By the end of the show, I was so sick of the repetitive emotional onslaughts I had to endure with my frail heart. With the noble idiot trope being repeated almost every episode, I was going to take a leaf from the battered protagonists and cough up blood myself. Unfortunately only Yang Zi and Allen Ren could pull off this stunt every episode and still look so damn good that you want to keep watching them ruin each other only to reunite in sweet, tender moments then repeat the abuse again.
After nursing my heartbreak at the end of 60 episodes, I look back on the experience with sudden realisation - WTF was I thinking? WTF was everyone thinking? There were too many plot holes, illogical decisions, haphazard pacing with no real climax and a lame antagonist that wasn't even a real threat since he was reduced to being a deranged lovesick puppy. In fact, all the antagonists were so useless they only served as props to set the stage for our OTP's wretched relationship. Even the side characters' storylines were equally afflicted.
What an epic waste! All the top stars, beautiful costumes, ethereal cinematography couldn't save our OTPs from their anguish. And I grieved alongside this state of absolute despair. If the intention of the show was to bring sorrow to all viewers, it definitely succeeded.
But why, oh why? After all that stupidity, I couldn't decide if all my suffering in my viewing was worth it, just like how the show couldn't decide if it wanted the characters' sacrifices to be worth it. The end was totally confusing and ambiguous. By then, I had no idea what was going on anymore...the journey seemed so meaningless. I could only feel relief all that ordeal was over so I could snap. out. of. it.
Well, at least there was good music and I could watch the beautiful OTPs enact all that glory cum misery. Watch only if you are a sadomasochist.
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Also fa hai(the monk) is nice in here he wasn’t just an evil guy trying to exterminate everyone.
The acting from all characters surprised me since it’s my first time watching any of them act, and they did a pretty good job. There wasn’t any overly dramatic acting or plot.
The cgi is pretty good and xiao bai in the snake form is just too cuteeeeee!
The music is decent mostly the opening I liked it a lot.
What I didn’t like was just how the black dragon kept trying to harm xiao bai the whole time and I’m just like seriously she’s saved you... like he’s suppose to be smart since he got the dragon king’s son to listen to him but no he mistakes everyone else for his savior.
So if you like a naive but strong female lead, smart but caring male lead, and cute supporting characters that are loyal to the people they care then yeah you should watch this show. Overall 10/10
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This review may contain spoilers
I love the story, the music, the animation, the special effects, the rythme of the story, and the acting of the actors is great. However, in the end when Bai Yao Yao meets Zi Xuan with his white hair, the episode finishes too fast the minute they meet. I wish if they kept the meeting a little longer. I know they showed different things before that not sure if she was dreaming or it actually happened when they met in the water, anyways the end is a bit puzzling. Overall the story, acting and the music were great, and I am still re-watching it. Was this review helpful to you?
The story however, was not good.
All of the mess was created by the deities, including the heavenly ruler, and Crane’s jealousy of Bai Yao Yao and Zi Juan’s love. Yet it is Bai Yao Yao and Zi Juan a.k.a Xu Xuan that suffered the consequences. Bai Yao Yao was blamed the most.
Moreover, if they heavenly ruler is of the demon clan, then why demons are looked down upon? This track should have been explored.
Bai Yao Yao prowess was not shown significant for someone with one thousand years of cultivation. Other characters were able to develop, enhance and harness their prowess in shorter time.
Bai Yao Yao should have been able to defeat Ling Neng. By the way, Ling Neng gotta away free of all her crimes, she was not punished.
The leads were shown to have made so many promises to each other; however, they rarely communicated when it came to make decisions. In some ways this lead to the leads making the same mistakes repeatedly.
People can change their destiny and heaven is not cruel as portrayed in this show. God is not cruel.
And two people like Bai Yao Yao and Zi Juan a.k.a Xu Xuan who love each other so much unconditionally can definitely change their destiny. True Love even makes God bow down; love is the secret to like. Love is what makes the world go round and round. The makers failed to show this.
The demon emperor and Taitoie track a complete waste since neither was “bad” in the first place. As mentioned in the beginning of this review, the whole mess was created by the leader of the heaven, the deities and Crane, but Bai Yao Yao and Zi Juan a.k.a Xu Xuan suffered. Also Ling Chu and the green snake.
The makers need to make season two With the same actors showing Bai Yao Yao and Zi Juan a.k.a Xu Xuan happily together forever. Also Ling Chu and the green snake.
