My favourite Cheng Yi's drama yet
I was usually not a fan of Cheng Yi - insofar, the dramas I watched of his are mostly of him portraying depressive characters. This was the first time I see him in a character that was somewhat playful, wickedly humourous and cleverly cunning - a lot more interesting, and I think he did very well. Of course the second lead Joseph Zeng also did very well as his naive side kick.Overall, I rated this drama very highly although I hated the ending. An excellent cast, good looking actors/resses, interesting story, realistic costume and backdrop, good cinematography - it scored well on all the important factors. But like a lot of Chinese drama, it had a bitter sweet ending.
Li Xiang Yi (Cheng Yi) was an outstanding swordsman with a very strong sense of justice and righteousness. Di Fei Sheng, head of the JinYuan sect challenged him to a fight for the top rank in the martial world. Secretly poisoned by Jiao Li Qiao, a psychopath, before the fight, he fell into the river after destroying the ship of the JinYuan sect and was missing.
Ten years later, Di Fei Sheng recovered from his injuries and emerged once again in the martial world. Around this time, someone who earned the title of a miracle doctor known as Li LianHua was travelling around the world in a tower horse carriage. He met Fang DuoBing, a young passionate swordsman who claimed to be the disciple of the missing Li XiangYi. Both had identities that they were either hiding or were ignorant of.
The story was interesting as DuoBing and an unwilling LianHua worked together to uncover a huge conspiracy involving a vanquished kingdom and the bloodline of the current Xi dynasty. It was one of the best detective dramas that I had watched.
Strongly recommend this drama but I must say, you better not be suffering from a depression as the ending was melancholic.
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A dying man's 2nd chance to life & his inescapable destiny prior to his death | A Peculiar Trio!
"Those who truly repent deserves a second chance in life" - Li Xiang YiHow can I not like this drama, honestly? I know that it has flaws that are too evident not to notice however the excellence of how it was created and produced completely made me look past its shortcomings. It is one of those good dramas you can't stomach to give lower ratings to, simply because it was crazily entertaining that you just end up letting those little silly imperfections slide in consideration of how good the entire story is. I feel like giving it lower than 10 (my own standard) will mean that some other dramas I had watched is better than this even if it's not.
Anyways, let me start this review by saying that I will certainly miss the uncanny dynamics of Li Lian Hua, Fang Duo Bing and Di Fei Sheng trio. I never expected their chemistry to be so good and I am totally pleased on how they portray the main antagonist to be someone reasonable and even go all friendly with the main protagonist. Isn't it nice and refreshing to see both characters go along so well once in a while? or is it just me? Lol. Maybe I got so tired watching the same shit go off again and again for the 2 most significant character of the story that I feel extremely satisfied watching them finally having genuine friendly relationship for once.
Above all, I believe that this story have become a platform for the Author to tell us that there is more to life. That life is limited and full of uncertainties, so we cannot be conceited that it will always remain stable and flourishing because it can be a bad bitch and turn its back against you in a blink of an eye. I feel like this story was created to show us the aftereffect and/or the future that no one has ever predicted coming. The story of how the ever thriving and most powerful young man fell off his grace and realized how multifaceted life truly is. It's his journey of rediscovering the other side of life that he has never seen and experienced from where he was back then. Thus making his current self uncurious and detached from the world he used to be part of. This also made me realized that the worst person to fight with is the one who doesn't have the will to fightback.
It also holds another valuable and important life lesson that the closest people to you can turn their backs against you and how you can gain mutual understanding and connection with your mortal enemy and even become BFFs. Lol!
Lastly, I think what made this drama unique and interesting lies on the way they made the main characters different from how they normally are. It gave this drama more color and substance because instead of fighting with each other they are instead solving cases and wandering around together building unanticipated bond that no one has ever expected of them before. It also further emphasizes on how unpredictable and constantly changing our life can be. That it can turn rivalry and hatred into something wholesame and can make years of intimate bond, affection, affinity and experience into a smelly nasty trash.
P.S. I just wanna say that I'm amazed by the pull over Lotus Tower. That's such an iconic infrastracture they built right there.
Story - 10, It was a unique story that is completely different from all the Wuxia I have watched until now. It feels like its main purpose is to educate and entertain; and when I said entertain, I meant E-N-T-E-R-T-A-I-N!! This drama is a whole mood! No dull moments at all and the story progression itself is nice and constant. Just bear through the ridiculous moments when the characters can't recognize their Leader simply because he's wearing a half mask and or he gained a little weight and you will be fine. Hahaha!
Acting/Cast - 10, Oh God! No questions at all! The 3 main leads killed it. The chemistry was insane. Like, I-N-S-A-N-E and I will never get enough of this Trio's interaction. They're so chaotic and lively together. Also, I have always known that ChengYi's a good actor but DANG! His portrayal here deserves some kind of award. I love his clever and unserious acting + His facial expression made his character even more mischievous looking. Hahaha!
