Michelle Topham

Ooh, my apologies. I was actually going off Baidu, who has had YOUKU listed as one of the three producers for forever. Looks like they're not though, just one of the distributors so, yep, that does make sense. You were correct :)

Thanks! I'm going to stick with it through at least Ep 12. I've seen a few people complain they hated it and dropped it at around that level, so I want to see if I feel the same way. So far though it's really very beautiful, and every single main cast member is hotter than hell :)

That's who I always use if a drama is on Viki or iQIYI (i subscribe to everything else).

I won't sub to either Viki or iQIYI -- Viki treats their translators like they're indentured servants, and iQIYI is the most expensive streaming platform, but half the time their major dramas are only available here in Europe on their YouTube channel FOR AN EXTRA SUBSCRIPTION. - No, bite me :)

Hahaha, I know. I'm not really surprised though.

The director/screenwriter Edward Guo is detested by some Chinese viewers as he's a plagiarist (he was taken to court, the court ruled in the favor of the author whose work he stole, and Guo was forced to pay a huge fine to the author) and he's also been accused of sexually assaulting several of his male staff by a writer who used to work for him, so I think a substantial percentage of Chinese viewers will downrate his dramas regardless of if they're good or not.

Personally, I think he's a not-so-great writer (the plot in VoS makes little sense as it's confusing right from the first episode :), but he's a gifted director, and brilliant at knowing what visuals will grab an audience's attention. I'm still not sold on VoS (only on Ep 4 so I'll see how it goes) but there's no denying it's very very pretty :)

It's literally a YOUKU production (along with Daylight Entertainment). Of course they have distribution rights for overseas for their own platform.

All the Chinese streaming services are abysmal with their international promotions as non-Chinese viewers are not as important to them. That will change though, as they are all starting to realize there is a HUGE untapped market outside China, with MASSIVE amounts of money if they actually promoted to them.

Silly they didn't promote Yang Yang's latest drama though. He's an enormous draw, even to non-Chinese viewers.

And because of that, some people will start bootlegging the show as they don't know it's on YOUKU. And when that happens, they usually continue bootlegging. A shame :(

Crazy that YOUKU didn't promote this as being available on their international streaming platform. Was just about to bootleg it as I refuse to pay for Viki (they're scammers to their translators). Well now that made my day but, honestly, Chinese streaming services REALLY need to get with the program when it comes to international viewers.

Will just point out the drama certainly has its flaws but, as ensemble casts go, it would be difficult to find one as perfectly cast as this one. So many superb actors, right down to the most inconsequential sect member, playing so many interesting characters. One of my favorite casts this year.

1000% - Bai Zhong Ying had the most interesting arc, IMO. From pseudo-villain to ultimate hero. A character you were supposed to dislike when he first appeared, and then grew to love the more the story progressed.

Liked his character (and Xiao Shun Yao's performance) the most out of all of them and, for me, the drama has a slew of fabulous characters I really loved. But he was the standout.

Especially compared to Lu Qian Qiao who, by the end, turns out to be an anti-climax. (Loved Allen Ren's performance, but the character is a disappointment as he ends up as more of a shallow, not fully-fleshed out person than someone with real substance).

He's Chinese, so typically outspoken (that's very much the Chinese in my experience -- cut and dried personalities, they don't sugar coat :), and he's obviously very knowledgeable about the Chinese drama industry as he often has information it's difficult for a non-Chinese speaker to find. I don't mind him. He answers questions, and he's just about 100% correct on the factual information he gives.

He doesn't suffer fools gladly, but neither do I, so it's probably why he doesn't bother me :)

It's a 5.2 on Douban (in Douban scores that means "unwatchable garbage", so the Chinese hate it even more than MDL fan girls :)

Fascinating to see Chinese viewers absolutely savaging this on Douban giving it a 5.2 - ie: meaning completely unwatchable garbage.

Meanwhile, I've finally gotten around to watching past Episode 1 and, while I wouldn't say it's unwatchable (yet, as I am only on Episode 4), I'm not surprised about the Chinese ratings as a) it's typical Edward Guo and b) he's a plagiarist (found guilty in court and so has a horrible reputation in China) and so many Chinese fans dislike him immensely. That means his dramas are always going to be down-rated by a certain segment of viewers. Deservedly or not.

