This review may contain spoilers
Tutorials on How to Stay Low-Key by Li Changshou
After the end of the carefully crafted masterpiece "Mystic Nine", Youku decides to drop two bombshells simultaneously, which are none other than "Pull Strings" and "The Early Spring". However, I'm not fond of office rom-com, given my awful experiences of rom-coms over these years, so picking up "Pull Strings" may not necessarily a bad thing. FYI, "Pull Strings" also has its anime version released on Youku with different title, "Big Brother". Let's see my take on "Pull Strings" and here we go...
"Pull Strings" tells the chaotic story of Li Changshou, a terminally ill patient who's been idling away in the hospital by reading his favorite fantasy novel. A little accident causes him to transmigrate into the novel's universe and he has to face the Great Tribulation (I'm sure xuanhuan fans are aware of tribulation - tribulation is defined as a cause of great trouble or suffering, usually by heavenly lightning strikes - and if you can't withstand those strikes, you're potentially doomed for good). To evade from this calamity, Changshou keeps a low profile from the public eye's and becomes a disciple of the Ascendance Sect, specifically entering the most unassuming division in the sect, Jade Division. Changshou's shifu is Qi Yuan, a lovesick yet clumsy old man whose foundation was destroyed early on (by his junior brother Kuai Si). His shifu also yearns to reunite with his past lover, Wan Jiangyu (also killed by Kuai Si due to his unrequited love). However, Changshou's tranquil life is turned upside down when shifu brings a brand-new junior sister for him, Lan Ling'E. Since then, Changshou can only haplessly save the day to ensure the safety of everyone while hiding his true nature. Changshou meets his match, the unruly Fairy Yunxiao, who shares similar passion with him. Together, they create schemes after schemes to save the world from the upcoming calamity. Anyway, the lore is divided into several arcs - ranging from Formation Test of the Ascendance Sect, Dragon Clan's banquet, the discovery of Pregnesis Sword, the history of Bear Island's folks, the Blood Gnat/Westdawn Clan's impromptu ambush, and eventually the showdown at the Dragon Palace, near the Sea-Calming Pillar to be precise.
To be honest, I feel the comedic timing is more amplified compared to the anime's as I didn't feel the humorous side of the story back then. The screenwriter is crafty in amalgamating the dialogue in exhilarating and maudlin atmosphere at the same time. Not many dramas can achieve this equilibrium, as some tend to transform into second hand-embarrassing slapstick comedy, while some become disconnected as the plot turns 180 degrees without proper pacing. I also like the modern jargons and technology used in the drama (we've got washing machine, mobile phone, telescope, mosaic blurring technique, level 1 tsunami warning, mind mapping, spa treatment, photo pose, inhaler, mosquito swatter, and more to go). The supporting characters don't serve as the one-dimensional cardboard, instead they become the catalyst for the main protagonists to show his trump card repeatedly, enhancing the probability of character development without being too obvious. All of them have their respective comedy scenes too, which I savor thoroughly (this is my second-best comedy drama of the year, after "No Pain No Gain"). Meanwhile, harem-thingy is alleviated to escape from the censorship's austere gaze, and I totally appreciate that as I loathe harem trope. But I suppose Changshou is falling hard for Yunxiao without him noticing lol.
On the side note, the drama shifts 180 degrees to angsty tone as it approaches an end. Furthermore, we also get a plot twist about Jin Chan's origin. I have a hunch that he's also a transmigrator (but highly unlikely) like Changshou. He claims that he has faced 4 consecutive Great Tribulation and is the main cause of the deathly catastrophe. The motive behind his vile deed is quite simple, which is to be recognized as a savior by the heaven. However, he was never chosen in his past lives, driving him to become a ruthless cultivator and hunt every 'chosen-one' and obliterate them before they ended the Great Tribulation. Jin Chan masters Time-Space Stasis to stop the movement of time and space as long as he likes. In this stasis, Changshou spends 3600 years to count every single probability of saving the world without sacrificing other people. In the end, he'll combine himself into the Sun Dial and controls the Fate, helping everyone eschewing the Great Tribulation and ensuring peace for the world. Yunxiao, who is possessed by the Demon Emperor, has transformed herself into the new Sea-Calming Pillar, thus sealing the Demon Emperor once again. Nevertheless, she leaves a trace of her soul behind in the form of a strand of hair.
Despite all the pros listed above, the show has its own weakness as well, which refers to the confusing timeline at the end of the show. Moreover, little information is given to explain what truly happens at that era. And doing mental arithmetic to count the years definitely does you no good (if you just watch "Pull Strings" for relaxation).
