The Long Ballad (2021)

Production-wise, it is a very well done drama. I liked the use of illustrations to show battles and fires and flood.... I was expecting more use of it because it was unique.

The script wasn't very good imo. It was trying too hard to sell the audience that the characters **ehemChanggeehem** were smart. In almost every episode someone was saying "you are so smart". Huh, where? Changge is making a bad decision in almost every episode, puts people in danger (better said, made them killed); she is also supposed to be a smart strategist, and all she said was "let's put this group to the right and this to the left" and the other party was "wow Changge, you are so smart, be my right-hand commander". It didn't help at all that at the same time I was watching another drama where the smart MC is actually smart, and the script is actually good, so I was like, She is supposed to be SMART ???

First episode, Changge is this intelligent, tomboy girl who knows how to fight, physically and mentally. Second episode, Changge swears to take revenge. 40 episodes later and all Changge did was saying a few blah-blah and oh, she was the smartest; as for the battles, where was the girl so agile who could fight? She was constantly saved by others; the forever damsel in distress. I was expecting Sun to save her every time she messed up, and yup, here comes the hero. I don't mind damsels in distress, but I do mind when the plot is trying to sell me this brave, strong female character that isn't. Yueyan was stronger imo.

Unfortunately I didn't fall in love with Yueyan/Hao Du as I was hoping. She has a lovely character development (she actually overcomes them ON HER OWN, unlike Changge) but the romance was... ehhh, she loves Shuyu for 40 episodes, gets her heart broken and in the same episode realizes Hao Du is the one. Ehhh.

OST is excellent. Performed by the King an Queen of CDramas OST.

This drama was 10 episodes too long; should have ended around 40 at least.

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Disappointing

Finally found the time to watch this one - after such high reviews. If you are expecting drama similar to Legend of Fuyao or Princess Agents - do not watch. I happen to love strong female characters and was looking forward to this drama. What I got to watch was poor acting - especially by the FL. This actress is better suited for modern dramas or where there is not much action or emotions involved. In this drama, she was supposed to be a trained warrior - there was a scene where she was being chased by soldiers and she is running to evade them - it was actually comical to see her running.

The writers I believe got confused about what exactly they wanted to narrate. FL's character initially wanted revenge - she is supposed to be a strategic thinker, but I never got to see it. I found her dumb, and easily lead/manipulated.

The ML had a very strong screen presence but unfortunately appeared very stiff in the scenes with FL. This could be bcoz he is too young, but he definitely is a promising actor.

Overall, I liked the actor playing Young Khan/Ashile She Er and Zhao Lusi - playing Princess Yuouyan. The actor playing Hao Du has been praised immensely @MDL but to me, he appeared constipated most of the time.

Such a waste of time watching this drama. I am amazed that this show has been so highly rated in MDL.

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Definitely worth watching.

I ABOSULTELY loved watching this drama, definitely worth watching all 49 episodes.

I love the strong and smart female lead. I've seen some of Dilraba's other dramas but this is my favorite character she's acted by far. I never really liked her other characters but she acted so well in this one and the character was strong and smart. I love watching her character development throughout the drama. This drama really showcased her acting and I'm starting to see why she has so many fans. I wasn't a huge fan of her other dramas since the character's she portrayed weren't as likable but the character she played in this drama was so likable. She wasn't perfect but she was smart and strong. She had her problems but she learned to overcome them and it was so great to watch.

This is the first drama I've seen of the male lead and I will definitely be checking some of his other works out now. He is so cute lmao. I felt like the chemistry between the two leads wasn't quite there but I loved the romance that was between the two characters. In the beginning, he kept saving her but I felt as we neared the end of the drama, she became more independent (even though she already was in the beginning) and was able to showcase her great intelligence and strategies. I definitely felt like there wasn't as much martial arts near the end but I was perfectly fine with that because of all the military strategies and mental warfare that was going on covered it.

This is the first drama from Rosy's that I've seen where she wasn't the main lead and I loved her character as well. Her story was well written and I loved seeing her grow throughout the show and learn to care for the country. She played a very delicate princess who grew stronger each episode and learned to carry the responsibility that she holds as the princess of the land. I think her acting was great and her storyline was a nice side story from the main plot. She wasn't the main lead but her character definitely contributed a lot to the main story by influencing the people around her.

