This review may contain spoilers
Story is all over the place
I watched al of this series - 70 and while the story did have it moments of mystery and intrigue the overall writing was very poor. Good acting and scenes, costumes were amazing, Some good fight scenes but could have added more.Spoiler:
Writers enough of this Kill me please king, it's so overdone that it is annoying and out of place sometimes. Yes i do understand Asian culture but every meeting with the Emperor ends in kill me i have done wrong.
Some of the stories, well most were never completed. Why did the mother have the two kids, only partially explained. What was the purpose of the Jinshi prince in the palace for so long. How could no one recognize Zhi Wei as a woman? Why and what was the purpose of locking away Yale? The prince didn't even ask when he was reunited with his mother.
And the big skip over the Prince of Wei; changes a palace order, kills his sister, kidnaps Yale and has her killed, tries to start a coup with false evidence and NONE of this is explained or sorted out in the show. He just goes crazy and all crimes are forgotten.
The end was expected, the king returning and the suicide i saw that coming, not every story has a happy ending.
This show has so much holes on the plot and unfinished stories that even the amazing scenery and costumes can't save it.
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This review may contain spoilers
My 4 Year Closure with TROP
I really like the acting on this after rewatching it for the second time after the first which was almost 4 years ago, dang. But thankfully Croton uploaded most episodes on youtube and 1080p because, back then, I watched it at 360p and I can understand why I did not fully realize that the production was lit.First of all, the intro reminds me of the Kdrama "Empress Ki".
Second, I had to read about the characters in wikipedia especially the supporting characters because I knew they were not properly introduced, most of them, in the drama, and the dialogue centers more on Ning Yi and Feng Zi Wei's plots. I mean, first, we see Ning Yi looking like a monk in penintentiary but is actually imprisoned by his emperor dad. We learn throughout the next episodes that he is planning to go back to the palace, pretend like he's changed for the better, act sickly, and basically plot schemes while getting entangled with this woman he met on the streets who was being chased by a murderous brother. He helps the woman with the help of a mentor/professor he's close with. The woman is Feng Zhi Wei disguised as Zhi Wei, the typical trope like Mulan. My exact thoughts were: "They're gonna end up together." And then Nan Yi showed up. Change Ning to Nan and then add Yi. Handsome, Loyal, has attachment issues but grows, you see that with the ending at episode 70. With regards to Zhi Wei, I thought she was mentally and emotionally smart so the ending really strucked me, I thought she was going to show us how she've grown but the writers wrote that off instead, dang! I don't understand her story arc. With Ning Yi, he's complicated much like his parents. I believe his mentor is a healthy father figure to him if he weren't his biological father's advisor. Ning Yi managed to detain his emperor dad- now former emperor- as Ning Yi became the emperor- and avenge his mom, his younger self, his love, his 3rd brother.. I get his arc. By choosing revenge instead of loving yourself, you grow to hate yourself and lose people. Once again, the palace is a place of torment even for the head of the palace. "Scarlet Heart" vibes. They want to become commoners, and basically have equal rights. They can't when they are expected to embody imbalance (subordinate and dominate) in the palace not by themselves but by the people that surround them all the time. I mean, at first, I find the ending fitting for such a story but as I grow older, I understand the characters and their real life inspirations. I learn more of how the writing is made. The typical tropes and story arcs. How a story can be life changing, or not. For the conclusion of this story, I remember the quote, "It's the journey, not the destination." I will remember the good scenes from here and on. I find most of them comedic. I find Chen Kun's interpretation of Ning Yi endearing as he acts like how Attorney Woo Young Woo acts when amused, their expressions are strikingly similar. I like how he has a support system that also actively protects his woman for him and they all call her his cat to protect her identity. I like his bestfriend bodyguard, he seems nice, should've gave this character a love interest trope but this is a dark story (with little to no bloodshead onscreen, chinese media regulations, I have not formed a solid opinion on yet).
I know Empress Ki have a historical inspiration and I was also hoping for this one but I can't really find one on this "internet" part of the world or I have yet to.
