Is the ending really the only thing worth judging? So all 30–40 episodes of acting and everything else can just…
Yes, I’m aware that ratings outside China don’t affect Chinese drama production. But it took me about 2–3 years of watching Chinese (and Asian in general) dramas to realize that ratings are not a sign of quality. You have to pay attention to the cast, the director, the screenwriter, even the stylists. And even then, it’s not guaranteed that the best production team will create something truly good—not just a show to have on in the background or to kill time, but a project that, even a little, makes you a better person.
For newcomers, though, ratings are a kind of guideline. It’s logical to think that the higher the rating and the more people who have watched a drama, the better it is. Only with time do you realize that this correlation doesn’t really work.
And honestly, it just hurts to see a genuinely good series get dragged down here by these so-called “immortals.”
Is the ending really the only thing worth judging? So all 30–40 episodes of acting and everything else can just…
There is a story, and it’s not limited to just the ending. Yes, sometimes the ending can be illogical, but I’ve noticed a trend on this particular portal: dramas with a happy ending plus passion/romance scenes tend to be more popular. If a series has depth, strong visuals, and well-developed characters but lacks those elements, it’s lucky if the title stays around an 8.0–8.3 rating. *Blood River*, *Whisper of Fate*, and *The Immortal Ascension* are clear examples of that.
Of course, people can go on about how ratings don’t matter, blah blah blah. But if they truly didn’t matter, they wouldn’t exist. When someone wants to watch something, they’re not going to sift through tons of comments for every drama on that platform—they’ll most likely rely on the rating. And because of that, they might miss many genuinely interesting projects or only discover them much later.
At least the rating on that platform doesn’t affect an actor’s demand, because in China ratings are extremely important for actors. Their projects have to generate profit. And profit comes from advertising during the broadcast—what advertiser would invest in a show that hardly anyone watches?
So, in short, don’t tell me that ratings are meaningless, because that’s not entirely true.
7.8 🤦🏻More weird people on MDL downrating many dramas like it is their only jobs.Ren Jialun's dramas are…
Is the ending really the only thing worth judging? So all 30–40 episodes of acting and everything else can just be dismissed because the ending isn’t popular? Do people really forget all the positive emotions they got from watching if the ending isn’t what they wanted?
As for this particular title—there will be a happy ending. Is even that not enough to stop people from dragging the show down from the very beginning?
8,1-8,2 - It felt too good to be true. I didn’t even write about my impressions because, judging by the comments, people seemed to like the series. But it wouldn’t be a proper Monday morning without bringing so mething unpleasant along. :)
I understand that xianxia is a very cliché genre, and there’s no getting around that. But there are shows where even the clichés are handled well and don’t stick out in every episode. To me, FCY is one of those. So far, there are no classic love triangles, no toxic relationships that are somehow labeled as love, no flawless characters—or, on the other hand, completely evil villains (though there are already hints of that). Instead, there are plenty of emotional yet gentle scenes (with the Emperor, the conversation with Chu about colors), well-written characters who act within the logic of their background, great OSTs, solid CGI, and light (not crude) humor.
I don’t even want to focus on the actors’ performances, because I think it’s unnecessary. The entire cast is chosen in a way that makes us believe in these people/creatures. Though who am I kidding—I completely zone out over Ren Jialun every time he appears on screen. And it throws me right back into One and Only, which is almost scary (even though I know we’re heading for a happy ending). :)
I’m not defending Lu Huai for the memory wipe, but in the context of the events surrounding his execution, the heroine was no longer in danger anyway. The Emperor had probably calmed down, gotten some rest, and declared that the heroine had acted on his orders. So all those immortals were called back, and none of them had any personal reason to go after her anymore.
