Completed
daydream
2 people found this review helpful
Feb 13, 2022
49 of 49 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Powerful, Emotional, Engaging. One of the best dramas i've ever watched.

I started watching this drama without a lot of expectations and had no idea what i was getting into.
This drama has everything: great character development, friendships and romance, epic battles, life lessons and so on.
The characters managed to make me experience all the emotions they have felt with them.
The story is engaging throghout the whole series and it never gets boring to watch.
Nothing was rushed, everything was perfectly paced and the dialogs and story were very well constructed.
I truly enjoyed every moment of it and i'm very sad that it came to an end.
It was a journey that i'm glad i got to experience and i will never forget this beautiful drama.

Very well done and the actors did a greatt job!

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Completed
AzwaSF
2 people found this review helpful
Mar 22, 2022
49 of 49 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 8.0

Li Changge and Ashile Sun

I've rewatch this drama many times, Idk abt others but I really love GeSun CP! Changge is very young character thus her character at the beginning story isn't matured however she is really try. Between hatred vs her country she choose country, she is former princess but she still want to fight for her people. Its very hard for her, almost everyone she loved is died. A'Sun is powerful n cold ml but start to care for Changge. He do his best to protect Changge at any cost, from cold general he become gentle but he is very good leader.

Ik many ppl love Haodu character but I dislike his character, badboy isn't my cup of tea alt I know he is changing at the end... Princess Youning is too innocent, I pity her but ik her depressed scene is for her growth.

Ik some of this is real in history alt they changed... But a few character is real. Li Shimin is great ruler actually, Tang Dynasty should be proud to have him. Gongsun Heng, he died for ppl, he's earned my respect n heartache.

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Completed
jen o
2 people found this review helpful
Apr 19, 2022
49 of 49 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers

well made drama worth watching

this was on netflix so i decided to watch it! binged all eps in 3-4 days time lol. definitely a solid 9 for me!

there were many touching moments in the drama and personally, my fav couple was hao du and leyan. I hated that their first love line was in one of the first 5 eps and the next was 20+ eps away lol. And when leyan was lost, they did not show much on leyan or haodu but rather scenes less than 5 mins showing that haodu was finding her. This was quite sad cuz i do think their story deserves to be well developed in the earlier scenes. ok but they focus on the couple more in the later scenes so im cool. anyway just gotta give props to the team for casting zhao lusi and yu ning as leyan and hao du respectively. They look so good together. Does anyone here thinks hao du looks like wang yi bo in some angles too? or is it just me haha

The main couple!! super sweet! i didn’t realised leo wu was so much younger than dilereba and that probably answers for the lack of romantic scenes. I was expecting a proper kiss but all he gave was a peck hahaaha and another scene showing their lips nearing but damn no kiss :<

Talking about acting, delireba (li chang ge) amazed me. She portrayed her character very well. you could see that she was trying her best to show the emotions needed throughout the whole drama. Being pretty on screen wasn’t her priority. I’m just stating this because many other ancient cdramas i’ve watched have FL trying so hard to look good in every scenes, even crying scenes and that got me rolling my eyes. Delireba is different. you can see she really wants to do the best for the project she has taken on.

Leo wu (ah sun) is so handsome. I admit he does look like a softie at most times when he’s supposed to look tough all time. But that’s what makes him unique. A character appearing tough, yet soft for his loved ones. For that, he was definitely one of my fav characters in the show.

Anyway, give this drama a try. you won’t regret.

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Completed
aestheticbunz
2 people found this review helpful
Apr 24, 2022
49 of 49 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 10
Rewatch Value 8.5

BEST DRAMA EVER?!

Look… there are almost no dramas that pressure me into having dark eye bags for a month, but this one was THE exception. This drama had the best and most interesting storyline I had ever come across, with mysteries, royalty, history, and of course- beautiful romance. Additionally, the camera work and technical affects just increased my rating of this drama. However, most of all, the cast was just PER-FEC-TION. Perfection, I repeat. Dilraba is one of my favourite actresses of all time, not only her unparalleled beauty suiting Li Changge flawlessly, but also her amazing personality and talent. No other actress could replace her spot in this drama. Leo also gave me those rare goosebumps. There are no other words to put it- he was BORN for this. As a young actor with not many achievements yet, he shocked me completely by the way he portrayed his character. Last but certainly not least, Zhao Lusi was fitted the role of the princess so well, that I just had to watch her Romance of Tiger and Rose right after. Her chemistry with her co-actors are always awesome and she never disappoints me. The chemistry between the cast was all too good to be real- although it was, and that’s why I gave the drama a full rating. I should say no more, because you should get on to watching this drama now! Believe me, you won’t regret it! ;)

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Completed
HLCYXNFILMS
2 people found this review helpful
Jun 6, 2024
49 of 49 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 10
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers

─ does the glory really matter ?