The plot was great and I love how every single character went through their own sort of character development and matured throughout the show. The cast was great, I never felt off about any of the actors and will definitely be checking some of their other works out. Music was also great. The drama has art scenes sprinkled throughout the show and as though some people weren't a fan of it, I definitely enjoyed it. It makes me want to check out the manhua and read it as well.

Overall, this is one of the best shows in 2021 and I'm glad that I waited to watch it after it ended. I would never be able to wait for every episode to come out. Each episode was just so interesting and lead me to wanting to watch more. Definitely check it out, it's worth one's time!!!

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Revenge is best served with ketchup, Changge!

This is a really good show and it stays relatively good throughout its run too. It has an interesting premise that develops into exciting plots. The acting is great and the sets are beautiful. I really hope the show will go on to become a trendsetter in Cdrama land. The way it treats its female main characters, its romances, and how it developed logical growth arcs was very impressive but people do get a bit overexcited about how genre-defying it is...it still has plenty of your usual candy cliches.
I can’t stress enough how good the main female characters were though. (but just the main ones! The supporting ones were cr*p!) So, we are used to seeing strong and innocent women in historical dramas. But they usually end up three ways: Mary Sues, cute childish babies, or Femme Fatales. Here that was so beautifully avoided. In the two main female characters. Not anyone else. Just those two female leads.
When a character is feminine and demure, she isn’t a grown woman acting like a five-year-old and when the character is a smart and powerful strategist, she isn’t a perfect robot who makes no mistakes.
The characters were flawed and those flaws were a part of their journey. They had relatively realistic growth arcs and they changed in meaningful ways.
Also, Dilireba’s character Changge started the show by dressing up as a boy and I know people like to joke about how impossible it is for anyone to see someone who has Dilireba’s looks and not realize it’s a woman but I don’t really agree. I’m going to credit Dilireba Dilmurat for being more than a beautiful face and say that she successfully sold the idea of being a woman in a believable male disguise through the way she embodies herself as a boy, her expressions, and her physicality. The voice actress also helped (shout out!). What I have seen so far of cross-dressing characters has only ever really been exaggeratedly ridiculous or just plain improbable but the way Dilireba played her character as a man, was so committed to the illusion with no worries to appear cute or lovely, that it becomes believable. And the best thing? Well, let’s say people don’t end up getting fooled as easily as those in other shows either! Super well-done!

Now I think you should check this show out if you like:

1. Honest depictions of feminine power
2. Tang dynasty aesthetics
3. Female friendships
4. Only side plot romance. It's not really central to the story (for good reason)
5. Moderate amount of battles and fights
6. Enemies to allies to friends to lovers (it’s a mouthful but they did it)
7. Character arcs so fine you could bounce a coin off
8. Cross-dressing characters
9. Scheming and plotting and strategy bs
10. Hot evil dude being sexy while trying to murder the main character
11. Nuanced anti-hero/antagonist who honestly deserved more presence in the show (Not to be confused with: )
12. Also, a weak and bad villain who almost ruined the show (I’ll get to this… oh I will get to this)
13. “War is the folly man’s game” -quote by me
14. Weirdly, there are so many, like really too many, handsome men in this show. Just candy everywhere.
15. Shows that pass the Bechdel test.

Summary: Li Changge is the daughter of the crown prince who one day finds her favorite uncle has staged a coup, killed her parents, and taken the place of the crown prince. Stricken with grief and righteous anger, she sets out on a journey of survival and revenge. Only to realize that the fights over the crown are all bullsh*t because the whole point of government is to help people and taking revenge and vying for power is just about ego and greediness. So she decides to put that cr*p aside and instead help better the country. There's also this hunky hot guy who follows her around, being impressed by her amazingness and helping her.