Once again, Ao Ruipeng proves himself as one of the most versatile actors in C-drama land, able to transition between exuberant and serious character in one fell swoop. His micro-expressions are pretty on point, as I can sense a turmoil of emotion through his body language. I hope he can bring another masterpiece in "My Queen, My Rules" with Shen Yujie. For Sun Zhenni, she's quite decent as the tsundere yet rebellious little fairy - while she indeed has less screentime than Ao Ruipeng, she still shines in her role and becomes Changshou's emotional anchor whenever he's stressed out. In "Pull Strings", Ai Mi doesn't need to face criticisms about her young age or older pairing which prompts people to jump to pedophilia's conclusion. She totally fits Lan Ling'E's bubbly personality and is one of the most loveable girls in this drama. On the other hand, Changshou's potential love interest also includes Youqin Xuanya and Jiu Jiu (played by Zhang Changning and Jenny Zeng respectively). Despite their hidden romance sparks, I kind of feel like they still respect Changshou's wish to be a rational man (a delulu would've forced her way with brute force). Shout out to our little baby dragon Ao Yi (played by Ao Ziyi), our art-fanatic Celestial Emperor aka Hua Ritian (played by Li Zhehao), the Bear Island's gang, the older actors (who portray the elders of the Ascendance Sect), and more.
OSTs are surprisingly pleasant - I particularly like the tracks sung by Dai Quan, Wu Yi, and Bai Jugang (I strongly suspect this track is written by the composer who also made the score of 汇 (Convergence) by YoungG). Sets, backgrounds, and costumes are meticulously crafted, and even the CGI doesn't look that fake (low-budget ones usually have the fakest of the fakest LMAO).
Overall, it's a ten out of ten. If you're burnt out in the real life and want to shut your brain off for a while, "Pull Strings" may be the best antidote for you. Be ready to have the heartiest laugh all the time (I always have to suppress my giggle, or else my mom thinks I'm going insane). That's all for "Pull Strings", good luck and happy watching!!!
P.S.
I can relate with Changshou because I tend to stay rational and cool-headed all the time, having to make three plans ahead of everyone, plus we've got a huge amount of trust issue against other people. Even if we're stressed out, we don't want to look for others' help and still solve the problem on our own. Yes, this may come off as being selfish, egoistic, or individualistic, but trust me - people are hard to trust nowadays (some may even betray or use your trust against you). Only you can save yourself in this 'rat-race' society. One more, I need his spa treatment and washing machine theorem. The breakdance at the party is very fun too.
"Pull Strings" tells the chaotic story of Li Changshou, a terminally ill patient who's been idling away in the hospital by reading his favorite fantasy novel. A little accident causes him to transmigrate into the novel's universe and he has to face the Great Tribulation (I'm sure xuanhuan fans are aware of tribulation - tribulation is defined as a cause of great trouble or suffering, usually by heavenly lightning strikes - and if you can't withstand those strikes, you're potentially doomed for good). To evade from this calamity, Changshou keeps a low profile from the public eye's and becomes a disciple of the Ascendance Sect, specifically entering the most unassuming division in the sect, Jade Division. Changshou's shifu is Qi Yuan, a lovesick yet clumsy old man whose foundation was destroyed early on (by his junior brother Kuai Si). His shifu also yearns to reunite with his past lover, Wan Jiangyu (also killed by Kuai Si due to his unrequited love). However, Changshou's tranquil life is turned upside down when shifu brings a brand-new junior sister for him, Lan Ling'E. Since then, Changshou can only haplessly save the day to ensure the safety of everyone while hiding his true nature. Changshou meets his match, the unruly Fairy Yunxiao, who shares similar passion with him. Together, they create schemes after schemes to save the world from the upcoming calamity. Anyway, the lore is divided into several arcs - ranging from Formation Test of the Ascendance Sect, Dragon Clan's banquet, the discovery of Pregnesis Sword, the history of Bear Island's folks, the Blood Gnat/Westdawn Clan's impromptu ambush, and eventually the showdown at the Dragon Palace, near the Sea-Calming Pillar to be precise.