After lingering on my to-watch list for some time, I finally delved into 'The Long Ballad'—and I'm truly glad that I did. The well-crafted storyline and character development kept me engaged from the very first episode, with each subsequent installment revealing more secrets and complexities. I especially appreciated the focus on narrative and characters over mere romance, exploring both Tang and Ashile cultures. Exploring the Ashile people's episodes was particularly refreshing to see ─ as it isn't so common to see such dramas explore historical incidents from their settings.

The acting was remarkable across the board, with both leads and secondary characters delivering standout performances. Despite occasional moments where characters seemed to disappear, the drama ultimately struck a balance, allowing each character's development to shine. Another aspect I really liked is how both Li Changge and Ashile Sun were established as individuals ─ means we actually saw their morals, perspectives, and agency beyond just romantic involvement. They both had their own goals and protected each other while also caring for others which is not so common to see in dramas that prefer to focus on romance only.

Dilraba's portrayal of Changge's growth was particularly impressive, while Wu Lei's performance as Ashile Sun, especially in EP25 involving his mother's incident, was emotionally gripping.

While the director's style, especially evident in 'SOKP,' isn't entirely my cup of tea, I found the action scenes well-executed, particularly the Cuju game in EP1, which was truly epic. Occasionally, technical issues like echoes and camera positioning dampened the impact, but the strong storytelling and acting overshadowed these flaws.

The OSTs were a standout feature, as expected since I was familiar with some tracks even before watching the drama ─ and each song added depth to the storyline. The instrumentals were epic as well and showcases the hard work put in this project.


link to edit : https://youtu.be/BV1cR_6LW_Y

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Completed
Teemis
2 people found this review helpful
Mar 10, 2022
49 of 49 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.5

A Balanced Story

The action is top notch, a thriller... deeply moving without being overly bloody. Maybe a little nitpick would be about the end... I kinda wanted more, but I have become used to the open-ended-ness of Cdramas. This one is one of the highly recommended, edge of your seat ones.

Cinematography - awesomeness
Chemistry - sweetness

I adore Dilraba in her roles.... Leo Wu & Rosy Zhao outperformed themselves. The actors were brilliant in their positive and negative roles.

The other Khan boy - ?
Hao Du - ?
General A' Du - ?

Too many characters brought the stars out of my eyes

!!!

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Completed
Once Upon a Drama
2 people found this review helpful
Nov 27, 2022
49 of 49 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

An absolutely epic long ballad

Extremely rewarding drama. The main storyline is of such a rare quality, supported by a fantastic, generous and talented cast. This one is an emotional rollercoaster. Wu Lei and Dilraba Dilmurat are perfect. The production is highly qualitative and supported by a beautiful OST. Even if we are not granted any kiss scene between the leads, their romance is nonetheless really heart-fluttering and very gratifying and satisfactory nonetheless. Their expressions, the way they look at each others ….is one of a kind. All in all, one of the best dramas in its kind. I especially loved the growth of the two female leads, their long ballad towards true wisdom…Learning along the way that revenge as a goal in life is not worth pursuing, as its toll will always be more than what you bargained for…and such a waste of the precious time we have…

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Completed
Bellesister
2 people found this review helpful
May 29, 2023
49 of 49 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
The Long Ballad is essentially a story about Dilraba's character, Li Chang Ge, who is ousted by her own country and her plot for revenge to avenge the death of her family at her own home, and she then met a handsome "prince" from the grasslands and fell in love. That is in short what the story is about, at least according to me.

However, after watching episodes after episodes, I kinda like and enjoyed watching the second female and male lead story better than the main couple. Their character development, I thought is much better and you will see them grow and change as the story progresses. The other supporting characters, for me is also more interesting.

Overall, this is quite a good watch. The pacing is good, some episodes end with a cliffhanger to keep you interested. The politics part of the story doesn't interest me as much but I guess it's essential to the whole story. There are some cute moments, especially with Zhao Lu Si's and Liu Yu Ning's character.

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Completed
K and C - drama Addict 0
2 people found this review helpful
Jan 22, 2023
49 of 49 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

A Blossom of love in the Midst of War

When I first saw the drama plot and eps I said to myself "so much eps to watch is there going to be misunderstandings between the leads" then I started to watch and got attached to it I loved the way they fought for survival and the military strategies
In my heart, this drama is irreplaceable because in the drama we see love, war, sacrifice fighting for what you believe in, etc.

Every character in this drama is amazing I think we learn a lot of things about life as we understand these characters.

