Sweet Drama with Contrasting Characters | Hot Male Lead
I love this drama from the beginning. It's so cute! My first reaction was, OMG! Another Chinese drama with hot men -beautiful long eye lashes.The main female character, Chun Hua, is so cute, innocent, and silly. All she cares about is love, at least initially. She is so funny and upstanding at the same time. She captures my heart from the beginning. Though silly and girly, she brightens one up, unlike some similar characters in other dramas that may cringe one up. Zhao Lu Si is indeed a fantastic actress.
The male actors are new to me, but they are awfully good looking. I love looking at them, especially Qiu Yue played by Li Hong Yi; his long eye lashes simply mesmerize me. The Qiu Yue character is a bad boy kind, breaking every conceivable rule. He is powerful and ruthless, and yet has a soft heart for the woman he loves. This is a complex character as it has many facets which are not easily understood. At the same time he exudes an air of sexiness, loneliness follows. I love this mysterious and sexy character, and I'm constantly waiting for his appearances, and yet I also fear him.
In contrast, the second male lead, Xiao Bai played by June Wu, is handsome, powerful and righteous, and yet he lacks the romantic side. Everything is according to the book with him, including love. As much as I want to see him win the love of his life, I'm also torn between my love for Qiu Yue.
The fighting scenes and choreography are simply beautiful and authentic. I'm always amazed how these actors can 'fly' so effortlessly and yet set such incredible awe inspiring poses. The flow of their hair and clothing is simply so beautiful and surreal, and the intense of their faces tells a million words.
The pace can be very slow at times, to the extent that can feel like time has stood still. During such times, the camera tends to zoom onto the actors' faces, trying to capture their emotions. Qiu Yue's face is immaculate. He is so beautiful to look at, in black or white hair. His expressions are very subtle and yet capture exactly the mood, and make viewers empathize with him. Every sentence he utters towards the woman he loves, it is always full of longing and passion. His kisses are always passionate, unlike many kiss scenes in Chinese dramas - just a peck on the lips. He is one of the most sexy characters I have encountered so far in Chinese drama.
I'm impartial with the opening song, but I love the ending song and the others within the drama. This is a very well done drama. Don't miss it!
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This review may contain spoilers
If the shoe fits & Never give up on your Dreams.
::::::FAMOUS SHOE QUOTES:::::::::
"Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world.” - Marilyn Monroe
" A woman can carry a bag, but it is the shoe that carries the woman.” - Christian Louboutin
"It doesn’t matter how great your shoes are if you don"t accomplish anything in them.” - Martina Boone
'Momma always says there's an awful lot you could tell about a person by their shoes. Where they're going. Where they've been.” - Forrest Gump
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::::::::STORY::::::::::
The feel of this series is quite like the novels of 'Danielle Steel' Probably because the novels were based on business, family heritage and struggle to keep the heritage.
Good collection of OST's, there are quite a few of them some are peppy and others soulful and melodious. Gong Jun, Zhong Chuxi and Wu Xuanyi, the actors playing prominent characters in this drama have each sung an(Wu Xuanyi sung two) OST in the series... My personal favorite is " Song of Faith" sung by Wu Xuanyi, very empowering lyrics for women.
::::::::::::::(Rising against the wind. Beginning with Jiang Hu (**)When rising with the wind, Zhaoyang(** )will be there for you. :::::::::::
**note📝 on meaning of Jiang Hu and zhaoyang at the end of review)
This is the story of Jiang Hu(Zhong Chuxi) who along with Zhaoyang(Wu Xuanyi) forges a new future for old brands.
The story starts with an ambitious investor Xu Si (Gong Jun) wishing to acquire, Industrial site of an old shoe brand 'Tengyue' for his land acquisition deal with Yuanfeng Logistics. Tengyue is a company under Free Unicorn group of companies managed by Jiang Qi Shen. Jiang Qi Shen's only daughter, Jiang Hu(zhong chuxi) the Apple of his eye whom he lovingly calls "little butterfly" wants to revive 'Tengyue' brand because the brand has deep connection with her family. 'Tengyue' company had been established by Jiang Hu's maternal grandfather and later her own father, Jiang Qi Shen became famous because of the Tengyue brand, however since the 1980's and 1990's, Jiang Qi Shen focused more on expanding the Free Unicorn Group of Companies which manufacturers clothing and shoes, Tengyue has just one product left and it is just a nostalgic reminder, rather than a profit making unit.
Xu Si tries to get a meeting with Jiang Qi Shen to discuss the sale of Tengyue's industrial site however is unsuccessful to get an appointment so Xu Si tries to approach Jiang Qi Shen through Jiang Hu. Jiang Hu has arranged a party at the factory of Tengyue inviting influencers to start her revival project. Xiang Zhaoyang (Wu Xuanyi) an award winning shoe designer at Aneda, moonlighting as a masked influencer who is also long time high school rival of Jiang Hu, is invited intentionally by Jiang Hu to be an influencer at this event. As per Jiang Hu's plan to boost her online sales of Tengyue shoes, another influencer present at the event exposes the real identity of Zhaoyang..... As a result Zhaoyang loses her job at Aneda due to non-compete agreement.