By typical Edward Guo, I mean a plot that's all over the place but that makes little sense and a drama that's all style but no substance -- looks beautiful, colors pop off the screen, the fight scenes are phenomenally well choreographed, the performances are stylized and over-the-top (which you either love or you don't), but it's all just shallow and meaningless.

Throw in silly dialogue, convoluted scenarios and all of it a shame as the cast is beyond star-studded, it's epic.

But hey they all look beautiful, right?

Not saying I hate it (yet), as I am enjoying the pretty and the fights. Costumes are beautiful too.

Will just reserve judgement until I'm a few more episodes in, and then will decide if I'll drop it due to "there being no there there", or just enjoy it for the pretty. So far, I'm fine with the latter.

Love, love, love Yue Yang. He was one of my favorite characters in Guardians of the Dafeng -- he's a brilliant actor and has phenomenal comedic timing.

Haven't despised an FL this much in a long time. Weak, useless, spends half her time being thrown around by people much stronger than her and then spitting blood, and the other half lying in bed recuperating. When she's not giving never-ending monologues that is. ( The character is horribly written).

Pathetic and uninteresting from beginning to end. Any character could have done what she did in Ep 39. Hell, they could have sent Lu Qian Qiao's wood spirit friend. At least he is cute and fun.

And the last two episodes are a waste of time. Might as well not exist. Because of that and the weak ending, dropped it to 7.5.

Enjoyed the drama overall, loved most of the main characters, thrilled Xiao Shun Yao had a bigger part than half of the "main cast". Best arc of the entire thing was Bai Zong Ying's - from pseudo-villain to ultimate hero. Huang Yi was brilliant. And Allen Ren nailed his role. He should have had many more scenes.

EDIT: After sleeping on it, I've bumped my score back up to an 8.5. as I can't stop thinking about how perfect the ensemble cast is. One of the few dramas with many interesting and unique side characters all with their own stories, and all of whom are beautifully cast and acted.

Yep. Mine too :)

Every bloody day there's another C-drama dropping that I just HAVE to watch :) Struggling to find the time :)

Really looking forward to Zhao Zhan Adventures. Yang Yang has been one of my faves since The King's Avatar, and the rest of the cast is excellent as well.

Oooh, good to know. And thanks for the reminder, I'd forgotten to put it on my 'Plan To Watch' list.

Looks brilliant as Huang Yi is in one of the main roles, and the two leads -- Ren Min and Ci Sha - are an interesting pairing. I like both actors, so hopefully I'll get to it sometime this week (although Yang Yang's Zhao Zhan Adventures drops tomorrow so... :) (So many C-dramas, so little time :)

Supporting cast is excellent as well!

I rewatched some of Song Zu Er's scenes in The Prisoner of Beauty yesterday for an article I'm writing and her ability to show every emotion on her face, right down to the smallest hesitation or tiniest question, is remarkable.

She was also paired very well with Liu Yu Ning who has similar abilities, so the two together were phenomenal.

You win the prize for the dumbest comment today. Well done you.

I just came off (well dropped at Ep 12 :) My Bargain Queen, and WHR's performance is exactly the same in that. All fake emotion outwardly but she's not feeling any of it inside. Probably why I'm harsher on her than you in this as she seems to have learned little from a drama she filmed 8 years ago and was just as bad in. Basically, she sits on top of a role instead of becoming the character. (Something my drama teacher told me for years when I failed just as miserably in theater roles as, no, I'm not a talented actress either :)

It's odd, as she gave a decent performance in Mysterious Lotus Casebook in 2023, so she is capable, but IMO, she failed in this. Could be for a combination of 3 reasons? -- a) possibly the director? b) the FL is horribly written and c) her own failings.

Overall, I don't think she is lead material, as every other actress in this overshadowed her performance. She seems to manage well in supporting roles but, personally, I would be wary about watching anything else she's in if she is the lead. Huang Yi, on the other hand, definitely deserves more female lead roles :)