Unforgettable wuxia drama

Laughing in the Wind is one of my top wuxia drama and Jin Yong adaptations. Whereas there are shows that are forgotten as quickly as you’ve finished watching them, this one still haunts me. I have flashbacks of scenes in which friends play music in the misty mountains or a hero mourns the death of his enemy as petals rain upon him.

I loved pretty much everything about this adaptation. I found the main cast members to all be spot on. The plot is beautifully rendered: it is dynamic and vivid, full of quidproquos and mysteries, yet also poetic and evocative, soulful and contemplative. The characters’ arcs and inner life are fascinating. The landscapes are gorgeous. The fight scenes showcase the beauty and skill of martial arts. To me, this show is the twilight of a golden era, before the excess of CGI and before a time when actors are idols who can’t fight so close-ups and slow-motions have to be used to hide their lack of skill.

The drama has its flaws. I found the latter part to be messy and rushed. The viewer has to fill in some of the blanks to link different episodes together.

Overall however, I rank this adaptation as one of my very favourites among the Jin Yong’s works and among wuxia dramas in general!

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Complex, compelling, heartbreaking spy thriller

The Wind Blows From Longxi is an intelligent drama, full of intelligent characters, and it assumes that its viewers will be equally intelligent and able to follow its complex plot.

It is not a show for casual viewers. It starts off with no exposition. For a non-Chinese audience or in fact, for anyone without prior knowledge of the Three Kingdoms and figures like Zhuge Liang, it might be off putting. But your patience will be rewarded if you hang in there, especially in the second half of the show.

The show is worth it for the plot only. As PeachBlossomGoddess pointed out, the scenario is so well-written that by the time shocking twists occur, eveything falls into place and clicks into your mind. How many spies could there really be? How could this guy make such mistakes? How could this fall into this person’s hands? What’s the ultimate goal here? Million questions popped up as we watched, and the show always delivered brilliantly.

Beyond the plot, the meticulous production and top-notch acting elevated a show that could end up being too dry and cerebral. Chen Kun’s Chen Gong and Bai Yu’s Xun Xu are stellar. The brotherhood between them is the emotional anchor of the show. You can tell you’re watching great actors when you you see them playing spies pretending to be someone they’re not, and their ambiguous performance makes you guess who they are truly — like the multilayered plot, these are mutilayered performances by actors who play roles within roles within roles. I bawled a lot in the last episode, which meant for me that not only did the show manage to keep me engaged intellectually through and through, it also emotionally gut-punched me!

Unlike many Chinese shows, it’s relatively short at 24 episodes, and once it reaches the end, it didn’t need to rush through anything, all characters’ arcs make sense, and the plot threads are wrapped up neatly.

It’s my second Ma Boyong’s show after Under the Miscrocope, which with The Wind Blows From Longxi shares themes such as politics, morality, loyalty, sacrifice… I loved that in the end, this was not a clear-cut good vs evil battle, and yet, it also let the integrity and dignity of its main characters shine.

A nearly perfect show, particularly once the story lifts off after the first few episodes, and one of the few I’m tempted to rewatch with the emotional rollercoaster of hindsight.

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Action-packed, spy thriller

Phantom is a fun watch. It is riddled with plotholes. As soon as we walked out of the theatre, we started poking and could identify a lot of ridiculous conceits. In fact, the whole concept of keeping 5 people in a giant hotel in order to figure out which of them might be a spy is in itself rather silly, so you know what you’re getting into if you read the synopsis and go see it… still, while you’re watching, the movie keeps you entertained. The production and cinematography were good. The actresses in particular shone. The action scenes packed a punch, and allowed for many bad ass moments.

Is it a great movie? No. Is it still fun and worth the watch? Yes, if you like over-the-top action featuring cool heroines!

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Classic wuxia in an age of extinction

Side Story of the Fox Volant is a call back to wuxia shows of the past. The martial arts displayed in the show are a wonder to see. I recommend the drama just for the beautiful fight scenes, which are well-directed, choregraphed, and performed.

The plot is based on one of Jin Yong’s earlier novels, and I found it to be one of the darkest, most brutal ones (as opposed to some more nuanced and humane of his works). There are no redemption arcs. The heroes seek revenge and actually kill their enemies in a gruesome way. There’s torture, truly evil characters, and no happy endings for most protagonists. As with many C-dramas, I found that the pace was sometimes uneven, and the last few episodes were not up to par with the dozens that had preceded them.

The cast is globally good. Lively, genial, innocent, charismatic, I found Qin Jun Jie to be a very compelling Hu Fei. In Listening Snow Tower, he had to play a completely different character (the male lead who is cold and restrained), and I was surprised by how warm and charismatic he could be. I also liked Xing Fei’s portrayal of the tormented Yuan Ziyi. She stood out for me as a complex female character, who is not just the male hero’s love interest but has her own agenda and storyline.

