And the Winner Is Love (2020)

TSTL

Kudos for writing a story with good political intrigue. I personally have a bias for Luo Yunxi but I can’t really say anything bad about most of the acting in this show. My biggest complaint is, T-S-T-L. How can one writer create so many female characters that are just too stupid to live? The romantic plot suffered about halfway through the show because of something I absolutely loathe...a misunderstanding. An easily explained, easily forgivable misunderstanding. It felt ill contrived and annoying. It contributed to the childish persona of the main female protagonist, which made me add her to the growing list of women in the show that were TSTL.

Leader Yuan - TSTL
Lin Fengzi - TSTL and babyish
Chong Xuezhi - TSTL and running around like a child pretending to be her parents.

Not sure if it’s the scriptwriting or from the novel, because I didn’t read it, but I feel like these female characters were treated poorly in terms of character development.

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Bumps in the Journey

This series is about a young naive girl's life journey through the world as whole. On this path lies ahead, growth, love, betrayal, and bonds.

She is greeted by many visitors through out her journey, some who are family, some who are friends, and those who are out right enemies. She is Chong Xue Zhi, Leader, Hall of Flames, played by Yukee Chen. Xuezhi was brought up sheltered by the Hall of Flames elders and friends, who are like family to her. Her father Chong Ye, who commits suicide after mastering one of two of the hights martial arts, goes insane and slaughters many from the Marital Arts World. He also murders one of his best friend, who chose to sacrifice his life to save Chong Ye. With the burden being overly heavy, he commits suicide. Her fathers actions leaves a heavy price for Xuezhi to pay and everyone wants to collect with interest. On her way to the fighting assembly she and her group are ambushed throughout and she meets her savior and prince charming this way, Shangguan Tou, Master of Moon Valley and the Imperial Advisor's Son, who has his own family and Sect Drama. In the midst of everyone trying to kill her, Xuezhi falls in love with Tou, who was asked by her adopted father to protect her. Tou is played by Leo Lou. However, her knight and shinning armor goes beyond the call of duty to protect his lady love as he is ready to sacrifice everything for her at the drop of a hat, including himself. Tou is a man, who knows what he wants.

Not only does Tou loves Xuezhi, but here comes the love triangle. Childhood friend/brother and Chief Guardian, Hall of Flames, Yuwen Mu Yuan, played by Zhou Ting Wei is also in love with her. This of course causes issues to arises between him and Tou. However, in the long run, both end up working together for the protection of Xuezhi and the Martial Arts World. Muyuan sacrifices himself to protect Xuezhi.

Xuezhi quickly realizes that it is time for her to grow up. She enhances her martial art skills by mastering the Lotus Sutra, which adds a bigger bounty on her head. As if that was not enough, misunderstanding is on they way. Tou hides the mystery between him and Lin Fengzi, which initial seems like the slept together. However the dust is clear when the truth is let out of the bag, by Fengzi's Teacher. That is was her that drugged both Tou and Fengzi and set the stage to make it seem like the slept together. The conniving Teacher does this to get him kicked out of Sword Manor because she wanted to steal the Nine Lotus Moves, and Tou was onto to her devilish act. That storm ended, but the other is right there as Xuezhi and MuYuan are set up by none other than Xue Lie.

Xue Lie shuts the Hall of Flames down and makes Xuezhi and Muyuan criminals. With so many obstacles weaved throughout her journey, Xue Lie was the biggest of them call in every sense. Here comes Tou's father to the rescue, but doing so places his on Xue Lie target board. Xue Lie who has been trying to get both Tou and his father to work for him in his dirty scheme and has been bluntly turned down, does not take this lightly. Xue Lie has Tou's father arrested and murdered. The conversation between Tou and his father was beautiful and when Tou laid his head on his father's lap, says it all. The crowned prince was only able to save Tou and his sister. Upon learning Xue Lie's truth, his wife, Tou's sister kills herself and their unborn child, now this lady knows how to keep a secret. She smartly kept her pregnancy from Xue Lie to the end of her life. Xue Lie orders the execution of Tou, who is both stabbed by Muyuan at Xue Lie's command but also saved by Muyuan,who stab Tou away from his heart. The final rescue is done by the Crowned Prince.

Xuezhi mourns, cries her heart out for her love. She ends up at their spot Winehouse Fairyland. He encounters a look alike while she is drunk. Well it is let's fool Xuezhi that this is not Tou it is Yu Chuzhi. Well buddy, drunk or not, they woman knows her man. After a lot of back and forth between Xuezhi and Yu, Tou finally gets the slap he so deserves.

Tou, Xuezhi saves the day along with the Crown Prince. Xue Lie was caught red handed.

I am good with the story and acting to this point.

However, what really slaughtered this series for me, is the portrayal of Xue Lie in the end. He is shown more as having a mental disorder rather than the devil that he is. That was a big turn off for me. The actor was good on his part, but the story failed at this point.

Xuezhi and Tou have a happy ending.

Yukee Chen and Leo Luo has amazing chemistry, plus point of course. Yukee does an excellent job portraying her character from naive, to semi-naive, to adult. Her character growth was spaced well throughout the series, which was really good. Leo Luo is excellent and poised as Shangguan Tou and Yu Chuzhi. He is also good with his eye expressions. Zhou Ting Wei does a great job at portraying his character. Patrick Quan does a good job portray Xue Lie.

