Beauty of Resilience (2023)

Identity Theft.

Here we go again - yet another ill-fated master disciple relationship! This starts predictably with a jinxed mortal Wei Zhi barely squeaking through into the prestigious Egret Academy. There her astounding lack of talent catches the attention and empathy of her master, Yan Yue. He is an immortal sent to discover and vanquish the remnant of the phoenix bloodline that is a threat to the Three Realms. You would never guess who the hidden phoenix is or that this cold faced inheritor of the realms falls in love with his enemy?!?

Within a tired and tropey premise, the plot design of Beauty of Resilience is actually pretty good with some interesting and innovative takes. I found the Egret Academy's challenge arc to be very enjoyable in a way reminiscent of the Triwizard competition in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. And I was intrigued by the mysterious Zihua Book Pavilion and its Shylock like master who extracts his pound of flesh. I also like that the Heavenly Empress is not just a decorative vase but has a rather important function as the mistress of time. Even the concept of Hua Rong is fresh and mysterious. Yet these ideas just don't quite come together in a good way in terms of plot and character progression.

Indifferent character blueprints, mis-cast roles and uninspired portrayals are this drama's weakest features. While Guo Junchen's portrayals of multiple roles is technically faultless, he is not given much to work with. Yan Yue is just a cardboard xianxia archetype. He only gets to shine briefly as the morally conflicted Chen Yan and in his darker personas but enough to impress as a diverse young actor. He and Ju Jingyi look fantastic together and they actually have decent chemistry. While her acting here is more nuanced, Ju Jingyi, once again delivers the same old vapid, completely indistinguishable portrayal that is her comfort zone. This is compounded by her default styling with atrocious Persian princess head gear and heavy handed and unflattering eye makeup that makes her look like she just waltzes from one set to another. She actually has excellent comedic timing which sadly this humourless script gives her no chance to showcase. Mu Nan is the only engaging and empathetic character but is sadly matched up with the most tedious and mis-cast role. And that is just the tip of the ice berg in terms of how shabbily the writers treat him.

The supporting roles are one dimensional and the cast lacks experience, chemistry and rapport. Everyone is obviously acting and their relationships and interactions are so forced I couldn't engage with or care for any of them. There were way too many identity thefts going on where even the lead actors in the swapped roles are unconvincing as the characters whose identities they stepped into. It was so bad at times it was kind of funny. The villains are quite obvious from the beginning and they weren't satisfactorily dealt with. One of them perished so quickly I literally blinked and missed it. I went episodes thinking they were lurking for the right moment to pop out again. My hope for a satisfyingly long, painful and drawn out demise was never met.

This drama's strongest arcs are the early ones that take place in the mortal realm. After that the drama loses momentum and gets more ridiculous as it progresses. The ending however is quite original and quite cool but was so rushed and poorly executed that it took awhile for what actually happened to sink in. I would say this is something that you could watch up until the wedding in the second arc, skip all the messy and time wasting latter arcs and you'd still end up in the same place. The early arcs were a watchable 7.0/7.5 for me but I'd at most rate the latter arcs 5.0 for an overall rating of 6.0. Watch at your own risk.

Read More

What a waste!

I'm so amused at how I finished this trash, but I did well. And I'm so frustrated at this point. How is this even tagged as romance... there were just bits of pieces of it, which left a bitter taste in my mouth.

This tested my patience level every bit... I was waiting for the moment that it would get better. With the character arcs, their decisions, and most ridiculous not needed twists, it almost had nothing good to offer. The main leads were the worst... specially ml, he doesn't have a thing called the backbone, bro can't you just take a stand for once? rather than crying wailing... acting like ahh, I have to do these things for the sake of the greater good, I'm so done with these types of tropes, and the never-ending cycle of amnesias.

The only good thing about it was the side characters... some of them were good and way more interesting than the leads... but no, they were just thrown out of the plot and killed for convenience or I'd say to keep the story going as I don't think they had anything more to offer.

