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Sharanya
Procrastination Paradise.. ✨
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Sunshine truly worths the name with a mature and slow- burn romance.
..........................................................Overview of Plot:
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The plot tells the story of female director who divorced her husband at the age of 36 'cause he is a scumbag. A 26 year old boy fall for her at their very first meeting when they met 10 years back 'cause she is the director who filmed his father for public advertisement which increases his respect towards his father's profession and give him motivation to study arts and design to motivate and aware society toward the hard workers.
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Pace of Story and Chemistry:
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The drama has a slow pace and falls in the category of slow burn romance with many sweet and hilarious moments at times and ends with a happy ending. It kept me hooked to it from the very first episode as I like slow- burn romance very much. There is not much skinship and chemistry between leads is average.
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Acting and Characters:
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Sheng Yang: He is a hardworking, sensible, talented, warm-hearted person and has a great sense of humour . He is good at communication and don't give up easily whether to pursue his love or to build his career on his own. Xiao Zhan did a great job in portraying Sheng Yang with his natural looking acting and amazing emotion delivery just even by his face expressions. This character shows a development from being a little immature to purely mature without losing his basic character traits I mentioned above.
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Jian Bing: She is a brave woman who has courage to divorce her husband in her middle age after being married for 10 years. Her father was also a scumbag like her husband and she witnessed her father's dirty deeds at the age of 12. She told her mother about that but not long after she never seen her mother happy again and witnessed her death. It gives her a trauma and she started to hate her father but hated and blamed herself more for telling all that to her mother and begun to think that all adults' relationship is like this, so it takes her many years to divorce her husband. She is also a warm-hearted person and knows how to deal with tough situations with calmness and intellect. She became a very professional director and started her own company with her husband and best friend, even after divorcing him she kept personal and professional life seperate and continued their cooperation in company. She is a strong character and not like clingy, naive and childish female leads in most C-dramas. Bai Bai He did a praiseworthy job in portraying this character with natural acting.
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Other characters are also pretty good other than the hockey couple, they really get on my nerves and I skipped every time they were on the screen. I don't understand why they were in the drama, just useless and waste of screen time.
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Sheng Yang's parents are very reasonable, understanding and hilarious characters. They showed all the real concerns about relationship and financial problems very well. Sheng Yang's friends also showed a growth in character especially Pan Rou. The thing I don't like in drama is that they portray her scumbag ex-husband and father in a funny way and toned down the seriousness of cheating in relationship.
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OST and Costumes:
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OSTs are average not very good and costumes are decent.
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Conclusion:
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This drama is very down to earth and shows the real challenges in a person's life when it comes to relationship or career with a touch of healthy humour. It doesn't show a fully fantasized world but promotes hardwork, better communication and intellectual decisions. When other dramas just show us the importance of better communication to avoid misunderstandings, this drama tells us how to do it. Purely a mature romance drama. The leads needs each other. For Sheng Yang, Jian Bing brought a ray of increased respect and a new way of thinking in his life and as for Jian Bing, Sheng Yang brought a new hope and happiness in her life after an unsuccessful marriage and childhood trauma.
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I would definitely recommend this drama to give it a try although it may seems to be boring to many people but it relies on deep understanding.
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Love, Obsession and Control: A Thought-provoking Thrill
My final rating for this mini-drama is 8.5, the highest I give to shows in this category. In essence, it's a perfect 10 for a mini-drama. I was blown away by how masterfully it tackled heavy themes like toxic relationships, obsession, and the blurred lines between love and control. The story is dark, intense, and engrossing, with a narrative that's both captivating and thought-provoking. The angst was palpable, and the narrative's unflinching exploration of toxic relationships left me spellbound. Honestly, I've never encountered a story as dark as this in C-drama world.The male lead is a masterclass in toxicity, showcasing a level of manipulation and emotional and physical abuse that's terrifying and it's wild to see how far he'll go. His behavior is a massive red flag, and it's chilling to think that people like him exist in real life. But what sets this show more apart is the female lead's character. I applaud how she refuses to forgive him, even when he tries to guilt trip her into feeling sorry for him. Her determination to avenge herself, unwavering resolve to reclaim her freedom and never back down, even when he saves her life to guilt trip her, is a testament to her strength and resilience.
The acting in this show is top-notch, with performances that are raw, realistic, and immersive. Main leads bring incredible depth to their characters, making it effortless to become fully invested in their stories. The chemistry between the leads is palpable, and their portrayals of complex emotions are both convincing and haunting.
The ending, while slightly watered down from my ideal conclusion, was still satisfying and impactful.
And let's not forget the OST – it's pretty good, perfectly capturing the mood and atmosphere of each scene.
This drama is a must-watch for anyone who's ever wondered what a genuine red flag looks like in a relationship. It's a cautionary tale that vividly illustrates the nightmare of being entangled with someone who's masterfully adept at manipulation and control. Be prepared for a few sleepless nights and a thought-provoking, unsettling experience that will linger long after the credits roll! It's a tough watch, but it's worth it.
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The dead can talk...
Overview of Plot:-"In Blossom" follows the story of Yang Cai Wei who belongs to a prominent family but her family got murdered in Heyang City and she had narrow escape from death. Pan Yue, the childhood sweetheart and fiance of Yang Cai Wei, came to find her after eagerly searching for 10 years. Pan Yue proposed Yang Cai Wei to marry him. On their wedding night, Yang Cai Wei was killed mysteriously and the suspect was Pan Yue.
Fortunately, there was a twist and Yang Cai Wei returned as Shangguan Zhi, the evil girl who used to be obsessed with Pan Yue previously. She returned to take her revenge on Pan Yue and expose his deeds.
In the process of investigating the truth of her death, Yang Cai Wei discovered that Pan Yue was not the murderer and that he truly loved her. Now, who is the real mastermind behind the deaths of Yang Family, the main plot proceeds from here.
Main Characters:-
Pan Yue (Liu Xue Yi): A smart, handsome and determined young man, skilled in martial arts and a warm-hearted person. He is an illegitimate child so was unfavored by the family. Due to not having loving family and being often bullied as child, Pan Yue became a type of person who can go against the whole world to protect his beloved and he did it till the end.
Yang Cai Wei (Ju Jing Yi): A female coroner, who possess amazing forensic skills. She used to have a big scar on her face because of her tragic past. A brave girl and stand out with her profession.
My Impressions:-
The drama showcases the beautiful love that blossoms slowly but when it bloom, it turns into incredibly beautiful flower. Not only the slow-burn romance but the mysterious cases are far more captivating which successfully managed to keep viewers hooked to it. The cases are interesting and well managed as the part of real conspiracy which follows a subtle logic. This drama has many grey characters that are worth of a lot of sympathy from viewers.
A well paced drama with marvelous acting from Liu Xue Yi. He is such a versatile actor and managed to steal the hearts of viewers with his performance as Pan Yue. Ju Jing Yi's acting skills improved but she still has a long way to go. I couldn't get much immersed in her character as Cai Wei, like I was in first two episodes with the guest actress. Though two episodes are such a short period compared to 32 episodes but Zheng He Hui Zi made more impact on my mind than Ju Jing Yi. In my opinion, the villainous character Shangguan Zhi played by Jing Yi was more impactful than her character of Cai Wei.
The story revolves around the plot of face swapping but it'll be more convenient for the audience if it was described as soul-swapping because of huge difference in body figure of female lead and the guest actress. At first, it was hard to accept Ju Jing Yi as Yang Cai Wei in episode 3 after the two episodes with Zheng He Hui Zi as Cai Wei. But soon I become used to it.
The relationships between leads developed slowly which looks realistic and the drama has the theme of "loving the soul not the body". Pan Yue loved the soul of Cai Wei and not her body, so, no matter what body she possess, he still loved her wholeheartedly. But, I personally liked the chemistry of Liu Xue Yi and Zheng He Hui Zi more and I hope to see them together in some other drama.
Pros:-
• Slowly building and a healthy relationship which gives an impression of reality. The chemistry between leads is in average to above average category.
• Captivating and logical cases.
• Beautifully designed costumes, especially for males.
• Intelligent female lead who has a stand out profession as female coroner which is not usually seen in any other dramas.
• Remarkable performance from Liu Xue Yi and decent from Ju Jing Yi.
• Decent background music not something special.
• Perfect balance of romance and angst with enough light-hearted moments.
• The main theme "Loved the soul, not the body" is impressive.
• None of the leads overpowering another, which is usually seen in mostly dramas that ML overpowers FL or vice versa. They are on equal footing.
Cons:-
• The face-swapping thing is not explained properly and till the end we don't get to know how exactly the faces swapped.
• Second couple's love story seems like a filler and not managed properly, though they could have a better chemistry if the enough time was given to their relationship.
• I find the Second Female Lead as a filler character that holds no strong reason to be in the drama.
• The casting of two different actresses having huge difference in body type was a major con. It would have been better if makers casted an actress with similar body type as Ju Jing Yi, it would have saved the trouble of confusion in face-swapping and soul-swapping between Cai Wei and Shangguan Zhi.
• Makeup of Ju Jing Yi is too heavy and she sometimes look like whitewashed which may bother many viewers.
• There are few unnecessary deaths that served no purpose, looks like the makers just wanted to kill those characters without solid reasons.
In conclusion, it was an enjoyable watch for me despite it's cons. I was more focused on the cases than romance so conspiracies stole the show for me. There is an open ending for the drama, we may have a season 2 in future. So, I recommend to give it a try.
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Choice between Wonderland and A Cage named 'Royal Palace'
...............................................................Plot:
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The plot looks promising and lived upto it.....
