The Long Ballad (2021)

The Ballad of Li Chang Ge

The drama tells the story of Li Chang Ge (Chang Ge is transliterated as “Long Song”, hence the title of this drama), a princess of the great Tang who after inadvertently getting embroiled in the vicious court politics of the royal family, ends up on a journey of self discovery during her self-imposed exile. Along the way, she discovers the true meaning of friendship, love, justice and sacrifice for the greater good.

When I first heard about this production and read the synopsis some time early last year, and based on the cast involved, I fully expected it to be a romance-driven “light” historical featuring popular young idols. I then came across the trailer towards the end of 2020, which totally changed my perception - the drama looked every bit the dramatic and potentially epic production it was rumoured and publicized to be, while the outstanding OST songs by powerhouse performers sensationalized it even further. Since then my expectations were exponentially raised and I had been patiently waiting for it to air. Having completed it months later, I’m happy to declare - my expectations are utterly fulfilled!

Production

The Long Ballad is adapted from the China Animation Golden Monkey Award and Golden Dragon Award-winning manhua Chang Ke Xing by renowned writer Xia Da. It is directed by prolific HK director Chu Yui Bun who has notably helmed dramas such as Singing All Along, Noble Aspirations I and II, Ashes of Love and Skate into Love. Due to legal proceedings over intellectual property issues between the writer and the publishing company, this historical fantasy manhua remains incomplete, thus paving the way for the award-winning screenwriter Chang Jiang to develop the screenplay and, in particular, the ending to the story. She has a formidable portfolio of works comprising The Advisors Alliance, Growling Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Secret of Three Kingdoms and Novoland: Eagle Flag. As a result, what we get is a very well produced and executed historical drama.

Technical Aspects

The drama features extraordinarily innovative visual presentations. In particular, the transitioning of ALL battle scenes from live action to manhua and donghua formats. Although not everyone is pleased with this and would prefer to see real action, I actually found it to be quite refreshing and artistically delivered. Additionally the usage of “monochrome against colour” juxtaposition to re-create memory flashbacks in certain scenes is creatively rendered.

Cinematography for the most part is quite exceptional, where overhead photography of the cityscape of Chang’an is featured, and some immersive camerawork for certain scenes particularly at Liuyun Abbey, and the cherry blossom valley in the grasslands. The indoor cinematography and the effective use of lighting ensures that the scenes depicted are never dim or dull. The use of soft filters and vibrant colour palettes provides a generally pleasant and vivid viewing experience.

The CGI effects are sparingly applied, although principal photography took place in Hengdian. While certain blips are exposed, on the whole it has been adequately presented. The horse-jumping at the bridge scene isn’t the most realistic, for instance.

Because this drama isn’t a full fledged wuxia, the fight choreography depicted is more grounded and practical. That said, there are demonstrations of “martial prowess” by the likes of the Taoist priestess Madame Jing Dan and the roving swordsman Situ Lang Lang in one of the more breathtaking moments of action. On the other hand, I can’t really comment on the action scenes on the battlefields, since they were not depicted as live-action. But generally there’s more than enough fight scenes to make up for the lack of massive sieges and battles.

Story and Characters

Despite being historical fiction, certain events and characters depicted are based on actual historical records of 7th century Tang Dynasty. The Xuanwu Gate incident, Emperor Taizong, the war between Tang and the Ashina clan of the Eastern Turkic Khaganate, among other depictions. The elements of both fiction and reality are seamlessly interwoven and thrillingly executed over the course of the entire 49 episodes. The drama has a very lively start and the pacing of the storytelling has largely been brisk and engaging. Multiple locations are showcased which sustains the momentum of the plot and provides viewers with a variety of scenery to savour. From the Tang Dynasty’s imperial city of Chang’an to the frontier city of Shouzhuo, the preceding Sui Dynasty’s ancient capital of Luoyang, the grasslands of Mongolia and the Northern Desert of Mobei.

There’s no question that the quality of the storyline is very good, which is attributed to the excellence of the source material and screenplay. However, as much as this drama is plot driven, it is also made that much more compelling by the depth of its central as well as supporting characters. I quite like the way most of the characters have been written. Apart from having sufficient character development, in particular Li Chang Ge, Li Le Yan and Hao Du, the interactions and chemistry between everyone in general are realistically and convincingly portrayed. This applies across the board to all the political factions as well as those without affiliations. I also think that the portrayal of women in this drama is deserving of praise. The major female characters are multidimensional and each of their respective story arcs is very satisfyingly fleshed out.

Cast and Acting

This is the fourth time I’ve watched Dilraba Dilmurat, having seen her in Swords of Legends, Liu Shan Men and The Flame’s Daughter. She delivers a commanding performance here and I think she has improved markedly since the last time I’ve seen her. Her portrayal of the FL made me even more invested in her character and thus her journey of redemption. The same feeling applies to Zhao Lu Si, whom I last saw in Dating in the Kitchen. This young lady is very versatile indeed and it is especially gratifying to see her infuse the character of Li Le Yan with so much believability and relatability.

As far as Wu Lei is concerned, many people seem to still view him as that baby-faced teenage bodyguard in Nirvana in Fire who has never really grown up to adulthood. Since NiF, I’ve seen his gradual development in productions such as The Imperial Doctress, and Fights Break Sphere. He has indeed matured into a fine young man with well defined chiselled features and his casting for the role of Ashile Sun is on point, where he gives a fine overall performance. My second time seeing Liu Yu Ning since Ultimate Note, he seems to excel in very similar roles - the stone-faced and distant sort of characters. However, his portrayal as the misunderstood and rather pitiful Hao Du is nothing short of commendable. It took a while but I eventually warmed up to his characterization. I saw a bit of Alen Fang in Jiu Liu Overlord (which I didn’t complete) previously and I think appearance-wise he does suit the character of Wei Shu Yu the way it was meant to be portrayed.

It’s worth mentioning the notable performances of the supporting cast in the form of veterans Geng Le, Cheng Tai Shen, Lu Xing Yu, and Yang Ming Na in the roles of Li Shi Min (Emperor Taizong), Advisor Du Ru Hui, Governor Gongsun Heng and Princess Yi Cheng respectively. Special guest stars who deserve acknowledgment are Sa Ding Ding, (the renowned singer who also contributes a track for the OST), Liu Hai Kuan (of The Untamed fame) and Richards Wang (In a Class of Her Own), for their memorable appearances as Taoist Priestess Madame Jing Dan, swordsman Situ Lang Lang, and King of Mobei Yaoluoge Pusa respectively.

Soundtrack

As usual, my habit of compiling the track listing for posterity. This drama has some of the most unforgettable songs ever composed and performed for a historical production. Featuring powerhouse singers Zhou Shen, Sa Ding Ding, Zhang Bichen and Jin Wen Qi. In addition, the lovely second couple contributes a song each.

