shadowdreamer

I hope ZhouZhou knows that there are still rational supportive fans. Wish him all the best. It's not going to be smooth journey from now on but with ZhouZhou's resiliency, I believe he will have a bright future. Jia You!

I understand. And I wasn't really aiming at you but in general. I guess I was pretty emotional too when I reply to you. Sorry if it came across as harsh. I was on Webio to blessed ZhouZhou on his happy day but instead encounter malicious waves of resentment and hatred from Addicted CP fans. It was an eye opening experience.

One reason why I dislike fandom of any kind, CP/shippers/extreme fans is because they are very irrational and delusional. You can like an actor because of the role(s) they play but do not create fantasy around them in real life then blame them if they do not act according to your expectation. Do not blur the role to the real person. I question whether these people in fandoms really like the people they ship /fan or is it because of a fictional character on screen? Most often, I find it's actually because of the role and not the real person that these people like.

Anyway, yes, I really like his portrayal of Rong Jiashang and subsequently watched his other shows too. He's improved a lot from just the few shows he's starred in. I can see his potential and hope to see more wonderful roles and music works from him. Cheers to you too. Have a wonderful rest of the weekend.

Why? Isn't he a regular person in his spare time? Dating doesn't need to be announced to the whole world. He didn't hide but made it public on the day they got their marriage certificate/couple passport. He's living his life so be happy for him. Concentrate on his work instead. I never care about any celebrity's life but the quality of work they bring because acting/singing is their job.
Then again, I don't care about fandom so I don't know how you feel.

Congratulations to ZhouZhou!! All best wishes and blessings to him and his wife.

I couldn't call it a "hit" but it was the number one online drama (most watched) during its airing.

City of Streamer ends with 1.2 billion views, an average of 30 million per episode.

I'm still bitter about the last ten episodes, though. And I can tell from the data most audience feel the same. If it had follow the novel plot we'd have had more than the 1.2 billion as viewership peak at 48 million from episodes 29-32. However, the momentum of the drama couldn't keep up, with the lowest average on episodes 37-38 at 20 million, a steep drop from 48 million views. Word of mouth drop and backlash made many resort to fast forwarding rather than watching the whole episode which result in a low count. This week was the airing of the last six free episodes and they average at 15 million. Now that all except the first two episodes are back on VIP I doubt City of Streamer will pickup any new audience. A shame, really, it could have been a hit series.

It's highly unlikely they will learn but I hope this is a wakeup call for screenwriters not to messed around with a good original script.

Err, if you are comparing actors and not in respect to the role itself then I have a different perspective too. LOL. But let's end here, we'll agree to disagree.

It was fun watching and discussing this drama with you and everyone else. Until next time on another drama do we meet again. Ciao~

If it had follow through the direction of the novel it wouldn't have felt dragging. Unfortunately, the screenwriters had to indulge in some creative writing in the process. Sigh, before episode 31 onward I was excited to finally get a solid series but, like many other times, I overestimated it. *Cries*

But, not all is bad. I enjoyed watching ML's scenes and especially scenes with his father, uncle and stepmother. The battles for supremacy in the Rong family is pretty entertaining. Thank goodness ML's scenes stay true to the novel.

I'm going to interject. I find his big eyes are the most expressive. Due to the character, he is not the overtly expressive type, rather quiet, solemn. I can see what his inner thoughts in the moment by looking at his eyes; when he is helpless, happy, sad, worry, indulging, conflicted, etc. Looking on the Chinese site, it is full of praise. Chinese audiences have talk non-stop about how "his eyes can speak".

Again, you have your opinion, but just want to point out that there are other opinion too.

Meng is the uncle of Jaishang's half brother and Rong Dingkun's son. It's definitely not appropriate for him to be present but the half brother needs to be acknowledge and Meng likely wouldn't have allowed his nephew to go alone. Fanghua is a strong, big hearted girl, she would understand. And I think Jiashang would had communicated with her before they are invited.

Haha, maybe because he doesn't act like the conventional Chinese male lead. I get his acting and he's perfect as Jiashang (very accordingly to the novel). Chinese audiences of the show (both drama and novel readers) really like ZhouZhou's interpretation of Jiashang. Not to mention, the highest praise from the original author herself. She follows the drama and ZhouZhou has the most likes from her. Haha, so, to each their own.

Yes, for sure.

After watching ZhouZhou's interviews and videos shared on City of Streamer official Weibo page, I can deduct why Rong Jiashang can stand against the novel. He's read the novel and from the behind the scene clips he discusses with the director on the logic of his scenes. From the interviews, the way he describes Rong Jiashang and his understanding of the character is pretty profound. Very interesting and it should be the way to shape a character from paper to flesh and blood.