There's a kingdom named DaYu ruled by Li Family. The kingdom has three Great Generals: Sun Jing, Pei Xian and Cui Yi. Sun Jing rebelled against emperor and massacred Royal Family, Pei Xian is loyal to emperor, and Cui Yi is loyal to himself and country but not to emperor. All of them have their own army.
The story follows the seventeenth grandson of emperor LiNi (Xu Kai), who was nowhere near to become a heir for throne, and Cui Lin (Jing Tian), the sole daughter of Cui Yi.
LiNi lost his mother just after his birth, despised by his own father and grandfather because of his mother's humble background and exiled to borders to guard the country.
Cui Lin is a lieutenant in Cui Army renowned as 'Lieutenant He' and lost her mother while she was young in a war as her mother sacrificed herself while guarding the city with bravery.
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Characters:
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LiNi (Xu Kai): Also known as 'Shiqi Lang'. A clever, loyal, brave and free-spirited person. He is a kind, warm-hearted and emotional young man. He lead Zhenxi army to quell the rebellion of Sun Jing and intended to make world at peace by assigning throne to its real heir. Not an ambitious person and never wanted to return to the palace, let alone to be emperor. He just wanted a peaceful life (as he never had a loving and peaceful family) with his brothers in army, his wife and children, far away from royal court and politics. His intelligence, capabilities and war strategies are second to none. He loves Cui Lin with his whole heart and wishes to travel the Wonderland after marrying her.
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Cui Lin (Jing Tian): Also known as 'Lieutenant He' and A'Ying. A cunning, strong, prideful, ruthless but a practical and warm-hearted lady. She is ambitious and wanted to rule the kingdom if there is not any suitable person to rule in the royal family. Her cunningness could be considered as a cut above LiNi's 'cause she knows how to manipulate someone and make use of them. As she lost her mother in war so her motivation of life is to make world at peace by stabilizing the court and end the sufferings of common people caused by continuous wars. One of the best female leads I've seen in dramas so far. The only person who can match upto her is LiNi and she loves him but wanted him to shoulder the responsibility of throne to make peace to the world.
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Liu Chengfeng (Gao Han): An orphan, raised by Cui Yi as his own son with the identity of Cui Lin (means he is the fake Cui Lin) to deceive the court (as he only has a daughter and court would not accept his daughter as leader of Cui Army). He grew up with Cui Lin and was obsessed with her. He wanted her to be by his side all the time. He turned into a toxic person and I lost all the sympathy I once had for him.... I wanted him dead throughout the drama.
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Gu Wan'Niang (Zhao Jia Min): She is a shrewd lady, wants power and a powerful husband i.e., LiNi. I would have admired her character if she loved LiNi sincerely but she is on verge of becoming a toxic person who just wants her own good.
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Other support characters like Xie Chang'er, TaoZi, Lao Bao and the people in Zhenxi army are decent characters, not very interesting but good ones. I hated LiNi's father the most.... He is the most stupid person in whole drama. LiNi's elder brothers are greedy and after their father and Liu ChangFang, they are the ones I hated.
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Acting and Chemistry:
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Xu Kai is great as always... He did exceptionally beautiful job portraying his character. It's my first time watching Jing Tian's work and I'm impressed with her acting.... Their chemistry is on fire....the flirting and fighting, their bickering with support & love.... though it sometimes feel boring whenever they meet in Wonderland.
It's a long since I feel Xu Kai get a great deal. Their characters are a perfect match to each other in terms of intelligence and capabilities and as actors they also made a perfect match in appearance, acting abilities and everything else. There are a lot of sweet moments when you can't help yourself feeling butterflies in your stomach.... and emotional moments when you can't hold your tears back.
Other actors also did good job especially the old actors and I'm impressed with the actors who played Sun Jing and LiNi's father.
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OSTs and Costumes:
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OSTs are good. I loved the costumes and armors of main leads when they are in army but the womanly costumes for female lead... I didn't like it much. Designers could have done more better in costumes of other actors too.
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Pace of Story:
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It starts with an engaging plot and keep its pace maintained. Story drags a little in the midway but pick up the pace again after few episodes. The thing I have complain about is, makers made Cui Lin as a weak and dumb lady while dealing with Liu ChangFang and her actions didn't make sense despite her being a cunning person.
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Ending and Recommendation:
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After a lot of ups and downs its finally a happy ending. If you're considering to watch it then go for it without a second thought.... It's not perfect but definitely an amazing one....
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Sceneries are dead; Only meanings from people will bring them alive. An eternal company she wished.
........Plot and Brief Introduction to Main Characters :
Dahuang is divided into three kingdoms: Xiyan, Haoling and Chenrong. Chenrong and Xiyan are enemies and weighed a war but Haoling plays neutral... Chenrong was defeated by Xiyan but a remnant army still refused to surrender....
Xiao Yao is the princess of Haoling and Cang Xuan is the prince of Xiyan....
Xiao Yao and Cang Xuan are cousins lost their parents at a young age.. had no one to rely on other than each other but seperated because of various reasons for 300 years. Before seperation, they made a promise to stay by each other's side no matter what the future holds...
Xiao Yao went missing after she was sent to Jade Mountain.. without leaving a trace.... She casted a magic spell and changed her gender, face and name to Wen Xiao Liu..was living in secluded place, which did not come under territory of any kingdom.. as a doctor....
Living there for almost 20 years, she saved a person.. who was heavily injured by tortures, and then sheltered him... She named him "Ye Shi Qi" because he didn't wanted to reveal his identity, but guessed Xiao Liu's real gender and fell for her.. so determined to stay with her at any cost...
One day when Xiao Liu went in a sacred mountain to pick some good herbs to make money... she accidentally encountered a Nine-Headed Sea Demon named Xiang Liu... the current strategist and General of Chenrong remnant army.. famous for his ruthlessness, great fighting skills and mysterious identity....
Now the relationship between these leads begun to start.
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Main Characters:
Xiao Yao/Wen Xiao Liu (Yang Zi): The Princess of Haoling, Haoling Jiu Yao.. A brave and clever girl... never gives up and knows how to fight back to survive even after being tortured for many years... Her biggest fear is loneliness.. because everyone she trusted and wanted to depend on, left or abandoned her for various reasons... Aspiring to live a peaceful and carefree life with a man who never leaves her... The one she cares about most is her cousin Cang Xuan...she could do everything to protect him... Xiao Yao developed feeling for Tushan Jing.. and also subconsciously fell for Xiang Liu as well...
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Cang Xuan (Zhang Wan Yi): The Prince of Xiyan sent to Haoling as hostage... Used to be a kind-hearted person but become tough after the death of his parents.... His ambition is to be King of Xiyan, to be able to protect the ones he deeply cares for.... In the journey of achieving this ambition, he struggled hard.... Cang Xuan became ruthless for others but remained soft-hearted for the ones he cared... Due to his closeness with Xiao Yao, he developed some romantic feelings for her but never confessed, and also reluctantly helped her to being with her love....
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Xiang Liu/ Fangfeng Bei (Tan Jian Ci): Xiang Liu, a white-haired, Nine-Headed Sea Demon... tortured for many years in death battling arena... He managed to escape and was saved by Chenrong's Lord Hong Jiang... After being saved, to repay his gratitude.. he took up the responsibility of recovering the land lost in the war and avenging the soldiers of the Chenrong army.. Lonesome inside but still very calculative, never lose in a deal.... Xiao Liu is the only person who never thought of him as a strange creature, so Xiang Liu found a good partner in her...
Fangfeng Bei, another identity of Xiang Liu as Second Young Master of Fangfeng family... He is quite fun-loving person and a known playboy...
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Tushan Jing/ Ye Shi Qi (Deng Wei): A very soft-hearted person and clever-minded in business as he comes from a prestigious business family.. but tortured for years by his own brother and saved by Xiao Liu.... He wanted to give up everything and do whatever Xiao Yao asks for.. to being with her.. as he loves her deeply... Jing helped Cang Xuan in the path of becoming Emperor a lot, with his business skills and influence...
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Chishui Fenglong (Wang Hong Yi): He is a loyal friend and a calculative person, fell for Xiao Yao after she regains her appearance & status and helped Cang Xuan, to become Emperor, the most. He founds a perfect buddy in Xiao Yao more than love, wants to marry her for her status, beauty and personality and promised her to never marry another woman in his entire lifetime after marrying her and will accompany her always. He finally managed to get engaged with her after his proposal of marriage.
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My Impressions:
The plot is quite different from other Xianxias and it's a reverse harem... I am not into Reverse Harem genre but this one got me in. This is a character-driven drama and I enjoyed Xiao Yao's journey.
They all are amazing in their own way and everyone of them hurted Xiao Yao as well as protected her. Their bonds with Xiao Yao have different but special meanings to her.. Cang Xuan broke his promise to take her back from Jade Mountain because he was sent to Haoling as hostage. But, he still searched for her around the world until he found her.. He is an emotional support to her and a brother...
Tushan Jing broke her heart many times by falling in scheme of his fiancee and never succeed in cancelling engagement, even after made her wait for a long time, but he revived her heart to have hopes in life...
And Xiang Liu often sucks her blood and was rough with Xiao Liu in starting but once he started develop feeling towards her, he fell hard... He never broke her heart; instead he always accompanied and cheered her up when she felt down, hopeless and wanted to give up, and empowered her so she could protect herself. He never gave her hope to being in love with him and made everything he did for her to look like a fair deal.
Xiang Liu... he is my favourite character in the drama as well as book... His loyalty and selfless love wins me over... He never confessed his love to her directly, but indirectly in many ways.... And Fangfeng Bei, he is too, though he is Xiang Liu in real, but there is big difference in behaviour and approaches of both of them...
