i think you are being way too critical. Can you pls understand their motives behind what they did? this is a very…
That's the issue, you claim he's not making any effort, but you have no idea how much effort is needed to let go when he's gone through such trauma. In fact, you don't care about his trauma.
You want him to behave in a way he is mentally not capable to, and only then you might descend to his level to feel a bit emotion for him, this is kinda... heartless, really.
The script is alright, why don't you try to analyze the main characters' motivations?Episodes 14 & 16 explained…
Ok, looks like we’re holding two entirely different viewpoints on storytelling.
You're judging the quality of the writing based on how comfortable the characters are to watch.
But writing is not bad just because it doesn't cater to your idea of romance. Real human trauma, guilt, fear - they don't express themselves in polite boundaries. Writers wanted to show us hurt people who don't know how to heal themselves yet.
Dismissing psychological depth as 'poor writing' just because it makes you irritated misses the entire point of a character-driven tragedy.
It's okay if you don't have the patience for that kind of emotional tension, but that's a preference, not a script flaw.
The script is alright, why don't you try to analyze the main characters' motivations?Episodes 14 & 16 explained…
Who says his behavior is justified? The writers themselves wrote the lines where Lifei openly calls him out for this.
Yeah, the guy needs emotional help. Please pass him a number of Jianghu Psychological Hotline next time you have a chance.
Or maybe accept that human beings are not one-dimensional and Xiuyuan really is not capable of coping with all that shit alone.
He's not looking for a girlfeind, he's afraid of losing connection with a friend, AND he starts to like his friend.
You can call Lifei heartless or ungrateful, but you should also understand that trust cannot be regained that easily. She is afraid that he might hide something again, lie in a crucial moment again, could he be faking everything? Yeah he saves her life today, only to decide when to endanger her tomorrow. What's the point of that? She doesn't understand how much sincerity is there in his actions, so she has to look at him from a new perspective, gain a new understanding of his character. As I mentioned, she needed time and space.
And also, dramas don't have to have flawless characters. Perfect characters are not able to grow. The main trio, Xiuyuan, Lifei and Tongzhou - they are all human beings.
The pleasure of watching a story like this does not come from thinking "Wow, what a great boyfriend!" It comes from watching characters grow and change with the circumstances. Some get stronger, some break. Some get on the right path, some fall to evil.
There is no point in criticising drama for raising controversial topics. This drama handles "stalking" well, it does not romanticise it. Following Lifei is not romantic but tragic, as it is an act of desperation. Xiuyuan is not a toxic male lead, not a walking red flag, he's not even a bad person. He's in a deadlock, needing help but not allowed to ask for it.
The scriptwriter decided the best move was to turn the male lead into a pathetic stalker and the female lead into…
The script is alright, why don't you try to analyze the main characters' motivations?
Episodes 14 & 16 explained Lifei's feelings well.
Being betrayed is half the problem. She actually realised that his decision wasn't malicious back in Chufeng Academy, when they had a talk.
But she also feels resentful because Xiuyuan, being their friend, disregards their opinion completely.
Now she doesn't want to see him, and he still won't give her space. And she's not throwing herself in any danger, the danger is throwing itself on her =_=
Xiuyuan is also not petty, He is extremely lonely. He had no home, no parents, he lost his brother, he lost his only friends. There is literally noone to support him while he is grieving, and because he is the architect of the disaster he has no right to ask for comfort. While the only person who understands him cannot forgive him, she needs some time and space. He is afraid that if he gives her that space he'd lose her forever. He'd rather be hated than alone. This makes Lifei angry because this ignoring her opinion is exactly the type of behaviour that lead to his betrayal.
Xiuyuan also lost his moral standing and with it he lost control over his own life. He tries to make amends because it's the only way for him to get relief from the gnawing guilt. The more she rejects him, the more distressed he feels, the more he needs to gain control, so he easily snaps and oversteps in ep 14. He's kinda balancing on the verge of going crazy, drowning in his own mind.
His character is very lonely and in much pain.
