5
1
ChineseDramaFan
USA
Mysterious FL, Gorgeous ML
Memory loss is a popular theme in Chinese dramas. But the memory loss in this story is slightly different - the character’s memory is surgically removed. Despite the confusion of the beginning episodes because of poor writing, and poor acting by the female lead, I press on as her mysterious background combined with the mysteries around her captivate me. A murderous hidden antagonist, an investigative journalist, and most of all, a devoted and gorgeous male lead, all these intrigue me with a plot propelled by the mysteries.When everyone thinks she has died in a car fire accident, Su Yi (Yuan Yu Xuan) comes back to seek for answers of what had happened 7 years ago when her father was slandered and killed in the same accident with her. She has lost memory of a big chunk of her life, including her time with her lover, Li Jia Shang (Liu Yi Chang) whom she doesn’t even know now. For Li Jia Shang, Mu Xiao (aka Su Yi) is his only love and has remained single since she’s gone. The dynamics between the couple, with the assistance of their buddies, Zheng He (Zhang Si Fan) and Xia Xi Yang (Xu Xiao Nuo), are wonderful to watch. Though I didn’t like the FL’s character in the beginning, I began to understand her better as the story unfolds. Having said that, Yuan Yu Xuan’s acting still requires improvement as she’s rather confusing with inappropriate expressions that do not synch with the moments; she is at times stiff and unnatural though she dresses extremely well. I do enjoy Liu Yi Chang’s and other cast members’ acting. I find Liu Yi Chang charismatic and fits the character he plays very well.
My Verdict
The plotline is quite intriguing as viewers want to find out what actually had happened 7 years ago, who Su Yi is, why she cannot remember Li Jia Shang at all, and who the obnoxious hidden villain is. There is a lot of twists and turns, intimacy and passionate kisses, and two pairs of lovely side couples.
There are certainly many flaws and plot holes but everything manages to brush through rather nicely for the ending. Having said that, many events and actions are of no consequence and do not provide additional information for the viewers, understandably they are merely there as fillers. Time and time again, a super nasty annoying character gets away with impunity. The dubbed voices also do not synch very well with the mouth movements.
For romance buffs, the main couple has never split up and has always remained true to each other. I love how devoted and committed Li Jia Shang is. He's always there to help Su Yi whenever she's in trouble.
Easy to watch, relatively short drama with less than 30 mins for each episode. Good enough to entertain.
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Lifetime of Love, Regrets and Sacrifices
Happy, sad, happy, sad, and happy. Yes, these are the emotions I have been experiencing throughout this drama. When the times are good, everything is cute, lovey-dovey and funny. Then chaos strikes, I cry for the losses. And life starts all over again. Things become cute and funny once more, and I laugh. Just as the water is finally calm, chaos strikes again. I cry my eyes out for the losses, mourning for my favorite characters. It is really amazing how such a drama can fully capture our emotions and make us feel for the characters so much.60,000 years ago, almost everyone dies after the battle of the gods and the demons. Now 60,000 years later, the gods are reborn through the remnants of their spirits. They become the immortals, relatively young gods with lower power. They meet and fall in love all over again, until the true gods, who are within their subconscious, are awoken, and their minds merge and bodies taken over. At the same time, the return of the devil means another war is imminent.
Shang Gu (Zhou Dong Yu) is a happy-go-lucky, one of the four true gods, doted by the other true gods, Tian Qi (Liu Xue Yi) and Zhi Yang (Li Ze Feng). She’s carefree and playful, but the stern teachings of Bai Jue (Xu Kai), one of the four, help her realize her potential, and she falls head-over-toes in love with him. Through him, she begins to understand the importance of her role in the universe. With that, she grows stronger and becomes the most powerful god of all. This growing pain doesn’t come easy. It takes her through enormous emotional struggle and eventual sacrifice of herself for the greater good.
Zhou Dong Yu’s acting hits the mark, as Shang Gu and Hou Chi, right on the spot. She can be girly and playful with a sweet mesmerizing smile. Then in one whiff, becomes a serious and powerful god feared by all. Many viewers complain that Zhou Dong Yu not beautiful enough, to that I would say beauty should not be the focus here, but her aura and acting should.
Bai Jue grows from a cold emotionless being into a person who can feel love and love in return. Many viewers complain Xu Kai can’t act, but to me, his acting is exactly right without overacting. As Bai Jue, he is cold and emotionless (ironically Tian Qi nicknames him, the God of Fire, Ice Cube), but as Qing Mu, he is not as cold and more animated. Xu Kai manages to show the distinct emotions of both characters very well, and through his eyes, he exudes passion, longing and turmoil. When he’s been wronged, the silence pain he endures shown in his eyes is so real, making the viewers empathize with his characters. When Xu Kai cries, I cry. Yes, Xu Kai can act and is excellent in portraying his roles.
My most favorite character is perhaps Tian Qi. After the drama “Qing Luo”, I really love Liu Xueyi and his acting. Once again, he’s given an excellent performance here. Over all, the acting from the whole cast is fabulous, from the main leads, to the second leads, to the kid, to the antagonists. Everyone has put up their best performances and it shows in the final production. The writing is good, the story is intriguing, the editing is coherent, the pace is just right (especially at the second half) and the CGIs are awesome.
OSTs
Absolutely must listen. So good.
My Verdict
The beginning episodes are very interesting with amazing CGIs. Then it becomes somewhat draggy with quite a bit of the to-and-fro, playing out the relationship development which I find rather boring. I must admit I did yawn a little here and there (maybe even dozed off from time to time) for the first 10 episodes as the characters are developing. Then the second life begins (around episode 16), ushering in the births of the in-between gods with the introduction of new characters. They are initially confusing and their relationship overlapping. Many viewers begin dropping the drama. Clarification comes later as the story unfolds. Then the pace picks up. The second half proves to be most enjoyable. As the antagonist grows stronger each day and finally becomes a full-blown demon, the whole drama becomes incredibly captivating.
Re-watch? Absolutely. There are so many things I believe I have missed on my first watch. Re-watching can help me catch the nuances, hence provide even better appreciation of the overall story.