Soon after this event Jiang Hu's father dies due bad health compounded by sudden financial problems in his business, immediately leading to Free Unicorn being bankrupt. Jiang Hu falls to bad times and is now reviled and preyed upon by the same society vultures who at one time revered her... Jiang Hu decides to take charge of her life and in a desperate bid uses all her leftover inheritance money to buy the Shares of Tengyue and trademark for Tengyue shoes.
Jiang Hu decides to revive the 100 year old brand Tengyue, she shifts into factory premises.. She doesn't have funds to continue current manufacturing operations, She meets many challenges to revive the brand and she tackles those problems head on, she has to negotiate with Xu Si to allow her to continue operation at the industrial site of Tengyue that now belonged to his company purchased during the bankruptcy auction of free unicorn. She forms a new team of personnel:
*Yang Jian( Gao zhiting) and his merry band of boys operating online website help her with online sales at the starting of her company.
*Zhaoyang becomes the shoe designer for her company
* Ms.Yue from her father's old company joins in as Account manager
* Mr. Pei her maternal uncle becomes the production manger.
* Jiang Hu herself handles marketing and sales.
* Boss the old factory dog becomes her constant companion in this new journey
Jiang Hu with the help of her new team, overcomes various problems faced by an outdated brand... She successfully handles HR problems created by some old workers, redesigns the shoes, tackles the problem of distribution and sales by using innovative marketing strategies. Growing influence of e-commerce in current market scenario is highlighted in this drama. She continues to plod on by using the motivational quote "going against the wind".
Along the way she finds love, Xu Si... Makes new friends, Yang Jian and reconnects with her old rival turned BFF, Zhaoyang. This show has shown quite a realistic depiction(text book version) of business problems and their solution.
Besides Xu Si and Jiang Hu's love story there is also a secondary love story of Zhaoyang and Yang Jian, Zhaoyang's step brother who has been in love with Zhaoyang since last ten years.
As much as this is a story of the successful revival of an old brand in a new market, it is also a story of human connections and team building.
As per my understanding, this series is focusing on TWO business issues.
1. Growing impact of influencers and internet in generating sales of any product. It is necessary for old brands to use new methods to survive in current market.
2. Small old businesses shutting down due to lack of funds and lack of modern technologies that other big companies have at their disposal to manufacture more at cheaper rate due to having deep pockets and accessibility to mechanised impersonal technology......
Handmade, indigenous products and labourers are suffering.... Saving these business is another theme of this series. What a country needs not not few big brands but diversified national brands.
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::::::::RELATIONSHIPS:::::::
First Leads
Gong Jun(XU Si) x Zhong Chuxi(Jiang Hu)
The headstrong CEO meets an arrogant daughter.. Their story is combustive with sparks flying everywhere, they have a spicy and confrontational love story. In the beginning there are lots of trust issues, Jiang Hu has been betrayed by people closest to her so it's quite difficult for her to trust an 'Investor' who might take away her company. Slowly their relationship transitions into reluctant partnership morphing into trust and finally love.
Second leads
Gao Zhi Ting(Yang Jian) x Wu Xuanyi(Xiang Zhaoyang)
Sweet designer with her step brother, they have known each other since childhood. Their story provides a breath of fresh air on a sunny day... Their love story is more tender. Yang Jian has always cared for zhaoyang. Standing like a rock beside her, ensuring she is safe, happy and silently removing all obstacles in her path. He showers his love by ensuring zhaoyang is always well fed, making delicious food, taking care of the household chores leaving her free to pursue her dreams, encouraging her creativity and progress.
BFFs; Zhong Chuxi (Jiang Hu) x Wu Xuanyi (Xiang zhaoyang)
Both these girls have known the other since high school. They are competitive to the extreme, they like the same food, music and both had a crush on Gao Yi. Due to zhaoyang's humble background and Jiang Hu's privileged upbringing there were lots of hostile situations causing friction between the girls in their earlier years.. After Jiang Hu lost her father and decided to revive 'Tengyue' shoes, she and zhaoyang a shoe designer who wanted to bring authentic chineses designs back in the market joined hands and became a formidable team, tackling all hardships and forging ahead in their own paths to success, achieving their personal goals while securing a glorious future for 'Tengyue'.
Both love stories provide a mix of sweet and spicy while all them together struggle to even the odds stacked against them...Also there is a plausible and realistic platonic relationship between Jiang Hu and Yang Jian who become confidants having trusting work relations because both have warm and outgoing personalities. Xu Si and Xiang Zhaoyang also share admiration for the other's ability, recognizing the other's capability but they always maintain a cool efficient business relationship due their reserved nature... All these relationships were in tandem till the 100 year anniversary of Tengyue (first 32 episodes) then suddenly lots of angst, non-communication made their relations seem strained and filled with lots of melodrama in the latter part of the series... But in episodes 39 and 40, concluding episodes the series tied everything in a pretty bow and gave a Happy Ending for both the couples.