Story: I love the premise. It’s such a mature way of looking at things. The show really doesn’t play around. From the beginning, it tries to deal with this situation in a serious and focused way. We get a gorgeous B-plot with the second female lead that correlates with the hero’s journey that Changge goes through and the characters mirror each other in such a delicious way that I haven’t seen in cdramas so far. Both of these arcs make sense for the characters we are introduced to. In addition, the love interests get their own character arcs that make sense for them. They are more subdued but it’s good because this is a mostly female-centric story. Then there’s Wei Shuyu who is the human equivalent of an adjustable wrench. A very handsome wrench!
The supporting cast are mostly pretty two-dimensional. I HATED some, I tolerated others but there was a handful I found really interesting. I especially loved the character of Li Shimin who was so deliciously grey and ambiguous. Other than him, most characters had narrative utility but he also has a pivotal role in Changge’s connection to her humanity and that makes him very precious for the story’s integrity.
Mention-worthy details:
1)The jump to comics for big action scenes: It was a choice. A very smart one. It was a bit frustrating but they certainly saved money. I didn't like the choice but I think it was such a cunning way to save money that I am a little charmed by it.

Acting: The acting is very good. I had seen Dilireba, Zhao Lusi, and Wu Lei in other projects and I was so surprised by how improved everyone was. I still can’t really see Wu Lei as a romantic heartthrob, to be honest, but I think everyone else was just fine thirsting after him! The supporting cast's acting is not steadily good. Some actors overact, some are just not good actors, maybe? Others were fine and some did great work.

Music and production: The music is good. I really liked the grassland-inspired themes. I wonder if I’m getting used to the music in cdramas. I used to dislike them all…oh well. The editing was exciting. There were some scenes that were almost worked too much. The shots changed too many times in the beginning but it got better later in the show. The costumes are very pretty and the sets are various and detailed.

The negative: The main issue I have with this show was that the main characters’ character arcs end before the show ends? Like 20 episodes earlier than the end of the show. Then the main character goes on to take actions that are totally in-character but don’t really add anything to her personal growth. She just does things that you would expect her to do in the situations she is put in but she's no longer an active participant. She just reacts.
So, it’s sort of like when you read a novel and then the novel ends and you go and read the extras which are not completely related to the main novel but still hold up. Except here, where the novel actually ended there were still a lot of plot holes and important conclusions were withheld. So, you have to read the extras in order to scavenge those important pieces of information and conclusions amongst more or less irrelevant plot points that mostly focus on side characters.
So yeah. I didn’t like that part. It felt like pandering for the most part. But because the production as a whole is pretty good and they have built up good rep so far in the show, it’s not a complete meltdown. The show kind of goes down with dignity. Everyone is still in-character, the acting is steadily good…for the most part, the sets are beautiful, the editing is melodramatic as always, the plot is exciting, and very-dramatic-moments keep the excitement steadily high so it’s no chore to get through. But I personally think it could be better. For me.
It was like when you see something is stuck between the teeth of the person talking to you and you don’t want to interrupt them or be rude so you don’t say anything but you can’t help noticing it the whole time. I noticed how irritating and pointless yet overused this one character was and it made me see the flaws in the plot and I just couldn’t stop thinking about it.
So it’s a good show but the logic is a house of cards; if you poke it, it’ll fall apart. Just don't poke it as I did!

rewatch value: Not a rewatchable show for me, personally. It didn't inspire such unforgettable emotions in me that I would need a repeat.

Overall: Now I still highly recommend this show. I think it’s a few heads above the idol romance drama. I hope its popularity will lead to a new trend among the average cdramas, with logical behavior, better written female characters, sensible and well-developed romance, more grounded acting, and almost no miscommunication.

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Didn’t meet my expectations too much. But still a good drama more or less.

I was anticipating a lot. It was on my watch list for a while but the feeling that it didn’t full fill my expectations as much I would have hoped is one of the worst feelings as overly dramatic as it may be.

The cast is good looking. The strong female lead that is like Mulan is something I always appreciate and a factor I look for with these kind of dramas. The martial arts is great. The story is a little complicated but the essence of the issue remains not too difficult to understand. A second female lead that doesn’t want to kill the first out of jealousy is a breath of fresh air and that’s good.

The romance part is sweet between the first leads. But it lacked the passionate element that just too me would seal the deal but they didn’t show that even the kiss scene was blurred out and it just showed two birds making out. Even the supporting actors kiss would be shown. I don’t know what’s up with that.

