Who Rules the World (2022)

The Legend of Hei Feng-Bai Xi

Truth be told, Who Rules The World (WRTW) wasn’t on the top of my list for highly anticipated dramas for 2022. But you know what? It turned out to be one of the most entertaining dramas I’ve seen for the year. Certain characters in the show even made their way into my list of all-time favourite C-historical characters as well. I’m pleased to say that WRTW has not disappointed and in fact went beyond any initial expectation I may have had going into it.

WRTW is equal parts traditional wuxia, grandiose palace politics, epic warfare and romantic love that are interwoven seamlessly to create an immersive tapestry of a vivid jianghu that transcends the boundaries of the 7 kingdoms. It revolves around the relationship between two renowned martial artists, Hei Feng Xi and Bai Feng Xi, as they navigate the treacherous world of ancient politics and pugilistic rivalries teeming with characters who are hell bent on ruling the world.

The story is based on the bestselling 2007 novel Qie Shi Tian Xia (且试天下) aka Let’s Try the World which was written by prolific period-romance novelist, Qing Ling Yue (倾泠月). The production team comprises directors Yin Tao (Love and Redemption, Ancient Love Poetry, Under the Power), Yu Yonggang (Novoland: Pearl Eclipse) as well as action director/ choreographer Shi Zhanli (The Promise of Chang’an, Under the Power, Listening Snow Tower, Love and Redemption, The Legend of White Snake). Principal photography took place at Hengdian World Studios from February to June 2021. Interestingly this drama was released concurrently on WeTV international and Netflix for global audiences.

A total of 5 songs are listed in the soundtrack of the production. Liu Yuning sings the inspiring opening theme while Lai Meiyun and Tan Wei Wei contribute moving love ballads.

无双 Unparalleled – 刘宇宁 Liu YuNing
风息 Breath Of Wind – 胡彦斌 / 叶炫清 Hu YanBin / Ye XuanQing
一梦浮生 Dreams Come True – 汪苏泷 Silence Wang
孤注 Gu Zhu – 谭维维 Tan Wei Wei
如梦 Like A Dream – 赖美云 Lai MeiYun

This production has been plagued by some controversies in that the main director was purported to have left the project about halfway through filming for reasons that were not made known publicly. Additionally certain elements of the plot, whether the screenplay or the source material itself, had been accused of plagiarism. Likewise some scenes were cited to be reminiscent of other dramas. Having not read the source material for this drama, or most other dramas for that matter, and without seeing particular shows from which their scenes had been reputedly copied, fortunately my personal viewing enjoyment was not affected by the allegations in any way.

What I Liked

The elements of wuxia, politics and warfare are beautifully crafted into a memorable tale of chivalry, heroism and love amidst an extensively conceived worldbuilding of a fictional universe. Perhaps WRTW does not reach the quality levels of Nirvana in Fire, the gold standard in this multigenre, but it certainly comes close. How often do we come across productions that attempt to cover such an extensive scope without faltering miserably or, at the very least, evoke some form of endearing connection and entertainment value?

In terms of wuxia, this is one of the best for me. The variety of martial arts prowess on display as well as depiction of the jianghu with its associated clans, sects, dark arts and, of course, the chivalric values of brotherhood, heroism, and valour are all expertly embedded into this pugilistic premise. Absolutely no complaints from me in this department.

While initially lacking and slow-moving due to the uneven pacing and multitude of character introductions, the politics of the palace and the world began to exert more control over the narrative up until the finale. This is especially so once the main players have been established and viewers are able to focus exclusively on their schemes and machinations that eventually culminate in all-out confrontations and large scale warfare among them. In some ways, the overall concept and worldbuilding remind me somewhat of Game of Thrones with the premise based on various factions fighting for supremacy and dominion over the world.

Ultimately the one aspect of the story that impresses me the most is the romance. One of the most wholesome and charming love stories that I’ve ever come across in a C-historical. It helps immensely that both leads are extremely likeable both in real life and in the depiction of their respective characters here. No silly misunderstandings, childish petulance, toxic vibes whatsoever. Just as it should be between two heroic jianghu protagonists amidst countless adorable and lovely moments indeed.

As far as the technical execution is concerned, for me the positive takeaways would be the production design which maximises the gorgeous features of Hengdian World Studios in both the opulent indoor sets and lush greenery of the outdoor shooting scenes. Cinematography, choreography and special effects are quite decent, for the most part. I’m thankful that the fight scenes in particular are presented on point without the jittery camerawork and overreliance on slow-motion, repeat cuts or fast cut editing.

The martial arts choreography is simply stunning and showcases some of the most spectacular wire-works (wire-fu) in recent memory. It might appear a bit much to some but personally I love it. Also worth mentioning is the battle scenes between large armies towards the tail end of the show. Despite being mostly CGI, the end result is reasonably rendered and, most importantly, not substituted with animation or even skipped over but is shown in its entirety.

With regards to the cast and their respective characterizations, WRTW wouldn’t be the same without the leads, Yang Yang and Zhao Lu Si. The stellar supporting cast particularly Xuan Lu, Lai Yi, Zhang Feng Yi, Lee Wai Han, Zong Feng Yan and Wang De Shun provide a memorable account of themselves in making this production work as well.

I know that Yang Yang has drawn some flak for his performances in the past but having seen him in the recently concluded Glory of the Special Forces where he delivered possibly his best work to-date, I think he deserves more credit than he’s given. The role of Hei Feng Xi / Feng Lan Xi suits him very much indeed. He has this ability to blend intensity and seriousness with warmth and tenderness as well as a dash of charm and sophistication, which adds depth to his version of the brooding, intelligent and lonely hero of this story.

The same goes for Zhao Lu Si who, despite her expertise in rom-coms, is actually quite versatile and here she showcases some range as well as a more serious side. She still has that comedic timing but as the carefree Bai Feng Xi and the more regal Feng Xi Yun, we get to experience different facets to her characters. The biggest draw in the show is obviously their romance. Whether as royalty or jianghu pugilists, the chemistry between the two absolutely sizzles to set the screen aflame. I cannot imagine anyone else embodying the roles of “Hei Feng- Bai Xi of the rivers and lakes” as well as they have done.

Amongst the supporting characters, my personal favourite include Xuan Lu’s Feng Qi Wu who shares a strong bond with Bai Feng Xi where at one point I was actually shipping them as a lovable GL pairing. It’s refreshing to observe a healthy friendship between two female characters for a change instead of the usual destructive rivalry for affections. Lai Yi’s Huang Chao is another strong character that’s worthy of mention. His connection to the leads prove intriguing where despite no love lost between them, they continue to regard one another with mutual admiration and respect.