For me, this drama is much more enjoyable than “Love and Redemption” (sorry LAR fans) as it captures the human emotions more realistically. For viewers who dropped this drama prematurely, do come back and complete it. You won’t regret it.
In “xian xia” stories, there is always a life 2.0. One can correct a mistake and make everything as according to one’s wishes again in the next life. But in our mortal world, regrets cannot be undone, deaths cannot be revived or life cannot reborn. It is therefore imperative that we treasure what we have while we’re still alive.
Great watch! Must watch! Bravo!
TWO THUMBS UP!
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Could Have Been Better
This could have been an enjoyable drama had it not been the poor performance of one of the lead actors, Yu Menglong. Though the storyline is simple, conflicts between neighboring countries, conflicts within the royal court, conspiracies, switches of identities etc. make this drama a rather good watch.All the characters are quite interesting too. The Jing Ci character could have been so intriguing but Yu Menglong’s disastrous robotic portrayal sends it down the drain; he walks like a robot, talks like Alexa in a male voice, stands like a mannequin. Even when he tries to tell his love how much he loves her, there’re no emotions nor expressions on his face, nor can the viewers feel any heart-warming passion he has for his love. His declaration is like an announcement reading from a book – unemotional. It’s indeed such a pity because Yukee Chen (plays the Feng Mian Wan character) and the other cast members put up quite an impressive performance.
I must say I quite enjoy watching the side couples especially Princess Zhangle (played by Ma Yue) and her to-be consort. Though they don’t have many scenes but their dynamics are cute, as the princess has a forward personality whereas her consort is rather timid and unromantic. The other couple is Zuo Yanxi (played by Kid Young) and Jiang Tan (played by Xu Hao). This is a tragic romance when a great man is being brought down by his love of the woman who is also his Shimei (sister in learning). The Jiang Tan character is not likable as many viewers take her scenes as the opportunity for bathroom breaks, to put it mildly.
Overall, I would say, watch this drama if you can’t find anything better to watch, or watch it in between episode releases of other dramas. It’s not totally terrible, but it’s not fantastic either.
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Epic Historical Drama | High Quality Production
What an incredible historical story told with a touch (a lot) of humor, initially.When I first started with the drama, I didn't know what to make of it: is it a real historical story, or is it a comedy? Real historical drama because it’s depicting one of the most interesting era of Chinese history from the Yongle reign in 1402 during the Ming Dynasty. Comedy because of the initial dialogues and relationships portrayed in the story – they are funny and entertaining. Nonetheless, a few episodes in, I found myself really enjoying this drama.
The drama is based on some real events and real figures in the early part of the Ming dynasty. It started with Zhu Di, the Yongle Emperor, seizing the throne from his nephew in a revolt. In the beginning of the story, it focuses mainly on the relationships between Zhu Di, his sons and his grandson. How these relationships are depicted is humorous and enjoyable. Fictional or not, I’m really hooked watching how the father-son-grandson, brothers-brothers, uncles-nephew dynamics played out here; the relationships are just funny, informal, silly and sweet at times. However, after the demise of Zhu Di, the same relationships become hideous and the mood of the drama turns serious and deadly.
This drama also has some brief references to the expeditions of Cheng He, the Tumu Crisis, and various important figures such as Yu Qian, Wang Zhen and the three Yangs. However, Empress Sun is given a greater influence in this drama than in reality. Her son is such a spoiled brat and incompetent.
25 episodes in, the mood changes from light-hearted into dead serious. Many episodes focus on warfare with the northern Mongol tribes. The informal relationships we see earlier within the royal family disappear. The seemingly silly and funny characters of the 2nd and 3rd princes become devious and dangerous. Even the Zhu Zhanji character becomes unpredictable and sinister.
Zhu Yawen is a seasoned actor and is very good in his craft. His portrayal of Zhu Zhanji is amazing, switching from being timid in front of his grandfather the Emperor, to silly with his father the crown prince and with his uncles, to serious and nasty with his enemies. Zhu Yawen has a magician hat filled with unlimited facial expressions, body language, smiles, sneers and demeanor. He switches from one mood to another with ease and makes his character super interesting and convincing. However, he’s gone from the screen after about 2/3 of the drama. (Likewise with Wang Xue Qi who plays the Yongle Emperor character - he exits the screen even earlier.) Both of these actors are supposedly playing the main roles. One character, apart from Sun Ruowei, that consistently appears from early in the drama till the end is Yu Qian played by Su Ke. He is a wonderful convincing actor and I really enjoy watching his character.
I don't particularly like the female lead Rebecca Tang playing Sun Ruowei initially because I find her stiff and unnatural, over acts in certain parts and under acts in others. I also dislike her voice dubbing because her voice and tone don't match the moods and situations of the events. Everything just seems off with her. The Sun Ruowei character also changes greatly before and after she married Zhu Zhanji, and it (the character) doesn't feel like a lead character anymore. However, I’m pleasantly surprised by her transformation when she becomes the Empress Dowager. Her no-nonsense demeanor which doesn’t bode well initially becomes very convincing at the later part of the drama. As mentioned earlier, Sun Ruowei is depicted as a very influential character in this drama as a regent which may not be totally accurate historically. According to the record, the Grand Empress Dowager (Empress Zhang) should have held greater power than depicted and hence been the greater influencer. The relationship between Sun Ruowei and Hu Shan Xiang has also been fictionalized.
All the other actors and supporting casts are very good in their respective roles. After the demise of the Yongle Emperor and his sons and grandson, ie. the initial cast, the drama turns dry for some viewers with politics and warfare with a lot of bloodshed and deaths. All the comedies and humors are gone. The drama progresses with each episode getting more intense then the last. Despite the fictions, this drama is still very well made with not many holes; it's interesting and wonderful to watch.
My verdict: yes, I'd recommend this drama to all, especially those who love historical stories. This is a wonderful drama worth watching despite its length of 62 episodes! I have enjoyed almost every episode, although half-way through, it gets a bit dry without all the initial humors and comedies, but the tension and plots keep me on. The acting is impeccable and the music is one of the best. This drama goes into my MUST-WATCH list.
