The best drama of 2021!

I love a coming of age character that isn't focused on a ML's storyline as the main driving force. Reba is amazing in this. I haven't watched a lot of her dramas- I can only recall Legend of Qin (the prequel) with Zhang Bin Bin. She was pretty good in it. As CG, it's really outstanding performance. Leo Wu blew me away literally in the first episode. It shows with the right script and a dedicated actor, you can really shine. Leo has been typecast into more adolescent/youth roles (he is still quite young). I'm sure he loved a script that added 10 years to his actual age and demonstrate a level of pure maturity. I just love everything he does in portraying Ashina Sun down to the very little eye moments. The OSTs and the instrumental soundtrack is superb. Effort put in can be seen even with a limited budget. The heart and soul poured out of the director is in every scene. I haven't been this addicted to a drama since The Untamed and this one is arguably one of the best in the last couple years.

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I'm not generally overly critical drama reviewer. A good script and fascinating characters will win me over. That being said, I have a higher expectation for wuxia dramas and this one sadly was a disappointment. First few episodes was pretty good but halfway through, I found myself begging to reach to the end because it got boring. Too many cliches where the male lead saves the female lead who supposedly has sufficient martial arts skills (from her father's creation) and feared by others is easily injured and often needing the the male lead to risk his life to save her. She can't seem to save herself on her own - seriously, can't we have more powerful female leads capable of taking care of themselves and maybe save a couple where the male lead has to step in? This cliche has been overused for the past two decades and it's gotten tiresome.

Luo Yunxi's performance was the key to watch. His character was problematic and I realized they cut out some scenes from the stills (based on the costume- looked like a flashback). I enjoyed seeing a more emotional Luo Yunxi. I actually found Yukee Chan's performance a bit dull - lacked the charm that she had in her previous dramas.

Lastly, a wuxia drama that barely has any fight scenes were the first few episodes but throughout the drama, it was sprinkling act of here and there. My next search for a better wuxia/love story- Love is a lifetime with Allen Ren.

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Interesting and enjoyable

I never read the anime so I'm basing all I say on the series itself. It has been highly anticipated given that it was Xiao Zhan's next biggest tv series and he didn't disappoint. I think with the character he had and the storyline, he couldn't have done any better. That being said, I felt the character of Tang San was underdeveloped. For the most part, his ability to fight in the battles is greatly undermined by his inherit abilities. Yet, he is special in that he was able to kill soul beasts beyond his ability to absorb soul rings but the effects of the magic is hardly noticeable.

He makes up for it in his intelligence which is often the deciding factor in a battle. That being said, I found the storyline at times sway too much into the side characters leaving TS's development just enough to keep the story running. I did find the episodes increasingly more interesting as the plot thickens. I expected more unity when it came to those battle scenes with 7 distinctive soul masters. 40 episodes didn't really do it justice. I felt if it made about 5-10 episodes, more character development can be focused on.

There was clearly a deep history of TS's master that was largely unexplored. His character seem very interesting but extremely underdeveloped.

Overall, I felt the storyline could have been much better but a focus on 7 characters can be hard within a 40 episode storyline so it was enough as a taste. If they make another season, these issues can be explored but otherwise, if left like this (it would be very disappointing). I hate how this genre often leaves cliffhangers but no new seasons to complete it. The worst has been Fight Breaks Sphere which is similar to Douluo Continent when you are talking about a coming of age hero with the backdrop of a family secret. That cliffhanger still has me grinding my teeth as I enjoyed it so much but got no closure.

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My fave drama from Chen Xiao

I've watched Chen Xiao's drama since he debuted. He was in a lot of period/historical dramas and I noticed as of recent couple of years, he's doing more modern dramas. I find his best performance to be in this drama. I saw his interview where he expressed a lot of hesitation, anxiety and worry as he hasn't been in a period drama in the past few years. I thought he did amazing and I love GQF as a character. He is very matured in this role and I love him for it. In the past, due to his age and his characters, they can be at times acting childish and annoying but a matured role such as GQF is in my view, perfect for him.

Liu Yi Fei - love her! She has been in films more than tv series and to see her back on the big screen is a welcome refresh. She portrayed her character very well.

I honestly didn't have high hopes for this drama when I first learned about it but after the first episode or so, I was hooked and stayed hooked all the way to episode 40.

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Worth to wait it out!