What Fell Short

I think the transition of directors midway through production possibly caused a discernible change in the quality of direction and editing during the second half of the show. This in turn affected the flow of the storytelling because certain scenes feel somewhat disconnected while the last 8 or so episodes are a little rushed. That said, most C-historicals tend to sprint towards the finishing line with a flurry of events and activities within the final few episodes, although this could be attributed to censorship-induced post-production editing.

For obvious reasons, most of the focus is on Yong-zhou and Qing-zhou, two of the 7 kingdoms in the story. There are some highlights of Ji-zhou and You-zhou, and the initial spotlight on Dong Empire, the ruling kingdom and the seat of power itself. I would have liked to see more backstory or development in the lesser mentioned kingdoms as well as the other mysterious sects of the jianghu. At 40 episodes, it’s near impossible to fit everything and everyone, which is unfortunate as some of the minor side stories and subplots actually appear interesting and thus worth exploring.

Because of the rushed nature of the final arc, the potential for the main villain’s origins and motivations are largely glossed over in favour of the ultimate showdown. I think this dimension of the antagonist’s profile deserves at least a couple of episodes to allow the gravity of his villainy to sink in with viewers.

The FL’s identity reveal is a bit of a letdown personally for me. It should have been more sensational and shocking to everyone involved but it turned out to be a lowkey affair after all.

I feel the need to rant on one of the martial arts clans, the Tianshuang Sect. I’m not sure how they are written in the original novel or if it is meant to be a running joke but the members of that sect, along with their leader/elder/founder, are quite laughable indeed. Without spoiling, let’s just say that these folks are better off managing a zen spa or soup kitchen rather than actively attempting to partake in conspiratorial activities.

Final Thoughts

WRTW ranks amongst the better recent releases of C-historicals and wuxia productions. It hasn’t reached the gold standard that is NiF but is somewhere slightly lower, perhaps at a similar level to The Long Ballad. Objectively it’s an 8.5 but for the sheer enjoyment factor and memorable performances of the leads, I’m bumping this up to 9. This is recommended viewing for fans of the genre.

Read More

“Like the hawk that soars freely, you reject the shackles."

Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi are a fated pair. To the world, they're known as the Hei-Bai Fengxi duo, "Hei" and "Bai" as in black and white. They're each other's greatest rivals, companions and partners in crime but also inseparable like light and shadow. It's hard to describe their relationship with just a few simple words.

"As beautiful as she is lethal." Bai Fengxi is a smart and brave yet carefree heroine who stands in the face of justice. She's a cute glutton when there's good food and a headstrong, cheeky opponent when there's a good fight. Secretly, she's also Princess Feng Xiyun of Qing who's renowned for her intelligence and eloquence.

Hei Fengxi is the embodiment of grace and elegance that's known as a diplomatic and just hero. But underneath that façade, he's extremely cunning and ambitious, just like the endearing nickname "Black Foxy" Bai Fengxi has given him. Like her, he also has a double identity as the Second Prince Feng Lanxi of Yong. From a young age, he was forced to fake illness and learn the ruthlessness of court politics on the path to becoming the royal heir. Hei Fengxi is tough and merciless towards his opponents but incredibly soft-hearted when it comes to his own people, especially Bai Fengxi.

I'm truly in love with the duality of both leads. They're adventurous and playful in the martial arts world, but very dedicated to their royal duties in bringing peace and prosperity to their citizens. There's an unwavering trust and teamwork between Hei and Bai Fengxi that makes them a force to be reckoned with. What's more impressive is that they're both on equal footing where no one side is weaker than the other in talents, martial arts or status. While political schemes and wuxia values do play a major role in the plot, there's a more evident focus on romance.

The chemistry between Yang Yang and Zhao Lusi is so sweet and overwhelming. Admittedly, I didn't know how this couple would pane out in a historical drama but this is way better than any of my wildest dreams. They just click so well together. I can see that both have matured a lot in their acting. Yang Yang has become more experienced with subtle expressions from his role in You Are My Glory, as well as with action scenes from Glory of Special Forces. His background as a contemporary dancer also greatly contributes to the poised and refined portrayal of Hei Fengxi. On the other hand, Zhao Lusi plays the dashing and charismatic Bai Fengxi very well. She's truly badass on so many levels. It's like she has combined the female power from both of her roles in The Romance of Tiger & Rose and The Long Ballad together. Despite the age gap in real life, this pair looks great together on-screen. Though off-screen they're so childish and competitive with each other, it's no wonder Yang Yang said they have the same mental age as a 5-year-old.

This drama also has a very vibrant side cast. Xuan Lu as Feng Qiwu is such a girl crush and I love it when she teams up with Bai Fengxi, total femme fatale style. It's nice to see Wei Wuxian's martial sister kicking up a storm and fighting like a general. The kid playing Han Pu is such a sweetheart. He's a smart little cookie that knows how to bring the vibes. Feng Chang, played by Zhang Tian Yang, is a great older brother. He's protective of Hei Fengxi and really cares for him. Zhang Feng Yi pulls a very convincing act as the sly and cynical King of Yong (Hei Fengxi's father). It's heartbreaking to see Hei Fengxi suffer at his father's callousness.

We can't not talk about the excellent production from the director of none other than Love and Redemption, Ancient Love Poetry and Under the Power. The costumes are absolutely gorgeous and really highlight the duality of the leads. Those high pony tails and headpieces are just chef kiss. The scenery, action scenes and CGI are seamless. I love how Hei Fengxi uses the fan and Bai Fengxi uses her silk ribbon, it's such an effortlessly cool way to fight. Plus, those flying sequences are so satisfying to watch. While the last few episodes do feel a bit rushed, the overall plot remains fairly coherent and easy to follow. As prementioned, it's not supposed to be full-on political, like for say Nirvana in Fire, but emphasises more on the journey of Hei and Bai Fengxi as they traverse the world and discover what is truly the most important in life. Admittedly, there've been a few controversies and problems with the production crew towards the later part of filming, but this drama has turned out to be a fine one so all credits to the cast and staffs.

The OSTs are very complementary as well. Unparalleled (无双) by Liu Yuning is so empowering and intense. Except it's a bit strange to hear from Zhao Lusi's lover in The Long Ballad, if you get what I mean. My favourite got to be Breath of Wind (风息) by Tiger Hu and Ye Xuan Qing as it's very fitting for the Hei-Bai Fengxi couple. A Dream Come True (一梦浮生) by Silence Wang is like a sweet love confession. While Like A Dream (如梦) by Sunny is like a bashful reply to that confession. Lastly, Orphan (孤注) by Tan Wei Wei is the emotional song that hits you least expect it.

*If you're confused about the politics and would like some clarifications, CloudA has put together a fantastic background summary in the Discussion forum below.