But my absolute favourite was Lin Yushen’s Miao Renfeng!!!! I remember watching the 2019 Heavenly Sword and Dragon Saber’s adaptation, and thinking that the actor playing Yang Xiao, Moon Sect’s Left Messenger, was very handsome, dignified, and cool. Well… Lin Yushen’s Miao Renfeng is that, time one billion!!! He is the perfect soulful-eyed, melancholic hero, the too noble, peerless martial artist in a world in which the ways of the jianghu are disappearing. He steals every scene he’s in, especially when he gets to fight!

The production value was Tencent quality, that is, high. The OST was memorable. And did I say the martial arts were magical?

Like many shows, it has its flaws, but it’s a drama that every old-school wuxia fan should put on their watchlist!

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I see why this movie is a classic! The fighting scenes are simply amazing and would make the movie worth it alone. If anyone liked Ip Man 1, this is the movie for them. I thought the plot was interesting, and more nuanced than other movies: we see Japanese characters opposed to the war against China, and of course, the forbidden romance between a Chinese and a Japanese. I also found it interesting that Jet Li’s character, who studied in Japan, incorporates techniques from boxing and other martial arts. He embodies both innovation and respect for tradition. A real treat for kung fu fans!

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What kind of vision does a female director bring to a movie? I don't know if Vivian Qu would oppose to being specifically called a "female" director, but I definitely thought that her movie centers the perspective of its female characters in ways few other movies - in the West included - do. The movie shows the various ways in which women are silenced, objectified, and abused at a personal and systemic level. It always does so in a subdued manner, which is respectful to its cast but still conveys a strong message. Some quieter scenes put forward powerful symbols (a marginalized character is asked twice to move out of a photographer's angle, happy couples taking wedding pictures on the beach, the Marilyn Monroe statue). An intelligent, truly feminist work.

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Fun and smart Tang detective drama

The Imperial Coroner is an engaging, intelligent show which asks that its viewers pay attention to details. The pace of the show is brisk, as opposed to other fan service-oriented shows in which the plot drags on and a lot of screen time is lost on fluff. I would sometimes rewind to make sure I had understood every bit of the dialogue or seen all the visual cues.

The plot is interesting and intricate. It starts in a rather classic way with a murder, but it then turns into a larger conspiracy and a political drama. At the end, all the threads come together (though as with many C-Dramas, out a lack of budget, the ending is rushed). I loved that there are multiple protagonists and antagonists, and that the interactions between them is complex. For a while, we are led to think that the main villain is one character, but then the plot thickens!

As for the cast, I read that many of the main characters were played by new talents. I felt like everyone does a good job. I especially liked the dynamics between the main four heroes (Chu Chu, Xiao Jinyu, Jingyi and Leng Yue). They’re like a balanced DnD party with some characters better at investigation, others at fighting or deception. It’s fun to see them work togrther! The banter, teasing, and friendship between the main characters felt real. I also enjoyed the performance of the main characters’ parents, who were players in their own right in the power struggle.

I thought that the romance plot was well-done. Unlike other dramas, this is a relationship between two people who are equally smart, upright, and loyal. There’s no push and pull or game being played, which I liked since I’m a sucker for supportive, earnest couples. I felt like throughout the show, the two protagonists evolve in a realistic way. Chu Chu becomes more mature and assertive, while Commandery Prince An becomes more vulnerable and open.

The visual presentation is lively. I liked how the autopsy scenes provide charts to better convey the coroner’s insight.

As mentioned above, the biggest flaw of the show is the fact that it rushes the ending.

All in all, I would recommend The Imperial Coroner to anyone who likes fun, plot-heavy historical dramas!!!

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Easy to see why it’s a classic!

This is my first experience watching a Yin Jong/Louis Cha-inspired drama. I have to say, it’s easy to see why his works have become classics and been adapted multiple times. I can’t compare my experience with the previous iterations of Legend of Condor Heroes, but I thoroughly enjoyed my watch.

The main cast is extremely engaging. William Yang is a very likeable, earnest Guo Jing. I adore Li Yi Tong’s Huang Rong: she’s smart as a whip, impish, and endearing in all the right ways. You believed in the character’s wits and charm. I was also a big fan of Michal Miu’s Huang Yaoshi and Zhao Li Xin’s Hong Qigong.

The CGI and production aren’t always top, but they do the job. It’s a show you want to watch for the contrived plot twists, the epic fights, the endless quidproquos, the complex conflicts within the Jianghu, the romance, the dramatic reveals... The story has it all! I found that I’d watch it in increments of 2-3 episodes because so many things happen in a short arc. The over-the-topness is what makes the show so enjoyable.

If you want an entrypoint into Jin Yong, this definitely got me hooked and made me want to watch more dramas based on his novels.

