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This review may contain spoilers
I’ve spend so much time watching this drama, that I decided I should at least write a review. As I want to do it thoroughly, it might be a tiny little bit spoilerish, so if you don’t want to know anything about the plot before watching, please consider not reading this review.First of all, the description can be a bit misleading, if you were hoping while choosing it that it will be a romantic comedy, you can end up being disappointed, because it’s back to back a family melodrama. If you consider it as such, this it will be a valuable watch.
What I found interesting about Korean family drama is that, while telling a story, it touches upon social and cultural issues between the lines, which makes me feel I’m learning something about Korean culture. (like I didn’t know how common racism was or how difficult it was for people in Korea after the war until I watched Ojakyo Brothers).
As for this drama what I really enjoyed how it broke some usual rom-com cliches and focused on development of heroines. Tropes like divorcing unfaithful husband despite having a child and then struggling with getting the once successful single life back together. Or marrying just for love and not sacrificing your career for it. These all was very interesting and fresh for me to see in a drama, especially in context of Korean society,which seems still pretty conservative (Disclaimer: I’ve never been to Korea nor do I know well any Koreans :[ so it’s only based on what I read or watched so I might be wrong). You could also see that it indeed cause some struggles between generations with grandma telling her granddaughter to forgive her husband and go back to him, or in mother- daughter-in-law differences. What was also interesting that it showed ajummas in some untypical light as well. Scene when Omounii, who was always sacrificing for her family, goes on shopping spree and buys high-end clothes for herself because “she deserves that” was simply priceless. I also really sympathized with the story of Joon Ho’s mother - I mean the male lead’s mother, in most dramas a character designed to be hated- she really got my deep compassion with her story of finding the sense in your life, when your family doesn’t care for your efforts anymore.
I really liked the characters of the sisters. Jeong Ae, who despite her mild character, didn’t weaver and was able to follow through her decisions. Joo Shin who was at the same time fierce and caring, never letting anyone to put her down.
I liked Soon Shin very much too, although she was a vulnerable character at first, not confident at all and a real give-upper -which can be pretty annoying, she really grew as the drama progressed and wasn’t afraid to speak out her feelings and resolve misunderstandings. Besides IU is so adorable and natural in her acting and such a cute and funny girl, that it’s impossible not to like her.
In the romantic department it was pretty interesting as well. Very pleasing actually, because every girl got a guy, that was really well suited for them. What was really interesting and not often seen in a drama- it was guys who chased after the girls, not the other way around. So if you’re looking for such development, this drama won’t disappoint. Because they chased after them faithfully and continuously, and they are really great and considerate guys to be chased by.
And yes we have our usual “CEO”, but he’s not usual at all! The official description could not be more wrong about him, because he is not “over confident, arrogant and coldblooded” in any way! If anything he’s selfconsious, adorably clumsy, very smart, independent and caring. I don’t know how Jo Jung Suk did it, but he played his character extremely believably, so Joon Ho seemed like an awesome, but still real-life man, not some made-up arrogant CEO, worshipped by everybody around. What I also about him was his backstory, that he wasn’t a second generation cheabol as usual, but a self-made man, who wasn’t afraid to go against his parents wishes, and after many hardships became successful on his own. He showed the same resilience throughout the drama and always made his own decisions, which I really enjoyed, even if he messed up sometimes.
It was really sweet to see how much he cared for Soon Shin and always supported her both in her career and as a shoulder to cry on. It is one of the most cutest and realistic relationships I’ve ever seen in a drama with both people really wanting to be together and supporting each other. IU and Jung Suk are a great pairing, you couldn’t feel the age difference between them, especially with Soon Shin being quite cheeky towards teppunim and him falling heads over heels for her. They really have a great dynamics and chemistry, and their scenes together were always enjoyable without being overboard. I became a fan of Jo Jung Suk after this drama, somehow he stands out among other Korean actors, because he’s very natural, has great expression and doesn’t take himself too seriously. And he was just too cute, when he looked at Soon Shin, telling her she’s beautiful
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This review may contain spoilers
My review is a personal opinion on the drama. This is not meant to be a review that sways anyone. If you are unsure about watching the drama, don't look to reviews to help you make that decision as we all have our own personal likes and preferences. How do you completely ruin a drama that started off strong?
