Could have been good. . .

At first glance: there's a great cast, an interesting story that's based off a preexisting work, actual historical persons who were legendary in their own rights, and a good quality budget. . .what could possibly go wrong, right??

WARNING: Major Spoilers Ahead!!

I only give this story 3 stars because the cast tries really hard with a crap script. It wasn't horrific, it's just that as a viewer, there's definitely a need to suspend logic and intelligence.
The Legend of Xiao Chuo centers around the lives of the three Xiao sisters whose fates result in them eventually fighting against each other. The three are unfortunately married into the three controlling branches of the Liao Kingdom which equates to these three sisters becoming enemies since all their husbands want the crown. So. . .why exactly are these sisters so coveted??
Beats the hell out of me. Except for being descendants of the Empress' Xiao clan there's nothing remotely remarkable about any of the 3 sisters.

Eldest sister, Hu Nian (played by the wonderful Charmaine Sheh) is perhaps originally the best out of the three. She understands the political turmoil and tries to maintain neutrality because she knows getting involved could spell the death of her family. Second sister, Wuguli is materialistic and shallow, and despite being from a prominent political family, she is completely ignorant to everything that doesn't involve her. Lastly is our main lead: youngest sister, Yan Yan. Undoubtably the father's favorite (she gets away with everything she does), she apparently has the "destiny" of empress. She's the typical naive free spirit who's suppose to be clever, brave, and has a strong sense of justice. Unfortunately, this all falls really flat and she just comes off as super stubborn and reckless...she actually endangers her family in front of their psychotic and unstable monarch within the first 2 episodes of the show.

Her sisters are both claimed by 2 of the 3 branches while Yan Yan finds her own love interest in Han De Rang (Dou Xiao). Coincidentally, Han De Rang is a strong supporter of the 3rd power branch: Ming Yi, the son of the former emperor. Han De Rang and Ming Yi grew up together like brothers so the former pledges himself to Ming Yi's cause. As for Ming Yi, his father was killed by the reigning emperor therefore, he has a personal vendetta against the latter. When shit hits the fan and Ming Yi has the reigning emperor assassinated, he is crowned emperor and his first order of business?? . . .steal his best friend's girl! It totally makes sense to him. Knowing he's going to die "soon" (he survives until episode 42 of 48), he reasons that he needs a strong empress to fill his shoes with all the reforms he plans on enacting as ruler, it's just "pure coincidence" that he also has a thing for Yan Yan. Damn anyone he betrays or whose feelings are hurt by his decision, after all. . .as emperor, he has the right to do whatever.

Despite resisting initially, Yan Yan and De Rang eventually come to terms with their ill-fate and instead turn their attention towards bettering Liao Kingdom. Oh. . . but let's not forget the other 2 branches. Both are pissed off with their new ruler because each believe they are better suited to the position despite having no clear goals on how to help their people or how to make their kingdom flourish. . .it's all simply: "I'm entitled to the crown, so it must be mine"

The character-thin men aside, I really wish I could say the women were better. . . but no. I think the most frustrating part of this drama is: the characters do stupid things but they don't ever think they are wrong, and their reasons for justifying their actions? . . .just because. That's it.
Hu Nian and Wuguli's husbands rebel and plot against Ming Yi and Yan Yan ALL THE TIME, to the point of trying to hurt Yan Yan while she's heavily pregnant. Hu Nian and Wuguli are also ALWAYS preaching about the importance of their sisterhood. . .but those words only hold weight when it's Yan Yan who's striking back. When their husbands go after Yan Yan; they turn a blind eye, they don't even consider that she will die despite standing literally right next to Yan Yan when some of these events occur. But the minute Yan Yan tries to dole out justice/punishments for treason, both sisters are on their knees beseeching Yan Yan to show mercy...which she does continuously (for the sake of their sisterhood) only for the same results to happen AGAIN AND AGAIN. But because Yan Yan doesn't pardon the crimes the way her sisters want her to, it ignites a ridiculous antagonism
Hu Nian and Wuguli develop towards Yan Yan.

If there's something this drama does do well, it's victim-blaming and how it makes its characters despicable because they are all masters at emotional manipulation. Example: after Ming Yi succeeds in stealing Yan Yan, he implies to Yan Yan that her misery is her own fault and she could be happy if she accepted her destiny of being his empress early on..uh what?!
Ming Yi emotionally manipulates Yan Yan into staying married to him. Yan Yan and Ming Yi manipulate De Rang into not leaving them because without him, they both would've died many times over. Wuguli and Hu Nian manipulate and guilt Yan Yan into constantly forgiving treasonous crimes. Example: Wuguli tries to poison Yan Yan to avenge the deserved death of her idiot husband and son...only to be outed by De Rang. She takes her own life and as a result. . .Hu Nian blames Yan Yan and De Rang for not forgiving Wuguli's assassination attempt....which then causes Yan Yan to feel guilty about not letting her vile sister succeed in killing her. . . .what the what?! Where is this logic??

As I said above, Hu Nian was originally the best of the 3. Unfortunately, her character takes a turn for the worse and she became as bad as Wuguli. Her lover attempts to assassinate their emperor (aka her nephew) and not only does she spring him out of prison, she blames Yan Yan's thirst for power as the reason for his death ... huh? The sisters have such tunnel vision that they quite literally can't see anything beyond themselves. Everything that goes wrong in their lives is automatically Yan Yan's fault regardless of the treacherous nature of their lovers/husbands.