One thing I learned is that "No matter if you hurt the person you love you will do whatever it takes to save them."

Li Chang Ge and Ashile Sun are one-of-a-kind characters because of the war they fight for what they believe in, how they trust each other, and how they know what each is thinking is impressive.

This drama has the blend of everything I love in a drama.

You will never regret watching it.

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Completed
Wish Upon A Star
2 people found this review helpful
May 2, 2022
49 of 49 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 7.5
Music 2.0
Rewatch Value 2.0
This review may contain spoilers

A worthy historical costume cdrama released in recent 2 years

My initial impression of this drama as i was watching the initial episodes was the resemblance to the Prince of Lan Ling (2013) - masked ML warriors, FLs as extraordinary woman (奇女子), MLs as god of war (战神), war tactics/strategies and peace treaty between warring states. The resemblances wean off eventually as i progressed with the drama and become more attached to The Long Ballad’s characters.

This is a drama of putting the interests of the country before self*, of protecting the loved ones (family and friends) before self*, and a coming of age drama of the four main leads:
(1) Li Chang Ge who despite seeking out revenge for her parents’ death on the Emperor, understands and puts the interests of the country before self;
(2) Ashile Sun who is courageous in his love for Li Chang Ge, loyal to his adopted father and to his people, and who puts the interests of his loved ones before his;
(3) Li Le Yan who transforms from a dainty princess to a princess who understands the needs of, and seeks better lives for, her people; and
(4) Hao Du who once followed orders fervently and coldly to one who doesn’t surface judge and who fights courageously for his princess’ love.

* those are true of Prince of Lan Ling as well.

Besides romance with four couples (Li Chang Ge x Ashile Sun, Li Le Yan x Hao Du, Mimi Guli x Mu Jin, Luo Shi Ba x Xu Feng), there is sismance (sisterly love) (Li Chang Ge x Li Le Yan, Li Chang Ge x Mimi Guli), bromance (brotherly love) (Ashile Sun x Mu Jin, Ashile Sun x She Er) and also touching encounters with kids the two FLs met (Li Chang Ge x A Dou, Le Yan x Wu Ye).

Happy to see Leo Wu again and this time in a lead role, after enjoying his portrayal as the little Fei Liu protecting his master (the ML) in Nirvana in Fire about 6 months ago. He has grown up to be a fine actor.

Zhao Lu Si captivated me and had me rooting for her and Liu Yu Ning’s Hao Du, instead of the first lead couple. I was actually quite put off by her portrayal in Oh! My Emperor, so much so that i only finished the first season and didn’t continue the second season. Perhaps it’s the role. I first saw Liu Yu Ning on the same stage as Xiao Zhan in Our Song. He came across as a good singer. (And i started watching Oh! My Emperor for Xiao Zhan, but never finished the complete drama).

The manhua strips inserted in some key scenes, though a convenient way to cut costs while linking back to its comic source, are eye sores that also cheapen the quality of this drama.

Overall, it is a historical costume cdrama released in recent 2 years that is worth watching.

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Completed
Ania_kdm
2 people found this review helpful
Aug 30, 2024
49 of 49 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.0
Story 3.0
Acting/Cast 2.5
Music 4.0
Rewatch Value 1.0

I neither liked the FL nor the ML .there was no chemistry between the couple

The second couple was good and the only reason I continued watching it till Ep 24 was Lusi
The romance was extremely slow-burn/after 23Eps just a cold hug?
I couldn't follow and understand the political parts fully and the war scenes were awful
The FL couldn't portray that princess well and from the beginning I knew that
The idea that she dressed up like a guy and nobody figured out that she was indeed a girl was really ridiculous
I think it wasn't my cup of tea and taste. Some people have enjoyed it a lot though.

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Completed
zhanzhan33
2 people found this review helpful
Apr 16, 2022
49 of 49 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.5
This review may contain spoilers

Wished it was longer

Where do I start? I love almost everything about the drama. The plot. The soundtrack. The costumes and cinematography. Most importantly the casting. I’m particular blown away by Leo Wu’s performance as Ashile Sun - he’s such a badass as Tegin and there’s so much emotions in his eyes & his body language. I can’t forget the fighting scene, when he threw the cup on the ground and the ep when he had to kneel to She’er.
I wished the drama was longer though, some sun-plots just felt they were crammed into a mini series. Also, wish there’s more passion between the FL and ML - the chemistry is there and there’s so much potential for an epic love story but there’s simply lack of passion from LCG so it just didn’t feel memorable which is a shame. That aside, both leads delivered very solid performance. The drama is def worth your time.

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The Long Ballad (2021) poster

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