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This is another drama with Yang Zi in main role I saw. First time in drama Battle of Chansha, the second time in my most favorite chinese drama Ashes of Love and the third time here - in drama The Destiny of White Snake. I love her character and chemistry with main actor in every drama where she always play the naive and innocent one, where she causes one trouble after another and her hero will always save her.In this drama is also like in Ashes of Love beautiful costumes, amazing actors and storyline (even though it was a little dragging in the beginning, but i think it's normal standard for long chinese dramas).
Though from actors in this drama I know only Yang Zi I liked everyone and they acting skills.
I think The Destiny of White Snake is far away from title "masterpiece", but it's good one. The story tell us about Bai Yao Yao, about white snake who dreaming about becoming a human with two legs and hands, and about Xu Xuan who is a healer. The story started when Zi Xuan (Ren Jia Lun) and Ling Chu (Mao Zi Jun) who must be become immortal human being to compete in order to know who would gain the victory. Since then, Ling Chu would challenge Zi Xuan whenever he has opportunity.
Little white snake hasn’t gotten her human form she was discipline of Li Shan Sheng Mu. She is also a little bit lazy and love to eat. The two meet one day when Bai Yao Yao gets into battle between Xu Xuan and Ling Chu. She becomes Xu Xuans disciples, gotten the human form and Xu Xuan start teach her how to write, read, playing "chinese chees" and more.
As time passed, Xu Xuan and Little White Snake have fallen in love but the fate that made by heaven just too cruel for both. Xu Xuan was losing his core soul, Little White Snake gave up her chance to be immortal-being and stayed to be demon snake who traveled around to find the way to gather Xu Xuan soul so that he could live again.
When she finally find Xu Xuan, he hasn't memories about Bai Yao Yao. She is sad and lonely, but they meet each other again. It's on Peach Blossom Festival. They hit each other when Bai Yao Yao lost in the crowd looking for her friend with whom she came there. Xu Xuan attention catches salesman who shouted "fresh snake for sale!". He came to him and bought the snake which he then released to freedom. After that he disappeared again. (In this part of story is the peach blossom background - small pink petals falling down to the ground, crying Bai Yao Yao hidden behind the tree trunk and fascinated Xu Xuan).
Her curiosity led her to Apothecary House where she became a snake to hide from soldiers. With them enter in House Xu Xuan too and she finds out he is the lord of this place. But Xu Xuan take this little white snake with him just because he wants make cure. At least that was what it looked like at the beginning, but he actually wants to heal her. They meets again before this and Bai Yao Yao will offer to help him make cure for Leng Ning, but she disappear when Bai Yao Yao heal her in Apothecary House. After that relationship between Bai Yao Yao and Xu Xuan get worse but it doesn't take long because Bai Yao Yao save Leng Ning and after that she helps Xu Xuang (who is possesed with demon) to recover. She tell him he must live his own life, not a life like the lord of Apothecary House so he begins to doubt and ask her if they know each other from past, he ask if he lost his memory. But Bai Yao Yao denied it, she tell him she only want for him to be happy. Since then she try her best to heal Xu Xuang in all possible ways that proves to us not only how strong is her love for him but also how strong she is like a person.
I was really surprised when comes scenes where Leng Ning confessed to Xu Xuan. My heart stopped for a moment but I felt relieved when Xu Xuan tell her he hasn't feelings for her and he sees her as a sister. After another misunderstanding between Bai Yao Yao and Xu Xuan she decided to leave because of the wedding he decided to plan. He walk her to the bridge and say her "Today, I only want you to remenber the lights on this bridge. From now on, no matter happy or sad, you can come look for me here. If the weather is good I can hold an umbrella for you to block The sunshine. If you are sad, it's fine too. I can wipe your tears for you."
I really like the scene when Bai Yao Yao standing on the bridge after some time staring at the raging river and crying. In the moment on the bridge appears Xu Xuang and after a few words he kisses her forehead. It seemed like the two of them had a relationship they both wanted, but Yao Yao was started to have worries. Is she good enough for him? Will he love her despite being a demon?
I must say (even if i doesn't like it) the story became a bit boring towards the end, but i still love it. Just because of the amazing acting my most favorite Yang Zi. I gave this drama rating 8.5/10 because of the two endings. I'm still a bit uncertain and I don't know what to think about it.
So I would end my review like this:
There is most beautiful scenes in this drama, but my most favorite are those scenes with peach blossoms background. This scenes are so sweet and beautiful.
This dramas is a little bit worse then Ashes of Love but I enjoyed it and I think if someone like wuxia dramas like me this drama don't dissappoint.