What should've portrayed the brilliance of women who led their kingdom to new heights devolved into a series with love-sick girls acting no better than children; who were also married to narrow-minded men. Despite the supposed message of feminism, this drama was anything but.
Such a waste in production value and a good cast.

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Such Wonderful Characters

The Story:

The Long Ballad follows the journey of Li Chang Ge, the daughter of the previous Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty. After her beloved uncle massacres her family and takes the throne, Chang Ge finds herself fleeing for her life. During these events, she encounters and befriends Ashile Sun while both are using different identities. Ashile Sun is a general and foster son of the Khan of the Ashile Tribe who also happens to be one of Tang’s fierce enemies. After defeating Chang Ge in battle, Sun takes her back to his camp to save her life and eventually makes her his military advisor. After a series of unfortunate events involving shattering losses to both, Chang Ge and Sun are separated with Chang Ge lost to how she should move forward. After discovering her new path and finding their way back to each other, Sun and Chang Ge begin to fight for their life together and for peace for their kingdoms.

The Cast:

Wu Lei as Ashile Sun was quite a wonderful casting choice. I haven’t seen him in anything since Nirvana In Fire so I didn’t know what to expect or hope for. His styling as Tegin Sun was beautifully done and complimented him so much. I was so happy every time he was in his grassland outfits instead of the bland Tang outfits. His acting was very impressive, especially for someone so young. My heart broke with him at his losses and I felt his pain and frustrations whenever Chang Ge would turn away from him after he continuously sacrificed so much to keep her safe. I now have high expectations for Wu Lei and wish him luck in his future projects.

Dilraba is someone I’ve followed since Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms and I think The Long Ballad was a personal best for her. Dilraba is no doubt gorgeous and I think that hurts her sometimes as an actress. I’ve never felt enraptured by her acting, compelled by her crying scenes in the past, nor have I ever related to any of her characters. However, her portrayal of Chang Ge was just so well done. You can tell she put care into her portrayal and she brought life to Li Chang Ge as she transformed from the privileged princess to exiled outlaw to Eagle Division’s military advisor to just being whoever she wanted to be. Her journey encompassed heart break, disappointment, loss, self-reflection, and discovery and Dilraba played it all perfectly.

Special shoutout to Zhao Lusi as Li Leyan as well. Like Dilraba, I’ve followed Zhao Lusi for a while and The Long Ballad was also a personal best for her. It was quite a different path from the usual comedies she usually does and I’m so happy she got a chance to flex her acting skills. Leyan was perhaps the only other character who truly went through life-altering changes throughout her journey. Zhao Lusi did a wonderful job portraying the meek, naive princess who was forced to wake up from her privilege and work for something in her life. Her struggles pushed her into realizing being a princess was more than a name and because of it, she came out so much stronger and more resilient. I look forward to more projects that challenge her acting in the future.

What I love:

The cinematography was so well done!! I loved how scenes were captured from every angle. It added so much depth to the drama. The styling was very pleasing overall as well. I do think I preferred the Ashile Tribe stylings to the Tang one just because the Tang styling was quite bland and no one really stood out in those outfits. The fight scenes were spectacular! Starting from the Cuju game in episode 1 to all the fight scenes afterwards, I send lots of praise to the choreographer. Their hard work truly paid off!

The soundtrack is beautiful! Zhou Shen’s “Cocoon” is still on repeat for me. Each song perfectly reflects the characters’ mindsets and convictions and are played strategically throughout the drama for when they are the most poignant.

The Relationships:

The selling point of this drama were the relationships present (excuse the long post):

My 3 favorite relationships in this drama:
1. Chang Ge-Ah Sun:
I really loved the relationship between Chang Ge and Ah Sun. The drama itself wasn’t romance-focused but I think that was one of the reasons I loved the romantic parts. It was a slow-burn romance with Sun falling first but their journey together and all the trials they faced made it so their love wasn’t just based off of meaningless encounters. Sun fell for Chang Ge because of her resilience, intelligence, and stubbornness. Unfortunately, those are the same reasons why they had to separate for a period of time.
Normally, I feel like separation between leads is just unnecessary filler..but that wasn’t the case for these leads. Chang Ge was brought to Eagle Division against her will and although she eventually came to see them as her own and tried her best to protect them, she never thought of it as her home. Because of this, she was constantly trying to leave while Sun was tethering her to him. This caused a lot of tension between them and as a result, they both paid the price over their stubbornness. I felt they were suffocating each other too much and although I hated Chang Ge for just leaving him, I knew it was necessary if I had hopes of them coming back together later. Because she left, she was able to discover herself and when they were reunited, they were of the same mind and heart.
It was obvious when the shift happened because it was no longer him fighting to keep her beside him, it was also her telling him that they will face every thing together as a united front.
The main reason I love this coupling so much is also because of their convictions. While they love and would die for each other, they won’t compromise their loyalties and beliefs for the other. Despite standing by Sun, Chang Ge makes it clear she will not betray Tang. Likewise, when Sun leaves his position of Tegin of Eagle Division for her, he states constantly that he will not do anything that’ll cause harm to Ashile Tribe. It’s beautiful because they are aware of their different roots and are conscious to the fact that their decisions will impact many other lives.