Now that I see more clearly the costumes and aesthetics, I want more, just improve the story please. The aesthetics looks a bit similar to the animated ones and it flashes in my head everytime, like the hair buns, the women hair buns, the hemlines, the colors, even the emperors face. The new character here is the consort, I've never seen her in animation. I like how the emperor doesn't have a crown on his head too, most of the time, the younger emperor has this eunuch-like headdress but the older emperor doesn't need one, it seems. I like how the men wear down their hair, no pins, especially Ning Yi. Some of Zhi Wei's hair style were very interesting. I see why China is the fabric capital in ancient history. I like Zhi Wei's "under" dress and her almost tarmor like outer dress in Episode 70. I know it's sad but can we commemorate her journey. She's the phoenix in my opinion. From the fallen Dacheng princess to the first female Royal Inspector/Minister to being a Empress candidate but protecting her people, she has an A curve. I think the actress who portrayed her ( Ni Ni) still deserves an award for her great performance. I recently watched a "uglified" scene in YouTube and that's where I decided to rewatch this. I somehow admire the supporting characters' stories and how they somehow mystified our main characters, especially Zhi Wei, of their backgrounds that I have to remind myself to not focus too much on the supporting characters' background. It was hard. That's why I give this drama 6.5 stars.
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No spoilers ! jus real impressions what I got from ! ))
One of the super must watch dramas! She is just wonderful! So sensual and smart that you just can not come off!For those who like intrigues, to understand people's souls and also learn to understand even more))) and also, about physiognomy ... it's interesting to watch the facial expressions of the characters) ..
Although the themes about intrigue are eternal, everything is shown here so subtly and the actors expressed everything so brilliantly and naturally that I think .. I miss this drama ahah)) it not only teaches a lot but also shows that revenge can be not only cold but also beautiful and also dips into the world of sensual glances where you can say more without words ... than if it were said ..
It's definitely worth watching again!
All the actors are chosen harmoniously! I think that's why the series turned out to be very epic.
Ni Ni .. amazing actress) not only cute but everything, absolutely all projects with her are successful and interesting and her acting is beautiful! I would say at the highest level, because when you watch her play, it seems like she is imbued with the character she plays! Everything is so natural!
The same can be said about Chen Kun… the perfect duet! I don’t even know if this series would have become top if there was another actor paired with Ni Ni .. well, except maybe Cheng Chang.
Chen Kun is a master of sensual images)))! He always plays well! what is worth only one of his mysterious eyes! (he is not only a stunningly handsome actor but also very very talented) .. and I think he perfectly expresses feelings and emotions with his eyes .. so subtly and deeply .. not every actor can do that ..
If the movie was silent, it would definitely take 1st place if Chen Kun starred in it))
Although the series ends a bit sad... it's a pity they didn't end up together (typical Asian pride and self-sacrifice for a higher purpose) it's still great nonetheless! I think if they made a sequel .. it would turn out no less enchanting than the first season!
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The ending although not ideal and a little bit rushed , makes you appreciate the whole road and not the destination of the drama. The characters were too smart and too rightful for the world.
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Great story with the worst ending ever
"The Rise of Phoenixes" offers a visually rich and promising historical drama that unfortunately falls victim to a major flaw: the frustrating decisions made by the heroine. While the series presents an intriguing setting and captivating premise, it is overshadowed by the inconsistent and often maddening choices of its lead character.The production values, including intricate costume design and stunning visuals, create an immersive world that draws you in. The potential for compelling character arcs and intricate relationships is evident, yet the heroine's actions consistently undermine the overall narrative.
As the story unfolds, the decisions made by the main character become increasingly illogical and infuriating, leading to a sense of detachment from her journey. The lack of coherence in her choices not only hampers the character's growth but also leaves viewers questioning her motivations.
Despite its strengths, "The Rise of Phoenixes" struggles to maintain its appeal due to the frustrating character decisions that dominate the storyline. If you're able to overlook this significant flaw and appreciate the series' other aspects, you might find some enjoyment in it. However, if inconsistent character behavior heavily impacts your viewing experience, it's best to approach this drama with caution.
