While it can get quite dark and emotionally traumatizing to watch (having to see the characters you've come to love go through awful hell), there are also moments that are indescribably beautiful - of re-discovering oneself, of strength, of love. At the very least, it will likely leave you questioning and reflecting upon yourself, of how you have lived your life up to this present point.
If you're on the fence about whether or not to watch this, I would say take the plunge if you're not afraid of trying something different and if you're open to shades of grey in life. :)
P.S. This is the first time I have ever liked a drama so much that I felt compelled to leave a review right after finishing it. That action in itself shows how much it has affected me.
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Gritty and epic
This version, out of the numerous adaptations of the same Jin Yong saga, the “Legend of the Condor Heroes”, was the least popular amongst those made in the last 30 years.However, this review was written with the hope that this version will receive more positive attention, as it was certainly deserving of it, being an earnestly and beautifully produced, directed and performed show which did the fantastic saga justice.
Plot:
Story-wise, this was one of the most faithful to the saga in the novels. It was also relatively well-executed. Hence, the plot, story and execution were the strengths of this adaptation. However, it was not without flaws as the show focused on certain parts of the story more than others, resulting in an imbalance (as per the story in the novels). If one was not too nit-picky, that was still one shortcoming which can be overlooked.
Particularly worthy of note was the period while the story was based in Mongolia. There was more emphasis on this phase of Guo Jing’s journey in this version than there were in the others, and the care taken were admirable. If there was an absolute I dare assert with regard to the adaptations, it was that the 2003 version had the best Mongolia-based-phase out of all existing adaptations, no ifs-or-buts about it. It was truly fantastic, even with the inevitable flaws.
Cast/Acting:
There were many criticisms and controversy with regard to the casting, especially for the main leads. However, while everybody had their own preferences for actors/actresses and their interpretations of the characters, personally, I found the acting and interpretations to be solidly competent and robustly interesting. I love the Huang Rong and Guo Jing here. Both the portrayals by Zhou Xun and Li Ya Peng were impressionable and highly memorable. They left their own marks on these classic characters.
The only main issue I had was with Yang Kang and his actor, whom I thought overacted most times. Still, he did well, just not really my cup-of-yes. The rest of the cast also did excellently and left a deep impression. I particularly appreciated the presence and gravitas some of the more veteran actors and actresses brought to the secondary characters, especially the more major characters of the wuxia masters.
Action sequences/CGI:
While there were some annoying overuse of CGI, overall, I thought the usage was appropriate for the scenes they were employed in, and did not unnecessarily overshadow the more traditional kungfu moves during the same action sequences.
Cinematography:
The cinematography here was simply breathtaking, with shooting locations spanning the breadth of China from the north to the south, giving a sense of deep realism to this version that moved me. In tandem with that touch of realism, the framing used also brought out the ethereal aesthetic of a black and white ink painting in many scenes, lending many scenes a sense of immersive beauty.
This version used a palette of muted and darker colours for its scenes, lending a dirtier, grittier and more epic feel to the whole show, which really matched the wuxia genre, I thought. Not only that, it lent a tinge of tragedy and bittersweetness throughout. While the story was a somewhat positive exposition on the journey of a patriot-hero, it was also a story littered with deaths and tragedies, and I applauded the show for not shying away from this sense of sadness through its visual presentation.
Costumes:
The costumes and set pieces utilised here could be considered simple and drab, but were actually custom made for the show based on historical records and the novels, and here too, the effort to be true to its source material and historical background was clearly shown.
Music:
While the tracks used here would have their work cut out for them in topping the nostalgic impact of the TVB adaptations’ theme songs, I never once thought it paled in comparison. The opening theme song, “Heaven and Earth Are in My Heart” was a marvelously epic encapsulation of the whole ‘hero’ journey, and the ending song, “True Love is Beautiful” was a lovely sentimental ballad which could well ensnare your audio senses. The musical score employed throughout the show was also suitably impressive - compositions which were predominantly classical Chinese instrumentals - elevating the impact of many scenes.
Conclusion:
This was the least pretty adaptation so far, with an intensity and realism that made it a more plodding viewing compared to other versions. However, it was the one which I thought captured most concisely the essence of the saga as written in the novels - from story, acting, backdrop, feels, props to cinematography - which was essentially a distillation of the idealisation of Confucian and patriotic values through the epic journey of Guo Jing. Hence, this version resonated deeply with me, and has remained my favourite out of all the ones I have had the pleasure to watch. It was truly a masterpiece worthy of its source material.
Choices:
If dark, gritty and epic is your cup of tea, the 2003 version is highly recommended.
If a slightly revisionist-story, specific/well-known actors/actresses and general prettiness are your preference, the 2008 version might be a good choice.
If bright, pretty, romance-weighted and ‘idol-ish’ are your preferences, the latest 2017 version would be a fine choice. This is quite a marvelous adaptation and relatively a faithful to the source material.