2: Chang Ge-Le Yan:
The perfect example of sisterly-love. If any drama wants to portray a good sister-sister bond, then this drama should be used as a template. Chang Ge and Le Yan’s relationship is so beautiful and heart-warming. Growing up together, Chang Ge was always Le Yan’s champion and protector and when everything went downhill, it was so painful to see Chang Ge so defensive against Le Yan due to Le Yan being guilty-by-association. Despite all this, Le Yan and Chang Ge still sought each other out when they heard news of the other. Once misunderstandings were cleared and each found their own paths, it brought tears to my eyes to hear Le Yan proclaim her intent to protect Chang Ge from that moment forth. Le Yan continuously warning Chang Ge of potential dangers then Chang Ge volunteering Sun to fight for Le Yan’s hand so she can avoid a marriage to Sh’er showed just how much they loved each other and I appreciated their bond so much.

3. Ah Sun-Sh’er:
Ah…the exact opposite to Chang Ge-Le Yan. What could’ve been but wasn’t. Unlike the previous two, Ah Sun and Sh’er, despite also growing up together, were not taught to love and protect each other. Rather, they were forced to compete and hate each other because they knew well that one of them would become leader to Ashile Tribe. There’s so much to dig into their relationship that 1 page wouldn’t be enough lol
While Sun is intelligent, far-sighted, and cautious, Sh’er is the exact opposite. Impulsive, foolish, and only living in the moment, Sh’er causes a lot of grief for Sun, the Khan, and Sh’er’s own mother. His only goal being to surpass Sun, Sh’er’s inferiority complex causes him to make an irreparable mistake which causes him to lose whatever was salvageable between himself and Sun. Sh’er is by no means, an evil person. Unfortunately for him, he reacts too slowly to events that transpire around him. Their brotherhood could’ve been epic and at the very least, Sh’er does redeem himself and he and Sun are able to part ways with closure.

Overall, I enjoyed this drama very much. It was not perfect and there were times when I felt the chemistry between Wu Lei and Dilraba wasn't there (many of the physical scenes between them, whether it be hand holding or hugging, didn't make me feel that romantic pull). I loved Wu Lei as Ashile Sun and I loved Dilraba as Li Changge. I even loved Ashile Sun and Changge together...but I didn't care for Wu Lei with Dilraba. The romantic chemistry was just nonexistent.
I did give it an 7.5 rating instead of a higher number because the ending made me feel . . . empty. I was neither happy nor unhappy. It just felt like it ended ... there was no lasting impression and no desire to rewatch except for a handful of scenes I thoroughly enjoyed.
If you like a drama that's not overly dark/heavy and pretty much provides closure to every character, then check this one out.

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Started off strong . . .

I'm not going to lie, I have a strong Kim Soo Hyun bias and have been really looking forward to his post-military duty drama comeback. I think the concept of the story was intriguing, the cinematography: excellent, the cast: spectacular, the soundtrack: addictive, but the execution didn't quite reach the desired effect. I do give a lot of props to the writers for writing stories within the story. The illustrations and moral messages of Moon Young's fairytales were so poignant and beautifully written. I'm grateful for this drama because it introduced me to the talent that is Seo Ye Ji. She is gorgeous, her acting is top-notch, and her voice is absolutely mesmerizing.

The story started off so strong and made me jump to my tv at 9am every Sat/Sun morning to watch this drama as soon as it was released...sadly, a little past the midpoint it fell victim to the k-drama slump and lost its momentum. There was also a huge question left unanswered: how the hell did Moon Young's mom survive all those years?

The drama does take an interesting look at mental health since essentially everyone in this drama have their own varying conditions but it's also very insulting to healthcare workers. Never have I seen more incompetent, irresponsible, and gossipy caregivers. I certainly wouldn't trust this staff to look after my family members. The staff handle altercations so carelessly that it's a wonder they haven't been shut down yet.
Anyways, Gang Tae and Sang Tae's relationship is absolutely heartbreaking. This pair of brothers depend on each other so much that it actually caused a slump in both of their mental health developments. Fueled by love, guilt, and responsibility, Gang Tae sacrifices all of himself and more for Sang Tae however, this is a double-edged sword since the result is that Gang Tae has no life of his own and Sang Tae is smothered by Gang Tae's mothering. Enter Go Moon Young. She is the exact opposite of selfless Gang Tae. She's bold, selfish, unapologetic, and demanding with everything around her. If she likes something, she will stop at nothing to own it. . .which includes Gang Tae.
The beauty of their relationship is that Moon Young forces Gang Tae to act for himself and learn that it's okay for him to be a little selfish. In return, Gang Tae teaches Moon Young to not only think about her own needs. They also have a wonderful group of friends who at times, act as their enablers and at other times, help to raise them up when they crumble.

Overall, it was very enjoyable and it's an delight to watch these 3 characters love, hurt, and grow together as friends, siblings, lovers, and people.

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Such a thrilling ride!!