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Convoluted, Great Plot, Great Scenes
This could have been an intriguing watch had it not been the senseless editing, cutting from 70 to 36 episodes; the drama should have been made into a 2-season series. As it is, many scenes are cut relentlessly, rendering it confusing and disjointed with new characters popping up out of the blue. Without proper background and explanation, the characters seem to be god-like, knowing everything in advance. Having said this, I have enjoyed the overall story.The Story
Two brothers of royal blood fall in love with the same girl. Due to a misunderstanding, the girl marries the older brother who later becomes the emperor and she becomes the empress. As always with palace politics and harems, the empress is poisoned and died, but not before her soul and memory switch with her younger sister’s. Though her body has died, she lives in her sister’s body and vows for revenge. As her younger sister, she meets the younger brother of the Emperor and both fall in love with each other.
Had the story played out as described, it's pretty straight forward and easy to understand. However, this is not it. When Yao Moxin's and Yao Mowan's spirits switch, it appears that Yao Mowan's memory still partially remains within her body. Then the confusion arises: who has fallen in love with Ye Junqing, Mowan or Moxin? It's unclear until towards the end when Mowan confesses that she is indeed Moxin who has fallen out of love with the Emperor due to his evil deeds, and in love with Ye Junqing after all the years of yearning for her. Their love for each other is unmistakable and their bond is enviable.
The Acting
The overall acting is commendable. As having a more mature face, acting as a naïve and funny girl may be a tough sell for Li Mo Zhi portraying Yao Mowan, but as the consort whom she later becomes, she’s perfect – stunningly beautiful, regally elegant and poised. Cladding in dark red garments and somber, she exudes a fearless badass aura and commands respects from all including her enemies. I applaud Li Mo Zhi for her amazing acting.
Chen Zhe Yuan’s acting here renders me speechless as well. As Ye Junqing, he is tormented for the loss of his true love whom he can only view from afar. The yearning and heartache distinctly exhibit on his face and are felt by the viewers. Though having a baby face giving viewers the impression of a very young actor (Chen Zhe Yuan is in fact very young), Chen Zhe Yuan’s acting is mature. He’s able to capture all the essence in his character and has given a wonderful performance.
I must also applaud Zhang Junning (aka Johnny Zhang)’s performance. As a dark, insecure and angry emperor in Ye Hongyi, he is perfect. Good looking and yet devious at times, viewers can totally feel his inner torments and come to empathize with him and at the same time, despise him.
My Verdict
I have really enjoyed this story despite its seemingly randomness and disjointed editing. It doesn’t only just have the usual palace politics and harem fights, it also has dark supernatural witchcrafts as in spirit swapping and face changing, among others. Viewers can never be certain who they are watching and if the characters are who they say they are. Though with all the usual tropes such as memory loss, falling off cliff etc, the production is impressive with good sound effects, epic battle scenes with thundering war horses and soldiers, thick plot with twists and turns, lovable characters, wuxia, great CGI and more.
Though I can’t say this is a must-watch because of the poor editing, this production deserves some praises for its plot and acting, and a very satisfactory ending that viewers love.
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Confusing and Disappointing
I was initially attracted to this drama because of its director who had also directed The Untamed. It has quite similar cinematography for some scenes, and the styling of some actors is also similar. I was very excited and thought it’s going to be another great drama just like The Untamed. I was pretty disappointed with how it turns out to be.This is a rather confusing drama with lots of plot holes and flaws. There are many tropes. The editing is choppy and disjointed. I cannot even tell if the acting of the female lead is fine or bad because I’m not even sure if her acting is intended or simply just bad acting. Frequently the situations and the emotions of the actors are totally out of synchronization. The logic is inconsistent and befuddling at times, so are the inconsistency of the characters. The dialogues are simple and shallow. There’s hardly a plot, or rather the plot is so simplistic that the writing has made it confusing to try to give it some layers. It fails miserably. It begins to drag a lot half-way through the drama. I’ve almost given it up had I not wanted to know who Feng Wu (Yang Chao Yue) actually is.
I have to admit there are some really good scenes here with beautiful actors, in particular, Wang Hao Xuan. I love his styling and portrayal of the mischievous Yu Ming Ye, and his relationship with Jun Lin Yuan (Xu Kai Cheng). In fact, I find him to have more chemistry with Feng Wu than Jun Lin Yuan has with her. I also enjoy watching the second couple. And I really love the visual of Mu Jiu Chuan (Li Chuan) who is Feng Wu’s shifu, but unfortunately he doesn’t have many scenes. I also love the dynamics of the 3 childhood friends, and the funs they have together overthinking trivial matters, giving simplistic reasoning that leads to jumping into wrong conclusions. These are rather fun watch. The ending is not sad nor happy. It’s just it, and I've never found out who Feng Wu is and where she has come from.
Overall, I’m not at all impressed by this drama.
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Cold Face General in Intensive Romance
I love this series! This is a warm, easy to watch and adorable drama with funny scenes of an unpretentious female lead who is direct and sincere. There are intensive romance, mysteries and deep plot with supervillain. The female lead is forthright and that has resolved or prevented a lot of misunderstandings. Also, kissing and wedding are right at the beginning, so there's no long waiting for romance to happen and blossom, like in other dramas, usually at the end.The Story
To rein in the power of General Chu Xiuming (Wu Xize) who is guarding the warring border up north, the ministers press the Emperor to decree a marriage of the second daughter of Rui Wang (Prince Rui) to the General. The bad name of the General - ugly, fearsome, and having killed 2 previous wives - scares the appointed daughter, and she wriggles out and passes the marriage over to her younger half-sister, Shen Jin (Tang Min), whose mother has lost favor from her father. Shen Jin accepts the marriage because she just wants to get away from the household which she abhors. At the General’s manor, she helps fend off intruders and receives admiration from the General’s subordinates. Very soon, she realizes the general is not what she has imagined and she falls head over heels in love with him, and he her. Together, they uncover the greatest conspiracy and put the perpetrators away.
There's always a mystery - who was the mastermind behind the death of the 8th prince the crown prince and his entire family 16 years ago? All indicators point towards the Emperor and Chu Xiuming is determined to find out to bring justice for his uncle, the crown prince. The conspiracy unravels in the last 2 episodes and the show becomes nail-bitingly intense. The ending is heart-warming and satisfying; there’s no random killing off of the characters.