Ju Ying Yi... I'm so tired of seeing her in the same attire, the same makeup in literally everything and the thing is she's not that good of an actor too, to make the matter worst.

The chemistry between leads felt flat, so even with the little sprinkling of some sweet moments, romance was unsatisfying. The flow of the story was inconsistent. They had all the bad cliches of all xianxias I've seen till together I hated what they did with the ending... so in the end everything was for nothing?

Never thought my review after ages would be a rant but here you go... I guess all I needed to relieve my frustration towards it! And you better not watch it for your own good.

Read More

The ending??

I loved this drama even though many people are disappointed because of the story and I agree. The only negative thing about this drama is the story. The story was a bit messy and many characters died for no reason. The end was a bit confusing. I still don't know what exactly happened with the FL and Ml?

I must say that the OST is lovely! Especially all the OST's FL (Ju Jing Yi) sings and the ending theme that she sung with ML.

I loved how the FL and Ml acted. How they portrayed their different personalities. The visual was also on top! The FL and Ml look so good together.

Read More

Wanted to love it... but really didn't at all.

I really wanted to like this drama and had high hopes during the first several episodes despite the FL's weak backstory/reason for being bullied/her mom disliking her, and her allowing herself to be bullied, etc. I had hoped her character would progress and grow, but that, as it turns out, was the least of my worries.

The entire drama was disjointed and messy plot-wise. Scenes and storylines had nearly no transition phases and it was beyond me why NO ONE was smart enough to figure out she was the phoenix. Seriously though?? Not only that, but the writers/directors didn't give us enough reason to fall in love with the leads or time to really hate the villains.

There were SO many times we were led to believe a BIG pivotal moment was coming (though the build-up actually even lacked) only to get to that "peak" that only turned out to be a huge and utter disappointment. The human world wanting to kill the phoenix was so over the top and underwhelming all at the same time. The 2nd "arch" of their past lives brought nothing new to the drama and it didn't move the plot anywhere... it just felt... MEH. By the time we got back to the present via not-well-shot or thought-out fight scenes, I was already yawning at the next mediocre death scene... annnnnnd the next one!

The 3rd arch I don't even want to talk about. Makes no sense. Hated it and everything about it. What purpose did those episodes even serve? There wasn't even ANGST present to pacify me. Just... nothing. Felt like the entire third arch was a filler arch. And now... two episodes left and I don't care once teeny bit what happens. Why? Because the writers never made me care about the leads, care about their journey, or even despise their enemies. How can they make you even hate the egg??? LOL. But, they somehow did.

Do yourself a favor and skip this one.. give Love and Destiny, The Journey of Flower, or maybe Novoland: Pearl Eclipse a try instead!

Read More

BEST CDRAMA I’VE EVER WATCHED

I really enjoyed this cdrama, i like the story and the flow, and the setting it’s really fantasy. Whei Zhi and Yan Yue’s chemistry is the best, their cute interaction behind the scene and on the scene is really romantic and cute. The open ost sang by ju jing yu is music to my ears, it’s really sweet like her voice, I’ve already fallen for her since then, and the closing ost sang by Ju jing Yu and Guo Jun Chen, their voice really match well, I hope they have more collabs songs in the future. I’m literally crying right now beacuse it ended, I wish it will never rnd, the show will never end, I will miss it forever. Whei Zhi and Yan Yue you will be missed forever. I wish Beauty of Resilience is having a season 2 soon.

Read More

Hoping for a season 2!!

Since im a huge fan of JU JING Yi, im super bias here, i liked the drama overall and enjoyed it HAHAH although it wasnt the best!! Still enjoyed it.

Firstly, the starting part, ju jing yi is abit too outstanding for being a maid? Like make up and everthing but i understand because shes the mainlead and should be more outstanding, just found it abit funny hehe.