FAVOURITE QUOTES:

“If I die, no one will know your [Hei Fengxi's] true face. Life will be boring.” Bai Fengxi

“I can hide anything from the world. Yet, I can’t hide anything from you [Bai Fengxi].” Hei Fengxi

“They always say to love until the ocean and earth run dry. We both know that these are just false promises. To me, I only want to hold your [Bai Fengxi's] hand until the end of life.” Hei Fengxi

“I met you [Bai Fengxi] when I just started in the martial arts world. And thanks to you, I saw the kindness of the world. And thanks to your company, I know what true feelings mean. It’s all thanks to you that I gave the world another chance.” Hei Fengxi

“They said sometimes you had to lose one thing in order to gain another. But some things are too painful to be let go. I can’t let go of her [Bai Fengxi] no matter how hard I try… I can let go of all my mortal desire except for this one. I can discard three thousand strands of woes but let me keep this one strand… Let it bind me for the rest of my life.” Hei Fengxi

Read More

The Plagiarist Cookbook

Who Rules the World is based on a well-loved, strong female centric novel that is normally my kind of story. However, the drama adaptation was undermined by the mid-production departure of the director and a key scriptwriter in the bitter aftermath of over fraternisation between production staff. It is clear that the drama was salvaged by borrowing heavily from other dramas and accusations of plagiarism have further weighed on the reception. I watched this for lack of anything better but to my surprise, it comes together quite well. It is indubitably the result of The Plagiarist Cookbook and is best enjoyed with a sense of humor for its stirring romance and parody plot.

This drama starts strongly, promising a sensational fusion of romance, wuxia, palace intrigue and art of war. Set in a fictional Dadong empire, the Empyrean Token, which vests the imperial family with the mandate to rule mysteriously disappears, sending the empire onto the brink of war. All six vassal states vie to recover the token and potentially seize power. Longtime friendly rivals and top martial artists Bai Fengxi and Hei Fengxi get dragged into the fray as they stumble across a string of inexplicable killings. Together, they discover a sect with shadowy motives that could be linked to the struggle for control of Dadong. Behind their carefree jianghu personas, they both conceal identities with vested interests in the coming battle to decide who rules the world. Can their romance survive the battle for a new world order?

This drama's strongest selling point is Bai Fengxi and Hei Fengxi; they are simply the most awesome jianghu power couple. I was expecting more of the same old, same old Zhao Lusi. And my first impression of Yang Yang in what looked like Wang Yibo's hand-me-down Legend of Fei wig was meh, just another idol actor with a sharp, useless look about him. So to my surprise and delight, I enjoyed Lusi and Yang Yang's combined chemistry immensely. I love that their romance develops after years of friendly competition, when they are both secure, fully realised beings. Their relationship dynamics are captured in as much in their witty banter as in the nonverbal communication of their eyes, facial expressions and small gestures. They make for such a stunning looking couple with 夫妻相/fū qī xiàng or the look of a couple that it is hard not to root for them. That said, their relationship is mature and already perfect. They are on the same wavelength with mutual understanding that even in the matter of their secret identities, the reveal is in each case rather anti-climatic; an unimportant and unsurprising detail. While they experience many challenges together, most of the time they sail through them so effortlessly that the intensity is diminished. Since the drama is all about this couple, as charming as it is, their relationship after awhile feels static.

I really like how the smart women (to be clear, that means excluding Langhua) are portrayed in this drama. They are clever, independent and capable decision makers who don't succumb to the dumbest and most boring love rival tropes. Yet ultimately this is not the strong female-centric story I was expecting as it is much more Lanxi's story than it is Xiyun's story. Which is a shame because Lusi really takes her acting to another level in her portrayal of an indomitable and powerful character who cries as persuasively as she laughs and whose stomach is a bottomless pit. Her comedic expression remains her forte and in this production, her articulation is more mature and subtle than her earlier works. Hopefully down the road, she gets another shot at playing a strong female lead character and preferably one that drives the plot.

This is my first Yang Yang drama and wow, he is a sight for sore eyes and a much better actor than I guessed. He has incredibly expressive eyes such excellent micro expressions that he pulls off every imaginable romantic expression effortlessly. I can only applaud the neck breaking effort and dedication that goes into presenting his incomparable jawline at the most optimal camera angle at all times. If only we can unlock that frozen shoulder and see more natural body movement. Beyond that, he appears determined to cling to a righteous, gallant and conventional interpretation of his character. But I did not see the greyer, more complex side to Lanxi which I believe is consistent with how the role is actually written. While I enjoyed the slap that reverberated across the Dadong empire, I needed more. Like his father, I wanted to see Lanxi rise to the occasion, get angry, voice his resentment and demand justice. Instead, his brothers stole his lines while Lanxi simply stares down regally at the antagonists, best chin angle forward and nary a hair out of place. So definitely a young actor with lots of potential but Yang Yang's performance overall does not rise to the level of the character's complexity.

If I had to pinpoint where another writing/direction team takes over, it must be in the over extended Yongzhou arc. It is manifestly obvious that the Yongzhou royal family blueprint and at least two sub-plots in that arc are dumbed down knock offs from Royal Nirvana. I could be forgiving if they'd managed to make it better or more interesting than the original but nope, that did not happen. It is baffling how they chose to focus on done before royal succession palace intrigue tropes and less intelligent, archetypal villains at the expense of more compelling plot threads of conspiracies around dark sects committing murder and mayhem, missing tokens with fascinating grey characters like Huang Chao and Yu Wuyuan. There is an entire missing arc that could have better explored their back stories and more interesting dynamics.

The drama ends well after an exciting climax but the final six episodes are rushed and don't quite manage to close all of the open and more interesting plot threads. The war sequences are very well done even though they don't come together that coherently. But I don't like how they kill off good characters. To me, a few side characters I managed to get invested in deserved better deaths than what they got. And as for the final outcome, everyone got what they most wanted. If only Bai Fengxi knew the irony of her insistence that bai (white) precedes hei (black) in all matters.

The problem with using The Plagiarist Cookbook is the end product feels familiar but ultimately lacks substance and definition. I genuinely enjoyed watching this and laughed my way through it but more so because the MDL thread was amazing with many viewers with a great sense of humor and openness to plurality of opinions. I probably would have still enjoyed it but a lot less had I watched it by myself. While this has been my most fun watch of 2022, I can only rate this 8.0/10.0.