The Characters and The Acting
I love the Shen Jin character. How she has grown up fighting for territories in her childhood has made her courageous and proactive. She knows she has to fight for what belongs to her and what she wants so that she would not be taken advantage of. She is sensitive and not naïve, and she doesn’t sit around waiting for things to happen. Whenever she feels an imminent threat, she would jump into preventive action to protect herself and those around her. After marrying Chu Xiuming, her greatest fear is losing him to another woman as how her mother loses her father; she vows she would not take her mother's footsteps. But her schemes are mostly naïve, brainless and hilarious, causing headaches for her husband who forgives her again and again. It’s nice to see this couple resolve their misunderstandings very quickly, and both are quick to apologize to each other. She eventually grows to trust him and not jealous over any women that he may come in contact with. Tang Min’s portrayal of Shen Jin is marvelous.
General Chu Xiuming is a cold face general who becomes a romance buff after marrying Shen Jin; he sticks around her, lovingly and protectively. He is handsome, wealthy and powerful. When they are recalled and return to the capital, numerous eligible women, including Shen Jin’s own sisters, come forward offering themselves to the General, but he rejects them all; his eyes are only on Shen Jin. Tall and handsome, Wu Xize’s portrayal is believable and his action scenes are pretty good.
There’re two great second couples, one loyal to Shen Jin and the other to Chu Xiuming. They act as conduits between the General and his wife, helping them resolve any misunderstandings there may be. And I love their ingenious makeshift wedding ceremony for one of the couples - simple, warm and beautiful.
The OST
This fluffy drama gives us a few amazingly beautiful official sound tracks, in particular the OST Only For You, conjuring images of the loving General and his wife.
My Verdict
I have really enjoyed watching the two love birds telling each other their love and admiration for each other constantly. Every day, every moment when they're together, the General recites love verses to his wife, confirming his love for her. His words are sweet and his love verses are romantic. They're like glue, sticking at each other’s side all the time. There are many kissing scenes. This is an ideal husband/wife relationship - loving, understanding and forgiving, which also plays an important part in the plot when the story unravels. There're no hidden emotions nor hidden feelings. She always tells her husband exactly what she wants. I love that because men are usually slow to catch hints. Her forthrightness is inspiring.
The drama is cut in an interesting way: at the end of each episode, the cut scene is played, giving additional information to the viewers without affecting the flow of the story. These cut scenes are enlightening and can make the story clearer.
Admittedly there is a lot of flaws and holes, inconsistencies and lack of details in this drama. For example, some scenes are jumped and characters are switched without warning, the couple wear shoes on their wedding bed, the abrupt change of character for the evil sisters, etc. Nonetheless, these haven’t reduced my enjoyment.
If you love supervillain, evil sisters, some palace politics, a protective powerful general with an easily jealous wife, you may like this fluffy drama like I did. Don’t miss it. And don't miss the epilogue.
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Touching, Humorous, Intelligent Characters, Great Side Couples
Many viewers drop this wonderful drama at the beginning episode because they don’t like the main characters – a crass and fearsome female lead and a timid and fearful male lead. After reading my review, I hope viewers give this drama a chance and I hope you would not be disappointed. This drama does remind me of many real couples from the older generations (for younger generations, they would have divorced each other) with strong empress dowagers for wives and scaredy-cats for husbands.Hu Jiao (Zhang Hanyun) is illiterate, unsophisticated and fierce, for she is a butcher and also a shrewd business lady and knows how to fend off enemies and protect her family. She is betrothed to Xu Qingjia (Tong Mengshi) since both were children. Xu Qingjia is a learned man, poor and rather faint-hearted. He is appointed as a lowly magistrate in another small city, and after their wedding, the couple moves to live in that city. Their relationship started off rather hostile as Hu Jiao is unwilling to marry without love to such a weakling for a husband; she is a lot stronger than him physically. And how she treats Xu Qingjia is almost like a slapstick comedy at the initial part of the drama; multiple times she strikes him faint because she doesn’t want him to get near her. The scenes are hilarious. In their journey struggling through hardship and danger, they grow to trust and love each other. At the moments of despair or weakness, they give each other courage, and energize each other; she's his mental support, and he hers.
Though both female and male leads have totally different traits, they complement and supplement each other like a toothed gear working in harmony and precision. Both are honorable, upstanding, wise, strong and courageous. They believe in one simple philosophy: 尽人事安天命 or “do your best”. With their magnanimity, they convert enemies into alliances, and serendipity follows.
This is a new cast for me but I have enjoyed everyone’s acting here. Zhang Hanyun puts up a very believable Hu Jiao, and her knife skills, either in mincing her pork or shaving the scoundrels’ hair, are very convincing and funny. Tong Mengshi’s Xu Qingjia is humble and lovable. As much as I love the main characters, my favorite character is Gao Zheng (Chen Yilong), the county lieutenant sheriff. This is one of the best supporting actors I’ve seen. Gao Zheng is cold faced with no emotions, and yet, when he’s ticked, by words or actions, the skin on his side forehead jerks subtly, even for an ephemeral moment, showing viewers that indeed this man has deep hidden feelings. This drama also gives us some very lovely side couples. I love the story of Gao Zheng and Yu Niang (Zeng Yixuan); it is beautiful and heart-wrenching. Though kissing scenes are very limited here, the emotions shown in the actors’ eyes, especially in Chen Yilong’s (Gao Zheng) and Zeng Yixuan’s (Yu Niang) when they look into each other, are authentic and believable.
My Verdict
The writer has a great sense of humor. Many of the characters have very funny names representing the characteristics of the characters. Hu Jiao has the homophone of “peppercorn”, Qingjia (homophone) means “in-law”. And there is the Zhen Fugui (Truly prosperous) shop keeper, Jia Yi (Pretend), Jia Quan (Fake Power) the powerless housekeeper, Fei Jing (Strenuous) the failed thief, Hua Tuo the herb collector (Hua Tuo was a very famous miracle doctor during the Three Kingdoms period), and others.