2nd, the plot of romance was too rushed i got abit confused, they didnt declare they liked each other and suddenly they kissed and make out if im not wrong a few moments ago they were just master and student? Nonetheless still watched it because im a fan of XIAO JU!! ^.^

3rd, they had 3-4 different lives i think and all had the same ending which is very sad though, why can’t the male lead do something different and not kill FL. Anyways still love both of their acting HAHAH i love their chemistry :) hope they will act again in another drama or season 2. Wished the director and writer could have not rushed the plots and everything :((

OST - my heart aches everytime i listen to the OST.. the lyrics relates so much to the drama, ju jing yi voice is just so mesmerising and you can actually feel her emotions from the song.. which makes me 10000times more emotional ?? but still the song slayed love it! Do LISTEN TO the song even if yall dont really like the drama MUAHAHA

Ending was very confused and upsetting ? I hope there will be a season 2 to continue where the left us wondering what actually happened.. WISHED THEY GAVE US A GOOD ENDING BUT QUITE DISAPPOINTED THEY DIDNT HAISS, im guessing the director wants us to assume and imagine the ending however we like? PLEASE GIVE US season 2 and i will forgive your confused ENDING SIR/mdm! hehe

Read More

Worth the 1 year wait for me, albeit having some plot inconsistencies

• Read the top part for a review with NO spoilers
• Read the bottom part for an in-depth analysis of the plot, comparison with the original novel and interpretation of the ending WITH spoilers

< Review >
1. Storyline
In my opinion, the story was a decent adaptation of the original novel. I enjoyed the novel and the drama, not to the extent that I love it but it was likeable. The story has a lot of sad parts with sweet parts hidden inside. There were some sudden transitions here and there, but overall it was understandable. To me, it was worth my 1 year wait for it, watch it if you think you enjoy a more sad storyline throughout with sweet parts interspersed and don't mind some inconsistencies!

2. Acting & casting
I liked the casting (mostly). I felt that the two main leads, Ju Jingyi and Guo Juncheng did well. Their characters are individuals who speak through their eyes more than their words/actions and I thought they did pretty well in that. I also enjoyed the casting of Song Xinran as Lan Su and Zhang Zhihao as Ou Ya. The duo was very funny and added flavour to the story. On the other hand, I felt Lu Tingyu as Yi er was a bit out of place (?) I think her style suits modern dramas more.

I personally feel that Ju Jingyi improved in her acting from when I saw her in Yun Xi Zhuan. I think Song Xinran is also more natural now. Not sure about the actors as I have never really seen their dramas.

3. Music
I love two of the OSTs - 仍寻 sung by Ju Jingyi and Guo Juncheng, as well as 剪不断 by Jin Wenqi, have been playing them repeatedly since I heard them in the drama. The other three OSTs are average to me.

4. Special effects
Special mention to the special effects team. The special effects are pretty good for a drama!

5. Rewatch value
Frankly, I feel like rewatching it already to further analyse the story and because I was confused at some points of time, so I may rewatch the parts I like to think deeper about it.

---------------------------------------------------
< Analysis >
1. Characters
The characters in the novel and drama are rather different. In the novel, Wei Zhi is someone who is very 痴傻 (silly and persistent; apologise for the lack of a better word, but I'm not very sure how to translate it to the same meaning), in the drama, she is not silly but still persistent, and also quirky and kind. In the novel, Yan Yue is a very cold person, with little emotions who is only gentle (at times) to Wei Zhi, because he is the reincarnation of a land or something. Conversely, in the drama, Yan Yue is more cool than cold and very gentle. All in all, I feel that the drama Wei Zhi and Yan Yue are more realistic to me.

As for the other characters, I think the ones who are the most different from the novel are Ou Ya and Lan su. In the novel, Ou Ya was the one who gave the Qian Ji Luo to Yan Yue and Wei Zhi saw him as a very annoying character who was trying to get close to her. Novel Lan Su also had her marriage with novel Yan Yue cancelled and hated Wei Zhi (this story was not seen in the drama). However, in the drama, Ou Ya and Lan Su were really supportive and nice to Wei Zhi and Yan Yue till the very end, which I found as a sweet adaptation.