As promised for posterity:

Rules of The World:

#1 Falling down a steep cliff does not result in death
#2 Bai always precedes Hei - it is just the natural order of things
#3 Food has no calories and should be consumed at every opportunity
#4 When bad guys try to kill your love rival, let them
#5 Bai Fengxi remembers what she sees
#6 If you are going to dance seductively, wear a red dress
#7 The sleeve and the fan are mightier than the sword
#8 Don't bother with blankets, just use body heat
#9 Hand made noodles will unlock his life story
#10 Must have at least one bad parent and imaginary cousins
#11 The timely ankle twist is a more important skill than showy gravity defying flying kicks
#12 Must have strong piggy back and copious blood factory
#13 Never hold hands with just any girl in the streets, only that one girl
#14 You don't draw that well, she just looks that good
#15 Be greedy when it comes to food and all four elegant gentlemen
#16 Funerals are for dead people and not those you wish dead
#17 To eat or to Hei Fengxi, that is the question?
#18 Heaven hath no thunder greater than that of a long dead queen
#19 Be known by a dark foxy stripper 名号/name
#20 Surprise - they met when they were kids!
#21 Spicy exotic delicacies to ward off black dogs blood is just another excuse to eat
#22 Introducing your girlfriend to the girl who wants to be your girlfriend makes you the third wheel
#23 Don't give your master love advice unless you like memorizing military stratagems
#24 You get better love advice from romance novels than from your inexperienced subordinate
#25 A real hero need not take advantage of a woman to rule the world
#26 I promise to feed her well
#27 Foreshadowing is when her drawings and clay figures of you are all so.... round
#28 Be sure to let the villain and no one else know you are on to him
#29 When in doubt just stab the least likely suspect in the back
#30 The flower medicine kiss is a cure all for inner energy loss to deep stab wounds
#31 Greatest fool theory of sect leadership
#32 Stop dreaming about kissing her and just do it
#33 Two can play hide and seek in closets made for one
#34 Don't: As my most important wife and empress, I will give you the world
#35 Do: Xiyun who? You are my world
#36 Give your treacherous brother the coup de slap that is heard across the Dadong empire
#37 Revenge is a dish best served with a piece of long white cloth
#38 Let me see if you are good looking enough for my daughter?
#39 It is Hei Bai (black and white) that no son of mine should have to marry above him!
#40 Mess with my woman and I will knock the sacred jade out of your moon
#41 Nothing says hands off, he's mine like your bright red lipstick plastered over his cheek
#42 If Mo Yuan and Ye Hua can survive a weapon of mass destruction, so can I... oh... oops... wrong genre...
#43 Honey, 白头偕老/Bái tóu xié lǎo (grow white hair/old together) is not meant to be taken so literally or so independently.

And they lived heavily one decade after. Burp!

The End.

Warning: DO NOT try at home. May result in substantial weight gain, stomach ache, premature greying and/or loss of life and limb. Also, backstabbing and bitch slapping could be offences punishable by law in your jurisdiction.

Read More

Hei-Bai Feng Xi, a match made in heaven!

Who Rules The World (WRTW) is a Wuxia drama with all those things a Wuxia should have. This drama follows Hei Feng Xi and Bai Feng Xi, two great martial artists who travel the world and ultimately join forces with those who wish to conquer the world in order to make it a better place.

Who Rules The World is based on Qing Ling Yue's (倾泠月) novel of the same name, "Qie Shi Tian Xia" ((=且试天下). In 2007, this was one of the best-selling novels. This play contains numerous aspects, all of which are in such perfect proportion that none bear upon another, and none feels extraneous.

As I  have said, this drama revolves around the Hei-Bai Feng Xi pair.  Hei is the Chinese word for black, whereas Bai is the Chinese word for white. They may be identified by the colour of their clothes, which match their names.

Hei Feng Xi is the Foundain Abode's Head and one of the Four Gentries. Bai Feng Xi is a Tianshuang sect heroine who is characterized in the drama as "as beautiful as she is lethal." Both are unrivaled in skill and beauty. Bai Feng Xi is unrestrained and carefree, whereas Hei Feng Xi is exquisite and indifferent. Even though everyone believes they are rivals for greatness, they are actually quite good friends, and wherever Bai Feng Xi is, Hei Feng Xi will be there too. Although, they are described as opposite attracts, they feel quite similar, like inseperable sides of a single coin.

However, in reality, both Hei Feng Xi and Bai Feng Xi are the prince and princess of Yongzhou and Qingzhou, Feng Lanxi and Feng Xiyun, respectively. While Bai Feng Xi's family is aware of her dual identities, Hei Feng Xi had to feign illness and learn martial arts in secret. Bai Feng Xi studied martial arts because she was uninterested in politics and desired to live a carefree life. Feng Lanxi, initially, began practising martial arts to protect himself, but his goal evolved from saving the people to eventually ruling the world.

Feng Qiwu is the Chief of the Feng family and one of Yongzhou's Ministers. She assists Lanxi in managing his two identities and concealing the truth from Lanxi's father, the Lord of Yongzhou. She had a crush on Lanxi initially, but it faded as she realised Lanxi's love for Fengxi.

Huang Chao is Jizhou's heir. He is also a member of the Four Gentries. He is almost usually accompanied by Yu Wuyuan, the Finest of the Four Gentries. He also intends to rule the globe with the assistance of Yu Wuyuan.


Things I enjoyed:


I absolutely like how Hei Feng Xi and Bai Feng Xi are created equal and how they keep that throughout the show. It was believable and impressive. Also, many amazing elements in this drama left me speechless, such as the meanings of the characters' names. Lanxi, for example, literally means "breath of orchid." This is significant since the orchids in this state flowered around the time Lanxi was born. He even made Bai Fengxi an orchid garden. The novel's author, who was sadly not there for the drama's screenplay, deserves all credit for this.

Yang Yang and Zhao Lusi were excellent choices for the roles! They nailed it with their acting abilities and did not disappoint me in the least. This drama provided them with an excellent opportunity to demonstrate their versatility in portraying a wide variety of emotions, which they did admirably. Despite her background in rom-coms, Lusi was able to play the serious side of her role and successfully drew the audience to herself. Yang Yang in a historical drama was something I was hoping to witness. He was excellent at portraying both the elegant Hei Feng Xi and the mysterious Feng Lan Xi. One of his strongest strengths is his ability to blend emotions of his character and make them memorable.

Many recognisable faces appear in the supporting cast, including Xuan Lu, Leon Lai, and Lui Rui Lin. If you've seen at least one of their dramas, you'll know that they're the best supporting actors a Wuxia drama can offer!

To be honest, the characters of Yang Yang and Lusi appeared to me to be brother and sister at first. At one point, I even shipped Bai Fengxi with Qiwu, who had such a deep relationship with each other that he seemed to be a third wheel in a scene with them and Lanxi! But I was confident that these two outstanding actors could sort out their connection over time, and I was not wrong. Their chemistry is one of the greatest I've witnessed in C-drama land to date.

Of course, I enjoyed the romance here as well. This was one of the sweetest and most endearing love stories I've ever seen. I like how they are portrayed as partners rather than lovers, with whom you can talk about everything. I like how they support one another throughout the show. Of course, the relationship was typical, but there were no unneeded misunderstandings, immature outbursts, or jealousy. Their love was shown without altering their genuine personalities, which is exactly as it should be!

