1
1The Art of Strategic Retreat
Immortal Ascension is the long-awaited live-action adaptation of the hit xianxia web-novel A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality by Wang Yu (忘语), a defining work of the "mortal cultivation" sub-genre. While the novel chronicles protagonist Han Li's thousand-year journey over a sprawling 2,400 chapters, this ambitious adaptation condenses the first 200 years into 30 episodes. It is set in a brutal, realistic immortal world where might makes right. The Heavenly Dao (天道) is indifferent to concepts of "good" or "evil"; the path to immortality isn't about grand morality or predestined genius, but about raw power and survival. Here, cunning, alchemy, and artifacts can trump sheer talent.Three borrowed bowls of flour for flatbread. That is why an ordinary village boy, Han Li, stumbles on to a thousand year path to immortality. It isn't a profound or carefully considered decision or even a conscious choice on his part —just survival instinct, pure and simple. It begins in Shenshou Valley, a place that opens his eyes to a world beyond his wildest imagination and offers his first chilling glimpse into the callous utilitarianism and transactional nature of cultivation relationships. He picks up the underappreciated skill of gardening and chances upon his most invaluable artifact. From his first mentor, Physician Mo, Han Li learns the core secret to immortality: live to fight another day. He is the master of the art of strategic retreat—my lips would twitch every time he began stealthily backing away at the slightest hint of hostility.
Han Li is an unconventional protagonist. He isn't motivated by naive heroism and chooses a path that is ultimately selfish and solitary. Often underestimated, he prevails through cautious pragmatism and resourcefulness, relying on methodical long-term planning, deception, and fleeing unwinnable conflicts. Despite the running gag that Han Li is very plain, Yang Yang is perfectly cast. His immaculate appearance and radiant, ageless glow convey the aura of a character who is ultimately unattainable. I've never been a fan of his acting, but this is by far his best role. His portrayal is exquisite: the careful circumspection in his movements, the nuanced flicker in his eyes, the micro-expressions that signal he is always watchful and calculating; that fraught stillness when sensing danger; and the intense, cold-blooded ruthlessness in combat. Yang Yang's power, grace, and natural athleticism are on full display. Instead of just standing around uselessly waving a fan (Who Rules the World), he delivers multiple thrilling, intense, and brilliantly choreographed action sequences that showcase Han Li's ability to think on his feet, using his cunning and resources to level the playing field. The visual effects, however, are a bit dated and at times overwhelm the impressive stunt work, detracting from how flawlessly Yang Yang executes difficult mid-air acrobatics while staying completely in character.
I love the decision to shoot mostly on location—it vividly reinforces the vastness, timelessness, and solitude of Han Li's journey. It may have made lighting and framing more difficult to control, but it's far superior to the typical fake, over-lit, and stagnant xianxia set. The plot feels condensed, and the pacing is uneven, alternating rapidly between character introductions, heavy world-building via dialogue, and high-octane action. Some important characters—Physician Mo, Mo Caihuan, and a few of Han Li's Yellow Maple Valley mentors—are fleshed out, but too many others zip by cursorily. While Wang Duo plays the villain with great relish and humor, Wang Chan's character is a cardboard cutout, because Han Li's greatest antagonist is truly the indifferent universe—and Han Li himself, and the humanity he must leave behind.
At times, this feels like a video game, but it is actually a quite sad and profound story. The narrative tone doesn't indulge in sadness; Han Li's moments of temptation and regret are subtle and transient: a pause, a concealed glance behind lowered eyelids, the slightest hesitation, the moment he gives in to a brief hug. It's all in the subtext, in how he regularly shouts out to Li Feiyu, recalling his last mortal friend. Han Li is not a relatable protagonist; it's hard to feel sorry for him, as he does not feel sorry for himself or for the people he coldly leaves behind.
Fittingly, at the end of this first phase, we come full circle to a precious piece of flatbread that Nangong Wan casually snatches from him. Ms. Mo would never have done that. It's why she is not the endgame; she isn't ruthless or selfish enough to accompany him on his journey. While this is not a romantic story, the character who moved me most was Ms. Mo. It is with his first love and final obsession that Han Li almost allows himself to be mortal.
I don't know how to feel about this kind of story or Han Li's path. It is inspiring as a tale of how an ordinary person can become extraordinary. And a sobering lesson about at what price. It is a story that has stayed with me. I have to rate it 9/10.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
5 reasons to watch Fighting Mr. Second
I am absolutely in love. Literally. I usually never write reviews or for that matter watch shows live or pay attention to the BTS stuff but this show grabbed my attention and never let go. It will forever hold a place in my most memorable and favorite dramas not just a BL1 - Cast/Chemistry
The whole cast is pretty great, from YU’s eyes that break heart to Chih Tian Shih whose monologue left everyone in tears. But the stand out will always be Sam Lin, he is just amazing at making you feel exactly what Shi De is feeling. Who knew a “Hi” could be that sad.
Also there chemistry is undeniable. Whether it’s the angry scenes, sweet ones or smexy times there is always a kind of tension between the 2 mains. They just feel so natural together and never felt forced or overdone.
2 - The Mains
Shu Yi - I love this dramatic baby. He is a force of nature, selfish, arrogant but in such a cute way that you can’t help but root for him in the end. I love that he never backs down from Shi De, always challenges him at his level and calls him out on his crap.