Based off the novel "Eastern Palace," Goodbye My Princess tells the story of Xiao Feng, the ninth princess of Western Liang. She is naive and spoiled but loving and kind (like the majority of female leads). She lives a very carefree life until she finds out she must marry the crown prince of the more powerful Li Dynasty to ensure peace between the two countries. However, she doesn't want to so her mother helps her sneak away to her maternal grandfather, the ruler of Dan Chi kingdom. On the way, while traveling with her master/first love (Gu Jian) she meets Gu Xiao Wu, her master's maternal cousin, who accompanies them to Dan Chi. Through a series of events, Gu Xiao Wu and Xiao Feng end up falling in love and marrying.
Unfortunately fate is cruel and in the face of an unfathomable betrayal, Xiao Feng finds herself losing her family, friends, and lover. At her wits end and unable to fix anything, she jumps into the Forgetfulness river and we find her three years later. Now living in Li Kingdom with no recollection of her pain and loss, Xiao Feng has accepted her political marriage to the crown prince of Li Kingdom. She meets the 5th prince: Li Cheng Yin and though at first at odds with each other, they strike up a friendship after sharing hardships which eventually starts to bloom into romance. Sadly, this friendship is short-lived after Xiao Feng discovers Li Cheng Yin was one of the crusaders in the fall of Dan Chi. Despite this new animosity, Li Cheng Yin is eventually given the title of crown prince, married to Xiao Feng, and thus begins their tumultuous marriage life. As political machinations, figures from her past, and her memories return, Xiao Feng finds herself battling with her own love, guilt, and sense of shame for repeating the same mistakes she made in the past.

Even if you're unfamiliar with the original work, by episode 10, there's no denying that this drama (SPOILER!) cannot possibly end happily. The crimes committed, whether it be the action or the method, are completely unforgivable and it would surprise me if anyone rooted for them to get a happy romantic ending. However, despite knowing it will end in tragedy, the journey is so entertaining to watch.
This is perhaps one of the very few dramas where, although the drama itself is very enjoyable, no character is likable. Xiao Feng is the cookie-cutter female lead who's young, innocent, beloved yet completely naive about the world around her. Characters like her are a personal pet-peeve of mine. I detest the idea that a woman in historical genres who is born into a prestigious family doesn't understand that she must marry for the sake of her family rather than love. It angers me more when she tries to escape it because her actions ultimately cause more problems (like it did here). I think at a certain point, going against a political marriage isn't the act of naïveté, it's plain selfishness and ignorance.
Li Cheng Yin is the perfect male lead to easily hate. He has a very convincing poker face (I blame Chen Xing Xu's handsome face for this) so he goes undetected by everyone around him. Regrettably for his adversaries, this negligence to survey him is what ultimately leads to everyone's doom. He is conniving, selfish, and aggressive in his approaches to get what he wants, whether that be revenge, love, or power. He is certainly the smartest person in this drama. These qualities probably also make him the best character in this drama. He is very clear-cut on what he wants and the lengths he will go to to get it. He will do all the dirty work even if it means becoming evil incarnate to accomplish his goals. He takes the blame if it is truly his fault and I give him credit for that.
Gu Jian. . .sheesh...where do I start? I despise his character. He is the guy who continuously does bad things because he is very wishy-washy therefore he's actually worse than the bad guys. His loyalty is divided which causes him to repeatedly make the wrong decisions. I think he is a good foil to Li Cheng Yin. Li Cheng Yin is the guy who acknowledges he is the bad guy but Gu Jian is the guy who thinks he's the good guy when he isn't; where Li Cheng Yin plots and sees the bigger picture, Gu Jian obeys and only lives in the moment.
Aside from the three leads, the supporting characters (Pei Zhao & Ah Du) were also not likable. Both were good people however, they also both witnessed the tragedy that happened before yet stood by and watched it happen again once the truth was revealed. Willing bystanders are a big no-no for me.

This drama is definitely worth the watch just for the story alone. However, the music and cinematography are also well done. The drama does show the limitations in acting from the cast in the heavier scenes but not enough to deter viewers from watching.

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A Good Heartbreaking Story

If you were a fan of Ashes of Love and Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms then grab a tissue box and settle in for a good, heartbreaking ride.

The styling of the drama was well done with each person looking great in their costumes. No one was too flashy or near comical looking. The CGI and and fight scenes were obviously a higher budget and very well done; it's a real treat to watch the fight scenes. I didn't love the color scheme for heaven since it's been done over and over but it's a minor thing compared to the rest of the sets.

The soundtrack is beautiful. Every track elicits a certain scene is my mind. Shuang Sheng's "Thousand Years of Love" brings me straight to episode 3 when Si Feng smiles because Xuan Ji tells him his smile reminds her of the intoxicating wine she drank. "Lover's Curse" brings me to episode 37 when Si Feng looks heartbreakingly at Xuan Ji after she accidentally attacks him and activates the 2nd part of his lover's curse. Then of course there's Zhou Shen's "Love Like Colored Glass" which makes me think of too many scenes to name them all. The soundtrack will be on my replay playlist for a good while.