At the beginning while the characters are being introduced, the viewers are not given a hint whether the introduced characters are protagonists or antagonists. Initially I even thought Hu Jiao’s father was bad because he forces her to marry Xu Qingjia. And we have a very funny blackface thief (whom I have thought harmless but turns out deadly) who has never been successful in stealing Xu Qingjia’s umbrella. Then we have a tea house owner whom I had thought a loose woman. Even Cui Wulang and Ning Wang seem flirtatious and unworthy. The writer even teases the viewers with some seeming bromance. All the characters turn out to be rather surprises as they are not what they seem to be.
Do not be deterred by some negative comments here on MDL. This is actually a very good and funny drama with an interesting plot and story. There are very few noticeable plot holes and the logic is sound.
Our characters embrace a courageous risk taking approach as how they perceive what it means to be a worthy human, and that's the message of the story.
Amazing watch. Don’t miss it. Bravo!
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卧虎藏龙 Crouching Tigers and Hidden Dragons – Witty, Humorous, Philosophical
I love this story. It is inundated with hidden talents that are unexpected, mysterious, interesting, complex and contrasting. Each character has distinct characteristics and is unforgettable. Adapted from a very popular web novel by the talented script writer Wang Juan who has also written for Joy of Life and Young Blood, this drama has a very similar vibe as Joy of Life which was also played by Zhang Ruo Yun as the main lead. Together with Hu Jun, this drama gives the viewers an unusual wuxia story with modern vibes.Within the first episode, my interest was piqued: Why is the heir to the King (Lord) of Bei Liang displaced? He is like a beggar, dirty in rags, stealing food. Why are there assassination attempts on his life? In fact, seemingly insignificant, how would anyone know he’s the heir and track his whereabout? Why does his old hag of a horse servant run faster than him but not fending him when they are being chased? Why does he want everyone to think that he’s a good-for-nothing idiot? Why is his fearsome father so fearful of him? All these questions, and more, pop up in my head and urge me to continue.
Xu Fengnian (played by Zhang Ruoyun) is well known to be the number one useless playboy in the world. That’s what he wants others to think. Those who know him, including his own father, know he’s the most compassionate, intelligent and strategic person around. For Xu Fengnian, his philosophy of 不取舍, 不妥协 (Bù qǔshě, bù tuǒxié) -- never abandon (as in sacrificing), and never compromise -- brings him a fortunate stroke of serendipity with friends and followers that vow to protect him with their lives. It is this uncompromising conviction that his father, the fearsome General Xu Xiao (played by Hu Jun), thinks his son too naïve and need to be exposed to the reality and darkness of life. During Xu Fengnian’s quest, his father exposes his track to his enemies, at the same time, sends diehard top warriors to protect him. The actions are both ironic and hilarious.
Xu Xiao perhaps can be considered as an ideal father for any child: ruthless and fearsome for others but doting on, even to the extent of submissive to, his own children. He is like a tiger when facing his enemies, but immediately morphs into a little mouse when facing his own children. Unlike most ancient Chinese parents who demand absolute obedience, Xu Xiao doesn’t. In fact, seemingly letting Xu Fengnian having his own way, constantly Xu Xiao teaches him without the youngster even realizing it until very much later when things finally fall into place and reveal themselves. As a great chess player, Xu Xiao is always multiple steps ahead of everyone. Though disagree with the way his father handles things, Xu Fengnian comes to realize and respect his father for his foresightedness.
As romance is not the central theme to the story, as of season one anyway, nonetheless viewers do get a peek at Xu Fengnian’s possible love interest. As a princess of a by-gone kingdom which is conquered by Xu Xiao, Jiang Ni (played by Li Gengxi/Teresa Li) has a love-hate relationship with his family. On one hand, she understands that Xu Xiao has saved her, on the other, she is upset that Xu Xiao has taken her country and destroyed her family. She takes her torments out on Xu Fengnian by repeatedly assassinating him. Despite her continued laments that she is now a maid for Xu Fengnian, she is happy to dry his books for him under the sun.
Perhaps the most pitiful character is our antagonist, Zhao Kai (played by Liu Duanduan). His one-track mindedness to kill Xu Fengnian is both funny and pathetic.
Xu Fengnian’s relationship with all the characters has been very well developed, and from here, viewers can clearly see his values and baseline. He loves all his siblings and constantly want to protect them. He cares for all his people, including his maids and servants, and treat them like his own family.
Hu Jun has a commanding look. One look at him would conjure up images of ruthlessness, and in wrath, he could order to kill everyone that comes in his way. And yet, at a click of the fingers, Hu Jun can become the most affable grandfather any kids would love to cuddle up with. Hu Jun is simply amazing and has captured his character with flying colors. Zhang Ruoyun’s acting here is rather similar to that of Joy of Life with an apathetic look. His chemistry with Hu Jun is so great that most viewers do not have enough of their scenes together. Most of the criticism of choice of actors has perhaps fallen on Li Gengxi, who comparatively, is less attractive than the others and has less experience in acting. However, I find her acting acceptable and she has brought out the Jiang Ni character rather convincingly. Her chemistry with Zhang Ruoyun is good too.
My Verdict
This is not your normal kind of wuxia story. Every character has its story and each may carry a big mystery behind it. What each character says is not necessarily what it (the character) means, and its action not necessarily the actual motive. Everything is not what it seems and it is hard to fathom until the treacherous events brought forth to light.
Some of the actions can be illogical, and the logic can be so simple that it becomes illogical and unusual, making the whole thing hilarious. The use of analogies, double or hidden meaning in each sentence which consists of blunders layered on top of each other, making the dialogues extremely amusing. Every move and word from the characters is out of expectation. Though speaking with dialogues in ancient poetic verses, they are infused with modern vibes. The humors have come from the conflicting ideas and situations, in the satirical of human weaknesses. When it exaggerates, it doubles down. It is all these that make the whole story intriguing and captivating.
A lot of the criticism has come from viewers dissatisfy with the slow motion of martial art actions. Perhaps some viewers are expecting the type of martial art fighting scenes of the Hong Kong style of the old days when many of such actors were indeed martial art masters themselves. For me, I would have preferred the current style, as the director attempts very well to show the viewers the beauty of the fighters’ choreography and stance with hair flying and robes floating in the air. The current style of shooting emphasizes more on aesthetic values rather than the actual fighting itself. Therefore, this is a matter of taste, and should not be used to judge the quality of the drama.