I was also pleased to see the FL and SFL form a friendship rather than a love rivalry. I'm relieved that they didn't add a love triangle. That may have taken the pleasure out of the presentation by emphasising the romantic aspect and making the proportion of the elements in this imbalanced. The cinematography and choreography were both fantastic. This show features some impressive battle sequences that will leave you awestruck. Despite being jerky at the beginning, the CGI and editing were mostly good.


Things I didn't quite like or enjoy:


I was a little bewildered at the start because I hadn't read the novel and didn't know about the Empryean Token or the six states of Dadong. They should have been explained briefly in the first episode. For me, the last 2-3 episodes felt hurried, and the fight with the main antagonist seemed to be cut short. Some sections in between the drama felt disjointed, making it difficult to follow the main arc.

The revelation scene that Bai Feng Xi was the Feng Xiyun princess was a letdown because it didn't produce the expected effects and explotions. Even Lanxi didn't appear startled! Although the main villain was decently portrayed, there should have been more time for him to develop so that we, the viewers, could better comprehend him.

That's all.

Read More

Scheming For The World

Who Rules The World is adapted from the novel of the same name, 且试天下 (Who Rules The World) by 倾泠月. But the novel author did not take part in the scriptwriting thus there have been changes to the drama. Though promoted as a wuxia drama, Who Rules The World is not 100% a wuxia drama as it also has a combination of romance, court, and political intrigue (heavier on the romance and court side). The drama has a lot of elements, but the drama manages to blend them all seamlessly, it doesn’t confuse you.

As a Tencent S+ project, the drama has a big budget and high-quality production, and the high production values are reflected in the overall production. Who Rules The World features outstanding fight scenes, authentic sets, lavish costumes, beautifully shot landscape, and remarkable CGI. In addition, the drama is also helmed by Yin Tao, the same director who directed Love and Redemption and Ancient Love Poetry, you can expect a good watch!

The drama opens with Bai Fengxi and Hei Fengxi's adventure in Jianghu, but also shows the interconnection between the court and jianghu. The story narrative unfolds at a fast but also leisure pace, it gives viewers enough time to understand the character’s relationship and their connections. The plot and character points are planned well in advance and the story unfolds in a way that pulls us into various plot threads and the partial reveals.

To me, what makes the drama stand out the most is the two main lead characters and great choreographed fighting scenes. I love how both leads are equally strong, and they understand each other well. There is no damsel in distress, it is always them fighting side by side against the enemy together and protecting each other when one of them is in danger. It is also entertaining to see them argue with each other, and their push and pull relationship! Hei Fengxi (Feng Lanxi) is a smart and strong character, he is a formidable foe. He’s always ahead of each other, know what others are planning, has a backup plan, and more. But you’ll understand why he did all that because it is the survival of the fittest. In order for him to be safe from all the schemes, he needs to schemes, outwit others and think ahead. On the other hand, Bai Fengxi (Feng Xiyun) is a dauntless and free-spirited character. She has a genuine heart, she cares for the world but at the same time, she does not let those bad guys off easily. Bai Fengxi uses white silk as her weapon because she believes in the world of martial arts, the highest level is not to kill.

Who Rules The World also has immaculate fighting scenes. It has a brilliantly choreographed fighting scene with engaging shots and thankfully no slow motion. The drama has adequate cinematography with bright also appropriate levels of color grading along with close-ups, immersive, and tracking shots.

Anchored by Yang Yang and Zhao Lusi, you can expect eye candy in the drama! Both of them are gorgeous actors whose emotions and facial expressions transform and make them compelling in their appeal. Moreover, the drama also features a large ensemble cast with many familiar faces. Zhao Lusi has once again surprised us with her new role. Her acting as Bai Fengxi has really shown her great improvement compared to her previous drama. From her articulation, bearing, posture, and acting, everything about her is perfect! On the other hand, Yang Yang imbues his character with elegance, grace, and wittiness at the same time. Zhao Lusi and Yang Yang have great rapport and chemistry, especially if you watch their behind the scenes. I also absolutely adore scenes where they bicker and fight side by side. I personally feel those scenes have more “sugar” rather than the actual romance slo-mo part. Though indeed, in some parts of the drama, Zhao Lusi and Yang Yang have an awkward interaction and bearing.

Who Rules The World is not flawless by any means. Who Rules The World has choppy editing, a rushed storyline, and some bad CGI towards the end. The drama was supposed to be a 45-episode drama, but they cut it down to 40 episodes, hence the choppy editing. Some scenes are not coherent with the others, you can still understand what's going on, but it's not pleasant to see. Another drawback because of the choppy editing is a rushed storyline towards the line. The drama spent too much time on the political side, it is too draggy. It would be better if the political plot was actually intriguing, but I personally feel like the political plot was like a child's play, I didn't feel there's a need to spend so much time on it. The drama spends too much time on the political part making the jianghu plot unattended and left out eventually. The rush to closure also makes some parts of the drama anti-climatic, for instance, the part where Feng Lanxi discovers that Bai Fengxi is Feng Xiyun. Furthermore, I feel towards the ending, the CGI gets bad. The CGI during the beginning (their adventure in jianghu) is very remarkable, especially the CGI of their fighting scenes and Bai Fengxi's white silk. But towards the end, the CGI looks cheap and fake, especially the fight scene ending.

Overall. Who Rules The World is a good watch if you are looking for a light historical drama (also a good watch for those who are new to cdrama).

Read More

So Much Potential...

It started really strong, and I loved the interaction between our leads. However, things got a little draggy in the middle, and it felt like everything just derailed during the last several episodes.

I love seeing supportive, trusting relationships, and boy did this drama nail it. Watching the ML and FL work together to face obstacles was so satisfying and heart-warming. Those were my favorite parts. I enjoyed the more mature character for ZLS, and YY was delectable as always.

But boy oh boy... the story... I can't believe I'm saying this, but this drama should've been longer. If you know me, you know I hate long dramas, but I repeat: this drama should've been longer. Or at least paced better. I noticed the pacing was quick in the beginning but didn't mind it much. The first time I was like hol' up was when a certain character went through something emotionally tragic and magically recovered within a few scenes. I initially shrugged it off cause fine whatever.

But as the episodes went on, similar things kept happening. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Well, I refuse to be shamed. However, a fool I am, so I kept watching all the way to very end hoping that maybe the problem would fix itself. "Welp," I said as I watched the story explode with a fiery crash in the distance. The uninspired army battle scenes, untimely time skips, unresolved/rushed plot points, and generally bizarre out of character behaviors transformed the ending into a surreal experience that left me wondering very intelligently, ".......what?"