The acting in this drama is fantastic. This has been said many times but Cheng Yi is amazing in this drama. I've never heard of him before but I'll for sure be keeping tabs on his future projects. I dare say his portrayal of Si Feng is near equivalent to Mark Chao's Ye Hua of Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms. Cheng Yi speaks volumes with just his eyes and facial expressions and dramatic roles are truly where he shines. Yuan Bing Yan was not far behind either. She reminds me of Zhao Liying; not so much for acting prowess but because she can play innocence and naïveté well yet she's fierce when her character needs to be strong. If you watch the BTS of this drama (especially the dramatic parts), it'll show the dubbing does not do her acting justice. I know Zhang Yu Xi gets a lot of flack for her acting but her portrayal of Ling Long and her struggle with overcoming her trauma was beautifully done. Her crying scenes made me cry along with her. Overall the casting was very strong and there isn't a weak link in the characters.

This drama is VERY angsty but also very fast-paced once the true problems are revealed. (When watching episodes 37-48, take a 10 minute break between each episode. Those 11 episodes are extremely heavy and may induce hyperventilation from anger, frustration, or heartbreak (in a good way)). You can see the reasoning behind every character's actions and even though Xuan Ji gets a lot of hate, she made her decisions based on the actions of those around her. A lot of crucial information is kept from her both from the main antagonist, Hao Chen and from her love interest, Si Feng. They did it for different reasons but the action was still the same nonetheless. It's nice that this drama has no love triangle/square between the two leads. Yes, you have Hao Chen and Xiao Ying Hua but Xuan Ji and Si Feng's feelings are solidified from the get-go. There's no thinking he/she loves another so the misunderstandings do not stem from that.

There is a twist to the story and I love that the author strayed from the cliche. The author cleverly makes Si Feng a red herring for a plot reveal that would otherwise have been a common trope. Xuan Ji's growth as a character is so excellently well done, especially once truths are revealed. Xuan Ji's background as Luo Hou Ji Du is so beautifully sad and I honestly rooted for him to exact his vengeance on the friend who betrayed him, cut him up, sealed away his heart, and made him kill off his own people.

This is definitely high on my drama list and ranks in my Top 3 xianxia dramas right behind Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms and The Untamed. Once subtitles are available for all 59 episodes I'll probably buckle down and marathon this again.

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Adorable Chemistry between the Leads!!

This story presents similar to many other stories already told. You have the cookie-cutter cold-on-the-outside lead male with the bubbly, likable female lead. The female lead is likable in that she's a greedy person (her eyes essentially twinkle when she sees money) but she's not a selfish person. She loves her adoptive family and isn't ashamed of her roots (she comes from a performance house). Female lead has an eidetic memory when it comes to painting and therefore is "employed" to draw a treasure that belongs to the male lead's family. Misunderstandings happen (she's suppose to draw arhats but mistakes the words for "naked man" lol) and she ends up lying that she's pregnant with male lead's baby to initially save her own life. As the male lead comes to like her, he uses her pregnancy to get out of his own arranged marriage and even after finding out the truth of her lie, he tells her to continue the charade, partially because of his arranged marriage but mostly because he knows he's come to like her and wants her at his side.

The story itself is simple and honestly, her lie goes on a little too long. They do discuss how they are going to get out of their lie but when the opportunity presents itself, both the male and female lead back out and continue on with the lie. For example, his cousin poisons female lead to have a miscarriage. During this time, male lead could've easily gone along with it and said she miscarried but he instead claims the "baby" wasn't harmed. Likewise, when the female lead saves the male lead's father from assassination, she could've stated she miscarried but due to the parents' grief over thinking they caused their unborn grandchild to die, she continues the lie that she's still pregnant. The simplest solution would've just been to make a real baby...

The cast does such a wonderful job in this drama that it's hard to dislike any of the characters (aside from the crazy maternal cousin). The parents are splendid and for once, not catty, vicious, or arrogant about their status. Despite being a family of higher status, his family; which consists of his parents, younger brother, and 2 paternal uncles, is very loving and comical. Although initially against the couple, his parents change their minds immediately when learning she's pregnant (which made the scene quite comical). His dad is basically a cuddly teddy bear while his mother is a gentle heart behind a fierce face. Not to mention the female lead's mother is just a bucket of fire who's scary protective of her brood of adopted children. Another notable character is the male lead's guard Amao. He's just splendid and full of fun.

The best part of this story is definitely the two leads!! They are ADORABLE together!! It's not just the cute moments (and oh-so many kisses) between them but just the way they are when they are on screen together. I compare them to Ryan Ding and Zhao Lu Si in Romance of the Tiger and Rose. The two leads have a natural gravitation towards each other when in the same frame so it really feels like they are genuinely a couple.
An example is the scene in episode 6 when he introduces her to his family. It happens before they acknowledge they like each other and she's adamant he's a devil and a cruel person but as she nervously approaches his family she goes straight to him, hides behind him, and grabs his sleeve. What's even better is the little subtle detail (the camera does not pan in on this) where, as she's kneeling in front of his family, she's clinging onto the bottom of his robes, in a way signifying that she's feels safer because he's there by her side. There are many examples of this subtlety throughout the drama between the two leads and it makes the story so much more enjoyable.
The "cherry-on-top?": once he figures out he likes her, the male lead does everything he can to protect her and show her he loves her. He's SO SO SO SO sweet to her in every aspect that it's hard not to fall for him as a viewer. The same can be said about her once she confesses her love for him. I do enjoy rewatching their many scenes together because they are so cavity-inducing with their sweetness!!

