Da Mo Yao has long been one of my all time favorite novels (such a pretty name, too: Ballad of the Desert). I read it years ago and fell in love with it and when I heard there was a live-action in the works I got super excited. I remember initially being disappointed with the cast and then worried it would spoil my love for this story so I held off watching for a while. Finally, I have completed it.

Having the distance from the novel helped me appreciate this more, for sure. It’s been so long that all I can remember are important plot points and not the finer details so I never felt like things were left out or wrong. I did end up enjoying the cast for the most part, although I never felt Hu Ge was a good fit for Mo Xun (Meng jiu).

Eddie Peng did well with the cute, playful side of his character but we didn’t really get to see the portrayal of his colder/intimidating side. Since he did such a good job of showing all the love and affection Wu Ji (Huo Qubing) has for Jin Yu though I was okay with that.

The writing for this story is amazing in how it tied actual historical events and characters together around the fictional story of Jin Yu. Of course, names and such were changed in the drama because of Chinese censoring but if you’ve read the book, you know who they represent. It’s a brilliant tale and it will always hold a special place in my heart.

Plus, CUTEST COUPLE. Ugh. So cute. Love it!