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Okay, I am a die hard fan of C drama. I am a chinese so I pretty much understood the show without any subs, and it was heartbreaking. My god. I have watched Princess Agents before, and that got me crying for so long. This show gives a very different kind of pain, an almost bittersweet ending with its ending. This show gets frustrating sometimes if you realise how much the main 2 girl leads caused trouble and screwed up basically... well, everything. However, it is touching to watch and see the 2 male leads struggle to understand their emotions and discover what the hell is true love. This is shown, in a very heartbreaking way at the end of the last few episodes. One pair is those: I like you but I cannot like you because you're a demon.... shit but I really like you! and then regret not showing their feelings.
The other pair (main lead couple) basically have at least some good scenes and heartwarming episodes of them being together. All the characters acting are superB, especially Yang Zi. If I am not wrong she is only 26, and her acting surpasses a lot of older actresses. She's extremely good at crying and her tears just makes her character pop out. This is my first drama regarding the White Snake but I have no objections in regards of how the White Snake was portrayed as.
I do really wish they can figure out the ending properly... What's with the ending being (SPOILER BELOW, kind of. Main leads die but I don't say who)
so unsure? One of the main lead basically kills him/herself because the other died. But then the show ends with a MV potraying the one who died coming back, and shielding the lead who was preparing to commit suicide. So... is the ending both of them dead? Or they both lived? We might never know.
The soundtrack at the end for the MV... MY GOD. It just hurts. It was a heartbreaking way to end the show and I hate and LOVE the director at the same time. Goddamn it.
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The drama - 60 episodes - is a rollercoaster, its a tragic love story, but is a new twist on the classic white snake legend. I think they did a good job overall. Lots of wuxia/xianxia terms which can get confusing as there is so much focus on their destinies. STORY: The pacing for 60 episodes was good, there was always something happening in an episode but there was a lot of wuxia/xianxia dialogue that didn't add much to the plot at the time (mostly concerns, reasoning, characters arguing why x shouldn't do this but they end up doing it anyway). The story managed to drift far enough from the source material to make it different, but still close enough to stay true to the love story. There were many sweet scenes of the couple, allowing the relationship to develop well, and so much sacrifice between the couples, it was crazy. I thought there was too much focus on the side couple and the Taotie drama would not end, with the higher ups not really doing anything and sticking to destiny all the time.
CHARACTERS: *minor spoilers*
Bai Yaoyao - BYY developed a lot throughout the drama, maturing a lot but I was annoyed that her powers barely developed. She became "very" human, her love for XX wasn't annoying and she was willing to sacrifice so much for him.
ZiXuan/XuXuan - I think they showed his progression into loving her so well, especially when he was XX. Annoyed though that he didn't trust BYY enough for certain things and kept being her knight in shining armour, but that's love I guess.
Xiaobai - my least favourite character. no development whatsoever, basically caused all the drama to happen...
Fahai - I liked him in the beginning, but when FH happened, I really started to dislike him as he was a let down in the story. However, I think he was written well in that you could see his internal struggle between love and knowing what his destiny/path well.
ACTING: Yangzi managed to encapsulate both the cuteness and seriousness of BYY through her voice, which I loved. Allen Ren was good in that he could show subtle emotions on his face, as his character is. Under utilised Carina Lau and Angie Chiu!
ENDING: ****spoilers***** As expected, but slightly confusing. I would say it wasn't a sad or happy ending.
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I watched it a second time and enjoyed it better initially. I thought I would come back and improve my ratings but changed my mind during the last one-third of the drama. The pace slowed, and became very verbose and draggy. As most of the mysteries were already uncovered, there were not much holding my attention. Although there was an unexpected revelation towards the end, it did not add to the suspense during the drama. As it proceed further, it felt even boring as events were more of the same.
I am not impressed with the female characters - pretty but mostly dumb - not the type I am impressed with.
The story was haphazard with a lot of contradictions, many times within the same episode. It almost seemed like the story was made up as the drama was produced and moved along. However, it would still keep you captivated as you want to know what is going on.
There was a lot of crying and tantrums as each character insisted on doing things their way to the extend I find it tiring to watch - just want to slap them. The drama had failed to stir any emotion in me.
Characters in the story are suicidal and masochistic - not healthy mental states.
The heavenly emperors are so bureaucratic that at times I sympathise with the demon king.
I heard this so many times in the drama - 'you go; no, we go together' - just to create some suspense as danger was imminent and the characters are engaged in this tag-of-war. It was so cliche.
If you make season 2, please improve the script.
Overall, not too impressed with how the story is put together but I am giving it an 8 for the strong cast.