Despite my rant, it's a rewatch for me too. :)

I finally had a chance this weekend to sit down and watch the finale. I wrote a review for the drama itself but here I'll compare the adaptation vs novel. For sure those having read the novel will have a different perspective and opinion on the adaptation. To be honest, it’s mainly my rant about the changes to the female lead character. It’s going to be long winded so if anyone is able to finish it, thank you for reading. *peace*

The novel is, first and foremost, a love story of two people. The revenge part is secondary and the lever to strengthen their love. Both Jiashang and Shizhen are strong individual that can differentiate love from hate and right from wrong. Shizhen dared to infiltrate the enemy’s home and seduces Rong Dingkun to avenge her old neighbors and father, although at the end it was the son she fell in love with. So, at the end how can she not dare to love an enemy's son? Why can Jaishang dared to hold on to his family, aspiration and love her all together but she cannot? Shizhen will have her love and revenge. Love triumph hate is the theme. Shizhen doesn't take orders from anyone, even Meng. Isn't that the epitome and essence of a modern woman? Independent, bold, true and daring.

Unfortunately, we cannot see that with this adaptation. The first 30 episodes are scenes taken right out of the book, word for word in dialogues and scenes, but there are also a few aspects missing. At the same time, there are scenes added by the screenwriters which are welcomed and actually make the drama flow better. You can tell at this point there's an expectation for the drama to follow the novel until the end. Such is not the case, however. It it not until after the airing of episode 31-32 that the script changed. The biggest flaw was the change in Shizhen’s character setting. Not to mention Meng. This is another big mistake to add him to create drama between him and Shizhen. It weakens Shizhen’s unique characterization. In the novel he does not play such a big role. Rather he is the third male lead after Rong Dingkun.

She, a single young woman in the 1920s Republic of China, can live in a bachelor’s (Meng) house to achieve her revenge why does she care what other would say if she loves an enemy’s son. She is a smart and outspoken woman. She can argue with a rich young master of the house without care or consequences. She’s a governess that can guide her pupils from wrong to right. And most importantly, what about what happened in Beijing? Does her love for the Jiashang only go so far? It doesn’t fit her character design. What about trust? Jiashang is still investigating her family for her and it was Meng who stole that witness, her aunt. Why can’t that effort, at least, be acknowledged? The son does not carry the father’s sin. Shizhen said it herself to Jiashang that she doesn’t blame him for his father. Not to mention Jiashang wasn’t even born when his father committed that atrocity, let alone had married his mother! It does not make sense when she’s lived in the Rong mansion and know the family dynamic. For Shizhen to break up with Jiashang, the drama became just another typical Chinese heroine in a love revenge drama. Her spark from the beginning is no longer present. Otherwise what is the purpose of all the falling in love with Jiashang at the beginning? With the adaptation as it, I can accept the ending of Jaishang and Shizhen should have ended at the train station platform where they are headed in opposite direction. She can continue her life in Beijing and likewise Jiashang in Guangzhou. But, no, the ending has to be like the novel! However, unlike the novel the letters went unanswered (no replies in 3 years!!!) and the end dance is adding insult to injury to me. The drama is trying to do too much. It can either be a love drama or a revenge drama. Not both. Since the drama is trying to do both, it failed in its effort, regrettably after episode 30.

There’s nothing else to say except in the novel, I love Shizhen while Jiashang was secondary. In the drama, I love Jiashang. Jiashang became flesh and blood under ZhouZhou’s interpretation; all the micro-expessions are on point. I wish Jiashang is written a little more selfish and less loving, though. Despite the drastic changes to Shizhen, thankfully Jiashang is true to the novel. His growth from a boy to man, his maturing love to Shizhen, his integrity, his responsibility to his family, and best of all his firmness in believing in achieving his aspirations are what I imagined it in the novel and more.

City of Streamer is a rewatch for me. I’ll still skip some parts but overall I do enjoy it immensely up to episode 30. For my next watch, I will refrain from comparing it to the novel. It’s between an 8.5-9/10 for me but I’ll rate it a high of 9.

Yes, in the novel too. However, it's filmed delicately in the drama. You'll have to listen to the dialogue to determine she was raped.

Yes, in the novel too. However, it's filmed delicately in the drama. You'll have to listen to the dialogue to determine she was raped.

So, it's ML's fault his sister was raped? What the hell.

Chinese netizen following the drama page did and are still expressing their distaste for the changes. There are a lot of ridicule and the absurdity of it all. Only great thing is ML's role stays true to the novel. He's the darling. With episode 40 trailer, many are debating on how he's to survive the bullet and achieve his dream of being a pilot. They are watching the rest of the drama for ML, to make sure he doesn't die. Haha, I am the same here too. Just watching ML's scenes. Basically just fast forward all FL and 2ML's scenes.

Yes, such a hypocrite.