Soula
This review may contain spoilers
7.75 Stars...so close to 8 Stars!
There are so many mixed reviews and opinions of The Legend of Xiao Chuo. Despite all of the mixed reviews (there are some seriously strong *negative* reviews/comments), I decided to give this one a shot - there was something about the OST MVs that just had me tantalized - I had to know the whole story behind those snapshots in the MVs in detail. And while The Legend of Xiao Chuo isn't 100% perfect, I found that I was thinking about it when I went to bed and when I woke up and I wasn't bored while watching the 48, 45 minute episodes!
I remember when I was a child that I would wish that TV shows would just skip to the important stuff so we would fast-forward the boring stuff and get to the stuff that matters. Well, The Legend of Xiao Chuo does just this! It was odd, I will admit, because most dramas (excluding family and longer, war-themed dramas) only span a couple months, tops. TLOXC really covers 20+ years in pretty decent detail with a good epilogue in the final episode, documenting the final chapter (deaths) of our MCs. So, yes, odd that the pacing of this drama utilized time-jumps often, but I appreciated that the plot wasn't dragged out or bored with trivial details. Which brings me to my next point...
TLOXC really isn't a *romantic* romance. Yes, the story starts out with sweet(-ish) romances, but by the time episode 25 rolls around, the story is all about politics. Plain and simple. It's about duty, responsibility, conflicts, alliances. I personally found it riveting and couldn't stop watching. It was like watching juicy gossip acted out. Now, I grew up in a Puerto Rican household, so I am no stranger to *chisme* or telenovelas, so to clarify: it's not on *that* level of drama and politics, but I found it interesting to watch an ancient culture play out with the beautiful costumes and decent acting (it was way more engaging and enjoyable than watching a documentary, that is!).
Anyways, I say all this to warn: if you are considering TLOXC because of the romance, you will likely find yourself bored and/or infuriated by the way our MCs are broken apart. It is truly heartbreaking...
Which leads into my next point: There is nothing wrong with being infuriated on behalf of people (*ahem* characters) who are slighted or wronged. BUT, it is not appropriate to apply your own ideals from the society we currently live in today with our current privileges (especially when looking at women's status) to that of ancient times. Don't get me wrong - some of the events that take place in the story are absolutely wrong! BUT, you cannot fault the storywriters for writing the story "wrong" when in reality, that *is* reality from those times.
For example, aside from the obvious splitting up of Yanyan and Han Derang, Mingyi falls in-love near the end of his life AND GETS TO BE HAPPY WITH HER. That really upset me considering what he did to his brother-like-bestfriend. BUT, I had to keep reminding myself that that's how it was in those days - emperor's could be with whomever they wanted, whenever they wanted because *they were* the law (and men, but I digress LOL).
It's very sobering, but also humbling to come to this realization. Once I had this conversation with myself, I was able to move past the tragedies our MCs endured to appreciate the story being told and reflect on the privileges and safeties we are afforded in our modern society.
Now to move onto the characters:
While Yanyan and Han Derang were the main romantic pairing in TLOXC whom I was happy for in the end, my favorite pairing was actually Hunian and Yansage. Hunian was actually my favorite character (aside from Han Derang's amazing mother - she called it how it was and I loved every second of it!). Hunian was someone I could identify with in the sense that being the eldest sibling, you have this sense of responsibility to your parents, to your siblings, to your "clan", that outweighs your own desires and comforts. And as most eldest siblings will likely also identify with, Hunian did not begrudge her place and role in her family. She accepted her responsibility and got through it. Her relationship with Yansage was the most interesting and intriguing dynamic in the entire drama for me. Yansage was my favorite antagonist in the entire drama because he was so multilayered! He wasn't strictly black-and-white; he adored Hunian and was truly in agony when they lost their baby and the risk to Hunian's life (the only true moment of despair we ever really see in Yansage), but he was also extremely intelligent and always scheming for the throne. His character was so complex. I truly could not get enough of Hunian and Yansage as a couple. Even after reading spoilers, I HAD to see how things played out for myself.
What made me sad was the conclusion to Hunian in the end of the drama. So many horrible things happened to Hunian throughout the entire drama, but she always got herself back up, dusted herself off, and kept going. I was so happy that even after Yansage's death (and other tragedies in the plot) that Hunian was able to finally find happiness. But it was short-lived. Her ending just leaves me so sad for her. She is bitter and angry and it hurts to see her that way. I wish, as the viewer who adored her character, that Hunian had had a truly happy ending.