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::::::::ACTORS PLAYING THEIR CHARACTERS:::::::
Gong Jun playing Xu Si :
Gong Jun played the part of a dispassionate and shrewd investor quite well. He was able to display a wide range of emotions through his character. In the beginning his attitude was arrogant for the goal oriented Xu Si... Later in the series with the change in Xu Si's character, Gong Jun 's eyes reflected his turmoil, sadness and hurt. He also revealed during the promotional campaign for the drama and his own personality was quite introvert compared to Xu Si's extrovert nature, so as an actor he did a fabulous job.
Zhong Chuxi playing Jiang Hu:
Zhong Chuxi looks stunning as Jiang Hu the rich heiress who dresses in expensive designer shoes & dresses and drives a fast red car, she portrayed the haughty and imperious side of Jiang Hu 'To the T'. Her body language exuded her confidence, then she was equally believable as a 'fallen from grace' startup entrepreneur, who uses her wit and intelligence to forge ahead... .Zhong Chuxi's charming smile and genial attitude makes Jiang Hu's struggles to achieve success in business relatable.
Wu Xuanyi playing Xiang Zhaoyang:
Wu Xuanyi was remarkable in her depiction of Xiang Zhaoyang.. Zhaoyang with her tenacious nature, achieving success with her hardwork, appearing detached and indifferent but very warm hearted and loyal to the core. Wu Xuanyi successfully Portrayed the minimal expression of zhaoyang used to keeping her own counsel. Her demeanor was professional and reserved giving professional vibe. Body language was closed.. This is good acting because Wu Xuanyi in her real life is more of a vivacious, outgoing personality. As wu Xuanyi discussed in the promotional campaign she herself is an extrovert playing the role of an introvert zhaoyang. ( If you like wu Xuanyi, do read my highlights in the comment section of this review about, why I like Zhaoyang in spite of her imperfections. )
Gao Zhi Ting playing Yang Jian:
This is the first time, I am watching Gao Zhi Ting's work... His portrayal of Yang Jian is very candid.......When he smiles it is quite wholesome and genuine and his crestfallen face when Zhaoyang is not happy with him is full of emotions.... Gao Zhiting is a very natural actor, all emotions of his character are well conveyed through his face and body posture. He carries out "the boy next door" image quite well.
Honorable mentions
1. Wei zhe Ming who played the part of Gao Yi did not have much screen time but he managed to capture audience's attention with few scenes, his character was also a more distant personality, fre scenes that he had to showcase his emotions were with his wife... There his tearful anguish filled face evoked sympathy in viewer's heart.
2. Wen Zheng Rong who played the character of Yue Shan was brilliant in her ultra efficient, tolerate no nonsense manner suiting a woman who has spent majority of her life navigating the business world.
3. Morni Chang who played the character of Pei Zhi Yuan, a true veteran actor realistically brought to life the supportive maternal uncle of Jiang Hu who was equally miserly and opportunist while still retaining his love for his niece.
4. BOSS the dog was the showstopper, he was such a well trained animal, so many BTS of actors having a great time playing with him are uploaded on the net.. I don't know how the trainer manages to get the dog to display different postures and emotions at different time... For me BOSS was 'THE BOSS' of this series.
*********************************************
OVERALL: A unique drama depicting realistic business scenarios while superbly telling a story of revival of a brand and struggle of two ladies Jiang Hu and Zhaoyang, rising in their own spheres, defying the odds stacked against them., though after first 32 episodes things turn more melodramatic like a soap opera.... However the show got back on track in last two episodes 39 and 40 and managed to resolve the whole story in a satisfactory manner.....A must watch.
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:::;:Note📝 on Jiang Hu and Zhaoyang meaning:::::
Zhaoyang means 'rising sun'(☀️).I did a little google Research on the name Jiang Hu, it is a bit more complicated to understand...... But simply speaking it translates to 'rivers and lakes' in terms of wuxia. The meaning of the name Jiang Hu, that I think is most suitable for this drama is a band of virtuous outcasts of society grouping to form their own parallel society with their own code of rules.... Isn't that what Jiang Hu is trying to achieve with Tengyue?? Bringing together a band of outcasts to form her own version of perfect society.
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PS: If anyone is interested in reading more;
1. I am leaving clickable links to my episodes summary and musings in the comments section of this review(each episodic comment has two parts, general thoughts and another spoiler tag comments including details of those episodes)...... I have given a brief overview of the episodes along with my personal musing in them.
2. Also leaving in the comment to this review, my explanation of certain business situations pertaining to this drama.
3.My 'Minority Report' why I like the character of ZHAOYANG, inspite of her imperfections... Main highlights only.
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I found this story to be uniquely original and took a Rom/Com to a whole new place and added in a good dose of humor into the mix as well. Lee Min Ki's performance is excellent as always showcasing both physical humor as well as touching emotional scenes he is the best character actor. I would call this a unique romance. I was prepared not to like this and found it a very touching story with both chills and thrills.
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To my surprise, the first episode had me completely absorbed. Before I knew it, I was past the point of no return and found myself rooting for Empress Dowager Chun Chu to get control of Goryeo's throne; for Kim Chi Yang's duplicity and betrayal to be revealed; and for the Empress Dowager of Khitan to prevail over her son, the Emperor, who wants go to war and make Goryeo a tributary state.