So because of this, the romance element isn’t wholeheartedly something i was glad to see because right lacked that passion. Some might not find this important but some does so I m one of them.

I mean putting the aside the food looks of the cast if something like is lacking the romance element isn’t wholly fulfilled.

The second male lead who had feelings for the first female lead was a bit of coward he didn’t truly fought for her or had the courage to do anything to stand up to the bully. The second female lead was sweet but abit annoying of how many times she kept crying over something.

The editing for the last scene of the fire was hilariously bad but oh well.

If these elements isn’t crucial for you to look for then it might still be a watch for you.

I might not watch it again for a while.

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A story of woman empowerment - from a bird egg fan!

I'm often late to the party because I like to be careful when choosing dramas to watch, but I just had to write a review on this drama that was by far the best 2021 Chinese drama for me (that pushed Word of Honor (山河令) one place down, oops!).

Story
I personally enjoy historical + wuxia dramas, and this was a relatively good mix that had lots of action and didn't focus too much on political discussions unlike drams such as Yanxi Palace (延禧宫). I saw many reviews commenting that the plot may be cliche, but I concur otherwise. Predictable as it is, the storyline is unique and refreshing (e.g. the King's support for Chang Ge, the advisors' patriotism for the country). Moreover, the plot was easy to follow such that you can focus on the characters, which is great for viewers like me who don't like to be muddled by the 101 things that are going on.

Initially the vibe from episode 1-2 seemed similar to Princess Agents (楚乔传) and I was expecting to feel that emptiness and heartache I felt when watching the drama then. Fortunately, the plot didn't focus too much on the "revenge" notion, and while characters seem to be able to get over deaths pretty quickly, I saw it as a trade-off for the plot to move on. That being said, the death scenes definitely did make me cry and hey- that's got to do with the amazing actors as well!

One more note - on the part of romance, there were lots of cute pairings, but neither was it the main plot of this drama, nor was it cringe in any aspects. Very well-balanced.

Acting/Cast
Any bird egg fans (鸟蛋 - Chang Ge x Ashina Sun fans)? Seeing how much the actors have improved since a few years back (I watch Dilraba in Eternal Love (三生三世十里桃花) and Sweet Dreams (一千零一夜), Wu Lei in Fights Break Sphere (斗破苍穹) which I dropped mid-way), I felt a sense of pride and accomplishment for them - they are definitely hardoworking actors, and I am glad that their effort has paid off! Acting was great, especially the emotions that they convey through their eyes...

As much as I try to think from another perspective, I simply disagree with critics on their acting. Indeed, I can concede that one or two parts were awkward and did not fit the emotions of the story then, but it could possibly be due to the time of filming (some later scenes were filmed earlier). But regardless, this was definitely not an issue at all for me! Side leads were great as well, and there were lots of veteran actors that made the entire drama a +++!

Music
Is there anything more that needs to be said? The first time I heard the ending song, I was sure this drama was going to be great (and yes, I'm glad I was right)!! Best OSTs of 2021, really.

The sound effects throughout the drama was well thought through too. There is a YouTube documentary video on the making of the OSTs and sound effects which really showed the intention to deviate from typical historical dramas that makes it even more worth watching :)

The Long Ballad is a story of female empowerment, with a well-balanced plot that captivated me from the start to the end. It may be slightly long for those who don't like long dramas, but it's definitely worth watching (just watch the first episode first! If you like it, that's the kind of standard you can hold the rest of the drama up to :) ).

Have fun!!

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It's decent to me.

I read a bit of the manhua when I was way younger and was interested in how this would turn out.

I watched a lot of Dilraba historical dramas so I was curious on how this would turn out.

I honestly think she isn't the best actress out there, but I somehow always end up watching her stuff.

I think the cast is very physically attractive.

I really enjoy the opening theme song, it's stuck in my head often, when a song from a show is stuck in my head, that's when I know I really like it or it's very catchy.

I felt like this drama is decent. It wasn't bad but it wasn't that good.

I feel like the main character, Li Chang Ge seems to lack a lot of depth.

I am mainly blown away by the character, Ashile She Er. I think him and Le Yan have the most impressive character growth in the drama. The fact that they self reflected a lot on their behaviors to become better people really touched me deeply. Ashile She Er made me tear up when he thought deeply into his morals and actions to be fair to Ashile Sun really touched my heart. I get really touched by people who acknowledge and work on personal growth.