Goa Shi De - I think he is my overall favourite character. He was originally going to be more macho and aggressive but with the input of Sam they changed him to agreeable, bendable , humble and accepting. I think the writer (of the show) said it best when she said that Shi De’s biggest flaw is he’s always been the pioneer in his relationship with Shu Yi and feels like he should go out first to clear the way of obstacles but he underestimated Shu Yi ability to catch up to him so he made mistakes. He holds everything inside and when he explodes it left me in tears of sympathy.
3 - Storyline
The story is quite simple for the most part, it’s about the after of the happy ending. In season one we see Shi De and Sho Yi finally get together but what happens after that? Can young love in all its immaturity conquer insecurity, distance, pride, misunderstandings and get to a more mature place? When you’ve been hurt by your most trusted one, is possible to let go of angry in order to forgive? Can you withstand your partner’s hurt and hatred to earn the forgiveness? Are you willing to walk hand in hand instead of always being the strong one that shows no weakness? These are main conflicts.
At first I didn’t think I was gonna like this as much as the 1st season because the “misunderstanding” troupe is so damn over used but if you roll with it and stick with the characters, the internal reasoning from episode 4 allows you to sympathize with the real why.
One of the shows flaw is focusing on the Alpha plot at the second part of the drama and cutting out the emails scenes that many felt was a necessity. However I felt like the director did the Alpha plot to show the mains working together in a common goal to show a glimpse of what there future working together is like. And it also was a vehicle for Pei Shou Yi and Yu Zhen Xuan to be in each other orbits again.
4 - Music
The music in this show is actually really good, only rivaled by ITTSAY as my favourite BL soundtrack. Usually I find the music overused and distracting because sometimes it doesn’t go with the scene it’s in (I’m looking at you Love by chance and Tharntype). But here it fit the theme of the season because it’s slightly bluezy/moody and YU has a beautiful voice.
5 - Side Characters
I actually don’t really every like multiple couple stories in general because it draws too much time away from the main couples storylines especially in shorter dramas. But here they gave us interesting side story between Pei Shou Yi and Yu Zhen Xuan that was just enough to make me want to see where there story goes in there spin off series without annoying me with too much screen time. I ended up falling in love in Yu Zhen Xuan in episode 6.
Will I rewatch this drama? Yes it’s now cemented in my heart as 1 of my favs. Should you? I say don’t hesitate, some people might find it not as fluffy as the first season or can’t overlook some flaws but give it try cause it might surprise you.
Was this review helpful to you?
a coming of age story with 3 protagonists
Overall: the first half of the series had me hooked as a romance/coming of age. However, the addition of a 3rd protagonist and the lack of romantic progression changed the focus of the story which I did not enjoy. I think I read the first volume of the manga a long time ago and I've seen the prior 2017 movie but I'm basing this review on the 2024 series' own merits. 12 episodes about 25 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4485/i-hear-the-sunspot-2024-e01 and iQIYI https://www.iq.com/play/i-hear-the-sunspot-episode-1-2556woqrs6s?lang=en_usContent Warning: punch, grief/mental health struggles
Watch Suggestions (to focus on the m/m leads)
- watch episodes 1-6
- skip episode 7 (can watch the 40s recap the beginning of ep 8)
- start episode 8 at 14 minutes
- start episode 9 at 7 minutes
- in episode 10 skip 19:30- 21:40
- watch episode 11 beginning to 4:20 and 15 to the end
- watch episode 12 at 12 minutes to the end
What I Liked
- dynamic between the leads (in the beginning half, then they needed to communicate)
- acting
- representation with a character who has hearing loss, showing how even people who are trying to be kind can isolate a person
- generally not a fan of extended flashbacks but episode 2 and the beginning of episode 3 gave us critical background information to understanding the characters and I'm glad we had this towards the beginning of the series
- that Taichi sought communication in episodes 2 & 5
- sweet moments like fishing together
- production value (some really gorgeous shots in the beginning episodes that conveyed things by showing like opening the curtains or how the basketball court went dark and empty, also good shots in episode 11)
Room For Improvement
- started the series with a flash forward and also some of the ominous voice overs
- the camera blocked kiss, I don't care if that's how it was in the manga, we are at a different time and place from when the manga was written and I expected a non camera blocked kiss
- Taichi was written to seek communication but then was unbelievably dense and didn't communicate any more
- Maya's backstory was way too late and the way she was written did not evoke empathy, the writers did her character dirty
- too many flashbacks in episode 9
- anti climactic ending, the finale had a protagonist talking with other characters for the entire first half of the finale
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Have you ever watched a show that made you feel like you are a dirty pedophile? If not, and if you are looking for one, then this one is for you!Before anything, lets talk about the good things:
1.Newyear and Jur's King and Burger. Newyear somehow reminded me of a young Ohm and Jur's obvious over acting is endearing. I think the series will have a more positive reaction had they made them the focus of this show.
2. Is there a number 2?
Truth be told, I cant tell how anyone behind the show thought this was a good idea. This series is so reminiscent of the director's past works- Make it Right and What the Duck, but it seems like they never learned their lesson and instead amplified what people hated from those shows. Now lets talk about the not so good things:
1. The story. Cramming so many things within a 6 episode show is just too much, plus you really cant tell what the show is about. Is it a love series? Is it a murder mystery series?