Unlike the cliff hanger ending for Joy of Life, and despite the unresolved mysteries in this story, the ending here for season one is at a very appropriate point. This is a drama that makes you smile and feel warm from within.
Great drama! Recommended! Two thumbs up!
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A Palace Drama that Feels Like a Rom-Com
This is a story romanticizing some historical figures, giving us two pairs of very lovable main characters – two sisters matching up with two brothers. The sister/sister and brother/brother relationships are enviable. It is the lightest non-comedic historical drama that involves palace politics. Initially, it feels like a rom-com without the rom-com tag as it's serious but at the same time, also so funny. The mishaps are hilarious!Accordingly, this drama is based on the actual historical story of Guo Rong of the Later Zhou Dynasty (951-960 AD) during the tumultuous Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms era. The founding Emperor Guo Wei had adopted Chai Rong, who later became Guo Rong, from his wife’s brother and groomed Guo Rong to be the heir. According to recorded history, Guo Rong first married the younger Fu sister. After her death, he remarried the older Fu sister who was also widowed.
The Story
For this drama, it fictionalizes the actual historical events and characters. Still as a prince and a general, Xue Rong (Li Zhiting aka Aarif Rahman) first meets the older Fu sister, Fu Yuzhan (Meng Ziyi aka Zoey Meng) and falls in love with her and wants to marry her. However, due to unforeseen mishaps, instead, the younger Fu sister, Fu Jinzhan (Li Yitong) is married to Xue Rong, both later become the Emperor and the Empress. The unintended marriage put them on a hot spot and into a predicament as Fu Jinzhan is also in love with another man, Jiang Shao (Wang Zhuocheng aka Marius Wang). Eventually Fu Jinzhan fakes her death and escapes the palace and elopes with Jiang Shao. Xue Rong remarries his love, Fu Yuzhan.
There are a lot of interesting and unexpected twists and turns here. As with most palace dramas, both Xue Rong and Fu Yuzhan live on thin ice; there are constant palace politics and threats with the Emperor’s throne being challenged for his legitimacy; there are constant dangers within the harem with the Empress being poisoned. However each time, the protagonists always come up on top winning, getting away from all the dangers.
The Characters and Acting
I really like the four main characters because they are strong with good fighting skills, and don’t hesitate to kick asses. Although the older Fu sister doesn’t know how to fight, she is very intelligent and strategic. Their alliance is heart-warming - they care, trust and love each other deeply.
As Xue Rong, Li Zhiting looks very good here (a lot better than in Princess Silver). He is charismatic, strong, powerful and yet compassionate. His character can be arrogant but at the same time adorable. Li Zhiting’s acting is very good, bringing out his regality in the royal court and then becoming a loving husband in pain at the brink of losing his most loved wife.
The Fu Yuzhan character is a very lady-like character, soft on the outside but strong like steel inside. Meng Ziyi’s acting brings out this character convincingly with her bright eyes and intelligent demeanor, and yet not losing her gentle and compassionate personalities.
I also enjoy watching the second couple, the younger Fu sister with her lover, both are impulsive, childish, careless and gullible but very adorable. Their chemistry is very good too. Li Yitong’s and Wang Zhuocheng’s acting here is believable and applaudable.
My Verdict
This is a light palace drama that feels like a rom-com. The twists and turns make it an exciting watch with the protagonists always come out winning, giving the viewers a sigh of relief. Though the ending for the first couple may not be savored positively by some viewers, and despite some flaws here and there, this is still a very enjoyable drama. Don’t miss it!
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Great Cross-Dressing and Beautiful Ending
Recently, there have been quite a few cross-dressing Chinese dramas and The Heiress is one of them. I was hooked to this drama right from episode one because of the amazing cross-dressing, the plot, and the acting. The overall storyline is pretty serious but the dynamics of the characters and their relationship are hilarious and adorable. I was really enchanted by the acting of the female lead and her dynamics with the two male leads.The heir, Han Shi Yi (You Jing Ru aka Una You), is supposedly the son of the General of the Han’s Army which guards the northern border. He is ordered by the Emperor to the capital because the Emperor is weary of the power of the Han’s Army. At the capital, Han Shi Yi is required to attend class in an academy which is meant for princes and nobles. Disguised as a flamboyant playboy, nobody knows he is actually a girl because her identity is switched with her murdered twin brother.
At the academy, Han Shi Yi meets the prince, Chen Ting Yi (Jiang Chao) and the son of the Prime Minister, Wang Zhong Yu (Wang An Yu). At the beginning, both Cheng Ting Yi and Wang Zhong Yu fight for Han Shi Yi’s support as they covet for her family’s powerful army as in palace politics. Han Shi Yi tries to stay neutral as getting on any one side may bring imminent trouble for her family, and she mustn’t expose her disguise as this would be punishable by death. Unbeknownst to themselves, the boys are attracted to her. Everyone thinks they’re cut sleeves. Even they question themselves of their own sexuality. However, very quickly, both discover her real gender and they help cover her secret because they are both in love with her.
You Jing Ru is actually a very beautiful woman. Dressed as a man without much makeup, she is very convincing. Her character as Han Shi Yi is flamboyant, bombastic, crafty and egregious, trying to annoy everyone around her to throw them off. But deep inside, Han Shi Yi is intelligent, kind and wise; she sees what others don’t. You Jing Ru’s portrayal is simply fabulous. I love the way she pretends to talk and fool around, twisting her words and fooling everyone. I love it when she fights with Wang Zhong Yu, naming her tortoise Wang Er (Wang Zhong Yu is also known as Wang Er) in retaliation to him naming his pet piglet Miss Han. The naming is super funny because Wang Ba (8) in Chinese means tortoise, and Wang Er (2) is like her calling him a brother of the tortoise. And Wang Zhong Yu’s use of the piglet to tease Han Shi Yi also has deep symbolism here as in the saying of pretending to be a pig and eating the tiger, calling Han Shi Yi a pretender.
