Divine Aria

You did say that she was very flawed but that the writers made up for that with ZLS. It just seemed to me like you were quite biased in some of your assessments and views, so I was merely looking to have a proper conversation. If you would rather not though, it's all good. No one's forcing you to.

I'm sorry, but didn't most of the characters have flaws, including Leyan? Didn't they both have to grow in many ways? And if you thought Wu Lei was robotic in this drama, then what did you think of him in LLTG? And uncompromising is definitely not one of Changge's flaws...otherwise, when push came to pull, how was she always prioritizing her people and her country above her own personal need for revenge? What I like so much about Changge is that, while she starts off with certain feelings and certain beliefs, she is always learning and also mature enough to acknowledge her errors and to want to better herself as a person. She never victimizes herself, blame others, or give herself excuses for her actions/decisions.

People like Changge and flock to her for no reason except that she's the main character? I don't think that's true at all. For the majority of them, they either knew her personality/character from a young age and believed deeply that she would ultimately do the right thing, or she gained each of their respect, admiration, trust, and following through her good decisions and actions throughout the drama.

And anyone in Changge's position would have been angry enough to want revenge after her entire world was destroyed and she was forced to become a fugitive as well. Were you expecting her to embrace Li Shimin who betrayed her, killed off all her loved ones, and caused her so much emotional and traumatic suffering? So, yes, understandably, she set out with the intention of seeking revenge against those who'd destroyed everything she loved. When so much is taken from you, anyone would be filled with hatred. Minister Du is overly self-righteous, has no empathy, and is unnecessarily cruel. I would have loved to see his entire family slaughtered just to see how he would react. And Leyan isn't wrong that Changge hasn't actually done anything to harm Tang. Despite her initial intentions, every time it came down to truly facing the decision of fulfilling her desire for revenge or helping Tang, she always chose to prioritize her country and her people above her personal needs. Despite her emotional traumas, she still has her priorities straight. The main reason why Leyan slapped Hao Du was because his actions weren't actually based on the idea that he cared about the country. He really didn't care about Tang at all(which is why he got a lecture from Changge at one point), but only about following orders like a puppet. Sometimes you have to be able to set aside your personal endeavors for the greater good...which is what Changge had already been doing(prioritizing her people above her desire for revenge). Hao Du had yet to arrive at that point. He didn't seem to understand that he needed to set aside his selfish desire to please his father, and leave Changge alone, because Changge was actually beneficial to Tang and helping the people. Minister Du was acting on assumptions so he was ordering Hao Du to get rid of Changge, but, by that point, Hao Du should have known better since he himself had already been witness to many, many of Changge's actions and good deeds. He should have been using his heart and head to decide for himself in doing the right thing rather than continuing to blindly follow orders for his own favorability with his foster father.

I see. Anyway, It's even pretty clear early on that Hongyi also had feelings for Hongshuo(judging by the fact that she didn't want to be parted from him, followed him all the way to Li City, and was quite reluctant to leave him when she had to return home), but because there's a sibling-like close bond in their relationship in the beginning, I think she was confused, didn't realize her deeper feelings, and was even in denial about them. But it was evident that whenever he would pamper her, she was extremely pleased and, at times, would even unconsciously look at him shyly and adoringly(as a girl would someone that they romantically like). She later on realized her feelings and, at two different points in the drama, admitted her feelings.

There is something of a love triangle in this series. The male lead's parents found the female lead(Hongyi) when she was a young girl and adopted her into their family. She was raised alongside the male lead character(Hongshuo). Because the two grew up knowing that they weren't blood related, Hongshuo was always in love with Hongyi. Their relationship slowly evolved into something more romantic over the first 8 or so episodes, and Hongyi, later on, eventually admitted feelings for Hongshuo too(though she was quite in denial about her feelings at first). The other party in the triangle is someone from Hongyi's past.

...I think your memory of this drama is a little fuzzy, or maybe you're mixing it up with another drama? I don't recall that there was anything in the drama where the female lead character wanted to be a general. And, yes, Leo's character(Hongshuo) is in love with her, but she eventually admits feelings for him too.

It's not true that the female lead shies away from any romantic interactions. Her shyness was mostly at first and during super intimate moments(like bed scenes)...but I saw her initiating kisses and hugs too. Heck, there was at least one scene where LYY was working on his laptop and she got him to leave his work and hop into bed with her. I dunno what more you want. As far as PDA goes, there's def a cultural difference involved. I'm not sure what culture you come from, but you might be seeing things from your own culture's perspective rather than from that of the Chinese. Also, I don't know how you can say that this FL character was cringey but not the FL character in Hidden Love. The one in HL was way more cringey...her mumbling, fake baby voice and overacting in trying too hard to be cute made me drop the drama. She doesn't even act or speak like her age...so, more realistic, how?