Cocoon 繭 by Zhou Shen 周深
The Direction of Light 光的方向 by Zhang Bichen 张碧晨
If Return 如若归来 by Sa Dingding 萨顶顶
Falling Sand 落砂 by Jin Wen Qi 金玟岐
I Wish You Were My Long Lasting 多麼願你是我恆久的歌 by Zhao Lu Si 趙露思
A Love Like Before 一愛如故 by Liu Yu Ning 刘宇宁

Overall

Well made, well executed, well acted. The Long Ballad is a drama well done. If you’re a C-historical fan, do yourself a favour and get this on your watchlist asap. If you’re not a regular watcher of this genre but are intrigued by the premise, this drama would represent the perfect starting point in watching your first historical C-drama. As an added bonus, don’t worry about the curse of the C-historical for this one. Rest assured, you may enjoy it with a peace of mind.

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A Perfect Blend of Adventure, Friendship and Romance

The Long Ballad, adapted from a popular ongoing manga, Chang Ge Xing, by Xia Da (夏达), won over me with its inspirational characters and life lessons, strong friendships and bonds, and unique storyline. Not only did it provide me with an amazing drama watching experience, but also made me sympathize and feel for many of the characters. In case you didn’t know, the Long Ballad’s title comes from Li Changge’s name. Li is her surname, while Changge means ‘Long Ballad’. (or long song)

I have to admit that I set my expectations quite high for this drama, as it has a star-studded cast, a cast filled with actors and actresses that I have watched in other dramas before, and impressed me with their acting skills. Adding on to my excitement was the director, Chu Yui Bun, who had directed 3 dramas that I exceptionally loved. But even with my bar set high, this historical Chinese drama won me over.

Something especially unique with the Long Ballad is that it provides some connections and reminders to the manhua. Quite a few war scenes and other scenes are in a cartoon-ish form. The actors may be in the scenes, but the backdrops are green screens. The transitions were a little abrupt, but I really enjoyed these scenes and they were very beautiful. I also really loved the costumes. They were absolutely gorgeous, and fit the different settings and period very well.

Story-9.0
As I started the drama, I was introduced to a bustling Chang An, the capital of the highly successful Tang Dynasty, which lasted from 618 to 907 AD. Many historians consider the Tang Dynasty a 'Golden Age', specifically of arts and culture. During this period, people from all around the world came to China for education, traveling, business, and many other reasons. During the reign of Li Shimin, also known as Tang Taizong, civilians lived in peace and happiness, and without poverty. It truly was a beautiful time. The drama also motivated me, who already had some knowledge of the Tang Dynasty and Tang Taizong's achievements, to research more about this era. My research also resulted in the knowledge that quite a few people in the Long Ballad are real people that lived during the Tang Dynasty, including Ashina Sun's cousin, Ashina She'er, Wei Shuyu and his father, Wei Zheng, a well-known Tang Chinese politician and historian, and the crown prince of the drama, Li Chengqian.

The beginning of the Long Ballad is not set during the most famous prosperous period, though. It is actually set right before Li Shimin's successful reign. Li Changge is a Tang Dynasty princess, the daughter of the crown prince, having everything and even more that a girl during that time or even now could have. But her entire family is killed by her Second Uncle, Li Shimin, and her life is turned upside down. At first, I was worried that the drama would be centered around a normal revenge plot, but thankfully, I was very wrong. Revenge might have been something that Li Changge focused on, but this is not the main topic/theme of the drama. The Long Ballad also explores strong friendship, cute romance, loyalty, family, and so much more.

The drama is by no means centered around politics or war. Politics is almost nonexistent in this drama, which is a relief for many, although power played an important role in the Long Ballad. We are shown that power was very important for one's success in ancient times, and this can also apply to us during modern times.

The main goal of the drama is not for the characters to gain some mystical object, but rather to show their immense character growth, and the growths are shown very realistically. I was not only entertained, but was also given different perspectives of life and the many relationships in our lives. The plot was not very predictable, and the plot twists made the drama experience even more memorable.

Fortunately, the actors and actresses also did very well with the fighting scenes. We are provided with well thought-out and practiced fighting scenes that look very polished and natural. Bravo!

There were a few loopholes, though. I won’t elaborate too much on this, but there were a few spots in the drama where I felt that the characters could have done something differently for a better result. Otherwise, I wouldn’t change anything else about the drama. The plot is very propelling, and unlike some other historical Cdramas, is not very slow-paced.

Cast-9.5
The cast is one of the reasons I decided to watch the Long Ballad. What better to watch my two favorite Chinese actresses in one drama, along with the handsome and mature Wu Lei? And Liu Yuning is a plus!

I had absolutely no problems with the 7-year age gap between Dilraba and Wu Lei. In fact, they looked so compatible together that my smiles and fawning were almost always uncontrollable. It is more than evident how much Ashina Sun and Li Changge care for each other, from their actions to even just their facial expressions. The Long Ballad is not centered around romance, but it does have a good amount of it. We are given a few couples, each with their own cute scenes.

Leo Wu, at age 21, just awed me again. For those who have watched Nirvana in Fire, he is nothing like that cute and innocent Fei Liu. I mean, Ashina Sun is also handsome (amazingly handsome) and cute, but in a much more mature way. His aura spreads everywhere. Ashina Sun is a man of righteousness and kindness. Although he seems cold and perhaps a little emotionless, viewers start to see his real personality as he interacts more with the ones he cares about, including Changge. Not only does he have a great personality, but his fighting skills are also one of the best, with him being able to hit a certain point with his bow and arrow long distances away.

Li Changge is not an easy character to play. Her determined personality becomes even more prominent after the deaths of her family, as she becomes even more determined to avenge for their deaths. No, she is not that naive and bubbly little princess. She is a strong-willed, talented, and intelligent young woman who, as she leaves the place she had called home for her entire life, discovers the real world and the things that lay ahead for her. Again, Dilraba impresses me with her portrayal of this awesome Tang Dynasty princess.

Now we come to Li Leyan, played by our lovely Zhao Lusi, and she is the daughter of Li Shimin and the cousin of Li Changge. I admit, I was hoping for a "stronger" Li Leyan in the beginning, as her personality was quite naive and perhaps a little too generous and kind, but she, like Changge, entered the real world, where there were no servants to wait on her and no jewels and crowns for her to wear. Li Leyan's growth is phenomenal and inspirational. In the end, I absolutely adored her character. She, unlike a few other characters in the Long Ballad, is not completely useless. Li Leyan's kindness spread throughout the nation, from donating food to saving civilians from natural disasters. She is almost the perfect princess, with a little more intelligence and thoughtfulness sprinkled in.

Hao Du is another favorite character in Long Ballad. Liu Yuning acts him out very well, being quite disliked by Leyan at first, he shows her that he does not have a heart made of stone. In fact, he cares for his friends and family very much. Unlike Wei Shuyu, he was not born into a very wealthy family, although he was adopted by his godfather. He was taught at a very young age to work hard for the Tang Dynasty, to even sacrifice his life for it. Along with many other characters, Hao Du’s personality slowly grew on me.

Some other characters, although minor, were also essential in this story. A few good examples include Mu Jin, Ashina She’er and Mimi Guli. There were many other characters that I both loved and hated. At first, the main antagonist was not very clear, but as the story progressed, everything was revealed, providing me the very person to despise and wish for the worst. The antagonist, which I will not say, does have a considerably good reason to do what they did, and they were a major obstacle for the protagonists of the Long Ballad to pass. Sacrifices were made, along with alliances and friends and enemies. There were many characters in the Long Ballad, and it was a little hard to remember everyone's names at first, which is the norm for Chinese historical dramas. But most characters had their own special purposes, and everyone acted very realistically and well.