The 5th prince Chen Ting Yi has a cold personality with no smile. Jiang Chao is a perfect choice as he is extremely good looking with a cold-face that is emotionless. Having said that, he does smirk whenever he approves of something, and that smirk usually says a thousand words. It is very funny when a cold face character meets a flamboyant character as in Han Shi Yi. Their interaction is hilarious and endearing. However, I find the chemistry of Han Shi Yi with Wang Zhong Yi much better than she has with Chen Ting Yi.
Despite his father the Prime Minister, an archenemy of the Prince, Wang Zhong Yi doesn’t get involve in his father’s politics and schemes. He is good-looking, artistic and romantic. For Han Shi Yi, he is a good friend that can be trusted and she goes all the way out to protect him for the treachery his father has committed. Wang Zhong Yi is one of the most well written and loved second male leads in dramas and Wang An Yu’s portrayal is closed to perfection.
The story is mostly funny and the dialogues are hilarious until episode 19 when Prince Chen Ting Yi and Han Shi Yi are separated as they go their separate ways to wars. The war scenes are authentic and Han Shi Yi's fighting choreography as a general is very convincing and beautiful. As with all wars, the scenes are sad and heart-wrenching. There has not been any misunderstanding between the two until this point. The whole misunderstanding and the dilemma faced by the Prince cause their rift and doesn’t resolve until the end of the story. Given the final statuses and positions of each side, I find the ending brilliant, beautiful and appropriate. Although without an explicit wedding scene, this is a happy ending.
By the end of the story, there are no loose ends. Everything is reconciled properly, all the characters receive appropriate retribution or rewards. The editing and screen play are good too. If you don’t mind some tropes such as love triangle, underwater kissing scene, falling off cliff and surviving scene, amnesia scene, this drama is a good watch. I have really enjoyed it.
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Inspiring & Heart-Warming
This story reminds me of the story of Malala Yousafzai, a 15 year old Pakistani girl who was shot in the head by the Talibans in 2012 because she was advocating education for all girls. Not that Malala has disguised herself as a boy and gone to school as in this drama, but the stories are similar whereby girls are deprived of the equal opportunity to learn and to work since ancient times to today's world. This drama also reminisces the legendary Butterfly Lovers but without its tragic ending.Wen Xi (played by Ju Jing Yi), a very intelligent girl from an impoverished family, disguises as a boy by adopting her brother’s name Wen Bin and works as a commissioned writer to make a living for her family. Not out of her choice, she’s accidentally enrolled into the most prestigious academy of the land where such graduates would generally enter the palace and work as high-ranking officials for the Emperor. In the academy, she has to navigate precariously so that her feminine identity would not be discovered as girls are banned from attending school especially when such prestigious academy is only meant for aristocrats’ sons. Breaking the law is punishable by death. The drama revolves mainly around school life, not unlike modern day dramas about youth and school, but with ancient wisdom and philosophies.
Wen Bin is upstanding, kind, chivalrous, determined and courageous. For that, she’s very popular and becomes best friends with 2 roommates from renown aristocratic families. Together with another boy, they form the gang of four which is the pride of the academy. One of the boys is Feng Cheng Jun (played by Song Wei Long) whom she’s very fond of and later he falls in love with her as well. As Wen Bin is petite and seemingly weakly, the boys, unconsciously, rush to her assistance in the first instant.
Ju Jing Yi’s performance as Wen Bin is fabulous. Despite her petiteness, she commands an air of authority which the boys obey to without questions, at the same time, she can be girly to get their compassion, hence her way. I really enjoy watching how the boys love her as a comrade and her determination to do just as good, if not better, as the boys. Ju Jing Yi’s portrayal is so believable. The Feng Cheng Jun character is a studious and uncompromising person. Song Wei Long’s portrayal is amazing as the actor has a natural bookwormish face and a slow-in-realization expression. Such characteristics make Song Wei Long a perfect Feng Cheng Jun. Wen Bin is always the bridge between Feng Cheng Jun and Lei Ze Xin whereas Yu Le Xuan the conduit for all of them. The dynamics between the four friends are precious. Though constantly arguing, they’re inseparable from each other. To show her small size, the production team has even chosen 3 exceptionally tall actors to play the roles of her 3 best friends and I find their choices perfect.
The plot seems to be rather trivial in today’s standard – changing the policies so that all deserving scholars including girls and the poor receive education and serve the Emperor’s court. But it's a taboo in those days as the aristocrats fear losing power and wealth, and in the drama, there are indeed deaths for advocating such ideology and for preventing it.
Though their relationship is cordial and natural from the beginning, Feng Cheng Jun doesn’t find out about Wen Bin being a girl until episode 31. Therefore, before this when he begins to have feelings for her, he’s thinking himself a gay and his reactions are hilarious. Despite there’s not much romance per se, I find all the scenes they have together very romantic and heart-warming.
There’re some minor plot holes here and there and I find the story slightly off script towards the end. I'd have loved to see that Wen Bin fights for her right and equality for all, which has been her father's legacy, but unfortunately she seems to be weak on this and loses her appeal towards the end; all she wants is to live happily ever after with her man. I'm also not very impressed that she transfers her credentials to her brother who becomes a high ranking government official eventually. To me, this is like hiring someone to take your SAT (you know what I mean, wink, wink). As with most Chinese dramas' ending, the brilliant female character becomes common/weak. Nonetheless, I have enjoyed this drama, not so much on the plot but on the comradeship in a learning environment and the humors that come with it. The characters are lovable and their dynamics are adorable. The underlying message is inspiring -- creating oneself in the image for the eyes of others is not being strong, but facing oneself of what one is, is.
A rather enjoyable drama.