Answer:
By giving us characters that had more chemistry when they were "fake dating" than when they were truly dating. By using women as plot devices to create drama and jealousy. By giving us a couple that doesn't communicate and understands that there will be times when their relationship will be tested, but that they can overcome that. By dedicating more time on the development of the side stories (Mil's crush on Tine, the fights that had little to do with the couple, Wat's Alphaness)
Lack of real intimacy between a couple that is supposed to be "in love"...
I have stated before and I will stated it again (especially since I am an ACE) I don't care for the kisses or the sex , but these two characters behave more like brothers than a couple. Depicting a couple in love doesn't mean having them do sexual things. It can be shown through different forms such as, both couples cooking together and talking about their day, doing something that creates a mood but doesn't mean they jump each other's bones. Comforting one another when one is feeling down (which reminds me, Sarawat not comforting Tine and actually turning his back on him and going to sleep, came across as a man who is tried of the relationship they are in. That was so weird). Instead, we have Sarawat just "patting" Tine on the head. I get it different cultures have different forms of expression when it comes to love, but that patting on the head is akin to an adult infantilizing another adult or it comes across as condescending "oh there there." It is bizarre how these two had more of a couple chemistry when they were fake dating than when they got together. What an amazing feat! [sarc]
And I will repeat this again....the fact that we have had a rinse and repeat story line the minute that Tine and Sarawat got together (Mil chasing Tine, Wat now with Pam) is lazy script.
This drama had a lazy script, had characters that de-evolved instead of evolving (Tine taking on more female characteristics "ukeness", Wat becoming some spineless idiot by not putting Pan in her place right way) The story was choppy due to editing in many episodes and it just didn't flow well.
I really liked the first five episodes, I thought the story was promising and while it did have some flaws specially in the editing, the drama just got worse. It's a shame really cause it could have been so nice.
Music was great though...and Gunsmile is always a great comedic character (saving grace in most episodes LOL)
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Acting/Cast - Before this even came out, I was already waiting in anticipation because I absolutely love So Ji Sub and Lee Yeon Hee. I was definitely not disappointed. Those two, as well as the rest of the cast, did an amazing job in their roles. The good guy roles, as well as the bad guy roles, were very believable.
Music - This was probably one of my favorite parts. The first half of the drama or so, you hear 'The Phantom of the Opera' a lot, and that song is incredible. Then there was the instrumental 'GHOST' that played a lot that I thought was fantastic. The rest of the songs + instrumentals played throughout were amazing as well.
Rewatch Value - I don't really like to rewatch dramas often, but I could definitely imagine myself watching this one again at some point in the future.
Overall - Overall, this whole drama, I think, is perfect. Like most dramas, it had its ups and downs, but I feel like the pros far outweighed the cons. There are two factors that really set this drama apart from other dramas for me.
1) The main focus of this drama wasn't a love story. In other dramas, that's almost always either a main story, or it becomes on 1/4 of the way through.
2) It didn't spend the whole time dragging on with one storyline. There were a few smaller ones tossed in that kept it interesting without taking away from the drama as a whole.
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The rom-com is not the point of this drama
The main theme of this drama is not the love story between the main leads, which is why you won't get to see that many heart fluttering moments.I was pretty bored for the 2 first episodes, I wasn't sure where the drama was going, there was no character development.
If you're looking for a good romcom drama, I found this blend on the romance and comedy aspects, and I felt like the romcom was almost a cover-up for the important part.
In my opinion, the interesting aspect is the second plot hidden behind the mainstream romance.
It's about the impact of new technologies and personal data collection from a woman's point of view and how sexism and girl-shaming can be spread though those technologies even though they're supposed to embody progress within our society. And more generally how new technology can impact negatively our daily life.
The ML is the "good guy" because he's out of this overly connected world, which allows him to question things from an outside point of view.
It also depicts all the subtle injustices women can face in daily-life, like not being recognized properly for their work etc...
And above all, this is a BRILLIANT representation of how some people are not inherently bad people with bad intentions but are still unable to see how scary and invasive their actions are in a relationship, and when confronted with it, they throw back the emotional burden on the other and victimize themselves instead (daily gaslightning at its finest).
It's a form of emotional abuse but a very faint one and above all, a socially accepted one, which leaves victims often unheard.
This drama does an amazing job at depicting how gut-wrenching it can feel and how wrong it actually is. The real victim ends up feeling guilt and shame.