I loved Xiao Yao when she was Wen Xiao Liu more because of her tricks and free-spirited nature... The deep talks between Xiao Yao and Xiang Liu, every time they met.. and the fun they did together.. these are my most favourite scenes of the whole drama... The first two lines of my review's title are from the conversation between Xiang Liu and Xiao Yao... You can see how deep their talks are... She has a romantic relationship with Jing but she subconsciously fell for Xiang Liu as well.. though she never admitted and thinks of him as her friend, but it is very clear that they're soulmates...
I liked Cang Xuan and Fenglong more than Jing in drama.. I felt very boring whenever Xiao Yao met Jing everytime, just a lovy-dovey couple who has nothing else to do, which is not my cup of tea... though Jing is a good man and I like good men but still I can't help it... I also read the original book after the drama so I have quite a favourable opinion of Jing from there, but in drama he fell short... So I'm stating my opinion about Jing here according to the drama and not book.... Also, I want to make it clear here, all of my takes I mentioned in here about all the characters are based on the drama, so you need not to worry about the opinions formed because of the original book...
I also loved the interactions of Xiao Yao and Emperor of Xiyan.. She's so bold and her grandfather is so understanding of her.
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Acting:
Yang Zi as Xiao Yao has a great chemistry with all of them like you can ship her with any of them. Yang Zi did an amazing job portraying her two characters well... The emotional scenes she gave were extremely good.. I had tears in my eyes watching her...
Tan Jian Ci made Xiang Liu alive... The micro expressions... you can feel all the happiness and pain just looking into his eyes.. Jian Ci managed to create a difference between his two characters Xiang Liu and Fangfeng Bei successfully, like even I doubted at first, whether Fangfeng Bei is Xiang Liu or not...
Zhang Wan Yi and Wang Hong Yi also did a great job with their characters...
But Deng Wei, I found him lacking a little, probably he did best he could, but his expression sometimes feel wooden and his character gets boring, I found, he is the reason of my unfavourable opinion towards Jing...
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OSTs and Costumes:
OSTs are one of the best I have listened in the dramas so far. So pleasing and amazing.
My favourite is Xiang Liu theme....by Tan Jian Ci...
"Wait for the snow to fall, wait for fate to nearly love, wait for your lifetime to come;
I can't wait for lovesickness, can't wait for the flowers to bloom, the waiting that can't be waited for....
Nine songs of the world of mortals, everywhere is envy and self-suffering..
Gentleness is deep, every sound is silence, it is imprisonment..
The heart is like a floating map, the scenes are the coming roads, the returning roads...
Fate is like snow dancing, every step is lonely..."
~The Waiting That Can't be Waited For
Costumes did not disappoint me as these are so beautiful, especially the beautiful white robes of Xiang Liu....
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Ending and Recommendation:
This was a good ending and not a cliffhanger, Cang Xuan became emperor and Xiaoyao engaged to Chishui FengLong but many things remained unsolved and truth to be revealed so I'm Eagerly waiting for season 2 and loved this one very much.
Highly recommending this to everyone to give it a try. You'll never regret watching, instead may become obsessed with it..like me..haha!
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Lost You Forever Season 2
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Love's Cruel Fate: A Soul-Crushing Journey of Heartache
Overview of Plot:-Lost You Forever season 2 continues the epic tale of Xiaoyao and explores the complexity of love, responsibility, family and pursuit of characters to achieve what they desire for.
Recap of Season 1:
-Xiaoyao got engaged to ChiShui FengLong.
-Cang Xuan became the king of Xiyan.
-Tushan Jing married Fangfeng Yiying.
-Xiang Liu is busy with arranging provisions for his army.
This season explores timeless themes, including the consequences of ambition and enduring nature of love and more of a tear-jerker.
My Views:-
This season delves deeper into the complexities of love, loyalty, insecurity and obsession. Xiaoyao's hidden identity and her pursuit of finding true love or a suitable partner are expertly woven throughout the narrative, showcasing her inner conflicts. Her journey has its share of ups and downs, but unfortunately, I didn't see any notable character growth, which is a disappointment. Ultimately, Xiaoyao got what she wished for her entire life, which, in my opinion, can be said a happy ending but not entirely so. While, I don't agree with her choice, I can't bring myself to blame her, it's the result of her painful past; considering that, she was unable to do otherwise.
Cang Xuan's obsession with Xiaoyao reaches new heights, while Xiang Liu's torn loyalties between his army and foster father, and love for Xiaoyao create a poignant and tragic arc. His selfless decision to break ties with Xiaoyao and ultimately sacrifice for her happiness and his army is a heart-wrenching testament to his character.
I get where Cang Xuan is coming from for his obsession with Xiaoyao. When someone loses loved ones one after another, they often become obsessed with the one who remains, driven to protect and keep them by their side, fearing separation. This is a fundamental human instinct, observable in many people. In my view, Cang Xuan's feelings for Xiaoyao aren't romantic love, but rather a deep-seated desire to keep her close, stemming from a misunderstanding of his own emotions - a classic case of obsession.
Now, we have Xiang Liu, the one who tugs at my heartstrings the most. He embodies the true definition of selfless love. When it comes to loving Xiaoyao, no one can surpasses him. His love is not possessive but progressive for Xiaoyao. His love never limited her growth nor did it become a binding chain for her outstretched wings. Instead, it made her strong. He is the one she felt the most comfortable with, to showing her vulnerable side without hesitation. She knew he can understand her and her pain the best. That's why I always say they are soulmates. She always restrained herself to not love him but love can never be restrained. She never willingly opened her heart to him, yet he unknowingly entered her dreams. He made her strong so she could protect herself, gave her someone to rely on, and provided a place or home to go even when the whole world turned on her.
"For a general, the best end is to die in battle."
- Xiang Liu
Heed these words, for they foretell a fate that will soon unfold.
Don't even get me started on Tushan Jing.. I'm so sick of this character that I don't want him to appear on my screen. While other characters are intriguing, Tushan Jing alone makes me so infuriated that I feel like throwing my phone every time he shows up. If there's a definition of a useless male lead, he'd be the perfect fit. In Season 1, I had a slightly positive impression of him and expected him to become more assertive and active, but in this season, I found myself wishing he'd die early on just to spare myself the frustration and high blood pressure. He remained a sobbing mug and a dog wagging his tail for Xiaoyao all the time. Oh! My bad, it's an insult for dogs, implying they are as pathetic as him. This guy has nothing else to do and is incapable of doing anything. All he's got is the money to win the game. And what's the point of his so called intelligence and kindness when he can't use it to solve a single problem in his own life?! But this opinion of mine is solely based on the viewing experience of drama, I still have a good impression of Jing from book.
The character development of some characters in Season 2 is done well, with characters facing significant challenges and transformations, especially A'Nian and Xiang Liu. Xiang Liu's heroic ending is a fitting conclusion to his story, leaving a lasting impact on the audience and making me bowled my eyes out for him. Grandpa of Xiaoyao and King of Haoling are one of the best characters in here.
As this season is a continuation of Season 1, a brief recap is provided to refresh our memory of the story. However, the pacing of Season 2 is somewhat slow, with noticeable scene jumping throughout the drama. Unfortunately, many important scenes were cut and changed, resulting in a lack of depth in some areas. I am dissatisfied with the changes, which left a bittersweet taste in my mouth. This season feels somewhat rushed and jumping through story arcs too quickly, so transition is choppy waters and lacking the intensity of the arcs. Nevertheless, be prepared for an emotional rollercoaster, as I mentioned earlier - have your tissues ready!
Acting:-
This show boasts a talented cast, with Yang Zi shining bright as Xiaoyao and evoke strong emotions. Her sad and confronting scenes are breathtaking. Her chemistry with Tan Jian Ci and Zhang Wan Yi is sizzling and undeniable, while on other hand, flat and forced with Deng Wei.
Zhang Wan Yi also gave remarkable performance showcasing the pain of Cang Xuan, his obsession and ruthlessness.
Tan Jian Ci masterfully weaves a subtle magic, his eyes speaking volumes as Xiang Liu. His performance is a raging storm on a wild night- intense and unstoppable. He will make you feel heartbreak and smile like an idiot.
Other supporting cast also did a good job.
Conclusion:-
In conclusion, Lost You Forever Season 2 is an emotionally charged continuation of the first season. With its exploration of complex themes, character development, and outstanding performances, this season is a must-watch for the ones who are looking for conclusion to the stories of the characters.
Some lost, some gained, but the gain can never make up for the loss.
While having its flaws and some characters may frustrate or infuriate, the heart-wrenching story and remarkable acting make up for it.
"You don't want me to come into your dreams.
You must sleep soundly and have sweet dreams every night.
Otherwise.....
Xiaoyao, from now on I can no longer protect you.
Take good care of yourself.
May you live in peace without worries."
- Xiang Liu
Be prepared to cry and smile as you follow Xiaoyao's journey and the touching arcs of Xiang Liu and Cang Xuan. Overall, a fantastic and memorable watch!
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Shao Nian Bai Ma Zui Chun Feng
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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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The Legend of Gu and Jue
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A Love that Shaped Destiny: The Infinite Devotion of an Unyielding Heart
........The Overview of Plot and World building:
Ancestral God created and divided the universe into three realms... God Realm, Immortal/Heavenly Realm and Demon Realm, where God Realm is supreme. There is also Nether World where devils are imprisoned...
There are countless gods and immortals but only four are True Gods who commands the God Realm and are responsible for management and safety of Three Realms... Zhi Yang, Bai Jue, Tian Qi and Shang Gu. They all are born from the same origin but Shang Gu is "Supreme True God" who possess the Power of Chaos and the only girl and youngest one among them, just 10,000 years old. Zhi Yang, Bai Jue and Tian Qi grew up together and have very strong bonding.