This story has some real depth to it. It's a tragedy about two people who still care about each other, but they have to overcome their own fears to finally reach out and support one another. In ep 16 Lifei was finally ready to talk and explain what she wants to be changed, the question now is, if Xiuyuan is ready to change his ways.
Song Weilong said himself in the live the Demon Lord is a very sad character to him as he is very lonely and just…
Exactly!
I wish we could hear more comments from the actors on their understanding of the characters, and some BTS pieces, and generally more content about this drama...
This drama actually handles this trope with depth and maturity.
Xiuyuan is quite young, recently traumatised and restless to face the reality that their friendship might be over. It's easier for him to be hated than to be alone. Don't forget that his betrayal caused him to lose everyone close to him: not only his big brother, but his only friends as well. He suddenly became very lonely. That explains why he can't help following Lifei knowing full well that he is unwanted.
HOWEVER! The drama explains, but does not excuse his immature behaviour. Because next, it gives FL those lines: "So loyal and loving of you. You always assume you know best. You went after Riyan, joined Wuyue Court and showed up wherever I went. You slipped the art on me secretly in the name of protecting me. You're the same as always. Why make choices for me? Why never ask if I accept this? What are you even to me?"
Then he looks into her eyes and understands that he is wrong. HOWEVER! Understanding that he's doing a wrong thing doesn't mean he can help it. He is just as traumatised as Lifei, but because it was his own fault he should expect literally zero emotional support. Lifei understands him, but can neither help nor forgive him, because broken trust doesn't mend that easily. But he also cannot handle his overwhelming grief alone. He tries as much as he can to not force himself on her, but the more he is pushed away, the worse he feels and the more he needs to feel in control (what happened at the start of ep 14).
At this point, you can hate ML all you want, but that's in fact a very realistic situation. It's not romantic, it's pure angst. A Shakespearean tragedy, y'know.
I think you can feel compassion towards ML even tho he's making one mistake after another. Honestly, he's not a bad guy, but he desperately needs someone to help him out of this dead end.
You people have no chill, don't bully the young cultivators, they're not supposed to be strong yet. They've only started properly cultivating in Chufeng Academy, and the Academy was focused on the basics. The streamlined power growth arc is happening right know to make the power feel earned and satisfying
Wait, but if they just awaken their powers at some point, would it still feel earned and satisfying..?
It's very unlikely that "The Eternal Fragrance" will be allowed to surpass 10,000 heat index.There are…
Yep, points 2-3 are quite believable. I've seen this done in many different industries not just dramas, you agree to pay for the performance and then hijack the performance on paper. Profit is usually intact or still outweighs the potential payment obligations. Dirty methods. Thanks for the info
First let me state that I really like this show and both these actors, but he is kind of creepy and stalkerish…
Maybe? Because if it was another guy with other intentions, it would be another situation, what's wrong with that?
Take 2ML for example. He can easily have some questionable motives. He wanted FL to follow his path and join the same sect. but Xiuyuan was determined to choose any sect for her. Sure, 2ML has his other responsibilities as a Prince, but that would make his motives impure, and persisting from him would seem creepy and stalkish.
Xiuyuan, however, only wants to make amends and pure desire to protect (well, maybe later he's gonna struggle with possessive urges for all we know). But those nuances can't be ignored. It's only ok for Xiuyuan as far as he is clear-hearted.
First let me state that I really like this show and both these actors, but he is kind of creepy and stalkerish…
Oh he won't be staying mute for long, judging from the ep 14 trailer. Xiuyuan is not a talkative guy in the first place, but it's not that he's not trying hard enough. It's like the Prince said to Xiuyuan, you can't convince anyone with empty words. Only Lifei can decide when she's ready to make a step towards him. What do you mean by any other male, like, someone worse in terms of looks? Or in terms of character? Because I don't think that looks matter here, be it fatty Wang, if he's the same resolute guy and she feels the same mutual affection but is afraid to trust again, what does it matter what ML looks like?
I don't get it why jjy dramas are always rated so low despite being so good she is so underrated globally I wish…
Hey, it climbed 0.2 points in just two days, looks like haters exhausted their resources, and the more people rate the drama, the higher the rating will be.