Because the seriousness of this show is at first hidden behind a pretty common kdrama storyline, i would not recommand it to people who just want to enjoy a fun drama since the romcom part is actually almost boring.
However, its a very subtle and well-made story if you digg a little deeper.
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Sophisticated genre mix. Soulful. Well grounded. At a comfortable pace.
With "My Perfect Stranger" KBS has succeeded in creating a sophisticated genre mix: there is a complex crime thriller that is excitingly intertwined across time and space, colored with its ultimately opaque interdependencies. There is charming time-travel with the chance to heal emotionally troubled family relationships and with the distinctive complexion of the late 1980s in the transition from dictatorship to democracy. There is also the pointed coming-of-age of the protagonist's parents and their classmates of that time. At last, even a (though rather tender, cautious) love story emerges out of the common fate of the two time travelers.The KDrama thus is presenting (in my opinion) a thorough emotional variety, which has a lot to offer from suspense to amusement an even romantic vibes. So all of this comes rather casually. Well grounded. At a comfortable pace. With feeling, especially around the diverse family dynamics, which are allowed to take their distinct twists and turns from the different perspectives of time and space.
A coherent, harmonious KDrama experience. Worthwhile.
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A Masterpiece. Allen and Bai Lu rocks!!!
When I saw the cast announcement of Bai Lu and Allen Ren together, I was so interested to watch it. I'm a fan of both actors. It's so unique and amazing that we got to see both of them in both historical drama and modern drama. This historical drama is melodrama with touching love story. I even read the novel so I could get better understanding in stories and characters. Trust me, this didn't disappoint me at all. This is a masterpiece in every aspects.THE STORY: It was a balance between political and romance aspects. The leads had Master-Student relationship with each other. The plot is so original and unique. It was so excellent and well-executed. I feel so much emotion in every episode. Only 24 episodes, it's worth the time.
THE CAST/ACTING:
Both Allen and Bai Lu are very talented actors. They've even made better together.
Their acting seems really natural, nothing was out of place and I could feel the emotions they tried to show with their acting. The casting team choose all the actors with outstanding acting abilities. Everyone in this drama performed so well in their roles. There is no acting hole at all.
CHARACTERS:
Zhou Sheng Chen - He is the war general who owns Western Palace with high status and respect. He is the younger brother of the former Emperor, the uncle of the current Emperor. He is loyal, strong, determined and caring. He's always kept his emotions and personal feelings inside and his country matters more than his life. He makes every decision with no regrets.
Cui Shi Yi - She is the only daughter of the most prestigious family Cui, she has been engaged to be a crown princess since young. Because of her father's passing, made her mentally affected and she was mute since then. She has been sent to be Zhou Sheng Chen's student. She can talk again because of his caring and warmth.
THE CHEMISTRY:
Bai Lu is the chemistry Queen. I know she could look good with every co-stars. With Allen, their chemistry is crazy good. Their eyes talk to each other. I'm amazed by their genuine and excellent acting and chemistry.
MUSIC:
The soundtrack was enjoyable and emotional throughout the drama. It works so well with the story. My favorite OST are "As Usual" by Zhang Bichen and "Unworried" by Jing Long and Mimi Lee. My heart is so touching every time that songs feature. Allen's OST was very good too.
REWATCH VALUE :
It think I will rewatch it again after the modern sequel "forever and ever" finish airing.
OVERALL
In conclusion, this drama is a beautiful tragic romance. Please watch it if you survived and enjoyed dramas like Good-bye my princess, The King's Woman and Moon lovers.
So I can say that this drama is definitely a masterpiece. If you like this kind of genre, it is a must-watch. Can't wait for "forever and ever".
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I'm around 30, and this drama is exactly on point. It really is about millennials, our hardships and the best time of our lives.
I'm so glad I've decided to watch it.
I think it is a masterpiece.
It's not for everyone although - some people will think it's too boring or maybe won't get some storylines.
But if you're 30-ish, you MUST WATCH it.
Thank you so much for your work!
And please! I'd love to see season 2 :)
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At 60 (or 63, depending on which version you're watching) episodes, this is quite a lengthy ride but I wasn't bored one single second. It had never happened to me before, especially when watching longer dramas. C-dramas tend to lose steam in the middle, have a couple of uninteresting side-plots and rush to the finish line, leaving you somewhat dissatisfied. Not so here.