• The hierarchy of God Realm:
1. Supreme True God/Chief God of Chaos
2. Three True Gods
3. High Gods
4. Lower Gods
5. Disciple from Immortal/Demon Realm
• The hierarchy of Immortal Realm:
1. Heavenly Emperor and Empress and High Gods
2. Demi Gods
3. Senior Immortals
4. Junior Immortals
5. Other Immortals
• The hierarchy of Demon Realm:
1. Demon God
2. Demon Emperor
3. Demi Gods
4. White Tiger Clan
5. Fox Clan
6. Other Demon Clans
The drama follows the story of Shang Gu and Bai Jue and show how their deep love and relationship developed and progressed while bearing the responsibility of safety of three realms and dealing with countless hardships.
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Introduction to Key Characters:
Bai Jue/Bo Xuan/Qing Mu (Xu Kai): Bai Jue, a True God and the God of War... The origin of his powers is Immortal and Fire, so he is also God of Fire. Has a stoic, distant and cold personality... No one can match upto his wisdom and patience...and his determination and dedication towards responsibilities and love is unmatched. Bai Jue grew up cultivating hard with Zhi Yang and Tian Qi and fighting devils to protect the Three Realms. Tian Qi nicknamed him as "Ice Cube" because of his cold demeanour... Despite him being distant, he was still admired and pursued by many goddesses in God Realm.
Weapon - Tai Cang Spear
Divine Beast - Hong Ri (Fire Qilin)
Residence - Abyss Hall and Daze Mountain
When God Realm closed due to Tribulations of Chaos, Bai Jue adopted the identity of Bo Xuan and lived in the Qing Chi Palace in the Immortal Realm for almost 60000 years, hiding his True God identity and isolating himself from all others, only Gu Jun knew his true self.
Qing Mu, a aloof and reserved young immortal from North Sea of Immortal realm, whose origin is unknown and he don't like to socialize. He got fame for his powerful cultivation despite his young age of only 1,000 years, and titled as "Lord of North Sea". He looks like Bai Jue who has disappeared years ago.
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Shang Gu/Hou Chi (Zhou Dong Yu): Shang Gu, the Chief God of Chaos, a mischievous and fun-loving young Goddess meant to be the Supreme True God. She was raised and spoiled by Zhi Yang, Tian Qi and Yue Mi. Despite having Chaos Origin, her cultivation and powers were weak so she was being bullied by others.. Bai Jue was tricked by Zhi Yang to being her teacher. Because of her undisciplined and arrogant personality, she despised strict and disciplined Bai Jue from their very first interaction.
Weapon - Ancient Sword
Divine Beast - Wu Huan (Five-colored Pheonix)
Residence - Pilgrimage Hall
Hou Chi, the born High God and daughter of Gu Jun. She has aloof and cold demeanour but a warm heart. Raised in Qing Chi Palace in care of Bo Xuan and Feng Ran. Her Godly powers are weak and she shows less to no improvement in cultivation, even after diligently practicing for 60,000 years. She looks like Shang Gu who died in Tribulations of Chaos.
......
Tian Qi/Jing Yuan (Liu Xue Yi): Tian Qi, a True God, his power origin is Demonic and Water, so he is also Demon God and the God of Water. A carefree, mischievous and fun-loving God but a little impulsive and sometimes narcissist.. haha! He and Shang Gu have similar personalities... He manages Demon Realm... Tian Qi values relationships and friendships more than anything else...and likes to arguing with Bai Jue, but in a good-natured way. He loved Shang Gu and would do anything for her, even destroy the three realms he had been protecting his entire lifetime.
Weapon - Purple Moon Whip
Divine Beast - Zi Han (Dragon)
Residence - Everlasting Hall
Jing Yuan, the Demon Lord Zi Yue, is actually another identity/reincarnation of Tian Qi after the Tribulations of Chaos. He lived in Demon Realm in seclusion and apart from Zi Han, only Demon Emperor knew who he is in real.
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Zhi Yang (Li Ze Feng): The calm and rational True God... He is incharge of the affairs of the Three realms...and the oldest one in all True Gods...
Weapon - Twin Spear
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Wu Huan (Zhang Jia Ni): The low-ranked pheonix from Wutong Island, whom Shang Gu picked up as her divine Beast instead of "the Only Fire Pheonix and Pheonix Queen" Feng Yan... She used to be kind, humble and calm before but later on became an arrogant, cunning, heartless and thirsty for power.... She is one of the three Ancient High Gods of Immortal Realm and the Heavenly Empress...
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Gu Jun (Leon Lai): A Flood Dragon from Demon Realm.. and the only disciple of Shang Gu... He is a loyal and wise person... Gu Jun is one of the three Ancient High Gods in Immortal Realm who survived the Tribulations of Chaos... He is the master of Qing Chi Palace and former lover of Wu Huan...
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Yue Mi (Luo Qiu Yun): The Goddess of Stars and Moon in God Realm and best friend of Shang Gu... She is wise and powerful but fun-loving Goddess and very close to all the True Gods... She was in love with Tian Qi but her feelings were not yet reciprocated...
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Feng Ran (Zhang Ya Qin): The only alive Fire Pheonix and daughter of Feng Yan... A straight-forward and cleaver girl... She is the best friend and protector of Hou Chi..and attendant of Gu Jun (whom he saved from Yunlin Swamp)... She is way powerful than Hou Chi and in-charge of Qing Chi Palace in the absence of Gu Jun.
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Acting and Chemistry:
Xu Kai and Liu Xue Yi's portrayal of their characters is breathtaking...
Xu Kai was great as Bai Jue and Qing Mu although I don't like Bo Xuan's part much but it was good as well. As Bai Jue, he acted well as a cold and distant God who treats everyone fairly but can silently sacrifice his all for his love, and as Qing Mu, he did amazing as a aloof Immortal who knows to pursue his love without concerning the world... Xu Kai made the two characters really different with his acting skills that you won't feel these both characters played by one single person. He made Bai Jue my favourite character...
Liu Xue Yi impressed me with his remarkable performance. Tian Qi is my favourite just after Bai Jue... and I am so grateful to makers to not turning him in "typical toxic second male lead" who is obsessive... He loved Shang Gu but knew what are the limits and when to give up...
Zhao Dong Yu was amazing as Shang Gu in the first and last arc of the story but I feel her acting plain as Hou Chi.
Zhang Jia Ni did an extraordinary job with her character.. she truly made me hate Wu Huan from the bottom of my heart that I wanted to slap her everytime.
The chemistry between leads can be considered decent and above average... I loved the chemistry between Feng Ran and Jing Jian.. it was just wonderful.
The relationship dynamics between Bai Jue and Tian Qi are very interesting and fun to watch...
Other actors also did beautiful job with their characters and are worthy to be praised...
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OSTs, Costumes and CGI:
OSTs are pleasant and extraordinary.. these have secured the top place in my playlist. The lyrics fit the story and scenes perfectly and make me cry every time I listen to them... "A Thousand Years of Search" and "The Thought of Life" are my favourite.
"I am willing to search for thousands of days and nights; Waiting for time to meet again in your eyes..
Exchange a lifetime for a second of encounter; It would not be a pity if it can be accomplished.."
~A Thousand Years of Search
Costume are really beautiful and gives a aura of grace and divinity.
CGI is top-notch. The magic spells, the power from the divine weapon, the sets, all look real, natural and beautiful.
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Conclusion:
Ancient Love Poetry signifies the patience, dedication and loyalty in love without compromising the duties and responsibilities one has to fulfill.
The wait of sixty thousand years and dedication of Bai Jue for his love Shang Gu along with his devotion for duties towards the three realms are exceptional and heart-touching. I'm actually very tough to cry while watching a drama.. but this made my tears rolled over my cheeks, even after rewatching it many times I still feel the same heartbreak every time.
"She turned to ashes,
separated by life and death;
He protected the three realms for her..
The thought of life is still ringing in my ears;
Once again, this passion has no limits and will never be extinguished"
~The Thought of Life
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Ending:
I was thinking it would be a drama with a sad ending, but the ending touches my heart. It was a beautiful happy ending that I never expected.
To be honest, it might feel a bit boring to many in starting and one could feel like dropping it.. but I recommend to must watch at least 8 to 12 episodes before you make the decision to drop, otherwise you'll miss a fabulous drama.
I would recommend everyone to give it a shot.
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The Story of Mistakes, Regrets and Revenge.
Let's start with the overview of plot....................................................................
Plot:
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Jiang Xue Ning(Bai Lu), the second and legitimate daughter of Jiang Family, grew up in countryside but a very ambitious and greedy person. She wanted to become Empress & gain power to make everyone bow down to her. To fulfill her ambition, she did everything regardless of right and wrong, used many people who cared for her, and destroyed many lives. But, the karma hits hard....not so long after, her own people, Xie Wei and Yan Lin and many others, turned against her, raised a rebellion and massacred the whole Royal Family. She regretted her own deeds and finally suicide to make up for her deeds.
After her suicide, she woke up in her past, in her 18 years old body with the memories of her all above mentioned experiences. It's like... life gave her a second chance with a reincarnation and all the above-mentioned things happened in a dream. After waking up, she intends to become a good person and make up for all those mistakes and regrets to change the horrific fate of her and her loved ones.
This is an interesting and kinda new plot to me....
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Main Characters and Their Relationships:
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Jiang Xue Ning (Bai Lu): She was ambitious, greedy and arrogant at first. But after experiencing a lot in life she tried to change her temperament and wanted to become a good person. I won't say she is very kind-hearted but yes.... she learned to repay the gratitude with kindness. She is not perfect but ready to improve. She had guilt for her wrongdoings. A perfectly imperfect person.