I 'd recommend this to people who enjoy women empowerment.

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This is a pure 10/10 you fools!

Ignore any review which is below 10. This is an absolute masterpiece! It is the perfect show in terms of acting, plot, production value, script, music, romance, political drama, revenge and redemption, etc. Whatever you are looking for, this show will deliver! I cant rave enough about this drama. All leads are phenomenal. This drama does not rely on cliches, stupid leads, dumb decisions, pointless love triangles, draggy episodes, etc. Every single episode is beautifully edited and there is a purpose to every arc, whether it is focused on character progression, setting the stage, climax, etc. Dilraba, Leo, Zhao Lusi, etc. are all magnificent, the use of manhua scenes is so cool, and almost every character has a purpose and acts accordingly. I dont know what else to say - just watch this drama. Definitely in my Top 3 all time.

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The Best All-in-One Packaging History Drama!

If you are looking for some well-written historical dramas then you can give this a chance. Oh no, you should!
This is the first time I've watched a really fun historical drama and didn't come across anything "annoying" or "want to skip". In fact, I wanted this drama to have a season 2 or an extra episode or spinoff, or whatever.

Why do I say this is the best "all-in-one" packaging? Here's why:
1. The story is not cliché and more "real life" related. In some dramas we can see that there are always "too good characters" and "too evil characters", but I couldn't find them in this drama. Everything flows like real life, each character has a reason why they are and it makes sense.
2. The chemistry between all the characters is superb! Especially the main leads, insanely good! This kind of romance suits their character very well. On the other side, about family and friendship are also really touching.
3. I really like the fight scenes! The fight scenes in this drama make your heartbeat move so fast. Sometimes 1:1 with romance scenes, LOL.
4. The setting is very cool. Not a lot of CGI, so make you feel like this is real and more natural.
5. The production really worked hard to make this drama such a rare gem. How do they use sophisticated items and how they take every scene and do the editing.
6. OST. Jesus Christ! All the OSTs really make this drama lively and beautiful. Each OST is unique and has a specific suitability. I The sound effect was great too.
7. I also praise the TLB team for each BTS. It's so funny and makes me fall in love with this drama even more. Interaction between actors and actresses, how they enhance each scene, they improving, and enjoy the shooting.

And many more, i can't say again more than this, if not, i can explain it for more 365 days (jk) :D
So, just watching and you will know that this drama is worth it!

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Wonderful from start to end

This drama was so much better than I expected. I enjoyed every stage of this epci saga, and even being enarly 50 episodes long, I never felt like the plot dragged.

I loved all the characters (the good, the bad, and the ugly) and the character growth was perfect. The relationships were well thought out and I was so caught up in everything going on I almost forgot I was watching a drama.

I laughed, I wept, I cried for joy - I had so many emotions throughout this drama and overall I found it to be perfectly executed and I would highly recommend to anyone who likes action, intrigue, and romance.

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The Long Ballad has a unique storyline with lovable and complex characters. A MUST WATCH.

Story

The drama is an adaptation from a manhua under the same name called Chang Ge Xing, or The Long Ballad. It tells the story of Li Chang Ge, a princess of the Tang Dynasty who had embarked on a journey of self discovery after having everything she knew all collapse right before her. From a journey that started off with only revenge in mind, she slowly learns the meaning of love, friendship, sacrifice, and finding one’s own path in life.

The story telling and pacing for the drama was great, and almost seemingly perfect. It was fast paced, but wasn’t to the point where one becomes confused due to what’s going on. The plot was well executed and the story was well written. There was never a dull moment, and viewers will be at the edge of their seats. The only problem I have with the story is the addition of characters that I thought were unnecessary to the plot. The story is about Li Chang Ge and her journey, yet somehow, the drama included a brand new character as the second female lead who had her own storyline. Her journey and storyline has no correlation with Chang Ge’s and does not move the plot forward in any way. If her character were taken out, the story would still flow just as nicely, not to mention there would be much more time to include and flesh out more details from the original manhua. Leyan’s scenes were quite boring and her romance scenes later on were just as boring and not to mention quite useless and unnecessary. The Crown Prince is also another character that could have gotten less screen time. I understand that he was added because he was an actual historical figure, and it would make sense to include him to show more sides of Li Shimin’s character. However, some of his scenes could also be cut out.