If a good story, wonderful acting, memorable OST, nostalgia and simple curiosity (as to why they were such beloved classics), the early-1980s TVB/HK-versions are a must.
The 1994 remake from TVB would also be a solid choice. Good performances and overall fabulous drama. (This was the series where I first fell in love with the saga and characters, and a well made adaptation which did not veer off much from the source material. Sometimes, first love doesn’t always leave the most lasting impression, and I am glad for that).
The 2024 adaptation had superb Wuxia vibes and was a relatively turbo-charged version of the saga as a whole. While there were some clear issues, it was nevertheless a highly entertaining watch. What made this adaptation special for me, however, is Ci Sha and his portrayal of Guo Jing. The 2024 version has my favourite Guo Jing and JingRong to date, and I am a fan who love all the Guo Jing and Huang Rong (also JingRong) I have ever watched.
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Story: Same as all the other Bad Boys story, one of Bromances. I like this one a bit more because it does speak on, just like another bad boys film- how being in a gang is not all sweetness and flowers. There are consequences for their actions. I think a lot of the times when you see this film and some of the other violent "Yankee" movies - there is this glorification w/o payback. However, there is a risk of going to prison. Gangs are not easy to get out of with your life in tact there are gangs that eat up other gangs. Within the comedy, you can tell the writers were trying to add some depth.
Acting/Cast: The entire cast needs acting lessons. The boys however get a pass because they're adorable. Note I said "adorable", I'm on the older side, 37, and they remind me of my students. Violent little punks sometimes, but overall good kids. Hence, I get their roles even if they are MEN playing the roles. As for the girls...ugh the lead female. I called her FANG - Face. Ugh, I just couldn't. Her teach were killing me.
Music: Not relevant enough for me to care. The slow motion was cool.
Rewatch: I would rewatch this once every 6 months or when I'm sick. If you're sick, this is an ultimate pick-me up. Just a nice, feel good film---then I'd watch the series.
Overall: Just a good movie followed with a good series. I really enjoyed both. Give it a chance.
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The acting is really great, no awkward kissing, the couples have chemistry and the story line was really good...and I like that each character has its own story...and the ending was really good..
These are my favorite characters by the way :
*Yihwa - you will never find a girl like her - beautiful,smart,confident and a real friend..i want to have a friend like her...o no, i want to be her!!She is so BAD!
*Farm - if Bas has the cutest face I've seen, I would say that Game has the most innocent face. I love the way he played his character..its cute, funny and innocent. Im kinda sad though on what happened to him on the end
*Farm's ex-girlfriend - I forgot her name..but i really like her. I know that somehow she became a part of the antagonist team, but i never got annoyed or mad at her. almost all of her scenes are cute and funny. And I really find it funny, that while she is still in a relationship with Farm, both of them are trying to catch the pervert doctor's attention.
and of course, our main love team - Korn and Knock -- the chemistry is really great, great actors, no awkward kissing..they are the main reaon why we watched the show..
characters we love to hate :
Pleng - we all hate her. But the actress who played this character really played her role well. She is pretty and good in acting. I like her!
Dr. Bright - at first I liked his character. But on the last few episodes, his real character was revealed..and I am so disppointed and mad at him!!! He is cute and hot...and I am really mad on what he did to Farm..Farm doesnt deserve him. I want them to end up together but base on what happened, I dont think it is possible. One thing that I like about the series is on how they end the Farm and Bright story..its more realistic that they didnt end up together..Honestly, I am so mad at Dr. Bright that I almost forgot that he I Porsche, the sweet husband of Arm...he is the opposite of his character..
If I will have a chance to write a continuation of the story of Bright and Farm, I want them to meet again, talk and try it again.. But i dont want them to end up together.. I just want them to meet again to learn important lessons of life and move on and find happiness...
This series , for me, its satisfying, and the quality of this is really good...its now on top of my BL favorite list..I hope in the future, a new Bl series can beat this!
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The beginning is really good and you get hooked because you want to know what happened in the past. It is really lighthearted with a few good comedy scenes and the small dramatic scenes that are dropped in between prevent it from being boring.
But the series drops in quality after the exposition. It seems as if the creators had a really good idea but didn't expand it enough. After you have seen the idea the series has nothing more to offer. The whole middle of the series feels really stretched and filled with useless scenes that don't advance the story nor the characters very much. I have the feeling that the romance aspect of the show was supposed to be subtle and in the background but because the actual story wasn't really fleshed out they had to fill in the blanks with romance. This is not bad per se, but the relationship between the couple doesn't go anywhere. Their relationship doesn't get deeper and most of the time don't even feel like a couple.
The characters are not bad, but their characterisation is not very stable. When the creators of the show didn't know what to do, they just let characters act dumb and against their initial character traits just to advance the story and make it more dramatic. However this has the opposite effect and keeps you from being immersed in the story and empathizing with the characters.