As for her romantic relationship.... In her previous life she married Shen Jie, but fell for Zhang Zhe, had a relationship with Yan Lin and also tried to seduce Xie Wei. It sounds absurd, right....In her current life, she first fell for Zhang Zhe because of her past experiences. She friend-zoned Yan Lin and being loyal to him as a friend but has no feelings for Shen Jie. She finally fell in love with Xie Wei, the most suitable person to her.
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Xie Wei (Zhang Ling He): He used to be a kind-hearted, smart and straightforward person, but life didn't do justice to him.... He was abandoned by his own father for personal gains and left to die when he was just a seven-year-old child, in the hands of rebels. He turned into a very cunning and ruthless person who have some obsessions and always hide his real emotions & feelings but has a little bit of warmness in his heart. He never let his guards down to anyone and loyal to ones who loved him or whom he loved. He returned to capital just to take his revenge.
For his romantic relationship.... it seems he was in love with Xuening in her previous life. In current life, he fell in love with her again and wanted her to keep safe but also wary of her sometimes.
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Zhang Zhe (Wang Xing Yue): The most righteous, kind, familial, loyal and perfect person in the whole drama. He comes from a poor background yet he never bends to injustice and wrong. He is smart and straightforward but unbending to situations. Because of this personality, he got himself in unnecessary troubles many times....
He developed feeling for Xuening in her past life and fell for her in this life too.
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Yan Lin (Zhou Jun Wei): He is free-spirited, smart, loving, loyal and sometimes a reckless person. He's a brave general as well as a great friend.
He loved Xuening with his whole heart in her previous as well as in current life.
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I liked many characters here and almost every character served some purpose in the drama. They are important to plot progression. Xiaobao and You Fangyin are the only ones who didn't get an ending they truly deserved.
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Acting and Chemistry:
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Main Leads and the whole other cast did a beautiful job with their characters. Zhang Ling He has really outdone himself here. This drama is purely and perfectly fall under category of a Slow-Burn Romance. Bai Lu as Xuening.... has great chemistry with all the three Male leads. They have enough sweet and lovely moments. Xuening has friendly chemistry with Yan Lin.... cat-and-mouse type at first then romantic chemistry with Xie Wei.... and guilty-and-wronged with some love chemistry with Zhang Zhe.
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OSTs and Costumes:
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OSTs are so satisfying and beautiful specially the ending theme.... I can't help myself but playing it again and again. Costumes are decent but there is a room for improvement.
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Conclusion:
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This is a story of mistakes, regrets and repayment for Xuening.... For Xie Wei, this is a story of injustice, revenge and love....
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Ending and Recommendation:
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Don't worry... it's a happy ending!
I'll definitely recommend this drama to everyone. It has an interesting plot and developed characters with a lot of politics and slow-burn romance.
GIVE IT A SHOT WITHOUT ANY OTHER THOUGHT.
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A Den full of Cunning People who are Unpredictable.
..........................................................Plot:
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The setting is in the martial arts world.....
There is an assassin organization named Wufeng to which almost every other martial arts family has surrendered other than Gong family.
Gong family, lives in a valley consist of two hills, front hill and back hill. But freedom comes with a price, so, Gong family paid a huge price for this and faced a huge massacre of its family members and lost almost all males of the family. After that they completely sealed their borders and forbid their members to go outside the valley. Everyone is thoroughly searched and investigated before entering and exiting the valley. Wufeng sent its assassins in the bride selection ceremony held by Gong Family to select brides for the young adults who are reached marriageable age.
Wufeng has four positions for its members: Chi, Mei, Wang, Liang and the leader or head, ascending in power respectively.
Gong family has four lineage: Shang, Jue, Zhi and Yu, all live on front hill, other than these, there are family of three elders: Xue, Yue and Hua live on back hill and are forbid to leave the back hill untill summoned or in case of emergency.
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Actors and Characters:
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Gong ZiYu (Zhang Ling He): He was a lazy and fun loving person at first, who usually has self-pity for himself but also very clever, observant, loyal and kind-hearted. He had low martial arts skills when he crowned as family head, after the murder of his father and brother, by the elders to fill the position as there is rule in family that the position of head cannot be vacant, it should be filled immediately. He faced objections, pressure and a fierce competition to become a true Sword Welder(head) but, he did it and become truly powerful. He knows how to pursue his love and made Yun WeiShan to fall for him by his love, trust, kindness and loyalty. Gong ZiYu proved, pressure makes a man work hard, LOL. Zheng Ling He did a good job with this character.
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Yun WeiShan (Yu Shu Xin): She was an assassin sent by Wufeng to assassinate the Young Lord and Sword Welder(no matter whoever he is) of Gong family but end up falling for Gong ZiYu. She just wanted freedom from Wufeng so she accepted this deal of assassination as her deadly last task. In her life, freedom was the only thing she has been longing for but after entering Gong Family she fall in love and defected from Wufeng for her love. She also has some kindness even after being a assassin for long time. I like her character but don't love it very much because there are not much dimensions in her character.
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Gong Shang Jue (Chang Lei): He is a fighter and a righteous person having a scaring look and cold gaze on his face. His smartness is the second to none in Gong Family. He loves his family and wanted to protect them at any cost. He is the most capable person in the Gong Family, never trusts others easily and ruthless to ones who have intention to hurt his family. Reasonable person and knows rights from wrong. Have a little warmness for the ones he cares for, but never show it outside much. One of my favourite character in this drama.
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Shangguan Qian (Lu Yu Xiao): She is a cunning person and an assassin sent by Wufeng to handle the most hard-to-deal person in Gong family, Gong Shang Jue. She managed to deal with him but was going back and forth between her feelings for him and her mission. At last, she confessed her feelings as well as completed her mission. She is an interesting character from start to end and shows many sides of her character.
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I liked other characters as well like Gong Yinzhi, Jin Fan, Young Master Yue, Young Master Xue, Young Master Hua, Yan Que, Xue Gong Zi. But I don't like the character of Gong Zi Shang, she feels annoying at times. All cast did a pretty good job in portraying their characters well.
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OSTs and Costumes:
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OSTs are okay for me and costumes are decent, but I feel they could have make it better in costumes.
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Ending and Recommendation:
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The ending is a cliffhanger and don't know if we will have a Second Season or not. Many secrets are not resolved yet.
This is a must watch drama for those who really love thriller and mystry genre. I loved this drama and its in my favourite's list now.
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A game of wits and words; The Journey to make him determined to his life goal..
Overview of Plot:-The drama starts with Fan Xian faking his death and discovering the truth of his identity. When he returned to the capital from Bei Qi, he realised how corrupt the government officials are. He felt infuriated yet helpless when he saw how the people holding power treats the common people.
Fan Xian discovered many secrets at the end of the season 1 which now made his trust on his backers to waver. This season is more focused on character development of Fan Xian and developing a goal for his unruly life towards changing the world, as his mother aspired to back then. He reluctantly started to walk down the same path as his mother but with a new witty way.
Will Fan Xian still be able to get his revenge after knowing who the mastermind was behind Teng Zi Jing's death? Will he be able to unveil the one who is in cahoots with the enemy country? Will he be able to stand firm against injustice and unfairness of the world? As he discovered his identity, what will he going to do now? Will he ever be succeed in uncovering the truth of his mother's death and the suspense of his own birth and memories? Will he trust again those backers of his?
Stay tuned to know more.
My Views:-
This season is highly focused on political intrigue and there is a lack of adventure. However, this doesn't disappoint me even a little. After a number of dreadful events, Fan Xian realized no matter how capable he is, he alone cannot upholds justice for innocent. He figure out if he wants to walk down on the path of fairness and justice, he needs to make alliance and his own faction.
Fan Xian becomes aware of fact that in the struggle of power, lives of common people are treated as chess piece. No one cares for them. Even his own life and actions are somehow controlled by some higher ups which makes him more desperate to get free from their claws. However, almost everyone is accustomed to this, and those who are not, can do nothing about it. They are afraid to speak up because they have no one to watch their backs and so will end up being dead eventually. There is no exception, not even the ones who sit in higher positions. The cruelty of world opened his eyes wide. There are times he felt helpless and we saw him saying that he is not brave enough, but in reality if he cannot be said brave then no other can be. There is no absolute fairness in the world, but efforts can be made to prevail relative fairness, that's what Fan Xian started to work out on.
As this is a long awaited season, therefore, it's inevitable to compare both of the seasons. In terms of writing, this season is not as marvelous as the season 1 but it doesn't mean it's a disappointment. I loved this season as well.
Nevertheless, this season is more of character building of Fan Xian and other characters. It's the foundation of his journey of becoming most influential and powerful being and to polish his ruthlessness and wits to make him capable of surviving in the power struggle. Not everything can be done by force, by fighting, sometimes you need people and it's become a game of mind power, a game of wits. This season conveys this game perfectly. It's some of those dramas which will make you realise how important words can be, and how much necessary it is to use them in right way, at right place, with right people and at right time. Don't worry about the serious vibes, humour is there all over the drama.
Speaking of acting of the original actors from season 1, it's excellent, no more words needed. Even after 5 years, they all did justice to their characters with the same vibe of season 1. This is spectacular. However, the casting of new actors to replace old ones fell short. Yan Bing Yun in season 1 was more like a paranoid and dead serious person, but in this season his demeanor seems to change completely to a person who often smiles and not as serious as he was introduced in season 1. That serious vibe and tension between him and Fan Xian is gone completely. Coming to Ye Ling'er, the previous actress did her job perfectly as a hot-headed tomboy, but in my opinion, the new actress couldn't match upto the character's essence.
Coming to other characters, Lin Wan'er became more likable as a character to me as compared to season 1 which is quite a good thing. She finally has grown up and acts like adults in this season. In this season, I loved her chemistry with Fan Xian.