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Patiently waited 3 years for this. . . .

The story is pretty similar to other tropes done before. The main difference is the background of the male lead. Darren Wang plays Lang Zai/Prince Bo. He was raised by wolves and after he and Xing Er (Li Qin) meet at a younger age, they become close friends. Misunderstandings happen, Lang Zai's entire wolf family is killed and, thinking Xing Er betrayed him; Lang Zai is taken in by the ruler of Yang Kingdom, renamed Prince Bo, and raised to become a lethal weapon at the discretion of his foster father. During these 8 years of separation, Prince Bo has become cold and calculating while Xing Er maintained her kindness that's now mixed with sorrow due to her guilt at the failure to save Lang Zai. They meet again after Prince Bo's people are given the orders to and follow through with killing Xing Er's family. Now alone, Xing Er believes Prince Bo and his people to be her saviors and soon they are betrothed to each other (a ploy by the king to control the remnants of Xing Er's family's army). Their relationship starts off antagonistic because Prince Bo still believes she intentionally betrayed him but after the misunderstandings are cleared, he returns to treating her with the love and care he always held for her. Sadly good things never last long, and they are separated by more misunderstandings when Prince Bo realizes the true evil nature of his foster father. This leads to them eventually standing on opposite sides of a long-coming war.

I think this is one of those dramas where, if you have an enjoyment for angst and misunderstandings, then this will be your cup of tea. The leads do spend nearly half the story on opposite sides due to the misunderstandings that the male lead refuses to mend (for his own reasons). The noble idiocy/sacrifice trope is the main cause of their misunderstandings but we see that both Prince Bo and Xing Er employ this when they make the choices to protect each other.

I personally enjoyed the soundtrack (I'm still searching for the song from the trailer from 3 years ago). The opening theme is alluring but I think the gem is Song Nian Yu's "Heaven Wolf Star 天狼星." It gives a melancholic, lullaby-esque feeling of heartbreak that perfectly matches the journey of love, separation, longing, and loss between Prince Bo/Lang Zai and Xing Er.

I really do think the cast is the selling point of this drama.
Let's start with the obvious: the three main leads are very good-looking. The three have similar facial structures (longer faces, slim noses, high cheekbones, etc) so all three complement each other very well. Styling-wise, Li Qin looks beautiful like she always does. I don't think the styling was flattering to the men. I loved Darren Wang's hairstyle but the outfits he wore made him look clunky. You can tell he's built but slim and his attire made him look bulky. I had the opposite opinion of Xiao Zhan. His attire was fine but his wig towards the end didn't highlight his facial features. Regardless, they all still looked beautiful because it would take a lot to make any of these 3 look unattractive. Truthfully, no matter who Xing Er ended up with, she looked fabulous with both.

My interest in this drama came from Darren Wang and Li Qin. I saw "Legend of the Naga Pearls" back in 2017 and instantly liked Darren because of his versatility as an actor. His characters from one work to the next were drastically different and it was his allure for me.
Li Qin has always been a weakness for me. Despite playing characters with similar dispositions/trajectories, she does it with an endearment that's very enjoyable to watch. She is one of those few actresses who can portray the "innocent, naive, and spoiled" female lead without making the role seem ignorant or annoying. I'm happy Xiao Zhan was here too since I did love him from "The Untamed" but if this drama had aired before 2019, I still would've watched it solely for Darren Wang.

Darren Wang is a gem and I don't think this drama truly allowed him to showcase his talent. He is so interesting to watch because he can pull off any character given to him. He has this innocence to him when he's Lang Zai that makes you want to stick him in a bubble so he will never get hurt. But as Prince Bo, he exudes hostility and malice. When he has on his veneer of cruelty, it makes you instinctively take a step back but then. . .he smiles his sincere smile and you question everything you know about life. Darren Wang has this extremely boyishly handsome smile that just wipes away any trace of doubt you could have in him.
Xiao Zhan has been very lucky because he's been able to play lovable characters, even as the second romantic lead. I don't say this to mean it takes away from Xiao Zhan's acting; he is a very talented actor. He certainly brings life to the lovable characters he does play which makes them more endearing. My first encounter with Xiao Zhan came from "Oh! My Emperor." As soon as I saw him smile, I became a sucker for him. He, like Darren Wang, has this amazingly handsome smile. Their smiles just melt your heart because there's this undeniable sense of awe in them. But when they smirk, it makes you want to simultaneously slap and kiss them.
As for this drama, Ji Chong is so awesome! He becomes Xing Er's rock and steadily stays by her side while respecting that her heart belongs to Prince Bo/Lang Zai. He has no malicious intents and he's reasonable. After a point, Ji Chong and Prince Bo/Lang Zai have a heart-to-heart, lay all their cards on the table, and reach a mutual respect and understanding with each other.
(SPOILER) Ji Chong is the reason why Prince Bo/Lang Zai and Xing Er are able to reconcile. If you didn't love Xiao Zhan before, you probably will after finishing this drama.
A very fantastic characteristic of this drama is how the two male leads approach each other. They are obviously rivals for the affections of the female lead, but neither fight in an underhanded way. When they pursue her, there's no purposeful deception about the other male and they both respect the choices of the female lead. It's also really telling that both men acknowledge the other is a man of quality and is worth entrusting the female lead to. Sadly, that kind of character maturity and self-awareness doesn't happen too often in dramas.