2. Just like Love Sick 2, they managed to add another 2 of the most annoying characters ever on a tv show. There's no need to explain why Bookko's teacher is so despicable. And there's Mint's Pakaiwan. Also, special honorable mention to Ning's Pimtha, because
3. I really dont understand why some showrunners are so intent on making girls the villains in a boy-love series. Adding hate-able female characters doesnt automatically make viewers accept boy-love, if anything, its just lazy writing.
4. Speaking of lazy writing- this one seems like a mash up of a few other shows but is much more poorly executed. It is quite obvious that Burger King's story is derivative of Kieta Hatsukoi and there's an abvious attempt to make this into an Agatha Christie show.
5. I mentioned earlier that this show can make you feel like a dirty pedophile - the short shorts (it somehow felt like shorter shorts from Make it Right) is just too much and way too distracting. There was also quite a lot of disturbing shirtless scenes. I remember i was cringing during that scene when King removed his shirt and is trying to strip Burger - they obviously doesnt have what it takes to do that mature scene (they look like naked 10 year olds with those tiny bodies) but to force it does not look sexy, at all.
6. Bigboss' permanently constipated puppy sad look face. No matter what scene he is in, its the same sad face.
7. If they're planning season 2, which we all know is coming despite all the company's drama, I sincerely hoped they kept Pakaiwan dead because we dont need to see her anynore.
What's sad is there are hints that this could be a much better show. Overall, if you lower your expectations, it is still watchable and because of Burger and King i will give it a 6 (and also because i hate giving lower than that). Skip if you can only watch a few shows a week and save your viewing time for something much better.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
We’re both finally 19
At first, Part2 felt empty to me. Because we are watching her getting revenge. Part1 was mostly about her teasing and psychologically torturing her bullys. BUT her revenge was so good!It displayed everything i expected!
There is no affair, getting cold feet at the last moment, Dong-Eun feeling guilty about revenge, betrayal plot. That’s all i needed.
Even though her first 38 years were living hell, she met lot of loving people along the way whom showed Dong-Eun heaven is still on her side, god sometimes mistakes too.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
The Love Story of a "Wolf Pup" and a Spoiled Princess
EDITED 12/02/20Summed up for lazy readers:
-Wuxia Romance involving some politics and obviously, the concept of wolves.
-Not exactly tragic, but you will probably cry.
-Misunderstandings that some would call "stupid" or "unnecessary", but show the purest love. (just don't watch it for you can't bear misunderstandings)
-All main leads and seconds leads mature throughout the drama.
-Not the best CGI, but not the worst either.
-Not for people who dislike darkness and war.
This drama is simply...how would I say it...majestic. You may not be a big fan of wolves and darkness, but one thing is for sure: the moment you click that play button on episode 1, you are sucked into this mesmerizing world in which you cannot escape from. I ensure you, this drama will result in your panda eyes for the next few days.
(this review is kind of long. The main parts are in the first two or so paragraphs in every section)
---------------------------
Story: 9.0
The Wolf is a romance drama in which their story starts with an unbreakable bond of friendship. We have "Lang Zai", or Wolf Pup, the nickname given to him from Xing'er, our female lead. He was abandoned at birth, but miraculously saved and then raised by a wolf pack. They become his family, and he learns the way of the wolves. He is a "wild man", but he has the purest and kindest heart inside, and will protect his family and friends at all costs. After he meets Ma Zhaixing, the pampered and doted daughter of the city master, he starts to learn that he is a person, not a wolf, and they become the best of friends. It also includes the concept of political power; Prince Bo must learn to avoid the devious plot of others and gain the emperor's full trust. And with this, he must obey the evil emperor, even if it means sacrificing his purest love. At times, these scenes bored me, because I'm not particularly a fan of politics in dramas, but it was satisfying when the evil are exposed.
Why would I call this drama majestic? The story simply reminds me of mountains, of peaks that soar into the sky. First of all, the CGI in my opinion, is quite breathtaking. The animals created by computers may seem simple to make, but they include such intricate detail that their interactions with Wolf Pup, the later Prince Bo makes it hard to believe that wolves would have such kind hearts to take in a baby boy, a human, a wolf's greatest enemy. They truly do give us that feeling of familial love, the warmth, the affection, how much they care for each other. And when Wolf Pup's family members sacrifice themselves without any hesitation to save him, the tears start falling like an endless waterfall, they really do.
Xing'er starts out as this spoiled girl, the "jun zhu", or princess, of the city. Even though she is just the daughter of a concubine, she is most doted on by her father, and they have a very strong father-daughter bond. She is a playful and adventurous girl, always giving off happy bouncy vibes. After she meets Wolf Pup, she begins to go to the mountain to visit him regularly, and she eventually even persuades and encourages him to go down the mountain to see the world of humans, and that not everywhere is as evil as he thinks.