First let me state that I really like this show and both these actors, but he is kind of creepy and stalkerish…
He tried to speak up multiple times, she's just not open for conversation. And he's both interested and worried about her, and he knows she still cares. But first, she has to accept her own feelings toward him, because despite the betrayal she still wants to trust him, she's just afraid. Also you should acknowledge that the boy has no ulterior motive, he's just too young and restless to wait. As for not leaving her alone according to her wishes, you can't build long lasting relationship if you give up after one misunderstanding. I think it's totally okay for him to persist, because there is only one reason she's avoiding him, he knows this reason and is determined to never make the same mistake. Besides that one reason, they are really drawn to each other mutually.
this is drama is okayish, lots of choppy editing and this ignoring thing is also getting boring hope they make…
Because Lei Xiuyuan is weak? It builds the narrative, because his current motivation (to become stronger to be able to protect his friends) might push him on a controversial path, considering his natural disposition to demonic qi. Also, it feels like ignoring part is just a buildup for culmination. We already see that Lifei is not as indifferent as she pretends to be.
You want him to behave in a way he is mentally not capable to, and only then you might descend to his level to feel a bit emotion for him, this is kinda... heartless, really.
You're judging the quality of the writing based on how comfortable the characters are to watch.
But writing is not bad just because it doesn't cater to your idea of romance. Real human trauma, guilt, fear - they don't express themselves in polite boundaries. Writers wanted to show us hurt people who don't know how to heal themselves yet.
Dismissing psychological depth as 'poor writing' just because it makes you irritated misses the entire point of a character-driven tragedy.
It's okay if you don't have the patience for that kind of emotional tension, but that's a preference, not a script flaw.
This drama explains so well why he does it, yet you still imagine that they want you to thirst after stalking trope.
I mean, noone could stop you, of course, but they don't ask you to like him for this action!
They want you to feel compassion! Towards a fellow human! In distress!
So instead of using dismissing labels, could you maybe find some compassion in your rock of a heart?
Yeah, the guy needs emotional help. Please pass him a number of Jianghu Psychological Hotline next time you have a chance.
Or maybe accept that human beings are not one-dimensional and Xiuyuan really is not capable of coping with all that shit alone.
He's not looking for a girlfeind, he's afraid of losing connection with a friend, AND he starts to like his friend.
You can call Lifei heartless or ungrateful, but you should also understand that trust cannot be regained that easily. She is afraid that he might hide something again, lie in a crucial moment again, could he be faking everything? Yeah he saves her life today, only to decide when to endanger her tomorrow. What's the point of that? She doesn't understand how much sincerity is there in his actions, so she has to look at him from a new perspective, gain a new understanding of his character. As I mentioned, she needed time and space.
And also, dramas don't have to have flawless characters. Perfect characters are not able to grow. The main trio, Xiuyuan, Lifei and Tongzhou - they are all human beings.
The pleasure of watching a story like this does not come from thinking "Wow, what a great boyfriend!" It comes from watching characters grow and change with the circumstances. Some get stronger, some break. Some get on the right path, some fall to evil.
There is no point in criticising drama for raising controversial topics. This drama handles "stalking" well, it does not romanticise it. Following Lifei is not romantic but tragic, as it is an act of desperation. Xiuyuan is not a toxic male lead, not a walking red flag, he's not even a bad person. He's in a deadlock, needing help but not allowed to ask for it.
Episodes 14 & 16 explained Lifei's feelings well.
Being betrayed is half the problem. She actually realised that his decision wasn't malicious back in Chufeng Academy, when they had a talk.
But she also feels resentful because Xiuyuan, being their friend, disregards their opinion completely.
Now she doesn't want to see him, and he still won't give her space. And she's not throwing herself in any danger, the danger is throwing itself on her =_=
Xiuyuan is also not petty, He is extremely lonely. He had no home, no parents, he lost his brother, he lost his only friends. There is literally noone to support him while he is grieving, and because he is the architect of the disaster he has no right to ask for comfort.