Sometimes it feels like screenwriters are forced to include certain plot milestones. Like—“Did you remember to add memory loss?” And the writer is like: “God, what excuse do I come up with this time to make it work?” In any case, overall I really like the series. It feels like sinking into a warm bath after a long workday, knowing that a pleasant weekend awaits tomorrow. It’s a pity the show’s rating is dropping. I hope those who enjoyed it won’t forget to give this story a good score.
Today at 12:00 there will be a live broadcast featuring Ren Jialun, Wang Herun, Wang Yilun, and Xiao Shunyao. I think that’s why the release time of the new episodes was changed.
Just wanted to give a clarification that this drama wasn't the one he selected. This is one of his contract ending…
I selfishly hope this isn’t his last series in this kind of genre. Though I understand why he’s now starting to move toward more serious projects. But who am I supposed to watch in xianxia or pseudo-historical dramas then? Well, okay — there’s still Deng Wei and Wang Duo. And Guo Jingming’s dramas. And that’s it. Everyone else just doesn’t work for me. No matter how much I’ve tried watching others, it’s never quite right.
For those worried about the series ending — the director himself said today that it will have a happy ending. A screenshot of his post is in the photo. Translation:
"Over the past two days, I’ve seen some very interesting discussions: everyone says that I am “the man who twice ‘cut out Jia Lun’s bones.’” From the perspective of the plot, that is indeed true.
However, although both dramas are stories “born from bones,” the meaning of these two instances of “bone removal” is completely different — one leads to death, the other to life.
Thank you all for your many years of love for “Zhou Sheng Ru Gu” (“One and Only”)! Please don’t worry: this time, “Fate Chooses You” has an HE (happy ending)! "
After *Fate Chooses You*, we’re expecting his modern detective drama *Abyss*, which is also produced by a strong…
In my language, there’s a term that unites pseudo-historical dramas, xianxia, wuxia, and xuanhuan. So I usually keep it in mind when writing posts, but in English the best translation would be “costume dramas.”
I know that xianxia is often just a transitional genre for actors, but I love beautiful stories and fairy tales, so a bit selfishly, I’m sad that I might not get to seeRen Jialun in them anymore. Still, as his fan, I wish him growth and prosperity—and to do only what HE truly likes.
He has been taking serious scripts back to back after he leaves H&R. First Silent Tides which is written by…
I’m currently watching Love of Nirvana, and I really like the story, the well-chosen cast, the balance of humor and tragedy, and the clear transformation and growth of the main characters. It’s a pity I missed it back when it first came out.
As for future projects, I’ll watch anything and support Jialun.
After *Fate Chooses You*, we’re expecting his modern detective drama *Abyss*, which is also produced by a strong…
I didn’t mean the xianxia genre specifically. We were rather talking about historical dramas — real historical ones, not fictional stories set in a certain era. Isn’t participating in such state-backed series a sign of recognition for an actor?
Tagline: The key to breaking through trials in the human world
Description: All the tribulations of the human world are but a journey through hardship. Each one is an opportunity for growth and transformation. To meet within the bounds of fate, to face adversity together, never to abandon or give up—so as to overcome the trials and uphold the righteous path.
iQIYI and Weibo launch a joint support campaign Together with you—toward a happy ending!
🎉 Pre-reservation milestones:
* 2.6 million — 1st bonus unlocked * 2.7 million — 2nd bonus unlocked * 2.9 million — 3rd bonus unlocked
More milestone rewards are on the way—stay tuned!
📲 How to pre-reserve:
Method 1: Open the drama page in the iQIYI app → tap “Reserve”
Method 2: Search for the drama → tap “Reserve”
Method 3: Enter via the actor’s page or related pages → tap “Reserve”
For newcomers, though, ratings are a kind of guideline. It’s logical to think that the higher the rating and the more people who have watched a drama, the better it is. Only with time do you realize that this correlation doesn’t really work.
And honestly, it just hurts to see a genuinely good series get dragged down here by these so-called “immortals.”
