Once Upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain (2019)

Crazy, Crazy, Crazy

OMG! This is really a cartoonish, funny, silly and absolutely CRAZY drama. Normally I don't watch dramas like this. But it's so outrageously hilarious that I can't stop watching. The demeanor of the characters is a mixture of traditional and modern. Some of the dialogues and story are so stupid that they become hilarious, and that's the hook.

As much as I roll my eyes, I can't stop watching it. I can't resist Xu Kai's good look and the narcissistic character he plays. The way he bad mouths his Shifu (master) is hilarious and relatable, as if any teenagers treating their own parents. As much as we're accustomed to the submissive demeanor of ladies of ancient times, Wang Wu's character is refreshing and absolutely CRAZY to the point becoming lovely (I don't know, I'm going crazy too).

Overall, unless you're a hardcore Xu Kai's fan, or you're out looking for crazy entertainment, you may not like what you're seeing. Having said that, if you don't mind cartoonish stuff and crazy dialogues, this may be your cup of tea. Either way, I'm continuing watching this unless I have no time to pursue it further because there are better dramas out there waiting (there is currently a deluge of Chinese costume dramas).

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Comical laughter all the way.

I know this drama came out in 2019 and only now i am able to watch it as i put it on a back burner waiting for all episodes to air so i can bindge watch it. I also saw snippets of it on YT and laughed at the hilarious ideas Wang Lu tend to think of doing and his teacher and also friends.
Now that i finally am in the rythm of being able to watch this drama I have been laughing all the way to the next episode. Yes, the comic relief at times can be pretty slap stick but for me it fits to the genre of the drama. This drama is not meant to be overly serious tragic love story but totally the opposite. So if you are looking for something funny and light hearted after a long day, this is the drama to watch. Just forget about how an exhausting day we had and have a good laugh.
The relationship between Wang Lu and his teacher may be thorny at times but both remain loyal to one another. Wang Lu's group of friends that joins in on his scam and adventures is totally funny too. Do give this drama a try.

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Funny

The story is good on its own but the silliness you will find throughout is what makes it so good imo. Also, the Wang Wu (fl) & Wang Lu (ml) nonsensical banter is my absolute favorite thing about this series. They bicker like an old married couple and I can't wait for them to become a couple. Liuli, one of the supporting cast, is my true favorite though. She's so cute and funny. Her food driven behavior and lack of understanding are adorably, silly and the next thing you know, she's an absolute master in fighting and you almost forget she's a little off ? The whole cast is great though and they really make the series what it is.

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Hilarious Jokes and Cute Cast (with a slight BL touch)

I started watching this cdrama with the lowest expectations ever (after Snow Eagle Lord I decided not to expect much from the plot). And boy, was I surprised! It was like watching anime - so light-hearted, funny, and with jokes that are sometimes so saucy that I was surprised they actually let it air like that (all those instances when the characters joked about 'paying with the body' were just too hilarious). Not to mention the low-key boys' love theme that was added just for the fun of it (but it was sooo delightful nonetheless.

☼Characters☼

All of them were seriously gorgeous, cute, and funny. From the main leads to the supporting cast, everyone did their best.
- Wang Lu - a daring, over-confident, and smart young man with rare magic abilities that have been lost for ages, so no one can really teach him anything, apart from one Shifu, who's not afraid of a little challenge. Xu Kai portrayed a deliciously saucy character who's both charming and sharp-tongued. All of his facial expressions are just too funny.
- Wang Wu - Wang Lu's teacher. A lady with close to no principles and moral code. She acts as if she doesn't care (or cares only about money), but most of that is just a mask. Still, all her interactions with other characters (especially men) are hilarious - she would say whatever's on her mind and would sell anything to anyone to get what she wants. She's definitely one of the good guys, but she's not loved by anyone - apart from Wan Lu, who becomes her apprentice. The pair matches incredibly well in terms of character and humor. I actually loved Sandrine Pinna in this role, I think it suits her incredibly well. Wang Wu and Wan Lu aren't a conventional couple and their relationship develops differently compared to traditional love stories.
- Hai Yunfan - Wang Lu's bestie from another clan, who ran away when his family was killed, supposedly by his own brother. He's charming, calm, and not too powerful in terms of strength, but he is always there to help the main lead while trying to get stronger to avenge his family.
- Liu Lixian - has the mind of a 6-year-old and can only think about food. She loves hanging out with friends and fighting. She's strong and has a few secrets of her own as to her second identity.

I wouldn't want to write about other characters not to spoil the plot, which is pretty cool in my opinion. It's more cohesive and logical than many of cdramas I've watched. Given that it's a comedy, things don't really have to make much sense, but in the end, they kind of did still, so for me, there were no loose ends, it was just a fun and a little bit messy fighting/fantasy plotline with good guys, bad guys, a few intrigues, backstabbing, and character growth. I enjoyed it greatly! And laughed too much, seriously, the jokes were too good the way the cast portrayed all of them:)

☼Romance☼

For almost 30 episodes the only romance you'll get is between the two main male leads XD Which may seem like a dream come true, but really isn't. The series uses BL trope extensively, playing off all the cliche scenes you could think of - so there are some touching scenes, standing-in-the-rain scenes, and even an episode when they took a bath together. I had so much fun watching this, it was unbearable))) It was clearly not an actual BL plot, but it used all the yummy elements to cater to the audience. Still, Wang Lu and Hai Yunfan had a very endearing friendship and brotherhood, and with all the blow-the-belt jokes of Wang Lu throughout the series, he could at least turn out to be bi (it wouldn't really be surprising). The teacher-apprentice couple starts to recognize each other in the second half of the series closer to the end and it seemed quite organic to me as they've spent so much time together, taking care of each other, and really helped each other through some tough times.

