Diasporadic

The malevolence and beauty of the Jue/Zhi brothers are mesmerizing, the Yu/Shang siblings bring gentleness, affection and hilarious moments. The drama calibrates this interplay of personalities and energies perfectly at present; I hope it keeps it up.

My guess it was a strategic decision by YWS to lose. She wants SGQ to keep on believing that she's weaker and inferior - a chi to SSG's mei.

The DP definitely wants ever shot to be beautiful, but there’s so much happening in this drama, so many unexpected twists, there really hasn’t been time for actors to just pose imo.

GSJ is a baffling, complex character. He’s correct and principled so he’s not morally grey, but he’s also open in his hostility to GZY which makes his motives suspect. Does he want what’s best for the Gong family or what’s best for him? I guess we’ll find out…in the meantime, I’m enjoying his ambiguity.

Ep 6: I adore how gentle YWS and GZY are with each other - the silences, the empathetic
glances and quiet understanding.

Can we wait and observe character and plot development before making sweeping observations? As the proverb goes, what may be true today may not be true tomorrow.

She pretended to be the princess multiple times and once that was exposed she adopted her maidservant's name - she never told the ML who she was, he discovered for himself when he tried to kill her father. The ML asked her about her family and parents and she lied in response each time. Her development arc made her suffer remorse and she changed, but she was unlikeable for the first half of the drama because she lacked integrity.

Yes: same for the compulsive liar and multiply fraudulent FL.

I honestly can't understand why ppl think TSJ has no character development, when his character transformation from start to finish of s1 is even greater than XY's. In the beginning TSJ is a ruin; he had been physically destroyed by his brother but though he never regains his full spiritual power, he recuperates and becomes the man CX, CFL and XY rely on, though for different reasons. The drama's four main characters show us a wide spectrum of motivations, ambitions, weaknesses strengths; TSJ's strength doesn't flaunt itself, but it's unwavering; he doesn't use to harm or destroy, he uses it to build relationships, trust and wealth. We see this most clearly in ep. 35 in his fight with CFL who, we're told, is much stronger physically and in spiritual power. TSJ takes and gives blows; he is not defeated but actually strengthens his relationship with CFL and cements the ties between them and CX, which will be important to CX's later bid for power.

I agree the way TSJ is written makes him seem passive and weak and doesn't allow us to see his brilliance - though that was evident for a moment when he found and protected XY in the forest - she would have really died if not for him. I'm waiting to see why he needed XY to wait for him for 15 years; he must have a master plan to deal with brother, fiancé, maybe even XL?

Um, We must have watched a different episode, because in the one I saw TJ sensed XY was in trouble, found her badly wounded and bleeding in the forest, cut her down from the trees, transferred his spiritual power to her to keep her alive and protected her from burning up with his own body, getting badly burned in the process. Because of him there was still life force in XY’s organs for XL to work with to restore her to health. CX arrived too late to do anything; he had hysterics and had to be knocked out by one of his men because he was of no use at all.

Anti-fans and trolls driving down the rating? It's #1 on Chinese network tv charts.

Fan base of course, but the costumes, the set designs, cinematography and acting are all better than most currently running cdramas. I'm enjoying it!

I’m watching because WZQ is super cute in this drama. WYW as GX on the other hand is super annoying, with no backbone , and low-key manipulative. I keep hoping she’ll resist YS’s control but it isn’t happening.. Her best fried also works my nerves. I prefer the ex girlfriend who’s open and direct about her feelings, as well as better dressed and with better make up!

Interesting that this drama was top of viewing charts in China for the last two weeks 🎉! MDL demographics are skewed towards younger romcom-preferring viewers. Ave X’s misguided (imo) review didn’t help either.

Feeling/perception of chemistry is subjective too. I recall not feeling a thing other than good acting between the leads in Love Like the Galaxy while many seemed blown away by their chemistry.

The romance has been dimmed by mutual suspicion. Both have at stake a revenge burden more important than a romantic relationship.

I couldn't get into either of those dramas at first try, so I guess the moment and the mood have to be right. I just rewatched NiF for the third time and was blown away all over again...

Thanks for these recommendations. I'd say cdrama has quite a few good family dramas: Go Ahead and The Bond for example have great acting and writing. The best cdramas span a range of genres: NIrvana in Fire, Ten Miles of Peach Blossom, The Story of Min Lan, The Bad Kids,The Rebel, all of these are excellent.

His insight, foresight and powers of precise execution are superlative in ways that would normally take a lifetime to learn.