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Good Love Story

This drama series is really worth watching. I really enjoyed this movie. I love everything, from the theme song to the plot of the story. The casts are superb, and the main characters are full of emotions. I got carried away with the scenes most of the time. I already watched it, and I am watching it again because it's so good. The female lead, Yukee Chen, has always proven how a good actress she is. Her acting always gets me. I cry when she cries, sad when she's sad, and happy when she's happy. She has full of emotions, and she is really portraying the role with excellence. The male lead, Leo Luo, just like Yukee Chen, is also one of the best Chinese actors that I have seen. He is so good no at portraying his role as Shangguan Tou. His eyes, smile, and moves will mesmerize you. Also, these two main leads have a strong chemistry which is evident in the scenes. The story has a lot of values. Love will conquer everything. One is willing to sacrifice for the sake of the one he or she loves. It is also teaching us
that your love with someone will make you do wrong things.

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A car crash in wuxia-land

I really wanted to like this drama, but I couldn’t. Even with Luo Yunxi as the ML it was a chore to make it through to the end.

The underlying story wasn’t bad and had quite a few classic elements (underdog female sect leader, tense father-son relationship, treacherous prince, etc.) that could have fuelled a good drama with good acting. Sadly, the scriptwriter seemed to think that this audience is made up of idiots and logic or common sense are just superfluous concepts that hinder creativity.

The result were jewels like a man burying a horse (on his own, without a shovel), a little girly carelessly parading around a priceless artefact, then entrusting it to someone she doesn’t know (oh, it gets stolen - surprise!) and to top off the insanity a man pretending to be someone else without even changing his hairstyle or clothes (and still using the same fan!). The behaviour of the FL made me more than once agree with her sect elders that she’s not leader material. I will root for the underdog, but not for incompetence!

The fake horse riding was so bad (the actors’ movements didn’t even match the gait of the horse) that it made me cringe. I understand that not every actor may be able to gallop freely on a horse, but at least learn how to fake it properly.

To upset the viewers even more there were the usual boring tropes of love triangles (two of them, because they are fun!) and stupid misunderstandings between the two leads that could have been cleared up in two sentences. There was zero chemistry between the leads, so in the end I couldn’t even care whether they got together or not.

Overall the drama had very few redeeming features. The father-son scenes were among some of the best this drama had to offer. The OST wasn’t too bad and there was LYX elegantly floating from the sky.

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Worth to watch - once.

The actors, the sets and the dresses was amasing. The storyline was the weakest point of this series.

Actors:
Leo Luo handsomeness overkill, his acting become better and better with the time. The best was the prison deathrow scene with "his father". The "chemisty" working well between this two, (Li Ya Tian) it is good to watch them together. Sadly, the two mail lead haven't got this chemistry, very hard to feel the unconditioned love bethween them. Zhao Wen Hao is a surprise, he can act, he can fight, I was sorry he haven't got more scenes. Looking forward his series, I hope he got more opportunity in the future.

Sets:
The dresses are beautiful, all of them masterpiece. It was good to watch these with a lot of chinese element (bamboo, gingko, lotus) congratulations to the creator. Totally in love with them.
The CGI is beautiful, nothing fall off from the screen. Expect those painful waterfalls against the physic. The Moon walley and the house of the Shanguang family was my fav.

Storyline:
OMG. Where to start. It was pain in the arse. Lot of illogical movement, the main lead woman just whining/crying/fade ot most of the time, she need to be saved always. It would be ok, be she supposed to be the most badass woman in that realm, so the result is pathetic. It is a wuxia drama, but lack of good fighting scenes. I mean there are dramatic- gigantic- epic fights, but the choreography only working witl Luo Yunxi and Zhao Wen Hao.

In ntushell: If you like to watch LYX this series is to you. Every other case maybe worth to watch once, but thats enough. I am sorry for the cast, the money and the enrgy was spend on this series, because some little change in the script this would be far better.

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Penonton setia Chen Yuqi

Saya penggemar Chen Yuqi. Saya sangat menyukai Chen Yuqi. Saya bahkan menyukai semua drama yang dibintangi Chen Yuqi. Menurut saya, dia aktris yang pandai dalam berakting, tapi mengapa dia tidak sebegitu terkenal oleh masyarakat awam..? Menurut saya, dia pantas untuk dikenal, pantas untuk terkenal. Di sini, hati saya bersama Chen Yuqi. Bersama siapa pun lawan main perannya, akan tetap saya dukung. ♥️♥️

Saat di drama Ashes of Love, jujur saya merasa sedikit kecewa karena Luo Yunxi berperan jahat (sad boy), dan Chen Yuqi yang suka sama pria lain. Dan begitu drama ini muncul, menampilkan Luo Yunxi dan Chen Yuqi bermain peran bersama, saya jadi bersemangat untuk menontonnya. Alasammya karena Luo Yunxi, pria berwajah tampan itu tak pantas untuk disakiti. Rasanya sia-sia gitu, dibuang sama tokoh utamanya. Karena sayang, akhirnya dia dijadikan tokoh utama bersama Chen Yuqi. Dan di sinilah cinta mereka bermekaran. Dan hati para penontonnya pun bersemerbak wangi bunganya. Saya puas dengan drama ini. Terimakasih produser, dam semua yang bersangkutan dalam memproduksi drama ini. Kucintahhh kelen... ??

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