Acting/Casting

This is my first time watching any of these actors and actresses. I am not familiar with their works, but I believe that each one was perfectly casted for their roles.

Dilraba Dilmurat executed her role perfectly, and is the only one who can be Li Chang Ge. She had brought one of my favorite manhua characters to life and had given so much depth to the character than I could have ever imagined. I am not one to believe in fate or destiny, but I do believe that Dilraba was fated to play the role of Li Chang Ge. Not only is the actress of Uygher ethnicity, but her features, most specifically the tear nevus by her eye, makes quite an uncanny resemblance to the manhua Chang Ge. Dilraba’s performance here was without a doubt commendable and captivating. She was able to draw out so many emotions just by her eyes alone. From what I’ve seen, she is a very versatile actress and could portray any emotion flawlessly. Dilraba had made me love Chang Ge more than I thought I could. The Chang Ge from the mahua will always have a special place in my heart, but the drama Chang Ge is just as special to me in her own way.

Next we have Leo Wu as Ashile Sun. Leo is a perfect Ashile Sun. The actor’s age is around 21, which is the same age as the Sun in the manhua. One thing that I was a bit unsure about was the fact that the Sun in the manhua is 5 years older than Chang Ge. However, Leo is a bit younger than Dilraba, so I was unsure whether they would be able to pull it off. Leo had proven me wrong for doubting him. He had done a phenomenal job in the role of Ashile Sun. His portrayal left me in awe, and I am amazed by how talented this actor is at just the age of 21. He had shown me a side of Ashile Sun that I wasn’t able to see in the manhua, and I have grown a deeper respect and admiration for this character. I am amazed by the vulnerability he showed as Ashile Sun, but also by the immense amount of love and respect that he has for Chang Ge. He is a strong and intelligent leader, and Leo Wu exudes the manliness and prowess that is necessary for such a character.

Despite my distaste for the Leyan character, I think that Rosy Zhao did quite a good job in portraying her character. Her acting was commendable in some scenes, most specifically her crying scenes. She is a great crier to put it simply, and had managed to move me in some scenes. One thing that I would like to add is that her eye acting isn’t as great as the other actors. I have read some reviews where many people had said that Leyan had fallen for Hao Du much earlier on, and we can see it from her expressions. However, I could not decipher these emotions that people point out. I don’t know if it’s because the script was written this way, or if Rosy was unable to emote the complex emotions that her character calls for, but besides these details, I quite enjoyed her acting as Leyan. She plays the role of a delicate, innocent princess very well.

Liu Yuning as Hao Du was a pretty good choice. The actor emoted his emotions quite well. Although I would say that I prefer the Hao Du in the manhua much better. The Hao Du from the drama was somewhat comical, seeing that he was obsessed with chasing Chang Ge. I was also a bit confused as to which part he had fallen for Leyan. It appears that he has liked her since episode 1, but yet when she had gone missing, he was more focused on finding Chang Ge than finding the girl he supposedly likes. Despite these inconsistencies, I think that Yuning’s portrayal of someone who held back his emotions quite well. In some scenes, you can really see the inner struggle he had in either following orders or to act according to his emotions.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack was incredibly epic. I enjoyed every song and quite surprisingly even the instrumental music. Each song matched well with the scenes they were incorporated in and enhanced the emotions and mood of the scenes. I don’t think I have ever enjoyed a soundtrack as much as I have enjoyed this one. Each song is just so different and distinguishable, and sets it apart from other drama soundtracks. The lyrics themselves are equally as moving and poetic.

Overall/Rewatch

The Long Ballad has been an enjoyable watch, and I would absolutely rewatch it. There might be scenes that I will skip, but overall, I believe that rewatching will give me a new perspective each time, as well as allow me to notice certain details I did not during the first watch. It has definitely stolen my heart, despite its flaws, and it saddens me knowing that I will never find another drama with characters as captivating and complex as Li Chang Ge and Ashile Sun.

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