The middle portion of the drama which took place in the mortal realm was just as interesting as the main plot, something the very popular Eternal Love, 10 Miles of Peach Blossoms didn't manage to do. The side plots and side quests also kept me interested because the drama made me care about every single character. Everything ended up enhancing the main plot.
I've read a lot of complaints regarding the huge amount of screen time given to secondary characters in the second part of the story. I think that some scenes could certainly have been shorter but on the whole, these additions made the drama a much better piece of work than the book it is based on. It's much more epic and ambitious, with layers upon layers.
The characters are intelligent and whether we agree with their actions or not, we always understand the motives behind what they choose to do. They're all very consistently written and there is no true villain in this piece. No one is just black or white. This is truly an achievement.
STORY:
Don't be fooled by the somewhat fluffy beginning. This is one angsty ride that will have your emotions all over the place. This is primarily a romance drama which depicts a love so strong that it can defy fate and overcome everything but only after a heavy price has been paid by all the parties involved. The romance is nicely balanced with friendship, family bonds, loyalty, power struggles, slices of life and epic battles. It has everything you could wish for. I loved that every single plot line was thoroughly thought-out and contributed to the overall story. The writing was top-notch and it showed at the end of the drama which did not feel rushed at all. Quite a feat for a C-Drama.
9.5/10 (Took 0.5 point away because they could have slightly shortened certain storylines).
CAST:
Ashes of Love has a stellar cast. All the actors shone in their roles whether they played a main character or a minor part. Every role was lovingly crafted and acted and every single character has depth. To focus on the main trio though, Deng Lun, Yang Zi and Luo Yunxi acted their heart out and made me want to watch every single drama they've appeared in. Deng Lun brought a rawness and touching sincerity to the character of Xu Feng. Yang Zi was able to use her broad acting range to successfully portray Jin Mi's journey from a sheltered and naive fairy to a young deity wounded by mistakes and betrayals. Luo Yunxi was able to masterfully convey all the shades of grey of Run Yu's character.
10/10
MUSIC:
The music is gorgeous. No other word for it. It's one of the only dramas where I always watched the opening and end credits. Epic. The only problem is that although what music we do have is superb, we don't have a lot of it. So the same songs and background music are played over and over again. Luckily for us, they're so good that you don't really mind.
9.5/10 (Took 0.5 away because I would have loved a few more songs)
REWATCH VALUE:
Through the roof. This is a timeless story. Love, betrayal, revenge, redemption, acceptance, regrets. It has everything a classic should have.
10/10
OVERALL:
Watch it. You won't be disappointed. It has everything: a great story, great acting, great music, splendid cinematography and great CGI. You will be totally immersed in the world of Ashes of Love.
9.5/10 Perfection.
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1
2
1This is the first time I've watched any of the main actors except Yoo In Na. I have now officially developed a Gong Yoo crush and understand why drama fans are enamored of him. Gong Yoo as Kim Shin/ Goblin was mesmerizing. I could listen to his voice for days. Every scene he was in was a treat. Every emotion that his character had was palpable, and his smiles could light up the sky.
And Kim Go Eun as Ji Eun Tak was super cute. She had a lot of detractors and the writer got a lot of flak for making her so young. But the character and her age were perfect for this story and how it unfolded.
Lee Dong Wook as the Grim Reaper had the perfect deadpan (heh) delivery. And he may be the best male "crier" I've seen yet.
The story will make you laugh and make you cry. Not only is the love story epic, but so is the bromance between Goblin and Reaper. I've found that I'm quite fond of this fantasy genre and this has been done so well. I have hardly any criticisms of this show at all because even the flaws faded into nothing noticeable for me. It's sweet, funny, romantic, sad, tragic, beautiful...
The music was perfect and perfectly lovely. I don't always pay much attention to the music, but this show utilized it so well and chose the perfect songs. So many people loved even the intro song that they made a special recording of it to make it a full length song (Round and Round, but may also be found under Never Far Away). Beautiful by Crush was the best song in my opinion, and I believe that it was the theme song for our main couple. And Stay With Me by Chanyeol and Punch was another favorite.