(SPOILER ALERT) We meet our next box of tissues when they have to separate. (I will not say much in case I spoil it too much) In every drama, sacrifices must be made, and unlike many other ones, this one was certainly not "childish" or "stupid". The female lead had a very good reason to leave our dear Wolf Pup, even if it was too heartbreaking for some of us to handle. The separation lasts 8 years. Xing'er still refuses to marry, as she can't let go of her love for Wolf Pup. Meanwhile, Wolf Pup has been adopted by the emperor and is made the third prince, Prince Bo. He is strong and powerful, but it hasn't occurred to him that his survival was just for the emperor to manipulate him for more power. After a tragic event, our princess meets this cold and ignorant prince, who keeps denying his true identity. Their relationship starts out on a bad note, but they become closer and closer over time. But as we progress further into the story, we meet our doom: a misunderstanding that causes even more heartbreak. Unlike the first sacrifice, this one seemed a little stupid and cliche. Chu Youwen breaks Xing'er's heart on purpose to "protect her" and although this is pretty necessary, his way of overcoming this situation was not the very best. Misunderstandings lead the drama for quite a long time, but we, the audience, could definitely learn a few life lessons as well as enjoy the bitter romance. At first, I thought that explanation would've been better, but I was wrong: The silent sacrifices that both of them made for each was true love. Some people say that it was dumb and that they could've just told each other everything, but would you be able to tell your love that you betrayed them? Most likely, no.
But the few misunderstandings doesn't stop us from loving this drama and following the couples as they experience love, hate, trust and doubt. It is truly an adventure. As for the ending, if you want to be spoiled, it will be at the very bottom.
-----------------------------
Acting/cast: 9.0
CHU YOUWEN- Darren Wang's wild side is truly wild. (and sexy!) He starts off as that "wolf" who is oblivious about everything, but after he experiences the terrible heartbreak from the person he was closest to and becomes a royal prince, Chu Youwen. That cold air around him is so cold that it makes me literally shiver. He still loves Xing'er, but thinking that she despises him, tries hard to let go of his past. (which, obviously, he fails at) We can see the desperation in his eyes when Xing'er is in danger, and he always saves her in that moment of terror. Xing'er's hero. And when he's cruel to the enemy, he is truly c-r-u-e-l. If anyone hurts his Xing'er, they're basically doomed. Prince Bo is not just a royal prince, he's also a wild wolf, loyal to the ones he love, but merciless to the ones he hate.
MA ZHAIXING- Personally, Li Qin's acting at the beginning was not the best, but the emotions she showed eventually were so top-notch that (you guessed it!) my tears start falling every few minutes or so. I wouldn't consider myself someone who cried often, but I'm just a few episodes in and my eyes are strawberry red. Xing'er's love for Wolf Pup is just so pure that you sometimes wonder why she won't simply just go explain to him why she said those terrible words to him. The tragic event causes a personality change in Ma Zhaixing, and although she is still bright and relatively talkative, we don't really see that spoiled princess anymore. Xing'er is intelligent, and undoubtedly kind. She will sacrifice almost anything for the people she loves, including her life, if she has to.
When I said that they were made for their roles, it also included chemistry. Their chemistry is one of the very best. When the main leads get close to each other, we also feel the excitement and the butterflies in our stomach. Their expressions show everything. Even if they try to be cold to each other, the coldness is only temporary.
As of the supporting roles, we have quite a few talents, including the subordinates of Prince Bo and Ma Qing, Zhaixing's friend. They are servants, but they are the most loyal and most caring. The evil characters were unlike the ones we see in other dramas. They are purely evil, evil to the point that they could manipulate people so easily that they wouldn't be discovered for years. We also have two other supporting characters that really gained my love: Ji Chong and Bao Na.
JI CHONG- Ji Chong, played by Xiao Zhan, is the second lead that will give you second lead syndrome. (unfortunately) He's there when the female lead needs him, and loves her as much as the male lead, but he just doesn't get the chance to show how much he loves her, because the female lead only sees him as a friend. He married Zhaixing, kissed her, hugged her, but failed to gain her affection. It has quite heartbreaking for me, because Ji Chong is a talented, caring and intelligent man, and he's no worse than Chu Youwen. He stayed with Ma Zhaixing for quite a long time, and helped her a tremendous amount, but no matter what he did, it simply wasn't enough. He met her later and that was the main disadvantage. Xiao Zhan's acting was especially nice (but it could also be because I'm a fan of him). As Ji Chong, he showed he care and desperation for Ma Zhaixing clearly, and I felt him tremendous pain when he knew that they weren't meant to be together. So yes, we have the ill-fated love triangle.
BAO NA- Bao Na is another character that I love. She starts out as the bratty princess who thinks that she will get everything she wants. She was "deeply in love" with Prince Bo at the beginning, and was terribly annoying. I was afraid that she would be a second female lead, but she actually isn't. She realizes her mistakes and after seeing Ma Zhaixing also die to protect her, becomes great friends with her. She also grows into an intelligent and brave young woman, very different from the whiny and bossy princess she started as.
YAO JI- She starts off as the archenemy of Chu Youwen because of certain reasons, and we hate her from the very start. I mean, even her look is 100% evil! She is skilled in astronomy and poison, and is very skilled in scheming. She is that most hateful character at the start, but she's unlike Bao Na, who just pesters Prince Bo. She's more of his competitor, but it always seems like she wants to kill him. But...that's not the case. As we move further into the story and she reveals more of her personality, it is clear that she cares deeply for Prince Bo, but she simply can't express her feelings. She has helped Prince Bo go through multiple hardships, and in the end, they become great friends, the kind of friend that will stick together no matter what. Bravo, Xin Zhi lei, for showing us that someone may look evil, but are the most caring inside.
