The future is a long past

Having not read the novel, I had no idea what I was in for in this first installment of the Joy of Life series. And honestly, it took me about 12 episodes before I really settled into the drama. The anachronistic elements and humor were not landing for me yet, and Fan Xian's love-at-first-sight for Lin Wan'er was not at all interesting. Once his friend Teng Zijing is killed, the drama finally finds its footing and a better balance between its heavy drama and lighter moments. As Fan Xian becomes mired in the cesspool of political and palace power struggles, the audience too is drawn in - and things do not let up until the very last shot of episode 46 when you are left with a most frustrating cliffhanger.

The characters are deliciously multi-dimensional, even as some ooze pure evil (Princess Royal Li Yunrui is a standout) as they endeavor to manipulate people and events to their own benefit. Even our determined male lead Fan Xian behind his confident exterior carries a lot of pain and loneliness. My favorite scenes are those where we get a glimpse of his true inner state - the quieter moments (such as Xiao En's final moments, the last scene with Zhuang Mohan, and just chatting in Haitang Duoduo's garden).

Without getting too much into things, this story is apparently a period drama, but it is actually set in the very distant future (I know, is this story sci-fi? Historical? Have to wait and see in season 2 if this gets explained further). As such, it makes the story all the more poignant. Many years from now, what will mankind have to show for itself? Have we been able to overcome our greed, hatred and distrust of others? When will we stop hurting or killing each other? Can centuries of literature, poetry and history truly make us better? These are timeless questions, all the more pertinent in today's conflict-ridden world. I think this story, which has yet to finish, will ultimately take an optimistic stance because we all want to believe in Fan Xian - the seemingly powerless one who can stand up and continue in the endless fight for good.

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Something is rotten in the state of Liang

Nirvana in Fire 1 is a masterfully paced tale of revenge and a fight for the throne in a quest for truth and justice. Its story is mostly linear and thus builds satisfyingly to its climax near the end with a fittingly bittersweet denouement. NIF 2 is a different kind of story. More complex in its character construction and narrative, the second installment gets off to a slower start and because of its story structure, may encounter some bumps along the way for some viewers.

There are essentially 2 major parts to this story, the first part ending with Xiao Pingzhang's death, and the second culminating in Xiao Yuanqi's revolt. As such, although you may consider Xiao Pingjing to be the main character, he has to share screen time with his brother in the first part of the story. At other points in the story, he is either in a coma or hanging out on Langya Mountain, while the plot is moved along by some of the supporting cast. What is more, he comes off as somewhat of a callow youth in the beginning of the drama, although he is very intelligent and quick on his toes.

Once viewed as a whole, however, NIF 2 becomes an epic tale of the frailty and courage of human nature - a timeless tale reminding us that as much as we aspire to be our better selves, we may just as easily fall prey to our vices. There is always a sense of unease when watching this, whether it is watching the creepily Rasputin-like Puyang Ying achieve his devious goals or the pitiful Yuanqi fall further and further to his inevitable defeat. We see the bonds of brotherhood and family tested as the balance of power between the Imperial court and the military hangs forever in a delicate balance. Pingjing's coming-of-age story is interwoven throughout, and I found myself very much moved as he struggles to deal with the deaths of his brother and father and his identity as the son of the Old Prince of Chang Lin.

The older cast definitely elevate this drama with their performances, but the younger cast do a fine job in their roles. The grounded production and stirring music round out this excellent drama worth watching and re-watching.

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Forest of secrets indeed

This show got me back into K dramas after a long hiatus after college. I was tired of watching the usual romcoms and found this one a refreshing departure from what I had been used to seeing. From the outset, the story seems to be a straightforward murder mystery, but as you keep watching, you realize soon that the web being spun if far more complicated. I found myself delightfully second guessing characters and trying to figure out who everything was connected right up until the thrilling climax.

The talented cast give as a whole grounded and nuanced performances, fittingly restrained (for the most part) for the darker tone of the series overall. But it's not a downer of a story; throughout the whole drama, you can't help but root for Hwang Si-Mok, as he charges ahead in search of the truth.

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Not enough steam to last until the end

This drama starts off in a powerful way but by the middle of the 16 episodes, there is not enough meat to the story to sustain it until the end. The female lead's "revenge" story has nowhere to go because the audience already knows that the king is not the true villain of the story. Perhaps more importantly, the character lacks any real personality to make her scenes compelling to watch, much less make her romance with the delightfully complex male lead at all convincing.

The king (male lead), on the other hand, has a true story to tell in this drama. His journey from Grand Prince to exile in Qing and back to Joseon and ultimately the throne is thrilling, and Jo Jung-suk plays him with so much pathos and intensity. The show could have ultimately benefited from minimizing the romance and female lead's role and focused on the king with a shorter number of episodes. Alternatively, a more interesting romance or more complex political storyline could have justified the full 16 episodes.

I was hoping for more from this beautifully produced show, hoping for a really satisfying, dramatic sageuk. There are some really great moments throughout, but by the end, I was fast-forwarding more than actually watching. I feel as though an 8 is really generous from me - but some of the performances (including the younger child actors) are really terrific and lift up the show. Something to check out for those who love period/historical dramas, but it is no masterpiece.

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