The story obviously had me engrossed. Among the characters and the actors who portrayed them, the actor who plays the role of the mad king, whom Chun Chu marries, stands out. The role requires the actor to be rude, boorish, churlish, etc., and I can only imagine how fun that was for the actor to play and it shows in his acting, which is at times both electrifying and laugh out loud funny. As to Chae Shi Ra, she plays her lead role with consummate skill. She has to lest the entire drama crumble and collapse.
Finally, I learned something watching The Iron Empress. I had no idea that the Khitan or the Liao Dynasty was a massive and influential power that rivaled the Song Dynasty. I learned they were a nomadic tribe that transformed itself into a civilized culture and military superpower, a precursor of sorts of Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire.
Two more things: I gave the drama an overall rating of 8 because there are about 15 episodes that are fillers or padding, and the fighting scenes showing the character Gang Jo wielding his spear is the most awesome display of martial arts I've seen in all of K-Drama.
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The drama itself is good, I loved the leads because personally I'm a hard fan of Kim Hee-Ae. Is a familiar drama condensed in 20 episodes and well carried but I have to say sometimes it was a bit long to me.
Where I should to start? If you are searching an adult drama without these childish moments in others of the same genre this is your drama.
Mature actor/actresses portraying mature characters. Good!
To point:
- The plot is very common, but the secondary characters personal stories add salt to the drama.
- The locations are beautiful or at least to me! A way to meet new cities or landscapes in korea.
- The family theme is cute, and probably one of my favorite things in this drama maybe because my family is very similar to them and I love these kind of bonds.
To REMARK:
If you like Kim seulgi.. Just watch this drama, I dont know why but this girl has charisma as actress and I think she could make easily others roles apart of romcom.
Aaaaaaaaaaaand I wanna add one thing more, I finished this drama because I I got so used to the stories of the others couples. Don't disappointed *thumb up*
Personal opinion:
No my favorite drama, maybe it will go to that '' re watch some parts'' list. But if you are bored give to this a try!
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One thing I thought was very well done and hadn't really seen in a teen drama is the story line that follows someone with a true mental illness. It's only in one episode and I don't want to spoil anything, so I won't say more than that except to say I was impressed that the topic was even brought up and that it was faced so "head on." Thumbs up to the writers on that part of the story for sure.
There were two things I felt were a bit off about this, but I don't want to use spoilers so I'll be vague. However, when you watch the series I think you will easily understand and then I'd be interested to know if you agree...
1) There was a character that I thought I would see more of, but didn't...and it seemed like the story line for that character was left a bit in the air. I found it a bit annoying that there wasn't closure for that person...or at least a proper connection to the end of the story.
2) There is one question that isn't answered that I really wish had been. Perhaps it is answered in the 2nd season? I don't know. It's not a deal breaker thing, just something I found myself wondering about and wished an answer had been given.
All in all, I really liked this series and I recommend it for anyone who just wants a bit of light drama.
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This review may contain spoilers
The Rise of Phoenixes lingers in my head: beautiful cinematography, remarkable art and design, and excellent performance and acting. There are lots of implicit story details hidden in Chinese dialogue, actors'/actresses' lines, their subtle performance, and sets/props, which could be easily overlooked. If one tries to find something entertaining, simple, and straightforward, this is not a good fit for that purpose. However, with an imagined historical setting, this drama challenges many Chinese traditions and Confucianist norms. First, The Rise of Phoenixes presents a new level of gender equality in the protagonists' relationship. Although they had romantic feelings towards each other in an ancient setting in which women were subordinates to men, the male protagonist always respected the female protagonist's decisions and intelligence, and she always considered herself an equal to him -- she never asked for help, protection, or acted as an appendage in the court politics. Second, the male protagonist has an interesting modern (also liberal) personality: a challenger and an idealist. His utopia was ALL ARE EQUAL BEFORE THE LAW. This ideal was shared by the female protagonist (hence the strong bond between the two). It is also an interesting reflection of social reality in China and can be discussed in depth in terms of Chinese view about social justice without the system of democracy. In terms of his personality, he is not afraid of confrontation. He is also aggressive and true to his feeling and emotion. He does not compromise. These are not considered to be positive qualities in Chinese and Confucianist culture, and many Chinese stories and TV drama portray that in order to succeed, especially in politics, one must endure pains, hide emotions, and avoid confrontations. Finally, this series presents the emperor/father as a real human being, rather than just a symbol of power. The emperor/father was a man who always chose power over his family, but he was also hurt, had weakness, and felt the pain when he was a father. Unlike other Chinese historical drama, in which the emperor often functions as a symbol of power and is always cruel, I really enjoy the actor's performance, complicating his role between the emperor and father. Highly recommended! This work is worth of going back again and again. Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I don’t think this is the kind of drama either you will like or hate. I personally am pretty confused whether i liked it or not. It GREATLY depends on who you want to watch it for. Bc the story revolves ONLY around Ka Suo(Feng Suo) and Li Luo(Luo Luo). My favorite characters always were Yue Shen, Ying Kong Shi, Xing Jiu and Pian Feng. AND i’m really not a fan of Ka Suo so it bothered me a little. I mean if you’re thinking of watching it because of any other character OR for a great happy ending i recommend you to slowly close this page and never look back.I really want to talk positively about it because it made me feel things, you know? And there were pretty meaningful messages. But i want to talk abt negative things first.