-------------------------
Music: 10
There are only a few songs (7 to be exact), but I simply love the OST. While they may seem repetitive at times, the songs are presented to us in quite a few ways: Normal singing, different instrumental backgrounds, and the change in speed and pitch. The singing is beautiful, the background instrumental music matches perfectly and the lyrics are like the ripples of a river, moving the story along slowly. The songs clearly show us the longing the two main leads feel for each other, and the unsaid words they just need to say. There is also some rap incorporated into one of the songs, which takes the music up another notch.
---------------------------
Rewatch value: 8.5
I do not think that I will ever get tired of this drama. The amazing scenery alone is enough for me to stare at the screen for hours. And with the interaction of the main leads and second leads, oh, how would I not want to rewatch it?
--------------------------
Overall: 9.0
This beautifully written and majestic story is one rarely seen in C-dramas. We do start with a spoiled princess, but she meets the wild boy, and learns that some people have the evilest hearts. Even if you wanted to go take a break, I don't think you could, because this drama is certainly not merciful in terms of allowing you to get out of your seat. There are a few misunderstandings that seem a little unreasonable, but they all work out in the end. We are presented with the occasional comical scene to give us a short break from the next situation. Oh, and prepare the tissues and the explanation to your friends and family about why your eyes are so swollen and red.
Was this review helpful to you?
Thoughts left the room, all that is left is me simping for the oppa.
Not gonna lie, this show made me feel pathetic - reminded of my young teen self getting obsessed over the rich entitled oppas. It’s been ages since an oppa oppaing so hard evoked so many emotions in me. He served us nothing, but served so much. The never changing face, monotone line delivery, 2-dimensional writing spiced up with all the possible cliches - all that to deliver the truest oppa ever. How shallow of me to open the review with that statement.Surprisingly enough, no matter how ridiculous, unrealistic and over the top the drama might have been (which, by the way, were all the reasons I loved it so much), it actually had some thought-provoking scenes and moments. Social commentary dressed as fancy makjang? That might be an overstatement, but I’d be lying if I said it did not present even one aspect worth reflecting on. Basing your worth on your popularity, addiction to attention, seeing people around you as tools to be used and discarded when they stop being useful, how far can one go to achieve success, differences in how people perceive reality depending on their socioeconomic status and more. Bits and pieces of potential, all overshadowed by the entertainment.
And I’m not even mad about it. This is such a stress-reliever brainless entertainment I’m actually grateful it exists. Once you start watching, it’s hard to stop. There are awful and selfish characters to bitch about, a female lead that’s worth rooting for, a few characters you end up loving (even if the reasons are painfully shallow), twists and turns that come out of nowhere and make you question the reality that already makes no sense. And then there is the glamor and fashion that’s just so pretty you can’t turn your eyes away from it.
How’s the acting? On average mediocre. Some performances were good (looking at you Lee Chung Ah), some were fine (I love you Park Gyu Young, but not all of your scenes were to my liking), some were either barely existing or yet again typecasted (Kang Min Hyuk serving nothing but hot looks and Lee Dong Jeon playing the same character he did for the past few projects). Did it bother me? No. I have no idea why. I have no idea why all the things that usually make my blood boil just did not bother me here at all.
Overall, I finished the online exam in 15 minutes just so I can continue watching this drama as soon as possible - that will tell you how addicting it is. The pacing was fast, there was no time for chill and breaks, the characters were either unrealistically great or comically awful. Han Joon Kyung was the most oppa of all oppas. Whoever the casting director was - they need a raise.
Was this review helpful to you?
I absolutely loved the drama from beginning to end especially the romance. It didn't matter to me that Nam Shin III was infact a robot as I've seen other robot dramas with human/robot romances so its not anything weird to me. So as sci-fi with romance dramas go what else would I expect from it? I felt the leads had great chemistry especially as the drama progressed. I liked the fact that whilst there is indeed a second lead who I very much loved he wasn't your "typical" second lead. This drama made me fall for Seo Kang Joon, NS3 as well as NS. I think he did amazingly well portraying both NS and NS3. I also loved Kang So Bong's character, mostly because I saw a lot of her in her MOLS character. After the amazing character development, I loved her even more if that's at all possible.
The music for me fits perfectly with this drama, I love each and every song especially Kang Joon's one.
This drama is definitely rewatchable for me seeing as I've already rewatched it 12 times....not that I'm obsessed or anything. lol :D
I recommend this drama to those who enjoy robot/human romances because its been brought to my attention that a lot of people weren't happy about this but we each have our own individual preferences. Next, if you enjoy sci-fi, action, comedy then this drama is for you. Just make sure you have tissue because I honestly couldn't control myself.
Was this review helpful to you?
Despicable Me.
This sublime wuxia revolves around two atypical protagonists and their scorching, profound connection. A bold BL adaption that makes no attempt to suggest the relationship is just a bromance, the love story is so charismatically portrayed that it will captivate even mainstream viewers. Both protagonists are morally ambiguous and flawed characters with their own code of conduct. They fall far short of conventional da xia/大侠 or martial heroes but still manage to beguile us into caring and rooting for them.What elevates this drama is the scriptwriting , the writer put her heart into this and while I cannot compare it with the book, I couldn't be more satisfied with the drama's storytelling. Important plot and character points are planned and planted well in advance and the story unfolds in a way that pulls us into various the plot threads and the partial reveals. Many questions, including when Zhou Zishu recognizes Wen Kexing; are never clearly answered but can be surmised upon re-watch from hints in the dialogue and the characters' subsequent actions. The playful, flirtatious dialogue heavily laced with double entendre and layers of meaning with its facile parlance of idioms and ancient parables has won widespread praise from educators and broad audiences, inspiring young adults to dust off their classical texts with renewed enthusiasm. This winsome first work of a young scriptwriter sets a high bar for historical dramas going forward and puts the often lazy and tired works of more experienced writers to shame.