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The storylines were enough to take your breath away because of the courses of actions they've taken, the cinematography was superb, the characters were so convincing that they would let you laugh, smile, hang, and cry and the fact that they're cuties? adds to the amazing scenes. There's an element of excitement as well that would make you watch more and more episodes, the characrters actually compliment each other. The main leads confronted much challenges and sufferings that would make the viewers jump to the next episode just to apeace their feelings that brought about by the unending mistakes of the characters not to mention the destiny of the other lovers (Qi Xiao and Xiao Qing). The storyline evolved on how to resolve mistakes after mistakes committed by the main leads. I loved the story actually, otherwise, I wouldn't watch this till the end. But the falling action in my honest opinion, ruined the whole story, which is actually the ending part, very dissapointing. Xu Xian fought til the end for her love thus commited mistakes along the way, Bai promised to fight till the end as well to the point of sacrificing herself for the sake of her husband and for the people. As if showing her heroism, she decided to ultimately sacrifice of her life to amend for her sins and to free her husband and the people from much more sufferings to come. But, why, suddenly, the loneliness and longing ate her up and resorted to that drawning part. I was really disappointed with the story, as if there's no lesson learned amidst the series of tragedies that happened between them and their friends, which I think is more than enough to make them stronger and durable. And the last episode is somewhat buffling to me. The small twist in the storyline doesn't make sense and quite confounding. I don't understand who really are those lovers on the bridge. Are they real? Did Xu Xian really resurrect and rescue his beloved in the waters? Is he real after the destroyance of his spirit? Are they alive... or they're just....ghosts? That's really obscure, although, I like it, I felt like I fell off from my chair wondering... how did it happen...? Was this review helpful to you?
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FRUSTRATING!!!!
I actually liked this in the beginning, but it fell through for me from episode 52, and mostly because of the Demon Emperor and Bai Yao Yao. I really thought BYY and Xu Xuan were the most tragic characters in this story, but no, it's the Demon Emperor. And it's the same situation for me as with Ashes of Love and Ruanyu. Both characters did things that were inexcusable, but in the end, it was their fates that led them to those ends. Thing is, if it was the leads with an unfair fate, you know they're more likely to get to their happy ending than other side characters, even less villain characters. But their happy ending with the DE's ending could not make me happy.I really hate it when they do this to a character, not exactly good but not necessarily the big evil of the world. I know it should count as good writing that even the villain is multi-faceted, but then we have an idiot like Taotie running around through the whole series and only dies out around episode 50 as well, and he was annoying for most of the time he was on screen, only his death made him somewhat sympathetic. But usually, I can accept a villain's death/tragic end no matter how sympathetic I feel towards them because they deserved it by their actions, but I just could not accept it in this case, and it's mostly because of BYY. Everyone in this world made mistakes in one way or another BYY herself made mistakes, and she championed for others who had done the same. But somehow the DE is supposed to be the biggest villain in this story and I just don't see it.
Do people just not know how to talk? How to communicate? HOW TO FREAKING EMPATHIZE!!! If someone other than his subordinates had done that for him, and especially BYY who he actually cared about, then I might have been able to accept it, but her attitude just made me dislike her character.
Even Jin Mi in Ashes of Love had some final words for Ruanyu when she was dying. But then she'd actually known him from the beginning. I didn't even finish that series, but watched a lot of clips that made me stop watching in the first 10 episodes because I knew I'd be hurting at the end for Ruanyu instead of being happy for her and Xu Feng.
Bai Yao Yao was a frustrating character in the beginning. It was understandable that she made mistakes because she didn't understand, having only just transformed into a human. But by around episode 52 when things go head to head with the demon emperor, I just can't like her anymore. She will literally empathize with every other character, no matter what evil they've done or atrocities they've committed, but she was in a position to do something about the Demon Emperor and she had zero empathy. SHE EVEN SHOWS EMPATHY TOWARDS TAOTIE OF ALL CREATURES! The entire time they met him in episode 54, she and Xu Xuan talk about how Taotie got HER into trouble and gave them a hard time, but no talk about the many people that ended up dying thanks to the plague he spread, not to mention the ones he killed personally.
And, when she had the moment to play it smart with the Demon Emperor, she completely threw it. When he, Xu Xuan and Qi Xiao(? I can never remember Ling Chu's reincarnated name) were in the temple and he started the Lotus Fire with his blood and flesh so all three of them could burn, she decided to drain water from West Lake to put out the fire and save Xu Xuan. She was TOLD that it would have consequences for the mortals, but she didn't care. When she could have literally asked the DE to give her his heart so she could stab it, and he likely would have agreed because he was dying anyway, after transferring his fate, and the fate he stole from Qi Xiao to her. In the end, there was a flood in the city, and her stupidity caused the death of many, including the baby of Xu Xuan's older human sister. She caused this knowingly for her own selfishness instead of being a bit crafty with the demon emperor, or at least trying to understand him and his motivations and working a way around it, she chose the selfish route and hurt a lot of people. Many died, others were injured, there were losses. Because demons came out to help, there was understanding with the humans, but I truly don't think it would have lasted THAT long for it to have been a true benefit after all that was sacrificed. (Episode 56.)