The female lead KEPT ON bugging me for 16 episodes straight. Something was really wrong with her my eyes always kept on searching Victoria. Her acting was off too. Idk if it’s bc of the characters but even the Ice Fantasy casts acting wasn’t as good as before.
The storyline was also a bit messy but that is in a tolerable level.
*From this point the review may contain some spoilers.*
I. LITERALLY. REALLY. HATED the reincarnated versions of the other tribe leaders and that was the biggest con for me. I mean i was so happy when i first saw Yue Shen why would you destroy that?? And that elegant Chao Ya was thinking all about money and stuff.. I don’t want to accept that.
Like i said if you’re looking for some kind of happy ending just forget it. I personally always thought the ending as a happy one like all the tribe leaders are together and drinking wine or sth (I DON’T even like happy endings that much). Although this (quasi) wasn’t a sad ending it definitely wasn’t a happy ending. If you cried in the final of Ice Fantasy i’m telling you i cried x3 times more in this. They just TRIED (but failed) to create a happy ending at the last 15 minutes or something but what’s the point of a little tittering when you’ve been crying for hours.
I also have some question marks for example: How did the grandma gained her powers? Why was Xing Jiu the only person that was living in the Snow Blade City?
Honestly speaking, i don’t think everyone can love Ying Kong Shi in Ice Fantasy (even though i adored him) but in Ice Fantasy Destiny you won’t be able to help but fall for him. Ying Kong Shi... my sweet little bean.. I’m so sorry for what they did to you. You and Yan Da at least deserved some happiness together.
If we are to talk about positive things i must say they are quite fewer of them.
I loved the message about fate; no matter what you do, however hard you try, even if you’re an immortal with superpowers if something’s destined to be you can’t even prevent it in the 7th life.
I’m telling you THE BOND Ying Kong Shi has with Ka Suo and Yan Da was the only thing that kept me watching the drama. It may seem little bit if it wasn’t for this i don’t think i’d even rate Ice Fantasy Destiny 5 out of 10. And i was quite happy to see Ying Kong Shi gained the love of at least one more family member, he looked so satisfied even just with that.
Do we even need to talk about XING JIU’S ADORABLENESS??? He was the cutest in this drama, trying to sit in the refrigerator and so on, i’ll assure you you’ll even fall deeper for him.
ALL IN ALL if you really liked Ice Fantasy and Ka Suo or if you’re interested in reincarnation you definitely can (SHOULD) give it a shot. I’m not unhappy i watched it but it definitely could be better.
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A Wuxia-ish Xianxia or A Xianxia-ish Wuxia?
The original Chinese title for this drama is "Wǔlín Yǒu Jiāoqì" (武林有娇气), which more or less means "The Feminine of Wulin". This suggests that the story is about the female character, Ye Xi (Huang Riying) who is a ginseng spirit that turns human with no heart. This is a xianxia story with wuxia elements of chivalry and upholding of social and moral codes. All the characters are mortal except Ye Xi who is immortal. The fighting scenes are typical that of wuxia sword fighting with the exception of Ye Xi who has superpowers.Ye Xi is kind, chivalrous, trusting and sees only the good in people. She enters “Jianghu” to seek out a man with whom she can love and be loved and hold hand in their adventure of the world. Due to the lack of a heart, Ye Xi doesn’t understand what love is. She repeatedly falls prey to despicable men who just want to make use of her for their ulterior motives. Again and again, she is betrayed, her reputation ruined, and is killed. Each time she resurrects, she loses memories of her previous life, repeats her mistake and dies again.
This is my first drama of Huang Riying. I find her very beautiful and her acting convincing. Despite some poor logic of the writing of the character, viewers can empathize with Ye Xi for her bad fate without criticizing her for her naivety as Huang Riying gives us a very lovely portrayal of the character especially with her fighting movements which are graceful and believable.
Bai Yue (Li Hongyi) is a genius doctor and the master of Fenghua Valley where all the medicinal herbs are grown. He has an unforgiving tongue but deep down, he has a kind heart. He lives a secluded life and has had poor health since childhood and needs ginseng to sustain life. Ye Xi cures him by giving him some of her ginseng roots. Since then, Bai Yue has been guarding Ye Xi secretly and silently. He has been there during all Ye Xi's encounters including her deaths and resurrections. Gradually he falls in love with her but has to suppress his feelings due to a curse passed down from his predecessor.
Li Hongyi plays the genius doctor so convincingly with his indifferent demeanor and ethereal good look cladding in white robe. He is so funny whenever he gets angry or jealous and Li Hongyi nails the role.