Music - 10, I never really got to pay attention to the overall music because I was so engrossed to how good the drama is. But one thing is for sure and that is I was never bothered by it.
Rewatch Value - 10, One of those dramas I'm willing to watch again from the very beginning even right after I finished it. It was that good!
Overall - 10, I'm sure everyone has seen this coming. Hahaha! All I can say is that this is my kind of drama. A fun, entertaining and easy to watch one. If you're still comtemplating whether to watch this or not, then this is your GO SIGNAL to do so. It will never be a question if this is a hit or a miss because it straight up will always be a HIT!
IF you find my review helpful please let me know.
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A perfect mix of Martial Arts, Emotions, Mystery and Suspense
The friendship between Li Lianhua, Fang Duobing and Di Feisheng is truly special, as three people who would otherwise never meet work together due to circumstances, becoming the most unlikely trio in this story.Watching them embark on their journey together, grow to love each other and be there for each other in every situation is truly an eye-opener. We as humans can learn so much from these three - because nothing is as it seems.
Each episode was so thrilling and exciting that you could hardly wait to see the next episodes. The story had so many twists and turns that even normal situations turned out to be different than we would have expected.
This story has the perfect mix of martial arts, emotions, friendship, mystery and suspense.
Cheng Yi delivered as he always does. When he plays a role, he plays it to the very bitter end and makes sure that we can feel the emotions of the character himself. If you know his dramas, you will immediately understand what is being referred to. No one else is capable of playing such a tragic role.
I have seen Zeng Shunxi in many other dramas and I must admit that his portrayal of the young hero Fang Duobing is on point and he portrays the young, naive, rich character who doesn't have that much life experience yet very well.
Xiao Shunyao did an excellent job of bringing Di Feisheng to life and making us realise that for Di Feisheng, Li Xiang Xi/Li Lianhua is his absolute number one and he is determined to keep him alive, at any possible cost. Even if he doesn't admit it and instead always puts forward the reason to fight with him or against him one last time to find out who is the better martial artist.
The actors worked hard for the action scenes, and you can tell. The behind-the-scenes footage shows us exactly how much everyone has trained in advance to prepare for their roles in order to deliver an ultimate martial arts experience.
The staging, production design and costume designers have gone to great lengths to show the difference between the ruling dynasty and the Nanyin Empire. It is obvious at first glance who belongs where.
They have also given the characters from the Blood Empire characteristics that distinguish them from the ruling dynasty.
They have brought Lianhua's house to life with great attention to detail, which he travels around in. The house is somewhat reminiscent of ‘Howl's Moving Castle’, even though Li Lianhua's house is pulled by horses.
Each sword is different from the other, which also hides clues to the different characters and their behaviour - the formerly arrogant Li Xiangyi (the hilt of his sword is elaborately crafted, the second sword should go unmentioned as it hides a very tragic story), the simple-minded Di Feisheng (single-edged sabre) and the rich Fang Duobing (his sword is elaborate, with a very expensive jade pendant and marked with the family name).
The more Li Lianhua's illness progresses, the more his clothes and especially his hair sticks change. These show that his health is deteriorating. Where vibrant colours once played an important role, they are gradually replaced by calmer colours. The fabrics used for the hanfu are also changing. Where once light and supple fabric was used, over time it becomes less elegant and much simpler - sometimes it could even be described as a little rough. His hair sticks were once lotus flowers, which were gradually replaced by the lotus root or by the leaves, which were slowly dying off. On the one hand, it could mean going back closer to the origin (ashes to ashes), but it could also mean that he has shed his former arrogance and prefers simpler hair sticks.
In Fang Duobing's case, his clothes are designed to suit the noble, rich gentlemen and he carries an extremely expensive jade stone attached to his belt, which he inherited from his mother when he was a baby. His clothing also reflects the high status of his family and, above all, the fact that he is in no way inferior to his fiancée, the princess, in financial terms.
Di Feisheng's clothing is adapted to his combative nature so that he can move quickly at all times and show off his superior qigong skills.
As for the OST, I have to say that whenever Liu Yuning and Modeng Xiongdi have provided the soundtrack, I've always been absolutely thrilled by the story and, of course, by their music
In general, I really liked the OST in the drama, which is why the drama is perfectly rounded off by the OST for me.
Of course, the storyline isn't perfect, but it's the characters and the twists and turns in the story that captivate us. Rarely have I watched a drama in which it was so difficult to tell what was right and what was wrong - are we perhaps completely misjudging? We only really knew what was true and what wasn't at the end - in the end I was absolutely wrong, because everything turned out differently than I had initially assumed.
