Jenx1

Wei Yan is a great complicated villain. He's not likeable or sympathetic but I like that he doesn't whine about how much the world has done him wrong or act like he's a massive victim. He knows he is a villain and accepts the consequences of his actions all pragmatically. I also like that he cares about a lot of people, not just one person, but his caring doesn't stop him from being ruthless. And his ruthlessness is driven by some goal he has instead of out of control emotions.

I'm kinda disappointed with how Qi Min played out as a nothing more than a hot psycho obsessed over a woman towards the end. I feel like the script writers got so obsessed with trying to sell his toxic "love" story with Qian Qian instead of just his story. He got a great scene with Yuanqing and then it was back to regular programming. Did he even get to know the full truth about what happened back in the day? I think he just knew on the surface level about Wei Yan and Changxin? They could've done so much more between him, Wei Yan, XZ, and CY given the history of the previous gen.

I think I like the GBA crew the most. They run on pure singing and emotions/acting and not a lot of showmanship so sometimes the shows can be boring and simple but you can't beat their sincerity. Maybe the group thing was a mistake because they all had their own people to hang out with and didn't feel the need to get out of their comfort zone as much?

Adopted brothers. Wang Xuan's parents adopted ZZD's character just to use him as a blood donor for WX and they also abused him which is why he's so bitter. WX has some kind of disease that requires monthly blood transfusion. Most likely ZZD did not kill the dad or he killed the dad to protect WX. In the past they loved each other like brothers (but you can interpret it however) but became enemies. Now WX is trying to get revenge on ZZD for killing the dad and keeping him and his mom captive. What he doesn't know is that ZZD is being threatened by someone because he's poisoned and needs a weekly antidote. It is obvious he is doing everything to protect WX and with the blood transfusion thing going on, my guess is that WX is really the one poisoned and ZZD is detoxifying him with the antidote+his blood.

I liked watching them problem solve as a group on the physical challenges/tasks but following the mystery plot was tough. S2 was easier to follow the mystery story but they did spend a large chunk of time just sitting around reasoning it out. Not sure if it was the script or they're just more chaotic as a group now.

Oh interesting that this novel is finally adapted but if the above summary is accurate calling it a loose adaptation would be generous. It's the 3rd in Fei Wo Si Cun's Republican era trilogy and least popular. Also no real plot and feels more like a novella so changes were needed for a full blown drama I guess. The first was Siege in Fog then Too Late to Say I Love You. The ML of that one (played by Wallace Chung in drama) is this ML's father. It reads like this adaptation took some of the plot elements from Too Late.

They should've dropped the fanfic stories first then LOCH. I was looking forward to how they were going to fill out the 5 Greats stories.

Eastern Heretic probably had the most "backstory" of all the greats and that is to say not a lot. I didn't read it but the 3rd revised edition expanded his story a bit more-not for the better but that's just my opinion. Ashes of Time basically took a couple of sentences in LOCH and turned it into full blown backstory for OYF. It definitely made up a new story for HYS that can't be found anywhere in LOCH to fit the story around OYF .

I figured they would use the 3rd edition LOCH for HYS story and some version of Ashes of Time of OYF, for that "romantic" angle. TVB did something similar in the 90s of making up backstories for the greats minus OYF.

My guess is they cast based on the upcoming parts-the back stories they've written for the greats and not necessarily for "LOCH." For HYS in particular, I have a feeling they're gonna base it off material that was added/edited in the 3rd edition of LOCH which to me does contradict his original characterization in the first 2 editions and even in ROCH. So they wanted/needed actors who could play out the younger versions and older instead of having 2 sets of actors.

I'm not a pure "reading only for romance" reader so that's how. And you have to be ok with not having a likeable FL? If you're looking at it only from a romance/relationship angle, the most frustrating thing for me is FL doesn't really seem to have learned anything from the past to have a clear goal in mind of how she wants this 2nd chance to go differently in terms of how she relates to both men. Whereas the ML knows he has regrets from the past life and is trying to correct them in the new life. I don't care to debate the "who is more wrong" or "who deserves better" because everyone will have different interpretations but I appreciate that the ML has more self-awareness in the new life while FL doesn't.