Music-9.5
Amazing osts. Period. When I watched the first episode, and first heard the opening and ending songs, I already fell in love with two Long Ballad osts. If you are an avid Cdrama watcher, you probably recognize the voices, or even the names, of these singers: Zhang Bichen, Zhou Shen, Sa Dingding, Liu Yuning. They have sung osts for countless dramas, and are very well-known in China. The soundtrack for the Long Ballad is very enjoyable and unique, with wonderful melodies, voices, and lyrics. It’s very hard for a drama to have one or two good songs, let alone five or six.

Rewatch Value-8.5
The Long Ballad is a very good drama to rewatch, for both the plot and character development. I’m not high on rewatching, so my rewatch values are often pretty low for most dramas that I have watched. But this drama certainly has many scenes to rewatch and to re-enjoy. I'm also happy to say that I was more than satisfied with the ending, as it gave me an amazing closure for many characters.

Overall-9.5
The Long Ballad has creeped up to my top 10 Chinese dramas, and probably my top 5 Chinese historical dramas. As a big fan of historicals, I thoroughly enjoyed the story. It provided me with an amazing sense of what Tang Dynasty life is, and the goals and perspectives of people living different lives. It would seem impossible that a Tang Dynasty Princess would meet and fall in love with a Turkish prince, but it happened, and made many of us fall in love with the couple. I highly recommend the Long Ballad for Chinese drama watchers, especially ones that like to watch historical adventure and romance dramas.

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A power couple that is the ultimate couple goal!

I'll avoid spoilers since there's plenty in the thousands of comments :D.

I honestly believe that this drama will become an all-time classic and a story that will be adapted a few more times with spin-offs for different characters. The intricate story, amazing plot building, beautifully fitting music, unforgettable and complex characters, and relationships are among the many reasons I consider this one of the best dramas to come out of modern Asian literature.

****Short review****
This show is a gem - it flowed at a great pace and was so well executed, acted, and directed (mostly - you'll understand if you read the comments). Seriously, HUGE KUDOS to the entire team involved in this drama. From conception to completion, it was a power team that gave us the audience such a fantastic, addictive experience. Nothing was overlooked, and you can tell that a lot of attention and thought was given to the cinematography, the sets, the props, the costumes, the music and sound effects, and the dialogue. It had everything that made you feel so much - moments that were heart-tugging, weep-worthy, tense, suspenseful, annoying, romantic, joyous, jubilant, or just plain satisfying. Politics were involved but nothing were confusing and draggy. There was also romance, enhanced by crackling chemistry that pulls you right in, but it was never only about the love stories. This drama focused on the development of the main characters and their growth, exploration, and the outcomes of different journeys and choices.

I do recommend this show - this is one where many felt that 49 episodes were not enough!

****Long review****
Why this show is a 10 for me!

- Storyline and characters
So much of this show is poetic interpretation. The words, the gestures, the looks, the expressions, the songs, everything has multiple meanings. The show executed this so well, keeping me, the audience enthralled and engaged all the way. It is truly an intellectually and emotionally intelligent show, emphasizing loyalty, courage, kindness, healthy relationships, and self-discovery. The characters' life-changing circumstances and adversities make for dramatic adventures, keeping the show interesting, and their personal growth and development made me feel pride. The growth came from maturity, experience, awareness, and overcoming hardships.

Most of these characters are well-written, and no one was all good or all bad. Every good character had flaws, and every villain had a backstory that made them relatable and their actions justifiable. The series was well-balanced and smartly showed different aspects of a situation, and showed the different perspectives of the characters. You will come to understand what the characters went through, the reasons for their emotions, and their circumstances. I found myself connecting with the characters and rooting for them, especially the main couple. They earned my admiration - they both had reasons for revenge but gave up their opportunities for revenge, realizing that killing a person would not bring the ones they lost back. They showed real strength and wisdom, valuing the greater good over revenge and striving for more meaningful things in their lives. Also, it is incredibly satisfying when they kicked ass and brought the bad guys down either by strategy and ability to anticipate or by pure physical takedowns.

The story started strong with impressive choreography in the Cuju game, and it hit you from the get-go immediately with intrigue and events. I like the references to the Art of War and military strategies. Each episode kept up the pace, never lost the momentum, and just got better and better. I never felt tempted to skip, and many scenes were so impactful that I would rewatch them just so I could appreciate the gestures, micro-expressions and the words again.

I like the sismance, bromance, and the lack of tiresome third parties or love triangles. My favourite aspect of the show is the emphasis on wholesome masculinity and strong female characters. Both ladies and men shone in this show, and there was a lot of support and respect for one another.

- Cinematography
Visually, musically, aesthetically - The story pulled one in so deeply, using music, timing, rhythm, and even pregnant pauses to keep things engaging and emotional from the get-go. The cinematography was impressive, with close-up shots of details, gestures, and facial expressions that only enhanced the watching experience. The sets were nicely done, and they even recreated the grassland from scratch and filmed real outdoor scenes. The locations were beautiful. Then there were the gorgeous costumes - wait until you see Ashile Sun in his General uniform and ChangeGe in her Tang and Mobei princess outfits.

Some editing could be better, especially during the transitions between manhwa and reality, but I like the director mixing media. It keeps things different and captures certain moods more effectively through graphics than acting, especially the battle scenes where horses were hurt. It also paid homage to the manhwa artist.

- Choreography
The directing and acting for the game, archery scenes, and the close-up combats were done so superbly and were of such high quality. Using space and the right moments to deploy the slow-motion effect, the director heightened the scenes' anticipation and intensity. They reminded me of the highly stylized action sequences by John Woo. When paired with the most fitting sound and music as well as thoughtful camera angles, all I can say is WOW! I love seeing Leo Wu as A'Sun kick - so gratifying! And the others didn't pale in comparison either.

- Romance
A slow burn for our main OTP, but it was such a satisfying journey to watch them. This couple paired so well, with both of them being such tsundere characters. Their conversations and unspoken thoughts, glances and stares, smiles and gestures - the closer they were drawn to each other, the bigger the rush of adrenaline for me. Their love was the kind that seeped into my heart, made it flutter, and it almost exploded when Sun started pursuing ChangGe more boldly. There's a hilarious scene of the moment he realized that ChangeGe was his 'beloved'. To quote @Dragnelia: Find yourself a man who would LOVE YOU so intensely without knowing what LOVE IS!

What I love the most though was not the chase and drama of ChangeGe finally opening up to Sun as much as their ability to bring out the best in each other. They complemented each other and reveled in each other's strengths and uniqueness. When conflict entered the plot that kept them apart, it was not a test of whether it will break them up but more of a testament that their relationship was healthy enough to adapt and overcome. They were partners through and through.

ChangGe is my favourite type of female lead. Incredibly intelligent yet youthfully naive, feminine yet strong, noble yet down to earth, and boy, did she have an extremely high pain tolerance! Charismatic Sun fascinated me. He was an excellent counterpart to ChangGe, matching her in wit, perceptiveness, and resourcefulness. The way Ashile Sun silently supported our FL and discerned the best way to motivate her added an extra level of swoon-worthiness. I like that the story had him discover early that ChangGe was a girl, and you could tell the moment he started caring for her. Sun could not believe that such an extraordinary girl could exist. From that first attraction, he has been looking out for her.