The Impossible Trio shows that friendships are always possible, no matter who you are: whether you were once foes, whether you've met someone new, whether you're rich or poor - a person's background is absolutely irrelevant and we should give everyone a chance. This story conveys the idea of never being too quick to judge a person, but to get to know them first, because sometimes people can surprise one another.
I hope that everyone will enjoy this drama as much as I did.
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As good as expected
This was one of my highly anticipated watches of the year and it lived up to my expectations.The bad
The only things I didn’t like was the random forced love connections they were trying to make with our leading men. They were clearly not interested but glad it didn’t take the same approach like Blood of the Youth and force it in the end. Also, the acting of Chen Du Ling left a lot to be desired. During her crying scenes, I couldn’t tell if she was crying or smiling. Definitely didn’t move me. The third thing was the constant vicious cycle that Di Feichang had with Jiao Li Qiao.. That story arc could have ended earlier on but they sort of dragged that out for the sake of having a story. Lastly, the OST wasn’t anything special.
The good
So many good things about this show. I still give an overall 10 rating even with some flaws because it was a uniquely written story that kept me engaged all the way through. There wasn’t a single throwaway episode. I appreciated how they kept the story progressing even when completing side cases. Many of those still connected to the larger story. I also loved how our 3 men used their real voices. It made things so much more authentic and the conversations and interactions between them seemed so natural. Definitely one of the more interesting and most fun leads in a show. Each had a different personality and brought something unique to their trio. Of course the acting was top notch in here. Besides Chen Du Ling, everyone else did such an amazing job, especially our 3 male leads. Hands down, this is the best show I’ve seen for them 3 to date. Next the fighting scenes were amazing. I wish we had more. It’s refreshing to see leads with good coordination and real martial arts pull off the scenes. It elevated the show for sure. Lastly, the visuals were beautiful. Pretty good CGI, costumes were good, high quality wigs with no visible lace fronts that I see quite a bit in CDramas. Also no CDrama tropes that most of us come to dread.
Watch for yourself but this one goes down as one my favorites. Make your own judgement.
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The Best Choice Of The Year
My first bromance drama ! never thought i need this kind of genre in life . one of the best decisions that i have made in life is watching this drama . will go and find the same genre with this drama !Three actors got a great chemistry together ,
Such a great trio made me jealous of their friendship.
Fang Doubing and Di Feisheng are being portrayed by a great actor !
The bickering of Fang Doubing and Li Lianhua literally lighting up the story. Really glad that Di Feisheng are not a real antagonist because i really love their scenes during Di Feisheng lose his memory .
At first i kinda disappointed with the ending and really hoping there is a twist in the end to saves Li Lianhua so he can be Li Xiangyi again , get to travel together with Fang Doubing.
but when i rewatching it again , im understand why that was the best ending .
its tiring for Li Xiangyi to live and Li Lianhua never want to be Li Xiangyi again , even i feel empty after it end.
I feel really sad everytime Li Lianhua disease acting up.
last but not least ; its a well written drama with a great cast! It even made my imaginary turn wild like a kids , thinking if i can be part of the sect and being a legendary swordsman like Li Xiangyi .
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mysterious lotus casebook
ceritanya bagus banget, plot twistnya bener bikin kaget,jasad senior yang dia cari selama 10 tahun ternyata hanya tipuan, orang dia cari masih hidup dan penuh dendam terhadapnya,sangat terharu liat peran joseph sebagai fang doubing yang sangat sayang terhadap li linhua meskipun sering di tinggal dia tetap setia, di bohongi soal identitas sebagai gurunya li xianyi,meskipun dia marah tapi setelah mengetahui soal racun yang di tubuh gurunya dia membantu menacti obat penawarnya, di feisheng sebagai teman petaruhnya bagus banget ngelakuin hal yang bisa membantu li linhua agar tidak menyerahWas this review helpful to you?
Captivating and intriguing
I truly enjoyed this drama becos , I love this genre so much, the various mysterious cases, the case solving all reminded me of Agatha Christie's and the likewise detective stories I grew up reading n so i enjoyed this drama so much. All the actors did good job but i personally liked fang doubing ckt the most. Although I didn't watch last episode becos I didn't want to watch the sad ending n so by watching epi 39, i gave myself closure with the thought that it had happy ending and evryone lived happily like they wanted i.e LX roaming with FDB solving cases in martial world, n DFX helping them sometimes n always wanting to have a spar with LX?, that's the ending I m going to live with in my mind, so I avoided watching epi 40.Although this drama seems underrated n not hyped much maybe due to no romance n love story part in it I would highly recommend this drama for mystery and thrill lovers.
