ElofOz

Watching this again. Had forgotten how very good it was. The chemistry between these two great actors - and the comedy! Now realising what I have been missing in this year's dramas. Nothing has come close so far. :(

Saw that too! I just assumed it happened during all those arrows coming toward him during his face-off with the Eagle King. You'd have to think there are a treasure trove of deleted scenes from this waiting to be minded. Hope they end up on You Tube one day. 🙏💖

Okay, another day post-KTTPH and I have to say this again: I can't get over how good this drama was. HMH and Ai Mi were incredible. Their characters were so unique, with a rare depth and complexity that is not often seen in cdramas (esp. Xioa Wuyi). The talent of the two actors really brought them to life. All the characters and acting were spot-on really. They each had their inner demons, strengths and weaknesses. The incredible script and dialogues served them well. They just needed 10 more episodes so the editing didn't to be so brutal throughout the last arc.
Lastly, that OST is living rent-free in my mind and will do so for a long time to come I'm sure. The composers/lyricists nailed the brief and managed to bring the spine-tingles when needed.
2026 is proving to be a good vintage for Cdramas it seems.

Me too. 🥰 They really needed another 10 episodes to really do justice to the epic journey of these incredible characters . 😢 Maybe there will be a director's cut one day. 🙏🙏

Just dropping this to say 100% agree on all of these comments. 💖😊

Okay, I'm definitely gonna rewatch those scenes thinking this way from now on! Thank you!! I just couldn't bear the thought of Wuyi losing such integral part of who he was. Would love a sequel to put my doubts to rest though😉

Loved this drama so much. Will be hard to let it go and I want to save the rewatch for when the details have started to fade from my memory. Xiao Wuyi truly has to be one of the best written ML characters we've seen the past few years - I can see why Hou Minghao couldn't pass up the opportunity to play him. My only (minor) complaint was all the editing in the last ten or so episodes that left us jumping around so much, as well as a few loose ends (eg what ever happened to Xiao Wuyi's mother and we never found out YaoYao's parentage or who killed her parents - why give us that detailed description of the killer's face if for naught?). I'm not gonna lie. I was also heartbroken they left Wuyi with no martial skills at the end. Hadn't he given enough of himself to Ye? But his reunion with Yao Yao was so beautiful I can forgive that. I only wish the OST song "Know Me" had played somewhere in that running montage or when they met at the end. It was the jewel in the OST crown for me and said everything about their relationship: "You know I am willing to stay by your side until the very end ...".

I went into this with very few expectations, but have been amazed by the quality and am totally hooked. The script, acting and OST are just so good. Neo and Ai Mi are perfect. They are both so talented. I'm just annoyed it only has 28 episodes. Wish it was 40.

Thank you so much for this detailed response. I am relatively new to cdramas to I definitely have a catalogue of classics to go through. I noticed Golden Hairpin in the MDL listing - that one piqued my interest. I totally agree though, it ultimately depends on the plot/story. Unfortunately, that comes first for me. If I'm not gripped by the journey the characters are on, no amount of great directing or beautiful cinematography will keep me watching.
At least for now I will relish watching The First Jasmine! I actually think I will need to watch it multiple times over, to fully appreciate all of the meticulous details and recurring imagery.

A total feast. That haunting scene in courtyard with the grandma.... I haven't enjoyed such spine-tingling stuff with a cdrama since THAT scene in Love Like the Galaxy (iykyk).
Re the director - I haven't seen many of her other dramas, strangely. Is there one you would highly recommend for someone who is loving The First Jasmine?
I am already dreading when this series comes to an end :(

Same! It is gripping. And so perfectly cast. I wasn't a Bai Lu fan before (always found her a bit meh), and mainly started this for Ryan Cheng and because nothing else was keeping me fixed (ahem, Ashes to Crown). But, my God, she has been a revelation. She is absolutely owning all the different layers of Ye Li to perfection. No less than the leads in North by Northwest or Vertigo.
Yes - don't get me started on the OST! I can't track down the instrumental background music sadly. I hope they make it available on Spotify soon.

YES! I thought this from the first episode. From the ferocious monkeys to the alter egos and imaginary friends... It's incredible. It's got this slightly gothic air to it too. I'm loving it.

Fantastic! Thanks for the head's up!

This looks good! Anxiously waiting for subtitles.