All other dramas should use these two as prototypes as they genuinely raised the standards for ideal male and female leads.

I also liked the secondary couple a lot - Hao Du and Le Yan. Even though their relationship was based on the "sweet soft princess and cold guard" trope, I was rooting for Hao Du all the way.

- Cast
The drama is a visual feast for the eyes; be it the main leads or supporting cast, it's good looks galore.

Lucky for us audience, this show got it right with the casting, and some pairings just work. Dilireba and Wu Lei have the "it" factor, and their chemistry is incredible on-screen and off-screen! I highly recommend watching the BTS clips; you'll understand why this OTP is so adored and why so many wanted Wu Lei's first on-screen kiss to be with Reba. Reba is one of my favourite Chinese actresses, and when compared to her last drama before 'The Long Ballad', I can say that her acting has improved yet again. She was never bad to me, but her ability to emote, especially during the crying scenes, became better. She is as beautiful as ever, and she really fits her character.

Leo emotes well with his facial expressions and eyes. He can pull off the cold and indifferent look but using just his eyes; he can convey worry and fear, care and love. He's seriously so hot as Ashile Sun that he should graduate from being the Nation's Little Brother to one of the Nation's Male Gods (Nan shen). His acting was excellent here, and he truly deserves awards for some of his scenes.

Zhao Lusi is another great actress, and when paired with Liu Yu Ning, they also lit up the screen. Liu Yu Ning did an amazing job portraying an anti-hero, so antagonistic, but his actions belied his seemingly cold manner. Lusi managed to make LeYan stand out and portrayed her character development so well.

As for Alen Fang's Wei Shu Yu, his character wasn't as admirable as his lead role in Love By Hypnotic, but he looked good no matter what. Plus, his acting has also become better.

The entire cast did so well, and there were such good chemistry and rapport among them. At one point, I was shipping LeYan and ChangGe together because their relationship was just on fire!

- OST and Sound Effects
The OSTs are on another level and are very fitting, with appropriate pieces underscoring the scenes; both starting and ending songs set the dramatic and emotional tone that was infused throughout the show. I also love that whenever there was a poignant scene between Hao Du and LeYan, the background song was the one sung by Liu Yu Ning. That man can sing, and I am a fan now of him and Zhou Shen. In addition to the music, the sound effect team must also be commended. They did a stellar job bringing the show to life so effectively.

Overall, "The Long Ballad" nailed it in every aspect for me. This is one series that I will rewatch in a heartbeat. I've already watched it multiple times. While I waited for the new subbed episodes to air, I watched the unsubbed version, and I will watch the entire series again completely subbed. That's how much I enjoyed it.

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One of the most complete, well-constructed and interesting historical c-dramas ever!

This drama is a story of adventure and coming of age.

GENERAL:
The drama is well constructed from start to finish. There is a beautiful progression and evolution of the story. The characters will experience many diverse and varied, sad and happy adventures. They will meet new characters, learn new things, lose and win.
This is not a harem drama, nor a political drama, nor a wuxia drama. So it really stands out from other historical dramas.
There aren't countless characters to follow nor a lot of complicated and noxious storylines. Above all, we follow the leads and the people around them. This drama is written with great intelligence and respect.
It is a drama which wants to be accessible to a young audience therefore, it is not dark while being serious at times.
The episodes follow one another smoothly, the story moves forward without dragging too long. The script can sound classic yet smart and dynamic which makes it better than a lot of other stories.

CHARACTERS:
The 2 female leads are cousins ​​and, unlike many dramas, are not going to fight. They sincerely love each other and will each live their own adventure, their own romance and their own trial in life. This is one of the most positive things about this story. There is no toxic second lead or unbearable love triangle.
Each girl represents in her own way a version of a woman (the "traditional" and the "rebel"). But each has her strength, each has her weaknesses and each will show that she is courageous.

The same goes for the 2 male leads which have their own evolution without any ridiculous rivalry. We follow two talented and cold young men who, in contact with the two cousins, will gradually show the sensitivity they hid in their heart and learn to impose their point of view instead of being blindly obedient soldiers.

The FL is really well done: strong, intelligent, capable, knows how to be restrained, sensitive, courageous etc... She's not perfect, she knows she's too impulsive. She also still has a lot to learn. But unlike some "revenge drama", this character doesn't let herself be consumed by hatred and rage. Her character is writted so accurately, it's really nice.

The ML is really well written and performed. We feel all his nobility, his leadership, his intelligence. We understand from his gaze all his doubts, his fears, his thoughts, his love for the FL... It is really the best Male Character to follow because he is all in relief and, above all, he is extremely respectful of the FL. He does not try to impose his wishes and opinions on her, he respects her abilities, her objectives, her convictions.
It's nice to see two main leads with their own belief, their own goal, their own obstacle respecting each other. They have common values as well as an intelligence and capacity on the same level.

The SFL may be quite innocent and unconscious of the world, but she is not made stupid or incapable like some can be. Her young age and her life in her golden cage make her inexperience understandable. But we see that she is fundamentally kind, that she is capable of taking initiatives to help others or to survive. And it's interesting and cute to watch her gradually discover the real world that people of her lineage come to rule.
Her trial of life will last for some episodes but it is really useful for her evolution and to break the cliché of the "weak girl in distress".

ROMANCE:
Romances are slow burns but they are built from the first episode and were really wonderful! The main couple spoiled us with beautiful scenes and incredible dialogue throughout the drama.
The characters support, respect, admire and protect each other. There is real equity in the relationship between men and women and it is great to see!

OST:
It is certainly one of the most beautiful OST there is. All the songs fit wonderfully into the drama.

ACTING:
The older actors are pretty much all very talented (with the exception of the main villain whose I didn't like the acting).
The main actors are also at their best. Dilreba is playing one of her best (if not the best) roles. Her playing is convincing, she aptly mixes rage, determination, hesitation, doubt and timidity. Even if it is clear that she is not 16 like her character, we sincerely come to believe that she is a young girl.
Wu Lei is an extraordinary actor. He carries a lot of the tension and stakes of drama on his shoulders and he does it to perfection. He also achieved the feat of making us forget the age gap between him and Dilreba. At no time did I have the impression that she was older than him. I sincerely believed in their character's age and in him being the oldest. That he was able to do that is great.
The rest of the cast play their roles well and none of them seemed over-acted.

WHAT I DISLIKED:
I really struggled with the way of speaking of the main villain.

ADVICE:
The drama is inspired by a manhua. Due to the covid and out of respect for the original work, several scenes are animated. There aren't that many either. It is mainly at the very beginning of the drama and sometimes during flashbacks or battles. But, if you have prepared for it in advance, apart from a few scenes, it's not disturbing at all, on the contrary, it gives a style to the drama.

REWATCH:
This drama is so complete (whether by its story, its romances, the evolution of the characters, the many adventures lived) that it clearly deserves to be seen again and again.
This is definitely one of the dramas that I would have no problem seeing more than twice.