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I really don't like stupid FL. Intelligence and knowledge is not wisdom. Zhi Wei is one of the dumbest FLs I've met. But the actress is great.
ML is an interesting character, I don't like the actor's acting though. He's too theatrical, too over-the-top, he gave me an unpleasant impression of theatrical insanity from the beginning. I would prefer Ning Yi to be played in a more subtle way, where the viewer is able to sense his emotions instead of being whacked over the head with them.
I don't like the ending. To me it is, um, too theatrical. It's logical, it follows the plot, it makes pretty good sense, but it didn't give me satisfaction.
All in all, this is a very good drama, well made, definitely worth recommending and watching. It kept me up all night. However, it's an intellectual drama, not an entertaining one, so it's not a title that's easy to watch and sometimes it can be tiring. 8/10
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Watch this instead of House of Cards
Obviously the House of Cards comparison is a stretch but this is undoubtedly a political drama through and through. Yes, there is a strong romance plot most of the way through but it's heavily embedded in the political plot mechanisms.I think the acting and the characters of this drama are superb. The ML and FL especially break free of most historical Cdrama tropes. So that in itself kept me engaged: I wanted to see their developments arcs. And except for the ending, as noted in every other review, the series delivered.
What let Rise of the Phoenixes down for me was the plot. At first, I enjoyed that the writers had prioritised the political plot over the romantic one (normally in these types of dramas, the formers serves just as a prop for the latter). However, at around the half way point, the pacing became bogged down. From there on in, I felt like I was wading through molasses. It was still worth it in the end purely for a few of the support characters that were put on more display in later episodes.
I've now seen this series twice despite the drawbacks but I still don't think I'd recommend it. I don't know, it's a tricky one.
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Great
It worth watching 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍Their chemistry is amazing
Unfortunately there is no enough romance scene here.
and we need a second season and a third season 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍
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Power struggles and a love story destined to end in tragedy
This was my very first chinese drama. I got wind of it on Instagram and just saw someone gushing over Chen Kun so I checked it out and watched the trailer which led me to Netflix where I started watching it. The chinese language was completely new to me at this point (I watched it with english subtitles) but it didn't take long for me to get used to it. I had only watched anime in japanese up to that point so I wasn't used to a new language. I pretty much binge-watched this drama which was due to the mindblowing performances of Ni Ni and Chen Kun because they totally nailed their roles. The way he brought his character to life was unbelievably mesmerizing which was why I was so glued to the screen the entire time while clicking on "Next Episode" like someone close to starving. Me who had never seen any chinese themed drama before in her life, was enchanted by the setting, the costumes and the politics. Some things in this drama aren't historically accurate (i researched it) but the fact that an eunuch would announce Ning Yi's arrival every time he was summoned by the emperor was hilarious yet fascinating to me. This drama basically set the foundation of my newly found obsession with chinese historical dramas and will forever have a special place in my heart, especially with the way it ended.I probably won't rewatch this in the near future because it made me cry like a bitch. The music was beautiful and fit each scene perfectly. I loved the political intrigue (it's also one of my favorite tropes in books) and how some plot twists unraveled. Overall a drama absolutely worth my time.
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This review may contain spoilers
One day, all love is lost to time
Life and death gets in the way.Ning Yi and Zhiwei love each other like a disease infecting and eating away, hollowing out, there is nothing living left inside.
Finding themselves key players in the perfect storm, balancing the scales with imperfect, sharp intellects, cutting each other with a thousand little cuts along the way.
They like to play, bleed and hurt.
Life and death happen to us, and forks the road into something uncertain.
This awaits us all.
then
So.many.people.die
''I should have just married her then''
yeah
Nobody walks off into the sunset, nobody.
Time changes people,
makes people cruel and twists love into something ugly.
Love is tragic by design
Some people fall in their prime and their love becomes ageless, untainted and legendary.
One for the annals.
Is your life about how you end?
Of course not, it’s the journey.
If you could peek at your final page, would you rather have never lived at all?
How these people love, is beautiful
Chose to watch this drama - because ALL love is one day lost to time, but these two people make you BELIEVE.
That’s what a good story is,
it makes a BELIEVER out of you.