At surface, the backdrop and many characters are classic wuxia themes and anachronisms - various jianghu sects are vying to recover five shards of liulijia, a glazed artefact that can unlock a hidden repository of the most elite martial arts and miraculous medical manuscripts. Sound familiar? Its been done many times. But it scarcely matters because the two main protagonists, Zhou Zishu and Wen Kexing immediately sweep us away with their outrageous, titillating courtship. Gong Jun's shamelessly flirtatious Wen Kexing, is the most predatory, lecherous, and utterly delicious display of physical attraction I have seen since John Malkovich's iconic Valmont in Dangerous Liaisons. I am quite certain most of Zhang Zehan's eye rolls were not acting and I just love his improvised comment - even my fart smells good! Both actors deliver immersive resonating performances - Gong Jun with a wild vengeful ferocity behind flashes of vulnerability and Zhang Zhehan with a subtle nuanced complexity that hints at a multitude of emotions within micro expressions. Classic wuxia themes and archetypes are woven into an addictive tale of friendship, love, betrayal, loyalty, ambition, sacrifice and of course revenge.
While a bit heavy on the slow motion, the fight scenes are stunningly choreographed and delivers enough hairy, scary, dicey, slicey moments to have me at the edge of my seat. I was stunned by the raw ferocious rage and naked hatred that spilled out of Gu Xiang in the epic finale. The bloodthirsty, brutally lethal and absolutely berserk final mortal battle where the master of the Ghost Valley emits rage with the wild light of cruel insanity flashing in his eyes is without doubt the highlight of the action. This of course excludes Lao Wen and Ah Xu's exuberant fight scenes because everybody knows its really a mating dance where they are actually just ogling at each other. The story is well paced with a good balance of mystery, action and and ends spectacularly with enough twists, surprises and a breathless cruelty that pays homage to the true spirit of the genre. If I have to find fault, there are too many sects and side characters that don't advance the plot. The relationship between Zhao Jing and Scorpion King also feels off in a creepy way and even though the role is very well acted, Scorpion King's motives are not well developed. In general the villains feel rather two dimensional but perhaps this is unavoidable given how grey and complex both protagonists are.
Even though this is hands down one of the best wuxias I have seen in years, this is more of a character drama in the sense that the core characters are what really brings this story life in a differentiated way. I am going to discuss them in greater detail in the following paragraphs. Be warned there are mild spoilers so you may want to stop reading here and revisit after completing.
*Be warned - mild spoilers ahead!*
The narrator Zhou Zishu is a dark character and while he is not a villain, he is amoral and thus the story is told via the lens of a world view that is defined by personal loyalties and relationships rather than some over arching sense of morality. In Zhang Zhehan's own words, Zhou Zishu has thousands of layers and is thus the most fascinating and difficult character to both write and to portray. In this both writer and actor delivered brilliantly in striking that perfect balance of revealing not too much but just enough to create an enigmatic character with insidious lingering impact. Zishu is a cynical and disillusioned cold hearted assassin who is only bound to and motivated by his word of honor - yes for once we have an aptly titled c-drama. He doesn't blame Jin wang for his fall from grace nor does he try to avenge his fallen sect brothers because like himself, they all must live and die by their oath, their word of honor. By the time he encounters Zhang Chengling and Wen Kexing, he is resigned to his self inflicted fate and means to spend his remaining days wandering the world drinking himself into oblivion. He epitomizes despicable me, stricken by self loathing for his weaknesses, for his failings that led to the deaths of his sect brothers and Four Seasons Manor's downfall.
Zishu is pulled back into the world of the living by his promise to see Chengling to safety - his intent is to do no more than that and is indifferent to the boy's pleas to accept him as his disciple. Although he was attracted to Kexing, he dismisses his outrageous overtures and distrusts him but lets him stick around to keep an eye on him. It is only after Kexing hallucinates and calls him Zhou Zishu that his attitude changes. That must be when he suspects who Kexing is and for the first time, sees a path towards keeping his promise to his shifu by resurrecting Four Seasons Manor and thus he accepts Chengling as his disciple. But he is really only putting his affairs in order so to speak. Even though he acknowledges Kexing as his soul mate, he does not deem himself worthy of a long and happy life.
Wen Kexing on the other hand is innately a good person, who is driven by hate and vengeance into doing some terrible things. Unlike Zishu, he still longs to be a good person and deep down still believes he is indeed a good person. While Gong Jun brings the many facets of Wen Kexing from the terrifying to the vulnerable alive vividly with his expressive eyes, the character itself is a more easily understandable, angsty, revenge driven wuxia archetype. Zishu is a much darker character than Kexing and he does not save or redeem Kexing, it is actually the other way around. Although Kexing at surface gets more screen time, as the narrator that always seems to know more than he reveals, Zishu is omnipresent and invites the most mind share. As they change each other and extend their found family to include Chengling, Gu Xiang, Cao Weining and even the irascible and hilarious Ye Bai Yi, Zishu subtly comes to embrace life again.