Other cast members are very convincing too playing their respective roles. The villains are despicable, and their demise hails exhilaration from the viewers. The second couple is very cute and enjoyable to watch. There is also a love triangle which no one roots for the second male lead, the Cang Qi (Zhu Zanjin) character. Zhu Zanjin’s portrayal is so good that even I feel suffocated with his relentless obsession of Ye Xi.
My Verdict
This is a very enjoyable and interesting story with a mixture of xianxia, wuxia and palace politics. The acting is good, and the dark and funny plot is compelling. The writing, logic and overall production are acceptable though some parts of the editing are messy, and some dialogs are disjointed.
Perhaps because of Li Hongyi’s success in The Blood of Youth, this drama is being promoted more leaning towards the actor including with a rather misleading English title Wulin Heroes, instead of towards Huang Liying whose character Ye Xi is what the story about. This is rather unfortunate and unfair for Huang Liying who has done a remarkable job here.
Great romance, interesting story, lovely characters. Don’t miss it!
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Going down the hill
It started very promising. The first few episodes up to like the sixth episode were truly entertaining. I especially enjoyed that playful bond between team players and Sam and Tom's friendship—absolutely the cutest thing ever and a reminder for the BL industry that two people can be very close and touchy while staying friends and not developing any romantic feelings. Honorable mention for characters having consistent personalities, which is rare in Thai industry. Now the couples, during those six episodes, we've got to see a very original story of Sprite and Zee. I absolutely loved the acting of these two. It's actually admirable to play two people at the same time and still make them very recognizable and visibly different. About Jack and Mike: great chemistry, finally we're starting a relationship from a mutual attraction instead of hate or random mutual love at first sight. Sam and Tan—overall, they were pretty cute.I know many people thought they were awkward, but personally, I think it just added to their charm. New relationships tend to be awkward and imperfect sometimes.Then we got past the sixth episode, and the downfall had begun. Truly random, unnecessary problems; chaotic scenes that didn't really make sense chronologically. I feel like I've watched them, but I didn't—the director just poured whatever to fill up the space between the 6th and 12th episode. I could let this go if the 12th episode was really worth all the bs, but I'm afraid it wasn't. I mean, I like how they mentioned some issues and resolved them, but bro, they had 6 random episodes that gave nothing just to overfill the 12th episode with every possible plot point they found. They could've further developed Tan and Sam's storyline, shown us more about Jack's family, and, in general, more about Mike and Jack's dynamics (during those 6 episodes they appeared maybe like 4 times are you fr). They could've shown us more about the relationship between Zee and Sprite getting better, it seemed like they suddenly just let all the bitter feelings that we've learned about in the summary go. There were many, many possibilities, all wasted now. I set the rewatch value as 5, because I'm definitely watching those six episodes again, but I'll act like whatever comes next never happened. I suggest y'all just come up with your own ending; I bet it'll be more interesting.
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This review may contain spoilers
Thrilling & Addictive
THE LEGEND OF HAO LAN (Hao Lan Zhuan) was a rollercoaster ride from start to finish, a powerful story of one woman's rise from the ashes to the Empress seat and beyond. First of all, even though the ending felt somewhat uncertain and unsatisfying, I truly loved this show, though it certainly had its shortcomings. It is a historical reimagining full of unpredictable twists and turns, fatalistic characters and a high tension plot. Be in mind, however, this drama is more political than it is romantic and at times this series builds false hopes in that department.Many people compare this series to Story of Yanxi Palace, mainly because of the similar casting lineup and high quality. These stories should not be compared otherwise, as they are drastically different entities featuring completely different eras, storylines and motives.
Taking place in the Warring States era not long before the gradual unification of war-torn China, this series opens up to a grand political stage in which the rising conflicts between the Qin and Zhou states become increasingly heated. The political storyline is brimming with tension and packs a hard punch, though the pacing is occasionally hindered by some pointless strife and redundancy, as well as some far fetched scenarios.
The character of Hao Lan, as played by Wu Jinyan, was such a relatable, powerful, yet deeply flawed heroine. There is so much complexity there. Li Hao Lan is a deeply tortured character who overcomes many horrible obstacles in her path, growing in strength and cunning as she climbs the political ladder. It's hard not to immediately empathize with her from the beginning as she pledges never to be used and disrespected again. Her character is full of vulnerability and boldness.
It's often tragic what Hao Lan has to face and how it inevitably changes her, for both better and for worse. I love how this series showcases her strengths and weaknesses, and never tries to convince the viewer that she is a saint, as some dramas tend to do with their leads. Wu Jin Yan is really an amazing actress, whose versatility causes her to be so compelling in her roles. She is so believably witty, bold and has such an emotional range as an actress. Brilliant to watch.
Another exceptionally brilliant aspect was the highly (overly) ambitious character of the cunning merchant-businessman Lü Buwei, acted by Yuan Nie. Lü Buwei is a very amazing character with such an overbearing ruthless personality and intense political ambition, while at the same time very charming and pitiful. Yuan Nie is awing in this role where his character is so believably complicated and conflicted. He has an amazing stage presence as well, and that is easily seen in every physical gesture, confident declaration, temperamental outburst, passionate confession, and down to his subtle calculating expressions and mannerisms. He plays an unforgettable character here.
