Wu Lin You Jiao Qi (2023)

Cute and Quirky Drama, w/a Messy Start and Wonderful Surprise Ending.

While I originally intended to watch this series for ZZJ and QPX, after viewing TBOY, I wanted to see how LHY would handle a romance drama. This series would have gotten a lower score had it not been for the surprising and very cool ending. I'm very glad they deviated from the book because it would have been a confusing mess otherwise, when usually it's better if they stand by the book.

Pros: Though it claims to be both a wuxia and Xianxia series, it has very little of both. But that's alright because instead of focusing on the fantastical elements you get to see how the actors carry themselves. Favorite characters include the ML or LHY, I already knew from TBOY he could play aloof, arrogant, and narcissistic well, but when he finally began to soften up and reveal his secrets and love it was just melt in place time. Just a heads up, in no way am I comparing this drama to TBOY; firstly because they're completely different genres and secondly because I just never compare dramas regardless. It's a pet peeve and preference that each series even if they are exactly the same genre, gets a proper review.

The FL, I didn't like very much at the beginning because it just seemed like a hamster wheel of mistakes and men she wanted to save. And each time they ended up harming or "killing" her. But as time went on I realized that she was just a lonely girl who would lose her memory but not her nature and extreme penchant for helping people. She would go to great lengths to help a guy out and each one turned out to only want to use her and ultimately take her life. They supposedly fell in love at first sight with her but it was obvious from each one that there was something wrong with them. The only man that went to equally great or greater lengths to protect her was the aloof ML and not until one of her suitors and main antagonist attacked the Fenghua Valley did he finally open up to her about his love.

The entire storyline which I won't get into was as summed up as; a female ginseng root, 4 bouts of amnesia, her hexagram-harem, & the miracle doctor who loved her regardlessly. She didn't have a heart but somehow managed to have a pulse which was pretty funny. The comedy in the series was very tongue in cheek. The other characters in this section, were her BFF and later on flamboyant hubby. Uncle Hui who was always giving the best advice and the ultimate matchmaker for the two even though he didn't know about BY's curse, was heartwarming. I loved how YX would always initiate the kissing scenes and many of the hugs between her and BY as this woman knew who she loved and went after him with much fervor which was always cute and funny to watch. No matter how many times she lost her memory he was the one man that sooner or later she would still remember was her soulmate, her destiny. She could forget everyone else but he would be in first place of recognition.

Even though he was annoying as nails and yet another attempt at a bromance that didn't quite work out after mister purple flamboyant guy, the beyond obsessed emperor played by the very talented ZZJ definitely took the cake. Though we wanted to hit him with a stick and send him back to the capital without anyway to return, what made me put him in pros was just how similar his life before he became emperor was to that of his breakthrough character in CQL (TU) as Jin Guang Yao. It was almost eerie of how both were abused and tortured by their biological fathers, the only difference was that one became a worse monster then his father while the other was obsessive and domineering to the woman he loved but ultimately a good ruler of the people. It was great to see him let go of his obsession at the end (even though his main general helped BY win the bet as it was very obvious to everyone but CQ that his obsession and love was one-sided) and decide to follow the wishes of BY and YX. He definitely brought much comedy and eye rolling to this series.

Costumes were beautiful though this was a lower budget drama, I do wish the FL had better costumes, as only one of her red ones that seemed to have jewels and lots of white was very stunning. The amount of magic used was minimal and that is actually a good thing because Xianxias usually use so much CGI, it may blind you. So I'm glad there was minimum of it here.

Cons: This series had a very messy start. It made very little sense and was one of the many reasons I was looking to give it a lower score but if I decide to stick a series out, I'll wait until the finale before making up my mind. I'm glad that I stuck it out because as we got past the campy confusion, it started to come together and you understood what was happening. OSTs were for the most part forgettable.

I like QPX but casting him in the role of this monster antagonist was absolutely the wrong choice. It was too much and too hard for him. I also got to know him from CQL and there he played a bratty, arrogant, nosey kid that only really wanted to be loved. Those are the roles he should be doing; youth dramas, but not hardcore main villains. He bit off more then he could chew and the character fell completely flat. With the hairdo and facial expressions, he looked like a confused teenager not an adult with murderous tendencies and schemes. Poor casting decision here. I hope his work in the future is better selected.

There were definitely a lot of times where I had to rewind because the segmentation of the subtitles were just too fast to keep up with and wish there was better job done with that. Some loopholes were never explained or if they were, they didn't make much sense. Like how could YX have a pulse but not a heart? One is directly connected to the other; no heart, no pulse. But I guess she is a special root where common sense doesn't apply. She explained that she just wanted a home for herself and to not be lonely, but that didn't explain why she still got into two of the relationships that ended up killing her if she never loved them. Or why she only helped men in need but never women. She'd traveled far and wide and never ran into a single woman in distress? Hard to believe.

Would I recommend it? Actually, I would. If you can get past the messy beginning, you'll have a great time with the funny, nonsensical, and just cute series. This is one of those to watch without expectations and just for fun. The ending is worth it all for sure.

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