This drama peaks spectacularly in the gorgeously shot penultimate episode that has everything - clever final reveals, plot twists, shocking, shattering losses, violent clashes and epic showdowns. I screamed, I jumped up and down, I cried, I couldn't believe my eyes! This is the way a drama should end, at its peak. Yes, there are small loose threads but overall, I am very happy with the ending. True, the final afterthought episode is a bit of a non sequitur but everything else was so spectacular I am willing to not look that hard at it. This is by far the best wuxia I have seen in many, many years and I can happily call this a perfect 9.5.
Was this review helpful to you?
Thanks also to those on YouTube for the English subs [uncut] as without them we would never have know such wonderful talent.
Was this review helpful to you?
JUST " ONE &ONLY " U , ZHOU SHENG CHEN ~ BEAUTIFUL BONES [A MUST WATCH]
I have never doubted and never disappointed with ALLEN REN's acting, in any drama he is always very successful in carrying out his role well... this is his fifth drama that i watched in a row from UTP, i started to be his BIG FANS after UTP and continue to pursue all his works..and after this drama released the trailer, i'm really interested to watch it..no doubt again... his handsome and authoritative appearance, accompanied by the beautiful artist BaiLu, adds to my desire to watch it..... and after watching it...this drama is far from my mind....because....THIS DRAMA IS TOO GOOD AND PERFECT...in terms of story, acting, costumes, bgm to cinematography is very beautiful and perfect, like you are watching on the big screen... I was amazed when I started watching this drama and felt like I was watching a big screen cinema....
this drama has a very good storyline, developing and extensive, you will find every point of the episode is never boring and once you start, you will be drawn into the story and continue it until the end...even though the ending of this drama is very tragic and makes you will cry bitterly watching it but I am very satisfied with the ending, because the cursed Villains also get punished for what they have done...
This drama has many sweet moments between the two main leads " Zhou Sheng Chen and Cui Shi Yi although there are no very romantic scenes but their every gaze, smile, hug and concern for each other is able to melt and thrill your heart when watching it ... Their love are so sweet, sincere strong and pure....
the acting between the two mainleads is very very amazing and perfect in this drama....
Allen Ren brought ZhouShengChen's character very perfectly and amazing,he is a manly, handsome, strong, wise and highly adored character by his people...he is a character who not only has good skin but good bones too and deserves the called "BEAUTIFUL BONES" , people who have good skin, don't necessarily have good bones and vice versa...only ZSC has both...he doesn't chase wealth, doesn't chase thrones and isn't infatuated with beautiful women...only CuiShiYi who is able to melt his heart.... he is a patriot who is willing to sacrifice himself for the peace of the kingdom and the welfare of his people.... truly a hero whose name will always be engraved in the hearts of his people...
CuiShiYi played by BaiLu is very lively and perfect...she is a very beautiful, elegant, gentle and intelligent woman, she is the only female figure who can melt ZSC's heart, CSY's love is the MOST GREATEST I have ever seen in a drama, she is willing to sacrifice her whole body and soul just for the man she loves ZSC, willing to sacrifice herself forever not to marry just to be with him, the greatest happiness for her is to be by his side forever...
"CUISHIYI IS A WOMAN CHARACTER IN THE DRAMA I LIKE THE MOST BECAUSE OF HER LOVE IS SO STRONG, SINCERE AND GREAT..."
THE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN THE BOTH MAINLEADS IS REALLY AWESOME AND VERY POWERFUL...
not only the two mainleads, even the supporting cast also acted very very well which also helped make this drama so success...
besides that I also really admire the relationship between teachers and students, or with military advisors and between their brothers and sisters which is very deep, harmonious and strong, they look at each other like brothers and their own family, love each other, take care of each other and that makes me very touched, loved and admired their excellent relationship.
beautiful soundtrack song and suitable for every scene add perfect points to this drama, I love all soundtrack songs in this drama too.
this drama is not only worthy of 10/10 if possible i will give a rating of 1000/1000 for this drama 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I also want to thank our two main roles, of course Allen Ren and Bai Lu for their amazing acting for this drama, besides that also our support roles, especially those who play CuiFeng, General Hong, XiaoYan, General Feng, General Zhou,XieYun, YangShao , Advisor Xie , Huan Yu and 3rd madam cui and Prince PinQin) and others, as well as the director and the rest of the crew for making this drama so lively and perfect
I re-watch this drama from the first episode and I might find it difficult to move on from this drama for the next few months after watching the sequel "forever and ever"... this is what I'm most looking forward to...
Was this review helpful to you?
when i fly towards yearning (for more episodes)
honestly, i only watched this because i saw on tiktok that *that* guy from falling into your smile was the main lead (i didn't know his name prior to this show, only his dimples xD), i didn't have many expectations - mostly, due to the romance (i am aromantic, which, often makes me unable to love romcoms, because it makes me cringe, and remind me of the things i will never be able to feel) but almost immediately, i knew that it wouldn't be the case for this show.this show was extremely cliché, i will say that - and i did encounter second-hand embarrassment every now and then - but not in the 'i want to throw my ipad across the room' instead it was bearable - and even made sense at times. because this is about youth, it's about the first experiences and those aren't always glorious. i loved the awkwardness and the realness of the show, i loved all the characters and the ways they completed each other. normally, i never like both the main and second lead couples an equal amount - i'll ALWAYS favor one of them, and yet, i loved everyone the same in this show.
another thing i loved was that there weren't any unnecessary miscommunications, even when that girl went after zhang lurang, i loved how instead of siding with the "wrong" side (mainly, for unnecessary drama, that can drag the show out) instead he believed in zai, and even played along with her, whenever the other girl tried to make a move. and as they grew they supported each other in every way they could.
thank you for giving us a healthy show, with a healthy relationship that contained beautiful growth. as well, as beautiful character development of kids finding themselves in the midst of this hectic world.
definitely rewatching this later.
