NO SPOILER - Is it physical attraction or is it real love connection?
Watching this drama I wondered if sexual tension could ignate real love connections ?The story : Amidst chaotic political struggle of 3 cities, the most beautiful woman of the desert, gets involved with 3 Influencial men.
Well... This drama is not a slowburn romance like I thought. It is more a story about infatuation with a sprinkle of toxic romance in an unstable desert, where a power struggle is happening.
The main characters begin their journey with sexual tension that develop into something else, as the drama progresses. Intimacy is a big topic of the plot. There is a lot of sexual harrassment as well. Especially in the first half of the drama.
Indeed, in this savage desert, the women's sexuality is a bargaining ship. It can be exchanged as a payment or as a reward for victory. Meanwhile, the rapists are glamorized. So I would say that sex is emphasized more than romance in this drama, at least in the first half.
This is why the dare, here, is to transend the physical attraction into real romantic love while fighting the power stuggles in the desert.
Would this be doable? Indeed, it is, if we take psychology in account.
The "shaking bridge effect" is a psychological effect that can fake attractivness.
Because, a dangerous situation can make people mistake their own physiological sensations for love.
So, being in a life or death situation can arouse them and lead them to desire each other.
ML and FL entanglement is believable and very well enacted in my opinion.
Pros :
- FL is a witty and gifted princess.
- ML is a mysterious city lord/ chief BOA (intelligence service) of the desert.
- Chemistry is good between all the couples. Some MLs know how to bed FLs.
- Acting is wonderful. my favs are FL, Hankiz Omar, who is doing a great job as a cold and proud princess, and Alen Fang who is great as a resourceful chief of spies.
- Great cinematography. The setting is gorgeous. The desert scene were filmed in Gobi desert. It is a feast for the eyes.
- The pacing is quick in the beginning.
- Some scenes are very theatrical. Sometimes it was like watching "Ottelo", "Carmen" other times "Romeo and juliet" or "The phantom of the opera".
Cons:
- The exposition scenes last a lot before the real plot starts.
- Rape culture. Some would say that it takes place in ancient times and they will excuse the multiple men who want to constantly rape the female leads. But I don't agree. This is just annoying to me because it is so repetitive.
- The physical attraction from the start could jeopardize the deep romance. Was it believable? Yes it was and the acting was on point.
- SML and SFL are not complex characters. They are basically like desert Bonnie and Clyde.
- Pacing was a little slow at the beginning but improve after 5 episodes.
Overall:
I was captivated by this drama. This barbaric desert is the worst place to be, especially for a woman like Bei Shuang.
But she is so clever, that she still managed to pursue her goals and it was a bliss to watch her use her wits to outmatch every antagonist.
I had a hard time with the second couple, all their actions was just so annoying or disgusting to me. You'll see what I mean, when you watch the drama. But, I could understand that some people turn like that, in a violent place like this ruthless desert. However, the SFL remains a mystery to me. How can she be a princess and act so wildly and in such a disgusting way. What about the filial piety and the etiquette that every royal should have been tought since chilhood? Once again, you will know what I mean as you watch the show. You might went to drop it at some point, because of the second couple but I assure you, this is a great story worth watching.
I recommend this drama if you like beautiful epic romance, full of commitments and sacrifices.
Indeed, the fact that it is not a slowburn romance doesn't disturb me. I am a fan of the Lead's love story.
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Unique Storyline
Chinese historical dramas always amaze me . This drama is not an exception.POSITIVE- The cinematography is just excellent. The colorful dresses with awesome visuals are eye candy. The storyline is so good. Tension between the ML and FL is breakthrough. The producers make the cinematography just wow . There are so many intimate words and scenes which make this drama a perfect romance series. Both the ML and FL are so handsome and pretty. The chemistry between the second couple is so strong. Sometimes I like the second couple more than the main couple . Both FLs are pretty and the actors are so professional. First five episodes are so good .
NEGATIVE- I just didn't like the way they fell in love with each other so quickly. As I like slow burn romance so this is somehow for me weird . There is another thing which is bad that is the extreme make ups , I mean they are already so beautiful so there is no need for that much make ups . There are so many sexual harassment scenes which makes me want to drop this drama sometimes .If you are a new watcher then you will feel kinda uncomfortable. Few episodes are kinda boring .
OVERALL- You can give it a try , probably you might like it . First few episodes are really good . Overall a solid 8/10 for me . You can say this is a good drama.
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This review may contain spoilers
Make Any of it, Make Sense Please! 3rd Dumpster Fire of 2024
I decided to watch it for HK whom I loved since Ultimate Note and YIL who never quite got the romantic role he deserved; thankfully he did here. Though both did what they could here; this show started nicely and then spiraled out of control making it the 3rd dumpster fire I've watched in 2024.Pros: Other than the beautiful colors, stunning costumes especially for the leads, OSTs, and the chemistry between the leads, this drama had no other redeeming qualities. I'm glad FL returned to her smart self and started to protect ML too not just be hellbent on revenge. Had an HE.
Cons: I don't know what drugs the screenwriter was smoking but this convoluted mess of a script was only slightly better than what readers described as essentially brutality in a book. SML was essentially the Chinese Khal Drogo who murdered anyone and everyone and brutalized all women along with his gang of bandits. The SFL, who seemed like a free spirit followed him and was just as callous. And the absolutely ridiculous thing is that they thought the audience would just forget that part when towards the end he started to regain memories of the past and act good. He never offered any apologies. Like "sure, me and my gang pillaged, raped, and slaughtered our way through the desert but we're the good guys now; no harm, no foul." I gave up on them very soon after meeting them and ffw. I stopped watching at 16 (though through massive fast forwarding resumed on 20 and lord knows how I made it through to 26) because even though all of the characters were connected, there was such a disconnect in the story plus crappy editing that made you feel like other then a small tether you were watching three different shows in a desert like setting. I didn't have any expectations of this show because other than costumes and some scenery, this was obviously very low budget.