In Xianxia dramas- this one is properly the LEAST convoluted among the top faves from the recent years (think Ashes of Love, L & R). That's not a criticism in fact, I appreciated a less than complicated and overly messed up triangles and relationships. The beginning didn't start out strong. It impacted me in feeling that chemistry/connection between the main leads. First 15 episodes were the foundation for the rest of the storyline which isn't overly long but with that length- I expected more interaction/obstacles to overcome to flourish this everlasting romance. To no fault of Xu Kai- I don't get how his character falls for Shanggu to the point that he makes a lifetime of sacrifice for her. It wasn't until the 2nd lifetime storyline started that things got interested- there were more incidents to bond the romance between their 'other' lives. It got more complicated as there were more characters involved and the interplay of various realms.

For someone who never read the novel- I found it hard to understand the importance of Shanggu and her sacrifice from the foundation episodes. All I knew was that she was the 'top' person but weak. I didn't understand the mechanics of how true gods were to live, function and to serve what purpose - or the cycle of life for a true god. I'm now rewatching the first 15 episodes after I've seen it all to the end just to be able to understand it better again.

So many haters for this series without reason- I love Xu Kai. Not from Yanxi Palace where he grew to fame but from The Legends. I loved his stoic character, say one thing and do another. I yearned for him to get another role like this. I saw that in Xu Kai's portrayal of Bai Jue. Countless times, Bai Jue had those 'turning around look' expressions that just changes by the second- it always captivates me. Not many actors can nail those microexpressions and yet be noticeable down to the very second by second frame. He really makes you feel for his sacrifices and his agony.

ZDY-I don't dislike her portrayal of his character. I don't find her annoying or hard to watch. At the same time, I don't have a lot of love for her portrayal of this character. I honestly expected more agony or reaction of her mixed feelings after the big reveal. That is, realizing what Bai Jue has done in the last 60,000 yrs and all the misunderstandings she had for him. Face it, he died alone! Whereas everyone witnessed Shanggu's ultimate sacrifice which made it beautiful but Bai Jue's was of solitude. The entire journey was solitude.

The biggest disappointment for me was not seeing Jian Zhou (princess) being punished. Her eldest brother recognized the error of his ways and he was really stubborn about it for most of the episodes and yet he had to atone for his sins. The princess who has equally done bad - corroborating with her mother to kill Bai Jue and even in the very end- tries to curse Shanggu - she didn't get any punishment. The entire family paid for the sins of the mother and the princess just ends up spending her life taking care of her mother with no real meaning.

Overall- I prefer this drama over L&R. CGI is just mind blowing that adds depth to this drama- it's elegant just like their outfits. OST is spot on and not overly played to the point that it's just white noise. Definitely stick it to the end.

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Nice and compact storyline

Xu Kai hasn't disappointed me though but I was surprised this drama was only 28 episodes long- seem like the budget wasn't very much and not enough fight scenes. I was eager to see Wu Jiayi with Xu Kai as leads as I actually quite liked her character in Military Arsenal Academy. Her emotion scenes aren't really on point. I expected more reaction from her in key scenes that would have been shocking or heartbreaking. Instead, I didn't really feel it from her- I did feel their overall chemistry was pretty good.

Xu Kai's character is written to have a prominent role but when he finds out his true heritage- it doesn't seem like that part of the story was well written. I ended the second lead love story providing comic relief.

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Even better than Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet is the epitome of star crossed lovers- but with an insane amount of misunderstandings that forces a romantic pair to no other ending but death. Here, we have a different kind of tragic lovers. Misunderstandings are next to none- the relationship is based on years of trust and not an ounce of doubt. Where it is tragic is the fact that their own positions in their society means they can't be together. Still, a master and disciple relationship can maintain itself for many years unless one is forced to be married off.

This is arguably my favorite role of Allen Ren- I love his backstory and his character. He's not perfect. His tragic ending comes because of his convictions and principles. He certainly had everything to be a capable ruler but instead, he settles for 2nd best. Rumors and suspicion can destroy a person- literally. He's fighting all these wars to protect his kingdom but is meaningless when the king is exceptionally weak- the only reason the kingdom didn't fall right away was because of Allen Ren. Someone like him if he thought about his survival is to not support one ruler after another- clearly inapt. He should of ruled it himself.

24 episodes- I thought there wasn't a lot of room for fillers. There were episodes between 12-15 that I felt a bit draggy and didn't get the contribution to the storyline. Bai Lu is amazing. I'm used to seeing her as the strong willed and ill tempered FL in The Legends, or the brave and daring solider in Military Arsenal Academy. I've not seen her in such an elegant role. Her chemistry with Allen Ren is spot on.