Fan Ruo Ruo is becoming the best female character in this drama, the girl was already well versed in literature and discipline, now she became a surgeon and snipper at the same time. Her character is becoming more and more strong.
My most loved characters in this season besides Fan Xian are Fan Jian, Fan Ruo Ruo, Fei Jie and Wu Zhu. They are the only ones who never left Fan Xian's side and never seek any benefit in return. I am so glad that Fan Xian never changed his surname and never left his family.
Fan Si Zhe shows the most development in his character. Sometimes it takes a moment for a man to grow up, this suits him very well.
Li Cheng Ze, the second prince, now playing on front. We now realised what his mother said about him was all true. He is not as simple as he looks like, so is the Crown Prince. Nonetheless, he always seems like an interesting character to me from the season 1. He is as crazy as his aunt.
Action is there but in the last quarter of this season and new mysteries and revelations came into picture but it's far from enough compared to season 1. As for production, colour palette is bit warmer compared to season 1 and looks really good. Camera work is awesome. Costumes are beautiful and stylish more than season 1, we got a supermodel Fan Xian here, LOL. But music was somewhat off. It feels like makers added wrong background music in some scenes which doesn't go with the vibe of that moment. For example, at the time of Fan Xian's surgery, they added somewhat light-hearted music which does not fit with serious vibe of that scene in starting. It tonned down the significance of that particular crest fallen moment.
Overall, despite its minor cons it still was a great watch for me. It's captivating enough to make me binge watched this season as well. However, I have some mixed feelings about the ending. Ending felt a bit rushed and unexplained but obviously for making a path for next season.
If you still couldn't decide whether to watch it, then go and watch, it certainly won't disappoint if you love to watch political intrigue and how crazy can people be just to gain power. This is the best choice indeed.
Hope the next season won't take another five years to air.
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You have seen my love, It's time for my vengeance and justice to be served..
The Double is a fantastic drama to watch in the first half of 2024. It's entertaining enough to keep you hooked to it. It did justice to the thriller and revenge genre.Overview of Plot:-
The Double tells the tale of the lady who was betrayed by her love and buried alive with a ruined reputation, Xue Fangfei. The man she gave her all betrayed her in the hard times for some despicable excuses. She crawled out her grave and assumed the identity of second daughter of Jiang Family to take her revenge and seek justice for herself and the real Jiang Li.
Key Characters:-
Xue Fangfei/Jiang Li (Wu Jin Yan):- The daughter of Magistrate Xue, Xue Fangfei renowned as the most talented lady in the capital. She is also known with two other names, Xue Li and A'Li. She fell in love and married a poor scholar Shen Yu Rong. She loved him wholeheartedly and supported him with all she has. Yet, her love was betrayed, her reputation was ruined, she was tortured and her hope was scattered. Despite her innocence she was buried alive, abandoned in that cold place alone by her beloved husband without giving her the reason for not trusting her, without giving her the reason of all her sufferings, without giving her the reason of the betrayal of her unconditional love.
Xiao Heng/Duke Su (Wang Xing Yue):- Duke Su, the right hand man of Emperor of Great Yan, an incredible chess master who plots and never let his enemy upper hand. An adaptive strategist and never failed to hit the bull's eye.
Shen Yu Rong (Liang Yong Qi):- The ex-husband of Xue Fangfei and the lover of Princess Wan Ning. A poor scholar who pave his path of becoming an official in court with his hardwork to prevail justice. However, he couldn't be untouched by the temptation of power. He is a person who never take responsibility for his own actions and loves to play victim card.
Princess Wan Ning (Li Meng):- A psycho lady whose obsession is Shen Yu Rong, the husband of another lady. She loves to toy with people, torture them for fun and take advantage of her position.
My Impression:-
The captivating plot of 'The Double' made me to not blink while I was watching. It's one of the favourite genre of mine. However, I was skeptical at first because I was not familiar with the cast, except one or two, but decided to give it a try because I have faith in Youku. The first few episodes made me to binge watch 25 episodes in just 3 days. The drama starts with dark theme, and switching between the dark and light. The suspenseful and emotional rollercoaster plot mainly revolves around the female lead. The Double is focused on the revenge and it wouldn't be wrong to say that this is one of the few dramas which is more focused on females be it female lead or other female characters. The drama conveys the struggle and pain of women and their cruelty, their desire of love and wrath of hatred, their wish to live a peaceful life and obsession.
The drama is paced well, neither slow nor fast. The plot is fantastic however it is not free from holes. Sometimes there are loopholes that are visible even with eyes closed and made me question the logic. I won't get into details about it, you'll know when you watch it.
Xue Fangfei, our female lead, is smart and capable of holding the sky if any trouble befalls her or her loved ones with her unparalleled intelligence. Not the typical female lead who always needs a man to get her out of trouble. She can be a pawn or the chess master to get her way. She can be a part of other's game and can even play her own game making the chess masters into her own pawn. In this journey of revenge and justice A'Li found her soulmate. The title of the drama suits her the best. Duke Su offers his support only when A'Li is unable to play her game because of her not holding some high position in the court.
The drama falls in the category of slow-burn romance but the chemistry hits the top. Duke Su and A'Li are a match made in heaven. Though it's a slow-burn but it doesn't feel like one, except there is less skinship. I can even watch 20 more episodes with that chemistry. Both are intelligent and responsible. With their smartness they continuosly tried to outsmart eachother, supported eachother and they didn't realise among this all, they started to fell for each other. Duke Su didn't know exactly when A'Li started to become the special one in his heart from the pawn in his chess. Similarly, A'Li didn't get the clue since when Duke Su started to heal the wound of her heart. I loved how their love progressed. Finding a man like Duke Su after being betrayed by Shen Yurong is such a blessing for A'Li. Likewise, finding a true match in opposite gender whose intelligence is at par with him is fate for Xiao Heng.
Let's talk about the villains. Their backstory is quite pitiful but still they all are despicable that I have no sympathy for them. The karma served them right. Among them the most despicable one is Shen Yurong. He is sleek and coward person, never takes responsibility for his deeds and shifts blame on others. He is pretty good at self-pity and playing the victim card. He gets the love of two women but he chose to betray both of them for one another, thereby losing them both at the end of the day. Princess Wanning did everything for her obsession with Shen Yurong but still in the end she lost him and the worst was being betrayed by him. She got the taste of her own medicine. She wanted to make Shen Yurong like her and he succeeded in becoming like her, obsessed with power and person whom he claims to love. They also are a good match for each other. Now coming to the stepmom of Jiang Li, Ji Shuran. I think she had it easy, her retribution wasn't that well done. The people died because of her must still be feeling injustice.
The acting delivered by the cast is truly spectacular specially from Wu Jin Yan and Liang Yong Qi then comes our Wang Xing Yue and Li Meng not much behind them. Wu Jin Yan made me cry with her many times. She delivered top notch emotions when confronting Shen Yu Rong every time and chemistry with Xiao Heng. Liang Yong Qi portrayed the conflicted emotions of Shen Yurong perfectly. The regret of hurting A'Li but never admitting his choice, the obsession with her yet claiming to be innocent, all are greatly portrayed by him. Wang Xing Yue played Xiao Heng with that dark and dangerous vibes which goes perfectly with this character. The stepmother (Chen Chiao An) also did amazing.
The most useless character was Jiang Yuan Bai, the man can't even handle his own family matters justly yet he is prime minister and handling country affairs. Indeed, he was a good prime minister but he failed as a husband and father. His retribution served him right, living his rest of life in regret and grief.
I loved the friendship of Emperor Zhao Ye and Duke Su Xiao Heng. It's s rare to see an emperor to have a best friend. Apart from A'Li and Xiao Heng, Wen Ji and Lu Ji remained my favourites from starting to end.
Though the story is well paced and well developed but still there is the Ye family arc which I feel like dragged for too long and the drama tried to shift towards the lightness and characters became overly righteous which I don't like much. I loved the dark heavy theme. There are also some unnecessary deaths (I won't spoil who died but I bawled my eyes out for them) and plots which doesn't make sense but I watched it for the entertainment's sake without getting into logic. Duke Su get quite less screen time which is also a complain from me. We mostly saw him plotting behind the scenes and being told that it's done by Duke Su and all. It would been better if his screen time was increased and we get to see him more.
Conclusion:-
This drama unexpectedly did beautiful job by making audience not to take their eyes off the screen. The acting to chemistry was all great. OSTs are good and costumes are beautiful for females. In males only our male lead got a good wardrobe. If we ignore the plotholes and go with the flow it's definitely fabulous. There is happy ending with a special episode so I'm not disappointed with the ending but yes not really satisfied.
A must watch from me.
Highly recommend.
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I can't fall in love with you... But, I can't control it either...
Overview of Plot:-Adapted from the novel "Yu Feng Xing", the drama "The Legend of Shen Li" tells the tale of Shen Li and Xing Zhi, and their love that grew under heavy responsibilities.
To maintain peace between Divine and Spirit(Immortal) Realms, an arrange marriage was forced on Shen Li for political alliance. Shen Li run away from Immortal Realm to escape the marriage. But during her escape, she got wounded and fell into Mortal Realm. Due to her injuries, she temporarily lost her powers, resulted her to lose her human form. She transformed back into her pheonix form and caught by a vendor. The vendor mistook her as a fat chicken, so plucked her feathers and put her on sale in a cage.
Xing Yun, a bored and frail man, bought the chicken-cum-phoenix from the vendor and helped her to treat her injuries. Shen Li finds that this man is no ordinary. Strange enough that he can understand what she's saying, on the top of that, knows many strange divine formations but has no trace of spiritual powers. He loves to prank her but takes care of her at the same time.