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This is a movie for historical + war + action lovers. The ratio plot:action is heavily tipped on the action side. I found very interesting the technological aspect of warfare which was showcased (the Chinese have to adapt their weapons against the Japanese’s) and the tactical scenes (especially during a major battle in a city, which makes amazing use of the environment with the narrow streets, canals, roofs). The final boss battle between the Chinese and Japanese commanders is thrilling, a masterclass in pacing and raising the stakes. Satisfying watch if you want to watch people fight for 2 hours!

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A breath of fresh air in the Ip Man series! I’m never tired of Donnie Yen, but you could tell the writers were running out of ideas. Max Zhang as Cheung Tin Chi is a good protagonist, more the strong but silent type, taciturn and prideful, different enough from Ip Man who was genial and dignified. The movie retains a lot of what makes the Ip Man series so enjoyable: a lot of inventive action (stand out scenes like a fight on top of neon signs, a duel around a glass of booze) and high-stake boss battles, some humour, some sentimentality. Another big draw is seeing stars shining in supporting roles especially Michelle Yeoh and Dave Bautista, but also Kevin Cheng and Ong Bak’s Jaa Tony. Worth a watch for any kung fu fans!

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Must-see show for hardcore history lovers

I read many reviews about Under the Microscope, which write that the plot of the show is very dry. THIS IS PRECISELY WHY I LOVED IT AND WHY YOU SHOULD TOO!!!

I have a PhD in medieval European history, and always find Western medieval shows to be entertaining but wildly inaccurate and off the mark about the real issues and mentality of medieval people.

Under the Microscope is the very opposite. It is centered around an extremely important issue that was omnipresent in the life of people: taxes and land. Behind these issues lie broader concerns about governance, class, power, managing an agricultural society… You can tell that it is based from archival research by author Ma Boyong.

I know a show about taxes and land sounds less sexy than a xianxia romance, but if anyone is Interested in the nitty gritty of history, this show is one of the best and most unique ones I’ve watched. It shows you how the Ming administration worked, how different levels of government could be levelled against one another depending on their jurisdiction, how a seemingly small matter had life-or-death consequences for ordinary peasants, how corruption was widespread, how social inequalities created by land and wealth concentration within the hands of a small aristocratic elite could bring disaster to a whole region… It might seem abstract, but the plot and production make it very engaging, and embody these problems within the scenario and the characters.

On top of these qualities:
- The acting is great, especially the acting from the veteran actors.
- The production value is high. The costumes, cinematography, sets are all great.
- It’s only 14 episodes, unlike the slow-moving, unncessary 50-episode shows which don’t respect viewers’ time. The pace is good. The plot moves forward every episode.
- There are great character arcs that will make you scream YESSSS!
- It is appropriately cheesy and heroic like normal Chinese dramas. There’s some action thrown in here and there to spice things up. There’s moving moments that made me cry at the end!

I hope many Chinese history fans will give this show a chance!





Spoilers below





- I loved how most characters are given credible motives and context. For instance, Magistrate Mao is depicted as a bad guy, but he is given a great scene in which he explains he’s not from a noble or scholarly family, so yes, he is corrupt and is in Master Fan’s pocket, but he’s got nothing to lose. Similarly, I loved how Magistrate Deng explains to Shuai Jiamo that he may agree with him about the hard math, but because of politics, his hands are tied.
- The show was very smart in explaining how the small matter of the silk poll tax could impact both the average people, and be an entry point for officials to curry favor with the imperial court by tying it to the meta-issue of land measurement.
- My favourite character arc was Magistrate Fang’s, who evolves from his mediocre, do-nothing attitude to a heroic stance. There was something very believable in his initial flailing, then his move towards being indignant of his colleagues’ treatment towards him, and finally his redemption arc as a righteous magistrate.
- Many characters are endearing as hell. Feng Biyu and Feng Baoyu were adorable, and Cheng Renqing was a compelling figure.
- There are some plotholes (why didn’t the bad guys kill Cheng Renqing, the lawyer, being the biggest one), but overall, the plot holds.
- The depiction of Shuai Jiamo is problematic, and it was clearly used as a narrative device to contrast Jiamo’s purity with the world’s corruption.

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Great storyline with big pay-offs for patient viewers

This is now my fourth Jin Yong drama. I really enjoyed the plot of the series (which seems faithful to the novels). There’s a lot of twists and turns, as you often get in Jin Yong’s stories. Sometimes there’s so many threads, you wonder how they’re going to tie it all together, but it works! At around episode 40, expect a lot of !!! reactions. I found the storylines around Xiao Feng and Murong Fu especially compelling and tragic, with issues of conflicted identities and difficult legacies to bear.

The production value was ok, as was the dated CGI. The music is catchy but repetitive. The lovely theme song was actually covered by the movie Yin Yang Master! I enjoyed the cast: Zong Fen Yan is good in everything he does. Wallace Chung and Lemon Zhang were great choices for their respective roles.

I recommend the show if you’re a Jin Yong and wuxia fan!

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