Of course, people can go on about how ratings don’t matter, blah blah blah. But if they truly didn’t matter, they wouldn’t exist. When someone wants to watch something, they’re not going to sift through tons of comments for every drama on that platform—they’ll most likely rely on the rating. And because of that, they might miss many genuinely interesting projects or only discover them much later.
At least the rating on that platform doesn’t affect an actor’s demand, because in China ratings are extremely important for actors. Their projects have to generate profit. And profit comes from advertising during the broadcast—what advertiser would invest in a show that hardly anyone watches?
So, in short, don’t tell me that ratings are meaningless, because that’s not entirely true.
As for this particular title—there will be a happy ending. Is even that not enough to stop people from dragging the show down from the very beginning?
I understand that xianxia is a very cliché genre, and there’s no getting around that. But there are shows where even the clichés are handled well and don’t stick out in every episode. To me, FCY is one of those. So far, there are no classic love triangles, no toxic relationships that are somehow labeled as love, no flawless characters—or, on the other hand, completely evil villains (though there are already hints of that). Instead, there are plenty of emotional yet gentle scenes (with the Emperor, the conversation with Chu about colors), well-written characters who act within the logic of their background, great OSTs, solid CGI, and light (not crude) humor.
I don’t even want to focus on the actors’ performances, because I think it’s unnecessary. The entire cast is chosen in a way that makes us believe in these people/creatures. Though who am I kidding—I completely zone out over Ren Jialun every time he appears on screen. And it throws me right back into One and Only, which is almost scary (even though I know we’re heading for a happy ending). :)
I’m not defending Lu Huai for the memory wipe, but in the context of the events surrounding his execution, the heroine was no longer in danger anyway. The Emperor had probably calmed down, gotten some rest, and declared that the heroine had acted on his orders. So all those immortals were called back, and none of them had any personal reason to go after her anymore.
Sometimes it feels like screenwriters are forced to include certain plot milestones. Like—“Did you remember to add memory loss?” And the writer is like: “God, what excuse do I come up with this time to make it work?” In any case, overall I really like the series. It feels like sinking into a warm bath after a long workday, knowing that a pleasant weekend awaits tomorrow. It’s a pity the show’s rating is dropping. I hope those who enjoyed it won’t forget to give this story a good score.
A screenshot of his post is in the photo. Translation:
"Over the past two days, I’ve seen some very interesting discussions: everyone says that I am “the man who twice ‘cut out Jia Lun’s bones.’” From the perspective of the plot, that is indeed true.
However, although both dramas are stories “born from bones,” the meaning of these two instances of “bone removal” is completely different — one leads to death, the other to life.
Thank you all for your many years of love for “Zhou Sheng Ru Gu” (“One and Only”)! Please don’t worry: this time, “Fate Chooses You” has an HE (happy ending)! "
I know that xianxia is often just a transitional genre for actors, but I love beautiful stories and fairy tales, so a bit selfishly, I’m sad that I might not get to seeRen Jialun in them anymore. Still, as his fan, I wish him growth and prosperity—and to do only what HE truly likes.
As for future projects, I’ll watch anything and support Jialun.
Tagline:
The key to breaking through trials in the human world
Description:
All the tribulations of the human world are but a journey through hardship.
Each one is an opportunity for growth and transformation.
To meet within the bounds of fate, to face adversity together,
never to abandon or give up—so as to overcome the trials
and uphold the righteous path.
iQIYI and Weibo launch a joint support campaign
Together with you—toward a happy ending!
🎉 Pre-reservation milestones:
* 2.6 million — 1st bonus unlocked
* 2.7 million — 2nd bonus unlocked
* 2.9 million — 3rd bonus unlocked
More milestone rewards are on the way—stay tuned!
📲 How to pre-reserve:
Method 1:
Open the drama page in the iQIYI app → tap “Reserve”
Method 2:
Search for the drama → tap “Reserve”
Method 3:
Enter via the actor’s page or related pages → tap “Reserve”
📅 Coming soon!