Lü Buwei is an unwavering force of nature in this series and his character story provides a strange mixture of tragic satisfaction to see him strive, achieve and suffer loss- a character whose strengths are also his weakness. Almost self defeating. I found myself constantly rooting for him despite his almost deplorable villainous tendencies. He is an excellent depiction of an antihero in my opinion and I found him insanely compelling and charismatic, and his lifelong entanglement with Hao Lan was endlessly mesmerizing.
The relationships (partners, friendships, romances) aspect of this series is often very tragic, toxic and twisted, with many one-sided loves, vengeful partners, back stabbing, misunderstandings, betrayals, losses etc. Hao Lan and her love choices are no different, sadly. Add to that there were quite a few characters (villains) that were driven by unrealistic motives and over the top emotions, far too many to name honestly, but thankfully some had last minute epiphanies or redemptive motives revealed. At times this show felt very bleak and stressful feeling. One thing I truly loved was the unshakable friendship between Li Hao Lan and Physician Yin Xiaochun. Beautiful. I also really liked the "three musketeers vibes" between Hao Lan, Lü Buwei and Yi Ren.
Although this is a pretty dark series, there was so much to love. With an amazing memorable cast, cracking character chemistry, tense storyline, political intrigue, beautiful music scores (opening credits included), great sets, locations, costumes, and artistic design. Overall, this was a very great series and had me hooked. There are many great underlying themes as well, such as women's equality, ambition, freedom etc. In some ways this is an ode of feminism as well. And even though I still feel ambiguous about the ending, it's given me so much to think about. Loved it.
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Terrible script, amazing acting
I’m going to start with the positive. Beautiful OST and amazing casting - because this group of actors, including the younger supporting cast that have heavy chunk of the dialogue were absolutely hands down incredible. This is the saving grace foe this show, the only saving grace.Of course I’ll give a shout out to the stunning location they set this, and the cute doggy that low key rolls through this drama like a boss.
However, what a gigantic mess this script is. FL starts out a timid doormat of a mess, with everything going wrong for her in her life. I was hoping amidst all of that nonsense this was setting a stage for a great rediscovery of herself and a massive character arc. Half way thru, I’m thinking, nope we are no further forward in that regard. In fact what we got in small town Korea was the most toxic behavior possible. We have enabling of addiction, we have enablers of violence, enabling cover ups of potential murder, we have emotional manipulation of people perceived as weak, and lets why not just for fun pad all of that out with violent bullying (with victim blaming by the resposible adults), drunks up the wahzoo and psychological trauma that has been left untreated. Shoddy police work and lets just say, I hope when people claim Korea os nothing like these dramas, that they are correct. Because that is surely no advertisement for Korea or its people, and I certainly don’t think their cultural issues are going away when that kind of behavior is promoted as acceptable in their media.
This contiues and just when you hope it might have been an annoying one time only deal-you have another and then another toxic scenario. Perhaps the writers delight in all of that stuff. The result was that it overwhelmed the sweet and wholesome slow-burn romance (that will frustrate you if you need more from your romance) and the bonding of the friendships that develop here. It ends satisfactorily-for the most part. But I feel like the ratings are far too high for this considering the content. Hometown Cha Cha Cha did this better, similar feel, but better script. The actors deserved better than that, because they truly pulled out all the stops.
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This review may contain spoilers
A dark, symbolic look at the harm of social ostracizing
I wrote a full analysis of the short, because I found it very fascinating. It was initially jarring, but I felt like everything was very intentional.As far as non-spoilers, the acting was great for the brief amount of time that the actors had. It felt very gritty and authentic, and the setting was intentionally and successfully disturbing. I think the concept was interesting and heartbreaking, but highly effective. As for the music, I don't recall if there even was any, so I can't say much there. It's heavy and not exactly a light watch, so I can't say the rewatch value is high. But it did inspire a lot of thought in me, hence the veritable essay.
I only wish it could be longer, because there was a lot to unpack here. For what it was, and for such a short length, it was impressive. I'm just sad I couldn't see the theme explored more thoroughly, with time for us to love the characters.
It's worth a watch and is very short, so don't read the spoilers below until you've seen it!
SPOILERS:
The entire short is an allegory for the way society rejects gay youth, which leads to them ending up in dangerous situations because they're unable to find love in healthy, safe places. Elijah is a protected, middle class boy with parents who worry about him, entering a dank, dirty area to have sex with a stranger because he's not in a position to court and date the boys at his school, etc. He has to hide who he is, which leads him down a deadly path.
Kokoy plays two roles in this short, which is very significant to the story's climax. Elijah sees four prostitutes, the REAL Kokoy among them. They all die in highly symbolic ways throughout the evening, and the killer is very likely the final, fake Kokoy that Elijah sees in the last shot. Although the killer himself may be more of a metaphor for the way the streets (bad people included) are what kill a lot of these young men, as far as a narrative device, this is a wolf in sheep's clothing scenario for Elijah's character.