Overall, I don't think the story itself is anything spectacular but it was an enjoyable watch, especially if you love the cast like I did.

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Watch it for the actors

This movie was on my Netflix watch list because of Park Shin Hye. I don't regret watching it. . .but if I'd never seen it then I also wouldn't be missing anything.

The film is about Kim Seo Yeon (Park Shin Hye) who finds a landline phone in her home and begins getting calls from a mysterious caller, Oh Young Sook. Seo Yeon figures out that Young Sook is about 20 years in the past and the two begin conversing regularly. Seo Yeon soon realizes that Young Sook's timeline is close to when she loses her beloved father. In a quick reversal of fate, Young Sook ends up changing the past by saving Seo Yeon's father. Unfortunately, this one good deed becomes a catalyst in which life begins changing drastically for both girls when Seo Yeon warns Young Sook of an event pertaining to Young Sook's own lifespan. Seo Yeon learns too late that her revealing of future knowledge will have dire consequences for her and the people she loves.

I think the movie took a different route with time alterations. Instead of parallel universes being created with shifts in past events, this movie shows us how the changes happen in "real time." The story had an interesting concept and the acting was top-notch. Big praises are deserved for both Park Shin Hye and Jeon Jong Seo. Both were marvelous and definitely are at the top of their game. The biggest fault for me was the character of Kim Seo Yeon. She is frustratingly ignorant. One would think she would have reservations on how much information she was willing to divulge to someone in the past. . .but no. Her motivations were selfish and the consequences backfired on her big time. To save one life meant she unknowingly caused the death of so many others. My biggest problem with her is that she doesn't learn from her mistakes. When they are at odds, Seo Yeon continuously reveals her hand and basically serves her loved ones on silver platters to the monster she unleashed . . . she really only made one smart decision yet even that backfired on her.

If you need something to watch on a Friday, check this movie out. The story is interesting and the acting stellar but like me, you may find the protagonist a bit too frustrating to the point of wanting to rip your hair out while watching her fail to protect her loved ones.

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The New Standard for Xianxia

What a wonderful drama! If you're like me and LOVE xianxia dramas but tire of all the old tropes and angst, this one won't disappoint!

The Story:
The story itself is truly nothing new but while it has the standard formula for a xianxia drama, this one stands out in how it tweaks the usual old tropes and makes it comedic or resolves it almost immediately. I don't think I've ever seen a xianxia where I'm laughing my butt off in one scene and bawling my eyes out the next. As with all dramas of this genre, it's not the goal but the journey that matters.

The Characters:
I honestly cannot sing enough praises for all the characters in the drama! They were all magnificent!

Obviously, let's start with the two lead couples. At the start, it's portrayed as if these twin sisters; one kind and demure while the other is brass and boisterous, have met their match in their complete opposites once their sedans are switched. It seems as if You Qin's firm, no-nonsense self will balance out Ye Tan's free-spirited and mischievous energy while Qing Kui's kind, empathetic personality will taper down Chao Feng's cunning behavior. While this does seem to be the case as paths intercross and feelings are created, viewers can actually see how similar each sister is to their respective "wrong" grooms.

I find that a fault in xianxia dramas is how the free-spirited female lead often refuses to change herself and the male lead, being so in love with the female lead, indulges in her reckless behavior. I love how that isn't the case in this drama. As we get to know the characters, we soon see that the mistaken couples aren't opposites at all. Like Ye Tan, You Qin is rebellious, mischievous, and more harsh in his punishments. He's never just the willing participants to Ye Tan's chaos, he's actually the instigator which makes for hilarious scenes where they can't get reprimanded because of his status. Likewise, though devious, Chao Feng is as empathetic, sentimental, kind, and loyal as Qing Kui is. It's not their differences that drew them to their respective mates, it's their similarities. The only similarity You Qin and Qing Kui have in their optimism in giving others the benefit of the doubt while Chao Feng and Ye Tan are more jaded by life and therefore are more antagonistic.
Another exception to the xianxia trope is how there's no unnecessary drama. You Qin/Ye Tan's relationship follows the cute banter, slow burn romance while Chao Feng/Qing Kui have the more standard outline but what each have in common is the sincerity present in both. Both couples declare their feelings immediately and rush to clear all misunderstandings which allows for so many lovely moments rather than angst. There's also the way the couples are around each other. They are constantly touching whether it's embracing, holding hands, or just standing so close as if they can't get enough of each other. They are also always rushing to get back to the other. It's how you would expect real couples to react to each other and I adore their obsessions with their significant others.