Rewatch value is high - if not everything, then there are many, many favorite scenes that I'll go back to and relive the feels. :)
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This review may contain spoilers
After a while of not being hooked into any drama, this drama series was a refresher for me. It continuously made me more excited for the upcoming Fridays and Saturdays as these were the days when new episodes premiered. I just finished the series this morning, and here are my thoughts about this drama:Story/plot: -9- The storyline had many cute moments between the characters, and there was not really any huge climax or conflict that lasted for several episodes. This plot was, more or less, very bubbly and cutesy with many squealing moments; it felt as if the main characters were living in their honeymoon phase the entire time due to the amount of innocence they had. Unlike with other Chinese dramas, I did not feel like the middle was intensely dragged out and was instead filled with more sweet and funny moments. Now, for the ending. Yes, the ending was a good ending, so that was a plus; however, I did not feel like it was a satisfying one. I felt the last few large events, starting with Si Tu Mo visiting Gu Wei Yi in Germany, were too rushed and had holes in between. The last scene with their kid though... glad they had a kid, but the kid seemed like he was 5 years old meaning the viewers just lost 5 years right there! It is understandable why they can't fit everything in 24 episodes, but compared to the rest of the drama, I felt the ending could have used more attention when it was made/directed. The hidden egg scenes at the very end of most of the episodes were cute considering the viewers were able to see some scenes from Gu Wei Yi's point-of-view.
Acting/cast: -9- The height difference between Gu Wei Yi (played by Lin Yi) and Si Tu Mo (played by Fair Xing) is absolutely adorable; it reminds me, and probably many others who watched, so much of A Love So Beautiful with Jiang Chen (Hu Yi Tian) and Xiao Xi (Shen Yue). Gu Wei Yi is a physics genius/nerd who sincerely cares for Si Tu Mo, both before and especially after they started dating. There were many times when he was clueless about how to please her or what to do in a relationship, so he had to search them on the internet which was cute and funny to watch. Lin Yi's acting could use some work, but for being the very first drama he acted in, his acting definitely has potential. He is also very attractive, in my opinion! Throughout the series, I had some frustrations and was annoyed with the character of Si Tu Mo, particularly the beginning and towards the end, because of her unwillingness to understand certain situations from Gu Wei Yi's perspective, but overall, her character was still independent and strong. The side characters were ok; they didn't play too much of a role in the drama except for Fu Pei (Xiao Tian Tang) and Wang Shan (Zheng Ying Chen). I enjoyed the character development of Fu Pei after he met Wang Shan, but their last proposal scene felt out of placed and rushed, as well.
Music: -8.5- The music matched the cuteness and bubbly-ness of the drama, so I had no complaints. Although none of the music stood out to me, they fit the flow of the drama. The dog and cat noises throughout the drama were really cute though.
Rewatch value: -8- Honestly, I don't think I can rewatch the entire series from beginning to end, but I might re-watch some cute scenes (there was a lot of those in this drama).
Overall: -9- This drama was definitely a refresher for me in the abundance of dramas, that I can't seem to find interest so much, premiering nowadays. The series kept me on the edge of my seat as I had to patiently wait for the new episodes every Friday and Saturday. The storyline was not extreme and was one that guided the audience through the life of the main character's love story. I honestly didn't have any problems with the storyline until the end, and even then, I am not mad at it.
I recommend this series to those who are looking for a drama with a cheerful and lovey-dovey storyline to wind down, maybe for those who just finished watching a frustrating drama. Sorry this review was a tad more lengthy than I intended, but I wanted to share my thoughts. Hope you enjoyed, and thank you for reading!
Chào for Now!
Lily L.
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This review may contain spoilers
Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining
The Legend of Fei is an intriguing drama.This is a show that has been highly anticipated since early 2020, and for good reasons too. It is headlined by two of the biggest stars in the Chinese entertainment industry today, Zhao Li Ying and Wang Yi Bo. This is also ZLY’s comeback project since her leave of absence due to her maternity. The drama is an adaptation of the novel Bandits by renowned and award winning fiction novelist, Priest who will be having several more of her novels adapted to dramas in the coming year.
In addition to that, the involvement of a highly experienced production team led by director Ng Gam Yuen who had previously directed Princess Agents (also with ZLY) and, somewhat surprisingly although not uncommon, a team of nine screenwriters were engaged to write the screenplay based on the critically acclaimed source material which had won the Network Literature Biennial Award in 2017. All of this points to a potentially successful blockbuster drama in the making, right? Apparently, as it turns out, not many would agree.