CONCLUSION:
I highly recommend this drama!
If you like action, adventures, battles, healthy relationships, beautiful friendships, life lessons, great romances, go for it!
It has it all. The editing is very well done, the music is magnificent, there are also beautiful views. The characters are all diverse, varied and interesting to follow. The main romance is one of the best there is.
This drama is lighter than the usual historical dramas. If you like intrigue, politics, mature characters from the start, this might not be the drama for you. Here, the cast is quite young as we follow their entry into adulthood. But there is a maturity in the writing and in the evolution of the characters that makes this drama a success. I'm an adult and I loved it!

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Such Wonderful Characters

The Story:

The Long Ballad follows the journey of Li Chang Ge, the daughter of the previous Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty. After her beloved uncle massacres her family and takes the throne, Chang Ge finds herself fleeing for her life. During these events, she encounters and befriends Ashile Sun while both are using different identities. Ashile Sun is a general and foster son of the Khan of the Ashile Tribe who also happens to be one of Tang’s fierce enemies. After defeating Chang Ge in battle, Sun takes her back to his camp to save her life and eventually makes her his military advisor. After a series of unfortunate events involving shattering losses to both, Chang Ge and Sun are separated with Chang Ge lost to how she should move forward. After discovering her new path and finding their way back to each other, Sun and Chang Ge begin to fight for their life together and for peace for their kingdoms.

The Cast:

Wu Lei as Ashile Sun was quite a wonderful casting choice. I haven’t seen him in anything since Nirvana In Fire so I didn’t know what to expect or hope for. His styling as Tegin Sun was beautifully done and complimented him so much. I was so happy every time he was in his grassland outfits instead of the bland Tang outfits. His acting was very impressive, especially for someone so young. My heart broke with him at his losses and I felt his pain and frustrations whenever Chang Ge would turn away from him after he continuously sacrificed so much to keep her safe. I now have high expectations for Wu Lei and wish him luck in his future projects.

Dilraba is someone I’ve followed since Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms and I think The Long Ballad was a personal best for her. Dilraba is no doubt gorgeous and I think that hurts her sometimes as an actress. I’ve never felt enraptured by her acting, compelled by her crying scenes in the past, nor have I ever related to any of her characters. However, her portrayal of Chang Ge was just so well done. You can tell she put care into her portrayal and she brought life to Li Chang Ge as she transformed from the privileged princess to exiled outlaw to Eagle Division’s military advisor to just being whoever she wanted to be. Her journey encompassed heart break, disappointment, loss, self-reflection, and discovery and Dilraba played it all perfectly.

Special shoutout to Zhao Lusi as Li Leyan as well. Like Dilraba, I’ve followed Zhao Lusi for a while and The Long Ballad was also a personal best for her. It was quite a different path from the usual comedies she usually does and I’m so happy she got a chance to flex her acting skills. Leyan was perhaps the only other character who truly went through life-altering changes throughout her journey. Zhao Lusi did a wonderful job portraying the meek, naive princess who was forced to wake up from her privilege and work for something in her life. Her struggles pushed her into realizing being a princess was more than a name and because of it, she came out so much stronger and more resilient. I look forward to more projects that challenge her acting in the future.

What I love:

The cinematography was so well done!! I loved how scenes were captured from every angle. It added so much depth to the drama. The styling was very pleasing overall as well. I do think I preferred the Ashile Tribe stylings to the Tang one just because the Tang styling was quite bland and no one really stood out in those outfits. The fight scenes were spectacular! Starting from the Cuju game in episode 1 to all the fight scenes afterwards, I send lots of praise to the choreographer. Their hard work truly paid off!

The soundtrack is beautiful! Zhou Shen’s “Cocoon” is still on repeat for me. Each song perfectly reflects the characters’ mindsets and convictions and are played strategically throughout the drama for when they are the most poignant.

The Relationships:

The selling point of this drama were the relationships present (excuse the long post):

My 3 favorite relationships in this drama:
1. Chang Ge-Ah Sun:
I really loved the relationship between Chang Ge and Ah Sun. The drama itself wasn’t romance-focused but I think that was one of the reasons I loved the romantic parts. It was a slow-burn romance with Sun falling first but their journey together and all the trials they faced made it so their love wasn’t just based off of meaningless encounters. Sun fell for Chang Ge because of her resilience, intelligence, and stubbornness. Unfortunately, those are the same reasons why they had to separate for a period of time.
Normally, I feel like separation between leads is just unnecessary filler..but that wasn’t the case for these leads. Chang Ge was brought to Eagle Division against her will and although she eventually came to see them as her own and tried her best to protect them, she never thought of it as her home. Because of this, she was constantly trying to leave while Sun was tethering her to him. This caused a lot of tension between them and as a result, they both paid the price over their stubbornness. I felt they were suffocating each other too much and although I hated Chang Ge for just leaving him, I knew it was necessary if I had hopes of them coming back together later. Because she left, she was able to discover herself and when they were reunited, they were of the same mind and heart.
It was obvious when the shift happened because it was no longer him fighting to keep her beside him, it was also her telling him that they will face every thing together as a united front.
The main reason I love this coupling so much is also because of their convictions. While they love and would die for each other, they won’t compromise their loyalties and beliefs for the other. Despite standing by Sun, Chang Ge makes it clear she will not betray Tang. Likewise, when Sun leaves his position of Tegin of Eagle Division for her, he states constantly that he will not do anything that’ll cause harm to Ashile Tribe. It’s beautiful because they are aware of their different roots and are conscious to the fact that their decisions will impact many other lives.

2: Chang Ge-Le Yan:
The perfect example of sisterly-love. If any drama wants to portray a good sister-sister bond, then this drama should be used as a template. Chang Ge and Le Yan’s relationship is so beautiful and heart-warming. Growing up together, Chang Ge was always Le Yan’s champion and protector and when everything went downhill, it was so painful to see Chang Ge so defensive against Le Yan due to Le Yan being guilty-by-association. Despite all this, Le Yan and Chang Ge still sought each other out when they heard news of the other. Once misunderstandings were cleared and each found their own paths, it brought tears to my eyes to hear Le Yan proclaim her intent to protect Chang Ge from that moment forth. Le Yan continuously warning Chang Ge of potential dangers then Chang Ge volunteering Sun to fight for Le Yan’s hand so she can avoid a marriage to Sh’er showed just how much they loved each other and I appreciated their bond so much.

3. Ah Sun-Sh’er:
Ah…the exact opposite to Chang Ge-Le Yan. What could’ve been but wasn’t. Unlike the previous two, Ah Sun and Sh’er, despite also growing up together, were not taught to love and protect each other. Rather, they were forced to compete and hate each other because they knew well that one of them would become leader to Ashile Tribe. There’s so much to dig into their relationship that 1 page wouldn’t be enough lol
While Sun is intelligent, far-sighted, and cautious, Sh’er is the exact opposite. Impulsive, foolish, and only living in the moment, Sh’er causes a lot of grief for Sun, the Khan, and Sh’er’s own mother. His only goal being to surpass Sun, Sh’er’s inferiority complex causes him to make an irreparable mistake which causes him to lose whatever was salvageable between himself and Sun. Sh’er is by no means, an evil person. Unfortunately for him, he reacts too slowly to events that transpire around him. Their brotherhood could’ve been epic and at the very least, Sh’er does redeem himself and he and Sun are able to part ways with closure.

