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The New Standard for Xianxia
What a wonderful drama! If you're like me and LOVE xianxia dramas but tire of all the old tropes and angst, this one won't disappoint!
The Story:
The story itself is truly nothing new but while it has the standard formula for a xianxia drama, this one stands out in how it tweaks the usual old tropes and makes it comedic or resolves it almost immediately. I don't think I've ever seen a xianxia where I'm laughing my butt off in one scene and bawling my eyes out the next. As with all dramas of this genre, it's not the goal but the journey that matters.
The Characters:
I honestly cannot sing enough praises for all the characters in the drama! They were all magnificent!
Obviously, let's start with the two lead couples. At the start, it's portrayed as if these twin sisters; one kind and demure while the other is brass and boisterous, have met their match in their complete opposites once their sedans are switched. It seems as if You Qin's firm, no-nonsense self will balance out Ye Tan's free-spirited and mischievous energy while Qing Kui's kind, empathetic personality will taper down Chao Feng's cunning behavior. While this does seem to be the case as paths intercross and feelings are created, viewers can actually see how similar each sister is to their respective "wrong" grooms.
I find that a fault in xianxia dramas is how the free-spirited female lead often refuses to change herself and the male lead, being so in love with the female lead, indulges in her reckless behavior. I love how that isn't the case in this drama. As we get to know the characters, we soon see that the mistaken couples aren't opposites at all. Like Ye Tan, You Qin is rebellious, mischievous, and more harsh in his punishments. He's never just the willing participants to Ye Tan's chaos, he's actually the instigator which makes for hilarious scenes where they can't get reprimanded because of his status. Likewise, though devious, Chao Feng is as empathetic, sentimental, kind, and loyal as Qing Kui is. It's not their differences that drew them to their respective mates, it's their similarities. The only similarity You Qin and Qing Kui have in their optimism in giving others the benefit of the doubt while Chao Feng and Ye Tan are more jaded by life and therefore are more antagonistic.
Another exception to the xianxia trope is how there's no unnecessary drama. You Qin/Ye Tan's relationship follows the cute banter, slow burn romance while Chao Feng/Qing Kui have the more standard outline but what each have in common is the sincerity present in both. Both couples declare their feelings immediately and rush to clear all misunderstandings which allows for so many lovely moments rather than angst. There's also the way the couples are around each other. They are constantly touching whether it's embracing, holding hands, or just standing so close as if they can't get enough of each other. They are also always rushing to get back to the other. It's how you would expect real couples to react to each other and I adore their obsessions with their significant others.
Let's not forget all the side characters too! I've never seen a drama filled with devotion and understanding like this drama. Whether they are on the same or opposing sides, the level of loyalty between characters is awe-inspiring. It makes for a lot of scene-stealing, tear-jerking moments scattered throughout the entire drama. I'd give a special shout out to the Chao Feng-Hai Chao and Ye Tan-Man Man friendship. Both were done differently, but so exceptionally well. I don't think I've ever mourned a side character before Man Man and that speaks to how big of an impact she had on Ye Tan's life. I really can't recall a scene where she wasn't by Ye Tan's side (unless Ye Tan was with another character).
And it's definitely not just the friendships but also the familial relationships as well. The only other sisterly bond I've praised was Li Chang Ge and Li Le Yan of The Long Ballad, but now Ye Tan and Qing Kui have pushed them down to #2. Their loyalty and love for each other is so incredibly beautiful!! I can't get over how wonderful their relationship was and ironically, it was because of this wonderful relationship that served as the rock which caused the ripple effect that created this entire drama in the first place.
The Background:
If there's one thing I'll continuously praise, it's how You Qin is deserving of being the crown prince of Heaven. Normally celestials rule heaven because it's just told that they do. Here, I find You Qin to actually be worthy of his status. He's quite literally the Prince of the Stars. One of his major duties is creating star formations and releasing constellations into the night sky. His very birth is tied to falling stars and his magical powers manifests as strings of constellations. Whoever thought of that detail was a genius! It's so aesthetically beautiful to watch!
I can't sing enough praises for this drama and all it's actors/actresses. Chen Xing Xu and Li Landi have said in an interview that they believe their acting styles to be the same and I feel like viewers can actually see that onscreen. Both actors play off each other extremely well and it makes their characters so much more pleasing to watch when their bickering turns to respect and eventually to love. Li Landi is such an expressive actress and I find myself rewatching scenes to see which of her reactions I could've missed in my first viewing of this drama. I honestly can't wait to see what future projects this cast has in the future!
At only 40 episodes, this drama has no time to waste in its storytelling but thankfully, it isn't to the detriment of the drama as a whole. This drama was definitely a wonderful surprise and a sure re-watch for me for times to come!