☼Final Thoughts☼
In the end, I fell in love with the series. It's definitely rewatch-worthy because of all the humor and funny scenes. The acting is great in this one, Xu Kai and Sandrine Pinna have amazing comedic chemistry both on and off set. The whole cast did a great job and all of the character's stories are kind of cool. Don't expect much and just have fun watching!

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This show is super fun and cartoonishly silly at least for the first half. While not all the jokes landed, I did laugh at parts. However, the story for the first half didn't really interest me and seemed just like a vehicle for more jokes. In the second half of the show the story picks up and becomes more plot focused however this came at the expense of the humor which is this shows strong point. This show does not work as a serious fantasy drama, while the actors try it just doesn't come together and feels forced. It was also a total tonal shift to just cut out also all the comedy and just be a straight up drama in the second half. I should have kept the same tone it had in the first half while the comedy wasn't amazing it would have made the overall show a more enjoyable experience.

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I’m putting all 10 stars for each category, because even though I haven’t finished it, I’m really enjoying it so far (thus why I put all 10’s).

Story: I’m really enjoying the story so far. I’ve watched the anime (didn’t know it was the same thing until a few episodes in????), but I like how they’re doing so far in the live action.
Cast: I personally think they chose the perfect cast - all the actors have great chemistry with one another (to the point where I had to go check if this was a BL - still surprises me what they’re able to get past censorship????). Besides that, I really like how the relationships are developing, and how it sprinkles in hints of the past that we need to try and figure out. I really like the main male lead, Xu Cai - I think he really plays his character well. I like the way his character is a genius and really thinks outside the box - makes it super interesting to figure out what he’s planning next. I really like the female lead too - she may seem like she’s one thing, but trust me, she’s not????

Music: I haven’t watched the entire show, so I haven’t heard all of the music, but so far it’s really good and fits the theme????

Rewatch value: I think I’d rewatch it, since I’m enjoying it so much right now, but it’d probably have to be in a few months when I don’t remember everything that happens.

Overall: I totally recommend it - but hey, if this isn’t your type of show, at least you can say you tried watching it...you’ll never discover if you like something by following others’ opinions - something I let dictate a lot of mine, unfortunately????

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How did I find this cdrama? Wt....?!

This is my 5th or 6th cdrama and although I do prefer other titles that come to my mind....for some reason I am still watching this. It is more humorous and bizarre than I expected...bordering on the subliminally unhinged, but in a good entertaining way. The acting is good enough to keep me coming back for the next episode.....but I am tempted to skip to the last few episodes.....?

Other reviews mentioned how they didn't always like the FL. It won't be fair for me to comment on the actress's looks or features playing the role, but the fact that I personally find the FL character (not actress) annoying and unscrupulous could mean she may have succeeded in conveying this to the audience. Bring in the ML, Xu Kai, and you have an annoying, unscrupulous ( yet cunning, very capable and witty) match made in Xianxia heaven. The 2 leads do compliment each other, and there are scenes where you start to see how dynamic and layered both characters are ( especially the FL who may be putting on this 'annoying' front to hide away the pain and trauma she feels from a previous love she lost in a past battle)

***Update****

I got to 20 something episodes, couldn't handle the weird humour, and there is even a scene where the ML casually asks the FL...who would she prefer to be 'violated by' - Prince Charming or the Evil demon? - and her response was going to be Prin....but then caught herself. I've learnt not to take many things in life too seriously, especially from media and entertainment....but 'joking about violation' is very bad taste ?

Again, the drama is not bad, but if are you looking for a more 'sophisticated' storyline with some serious elements, you can skip to the last episode, which is what I did ( I lost patience???) or skip the whole drama. But the choice is yours.

Oh yeah...there's a much weirder, random dance scene at the end.....like W......T..........FFFFFF!?!?!? ???

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Non il limone che volevo, ma almeno c’è un limone.

Carino, merita di essere visto. Diciamo che è come se si prendessero tanti stereotipi del genere e si mettessero tutti assieme nella stessa storia (e i protagonisti stessi scherzassero su questo fatto, infatti più volte il protagonista dice “se non io chi, sono per l’appunto il protagonista maschile”) quindi la storia in se ci sta. Molto piacevole (anche se dal mio punto di vista rallenta un pelino a metà per poi tornare a bomba nel finale (che ci piace perché aperto e quindi ben venga la prossima stagione), anche se ahimè ci sono limoni, ma non quelli che volevo. Allora sentite tutti, ho visto The Untamed la bellezza di tre volte (e pure Guardian) e erano tutti sguardi persi, conigli e prese al volo mentre esce sangue dalla bocca, che manco un’ emorragia interna, quindi ben vengano i limoni, solo che i due protagonisti maschili… diciamo che hanno un feeling molto simile ai miei amati WW e LW quindi mi aspettavo che la censura facesse il suo lavoro e restasse anche questa una serie piena di sguardi e basta. E invece no. Abbiamo il limone, non quello che vorremmo (certo, anche se se si leggono i tag si ha tutto spoilerato molto più di quanto non faccia questa recensione), però almeno abbiamo non uno, ma bensì due limoni.

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