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XiangYi's Legacy Will Live On: The Intricate Layers of Mysterious Lotus Casebook
Mysterious Lotus Casebook is such a masterpiece and a must watch drama for 2023. The entire storyline is very engaging and each of the cases kept me hooked, I honestly don't think I was ever bored watching this. All the cases had a lot of depth and they all somehow related to Xiangyi in the end. All the characters, especially the main trio of LLH, FDB and DFS, I feel like when they were together the episodes were really fun to watch, they have good chemistry! I also have so much respect for LXY/LLH as a character, and I feel like Cheng Yi pulled off his role perfectly. His calm demeanour, smarts, and the general change of his attitudes makes LLH/LXY such a great character, which really demonstrated his growth as a person. LLH/LXY also felt very human, although he was originally an arrogant grandmaster, he has many scenes were you can see him as a vulnerable person just like everyone else. Also, the fight scenes were really good, like they did not lack the budget at all and it was always so exciting watching any of the characters fight. I feel like this drama has so much depth that can be missed if you're not paying attention, but if you do pick up on them everything just makes so much sense. The ending I think its okay just the way it is, although I would of loved for a 'they lived happily ever after' that's not always realistic, and XiangYi will always be a legend that lives on. Anyways, MLC is a solid 10/10!Was this review helpful to you?
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i love difeisheng ?
i knew about it months before it was aired but kind of forgot about it until i saw it in my to watch list. i searched it up and to my surprise, it finished airing. i was actually very excited for this show because ive been looking for a chinese costume drama where romance wasnt the main genre. i originally thought that it would be just bromance but lianhua and xiaobao both have their love interests; it was an acceptable amount of romance for me. i actually didnt know what the plot would be like at all. when i noticed the main plot revolved around crime solving, i was even more intrigued. these kind of plots are one of my favorites. im usually good at predicting twists but never predicted any of the ones in this drama. (i never purposely predict it) i would say this is one of my favorite costume dramas now. had 0 suspicions on shangudao and thought difeisheng was the main villain. (hes not the best person but like). also surprised to see yebaiyi actor play this role (word of honor) i forgot the characters name already, but i hate him; glad wanmian or something left him!! difeisheng soon became my favorite character after he accompanied the other leads. (hidden identity part) i gave it a 7.0 in rewatch value because shows like these, crime solving and plot twists, arent that fun to rewatch since you already know everything thats gonna happen. funny story, my mandarin class played the ost as the song of the day while i was watching the drama. i started this on a sunday afternoon and finished it on thursday at night. i was kind of binge watching even though i had school. whenever i had nothing left to do, i would watch it. it was kind of difficult to watch it on my phone since i use one of those websites.Was this review helpful to you?
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Only Cheng Yi can pull off a carefree character like Li Lian Hua.
I mostly stick to romantic dramas, a little bit of romance is like a salt in food for me. However, I watched this drama solely because of Cheng Yi & it was worth it. This drama also helped to rediscovered Joseph Zheng. Last year, I had watched his Hi Venus and thought he was dashing but Fang Duo Bing was such a good character for him. Wish that we had more of Di Fei Sheng working along with them, however his screen time was very short.Some of the cases were interesting while others were not, I mostly skipped some scenes and focused on those where the main trio were interacting. The main story was kinda weird with the bugs, bugs just remind me of starship troopers. Having seen Chen Duling in Till the End of the Moon, it was hard for me to think of her as the good guy, her character was so insecure and devious in it, especially since I had rewatched the drama a week ago. There wasn't much for her to do in this drama, she had but a small role to play and she did it well. Her fiancé was an immature idiot in this drama.
But anyways it was fun watching the main trio go on adventures together. At one point in time, I wondered how 4 horses managed to drag that big ass lotus tower all over the place. But then again, architecture is a marvel. It sure was so good to look at and would be such a great place to live in.
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A Strange and Delightful Story of Friendship and Forgiveness
I can confidently say this is a masterpiece among the C-dramas I've watched.This was my first time seeing Cheng Yi perform, and he was absolutely incredible. Only Cheng Yi could portray the challenging role of Li Xiangyi/Li Lianhua in such a charming, cool, and amusing way.
The drama's plot progresses quite rapidly, with different cases being resolved every couple of episodes. However, each mystery is connected to the next, and each one is essential to solving the overarching mystery.
To unravel these mysteries, Li Lianhua, Fang Duobing, and Di Feisheng embark on a quirky and entertaining journey together, which is absolutely hilarious! The dynamic between these three very different characters, as they argue, laugh, and work together to solve cases, made me laugh and cry multiple times.
Li Lianhua learns to forgive others, something Li Xiangyi never did. He forgives and frees the people connected to his past. However, Li Xiangyi himself cannot forgive himself. This aspect is very sad and poignant, highlighting his humanity.
I highly recommend this drama to those who enjoy mysteries and human dramas!
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