Within the first few weeks of airing, this drama ended up becoming extremely maligned and divided opinions of viewers not only in China but also among international audience, so much so that even on the drama’s MDL page, debates and differing opinions were intensely magnified in the comments board. Personally, I feel that although the drama certainly is imperfect, there are redeeming aspects that warrant folks to cut it some slack and maybe shower some love instead.
In a nutshell, this is a wuxia drama that tells the story of Zhou Fei (ZLY), who hails from a renowned family of pugilists and the 3rd-generation heir of the Snow-Breaking Blade technique created by her grandfather, as she leaves her home in the mountains known as Fortress of the 48 to explore the Jianghu world. She meets Xie Yun (WYB) who joins her on her adventures as they encounter colourful characters, both good and evil and from various sects and affiliations.
This is essentially a coming of age tale typical of the wuxia genre where Zhou Fei, as the FL, meets many martial arts masters who help improve her skills to become stronger and finally battle the villains. Along the way, she finds love but also experiences the tragedy of losing loved ones. Themes of chivalry, heroism, brotherhood and loyalty are interwoven with the underlying romance, overarching mystery and, of course, the climax of the story - the epic final showdown. I’m not an avid reader of the recent wuxia novels but I notice the trend of late where the ML of the genre appears to be physically weaker and less of a fighter compared to the FL, as is the case in this show and another similar one, The Moon Brightens for You. But, I’m not complaining and I think female empowerment is a positive trend for a change.
Production
The production values displayed somehow does not seem to reflect the rumoured big budget of the show, with certain set designs that appeared inferior in quality and even obviously fake. For instance the settings of the forest where majority of the action takes place, the setting of the Spinning Wire Formation of the Ximo River (specifically the “rock boulders” which do not seem all that “solid”), and various other scenes, where the lack of authenticity is visibly apparent.
Probably the biggest gripe of all is on the direction, screenplay and editing for this drama. Contrary to most criticisms that are directed at the acting especially of the leads, I think the directing of the interactions between the characters as well as the pacing of the storytelling should take the most blame. Actors can only work with what they are given and how they are directed to act their scenes. Furthermore, how it is that so much fillers and dragging out of the plot were shoehorned into the story seems rather surprising considering the quality of the production crew. Additionally, the transitions between scenes and framing of certain sequences did come across as somewhat disjointed, which is attributed to the editing department. A mitigating factor was mentioned where principal filming had to be halted midway through due to the outbreak of the pandemic in early 2020. However, this is where the final editing and post production process should come in to make the necessary adjustments.
Choreography
The martial arts choreography is not the finest of the genre, it has to be said. A number of the action sequences do not flow smoothly in terms of the swordsmanship, acrobatics, and overall movements. When it works, it can be spellbinding but when it doesn’t, it becomes painfully obvious to see. Granted, there were reports referencing ZLY’s lack of fitness while performing her own stunts and other physical exertions, having just recovered following her maternity confinement. Perhaps, this being the first time a blade/ sabre (dao) is wielded by ZLY’s character instead of the usual sword (jian) resulted in the execution of a different and more challenging fighting technique, the Snow-Breaking Blade.
The same observation applies to all other cast members involved where at times the fighting appeared contrived rather than naturally free-flowing. The awkwardness is exemplified in other techniques such as the Taoist Tao Teh Ching Mayfly formation, Guanxi Yellow and Green Palm, Floating Palm, and Water-Cutting technique. On the other hand, the Lotus Palm, Cloud Impelling Palm and Mountain Sword technique do at least appear more believable and convincing.
Characters
The action stunts aside, I have no complaints with either ZLY or WYB as far as their acting is concerned, and both characters I thought were well written. The issues as I mentioned earlier relate more to the direction rather than the cast themselves. The quality of ZLY’s acting and character portrayals are never in question while WYB possesses much potential to soar even higher through his upcoming projects. I like FLs that are written to be consistently strong not just in terms of physical strength and martial arts prowess but also in mental resilience and fortitude in the face of adversity and tragedy. Zhou Fei is a character that I enjoy watching and she does not succumb to the usual tropes of losing her sense and sensibility or transforming into a damsel in distress that needs rescuing. Likewise the character of Xie Yun as the happy-go-lucky charming and supportive sidekick who hides a traumatic past behind the facade.