Don't get me wrong y'all. I had a good time (like... who can resist YY with that ponytail hair?? certainly not me), but the last third of the drama had that "trying to clean up my college dorm before my parents arrive in 10 min so let's just shove all my dirty clothes under the bed and hope they don't notice" vibe.

My advice: watch for the YY and ZLS visuals/romance but turn off your brain for the story.

Read More

The Answer is: You Are My World

This was a very twisty drama; originally watched because Yang Yang and Xuan Lu are two people that I follow. Plus the plot looked awesome and wuxia dramas are just cool if done right. Wanted to see YY in a costume drama and this one seemed like the one to really show his acting skills. I was pleasantly surprised.

Pros: The chemistry between HFX/FLX and BFX/FXY was off the charts starting in episode one. They were like two magnets, just circling each other. The attraction was real and they made a great team even when they still were very wary of each other and competitive. Best power couple vibes. The fact that they would be together was obvious from the get go. The romance between them was arguably the best part of the series even when it took BFX forever to get over denial (and I ain't talking about the River in Egypt). That pre-wedding, wedding, and afterwards was everything!

Loved that HFX was always many steps ahead of everyone else; though he was great at martial arts, it was his intellect that made him so powerful and scary for even his father. His brains and brawn were on full display here. Though BFX was certainly no damsel in distress, HFX was always there to save her in the knick of time and she in turn helped him as well. Probably his best scene albeit brutal was getting beaten by his father and losing his inner force; I feel YY's strength as an actor shown a lot there; the growth was obvious. Not just physical pain but emotional and psychological was impressive.

I also loved the face stuffing, butt kicking BFX who was the perfect other half to a dashing/smart as heck ML. FQW was a great SFL because usually these characters are the gorilla glue of a show but here to see her get turned down and just shrug it off becoming one of ML's most trusted allies and resources was truly refreshing. She was also a great BFF to BFX turning our poor HFX into a 3rd wheel lol.

Other great characters was the older brother, who though I felt was the most tragic out of the cast, was able to stay on his feet still while supporting FLX throughout everything they had to endure. Han Pu who we lost tragically at the end and who I felt should have stayed behind at the sect, was a cute edition. Purple robe dude was alright though completely oblivious to the walking evil next to him until like 20 minutes of the last episode? All of their sergeants and aides were great for both solidarity and comic relief.

The big bad, YWY was definitely convincing as the main antagonist and I like that they kept him mysterious enough. That final battle was epic; knocking each other through buildings and finally bringing him down in a slash and crash method. Only our power couple could do that and appropriately done by them.

And I'm not the slightest bit worried about HFX and his now white hair because there's still old man Taiyan's flower that people have somehow forgotten about; it does bloom, if properly nurtured, every 10 years and it's been over 10 years since last used so I think our couple will live peacefully in the world for many more years to come, hopefully with children. I think the ending was handled pretty well.

The martial arts I liked a lot though I wish there was more of it through the story without the gaping hole in the middle; the beginning was probably the best with them going around trying to solve mysteries. I loved the battle scenes! Those were real, some even reminded me of the CGI of LOTR or GoT; so very impressive. The OSTs were pretty awesome especially the one by Liu Yu Ning.

Cons: The reason this drama took a serious hit from me primarily is because of how much unnecessary political stuff was introduced in the middle. Instead of growing the FL's backstory and family, the constant infighting between Lord of Yongzhou, junior evil, stepmom, and the rest of that sewer drain that was just unneeded and the ffw button was deployed. It turned an interesting story into a petty fight for power that wasted precious time on things that weren't in the outside world and were more pressing. It was however very satisfying in episode 34 to get rid of most of those morons--in FLX's usual 7 steps ahead way along with the 3 slaps heard around the world--who contributed very little to the main plot but practically hijacked it.

The amount of absolutely useless characters that were seen once but never again. The conspiracy of that Empearyan Token that YWY said he already had but it wasn't revealed until the last episode was inconsistent along with so many other things. Purple robe dude was in the twilight zone of obliviousness the entire time and then out of nowhere it was like "EUREKA, he's been by my side the entire time!" Made me think like "did you just wake up; have the aliens returned you back to earth?!?" Even YWY killing his annoying sister wasn't a thing. The last episode of the 3 main warriors confronting YWY seemed like something out of a twisted church confessional where when they ask him, he just gives up all of his secrets but for 39 episodes for some reason HFX couldn't put those puzzle pieces together? Definitely dropped the ball there among many other places, screenwriters.

Lang Hua being the show's by far the dumbest character can't be forgotten and her literal backstabbing and then just getting away with a no big deal bugs me more then I wanted it to. Han Pu as a child could have run that sect better then her after her father's death (another smart character turned dumb in his final episode; completely the opposite of what we knew). Many characters that were portrayed as very smart, were dumbed down for their last appearances, it was very uneven. And of course I nearly forgot the beyond deflating reveal of FXY's identity; probably why I didn't add it when I first wrote this review. We were all anticipating this big deal because of the buildup that they gave us and then...crickets. Like "oh you're FXY, please pass the bread."

Would I recommend it? Yes for the actual leads, their chemistry, allies, martial arts, and pretty spectacular battles. Also, if palace politics don't turn you off, that's a plus. But it shouldn't have been marketed as a straight wuxia as it was far from it. Definitely has a lot of cons but I do feel the pros outweigh those.

Read More

The inseparable Hei-Bai Fengxi and The Quest for the World

Who rules the world (Wrtw) is a diverse narrative based on the novel "Qie Shi Tian Xia" (且试天下) written by Qing Ling Yue that stays true to it's title. A full politics driven drama that revolves around the power struggle between 6 States and the main Imperial State of Dadong. And I have so much to talk about so forgive me, this is gonna be long…

I was super excited for this drama for many reasons… I had high expectations also considering the star studded cast, this plot, the posters and the trailer that was definitely so promising… so that was the only reason why I started watching this right from the first day it aired it's Episode 1.


The strengths/what I liked —

✧ The leads compliment each other so well. (Bai Fengxi and Hei Fengxi)

Bai Fengxi is a strong righteous woman who is hard not to be liked. she is a total foodie so I know where her energy comes from lol. As cute and cheerful she looks while talking, the more clever she is while fighting her enemies with her white cloth or her sword… she loves to live a carefree life, traveling… with Zhao Lusi acting in this role, this turned out to be my favorite character of Wrtw.

Hei Fengxi is a smart elegant man who has got both brains and beauty. He never gives a chance to others to outsmart him… he is kind at heart with an ambition of world peace… what I love about him ~ He trusts Bai Fengxi as wise and capable and as his equal. He helps her often but you will also hear him say "it feels nice to be protected."