While the only person who understands him cannot forgive him, she needs some time and space. He is afraid that if he gives her that space he'd lose her forever. He'd rather be hated than alone. This makes Lifei angry because this ignoring her opinion is exactly the type of behaviour that lead to his betrayal.
Xiuyuan also lost his moral standing and with it he lost control over his own life. He tries to make amends because it's the only way for him to get relief from the gnawing guilt.
The more she rejects him, the more distressed he feels, the more he needs to gain control, so he easily snaps and oversteps in ep 14.
He's kinda balancing on the verge of going crazy, drowning in his own mind.
His character is very lonely and in much pain.
This story has some real depth to it. It's a tragedy about two people who still care about each other, but they have to overcome their own fears to finally reach out and support one another.
In ep 16 Lifei was finally ready to talk and explain what she wants to be changed, the question now is, if Xiuyuan is ready to change his ways.
I wish we could hear more comments from the actors on their understanding of the characters, and some BTS pieces, and generally more content about this drama...
Hear me out.
This drama actually handles this trope with depth and maturity.
Xiuyuan is quite young, recently traumatised and restless to face the reality that their friendship might be over. It's easier for him to be hated than to be alone. Don't forget that his betrayal caused him to lose everyone close to him: not only his big brother, but his only friends as well. He suddenly became very lonely. That explains why he can't help following Lifei knowing full well that he is unwanted.
HOWEVER! The drama explains, but does not excuse his immature behaviour.
Because next, it gives FL those lines:
"So loyal and loving of you. You always assume you know best. You went after Riyan, joined Wuyue Court and showed up wherever I went. You slipped the art on me secretly in the name of protecting me. You're the same as always. Why make choices for me? Why never ask if I accept this? What are you even to me?"
Then he looks into her eyes and understands that he is wrong.
HOWEVER! Understanding that he's doing a wrong thing doesn't mean he can help it.
He is just as traumatised as Lifei, but because it was his own fault he should expect literally zero emotional support. Lifei understands him, but can neither help nor forgive him, because broken trust doesn't mend that easily.
But he also cannot handle his overwhelming grief alone. He tries as much as he can to not force himself on her, but the more he is pushed away, the worse he feels and the more he needs to feel in control (what happened at the start of ep 14).
At this point, you can hate ML all you want, but that's in fact a very realistic situation. It's not romantic, it's pure angst. A Shakespearean tragedy, y'know.
I think you can feel compassion towards ML even tho he's making one mistake after another. Honestly, he's not a bad guy, but he desperately needs someone to help him out of this dead end.
Wait, but if they just awaken their powers at some point, would it still feel earned and satisfying..?
Thanks for the info
Take 2ML for example. He can easily have some questionable motives. He wanted FL to follow his path and join the same sect. but Xiuyuan was determined to choose any sect for her. Sure, 2ML has his other responsibilities as a Prince, but that would make his motives impure, and persisting from him would seem creepy and stalkish.
Xiuyuan, however, only wants to make amends and pure desire to protect (well, maybe later he's gonna struggle with possessive urges for all we know). But those nuances can't be ignored. It's only ok for Xiuyuan as far as he is clear-hearted.
Xiuyuan is not a talkative guy in the first place, but it's not that he's not trying hard enough. It's like the Prince said to Xiuyuan, you can't convince anyone with empty words. Only Lifei can decide when she's ready to make a step towards him.
What do you mean by any other male, like, someone worse in terms of looks? Or in terms of character? Because I don't think that looks matter here, be it fatty Wang, if he's the same resolute guy and she feels the same mutual affection but is afraid to trust again, what does it matter what ML looks like?
But first, she has to accept her own feelings toward him, because despite the betrayal she still wants to trust him, she's just afraid.
Also you should acknowledge that the boy has no ulterior motive, he's just too young and restless to wait.
As for not leaving her alone according to her wishes, you can't build long lasting relationship if you give up after one misunderstanding. I think it's totally okay for him to persist, because there is only one reason she's avoiding him, he knows this reason and is determined to never make the same mistake. Besides that one reason, they are really drawn to each other mutually.