There were grievances regarding the perceived poor dubbing particularly that of ZLY and I have to agree. The voice is provided by Liu Rui whose previous works focused mainly on modern dramas like Flash Girl/ Our Shining Days, which sadly lacked the authority and depth needed to elevate the character of Zhou Fei to more imposing levels. WYB’s voice dubbing is provided by Hu Liangwei, whose works include Heaven Official’s Blessing donghua, which is marginally better and probably matches the playful tone of the character Xie Yun.
Regarding the chemistry between the two leads, so many viewers complained about 2 things - that they are incompatible due to the 10-year age gap (ZLY is 33 while WYB is 23) and hence lacks the natural chemistry, and that the FL looked so much older than the actual age of her character who is supposedly a 16-year old teenager. Personally for me, there is no such thing as age gaps when it comes to romance, and therefore I’ll take this as a variation of noona romance which works fine for me. 10 years isn’t a lot even if the female is older and from what I can see, particularly towards the tail-end of the show, the chemistry is apparent to be seen and throughout the entire story progression, the development of their relationship has been slow burn but no less resolute.
As for the second argument, I have to agree somewhat. No matter how much make up applied or soft filters used, it is what it is and there is no escaping that. But look, this is not something that is shockingly unexpected or unprecedented. Tang Yan (37) played a teenage Xiao Yan Yan in Legend of Xiao Chuo, Zhang Lu Yi (40) depicted a 13 year old boy in Qin Dynasty Epic, Tang Wei (38) acted the role of a teenage Sun Ruo Wei in Ming Dynasty, Tan Song Yun (30) played a teenage Li Jian Man in Go Ahead, while Zhang Zi Yi (41) is currently portraying a teenage Wang Xuan in the airing Rebel Princess. For me, good acting with seasoned actors should be the benchmark and that is acceptable to me.
The supporting cast of Zhang Hui Wen, Chen Ruo Xuan, Zhou Jie Qiong, and Zhang Xin Yu gives a decent account of their respective portrayals of Zhou Fei and Xie Yun’s band of friends. In particular, the character development of Wu Chu Chu and her romance with Li Sheng is quite remarkably depicted. Li Yan, however, represented everything I dislike about the annoying females in historicals but fortunately her role isn’t significant. She and the character Yang Jin are truly made for each other, as part of the 3 romantic couples in the show.
It has to be said that a number of villains do not appear all that imposing and intimidating. I’m fine with the colour coordinated costumes and scary masks used to distinguish the bad guys but the respective leaders of the evil clans are simply not all that villainous, in form or substance. Case in point, the Demon Manor’s section chiefs comprising Blessed Dog, Giant Leopard, and Sparrow. The Four Guardians of the Mountain’s Dragon and Tortoise masters are more hilarious and comical than menacing. On the other hand, I do appreciate the Timber Wolf Shen Tian Shu as the leader of the Demons, played by Geng Le who does possess the gravitas for this role. Guo Xin’s Mu Xiao Qiao, the Phoenix master, is one of my favourite (semi)villains in the show and brilliantly gives off Dong Fang Bu Bai vibes. Other villains such as the Snow Wolf and the evil Eunuch are very interesting characters but unfortunately only had limited screen time.
As far as good guys go, I actually enjoyed watching Che Xiao’s compelling portrayal of Li Jin Rong, Zhou Fei’s mother, as a strong woman and competent leader of the Fortress of 48. Dong Xuan’s Duan Jiu Niang is a very likeable character and I suspect she had as much fun playing the slightly deranged role as viewers did watching her albeit for a short portion of the show. Hu Bing, who usually plays the villain, delivers a very charismatic depiction of the legendary grandfather, Li Zheng. I’m a big fan of Zong Feng Yan, who plays Zhou Fei’s father Zhou Yi Tang. This seasoned veteran never disappoints and he seems to excel particularly in historical dramas.
Music
The OSTs for this drama is probably the only aspect done to perfection. Each track seamlessly captures the essence of the story and the scenes throughout. The opening theme truly sets the tone of the show while WYB’s rendition (with accompaniment by the Dizi, which brought memories of The Untamed…) evokes feelings of a dreamy ethereal romance.