✧ the chemistry between the leads. Beyond romance, they have a level of friendship, trust and respect for each other. You can observe that they spend 10 years with each other in the martial arts world because this is the kind of understanding that only comes with time… because their minds are so much in sync and they can read each other through… yet they become childishly jealous and bicker which gets you all smiling and blushing…

✧ Of course, the good looks/visuals of Yang Yang, Zhao lusi and cast helps a lot. I have to admit I was fascinated by how gorgeous Lusi looked in those simple robes and damn! that hairstyle of Yang Yang. Just who came up with his whole Hei Fengxi look. Oh! He looks so good. And I officially declare, I want Yang Yang in more historical dramas.

✧ martial arts. Bai Fengxi does it in quick-witted way while Hei Fengxi prefers looking graceful even at that. I liked how those enemies got kicked down here and there just by blow of air or a slight push.

✧ it's fun to watch opponents respecting each other for being smart and accepting their mistakes with honour.

✧ one of the best supporting female leads till now — Feng Qiwu (acted by Xuan Lu). Two beautiful strong women (Bai Fengxi & Feng Qiwu) appreciating each other and it was one of my favorite scenes when even Hei Fengxi felt like a "third wheel" between them. I just love strong women forming a good bonding.

✧ Acting couldn't have been any better. From fighting, body postures to expressions everything was top-notch. Yang Yang, Zhao lusi, Xuan Lu, Leon Lai, Leo Rui Lin, Zhang Hao Wei, Carman Lee, Zhang Tian Yang and others all did a great job.

✧ Powerful and soulful OSTs. My favorite was the opening theme song ♪Unparalleled♪ (无双) by Liu Yuning and ♪A Dream Come True♪ (梦浮生) by Silence Wang was also great. These two are the kind of songs I will like listening to even after the drama ends.


The weaknesses/what I didn't like —

⚘ The main theme is family + palace politics with some super annoying characters. The plot holes lies somewhere in the politics part only like how everyone is so intelligent yet not even doubting the villain for once… and I like villains with reasons and well built-up around his actions… but they rushed over that… I wish it was explained in a better way.

⚘ the names - Even the two main leads have similar name and looking at the complex court/palace characters, new people keep entering with a new name and even different identities. Even the city names made me go off…
( but I appreciate all those MDL'ers who cleared other's doubts in comments section and even that one discussion page with whole family/relation details )

Nevertheless Wrtw was a great drama, worth my wait for so long as I got to be so excited after a long time, the leads kept me hooked up. No matter how some plot holes affected me, at the end of the day, I still love the leads and will come back to watch Bai-Hei Fengxi and some other characters I loved. I will skip all the palace scenes though…

Read More

Imagine having a good story and butchering it in the adaption?

Listen, I won't bother going on a rant or comparative review between the novel and show. This aint the review. It is safe to say they murdered the novel. So I will just dive into the mediocre drama ON it's own.

The drama started off pretty well, but slowly but surely went downhill. Our heroine needs to be saved too many times when we are told she is the guy's equal. Our hero HAD to be the sole center focus of the drama instead of it being about the two of them. They are called Bai-Hei-Feng-Xi. But we got is the Hei Feng Xi show featuring the desirable side-chick Bai Feng Xi. Bai Feng Xi was tailing and running around for Hei Feng Xi like she didn't have her own life or journey to do.

Meanwhile, Hei Feng Xi was the boring Good Boy with Daddy Issues and Brotherly Feuds. Placing the focus on him was a mistake. They set him up as smart with a spy network and he couldn't even resolve his own problems. He also got tricked way too many times to be considered smart.

There was also a lame side plot mysterious and a piss-poor make a shift villain. Oh the villain, don't get me started. He was so boring and played "Looks Nice But is Evil" card.

The reason this drama gets 6.5 was that it was still watchable for the FIRST HALF, the actors were pretty to look at (yeah I went there) and had good heroic moments but that is just about it. The costumes were nice and cinematography wasn't bad. Very disappointing overall considering this was my MOST anticipated drama of the year. Oh well, boo hoo for me. I guess I will go find something else.

Read More

Character Settings of Strong Male and Female Leads !

When I heard this novel would be adapted to drama and the casts are Yang Yang and Zhao LuSi, I knew it would be a good drama.

I read the novel many years ago and quite like the character settings of the strong male lead and female lead. Since the novel was very famous in those years, many novels after that imitated this setting. The author wrote this novel in her early stage, so it's not her mature work. The storylines and plots in the novel are fragmentary. That's why the drama has to add a lot of political plots in it to make it rich and complex. If the director and screenwriter didn't leave halfway, this drama would be on another higher level. Anyway, it is still a good drama worth to watch.

Yang Yang is very picky in choosing drama, so the next costume drama would be 5 years later...... ? His looking is spotless, the 'Ceiling of Chinese Costume Drama'. And Zhao LuSi finally collaborated with an actor matching her looking. This combination is my dream of costume drama!

I love the strong female character in a drama! The strong is not only in spirits but also in physical strength. She can protect herself and her surrounding people. There are two best strong female leads in my heart. One is Bai Fengxi/Feng Xiyun. The other is Zhao Jian (in 'Young Blood'). They are both strong, smart and interesting from beginning to end. The male lead is not everything in her life, with him, is just like 'a strawberry on the top of a cake'. Without him, she still has the ability to feed herself and survive in the world.

I think the purpose of the drama is to deliver the idea that throne is less important than people and peace. And you have the right to choose the life you like, instead of others expect you to be. Everyone cares about different things in life. BFX and HFX think each other is the most important thing in life. That's why they made the choice in the end. Although the end is not perfect enough, I believe they will find solutions and live in happiness.

Overall, after this drama, I'm afraid all the costume dramas in the future would rarely have this perfect male and female settings, healthy and equal relationship plus the dream actor & actress. If there are, that would be a treasure! ❤❤❤

Read More

BINGE WORTHY! HEALTHY MATURE LOVE STORY

I've been waiting for this drama since I first saw its trailer. I thought I'd be able to hold back until I could watch the whole season in one clean swoop but curiosity did it for me and here I am. I had high expectations for this drama and so far no disappointments. The ending felt a bit rushed but I understand it's cause they cut down five episodes.
CHARACTERS
Wow wow where do I start? At first I was actually surprised by Zhao Lusi, I've seen her in a few dramas and she's good but in this I feel like she's levelled up wonderfully. Like she makes you want to watch more of her, her character is a strong, intelligent and smart woman. She is able to portray the carefree and also serious aspects of her role without being too overbearing.
Yang Yang where do I start I haven't seen him in a wuxia show in awhile so didn't know what to expect and man has he shown diverse emotions in these one than his previous works and I feel this is evidence of how far he has come.
The chemistry between the two is amazing reminds me of Luo yunxi and Bai Lu in love is sweet..their relationship is healthy you communicate and understand and try to find solutions where possible reminds me of maiden Holmes in that aspect so it was fun to watch.
Supporting characters are also good xuan Lu as feng qiwu, Huang Chao , the dysfunctional Feng lanxi family, yu wuyuan all of them have done exceptionally well. They added to the development of the story and that's great.