The antagonist (I'd seen the actor in MJTY previously) can play a good villain but boy did they make him ridiculous. Ruthless yes, but he spoke so slowly and stared so much, you think he had a mental challenge of some sort. Nothing about him seemed intelligent or right. This is one of those times when you have good actors but crappy scripts that they have to lower their abilities to get whatever the director is getting at. If they had cast a bunch of unknowns or newbies, it wouldn't have made a difference. I feel bad because I know those 3 actors (am unfamiliar with SFL and SML), can act pretty well and to be given this mess, is just unfair to them. Yes, it adds to their resume, but is it worth it?
They dumbed down FL for a good chunk in the middle which just made you want to punch her. The ML went above and beyond and she still believed the villain over him. I skipped a good chunk of the episodes. I think the only consistent character from beginning to end was the ML. The ending of the antagonist was eye roll worthy at best; he killed both SML [while cackling on his horse; y'all know how much I love a good Halloween witch cackle (add extreme sarcasm here)] and SFL though at different times while both she and FL stabbed him and still he rambled on for like 5 minutes not dying; like why? Just end it! But no; need more over dramatic BS before he spat his magenta blood and dropped. What was that ending though? ML and FL just walking hand in hand in the desert after she apparently gave birth? Becoming legends? Huh? Why even? What an absolute mess. Even Frankenstein would run away if he saw this.
Would I recommend this? No way! As much as I like HK and YIL, they deserved a much better script and overall production. I'm sure the others do too. Please watch her in UN and decent in Jade's Fateful Love (only love line) while he's great in TLB and AJTL (hope he does a modern); not happy except the one but you can see coherent and decent or good storylines there. Stay away from this please!
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What the hell is going on?
The person who made the trailer of this drama needs a raise, because that trailer said one thing and this drama is doing another.The shenanigans of the Second Couple is beyond me but I can't even forward their scenes, I'm waiting to see how else they'll outdo themselves from the last time.
The attempts at suspence and mystery doesn't tempt at all, I have so many reasons to drop this drama but I can't and I don't even know why.
Verdict: I came here for the story and stayed for the beautiful cinematography and the muscled men, don't judge me.
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Unpopular opinion
This drama is one of the most talked about dramas that one sees everywhere and to be honest it really does justice with the concept, the cinematography and the way all the actors have performed their roles. Everyone looks perfect and special mention for Allan (ml) who is in his element here. I have seen him in many dramas and this one is really made for him. His chemistry with Omar(FL) is the most outstanding part of the drama for me. The colourful costumes and the overall desert look makes it stand out from the rest especially with their pale looking filters. Now lets move on to the bad part of the drama which could be an unpopular opinion so just bear with me.-Makeup of FL. The actress is already really pretty and I don't understand what is point of so much makeup especially when we are talking about a desert climate. They could have toned down it a little bit.
-second lead couple. I just can't wrap my head around their romance no matter what. The whole scene was absurd how they met and how it turned them into a romantic partners. That whole scene was so questionable that I felt like dropping the show right then and there. No one falls in love with a person especially a kidnapper whom you just met. Maybe yes, but only if you have Stockholm syndrome! They could have kept it raw made it into something for her to learn and take revenge or something along the lines but no they showed how the tables have turned in her direction and she is the boss. My question is- did she has any other option? She had to be subservient in front of that ranger no matter what or maybe she had to be someone really smart to get out of that situation with her expertise as she was ready to travel alone in that dangerous world leaving problems of her clan in the hands of a total stranger. A normal person can't and won't romanticize such things.
- I felt action scenes were kind of okaish. Now that I have seen many dramas with exceptional action choreography, this one seems pretty normal in front of that. I read people found the dance sequence of FL not that great but for me it was beautiful.
- Loopholes. I am finding so many loopholes in the storyline one after another that I have decided to throw my logic out of the window while watching it.
This show is definitely a worth try especially for the main couple's chemistry and beautiful cinematography and for the rest it depends on your preference.
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1. Its intro song, i am really addicted to this song, every time i start new episode i would wear my earphones and full up the volume and see the intro song , its very addictive, everybody should try it.
2. The chemistry between 2nd ml and fl, they look so cute together.
In whole, everybody should watch this drama its soo good.
* Dont miss the intro song guys*
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Well....
Started nice and then became boring.I feel like this drama was supposed to be more than 36 episodes but for some reasons that we don't know, the cut many scenes to make it to 26 episodes.
Many things happen that we don't understand how it got there.
The actors did what they could with the script they were given.
This drama is watchable, but there is absolutely NO EXCITEMENT..
The ending was quite blant and kind of : " huh, what just happened, how did he...."
Anyway, if you don't have anything else to watch, you can give it a try.
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FIRST 4 EPISODES ARE SO GOOD
I did not expect to like "Love in the Desert" as much as I did. I'm glad I watched it. The chemistry between the leads is incredible, and the female leads are all awesome. I can't wait for the next episodes. My favorite character so far is the second female lead. She's a bit shameless, but that's what makes her likeable. Plus, there's a hint of sexual chemistry between her and the male lead. The writers really outdid themselves with this one. It's a must-watch!Was this review helpful to you?