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This review may contain spoilers
"The Only Thing Left Between Us Are Goodbyes"
TROP was one hell of a watch that consumed every part of me.I binged the entire 70 episodes in mere 5 days and I am still mind blown by this masterpiece.
It's hard to start the review because I want to cover a lot of things without spoiling potentional viewers.
Let me break it down to: The Good, The Characters and The Pain & Problems (the last one will contain spoilers)
THE GOOD:
The production quality of this drama is by the best I have ever seen by a (chinese) historical and every-single-episode was a cinematic experience.
What sets this drama apart from all other historical is for one the outstanding performance by Chen Kun as Prince Ning Yi, but also how the story was set up.
There is no "one" villain that needs to be defeated, rather everyone had their reasons for scheming and every few episodes we were introduced to another unique character. I have to give it up for the scriptwriters, not a single re-occuring character in this drama was a copy-paste plot device. They all had loved ones, goals and ways to survive (or not, lol).
THE CHARACTERS:
Ning Yi is very eccentric and his days as a tailor, spending his time with his trusted squad, flirting with and teasing our female lead Wei Zhi / Fang Zhiwei were absolute EYE CANDY. In the early episodes he reminded me of Willy Wonka... sounds funny right? But the actor is truly amazing and shines in all ways.
My absolute favorite moments were when they'd save each other from dire situations. They both had their own strengths.
I loved that neither could control the other and a bonus for me was they were both the same height, so it seemed even more so like they are equal - even though the ML is a prince. Their feelings for each other grow quietly but their glances are INTENSE.
However, do not expect to see them as a happy-go-lucky couple. Because this is mainly a fight-for-the-throne drama, there are also episodes where the leads barely see each other - but I promise it's worth it.
I also want to say that there are really good other characters in this drama and our two leads share equal screen time with them.
What I loved:
+ ML & FL teasing (the facial expressions around her are crazy hot and oh the biting... not gonna say more ;))
+ the friendship between the old Emperor & Wei Zhi when it lasted was very nice
+ Prince Helian Zheng; especially the salt and dancing scene
THE PAIN & PROBLEMS (ending spoilers ahead)
I often read about the last 10-20 episodes being bad and I somewhat disagree. Yes, it hurt but mainly the last 3 episodes.
The drama is heavy throughout and you have to hold your breath a lot but it's just SOO GOOD.
++ ending spoiler & interpretation ++
The ending itself was mainly heartbreaking because Ning Yi stares directly into the camera for the last few seconds, breaking the fourth wall. Not gonna say more BUT if you truly listen to the last few words you can sense hope, especially since in Chinese beliefs being reborn is not uncommon. + the novel version of the drama continues after the drama ending and gives a happy ending that I chose to belief in.
HOWEVER in the last 2 episodes it became evident that there was no hope for their love in this life, although one part was still holding one. Like sand it slipped through their hands, - we were so close but then we were so far.
I believe their love will start anew in another life as tailor and racoon.
I want to end this review with a quote near the end...
It's where I believe that the romance ended:
"Ning Yi, why are always saying goodbye?"
"Maybe the only thing left between us are goodbyes"
... and despite it's flaws this is the best historical cdrama I have ever watched.... I mean I watched this within 5 days and while having strawberry week. So I was already a mess. Ok now I gotta go cry.
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This review may contain spoilers
Impressive!
This was the first C-drama that I've ever watched just because I stumbled over it on Netflix. I didn't know that it had such a bad (in literally every sense) ending until I was punched in the gut after 70 episodes, but until then I thoroughly enjoyed it. Knowing how it ends (in the series, not the book) will not keep me from re-watching this and savouring every episode, but it makes me want to read the book as well...The acting is phenomenal and the main characters are well developed. The romantic leads make a nice coupe and have great chemistry. The setting and costumes are a feast for the eyes. The music is pleasant and inobtrusive.
The gender-switching bit in the middle had me a bit confused. As this was my first C-drama I was not yet familiar with the premise that as soon as a woman dresses up as a man she becomes unrecognisable and everybody takes her for a man. I loved the way humour appears throughout the drama in the dialogues.
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