STORY
I haven't read the novel for this but I like to say if you can portray a story so good that you would be curious enough to compare it with the book then you've basically done half the job. The other part is ensuring there's a whole rollercoaster of emotions that doesn't irritate that viewer but leaving them wanting more then the other part is done.
So far the storyline has great character development, the pace was okay and the storyline was easy to understand. The diverse emotions, humor, great fight scenes and the dialogues are mature enough to be relatable without banging one's head in irritation. Kudos! The ending episodes were so exciting to watch it had the "what is gong to happen " next factor, battlefield scenes just amazing.
I wish there was a bit more political aspect to make it more grounded .

OST
Well I like the opening theme has a catchy beat to it and what's more it's fun to listen to.. I can't say it has one of the best OSTS but it suits the show well. it's used at the right moment giving the scenes the added flair

COSTUMES
love the costumes they blend in with the scenes, environment and characters personality. Well what do you expect from the people who made love and redemption?

I wish they had developed some characters more like xieyue , Feng chang and Feng lanxi brotherly love.
Well at least the ending wasn't sad but I felt it was rushed a just a bit but it's far much better and gratifying than novoland sky castle ending so...

At the beginning there was some awkwardness with the main leads but after episode 4 the chemistry was electric, subtle in nature but explosive nevertheless . Great fight scenes.
Worth the watch .. rewatch value? One of the few shows I'd rewatch

Read More

A good but not great drama that is more political than wuxia.

Completed - 5/18/2022

"Who Rules The World" was my most anticipated drama in 2022 because I am a fan of Yang Yang, Zhou LuSi and wuxia dramas. Though I wouldn't say the drama exceeded my high expectations, I thoroughly enjoyed it for the most part. At first glance, this seems to be a wuxia drama (or it's advertised as such), but it's actually more political.

What I Enjoy:

1. Smart Characters - It's rare to find a drama where almost all the main characters are smart and strong (emotionally and physically) from beginning to the end. Our Black (Hei Feng Xi) and White (Bai Feng Xi) lead characters are established and well-known martial artists in the pugilistic world. We don't have to wait for them to grow stronger throughout the drama. They are already two of the most powerful people. This creates an interesting dynamic between the two that is fun to watch as they compete and fall in love. We also have a strong supporting cast in Feng Qi Wu (badass female general), Huang Chao (intelligent and cunning crown prince), and Yu Wu Yuan (the two-faced Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde of the drama). No one needs to be saved all the time, and no one becomes dumb all of a sudden. I wish there are more dramas out there with such strong and intelligent characters.

2. Mature Main Romance - It's fun to see our leads bicker all the time, yet slowly fall in love. I quite enjoy watching our ML being the smartest cookie in the show, yet so clueless when it comes to courting our FL. A shy and embarrassed Yang Yang is a treat. This is a romance without misunderstandings, break-ups, or evil unrequited love rivals. Our leads love, support, and trust each other. A comfortable romance to watch and one to die for.

3. Costumes/Styling - I am usually not a big fan of the bun hairstyle for the male characters in historical dramas. But in this drama, I would say almost all of the guys look pretty dashing in their costumes. I think Yang Yang looks the best when he's ill with his hair down. He even looks great with white hair! Zhao LuSi is made for historical dramas. She is so beautiful here and her particular hairstyle as Bai Feng Xi suits her so well. All the ladies have beautiful dresses and hair accessories. Nothing is too overdone, but just natural and complementary. I also like how they color coordinated ML and FL's costumes in many scenes when they are together.

4. Acting - Though many criticize Yang Yang's acting and his role selection, I do feel that his role here provided him the ability to be cool, sweet, romantic, serious and heartbroken. He might not be as amazing as he was in "Glory of Special Forces", but he's not bad either. He's great in Ep 28 - heartbreaking palace scene with the emperor. Zhou LuSi can also be typecasted into the cute female lead. Similar to Yang Yang, her role here also provided her an opportunity to show the different sides of Bai Feng Xi - from the carefree girl, to the elegant queen, and finally as a commanding ruler and soldier. The rest of the supporting cast is pretty good as well.

What I have mixed feelings about:

1. Leads Chemistry - For some reason, I don't feel that Yang Yang and Zhao LuSi have amazing chemistry in this drama. They seem like good friends or siblings. Maybe because their romance is so calming and understanding? There's no sizzle, no longing, no real heartbreak or super fluffy moments? Perhaps that's why I am not feeling it quite as much, even though they have some romantic, fun bickering and cute moments.

2. Fight Scenes - I was quite happy with the first few episodes of the drama. It was so fun to see FL fighting with that long ribbon. The fan that ML uses might not be as entertaining but the fight scenes are pretty good with no slow motion movement or posing. But the number of fight scenes decreases throughout the drama when the plot becomes more political. The few fight scenes that we got are short and not well-done at all. The last two big fight scenes in ep 39 and 40 - war battles and the final one in the palace - are just actors flying here and there with very little actual fighting.

3. Sets/Props/Lighting - This is a very subjective category and it probably only bothers me. I am expecting a pretty decent, if not big, budget production where money could be spent on props and sets. For some reason, it was irritating me throughout the show to see 'fake' sets and props. The color of the furniture/decorations and inside the palace don't seem right, compared to other historical dramas or similar caliber, such as "Novaland: Pearl Eclipse". I am not expecting the quality of "The Rebel Princess" but still, something is off and it bothers me. Another area that bugs me is the lighting of the drama. I am not expecting awesome lighting or cinematography like in "Luoyang" or "The Longest Day in Chang'an", but the drama could use more candles and lanterns for NIGHT scenes, instead of bright light from the window or artificial lighting. On the positive side, there are many beautiful aerial shots over different kingdoms.

4. Pacing - I would have placed this in the "What I Like" category if not for the last few episodes. For most of the drama, the pacing is really good and the story moves along smoothly. I was not bored and the drama kept my attention for the most part. However, in the last 5 episodes or so, there are many war battle scenes. I get confused about the city names and the repeated back-and-forth advancing and retreating, making these episodes feel rushed. I think the two time skips also affected the pacing as well.

Other Random Observations:
1. No one commented that the eldest prince (ML's older brother) can walk again?
2. Songs are not overplayed in this drama.
3. Does anyone find Zhao Lu Si's weirdly-shaped eyebrows distracting? No? Maybe it's just me. LOL
4. Where did teenage Han Pu find ingredients to make drugs in the war zone?
5. It's cool to see the soldiers waving the flags in a battle to communicate war strategies.
6. CGI is not good.

Read More