Do note that many of the characters are quite different from the novel though, but I won't go into detail.

2. Storyline
I've seen reviews saying that the drama storyline was dragged out, overly tragic and confusing. Frankly, the novel one was even more tragic and sometimes more confusing, requiring a lot of interpretation on my part. Below is a summary of the novel storyline, do note that it is not 100% accurate as I cannot remember the entire storyline.

Novel: Yan Yue sent to the academy to undergo his Qing Jie -> almost killed by Wei Ling Yue -> went to Yao Cheng -> Wei Zhi activated her bloodline for the first time when saving Yan Yue -> at one point, they had to escape because the Mo Zu Da Zun (Mu Nan) was trying to find the phoenix -> spent some happy days as a normal couple, this was also where Wei Zhi transferred the Qian Ji Luo to her body -> thrown into a dangerous desert world by Mu Nan, Yan Yue was severely injured and saved by Qing Huan, and brought into another world where time flows faster to help his injuries heal (around 1000 years passed in this special world for Yan Yue) -> Wei Zhi on the other hand, was taken by Mu Nan (or someone else) and lived 8 years on a boat -> Wei Zhi managed to escape and went to the city Yan Yue was controlling -> Yan Yue told Wei Zhi to leave when he saw her (Imo, he was trying to keep her safe because there is a high risk she may be revealed as the phoenix) -> Wei Zhi refused and stayed on, taking on some position due to her powers -> Things happened here and there and then Yan Yue and Wei Zhi drank a magical wine that made them follow their wishes and they had some alone time together -> Long story short, afterwards, Wei Zhi transformed and Yan Yue became the Mo Zu Da Zun -> She spent a total of around 20 to 30 years in the Mo Jie as a hostage -> Eventually, Yan Yue tried to die together with his father to save the world from his father who wanted to become a God but Wei Zhi came and saved both of them by using his Phoenix magic -> Afterwards, they were reincarnated every lifetime to be together, but with no knowledge that they used to be a Shen Xian or Phoenix

Overall, I enjoyed the drama storyline in a different way I enjoyed the novel storyline. The drama storyline was tragically sweet but the novel storyline was tragically heartrending except for very little sweet parts. I found the romance more realistic in the drama though!

3. Interpretation of the ending
Okay, so yesterday I watched the ending and in my mind I was like "???", so I spent the night and this morning pondering about it and this is my interpretation...

In the ending, Wei Zhi gives her Hua Rong to Yan Yue, which means that she'll die (somewhat like how Mu Nan died after he destroyed his Yuan Shen). 6 months later, we see Yi er becoming Tian Di, Ou Ya lamenting the loss of Lan Su and Wei Zhi's child being born. The story then cuts back to after Yan Yue returned to his own body 6 months ago, it showed Yan Yue sending Hua Rong to the sky and into the Time Palace, and time moves back.

From my interpretation, Hua Rong is the symbolism of peace, innocence and renewal, so by sending it to the sky, it purified the destruction caused and that is why the soldiers' weapons were removed. Afterwards, it was sent into the Time Palace. Remember that before this, Yan Yue said "Life is meaningless without you even if I can live forever, Wei Zhi, wait for me". By sending Hua Rong to the sky to purify the land, I believe that this is building good karma for Wei Zhi, often emphasised in Buddhism/Chinese culture.

By sending it into the Time Palace, I have two interpretations, (1) one is that both of them travel back in time and live in a separate timeline from the existing one the rest are in where Yan Yue never killed Wei Zhi and they live happily, (2) the second is that by turning back time, present Wei Zhi returned to the past Wei Zhi and took over her body as Tian Hou showed us that it is possible. This is because past Wei Zhi has the Hua Rong while present Wei Zhi does not have the Hua Rong. This would mean that past Wei Zhi would be replaced by present Wei Zhi who would go back into the present. And then Wei Zhi would still die in the past as she was meant to in order for everything to happen as it has already happened.