In Shen Li's life, it's the first time that someone get to see her vulnerable side and she felt the warmth of protection from someone else. Just like that, the fate of these two got intervened.
Who is this mortal? Is it just a short and unimportant encounter in Shen Li's thousand of years of life? What else the fate is holding in its book for these two?
Main Characters:-
Shen Li (Zhao Li Ying): A pheonix and God of War of Immortal Realm, who was born with a pearl in her mouth. In terms of powers, she stands in tops of the three realms and very few can compete with her. Even if the sky fall, she can still stand on her own. Skilled in battles and the top General that worshipped by many. Whenever she engages in battle, she alone upholds the morale of all her immortal army.
Xing Zhi/ Xing Yun (Lin Geng Xing): Xing Zhi, the last Ancient God, possesses formidable powers but is forbidden to have personal feelings, for the greater good of three realms. A God, who is on such a high pedestal that no one is there to keep him company. After living a lonely life for thousands of years, he always wanted to experience the fun of the world. A thousand years ago, in the fierce battle of Xutian Abyss, he single-handedly sealed away thousands of Chimeis, that were wreaking havoc upon the three realms. After the battle, he secluded himself and is nowhere to be found.
My Impressions:-
The plot is a typical Xianxia but very well executed. The drama has very slow pace and the angst part starts in later half. Though it is slow paced but a lot of light-hearted and humorous moments keeps the audience from getting bored.
Coming to the acting part, it's as expected as from experienced actors. Main leads are great in portraying their characters. Zhao Li Ying immerged on screen as a power lady showcasing her abilities especially in battle scenes. Lin Geng Xin's portrayal of Xing Zhi is such a wonderful piece of art. The God who is bearing the responsibilities of three realms and is lonely and indifferent for years, yet has a different level of sense of humour and teasing. The chemistry among leads is extremely good. One is fierce as fire and other is calm as ice. They understand each other's every concern and responsibilities.
The love of Shen Li and Xing Zhi developed bearing the heavy duties.
Epic CGI and sublime OSTs are the highlights of the show. This level of CGI, I have only saw in ALP and TTEOTM before. The OSTs are great, adding the sentiments to the scenes and fit perfectly. Costumes for Shen Li are so beautiful and her jewellery has a modern touch which look appealing together.
In supporting cast, I loved Furong Jun and Shen Mu Yue. Furong is such a fun character and finally, as I expected, he got matured by the time it was needed the most. The ones I don't like at all are the Heavenly Emperor and the maid of Shen Li.
Pros:-
• Even being a typical Xianxia story, the plot is still very well executed.
• Strong, matured and independent female lead who doesn't always need someone to save her in trouble. She knows how to get her way right and how to lead others.
• Calm yet funny male lead who knows how to make viewers smile and feeling butterflies with his flirting skills which is paired with calm and serious face. He always has solid reasons for his every action.
• Responsible leads who keep their responsibilities of safeguarding the people all above, even above than their personal feelings. And they did it from starting to end.
• Mutual understanding and trust among leads and the spirit of realizing their love but without compromising their duties.
• Male lead let the female lead deal with her matters herself, as this is what she prefers the most, until it's out of her control and no other person can deal with it.
• High quality production, therefore, great CGI and pleasing OSTs.
• Some modern elements are added in the drama.
• No secondary couple till the very last episode hence proper screentime given to main leads.
• A full episode of happy ending which is rare in Xianxia genre.
Cons:-
• The drama is very slow-paced which may feel boring to few viewers.
• Few episodes are like fillers so it would be better if it has 30 to 35 episodes rather than 39.
• The divine realm seems like a bunch of idlers who can't even protect their own realm and still try to boss around. They go to find Xian Zhi for help every time and even try to make decisions for him. This is a bit annoying.
• Too much skin smoothening filters used which affects the overall quality of expression delivery.
• Sometimes lighting is a bit off or too bright, specially in first half of the drama but it gradually improved.
Conclusion:-
If you wanna see a powerful and wise female lead and a Xianxia with appropriate balance of humour and angst with slow burn romance, then this is for you guys....
"Life is a journey from nothingness to nothingness but I still want you to accompany me on this journey of nothingness."
In the first quater of 2024, this is the best drama I've watched. So I highly recommend it...
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A Hero's fall and rise; A Thrilling ride : Twists and Turns Abound
.................................................................The Plot:
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The setting is in Martial Arts World...
Ten years ago.. Li Xiang Yi, the top martial artist or prodigy of Martial Arts World, who founded Sigu Sect at a very young age... suddenly disappeared without a trace after the battle in East Sea, along with his arch rival and enemy Di Fei Sheng, the leader of Jinyuan Alliance... Everyone believed that they both died in the battle....but fate is a really unpredictable thing...
Ten years later.. Li Xiang Yi reappeared but with a changed identity as "Li Lian Hua", a countryside doctor, who accidentally became famous for being "A Miraculous Doctor" who was able to bring dead to life, but actually a quack who treats patients with his cunningness and mediocre medical skills... He was living in a mobile house called "Lotus Tower" for 10 years...but didn't want to have any more connection with the martial arts world and leading a very simple life, so always kept a low profile and was roaming around in search of his senior brother's dead body...
Lian Hua came across Fang Duo Bing, a young lad, who claims to be "Li Xiang Yi's only disciple".. although even Xiang Yi himself didn't know when he had taken a disciple in...haha! Duo Bing wanted to be a hero and was suspicious of Lian Hua's identity as a doctor, so he wanted to find out the truth to publicly expose Lian Hua as a quack...
Like Xiang Yi, ten years later, Di Fei Sheng also re-emerged and unlike Xiang Yi's comrades, he was the only one who recognized Li Lian Hua as Li Xiang Yi at first glance when they met again...To be clear, both of them recognized each other in their first meeting after a decade of that deadly battle...
After a series of incidents, the trio developed a great bond and joined hands to solve some mysterious cases to uphold justice, and to ultimately find out the ones who actually betrayed Li Xiang Yi and Di Fei Sheng ten years ago, bringing them to the brink of death...
The story has successfully kept me captivated with its series of mysteries and the revelation of Li Lian Hua's true identity...
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Introduction to Main Characters:
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Li Xiang Yi/ Li Lian Hua (Cheng Yi): Li Xiang Yi, a prodigy in Martial arts World, an upright and arrogant young man, with a sharp tongue and strategic mind, who plans a step ahead of his enemies and always kept high profile... He wanted to be a hero and didn't care much about the feelings and opinions of the ones who cared for him.. It's not that, he doesn't care about them at all, but the thing is, his ambition was his priority...
Li Lian Hua, a lonely and sickly doctor, keeps a low profile, cunning but kind, and detached from the worldly desires. He was poisoned with a deadly poison which has no cure and extremely painful death is the ultimate end, so Lian Hua just wanted to be carefree for his remaining life and die a silent death... Lian Hua is a type of person, who can lie without blinking while looking straight into your eyes, he never felt remorse for his lies, to be honest...
After experiencing death once, Xiang Yi acknowledged his own flaws and Li Xiang Yi transformed into Li Lian Hua, who is a liar but mature person, had guilts from past and later on developed a personality of letting go and forgiveness, and be content... He no longer cares about his glory and ambition, just a peaceful life...
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Fang Duo Bing (Zeng Shun Xi): The young master of a prestigious family, who aspired to become a hero in Martial Arts World to uphold justice. Very kind, warm-hearted, courageous and emotional but a naive young man, skilled in martial arts... He can be said shadow of Xiang Yi when it comes to his ambition... Regards Xiang Yi as his master and idol, and claims to be his disciple... After going through many incidents and experiencing enough, he matured gradually...
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Di Fei Sheng (Xiao Shun Yao): Another prodigy of Martial Arts World, and the only person who is worthy to be rival of Xiang Yi... He founded Jinyuan Alliance on his own... Has cold and aloof personality, and a aura of darkness. A straight-minded but cleaver person aspired to stand on top by defeating Xiang Yi, fair and square in competition... The experience of his childhood can not be considered as great which led to his ambition but he is not a type of person who believes in stabbing in back to get his way...
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Acting:
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Actually, the cast is not new to me.. I have seen their few works before but have not followed them... I saw Cheng Yi in L&R, but that drama was just not my cup of tea, Zeng Shun Xi in MJTY, where he was in guest role, Xiao Shun Yao and Chen Du Ling in TTEOTM...
Here, I am impressed with the acting of main leads and other actors were also good. While watching the drama, I wanted to stand up and applaud in honor of their fantastic acting abilities... Cheng Yi successfully made me his fan from now on... He portrayed Xiang Yi and Lian Hua beautifully with his tremendous acting... And portrayal by Zeng Shun Xi and Xiao Shun Yao is also worth appreciating...
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My Verdict:
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The story is quite impressive and engaging...The main theme of "The art of letting go and be content with what you have" left an impression on my heart... The mysterious cases and their link to the main conspiracy.. the enmity and friendship.. the conspiracies and regrets.. the guilt and wait.. the hilarity and sadness.. the hidden pain behind the beautiful smile.. the love and obsession.. and the ultimate goal of their lives... all are so well depicted...
But I don't have a little bit of sympathy for the main antagonists. To be honest, in halfway, I already guessed the main antagonist, perhaps I have watched so many dramas so it was pretty obvious to me...the so-called most noble and good person on the surface will turn out to be the biggest villain in the end... It's actually a very common troup... The fighting scenes are also fantastically done...
Honestly, I strongly believe, Sigu Sect can do without someone, but not without Xiang Yi... Though he did some mistakes but once he died the sect fell apart instantly... They are all so stupid, just call themselves righteous and smart detectives but never took a convincing decision to prove their intelligence... They re-established the sect but it has already lost its core ideology long ago and the remaining is just a bunch of so-called nobles who don't know where to step in and where to take backseat, also what to believe and what not...