Knowing their tragic ending, it made watching from the first episode pretty painful. Each moment they were together felt like a recap into a life that was "once was". Their love is one of the purest forms in C-drama. You don't see the wide sweeping godly sacrifices (Ancient Love Poetry). It's not founded on a relationship of misunderstandings (overused trope). We don't even have a straight forward confession - it's all in the eyes, smiles and tears. I'm glad I just finished this in time to start the sequel the very next day!

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Not the best of Allen Ren

The story lost me after 3-4 episodes. It was good up till then and then I was wondering what is wrong with this drama. Poor script, fight scenes were better than Winner is Love. The last 8 episodes or so were a bit better with more intrigue but definitely not one for rewatching. Allen Ren was in Under The Power which also was a bit disappointing for me but is in my opinion, better than this drama.

It's one of those dramas where the trailer proves more interesting than the drama itself. I didn't really felt that chemistry. I was waiting for that epic fight scene between Allen Ren and the greatest villian - it was reduced to less than a couple minutes and not overly exciting.

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Worth all 59 episodes!

Like some others, I nearly dropped the drama after watching the first few episodes and I wasn't clicking into this xianxia world. The various character titles and their roles was very new to me. Still, I kept on because I love Yang Zi and she did an amazing job in Ashes of Love, then Cheng Yi in Love and Redemption. It wasn't until I made it to about episode 8 that I was finally hooked and stayed for the entire drama. The beginning was really a slow burn and in hindsight, it wasn't necessary to take 8 episodes to provide the build up to the 'big event' in episode 8. Then I finally saw the love for this drama. I honestly prefer Cheng Yi here with Yang Zi. They both convey soundless pain in the best way possible. You find yourself aching for their character, ache for their destinies and irreversible choices. I also enjoy seeing some of the actors/actresses from Love and Redemption here and a toss in of someone from Ashes of Love. It wasn't too draggy in the remainder of the series. It could have been maybe just 50 episodes if they shorten the beginning and reduce some scenes in between that wasn't necessary.

Cheng Yi portrays a certain character here (not his main role) with a distinct taste. And if the viewers get their wish, we may be able to see Cheng Yi in a future role of a similar aura. Definitely worth it.

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Blew my mind beyond expectations

I'm not a gamer at all but I gave it a tried for a couple episodes to see if I would like it and I was hooked. Although I can't appreciate the value of gaming the show has other strong viewing points. Even if you aren't a gamer, I would encourage you to give it a try. The drama touches a lot about chasing dreams against a myriad of obstacles- whether it's family pressure to have a viable paying job or to pursue for higher education - they face challenges of tragedy and loss, betrayal and love. What really hit me was Leo Wu's acting has really hit the right notes. The shine came from finally letting go of the past that he kept with him for years- the shockness that woke him up to face the challenges of being able to stand up (literally and figuratively).

Lu Han's character has a different picture in a different world - 11 years apart- I can't fathom that life in 2008 was not that technically advanced as it is in 2019. Think about the fact that the first Samsung galaxy phone didn't come out till around 2008. His challenges were slightly different but both him and Leo Wu chase the same dream.

I like how they touch on other characters and their story to success. You have a female gamer who strives to find a place in the world of gaming dominant by males. She also worked to be comfortable with her own identity and not hide behind her cosplays. You have the girl Chuo Ge, who comes from a disadvantage background, using what she could as an athlete in order to get into university in the hopes of getting a better life for herself. Beyond the world of gaming is the common theme of perseverance and determination to not let go of your dreams no matter the obstacles you face. You fall down, you find a way to get back up and get stronger. If viewers can't understand this drama beyond that it's just about gaming, then you really don't appreciate the deeper messages throughout the entire drama.

As for the romance- it's light hearted and at times, downright hilarious but it's not too much. Bromance is there and in many ways, very satisfying to see.

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Enough to keep you stringing along

I honestly was just happy to see Raymond Lam back as his UC character. My brain also actively forgotten what the storyline of Line Walker 2 because it was that unmemorable. The anticipation was to see how Kenneth Ma was going to be involved in the main character's lives with an identity and vengeance from The Prelude. Had to agree it was an innovative way to doing it. What I found to be hard to follow was the about a dozen different mini story arcs that gets drop here and there when a certain person/item or scene comes into play. It works like a flashback but it does so without much of any anticipation of it. Just like when Priscilla receives an anonymous package with UC log books, we are suddenly sent back in time relating to that UC's life. It's like I am watching halfway into a tv show and someone changes to a different program. I'm left wondering where we just left off and how this flashback is tied to the main storyline. It could have been executed much better than it was done here. It was a lot of "pause" the main drama, switch to a different channel and watch a mini series, then back to the main drama.