Overall, I enjoyed this drama very much. It was not perfect and there were times when I felt the chemistry between Wu Lei and Dilraba wasn't there (many of the physical scenes between them, whether it be hand holding or hugging, didn't make me feel that romantic pull). I loved Wu Lei as Ashile Sun and I loved Dilraba as Li Changge. I even loved Ashile Sun and Changge together...but I didn't care for Wu Lei with Dilraba. The romantic chemistry was just nonexistent.
I did give it an 7.5 rating instead of a higher number because the ending made me feel . . . empty. I was neither happy nor unhappy. It just felt like it ended ... there was no lasting impression and no desire to rewatch except for a handful of scenes I thoroughly enjoyed.
If you like a drama that's not overly dark/heavy and pretty much provides closure to every character, then check this one out.

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Deeper than it looks!

OVERALL
While not perfect, this drama is definitely high quality! Watch it if 1) you're looking for a smart and strong FL, 2) you like to see dramas centered on character growth, or 3) you have a thing for dramas that show some depth and complexity. If you 1) suffer from ML bias (always siding with the male lead), 2) are looking for some love action, and 3) want to see lots of fight scenes, maybe put this drama aside...and reconsider it later. It's worth a try!

THE STORY
The synopsis of The Long Ballad is very misleading. First, it makes it look like the story is about revenge. IT'S NOT (most of the time). If you expect a revenge story, you will be disappointed. Secondly, the summary makes it look like FL and ML are going to team up the entire drama. THAT'S NOT TRUE. In fact, I would say most of the time they're working AGAINST each other. Basically, The Long Ballad is the story of two super patriotic characters, from two nations at war with one another, who struggle between their personal goals/feelings on one side and the greater good of their nation on the other (just like a Romeo and Juliet story). This means that for part of the drama, FL and ML are EACH doing things that have negative consequences for the other, until they somewhat find ways to neither betray their personal desires nor betray their people. I came across some critiques of the drama that seem to be due to misunderstanding what it's about. If you can see TLB for what it is and you are not prone to ML bias, you will surely appreciate it!

The Good: The best thing about TLB is the amount of character growth in the drama. Out of four main leads (the OTP and the secondary couple), three of them transform over the course of the series - only ML doesn't (or he does, but it's subtle). The secondary leads go through rather conventional/predictable growth, but FL goes through the kind of slow transformation that causes plans to get dropped and goals to change, and that's realistic. That's life. I loved it. Another great thing about TLB is the character contrasts. FL and 2nd FL are both strong by the end of the series, but one in a boyish way and one in a feminine way. ML and 2nd ML both learn to break away from their dad's influence in different ways too. TLB is about diversity and I appreciate that, especially in the relationship department. Have you ever heard of love languages or attachment styles? It feels like dramas always show the same kinds of love. Well, not in TLB. Here we get on one side the sizzling awkwardness between Changge and Sun, two aloof people who just don't know how to be together (especially her), and on the other side, the cute and romantic love story of 2nd FL and ML. Other great aspects of the drama include the pace, which only really slows down once (and it quickly picks up again), the bit of mystery thrown in, because we don't know some secret regarding the coup and only find out about it much later, and the respect and equality between Changge and Sun. Compared to other dramas in which the guy will often end up being the rescuer and smarter one of the two, here we see that they mutually show smarts and help each other. There're also a lot of emotional scenes in the series, a few lines that make you think, nice visuals...There's honestly a lot to like about this drama. Plus, it's totally binge material!

The Bad: The worst thing about TLB, and probably the only flaw I really had trouble swallowing, is the fact that many action scenes are animated rather than shown in live action. It's an aesthetic choice, I don't think it had anything to do with money or COVID, but it just didn't sit right for me. Some of these scenes were supposed to be epic, and turning them into animation just took the epicness away. Luckily, the drama doesn't do this for ALL action scenes, and it's not so bad that you want to drop the show. Apart from this, I wasn't bothered by much in the drama but I have to say there are plot holes here and there, which may bother those who are picky about these. Also, the ending is a bit of a let down. Not the worst out there, not incoherent or bad, but it's not super satisfying; it feels rushed and incomplete.

THE ACTING
Pretty good! I liked Dilraba more than Leo in this one. It was my first time seeing her and I was impressed! She has a way of making a character strong but also vulnerable. Leo was great too though, it's just that the character doesn't allow him a lot of versatility in acting. You could see he had more potential in the few emotional scenes he had. The main OTP's romance isn't very expressive (kisses, hugs, cringey lines and the likes), but Leo and Dilraba still manage to make you feel the chemistry in the stares and moments they have together. The secondary couple has more conventional romance scenes and the two characters do look cute together, even if I didn't feel too much chemistry between them. I have no complaints regarding the rest of the cast, except maybe one of the villains's acting that felt a bit cliché.

THE MUSIC
This drama's music really stands out, and it feels SO great! It really makes wonders when the production actually invests in a good music director to make sure not only the song but even the instrumentals slay. My favorite OST is Dingding's If you Come Back. Still listening to it regularly!

REWATCH VALUE
Very high. I watched it two times within a month of my first watch, and watched it again just now, about three months later. Pretty sure this won't be the last!

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carried by hao du and leyan

The beginning of this drama started out so strong, but it really lost the plot after episode 17 and also fell into several tired and old tropes regarding its older female characters. Wu Lei was very convincing in his role, but unfortunately he lacked chemistry with Dilraba. Maybe your mileage will vary, but what really made the show worth watching to the end for me was Liu Yuning and Zhao Lusi's portrayals of Hao Du and Leyan, respectively. While they didn't actually contribute that much to the plot (which, again, went completely off the rails after such a strong start that promised so much potential), their emotional arc was amazing. I might never rewatch the drama in full again, but I will definitely rewatch the Haoyan scenes.

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The Long March of an Excellent Drama

The story itself intrigued me but I only knew and was watching for Dilraba and LHK. What I got out of it was so much more. I will begin with outlining the pros then the cons. This costume drama has been moved into my number 2 position and added two more actors to my following pile on Weibo.

Pros: The cast was absolutely superb. Our main leads were completely equal in everything they did. CG was a general in her own right and never played second fiddle to the ML. Everyone knows that Dilraba can and often plays strong characters so, I expected nothing less from her. Leo Wu, amazed me as it was the first time I'd seen him act in anything. For a 21 year old, to be able to play Ah Sun in such a regal and powerful way, was very impressive. Ah Sun was a man who knew his strengths and weaknesses and was able to let CG be the woman she was without belittling her. It's not often that in these costume dramas women FL can be as equal if not more powerful at times (take the rescue scene in episode 48) then the ML. Also showed how CG touched everyone's lives she met and the good ones followed her especially came to aid her in that episode (the assembly of the kitchen sink) when she needed it most.