Let's not forget all the side characters too! I've never seen a drama filled with devotion and understanding like this drama. Whether they are on the same or opposing sides, the level of loyalty between characters is awe-inspiring. It makes for a lot of scene-stealing, tear-jerking moments scattered throughout the entire drama. I'd give a special shout out to the Chao Feng-Hai Chao and Ye Tan-Man Man friendship. Both were done differently, but so exceptionally well. I don't think I've ever mourned a side character before Man Man and that speaks to how big of an impact she had on Ye Tan's life. I really can't recall a scene where she wasn't by Ye Tan's side (unless Ye Tan was with another character).
And it's definitely not just the friendships but also the familial relationships as well. The only other sisterly bond I've praised was Li Chang Ge and Li Le Yan of The Long Ballad, but now Ye Tan and Qing Kui have pushed them down to #2. Their loyalty and love for each other is so incredibly beautiful!! I can't get over how wonderful their relationship was and ironically, it was because of this wonderful relationship that served as the rock which caused the ripple effect that created this entire drama in the first place.

The Background:
If there's one thing I'll continuously praise, it's how You Qin is deserving of being the crown prince of Heaven. Normally celestials rule heaven because it's just told that they do. Here, I find You Qin to actually be worthy of his status. He's quite literally the Prince of the Stars. One of his major duties is creating star formations and releasing constellations into the night sky. His very birth is tied to falling stars and his magical powers manifests as strings of constellations. Whoever thought of that detail was a genius! It's so aesthetically beautiful to watch!

I can't sing enough praises for this drama and all it's actors/actresses. Chen Xing Xu and Li Landi have said in an interview that they believe their acting styles to be the same and I feel like viewers can actually see that onscreen. Both actors play off each other extremely well and it makes their characters so much more pleasing to watch when their bickering turns to respect and eventually to love. Li Landi is such an expressive actress and I find myself rewatching scenes to see which of her reactions I could've missed in my first viewing of this drama. I honestly can't wait to see what future projects this cast has in the future!

At only 40 episodes, this drama has no time to waste in its storytelling but thankfully, it isn't to the detriment of the drama as a whole. This drama was definitely a wonderful surprise and a sure re-watch for me for times to come!

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Splendid Watch!

WOW! What an incredible ride this drama was!

This was truly a slice of life drama and the selling point of this drama were the family/character dynamics. I think this is one of the very first dramas where I loved every single character in this drama (even the nasty ones). The emotions and reactions of every character felt so realistic. From Ling Bu Yi and Cheng Shao Shang to Wang Yanji and Lou Ben and even to the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, every character had their own struggles and inner demons and everyone's choices defined who they were. No one was overly righteous, nor was anyone evil for the sake of being evil. Even when I didn't agree with a character, I could empathize with them and see why they made the choices they did..even if it was the wrong path to take.

I just adore Zhao Lusi. With every drama she does, she constantly improves her skills and demonstrates how serious she is at furthering her craft. Her portrayal as Cheng Shao Shang harken back to her rom-com days yet also illuminate how much farther she's grown as an actress when working with more serious fare. She does a marvelous job.
I truly believe CSS's greatest characteristic is her openness to learn. Her eyes and ears are always open and she's constantly learning from every experience she goes through. While I absolutely adore CSS, there were times when I felt the writing of her character was inconsistent. There were times when she was so wise and showed such character growth that I couldn't sing enough praises for her character yet at other times I felt it conflicted with her youth and scheming ways. Regardless, she remains one of my favorite female leads in Chinese drama-land.

Wu Lei..goodness. Such talent for such a young man. There were times I felt he was a bit stiff in his portrayal in both acting and posture (seriously, looking at him stand so straight made my back hurt), but it's exceedingly minor compared to how fabulous he was. He has very nuanced expressions that truly brought Ling Bu Yi to life. I'm interested to see how his future projects will go and hope he keeps exploring different genres to keep stretching his acting chops.
I love that LBY is not the typical righteous, just, good-old-fashioned "good" guy that many male leads are. He has so much darkness in him and a cruel streak that makes him terrifying. The fact that he wants vengeance rather than justice already differentiates him from most male leads.

I think one thing the drama was superbly well is how it shows people-people interactions. From the relationships between parents-children, siblings, lovers, enemies, etc, each relationship was well hashed out and made me see glimpses of my own personal relationships. One of these was definitely CSS's relationship with her mother. It definitely felt super relatable to how real-life mothers and daughters often have hard times communicating with each other. Sadly once CSS enters the palace, that relationship is not seen as much which made me sad since neither truly talked and the path to their understanding/reconciliation wasn't seen.

My major complaint is that it was very obvious how CSS and LBY both had female lead and male lead plot armor throughout the drama. LBY gets away with everything because the emperor adores him and CSS receives the same treatment because LBY loves her. It makes them lose credibility to me in terms of their own merit. There were many scenes where LBY and CSS are hashing it out with the "bad" guys and those scenes felt more gratuitous than impactful; mainly because the judges (ie: the Emperor/Empress/Consort Yue) are so blatantly and unapologetically siding with LBY and CSS that the chances of a "fair" outcome isn't possible. It comes off as fair...but if the tables were turned and the bias wasn't towards the ML and FML..then viewers would be up in arms at the favoritism displayed.

If anything, while most dramas suffer from having too many episodes..I think this drama would've benefitted from having more. There were many supporting characters (I'm looking at you guys Wan Qi Qi and Cheng Song) whose stories I wanted to see unfold. I just loved all the characters so much that I wanted to know their daily life adventures and it made me sad to not see any of it.

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