Regardless, it is clear that they are still alive as their child, also a Phoenix was born. We know that Wei Zhi's life is closely linked to her child, so if her child is born then Wei Zhi must still be alive. Additionally, Phoenix is the symbolism of rebirth, so we can take this as a symbolism that Yan Yue and Wei Zhi have found a new life. However, where they are is a big mystery, but if I were them, I would probably just live my own life in peace, to avoid any more tragic events from happening.

Thanks for reading my super long review and hoped you gained something from it!

Read More

It's Hard to be a Phoenix

"Beauty of Resilience" is an enchanting tale of love between a phoenix and a son of God, intertwined with themes of duty, sacrifice, and the pursuit of immortality. In a world where chaos looms over the three realms, the forbidden romance between a beautiful phoenix, disguised as a human girl, and a handsome young man, burdened with the task of ending her existence, takes center stage. As their love transcends time and challenges, they must navigate a treacherous path of love, loss, and the relentless pursuit of power. Unbeknownst to everyone, the fateful mission to kill the phoenix is driven by a personal obsession for immortality, setting the stage for a series of life-altering choices.

As the story unfolds, the true motivations behind the decree to kill the phoenix are revealed. It is discovered that the insatiable desire for immortality drives the selfish personal obsession of the one in power. The phoenix possesses a mysterious spirit flower called "hua rong", capable of enhancing its power and granting immortality. This misguided and deadly fixation wreaks havoc on the lives of the main characters, causing them to experience a rollercoaster of emotions, including love, hate, happiness, pain, gains, loss, togetherness, and separation, across multiple lifetimes.

Ju Jingyi delivers a convincing performance, taking on multiple roles throughout the series. As Wei Zhi, a humble and low self-esteemed maid servant with a mysterious power, she embarks on a journey that leads her to the cultivator academy. Her portrayal captures the essence of Wei Zhi's transformation into a phoenix, showcasing a delicate balance between strength and vulnerability. However, in her role as Sima Wangyue, a male military general, Ju Jingyi's feminine appearance becomes a noticeable aspect, though her ability to deceive the entire army is reminiscent of the conventions in Chinese cross-dressing dramas. Nevertheless, her overall performance remains commendable and believable, despite her lack of character change as she assumes the roles of the sacred lady of the demonic sect and the demon queen.

Guo Junchen's portrayal of Yan Yue is commendable, showcasing his versatility as an actor through multiple character interpretations. However, there are instances where the writing of his characters seems inconsistent and confusing. In his role as the conflicted lover tasked with killing the phoenix, his lack of emotional display during crucial moments leaves the audience longing for a deeper connection with his internal struggles.

The drama introduces several memorable supporting characters, adding depth to the storyline. Yi Er, portrayed by Lu Tingyu, captures hearts with her bubbly personality as an explorative cook betrothed to Yan Yue. Liu Dongqin's Mu Nan, the secret admirer turned demon chief who is unable to laugh, and Lin Fengsong's reluctant sit-in heavenly king, Yan Luo, also bring unique elements to the narrative. Additionally, Zhang Zhihao as Ou Ya, the wolf, and Song Xinran as Lan Su, the fox, add intrigue and depth to the story. On the other hand, the antagonists, portrayed as atrocious and hateful, provide a sense of relief when their fate is sealed. However, their actions also result in the loss of beloved side characters, which feels like a missed opportunity for more nuanced storytelling.

The drama excels in its authentic and visually stunning portrayal of the settings, costumes, and overall production design. While the headgears worn by Ju Jingyi may appear distracting in some scenes, the attention to detail and commitment to authenticity are praiseworthy.