I never liked Priscilla's character in The Prelude and her death in Bull Fight was extremely unnecessary other than to take the viewers on a heartbreak roller coaster. When she was lying there after being shot trying to be a lure to help Ben Yuen be exonerated with murder, I thought that was the end of her. Maybe it should have been. I would have respected it better. Instead, writers decided that she should die in one of arguably TVB's most painful way to die- not by cancer or torture but to hear about massive multi organ failure and retching up blood for over half an episode. Even the worst characters just get a bullet to the head (Kenneth Ma!!) and that's the end of it. I fastforward just to see her draw her last breath because it was painful to wait it out.

The ending! I was gasping for air. Seeing Michael Tse on the end of the sniper scope was just too much for me. Then to see that Joseph Zeng wasn't really dead after all (I was wondering what the purpose was for having him play a character that lasted only 4 episodes but had a mysterious aura around him. I hope he does return for #4. Then the another shocker is to see the character - the UC from The Defected. People may recall a couple years ago, Ben Yuen played the main lead in The Defected- all about the corruption of high police officials- even the office of the Commissioner. The 2nd lead was the guy that played the UC- his character was very memorable. I recalled his character died in that series. But as Line Walker tells us, no one is truly did unless we see the final breath. Kenneth Ma is dead for sure. #4 would be very promising to unit Michael Tse (if he was to resume Laughing Gor) and the UC from The Defected to make #4 the ultimate collaboration of TVB's most memorable UC storylines. I cannot wait.

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Most daring BL drama to date

I've been a fan of ZZH since Yunxi Palace although I've seen him in Decoded, Beauty Maker and some where he has 2nd leads. ZZH has worked hard in his acting career but truly, he shined in Word of Honor. ZZS is not an easy character to portray and neither is WKX but arguably, ZZS's backstory is more tragic. Storyline flows relatively well. I had wished for more fight scenes from ZZS. What I love the most is those not as subtle looks, glares and smiles. There was far more touching on hands than I would expect or you would expect from a wuxia drama. But the themes of brotherhood and love are amplified. The level of this made me giggle at times and other times, I wondered how daring the drama is in even pushing a bit of the boundaries. I was just so happy all episodes have aired as I was afraid the hype with it would attract scrutiny from censorship officials. 36 episodes is too short even for a wuxia drama but there is no filler air/story. It proves yet again that a low production budget can spin out a high quality and good story that grabs out attention. I'm always in favour of a good execution of the plot with good acting skills over the money spent on CGI, etc.

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Hands down, Lee Min Ho's portrayal of Lee Gon is very good. I understand why people said it's a different side of him compared to his past works and I've seen them all. That being said, my low rating of this isn't due to his fault- it's the script. Everyone was talking about how the first half of the series was slow and the plot lacked substance- I agree. I found myself watching most of it in 1.5 speed and still manage to read the subtitles fast enough and shrink my 1.1 hours down to 30 mins. K dramas are very good at creating suspense and building tension- at least from the ones I've picked to watch. I've never been really disappointed in a k drama when I choose one to watch but this one was just begging me to get to the end fast because I was bored. The latter half was better but then the tension would be lost. The romance part was beyond disappointing- absolutely did not feel a thing from their chemistry (if any). We went from, zero interest to interest in a matter of one episode and I'm left with, huh? I felt more from Lee Gon and Yeung's interaction than anything.

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So I never watched Ever Night but I heard Arthur Chen raised in popularity because of it. He's not hard on the eyes and I do love his mature voice. Still, I struggle with this series. I will continue to watch it but it's not really giving me the "ooo" must watch more than 2 episodes a day kinda thing. Every praises Arthur Chen in his performance in Ever Night so I'm still looking to see what magic he has in this series. So far, it's mediocre. At times it's been a bit interesting when there is more of an adventure going on but then it stalls and I sink back down when it's dialogue after dialogue and wondering, where are we going with this. 14 episodes in and I'm not sure what really all happened during that time. Felt like aside from a competition- which barely was one, the story hasn't moved very much.

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One of the best from Joseph Zeng

I found this drama intriguing up until maybe ep 24 onwards...The beginning was pretty solid and the storyline decent. It lagged in the middle with obvious filler plots and the ending was meh. I've seen JJY from Yun Xi and Blooms and really - I feel this drama is just in her comfort zone - nothing outstanding from her. Joseph Zeng on the other hand - was impressive. I enjoyed his scenes and I found his performance has improved since Dragon Sabre. He has a lot of potential. Overall, I wouldn't say this has re-watch value. I didn't skip any episodes but this could easily have been reduced down to 35 episodes.

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