1. 《逐浪 Chasing the waves》by 尚雯婕 Shang Wenjie (Opening theme)
2. 《无华 Unadorned》by 张靓颖 & 刘宇宁 Jane Zhang & Liu Yuning (Ending theme)
3. 《熹微 Weak rays of sunlight》by 王一博 Wang Yibo
4. 《如翡 Like Fei》by 王晰 & 赖美云 Wang Xi & Lai Meiyun
5. 《结 Knot》by 胡夏 Hu Xia
6. 《红尘莫欺我年少 Don't deceive me when I was young》by 希林娜依 高 Curly Gao
7. 《采莲曲 Picking Lotus song》by 陈珏 Chen Jue
Overall
Despite the numerous drawbacks, The Legend of Fei does manage to get certain aspects done well enough that even things out and, in my humble opinion, ultimately redeems the entire production. How the drama starts off may leave much to be desired but the improvement towards the second half and the strong finish at the end, with the HEA ending where all that’s well ends well, gave me the satisfaction of completing this drama. It wasn’t always smooth sailing, but I did enjoy myself by looking past the flaws only to discover a rainbow after the rain.
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1HER SECOND CHANCE : A FATE GAME!
For the level of entertainment or how this show had me on a chokehold for these two months, I could give it a 10/10... but when I started picturing it as smthg perfect, they added a few clichés to the game. Adding a character that is pure annoyance, who looks more like a filler, it only made some eps in the middle feel flat when the rest of the thing was popcorn-worthy. Without Yu-Ra this would be a 12 ep show and my rating would really be higher.Sadly it couldn't become that masterpiece show but kudos to the satisfying storyline and the ACTING... By a 'satisfying' story I meant those "yesss go girl, slay" segments of the drama especially in the starting where I rooted with my all for the FL. Female lead's personal character development in the first half was really well done among similar shows I've seen before. Later, be it some bitch slap moments or pity parties it was fun like a polite makjang with warm supporting characters.
on the other hand, I'm in love with my wonderful villains Su Min (Song Ha Yoon) and Min Hwan (Lee Yi Kyung). Never started pitying their characters but only had HATE and hate in my mind. Ngl they're too funny sometimes. I was baffled by their acting and perfect depiction of these selfish to the core characters. Idk anything else but I'm keeping an eye out for everything SHY stars in next, becoz she was such a perfect bitch with her baby face. She's what kept me hooked.
Park Min Young was okay as usual but I discovered Na In Woo ♡.♡ from this drama who managed to shine even though the story revolved around FL and ML had no story for himself. He even bagged all of our hearts with his green forest, puppy coded charisma. But y'all let's be honest, he's so so fictional. Nevertheless, if "fiction" is this tall and beautiful, why not haha. I can't believe he was called "ugly" when this started airing, like get your eyes checked man!
Their chemistry was also great in most of the scenes, seemed very natural and was serving already-married vibes lol. From OSTs, nothing is very memorable except ♪Wounds of Time♪ sung by Kim So Yeon.
So overall try Marry my husband if you want to be impressed by annoying character's acting and hate them a lot, an enjoyable revenge packed with clownish comedy. Usually very predictable but I was still pleasantly surprised by her fate sometimes.
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Story- The first couple episodes sets up the plot and storylines for everyone. I’d say it took me about 5 episodes before I saw myself wanting to see more. I do have to say the writers did a fantastic job. When the story was funny it was hilarious and when it was dramatic you felt the emotions. My favorite part of the writing though was definitely the subtle comedy. I found myself laughing like an idiot whenever something random happened. I liked that each brother had their own loveline and enjoyed watching each one develop. Although the UEE/Joo Won pairing was just too cute! In the end everyone gets their happy ending. That’s not to say it was all sunshine and rainbows throughout, cause everyone had their fair share of drama…
Acting/Cast- Perfectly casted. I liked that everyone got their time to shine. This family felt like they were really a family in real life. I wanted to live on the Ojakgyo farm! Lol. I thought UEE did a fantastic job playing the naïve but temporal Ja Eun. Loved all the brothers. The rest of the supporting cast was awesome as well. Just loved everyone=)
Music- Really liked the score. When it was suppose to be light and funny they had this awesome weird music played that really added to the effect and when it would come on I knew something hilarious/random was about to happen. The ost was good but nothing I’d listen to outside the show.
Rewatch- The episode count is quite large so because of that I’d probably put off watching this for about 2 years.
Overall I’d say Ojakgyo Brothers is the best family drama I have seen and it’s a must watch. You will definitely be entertained and fall in love with all the characters=)
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