I have read a lot of hate against Xiyin and Wuguli. While they were my least favorite couple in the entire drama, they went well together. The character progression for both Xiyin and Wuguli are logical, even if it *is* distasteful for us viewers.
Some things that really stood out to me that I appreciated:
--I really liked how the death scenes were captured. The acting, music, angles, and lines were impactful, specifically in regard to Yansage's and Xiyin's deaths. The way these death scenes were captured and executed really elevated the entire moment.
--I really appreciated the way the final conversation was handled between Mingyi, Yanyan, their eldest son (the future emperor), and Han Derang. It settled something in my heart. Even though I had logically come to terms with Mingyi's treachery against Yanyan and Han Derang nearly 20 years prior, Mingyi acknowledging that he betrayed their brotherhood and trust settled me. The way he rested their hands on top of each other in his final breathes was poetic irony and foreshadowing. Well done!
--I also LOVED that Mingyi's Minor Consort was just the woman he loved with not extra dramatics or malicious intents to distract or spoil the plot. That was so very refreshing!
--Additionally, on the same note, I was super worried that Mingyi's younger (biological) brother would try to plot against his own brother, which would have been a tough pill to swallow, but again, refreshing - HE DOESN'T! He actually sincerely protects Mingyi in the end! A much welcomed deviation from expected tropes.
--I loved how Yanyan's son, the new emperor, and Han Derang's mother both encouraged Yanyan and Han Derang, respectively, to satisfy their hearts and be with their chosen love after they have been widowed. There was something in the dynamics between mother and son in those conversations that just made my heart mush.
Acting:
Meh. It wasn't bad acting, but....don't hate me....but I just don't feel that Chinese acting compares to Korean actors. I think it might have something to do with the voiceovers (dubbing) that throws it off for me. The dubbing wasn't terribly distracting, which is a win! And the acting was good for a majority of the drama. Really, you just need to get to know the characters to get invested to look past the awkward misalignment of sound vs. lip movement. Trust me, the acting was decent enough for me to stick with the entire drama - the story really makes up for it by keeping you interested the whole time!
So - after finishing all 48 episodes, overall, I am left feeling kind of crestfallen, but satisfied at the same time. TLOXC was just one of those dramas I had to watch for myself, regardless of the negative feedback I was reading. It really wasn't anywhere nearly as bad as many negative comments portray it. It was actually quite good and I think deserves some more recognition as a *historical* story. I am glad to have watched it to be able to witness the above mentioned wins with this drama. I wouldn't recommend TLOXC, but I would definitely defend it!
I remember when I was a child that I would wish that TV shows would just skip to the important stuff so we would fast-forward the boring stuff and get to the stuff that matters. Well, The Legend of Xiao Chuo does just this! It was odd, I will admit, because most dramas (excluding family and longer, war-themed dramas) only span a couple months, tops. TLOXC really covers 20+ years in pretty decent detail with a good epilogue in the final episode, documenting the final chapter (deaths) of our MCs. So, yes, odd that the pacing of this drama utilized time-jumps often, but I appreciated that the plot wasn't dragged out or bored with trivial details. Which brings me to my next point...
TLOXC really isn't a *romantic* romance. Yes, the story starts out with sweet(-ish) romances, but by the time episode 25 rolls around, the story is all about politics. Plain and simple. It's about duty, responsibility, conflicts, alliances. I personally found it riveting and couldn't stop watching. It was like watching juicy gossip acted out. Now, I grew up in a Puerto Rican household, so I am no stranger to *chisme* or telenovelas, so to clarify: it's not on *that* level of drama and politics, but I found it interesting to watch an ancient culture play out with the beautiful costumes and decent acting (it was way more engaging and enjoyable than watching a documentary, that is!).
Anyways, I say all this to warn: if you are considering TLOXC because of the romance, you will likely find yourself bored and/or infuriated by the way our MCs are broken apart. It is truly heartbreaking...
Which leads into my next point: There is nothing wrong with being infuriated on behalf of people (*ahem* characters) who are slighted or wronged. BUT, it is not appropriate to apply your own ideals from the society we currently live in today with our current privileges (especially when looking at women's status) to that of ancient times. Don't get me wrong - some of the events that take place in the story are absolutely wrong! BUT, you cannot fault the storywriters for writing the story "wrong" when in reality, that *is* reality from those times.