Yeah...disagree. Hidden Love...yuck. First Love, haven't seen, but I wasn't all that impressed with Wang Xingyue's acting in this drama so I'm not sure how I'd feel about him. Different strokes for different folks, I guess.

His definition of poor prob isn't what you're thinking. He has enough money to lend to others, to buy a pool hall, and when he actually showed her his accounts, he had more money than she does. Aside from that, he has a ton of connections and is also quite resourceful in earning money with various side jobs(like teaching and giving bus tours) and winning pool games. I think he views himself as poor because his feels that his life is empty and without meaning....no direction, no real future, no home, no ties with anyone that's truly meaning(since he has cut off ties with those from his past). Also note that he doesn't like to spend money on himself, only on others.

Ashile Sun is awesome, for sure. And no prob about the recs. I hope you're able to find something to watch that will interest and move you. Thanks a ton for the DM!

I love all of Wu Lei's roles...but my favorite has to be Ashile Sun. I fell in love with his character design, and much like LYY, he's a total green flag. Dude has a good head, a good heart, good skills, and good looks. He's practically flawless, haha.

As for recommendations, it looks like you've already seen a lot of his more well-known/bigger budgeted dramas and films, but you can also try "Crossfire"(if you don't mind e-sports/gaming). I liked LeiLei's acting in there...and the series has plenty of action(and a little bit of some romance too, of course) for those who enjoy it. Or if you're looking for costume dramas, you can try "Guardians of the Ancient Oath". That one, although it has a lot going on, might feel a little slow at times due to dialogue, and does have an ending that, while fitting, is rather tragic. If you don't mind slow pacing and sad endings, I think Wu Lei has pretty good chemistry with Song Zuer in there. It's a series that didn't have a lot of budget behind it or great script-writers(heard it was basically a school project for the Beijing Film Academy students) so it received really mixed reviews, but I personally still enjoyed it. You can also try "Fights Break Sphere" if you're into fantasy costume dramas.

As for films, if you don't mind sad outcomes, try "My Country, My parents". It's a film with multiple stories about one's love for one's country and achieving one's dreams. I recommend at least watching Wu Lei's story. He stars alongside Jacky Wu in the very first story as son and father, and they're soldiers trying to protect their country from the Japanese invasion. It's short and simple enough to watch, and can be seen on Amazon Prime. Another film along the same lines is "Faith Makes Great(2021)". Again, it's multiple short stories, but watch Wu Lei's segment. In his story, he's a war photographer who has first-hand witnessing the tragedies of war. You can watch it on youtube under the "I am Xiaofang" episode.

If you don't mind me asking, where did you watch "All Ears"? I've been wanting to see that but am not aware of any places where I can currently watch it.

Let me drool all over Wu Lei with you. Ashile Sun is still my favorite only because I favor costume dramas...but Lin Yiyang is def gorgeous as far as modern dramas go. Both are also such green flags, my two favorite male lead characters!

Just their eyes alone when they look at each other...it feels like they have entire conversations with them. Who needs words when their eyes say everything? Seriously though, they only need to say what's important. Their eyes do the rest. I'm not sure why people feel the need to complain that they don't talk enough in this drama.

Yes

It's actually Zhao Lusi's real voice in Hidden Love. I enjoy her characters and her dramas so much more when she is dubbed(e.g., The Long Ballad and Who Rules the World). Her real voice is, sadly, just really fake and cringey at times. It makes her acting come off as "trying too hard".

I've loved Wu Lei's acting ability and projects long before AASOL, haha. Nice to see you!

They're slowly building a relationship. That's something, not nothing. If you're looking for love triangles, people who scheme and stab each other in the back, and all kinds of chaos, this isn't that drama. For the first third of the drama, it's about them getting together. After that, the male lead character will have to face his past, reconnect with family/re-establish old friends/re-enter the world of billiards/find meaning in his life again.

If it's not for you then it's not for you. We don't all like the same things. If you're that bored by it, prob watch something else that would actually interest you.

The relationship IS the plot(aside from the male lead facing his past). If you don't like the relationship and aren't invested in it, you won't like the drama. They have to build their relationship first before the main lead character becomes motivated enough to go back and face his past. Also, male lead character isn't rich, but his description of poor isn't what you think. He has money that he lends out to people, which they do pay back, and he's also really resourceful in working various side jobs and playing pool games for money when he needs it. He was in the middle of buying a pool hall when he met the female lead character. There's a scene where he shows her his bank accounts, and he actually has more money in his accounts than she does in hers. IMO, when he keeps saying that he's poor...I think it's more so because he feels empty, like he has no direction and nothing meaningful in life...no car, no true home, no family because he has cut off his past, and nothing to tie him down to any particular place.

She's not supposed to be as good as Yiyang, but she's one of the best players in the world too, yes. She's described as a player who is rising to the top of her games and making a name for herself. For example, in the first world championship tournament, she didn't win it, but came in 2nd.