To be honest, I feel the comedic timing is more amplified compared to the anime's as I didn't feel the humorous side of the story back then. The screenwriter is crafty in amalgamating the dialogue in exhilarating and maudlin atmosphere at the same time. Not many dramas can achieve this equilibrium, as some tend to transform into second hand-embarrassing slapstick comedy, while some become disconnected as the plot turns 180 degrees without proper pacing. I also like the modern jargons and technology used in the drama (we've got washing machine, mobile phone, telescope, mosaic blurring technique, level 1 tsunami warning, mind mapping, spa treatment, photo pose, inhaler, mosquito swatter, and more to go). The supporting characters don't serve as the one-dimensional cardboard, instead they become the catalyst for the main protagonists to show his trump card repeatedly, enhancing the probability of character development without being too obvious. All of them have their respective comedy scenes too, which I savor thoroughly (this is my second-best comedy drama of the year, after "No Pain No Gain"). Meanwhile, harem-thingy is alleviated to escape from the censorship's austere gaze, and I totally appreciate that as I loathe harem trope. But I suppose Changshou is falling hard for Yunxiao without him noticing lol.
On the side note, the drama shifts 180 degrees to angsty tone as it approaches an end. Furthermore, we also get a plot twist about Jin Chan's origin. I have a hunch that he's also a transmigrator (but highly unlikely) like Changshou. He claims that he has faced 4 consecutive Great Tribulation and is the main cause of the deathly catastrophe. The motive behind his vile deed is quite simple, which is to be recognized as a savior by the heaven. However, he was never chosen in his past lives, driving him to become a ruthless cultivator and hunt every 'chosen-one' and obliterate them before they ended the Great Tribulation. Jin Chan masters Time-Space Stasis to stop the movement of time and space as long as he likes. In this stasis, Changshou spends 3600 years to count every single probability of saving the world without sacrificing other people. In the end, he'll combine himself into the Sun Dial and controls the Fate, helping everyone eschewing the Great Tribulation and ensuring peace for the world. Yunxiao, who is possessed by the Demon Emperor, has transformed herself into the new Sea-Calming Pillar, thus sealing the Demon Emperor once again. Nevertheless, she leaves a trace of her soul behind in the form of a strand of hair.
Despite all the pros listed above, the show has its own weakness as well, which refers to the confusing timeline at the end of the show. Moreover, little information is given to explain what truly happens at that era. And doing mental arithmetic to count the years definitely does you no good (if you just watch "Pull Strings" for relaxation).
Once again, Ao Ruipeng proves himself as one of the most versatile actors in C-drama land, able to transition between exuberant and serious character in one fell swoop. His micro-expressions are pretty on point, as I can sense a turmoil of emotion through his body language. I hope he can bring another masterpiece in "My Queen, My Rules" with Shen Yujie. For Sun Zhenni, she's quite decent as the tsundere yet rebellious little fairy - while she indeed has less screentime than Ao Ruipeng, she still shines in her role and becomes Changshou's emotional anchor whenever he's stressed out. In "Pull Strings", Ai Mi doesn't need to face criticisms about her young age or older pairing which prompts people to jump to pedophilia's conclusion. She totally fits Lan Ling'E's bubbly personality and is one of the most loveable girls in this drama. On the other hand, Changshou's potential love interest also includes Youqin Xuanya and Jiu Jiu (played by Zhang Changning and Jenny Zeng respectively). Despite their hidden romance sparks, I kind of feel like they still respect Changshou's wish to be a rational man (a delulu would've forced her way with brute force). Shout out to our little baby dragon Ao Yi (played by Ao Ziyi), our art-fanatic Celestial Emperor aka Hua Ritian (played by Li Zhehao), the Bear Island's gang, the older actors (who portray the elders of the Ascendance Sect), and more.
OSTs are surprisingly pleasant - I particularly like the tracks sung by Dai Quan, Wu Yi, and Bai Jugang (I strongly suspect this track is written by the composer who also made the score of 汇 (Convergence) by YoungG). Sets, backgrounds, and costumes are meticulously crafted, and even the CGI doesn't look that fake (low-budget ones usually have the fakest of the fakest LMAO).
Overall, it's a ten out of ten. If you're burnt out in the real life and want to shut your brain off for a while, "Pull Strings" may be the best antidote for you. Be ready to have the heartiest laugh all the time (I always have to suppress my giggle, or else my mom thinks I'm going insane). That's all for "Pull Strings", good luck and happy watching!!!
P.S.
I can relate with Changshou because I tend to stay rational and cool-headed all the time, having to make three plans ahead of everyone, plus we've got a huge amount of trust issue against other people. Even if we're stressed out, we don't want to look for others' help and still solve the problem on our own. Yes, this may come off as being selfish, egoistic, or individualistic, but trust me - people are hard to trust nowadays (some may even betray or use your trust against you). Only you can save yourself in this 'rat-race' society. One more, I need his spa treatment and washing machine theorem. The breakdance at the party is very fun too.
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