For example, aside from the obvious splitting up of Yanyan and Han Derang, Mingyi falls in-love near the end of his life AND GETS TO BE HAPPY WITH HER. That really upset me considering what he did to his brother-like-bestfriend. BUT, I had to keep reminding myself that that's how it was in those days - emperor's could be with whomever they wanted, whenever they wanted because *they were* the law (and men, but I digress LOL).
It's very sobering, but also humbling to come to this realization. Once I had this conversation with myself, I was able to move past the tragedies our MCs endured to appreciate the story being told and reflect on the privileges and safeties we are afforded in our modern society.
Now to move onto the characters:
While Yanyan and Han Derang were the main romantic pairing in TLOXC whom I was happy for in the end, my favorite pairing was actually Hunian and Yansage. Hunian was actually my favorite character (aside from Han Derang's amazing mother - she called it how it was and I loved every second of it!). Hunian was someone I could identify with in the sense that being the eldest sibling, you have this sense of responsibility to your parents, to your siblings, to your "clan", that outweighs your own desires and comforts. And as most eldest siblings will likely also identify with, Hunian did not begrudge her place and role in her family. She accepted her responsibility and got through it. Her relationship with Yansage was the most interesting and intriguing dynamic in the entire drama for me. Yansage was my favorite antagonist in the entire drama because he was so multilayered! He wasn't strictly black-and-white; he adored Hunian and was truly in agony when they lost their baby and the risk to Hunian's life (the only true moment of despair we ever really see in Yansage), but he was also extremely intelligent and always scheming for the throne. His character was so complex. I truly could not get enough of Hunian and Yansage as a couple. Even after reading spoilers, I HAD to see how things played out for myself.
What made me sad was the conclusion to Hunian in the end of the drama. So many horrible things happened to Hunian throughout the entire drama, but she always got herself back up, dusted herself off, and kept going. I was so happy that even after Yansage's death (and other tragedies in the plot) that Hunian was able to finally find happiness. But it was short-lived. Her ending just leaves me so sad for her. She is bitter and angry and it hurts to see her that way. I wish, as the viewer who adored her character, that Hunian had had a truly happy ending.
I have read a lot of hate against Xiyin and Wuguli. While they were my least favorite couple in the entire drama, they went well together. The character progression for both Xiyin and Wuguli are logical, even if it *is* distasteful for us viewers.
Some things that really stood out to me that I appreciated:
--I really liked how the death scenes were captured. The acting, music, angles, and lines were impactful, specifically in regard to Yansage's and Xiyin's deaths. The way these death scenes were captured and executed really elevated the entire moment.
--I really appreciated the way the final conversation was handled between Mingyi, Yanyan, their eldest son (the future emperor), and Han Derang. It settled something in my heart. Even though I had logically come to terms with Mingyi's treachery against Yanyan and Han Derang nearly 20 years prior, Mingyi acknowledging that he betrayed their brotherhood and trust settled me. The way he rested their hands on top of each other in his final breathes was poetic irony and foreshadowing. Well done!
--I also LOVED that Mingyi's Minor Consort was just the woman he loved with not extra dramatics or malicious intents to distract or spoil the plot. That was so very refreshing!
--Additionally, on the same note, I was super worried that Mingyi's younger (biological) brother would try to plot against his own brother, which would have been a tough pill to swallow, but again, refreshing - HE DOESN'T! He actually sincerely protects Mingyi in the end! A much welcomed deviation from expected tropes.
--I loved how Yanyan's son, the new emperor, and Han Derang's mother both encouraged Yanyan and Han Derang, respectively, to satisfy their hearts and be with their chosen love after they have been widowed. There was something in the dynamics between mother and son in those conversations that just made my heart mush.
Acting:
Meh. It wasn't bad acting, but....don't hate me....but I just don't feel that Chinese acting compares to Korean actors. I think it might have something to do with the voiceovers (dubbing) that throws it off for me. The dubbing wasn't terribly distracting, which is a win! And the acting was good for a majority of the drama. Really, you just need to get to know the characters to get invested to look past the awkward misalignment of sound vs. lip movement. Trust me, the acting was decent enough for me to stick with the entire drama - the story really makes up for it by keeping you interested the whole time!
So - after finishing all 48 episodes, overall, I am left feeling kind of crestfallen, but satisfied at the same time. TLOXC was just one of those dramas I had to watch for myself, regardless of the negative feedback I was reading. It really wasn't anywhere nearly as bad as many negative comments portray it. It was actually quite good and I think deserves some more recognition as a *historical* story. I am glad to have watched it to be able to witness the above mentioned wins with this drama. I wouldn't recommend TLOXC, but I would definitely defend it!
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