Oh and you probably have to be comfortable with an unequal power dynamic between FL and ML, in all areas not just by position but in their relationship too. But if its a struggle to read maybe just watch the drama? I will be surprised if drama FL is anywhere as cold and hard as novel FL.

No it wasn't but the unequal power dynamics between them and his personality puts him in a passive position half by default and half by choice. His brain was all used up in palace politics and so had no room to critically think about anything else like relationships. Some might be uncomfortable with it but just think of him as the typical 2ML character quietly loving the FL while she chases after the ML.

In the novel, FL remains pretty cold and petty towards the ML for a good chunk of the story. ML is the opposite, genuinely sees the start of the rebirth point as his second chance to get this marriage right and is devoted to her. Drama FL seems less harsh and mean than novel FL so maybe that's it. But even then the novel doesn't really portray them as people with deep anger or hatred between them either. It's way more subtle and the underlying misunderstandings from the first life /trust issues doesn't go away. It is like a "2 steps forward one step back" dynamic for most of the story-mainly due to FL. Her being cordial is surface level.

My first thought is the king is such a crappy ruler. He forsakes everything for one dude and was never shown to be thinking about his duty during any of this. I wished the movie had spent more time on developing a little more plot and character instead of all the gratuitous sex scenes. That said, the actor is fantastic and is the emotional anchor of the movie.

The so-called "love" story? None of the 3 main characters had freedom of choice and love or even to just be themselves. They were under such immense outside pressures and that distorts everything. The king physically castrated HL but he himself was emotionally castrated by HL and all the political pressures.

All the questions about what HL turning his head meant-my take is isn't about love per se but more subtle than that and a bit more literal. HL thought he knew who the king was until it was shaken and finally shattered when he thought the king killed the queen. When he learned differently that she wasn't killed after all, then that again broke his newly formed view of the king. I think he realizes he doesn't really understand the king as much as he thought he did. In all the years they spent together, did he ever really SEE the king, as the person? That's just my take on the look back.

Well in the book, she's in love with ZZ like 80% of the story. There's not a huge switch where all of a sudden XW and her have a lot of "in love" romantic scenes. The relationship building comes from a point of common understanding and shared experiences.

Anyone know the name of the ending song?

Ep. 1 has me hooked. I want to know more about the characters and the story. This one episode per week is going to suck when there is a big mystery as the central plot.

I'm looking forward to all 3 leads and their dynamics with one another. The super short trailer is too short to judge anything. Is the background of Park Sung Woong's character "inspired" by the real life case of child rape that was adapted into the movie, Hope. The 8-year old child stuck out to me but could be coincidence I guess.

Ignore all the plot holes and illogical stuff and it is a fun watch. Miss Panda is badass. There is a sequence with Ryusei in glasses and 3-piece suit (and a stuffed panda lol) that is pretty cool. I don't know if he did his own stunts in the movie or not but the choreography was great.

For a show about bodyguards, it's pretty low on action. Shimazaki is so self-righteous and foolish but the story also makes him out to be the person who is always right that it is so darn annoying. 90% of his clients are annoying, unlikeable, and in the wrong so you root for the main character to fail! Most of them also don't need bodyguards and would be better off paying for a therapist.

He spouts crap about loyalty to clients and the profession of "bodyguard" like it's something sacred and so he'll even put his life on the line for criminals. It's called "clients!" He can pick who he wants to be his clients and who he doesn't but he's just ready to risk his life for all without even thinking about his kid. He's so hellbent on saving all his clients like it's something heroic. And of course he's shown to be right because by saving them, they try to become better people (insert major eye roll).

For a procedural the "case of the week," are...weak. But the main actors/characters are great so it's not a total waste of time to watch it. Himura is an interesting take on the Sherlock archetype in that this isn't just an intellectual exercise for him and there's something deeper going on.

The revenge was pretty well done and it only took about a year of planning so well played. All the perps got what they deserved at the end, no more no less. I'm curious enough to want to read the book.

My favorite thing might be the title. There's something poetic about the title and even moreso when you learn the meaning behind it in the story.