Was this review helpful to you?
I don't understand why the rating is so low
First of all, I almost gave up of starting this drama because I thought it would be a mess since all the reviews are a bit negative. I was surprised. The story is a lot cute, there's the romance, the friendship, the visuals. I missed an OST more powerfull but that's all. The drama is refreshing, and it has a good story, the characters development it is really good, and now I ill point why I think this.Hye Jun - It is a character who puts a lot of effort in everything he does, if it is his dream, his relationship, his friendships. His relationship with his grandpa is something that worth watch and we can understand through the episodes how he was capable of maintaining his image even after all the scandals people tried to envolve him, it was all because he's really a good person, considerate, someone who values the people around him more than status. His relationship with his dad is a bit problematic but I thought it was enjoyable in the drama too because that's life, who of us never had any misunderstandings on our own families?
Let's talk about Jung Ah, she's someone who suffered a lot because of her mom, she felt abandoned most of her life so she thinks it's better to admire and support someone who is far, someone who will not dissapoint her, I completely understand. Many times in our lives we admire singers, athletes, models, people that as far as they are we think they are amazing, because you know, life gets a little complicated when we know people personally. She choosed the right person, and you know (maybe there will be some spoilers here), I think she did right when she decided to end/postpone a relationship to focus on herself and build her own career, sometimes you have to do this, you have to considerate your feelings more before things just end up ruined. So I think it's delighting the way they meet again years later after both stay more mature, more openly to live their love fully, I think the end of the drama shows it to us too, it's not a sad ending, it's like if they are starting again, but this time being complete on their own, as individuals.
Talking about the other characters I think this is just what happens with Jin u and Hae Na (but I have to say that I missed a better ending for them), and Hae Hyo discovering himself besides his mom influence worth to watch too because it's him getting out of his bubble to draw his own path.
Anyway, I think I was rambling a bit but I have to say, it's a good drama and the bad reviews doesn't define it really well, I enjoyed to watch and recommend it to everyone who wants to watch a simple drama that you can watch with family and have a good feeling about the story in the end.
Was this review helpful to you?
The acting was absolutely superb in every sense of the word. I was completely and undeniably convinced they were who they said they were, and it's safe to say that it's rare for me to feel that way.
My only complaint is that I could've lived without the more inappropriate scenes...I felt they carried on for far too long when other more important things could've been happening.
Overall, this is definitely a movie worth seeing.
Was this review helpful to you?
But it got a bit chaotic. The story went places I was skeptical about. So much noble sacrifice. So much angst that didn't really feel worth it and I longed for the tone in the beginning of the show again. (I'm not against angst, but you want it in proper meaningful doses not just as a go-to-tool to make you care more about characters you already care about). Also character voice-overs that sometimes added to a scene, but just stated the obvious in others. But I trusted it would be better, or at least a bit more happy (I loved the characters and wanted them to feel good), so I persisted.
A lot of people have complaints about the story and worldbuilding and I understand them. I'm usually pretty accepting when it comes to plotholes, inconcistensies etc, but there were quite a few here and I think they added to the less engaged feeling I had in the middle of the series. I also hear they changed the writer in the middle of the series, so that might have to do something with it.
I would say that the interactions between Lee Joon Gi's and Lee Yoo Bi's characters are what make this drama worth watching till the end, despite there being some tropes and effort to romantizise certain scenes (thanks to the music) that aren't really romantic (which is a pity, since there were plenty of beautifully romantic ones). But Lee Joon Gi and Lee Yoo Bi are so good that I just believed it all, and the supporting actors and their stories were really good too. There were also several scenes and dialogues that were really profound and touching.
And the fight and action scenes were really neat. Not to mention the costumes! Gorgeous.
I've seen a lot of people not liking the soundtrack. Granted, there were some weird music choices in some scenes and I think they could have used A LOT LESS love songs the second a romantic scene started (sometimes you should just let a scene speak for itself!). But, there was also some really epic soundtrack, I'm thinking of the instrumental tracks. (especially in action/epic scenes). The feeling of those tracks made me think of Peter Greenaway's music and a certain track by The Mutato Mu used in The Royal Tenenbaums (if anyone knows what I'm talking about). There were scenes where those tracks just enhanced them beautifully, so much that I went back and rewatched a couple of them just for the joy of it. (Too bad those tracks aren't included in the OST).
I would recommend this drama if you like Lee Joon Gi, great acting and touching romance and some epic scenes. If you demand a tight plot, consistent story and a great deal of thought between what's happening you might want to pass. (But then again, if you're a fan of Lee Joon Gi or Lee Yoo Bi, you might not ;) ).
I haven't watched a great deal of dramas (yet), so I'm new to k-drama-land and maybe that's also why I'm willing to overlook some tropes and inconsistensies. But for me, Lee Joon Gi and the other actors along with visuals and some of the music here is unmissable and what makes me willing to rewatch this again sometimes.
Was this review helpful to you?