In the beginning, it's clear Elijah has only ever spoken to this person online and on the phone, so he has no way of verifying that he is who he says he is. This is reflected again in the bathroom scene, when Elijah hears the phone ring but can't be sure where it's coming from. He's being catfished, but he doesn't know it yet.
All of the boys Elijah sees are already dead, victims of the man who is now using Kokoy's phone and photos to lure Elijah out. This is why in the end there's an exchange where Kokoy clearly doesn't know who Elijah is, and when he turns back to him, Kokoy is also dying.
The final shot is Elijah nervously approaching a person wearing Kokoy's face. The audience still sees the catfish identity, but Elijah is seeing the actual man, the killer. This is why he hesitantly walks toward him before the screen fades to white, as if overpowering the viewer. Elijah's own uncertainty and naivete are his undoing. We can assume he meets the same fate as the other boys this man has trapped.
The fact that the bodies of each victim are out in plain sight is reflective of the same society that cast them out now expressing indifference at their loss. These young people are treated like trash rotting in the street, undesirables, purely because they're males who love other males. The purpose of bringing Elijah in was to show how even sheltered children are exposed to these risks because of how society treats LGBT people.
I can see why people didn't like this, but honestly, I really enjoyed it. I think it's initially confusing, but when you stop and think about it, the pieces are all there. It had a clear and powerful message once you decipher all of the hints and implications.
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Doctor Prisoner is a great cat and mouse, revenge drama. The pacing of the story is spot on, I rarely felt that a scene or arc, for that matter, was dragging on for to long. The story stays true to the original premise throughout the show. It is sometimes quite predictable. But, more often then not the they story stays one step ahead to keep the suspense and intrigue.
Acting/Cast: 8.5
I thoroughly enjoyed the acting in Doctor Prisoner and found the cast to amazing fits for their respective characters. I would have loved to see more emotional range from Nam Goong Min who plays the main role as Na Yi Je. His character often feels a bit one dimensional, as 99% of the time he is a mysterious, stoic character that shows little to no emotion. My rating might be lower if not for Kim Byung Chul as Sun Min Shik and Choi Won Young as Lee Jae Joon. Their acting was spot on and often had me at the edge of my seat.
Music: 8.0
I am not to picky about the music in the dramas I watch; all I ask is that it not be over the top or over used. Thankfully Doctor Prisoner mainly uses music too enhance scenes and often it is in the background. It is never over the top and never finds itself out staying its welcome. Nothing blew me away, but at the same time nothing bothered me about it.
Rewatch Value: 6.0
I don't see myself ever re-watching this show. Not that its a bad show, but their are much better shows I would watch if I wanted to re-watch something.
Overall: 7.0
I would recommended this show if you are looking for a interesting revenge story that is not crazy dark or you just want to watch something that is not a romance drama for a change of pace.
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Story: I extremely love how the concept, storytelling, writing and characterization were full of creativity and uniqueness. You’ll never miss a single smile per episode, the opening scenes were like appetizers, it sets the mood in a fun way, every flashback has a story, it’s great to see how they formed and maintain their brotherhood through the years. The story mainly dealt on the 4 main casts friendship, romance and careers.For me, they offer the ultimate story of real friendship; through thick and thin they’re solid, when caught in several mischiefs, they cover up for one another and if they happen to hurt the other, though it’s hard, they forgive. When the four unites, whether they drink, play or have some issues to take care of, the way they handle their talks will make you laugh at some point. Another good point of this drama was the balanced use of limelight for all of the characters, it stays strong that the 4 gentlemen were really the center of the story. Every individual shines on their own, each of the gentleman had their conflict to resolve, no one overshadowed the other though it’s clear from the beginning that the main romance will revolve on Kim Do Jin and Seo Yi Soo . Each one has a romance to follow, they were engaging and it’s mostly on a mature tone which is expected; we were dealing with middle-aged man in the first place, however if I may pick on the best love story of the four , I would choose the one who has the story of first love, their love was simply wonderful . The chemistry of all the couples were greatly seen, I’m always betting for all of them to have their own happy endings, they looked attractive couples on screen. The ending was unexpected and fun! What an outrageous yet very sweet proposal, who wouldn’t say yes to it? Honestly, the ending made this show a 10 for me.
Acting/ cast: Well, the utilization of the 40 year old gentlemen as main casts were already daebak for me, it’s original and interesting already and that made me watch this show . How they blend perfectly as to how the story unfolded made the story even better. In my opinion, no other casts would have done their roles better than them. To make it simply, the characters they portray fit them with every emotion they show was credible, no complaints at all.
Music: The songs were melancholic, sometimes fun, sometimes sweet. Well there’s distinctive song here which was a first for me to hear. I don’t know if it’s the OST because it’s mostly played but it’s a first to hear a song in a Korean drama having an English lyrics. It’s good and another good deviation from the usual Korean music scores.
Rewatch Value: I rarely rewatch, but this deserves a high rewatch value for me.
Overall: A great unique drama. Different in a lot ways but share a deep bond within themselves, having same passion of loving their women – these gentlemen , who wouldn’t love them? :)
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