surrounded and protected by pretty much everyone who didn't want to kill him; here it was BDJ and HMH played him really well. Same went for the other male leads. I actually liked that they fleshed out Prince Langya's character here. Because in TBOY, we were made to believe that he was this holier than thou person that deserved to be emperor who didn't want it. In this one, we saw him as a morally grey person with a blind belief in his brother the emperor even when it came to decisions that ultimately led to dire consequences for the very people in the country. Like others, I don't understand why he couldn't help YDZ take the woman he loved, why stop him? Just because his brother supposedly loved this one? He had a ton of women. At least he cleared YDZ's father's name though YDZ was dead by that time so to me it seemed like he was trying to get himself some merit. But I don't dislike the character, just glad they showed us more of him. Also wish we got to see the birth of LWJ and maybe the death of LMS as that would have tied even more into TBOY, since we saw just about all the other leads. Loved how they added two of TBOYs OSTs in to it.
TWT's old leadership and that Qing sister's obsession with YDZ made a lot of no sense. But White-Haired Deity and the Purple Robe one were like the best of TWT. They were the epitome of bonds/loyalty to each other, their new chief, his child, etc. in a way it made TWT look more loyal than Beili; because even SKCF said he was disappointed in the country because he thought things would change after Roujin took the throne. I also agree with BDJ blaming WJ for YDZ's decent into demon hood and ultimate death. That woman was a walking catastrophe; originally she felt that she had no choice but after Roujin did what he did, she should have never returned. Listening to that TWT member she met once without verifying the information and just going without waiting for YDZ to return, was the ultimate betrayal. What made me really think she didn't love YDZ as much as he her was when he slit his throat, it was BDJ that caught him and was trying to save him and pressed his hand against his throat; WJ just collapsed, whimpering where she was standing. She didn't even rush over to him until he was almost gone. That's not how a woman who loves someone badly behaves. Even Wuxin wasn't as important to her; with a mother and father like that it's now no wonder Xiao Yu turned into who he was in TBOY. Woman had no real contemplation of love; she'd follow whomever as long as she was free. I think the only thing she did for Wuxin was return to the palace to keep the 12 year deal in place and for her monster of a husband to not try anything. But that pales in comparison to the fact that because of her, the Helen of Troy in this story so many innocent people died due to a war that wasn't needed including the man who loved her the most and meant so much to many. Your heart just hurt for YDZ and HY brought him to life to perfection.
I feel the ending was all too much because we went from such gravitas and BDJ brokering the 12 year deal for Wuxin's essential safety to then BDJ riding off to get married to YY. It was very broken feeling. Especially since we didn't see what happened to the remaining young elegant gentlemen. There was a lot of disconnect between the characters that we knew in TBOY. Like BDJ was so much connected to Wuxin because of YDZ entrusting the child to him but yet in TBOY BDJ just appears occasionally and never actually meets Wuxin as he promised. A lot can happen in 12 years true especially him losing YY, just wish the very obvious inconsistencies weren't there. That would have been the epitome of "stick to the script." The other OSTs, sets, costumes, CGI, etc was on point.
Would I recommend it? Totally. While it was no TBOY, it was incredibly entertaining and the fact that I loved the opening OST so much that I always wanted to listen to it before every episode says a lot as I usually ffw them. Some people have said to consider it as a stand alone because of all of the inconsistencies but that's in the eye of the beholder really.
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Xiao Ruofeng should have been the main character
Let me start this off by saying never in my life have I watched any drama at x2 speed and never have I skipped and skimmed so many scenes in a chinese drama. Ever since the episode 20-ish mark, I have been skimming through the series and only watching scenes where none of the FL are involved and where the ML scenes are kept to a minimum. This was how absolutely unwatchable this series is.Where to begin? The casting, I already had doubts when I saw the posters and saw some clips of the bts. But that aside, whoever wrote the script for the main characters managed to turn the respectable and lovable powerful senior characters of Blood of Youth into insufferable, annoying, arrogant people in Dashing Youth. I don't even know how they became the people they were in The Blood of Youth (alright maybe except for Sikong Changfeng in the last scene of the last episode.)
The romance. Why the hell on earth was it necessary? It was cringey and annoying and there was zero chemistry between the actors. The romance plots felt so extremely forced and the moment they became the focus for the rest of the series, I lost all interest for this drama. The reason I enjoyed and loved blood of youth so much was because how subtle the romance was. This show was the complete opposite, they tried to push any and all romance scenes (and that's three romance storylines mind you) to the viewer at every single chance they get. At least pick one. Or none.
The plot. There is no sense of pacing in this drama. First half of the drama was so slow with side plots that added absolutely nothing to the main plot (which honestly no one even knows what the plot is because that's how convoluted this drama is). But the second half was so extremely rushed. Here's what it feels like watching this drama: it seems like they hired one screenwriter for the first half who thought this drama would have 80 episodes instead of 40. Then fired this screenwriter and hired a new one who realised there's only 40 episodes and they need to rush every other political plotline into the remaining 20 eps. That was what it felt like watching this. What was the whole point of some of the side plots in the first half? They should have foreshadowed more of the political intrigue from the start, like what blood of youth did.
Side characters. The only thing that pushed me through this series was watching Bai Shu as Xiao Ruofeng. That was all. I was only watching his scenes for the last 10 episodes (and let me tell you how disappointedly few scenes he had, he was not even in any of the final fights. Guess what? Because they had to rush to complete the story in the last 20 episodes, so many of his scenes were watered down to fade to black narration — which ironically was actually more entertaining than the actual story itself).
They introduced us to a whole cast of characters the first half of the drama and by the second half, 80% of those characters will never be seen again. Which is one of the saddest thing about this drama because they were all enjoyable characters and was what made the drama enjoyable at first (since the ML was so irritating). I must add that it's honestly such a pity that we never got to see the interaction between the first disciple and the rest of Mr. Li's disciples.
Speaking of Mr Li. He was one of the few characters I really enjoyed too. It's such a pity too that they had to turn him young for no apparent reason to the plot, and then he completely disappeared so I don't really get the whole point of his character. One thing that annoyed me though — and this has to do with the script again — was how Mr Li seems to care so much for Baili Dongjun compared to his other seven pupils that he had spent so much more time with. Now that really annoyed me. One thing I did enjoy was the mentor-pupil relationship we saw in Blood of Youth and they could have had so much potential here but the scriptwriters sunk that boat before it even sailed.
Back to the casting. I will say, I found the casting for all the eight young masters of Beili to be really good casting. That, I think, goes without saying. So I want to turn my attention to the casting for Su Muyu and Jin Xian, now I think the casting for these two characters were phenomenal. The actors managed to portray the same essence of the characters in a really similar fashion to the actors who played them in Blood of Youth.
There's probably a lot more I wanted to say but I'm done with this drama. In summary, Liu Yue, Mo Xiao Hei, and Lei Mengsha deserved better. And Xiao Ruofeng deserved the world.
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Great drama and visual effects
Amazing cast line up, good visual effects and entertianing to watch. Hou minghao shines again in this wuxia costume drama.His co stars are also very handsome and great acting. Only upto Ep 12 are aired as of this review and will update once more episodes are aired. But this drama has not disappoint and cant wait for more episodes.
Back here to update...just finished Ep21 and boy the drama still as engaging, and the fighting scenes are continue to be so well done. Wont give to much away, but saw in comment quite a few spoliers. Love Mr Li and also his younger self, some funny moments thrown in. Cant wait for the next ten episodes.
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