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Fabulous Acting, Great CGI, Great Story
This is one of the very few dramas that I find so relaxing and enjoyable. It is very funny and yet not comical. The humors come mostly from the marvelous acting, the dialogues and the dynamics between the characters. As this is a drama revolving around supernatural phenomena, the CGI here is simply top-notched. This drama is the third season of the Wu Xin series. Despite this, the timeline is a lot earlier than the previous two series, setting in the Tang dynasty period. One doesn't need to watch the previous two seasons to understand this one; everything is explained clearly and flows nicely. This drama stands alone as a complete series.Elvis Han (plays Wu Xin) is a marvelous actor. He has an air of maturity and provides stability in every situation he's in, and yet he doesn't lack that humorous and playful demeanor. I really enjoy all his scenes. As a man with no heart, (his name Wu Xin literally means no heart in Chinese), he's an immortal. The use of homophone and puns with his name is hilarious as the phrase wu xin can also mean "unintentional". But Wu Xin is so fed up with living forever that he contracts killers to kill himself as he has not been successful in doing so himself. His journey in seeking his own death is simply so outrageous and funny. I really enjoy the parts when Wu Xin is possessed by Liu Xuan Hu making him taking opposite actions and bickering within himself. The scenes are so funny and Elvis Han is fabulous in acting out both characters at the same time.
Comes the girl that falls for him, and eventually he for her. Chen Yao (aka Sabrina Chen) plays both roles as a twin girl in Liu Qing Luan and her twin brother in Liu Xuan Hu. With a slender physique, Chen Yao's portrayal of Liu Xuan Hu is amazing as she looks like a weak, sickly, feminine boy who excels academically. No one knows the talented scholar has an identical twin sister who helps settle scores for him. One really cannot tell if Liu Xuan Hu is a boy or a girl, even Wu Xin is confused; he has treated Liu Xuan Hu as a boy when in actual fact it's Liu Qing Luan's disguise. The discovery process is so funny, and Elvis Han's expression of surprise is an outstanding acting. Switching in and out of her role as a male and female character, Chen Yao has done a fantastic job. Bravo to her amazing acting.
In their quest to seek death for Wu Xin and cure for Liu Xuan Hu sickly body (what an irony), they encounter mysteries and crimes. Every event is related to another and unfolds nicely over time, usually through medium and "fa shu" delivered by the Taoist master. The initial unseen dark force that seems to mastermind everything turns out to be a previous acquaintant of Wu Xin. Their relationship, dynamics and dialogues are just a joy to watch. The seemingly unseen fearsome and mysterious character suddenly becomes a person with a cartoonish looking mask. Many of the characters that seem to be sinister in the beginning turn out to be harmless. One of my most enjoyable moments is watching Elvis Han handling a baby; he's such a pro and the scenes where both powerful fa shi, Wu Xin and Bai Liu Li, rendered helpless by a crying baby is just hilarious.
As expected, when an immortal falls in love with a mortal, how the ending would be. As Liu Qing Luan ages and finally dies in Wu Xin's arms, Wu Xin is still as youthful but the pain he is suffering is immeasurable, though this is the umpteenth time he is going through it. Each time, the pain of loss of a loved one is new and unforgettable for him. The only way to relieve himself from all these pains is not through death (which he can't die) but through letting go. Finally, Wu Xin realizes that he needs to forget after every life that leaves him, and to start afresh. That's the only way to continue living to eternity.
Oh, have I mentioned the sound tracks (OSTs)? They are very good. Love them!
Don't be misled by the low rating. This drama should have received a much higher rating had it not because English subs are not available at the moment of its airing. Many non-Chinese speaking viewers are unfortunately not able to enjoy this fine drama.
For me, this drama is unexpectedly good. If you can understand Chinese, or able to find English subs, do watch it. It's a drama that would make you laugh because of the funny dialogues and human to human dynamics. The mystical supernatural phenomenon is intriguing, and most importantly, great acting and great story telling make this a must-watch drama.
Two thumbs up!
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Unlike the romance in My True Friend which has come from love-at-first-sight, the romance in this drama is built on trust and understanding. The two main leads Sun Li and Luo Jin are both veteran and excellent actors. Luo Jin plays the Xu Wen Chang character who is a calm, unrestrictive office manager of a large multi-store realtor company. His leadership style is laissez-faire whereby he allows his people a free hand to achieve results in an ethical manner. His subordinates adore him and give him a nickname Gugu, meaning paternal aunty. Xu Wen Chang is kind, sincere and diplomatic. His magnanimity eventually melts away the ice of Fang Si Jin (Sun Li/Betty Sun) who is a co-manager of the same office. When Fang Si Jin is transferred to work there, her goal is to replace him eventually. But after months working with Xu Wen Chang, she finds out all his qualities and gradually falls in love with him. Fang Si Jin is an ambitious real estate agent who would go all the way out to do anything to close the deal. She’s up-tight, suspicious and calculative. But after spending some time under the warm office culture that Xu Wen Chang has inculcated, she starts to change. She sees humans in people and begins to love her subordinates who also come to adore her for her determination and compassion.
Every character has his/her own flaws, story and challenges, and this drama has carefully developed the characters and help them grow to meet and overcome their hurdles. The office culture here is very heart-warming; everyone is watching out for each other’s well-being and they are united like a big family.
This drama is an eye opening for international viewers on how brutal and stressful it is to live in a city like Shanghai. As a realtor, the work is hard and the competition is fierce. But most of all, all denizens in the city work extra-ordinarily hard and they are determined to achieve their goals, overcoming any obstacles that come their way. It also depicts all walks of life in the city – the good, the bad and the ugly. The good ones are beautiful and heart-warming, and the bad ones are ugly, greedy and unethical.
This drama is definitely a wonderful watch, especially if viewers want to better understand life in Shanghai. The depiction is authentic and realistic. It has provided me self-searching calls to look deeper into myself and to want to become a better person for others.
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Dark Humor
This is a dark comedy movie. Despite winning the Oscar with 4 awards, I can't say I like it. The acting is fine, so are many other movies. This movie depicts the great divide between the haves, and the don't haves. It also shows how easy it is to forge any documents in today's digital world. And how the unscrupulous can cheat their way out in a world that demands paper qualifications.I have to admit I do enjoy watching how the family of four get themselves out of their predicament living in a squalid condition to live in a multi million dollar home. But as the story unfolds, I sense more stormy waters ahead. As expected, the story takes on a dark turn, becomes psychopathic and murderous.
My verdict? This is not my cup of tea. As much as I'd love to have an Asian movie to receive the Oscar, I really can't say this is it.
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