Sunbath12

Finished this finally! Need a day or so to digest my thoughts. I think in brief, this script was really ambitious but ended up biting off more than it could chew. Not every storyline or arc soars and leaves truly moving impression or is allowed to delve more deeply into a topic. Trying to encapsulate decades worth of history on top of some family drama into 40 episodes proved too much, at least for me.

Just announced: Deng Wei will be joining CCTV's New Year's Eve Gala (recording on Dec 18th).
https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5243727691121130

Zhu Yawen is the ML there. After he dies 2/3 of the way through, the drama becomes another kind of story - more fanfictiony in my opinion. But it’s so good in the first 2/3.

I hate it when a great drama suddenly changes at the end. I feel like it happened with Ming Dynasty and The Rise of Phoenixes for me.

Instagram update after recent Dior event in Beijing:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DSIJPQKj6gi/

Oh no. Easy way out in my opinion. Not only for the character but for the drama’s narrative. I’ll have to finish this one soon and digest it all. Some great highs and some lows for me.

Still have the last several eps to go. It's been a pleasure chatting with you all - had some good refreshers regarding this period of Chinese history. This hasn't been a perfect drama - there have been some truly great moments and some odd or dull moments for me scattered throughout - but it's been a overall pleasant watching experience.

I knew given the actor they cast for Rui Lin that he wouldn’t be such a simple guy.

It was on iQiyi’s drama list for 2026 during the conference they had in Sept, but you never know.

Looks like iqiyi released its Dec dramas to broadcast already. So 2026 for this drama.

Also, new ad for Pantene:
https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5242244733075543

Nothing yet. Rumors for Q1 or Q2 next year

Or at least consistently used voice over with the correct accent. 😆

I don’t have a link to an English translation, but Deng Wei’s new magazine cover (Chinese version of Another Man) is out. There’s a nice little interview as well, giving insights to his understanding of his characters in his upcoming dramas (The Legend of Rosy Clouds and TDOSAL) and hints of what he’s been up to (spending time with family and reading scripts).

Miss Su steals every scene she is in, super interesting character.

I wonder after tomorrow’s eps what new crises await GPY.

This cast list is a mess honestly lol

He’s arrived already! And it looks like there will be more brand things popping up (for Pantene). Should be a full couple weeks for fans. 😊

GPY is everywhere - running China's first private banking system in Shanxi, growing famous teas in Anhui, and now buying those ships as you say. Maybe the story is an allegory - I wonder how far this story will go haha.

From the trailers for the next episodes, exactly as you said: armed foreign ships. Guess GPY is going to try to buy one from what the trailer said.

Definitely deus ex machina moment for me. The whole Russian minic arc was a fun romp too. It’s like a side travel show, then boom, back to serious war stuff.