Our second leads, though they had smaller scenes, did develop very slowly. Leyan's character was very annoying until mid way through when she finally had gone through all of her trials and tribulations; then she had a quiet grace and could formulate a plan or an idea without crying. And ice cube aka Hao Du I wanted hit with a frying Pan for a long time for trying to kill CG but after the slap heard around the world and great speech made by a now totally different Leyan, he started to melt (and his nickname got changed to ice melt). I only knew of Liu Yuning from the variety show "Our Song", so I knew he was a wonderful singer but now I found that he is a great actor as well. He was able to go from a cold-blooded puppet of his father to a hero and loving man to Leyan and a really great ally to CG.

Many of the side characters like the celibate one aka Shuyu who some people didn't think grew much, I felt he matured a lot himself though he was a sad character for not ending up with the woman he loved but maybe he won't be celibate forever and meets someone in Chang'an someday. LHK's Master made me laugh because it was the direct opposite character of the one he played in CQL and it was a great change for him. Every single character belonged in the show, for however long they were supposed to be. I do feel sad for Mimi's sacrifice because her character was truly a tragic one where though what she did was heroic, she would never get to be with the man she loved and her brother plus her friends. To have such a tragedy happen in the second to last episode, was very overwhelming, but I could see it was done to remind characters and audience of how precious life really is.

Khatun or bitch devil from hell, actress did a wonderful job playing the Wolf in sheep's clothing. Turned out that she was actually worse than the Khan himself having killed three out of four. To be able to play such an absolutely calculating, deranged character takes a lot and I command her for that.

The fact that nearly every stereotype and trope that you see in their dramas both costume and modern ones were disregarded was a pleasant surprise. Every misunderstanding was ironed out fairly quickly no matter how complicated and confusing between all leads and even the side characters. Things weren't just piled on and then hurriedly untangled in two episodes at the end but as things went along, things were solved. It was great to see.

I loved the OSTs as they fit each couple and the stories to perfection. Everyone got the song and power of their characters within all. The growth of all characters and their travels to get to their proper places both physically and literally was done well.

Cons: The horrible cartoons that were placed instead of every major battle and even for other shots was very obvious that production didn't have a lot of money. They lost so many nuances because of them and they should have used more CGI instead of that if it was such a problem. The blurry kiss and birds taking over was another negative. I don't know why it happened as some people here claim it's in his contract to not kiss until he's 21 and his parents run his studio while others say netizens were responsible for it; whatever the reason, it could have been done differently, though the forehead kisses, hugs, and all the love aka "like" shown through actions, did make up for it. Finally, the ending in my opinion wasn't satisfying in the least. More cartoons and our main leads in different places as a bird flies over them watching. Yes, I understand they are free and together but I personally felt that if they had them both on horses standing together on a hill overlooking the grasslands would have been more powerful. Like this power couple are looking over their world that they helped save, would have been the perfect ending to this series.

The pros way outweighed the cons. No series is 100% perfect. I will be rewatching my favorite episodes and scenes for a while and this drama is an absolutely recommend from me and many others here. I'm very glad I got a chance to watch this and meet some awesome people in the ever growing comment section. Congratulations to the cast and crew on a very successful airing! Bravo!

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Great drama

A must watch for me. Amazing cast, amazing story. Especially female lead Dilraba did a great job. As a Turkish girl, I kinda like how they represented our history, even if it was worst times of 1st Köktürks:( *spoiler begins here* Beautiful Chinese princesses who became Khatuns caused destructions those times indeed as we learned in our history classes.
Today, we still use some words such as "Ana (Ana/Anne: mother)", "Ata (Ata: father, ancestor; today we use mostly its 'ancestor' meaning) "Khatun (Hatun: woman, wife, dame, chick; informal, today it mostly considered as a slang word, its original meaning is not used)", "Khan (Han/Kağan: ruler, emperor; Han and Kağan are boy names today, we don't use it's original meaning 'ruler')", "Kurultai (Kurultay: council, general assembly)" and "Ashina (Aşina/Asena: she-wolf; it is believed that Ashina Clan is descended from this she-wolf, also a girl name today // some legend says it was the name of a baby boy rescued by a she-wolf, and he became the father of Ashina Clan)". That they use these words has reinforced my love for these series.
Every episode made me wonder what will come next. That's the brownie points! (i hope i use the idiom in right place:"))
And, the romance! Everything was amazing regarding them, i mean, all of the couples!
However, I am sorry for Hao Du, I wonder how his love story will end.
Can't wait to find Eng subs for the rest of the series and looking forward to finish it.
Edit after ending: What an ending! It was so sad to watch a show about your nation's history when it represents the worst times...
I am happy for Hao Du... and almost everyone else- except Sher. I really liked him, it was so sad -again:(- to see that he couldn't be happy at all.
I wish there were more romantic scenes... but this doesn't matter, it was an amazing drama! -with an amazing soundtrack

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Addictive, Cool Fight Scenes

TLB was very addictive and fun to watch, but it's not perfect.

What I loved:
-the fight scenes, especially at the temple, between Sun and Sheer, and ending were well choreographed.
-touching story- I loved Chang Ge's last conversation with Lishimin - I cried lots!
-the cast - I've really enjoyed all the nuance. I've never watched Leo and Dilraba and I was impressed with their acting.
-the character development of She'er, Hao Duo, Leyan

What Could be Improved:
-Sun had very little character development - he was "perfect" from the beginning so the lack of growth was disappointing because even the side characters had shown growth.
-Sun's romantic love for Chang Ge seemed one-sided. Change Ge seemed to like Sun because of guilt (seemed more platonic love than romantic love).
-Chang Ge's grassland arc should be longer to show her strategic worth to the Eagle Division and build camaraderie; instead, the palace politics in the end was too long and didn't make too much sense.
-the makeup: Chang Ge should not have such heavy makeup when she is dressed up as a boy. She's gorgeous dressed as a princess.

What I despised!
-Canaries! They shouldn't have even bothered.

Overall, I would highly recommend TLB. Just remember that it is a drama, so there are some pretty big plot holes to overlook. The acting is very good and there are many touching storylines.

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Posterity for the birds

This is my final thought, ramble, rant... call it what you will.

This may have a mild spoiler proceed with caution.

Good plot, good acting, excellent OST. Interesting main and side characters who all managed to standout on their own. Good pacing but it did lag towards the end. I really think they could have worked to make this ended at 42. Unnecessarily dragging it out to 49 did the drama a great disservice.

What I liked:

* Hao Du - Best boy. Only character that mattered from the get-go! You can’t imagine how much I like him. I watched Zhao Lusi for you TT (okay, I'll admit this character fitted her well but still... only for Hao Du!)

* Changge- was she perfect? No. But she was a great character to watch. A strong, defiant, smart and fearless character who puts loyalty and country above personal grudge. She is impulsive, cold, unreasonable at times too. The drama shows you how each experience shapes her, how it layer by layer peals off her shell, her anger, her resistance. Overall, this was a very well developed character.

* Li Shimin - okay the actor did really well in this role (this role fits him so much better than the one he played in LoF. He really came off as comical in that)
I'm a little disappointed though that we only got to see the empathetic side of him. He's Emperor Taizong and he's considered one of the greatest emperors in Chinese history! You don't become someone like that by ruling with benevolence alone. He had to also have been shrewd, cunning and calculative and a bit of ruthless to some extent. All great men who leave their mark on history are and I'd have liked to see a little bit of that instead of just showing his kindness.