For example, it is established that the characters in the present have the same traits as their past life counterparts. So Han Se Joo should be very clever because in his past life he was the head of the resistence, made perfect plans and was always cautious of the enemy. But when Baek Tae Min calls him and wants to trick him, he plays dumb goes to the place and then acts as if he knew that he was tricked all along. Then why go there in the first place and not call the police or something? That is just one example of accute dumbness.
Then it seems the writers just threw in things that don't make sense at all. When Se Joo falls down the roof the ghost Yoo Jin Oh possesses him, which isn't the problem, but why can he make Se Joo float and cushion his fall? Yoo Jin Oh can't even float by himself, so why can he float when inside another body? I hope you see what I mean.
And sometimes there are flashbacks, which are repeated throughout the series to waste time. All in all what I want to say is that the pacing of the series is really bad and you can clearly see where the writers put in extra stuff to stretch the runtime of the show. They should have made a mini series or fleshed out the story more, but in this state it feels like an unfinished prototype of a good show.
I really liked the part where they are sent back in the past by the ghost and explore the past. They should have told more of the past in this way or let the characters remember parts of their past after experiencing something emotional that triggers their memory. Instead almost all of the past story is told in episode 14 or 15 in one piece.
I really can't understand why it has such a high score here. I was really interested in this show after reading the summary and seeing that so many people liked it but unfortunately it really isn't all that great.
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The story isn't finished. The characters could have been a little bit more complex, but if you'll take 90 minutes from your time, you'll find that you needed this movie.
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Sorcery with bad hair days and bad patterns
LLIT infused fantasy and sorcery elements with a fictional branch of the Western Wei Yuan dynasty. Male characters are clad in voluminous, pattern-challenged costumes. The male and female characters wear overt head dress or braided hat hair.Story:
A very creative plot about Time intervention, with some shortfalls. The story could have been tighter, and effective with three dozen episodes.
Acting Cast:
The actors delivered solid acting performances. William Chan and Cecilia Liu were the group leaders, but Zhang Ryan and Xu Jiawei walked away with the awards. Zhang Ryan (Yuan Ming) receives the Wide Range of Acting Award, as the villain Prince. Xu Jiawei (Yuan Li) receives the Congenial Character Award, as undercover Prince/Guardian of the Transformations.
Music:
The incidental music was impressive, and facilitated the activity on screen.
Rewatch Value
I am not in a hurry to relive the drama, but I might attempt it for William Chan, Xu Jiawei (Yuan Li) and Gong Jun (Yuan Che) only.
Overall score 7.0 - Good production values in directing, editing, acting, set design and cinematography! Costume and hair designs were over the top, and a constant distraction. Writing was average. The best surprise was the ending. Overall, the episodes stretched Time. This drama should have started out the gate with eight weekly episodes, to keep the viewers' attention span.
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I've read somewhere that this drama is so much like Love O2O ! but after I finished this I totally disagree it's so much different !!!
First , what I liked soooo much about this drama are the swimming team members <3 I loved their friendship how they care about each other how they trying and struggling to protect their dream ..
Tang Yi-Bai , Qi Rui-Feng and Yang Yang are my favorite characters loved watching them .. I didn't like Yun Duo character that much but she did make a cute couple with Yibai .
Second , totally loved the OST am so addicted to it specially this part : Across the pacific , heading for the ocean > TT am crying
and I loved & liked how they filmed the Swimming Competitions !!! it was AWESOME & beautifully shots <<<3 I was watching them compete and I felt adrenaline rush I'll hold my breath not knowing what will happens , this really was my favorites parts of the drama .
Third , There is some part of the story I didn't like which was draggy about Cheng Mei , Lin Zi and his little one .. if the writer didn't make them involved I think the story will be so much better ... and how Yi Bai parents and the dog suddenly disappeared !!!! I quite loved his mother she was cool :S
At the end , I'll miss this cast , OST & drama so much TT ... The drama has it flaws but I think everyone will enjoy watching the cast friendship , the competitions and the leads romance ~
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And let me just say, Yamapi has grown to be a fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine looking guy!!!!! I never cared for his brown hair back then~ he's always looked better with black hair, and I like that he's switched up his hairstyle too. He looks older and more mature now.
This season, as some people mentioned, focused more on the characters rather than the medical side of things. To be honest, I don't remember the first 2 seasons going super deep into the medical things. They did a few procedures here and there, and kept repeating the same procedure in different episodes thereafter (my memory may be faulty, but this was what I remembered while watching). This season isn't quite different, although we get to see some different things, which were pretty cool, but some were also disturbing (organ procurement scene).