Because of this, seeing her beating herself up in guilt afterward, I just didn't care. Because from the beginning (though she did grow to learn better just not enough) Bai Yao Yao and Xiao Qing (green snake) failed to think of the consequences. They thought they would be the only ones affected and so, in the moment, acted impulsively with bravery, but when others were affected/needed to fix their fuckups, they cried and threw tantrums.
The Demon Emperor is just such a tragic character, and I wish he got fleshed out more in the story. Especially his relationship with his brother. In the beginning, we learn that he plans to go against the heavens because of how the demon clan was treated. And it turns out later he and the Heavenly Emperor are twins, but he got the shorter end of the stick because Fate. And I honestly think Fate was the biggest villain in this story (even Taotie and Leng Ning were just annoyances that dragged on for way too long. I was sick of them both by episode 40.) Because of his fate, he had to be tossed to the mortal realm by his brother. Because of fate, he got picked up by BYY beside Zi Xuan so she could nourish his broken soul, causing him to think the love and care she sent toward Zi Xuan was meant for him. It's so obvious that this is a being that didn't know how to love because he was never shown love in his life, and the first time he was, in his 10,000 years of life, he fell in love, but she was in love with someone else. I didn't want him for her, I just wanted him to be happy, or for someone to at least feel some empathy for him in his dying moment. After all the people he killed personally, even Taotie had that. So even the leads having a tragic ending was just fine for me and I hate tragic endings with a passion.
There's so much I could rant about, but I just really hate tragic characters. Because they're never treated well, and never have a good ending, at the end of a story, they're what I think about more than the leads being happy. If the tragic character has to suffer, then let everyone else suffer, too.
As for BYY, I get it's a normal thing. people are hypocritical whether they notice it, or admit it or not. But I hate how there's such a difference between what she says, her principles, what she does, and how she acts.
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The main thing that turned me off from this drama was the constant sacrificing the two main characters had for each other, well actually what everyone had for each other in this drama it felt like. But it was too repetitive. There's not a lot of tear-jerking scenes (in my opinion) and angst.
The only cast member I was familiar with in this drama is Yang Zi, she did great in Ashes of Love. I felt this role was very similar. She seems to be testing out her range with this drama because there are a lot crying/screaming scenes (although I did not feel touched by her scenes).
End note: I thought it was interesting there were two alternative endings.
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If You Like A Repetitious Story
I really liked this drama in the beginning but then it started feeling repetitive and frustrating. Most of the issues were created by the main characters rather then the antagonists. The characters would do something, usually to save or help each other, despite being told repeatedly not to, which would cause huge issues or even deaths to innocents. And this was a running theme through the drama. I get they love each other but they kept disregarding everyone else's lives for the safety of the other. I also was annoyed that Xu Xuan didn't really trust Bai Yao Yao, or even disregarded her feeling and wants, and would make the decisions he thought was right (usually to the detriment of others). I also was starting to get annoyed with Xiao Qing's persistence in pursuing Qi Xiao despite him clearly trying to cut things off and telling her they were through. They loved each other but she needed to respect his decisions, especially after her numerous attempts to bring him to her had failed.But overall I did really like the main characters. Xu Xuan was an interesting combo of playful and serious. Bai Yao Yao was cute and innocent but clearly grows and develops as the dramas progresses. I loved the friendship between her and Xiao Qing and the friendship between Xu Xuan and Qi Xiao and how much they loved and supported each other. I did also like the Demon Emperor. He was clearly a bad guy but he was shown to be more. His character felt a bit tragic and if the situation had been a bit different I think he could have turned into a good person.
The actors all did a great job. I already knew Yang Zi from Ashes to Love which I loved her in and also did a really good job in this. I didn't know who Ren Jialun was until this drama but he did an excellent job of portraying Xu Xian.
The main couple had fairly good chemistry with each other but they never actually show them kissing. SO MANY FOREHEAD kisses and whenever they 'kissed' on the lips they never actually show them pressing their lips together (they are clearly just angling their heads to make it look like they are). Maybe one of them had a lip fungus or something.
Overall it was an entertaining watch despite some frustrations and the story starting to drag as the drama went on but I would suggest this to others who like Chinese fantasy dramas.
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