* Minister Du - I know a well written character when I see a character that you initially dislike or feel is going to be the antagonist to the end but as the story progresses you see parts of their personality that makes you reevaluate your initial impression. Not because they went through a redemption arc, they are still the same people with the same principle but you find that you understand them better now. This was a character I didn't expect to be moved by this much but I nevertheless was (why am I surprised, he raised Hao Du!)

* She'er - this is a very stereotypical character. The arrogant, seemingly cruel misunderstood character but is in fact the innocent of them all. I think I like him because he's a cliched character, sometimes there is comfort in the known.

* Princess Yi Cheng/Khatun - regardless of how you may feel about her, I thought this was a very good, multi-layered character. Unrepentent to the end, which’s a large part of why I like this character, she still manages to pull on your emotions. She is not just one person - an innocent girl, an abandoned princess, a wife, a mother, a Khatun - in every version of her I have found genuine reasons to either empathize or sympathize with.

* Richard Wang's cameo - even if it was brief, the man showed up looking like an elf and giving me LoTR's crossover images I didn't know I needed.

* Underrated CP: Xu Feng and Shi Ba ❤️

What I didn't like:

* Li Change's lipstick - and this is why I HATE cross dressing/gender bending dramas. The lack of commitment. Dilraba did a very good job acting as Li Shi Si with her demeanor and aloofness but yet time and time again they have her in bright shades of lipsticks. Why? were they afraid she wouldn't look attractive enough for fans? Didn't she still get criticize for the 2 hair strands? If you can't please anyone at the very least commit to your craft. I don't need all my leading actor/actresses to stand out. I rather they play a convincing role. I'm already suspending logic pretending I don't see their chest.

* The anime- I had initially thought it was actually pretty cool to incorporate the anime in the drama but the drama ended up replacing ALL the battle scenes with manhua. WTF! It was very underwhelming. How are you going to ask me to be invested in the outcome of a war when I'm looking at drawings? I want to see blood, and stabbing and cutting and hacking. I want to feel the panic of watching the enemy creep up on a character from behind....There was no tension whatsoever so it was less impactful. To add to this, the badly CGI'd actors pretending to charge into the manhua scenes was so ridiculous, I burst out laughing each time.
Ya, I'm not buying this was due to COVID. It may have started that way but it feels like it's Tencents way of saving money. You'd think at least they'd spare some change and get Changge a 2nd outfit. The girl wore the same blue outfit from Ep 39-46.

* Wei Shu Yu - I know air is free but really we still shouldn't just waste it. Consistently mediocre, a glorified messenger, has neither brain nor spine... I could go on but I don't want to waste any more time on him.

* A'Sun in ep 42 - I really wanted to reach through the screen and throw him off the balcony. It's fine though because Hao Du exists. (okay, this reason is petty and I know but I don't care)

* Mimi Guli - annoying for most of the drama. Am I sad? Yes, but she is still annoying as a character and the dubbing voice didn't help at all. Every time she whined my ears suffered.

Editing this to add how much I hated the birds. This drama should be proud of its accomplishment in making me have strong averse reaction to two cute birds.

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An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind.

This is the empowering, female focused historical drama that I have been waiting for. Finally in Li Changge, we get a strong, smart, independent female lead character who seeks meaning in life beyond being just an extension of the male lead and his dreams. Not that Wu Lei's Ashile Sun is anything to throw popcorn at because this man is a total keeper from his fabulous thunderbolt eyebrows all the way down to his baby toes. No, I haven't actually gotten to his baby toes, my screen appears to be ahem... stuck... in a perpetual loop around about his stunning bare chest but I am sure they past muster. Even disguised as a man, Dilraba is such a peerless goddess no male lead ever seems good enough until Wu Lei rocks up to turbocharge this smoking hot OTP into one of my all time favorite drama couples. Don't be fooled by my shameless, shallow gushing, this is so much more than just another idol drama. All of the main characters in this drama start out as young people who don't know who they want to be when they grow up. They go on an incredible journey of self actualization to discover their true values and best selves.

This story begins with Li Shimin's bloody ascent to the Tang throne over the bodies of his brothers, to be the greatest Tang emperor. Li Changge, a fictional character, is his much adored niece and daughter of the deposed crown prince. Disguised as a man, she flees the capital, vowing to avenge her family and tries to marshal her father's remaining supporters to undermine her uncle. Thus Changge embarks on a long and difficult quest, making many friends including the delicious Ashile Sun along the way. She is young, naive and makes costly mistakes with irreversible consequences along the way. In the process, she discovers that the truth is never simple and there are causes far greater than hers; that an eye for an eye will make the whole world blind. Dilraba's performance as Changge is several notches above all her other works; she is not afraid to ugly cry or allow grief and rage to ooze from every pore of her being.

I picked up this drama because Wu Lei's Fei Liu is one of my all time favourite drama characters. Who would have guessed that irascible kid would have grown up to be such a sexy beast of an Ashile Sun! And Wu Lei has not lost any of his agility in delivering thrilling, heavy hitting action scenes, with his kick ass fight with She'er being one of the drama highlights. But what really is on fire is his chemistry with Dilraba; their mutual attraction does not have to be expressed in words. When Sun tells Changge "From now on, you are my slave" his entire being screams "From now on, I am your slave." It is so refreshing to have a couple that understands each other, is honest with each other (even about lying to each other) and shares the same world vision. Ashile Sun's manliness comes from the fact that he is not threatened by Changge's independence and strength, he glories in it. Together they find that forgiveness brings peace and liberation. I am also most pleased that not all the men fall in love with Changge, Mimi is more the femme fatale.

Changge's cousin and closest confidante Leyan is inadvertently thrown on a similar journey. They are polar opposites by nature and deal with challenging situations in completely different ways but both show immense courage and fortitude. Leyan is the character that shows the most growth in this drama and even though usually weepy characters give me rashes, I was not allergic to Zhao Lusi's empathetic portrayal. Fair to say, the princess and the icicle is very cliche but Liu Yuning and Lusi really capture what made it such a popular trope to begin with. Sadly they must have cut those scenes where the uptight Haodu thanks Wei Shuyu for buying him looser underwear with tears in his eyes because poor Wei Shuyu never gets any love despite how he redeems himself later on.

As much as I find this drama's character development addicting, it must be said that the plot is flimsy and requires heavy suspension of disbelief. This is partly because the plot development is constrained by historical facts. While it is very cool to journey with our characters to all the historical hot spots and watch them interact with great historical figures while history plays out, the plot itself doesn't amount to much more than that. Changge's mother's story is tragic but anti-climatic as far as mysteries go and that is the problem, the drama doesn't really have a climax. The entire last arc is not only implausible, the main antagonist was mis-cast and their acting was so appalling I really cringed through many moments of the final few episodes. As for the ending, I found it most fitting. Weddings are not the same without family, permission was asked and received and beautiful vows were exchanged. We don't need more than that.

Broadly speaking, men are followers of women in this drama making it is the ultimate female fantasy fiction that on sheer addictiveness and enjoyment factor alone merits a 10/10. But objectively speaking it also has some flaws that make an overall 8.5/10.0 more fair.

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