For me, the best part of the drama is when Lian Hua, Duo Bing and Fei Sheng worked together to solve cases... The trio has one of best chemistry, I have seen so far... The way, Lian Hua and Fei Sheng kept Duo Bing in dark for so long was made me feel pity for him everytime...but their bickerings made me laugh like a fool..hahaha! Their friendship developed gradually and slowly but strongly... It took time to resolve the misunderstandings between them because as I mentioned above Lian Hua is a damn liar but considering his health condition, I can't get myself to blame him even a bit... He learned to forgive everyone but not to himself... This kinda heartbreaking everytime I see him suffering from agony of the poison... also, the guilt he had for 10 years, that brought him to brink of death and was majorly responsible for his grief and sufferings, was not entirely his fault...
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OSTs and Costumes:
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OSTs are good...
Costumes are so well done for all the characters... From Xiang Yi's beautiful and impressive red robe which has a aura of power and ambition of a young man to Lian Hua's plain and decent robes depicting his calmness and maturity are done so nicely..
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Ending and Recommendation:
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Regarding ending, I have mixed feelings about it... Is it the open ending or a sad one??? The drama left the audience to conclude the ending for themselves. It would be great if there is a second season for this...
So would I recommend it? Surely yes! There is actually no reason for me to not recommending it.... If you are missing this then you are missing a masterpiece...
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Do you know why Heroes are short-lived? Here is the answer...
............Thoughts before starting and after watching:
I wasn't sure before starting this, whether I should give it a try or not... Actually, I was new to Cdramas that time and was searching for good dramas and also not into BLs (many people titled it as BL and the novel itself is a BL).
I am glad that I watched it... I don't know how the original novel is, but this drama is not a BL for sure... It is more like a friendship drama to me.... As many fans state they feel something more than friendship between main leads... but honestly, in my region, this refers to friendship among people that one can go to this extent for his bosom friend. The main focus of drama is on the core of the story, that is very interesting and worth to be praised... So, from my perspective, it's not a BL but a friendship drama which holds so much to learn about life...to come clear, I believe, majority of fans that see it as BL are the book fans, but I respect others opinion.. so no hate to anyone.
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Plot:
The pugilist world is ruled by the powerful Wen clan, which dominates over the smaller Lan, Jiang, Jin and Nie Clans.
Qishan Wen Clan, use fire-based techniques, dominating the land with its arrogance and might but secretly practice unorthodox methods of cultivation...Residence - Nightless City...
Gusu Lan Clan, the most righteous sect, specialized in music techniques, values etiquette, discipline and orthodoxy the most, and have more than 3000 family rules... Residence - Cloud Reassess...
Yunmeng Jiang Clan, skilled in water-related techniques, values passion and compassion... Residence - Lotus Pier.
Lanling Jin Clan, the richest clan. But along with being rich, they are also equally arrogant... Residence - Golden Koi Tower.
Qinghe Nie Clan, specialized in sabre techniques. Residence - Unclean Realm.
Wei Ying, the first disciple of Jiang Clan and raised by Jiang Clan Leader, sent to Cloud Reassess along with Jiang Cheng and Jiang YanLi (children of Jiang Clan Leader) to take lessons from Lan Clan... The disciples from other clans also came to Cloud Reassess to take lessons.
While studying and training in Cloud Reassess, Wei Ying strikes up an unconventional friendship with Lan Zhan, the second son of Lan Clan Leader and one of "Twin Jades of Lan".... They accidentally discovered the secret of the Yin Metal and after following the clues, they discover that the head of the Wen clan is the evil mastermind behind a series of plots that would wreak havoc in the world. However, their attempt to foil the Wen Clan Leader's wicked plans go wrong. A series of disastrous events made Wei Ying to gave away his spiritual powers to Jiang Cheng and forced him to put his screws on "Demonic Cultivation" by practicing music, to protect himself and others...
His unmatched powers and unrestrained personality have caused almost everyone to view him as a threat and he was being ostracized to use unorthodox methods of cultivation and to protect the innocent remnants of the Wen Clan after its fall... Apart, Lan Zhan, no one was by his side at the end of the day...
And in a dramatic turn of events, Wei Ying died.
Sixteen years later, Wei Ying is revived and brought back to life by some demonic means by Mo Xuanyu... Wei Ying takes up the identity of his summoner and soon reunited with Lan Zhan and become involved in solving the mysteries of the present and finding the ultimate villain behind current conspiracies, his own death and treacherous schemes of past.
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Introduction to Key Characters:
Wei Ying (Xiao Zhan): Courtesy name "WuXian".... The infamous "Yiling Patriarch", a free-spirited, friendly, clever, mischievous and straightforward young man. Has a fearless, unrestrained and compassionate personality... renowned for his excellent swordsmanship before but later for unrivalled demonic powers... His spritual sword and demonic flute named as "Suibian" and "Chen Qing" respectively.
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Lan Zhan (Wang YiBo): Courtesy name "WangJi"..... Renowned as "Hanguang Jun", a cold and aloof person, but justice-loving, observant, clever and disciplined young man. A prodigy in both music and swordsmanship... He is the kind of person who doesn't attach himself to anyone easily, but once he does, he can go against everyone to protect his bosom friend... His spiritual sword and guqin named as "Bichen" and "Wangji" respectively.
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Jiang Cheng (Wang Zhuo Cheng): Courtesy name "WanYin".... Competitive, strict and passionate... sometimes ruthless and arrogant but still care for his loved ones... and for an age, when young, Wei Ying's partner-in-crimes.
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Wen Ning (Yu Bin): Courtesy name "Qiong Lin"... Well known as "Ghost General"... A grateful and loyal person... He is actually a very sweet and loving person but fate never do good to such type of people....
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Jin Guang Yao (Zhu Zan Jin): Got a title of "Liangfang Zun" and also known as "Meng Yao". The illegitimate son of Clan Leader Jin.... Loving, kind and humble on surface but deep down equally manipulative, shrewd, cruel and scheming.
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Nie Huai Sang (Ji Li): Second Young Master and later Leader of Nie Clan... Timid, carefree and fun-loving but truly slick and cunning from inside.
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Wen Qing (Meng Zi Yi): A well-known physician of Wen Clan... a great friend and grateful person... Skilled in swordsmanship and her medical skills are unparalleled.
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Acting:
The whole cast was new to me and I admit, the acting by the whole cast is just marvelous... Mostly artists had not much of acting experience that time, so took time to get into the characters but once they did, they gave remarkable performances... One can feel their development and improvement easily... and can't help but praising their excellent abilities from the bottom of heart....
I had never watched a drama with Xiao Zhan or Wang YiBo before this but now I am a fan of Zhan and YiBo and many of the actors worked in this drama.
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My Impressions:
Wei Ying and Lan Zhan really got my heart and I have no words to explain how my much I loved these two characters. Opposite personality like fire and ice but best friends and loyal to each other.
When Wei Ying died, he regretted his decisions because at the end of the day, he couldn't save any of them he wanted to protect and felt guilty and responsible for all those deaths.
On the other hand, Lan Zhan regretted his decisions to not support Wei Ying from very start and couldn't save him when he wanted to protect and support him.
But.. when life gave them another chance to make up for their regrets... they cherished each other 'cause Wei Ying didn't have anyone who trusted him except Lan Zhan... and Lan Zhan didn't have someone like Wei Ying who understood him the most...
Jiang Cheng , Wen Qing and Wen Ning were strong but really pitiful and I don't hate Jiang Cheng, he did everything for Wei Ying he could, despite not knowing his purpose/reason of choosing the demonic path, but gave up when he lost his whole family after the death of his sister.
Jin Guang Yao proved that villains are not born but made... I don't hate him for what he did to his father 'cause that serves him right but that does not give him right to make others' life miserable who have never hurted him.I'm surprised to see Nie Huai Sang's real abilities....the way he managed to take his revenge, left the viewer in shock. All the juniors SiZhui, JingYi, RuLan and others were pretty hilarious and amazing....
Xiao XingChen and Song ZiChen were like the shadows of Wei Ying and Lan Zhan, but life didn't give them another chance and I really hate Xue Yang for parting them, though he regretted his actions, but now there was no use for it....
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OSTs:
OSTs are heavenly... the beautiful lyrics defines the characters' personality in a poetic way... Wei Ying's flute with Lan Zhan's guqin are such an unparalleled match. The ending theme "Unrestrained" is repeating on my playlist and I can't get enough of it.
"Brew a cup of life and death's joy and grief, to honour a young man;
The bright moon is still the same, so there is no need for sadness..
Why not soar high and free as a bird with the winds and waves;
And sing this one song together to the world..
And sing this one song to the world.."
~ Unrestrained
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Pace of Story and Life Lesson:
Its pace is slow in starting but it picks up after episode 8 really well and keep the viewer hooked to it till the very end...
The main lesson I learnt from this drama is "the world only knows to shift the blame no matter how much they wronged a person, they just found some good reasons and a common target to shift the blame from one to another and never feel sorry for anyone, so do whatever you want to do without concerning the world and be true to yourself."....
"Died at the Nightless City..
Who would believe that the young man told no lies?
For justice and for a promise I took up the flute and gave up the sword...
The rumours go ahead of me..
What's the point of arguing that my loyalty is still the same?
Everything in the world involves a thousand people, with a thousand opinions and a thousand faces....."
~ Song Ends with Chen Qing (Wei WuXian)
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Recommendation:
It's a 10 star drama for me without a doubt...
I am totally satisfied with the ending but still wish for a season 2...
If you are not watching The Untamed, you are at loss buddy...you are missing a whole beautiful journey...and such a masterpiece.
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