I liked that this focused more on the character stories. It was great that the originals came back, even if the older actors or actresses didn't have much screen time. I liked seeing where they ended up in life, their new challenges, how they matured and have become skilled doctors, how much more resilient they've become, and now even training fellows to be flight doctors. The characters aged, the actors aged, I've aged~ everyone was so natural in their roles and their character growth felt quite real to me, so I was invested in the them and their continued development. It was hard getting used to the new fellows. It was like watching season 1 all over again, them facing their problems, insecurities, getting into trouble and such. But once I started seeing their character development, I began liking them as well (I quite liked seeing Natori learn from Hiyama, since they were foils of each other). I think this was a well written season (or maybe I'm biased already). Some story arcs, I could do without (like the tumor in brain girl, although I liked the rivalry between Aizawa and Shinkai~ it was a healthy + friendship sort of rivalry). Despite the girl being annoying, they did bring a life lesson into it, so I liked that. I liked that every episode had a life lesson to be learned, anything from losing a child to believing in yourself.
I loved how they used the same music as back then, especially Hanabi by Mr Children. The instrumental that was played when announcing the sponsors~ it was nostalgic and inspirational at the same time. There was this one weird background track, that sounded like it came from Pirates of the Caribbean though. It was odd...
I think I would definitely rewatch this. I would have to rewatch everything, starting from season 1 though. It would be a while before that happens.
Definitely, for those that enjoyed the other seasons of Code Blue, this is a pick-me-up. I'm not a drama enthusiast anymore, but I did quite like this.
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Story: The story is such an interesting one. I personally have always liked school dramas at first so this kinda brought me back to my drama-newbie days. It's a pretty basic story tbh but the taekwondo is super interesting to watch. The love "Square" is pretty interesting and there's, of course, a pretty rich girl who wants to sabotage the main characters life. If you're not into this type of sorta teenage looking romance then yikes it might not be for you
Acting/Cast: This was literally the main reason I watched the show. Yang Yang and the person who acted Fang Ting Hao are literally to die for. The other dude's okay but lmao I think they gave him a bad haircut so I wasn't AS attracted. The main female, however, I had some hard time accepting. Right now around the world (including Asia) the rise of a "strong independent woman" is high on the rise, probably because I'm used to dramas like Strong Woman Do Bong Soon or like Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo, I'm totally not used to this innocent cute concept that they threw in the drama. It's a drama about Taekwondo! Like, COME ON! Can't they give us a female lead that isn't spazzing out every tournament and having to depend on one of the 3 guys to make her feel confident?? UGH Her zoomed in face is literally like at least 20% of all the scenes and I really can't stand it so if you don't appreciate a weak female lead then don't watch it! (That's literally the only reason this show is not a 10/10 tho)
Music: Eh it was great, not very impactful but it went with the drama pretty well and were all pretty inspirational so yayyy
Rewatch Value: Yeah basically because of the acting I'm not giving it a very high score. I'd watch for Yang Yang and Fang Ting Hao anytime tho ; )
Humor/Cinematography Rating (My own): This drama I think had a HORRIBLE sense of humor and some pretty bad cinematography (A lot of stuff looked like a pretty cheap greenscreen). The humor was extremely sexist most of the time, like that one guy who HATED Bai Chao for beating him just because she was a girl, or how the mom of Bai Chao's best friend kept yelling at her daughter to be more docile and do more house chores like a "proper girl". I think that's why I ESPECIALLY LOVED the "Korean" actors in the show (Yes the Chinese actors pretending to be Korean spoke broken Korean sentences, but honestly that was one of my favorite parts). Kim Min Gu was NOT about to let anyone stop her just because she was a teenage girl and I honestly appreciated her character. On the flip side, Bai Chao starts panicking everytime she competes unless Ruo Bai sits her down and be all like "Omg you gotta BELIEVE GIRL". One lesson I've taken from this drama is to be more assertive because no such thing as being fragile as Bai Cao getting 3 hot guys in real life, just saying!
The drama is mostly filmed in 3 locations, the place where Ruo Bai works, the place where Bai Cao grew up and in the fake school that the producers want the audience to think these people attend. 2 of the 3 listed looked like pure green screen products so I'd give it a pretty bad rating in that category.
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This drama took me on a rollercoaster of emotions and I can't wait to go back and re-watch it in full. I love how it is more "adult" than the usual dramas these days. Without giving too many things away, it addresses the themes of sickness, marriage, family, and strength. It's a refreshing change from other dramas because you get to see their lives AFTER they have fallen in love. Usually a drama ends when the leads get together and their main obstacle has been overcome. But that isn't real life. Watching this drama, I felt that I was privileged enough to actually catch a glimpse of a real couple's journey as they deal with whatever life throws at them.
Do yourself a favour and watch this drama.
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The good thing is that the producers decided to tell the stories of all girls and not only of the three major ones, which made it more interesting as other series similar to this have the tendency to just focus on the major characters within a series.
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