The Story:
The story itself is truly nothing new but while it has the standard formula for a xianxia drama, this one stands out in how it tweaks the usual old tropes and makes it comedic or resolves it almost immediately. I don't think I've ever seen a xianxia where I'm laughing my butt off in one scene and bawling my eyes out the next. As with all dramas of this genre, it's not the goal but the journey that matters.
The Characters:
I honestly cannot sing enough praises for all the characters in the drama! They were all magnificent!
Obviously, let's start with the two lead couples. At the start, it's portrayed as if these twin sisters; one kind and demure while the other is brass and boisterous, have met their match in their complete opposites once their sedans are switched. It seems as if You Qin's firm, no-nonsense self will balance out Ye Tan's free-spirited and mischievous energy while Qing Kui's kind, empathetic personality will taper down Chao Feng's cunning behavior. While this does seem to be the case as paths intercross and feelings are created, viewers can actually see how similar each sister is to their respective "wrong" grooms.
I find that a fault in xianxia dramas is how the free-spirited female lead often refuses to change herself and the male lead, being so in love with the female lead, indulges in her reckless behavior. I love how that isn't the case in this drama. As we get to know the characters, we soon see that the mistaken couples aren't opposites at all. Like Ye Tan, You Qin is rebellious, mischievous, and more harsh in his punishments. He's never just the willing participants to Ye Tan's chaos, he's actually the instigator which makes for hilarious scenes where they can't get reprimanded because of his status. Likewise, though devious, Chao Feng is as empathetic, sentimental, kind, and loyal as Qing Kui is. It's not their differences that drew them to their respective mates, it's their similarities. The only similarity You Qin and Qing Kui have in their optimism in giving others the benefit of the doubt while Chao Feng and Ye Tan are more jaded by life and therefore are more antagonistic.
Another exception to the xianxia trope is how there's no unnecessary drama. You Qin/Ye Tan's relationship follows the cute banter, slow burn romance while Chao Feng/Qing Kui have the more standard outline but what each have in common is the sincerity present in both. Both couples declare their feelings immediately and rush to clear all misunderstandings which allows for so many lovely moments rather than angst. There's also the way the couples are around each other. They are constantly touching whether it's embracing, holding hands, or just standing so close as if they can't get enough of each other. They are also always rushing to get back to the other. It's how you would expect real couples to react to each other and I adore their obsessions with their significant others.
Let's not forget all the side characters too! I've never seen a drama filled with devotion and understanding like this drama. Whether they are on the same or opposing sides, the level of loyalty between characters is awe-inspiring. It makes for a lot of scene-stealing, tear-jerking moments scattered throughout the entire drama. I'd give a special shout out to the Chao Feng-Hai Chao and Ye Tan-Man Man friendship. Both were done differently, but so exceptionally well. I don't think I've ever mourned a side character before Man Man and that speaks to how big of an impact she had on Ye Tan's life. I really can't recall a scene where she wasn't by Ye Tan's side (unless Ye Tan was with another character).
And it's definitely not just the friendships but also the familial relationships as well. The only other sisterly bond I've praised was Li Chang Ge and Li Le Yan of The Long Ballad, but now Ye Tan and Qing Kui have pushed them down to #2. Their loyalty and love for each other is so incredibly beautiful!! I can't get over how wonderful their relationship was and ironically, it was because of this wonderful relationship that served as the rock which caused the ripple effect that created this entire drama in the first place.
The Background:
If there's one thing I'll continuously praise, it's how You Qin is deserving of being the crown prince of Heaven. Normally celestials rule heaven because it's just told that they do. Here, I find You Qin to actually be worthy of his status. He's quite literally the Prince of the Stars. One of his major duties is creating star formations and releasing constellations into the night sky. His very birth is tied to falling stars and his magical powers manifests as strings of constellations. Whoever thought of that detail was a genius! It's so aesthetically beautiful to watch!
I can't sing enough praises for this drama and all it's actors/actresses. Chen Xing Xu and Li Landi have said in an interview that they believe their acting styles to be the same and I feel like viewers can actually see that onscreen. Both actors play off each other extremely well and it makes their characters so much more pleasing to watch when their bickering turns to respect and eventually to love. Li Landi is such an expressive actress and I find myself rewatching scenes to see which of her reactions I could've missed in my first viewing of this drama. I honestly can't wait to see what future projects this cast has in the future!
At only 40 episodes, this drama has no time to waste in its storytelling but thankfully, it isn't to the detriment of the drama as a whole. This drama was definitely a wonderful surprise and a sure re-watch for me for times to come!
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