My Verdict

One recurring flaw in the story lies in the characters' repetitive experiences and their failure to learn from past mistakes, resulting in a somewhat predictable narrative. Additionally, the presence of loose ends, plot holes, and weak logical explanations can detract from the overall viewing experience. The ending leaves certain aspects of the main characters' fate ambiguous, leaving the audience wondering if Wei Zhi and Yan Yue have returned to a time where their lives can begin anew without the burden of the phoenix. Furthermore, the conclusion for Yi Er feels far-fetched and some of the side characters' untimely deaths seem unnecessary, suggesting a lack of creativity in the writing process.

Despite these shortcomings, " Beauty of Resilience" remains an engaging drama, albeit with less humor and a heavier emphasis on evoking emotional responses from viewers. Although it may not have garnered favorable ratings on MDL, it still deserves recognition as a decent production with compelling performances and an intriguing storyline.

In conclusion, " Beauty of Resilience" is a captivating love story that explores themes of sacrifice and redemption within a fantastical realm. Its visually appealing aesthetics and committed performances make it a worthy addition to the genre. Don't miss the opportunity to experience this enchanting tale of love and fate.

Read More

This was an interesting xianxia, but it won’t be one of my favorites. The ending… well, let’s just say we need a little bit more.
I liked the OTP (one true pairing) of Yan Yue and Wei Zhi. They look awesome together. And Fiction is proving to be a versatile actor. (Just how he did the possessed Yan Yue and his expressions were excellent.)

Wei Zei, the FML, is a timid and unextraordinary servant girl. Originally from a noble family, she suffered serious trauma as a child when it was decided she needed be a sacrifice due to her strange skills scaring people, which leads to a tragic outcome. Both her father and grandpa are killed saving her, causing Wei Zhi and her mother’s relationship to get to the point where her mother is too hurt and traumatized losing everything that she can’t show she loves her daughter. She even misguidedly hates her for a time. Despite this, Wei Zei’s whole early motivation is to care and provide for her mother and her younger brother. (Filial piety in spades.)

Yan Yue, the ML, is the Sun God who has been taught everything is for the greater good. As the future Heavenly Emperor, this is his duty. It leads him to some terrible decisions, both in his past life where he kills his wife as commanded to do by the Emperor, his father, and in the present. He will almost lose everything.

Motherly love will play key roles, with both Mrs. Gu (Wei Zei’s mother) and the Heavenly Empress sacrificing for their children. (I was glad to see Mrs. Gu realize she did indeed love her daughter.)

Mu Nan was a favorite character. One of the things I really wish they did differently was show us, just a little more, how Wei Zei and Yan Yue’s decision to save the world with the Huarong changed things. Maybe we’d see Mu Nan meet the sweet little Kitchen God, and this time, be with her.

And what about Ou Ya and his wife?

Over all, I enjoyed the story. A season 2 to show us what happened would be nice.

Read More

xianxia drama that managed to make me curious!?

I will give the rating and review full after the drama is over, can't wait for episode 18

the story is interesting to follow, maybe the plot will be a little boring at the beginning of the episode, cz a little slow. but you have to endure because after that this drama is getting more interesting, especially on episodes 16+++ this is getting interesting and impressive and sad.. you should watch this!!

JJY acting ia good, better than the previous drama, his abilities are getting better. and she is very beautiful. Fiction Guo too, i know him from this drama, he is very cute, and handsome

Read More

If you like Xianxia, its better than others

I am cracking up that the some are criticizing the tropes-isn't that the premise in all of these dramas to provide the predictable? That said, there were some novel twists that made this drama far more enjoyable than the recent over the top tragedic arc of Til the End of the Moon, and Journey of Chongzi (where it sets up the lead as the supposedly 'evil' villian)
I agree that FL's hair design is rather the same in every one of her ancient dramas-BUT her hair was different at the beginning!
I think ML was particularly good looking in this drama too.
There were times I nearly fast forwarded 10 sec. but then the story moved on.
And, there are, as seemas to always be the case, plot holes-what happens to their kid after it is born for example?
That all said, it was satisfying enough given the choices to watch at the time. (I liked Back from the Brink better!)

Read More