Confession: NIF was the only historical drama that I didn’t skip episodes because you just can’t. Every episode was linked so you cannot miss any of it..
Story:10/10- I must say, the writer was a genius!! What I love about this drama is it was not rush to show how they achieved their goal. Every plan, every step, every person that is involved was important and it really display how the imperial court change because of Lin Shu’s magnificent tactics and strategies. Wow just wow. How they come up with that kind story??. It was well crafted from start until the end.. well done!!
Cast:
Lin Shu/Zhu Ze/Mei Chang Su- How can I describe this guy??!! Hu Ge was perfect for this role. A very sick but genius tactician was the heart of the story. Seriously he can never be ill and I’m really nervous whenever he’s in critical stage coz it will be disaster to all the people around him. I feel that all plans must be approve by him or else it will be a tragedy. That is how important his role is. I love how he didn't intend to get revenge but try to make things right.....
Prince JinYang- Jin Yang will be my most slow-to-pickup character ever!!but It has reason to that and Im glad that he was like that..watch this to know what I mean? I watched this prince grow from being reckless, well he’s still reckless until the end? until he became a good ruler.
General Meng-ahhh.. My favorite general. A funny,simple minded,honest, strong and very loyal general meng. I really love the interaction bet. him and other characters especially Lin Shu and Fe Lui. I have many laughs to this guy.
Consort Jing- This is the first time that I appreciate this kind of character. Jingyans mother was intelligent, gentle and a loving person to him and Lin Shu. She’s not like other consort that can be manipulate. A very graceful mother. I want to be like her actually.. ?
Fei Liu- This young boy will be my favorite bodyguard in dramaland. An outstanding fighter with a childlike attitude but very loyal to su gege.. I think all who watched this drama love him so much..
The other character that I love is the funny YuJin, beautiful Ni Huang, Jing Rui w/ a big heart, the great emperor, a genius physician Lin Chen but I hope he shows in many episode, all the body guards of Lin Shu and Jin Yang… In short all the characters was awesome even the villains like xia jang and xie yu.
Over all it was 11/10. I want to have a separate drama that shows the early life of Lin Shu.. What can I say you need to rewatch this well-crafted, magnificent, awesome drama.. WHY I WATCHED THIS! It’s hard to let go!! ?
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This review may contain spoilers
Maybe considered spoiler, so anyone who don't even want to know a single hint about this drama, don't look any further.After I finished this drama, what I like about it is there are no scenes that make me feel heart-wrenching anger (bad kind) or agonizing pain (also bad-kind) [that is if you exclude the main reason of the whole drama]. You can just enjoy how he strategized so brilliantly and completely, letting you feel the anxiety of whether his plotting will succeed or not. My curiosity of how he turn the whole situation around is satisfied too.
I like Fei Liu (simple, good-at-fighting kid beside Mei Chang Su), his scenes are so cute and funny!
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The story kept me going on and on and because each episode is only 45 mins, the time went by and before I knew it, I was on episode 25!
The plot is good, the actors/actresses were superb (villains were vile and the good guys got me cheering for them), action kept going at a good rate, the twists and turns believable - and at times, really caught me out. There were some funny moments as well as sweet romantic interludes, and they were done very tastefully. No nudity or adult scenes, which I applaud - I think often that modern dramas rely too much on sex and violence. I'd recommend my 11 year old daughter to watch this.
I liked the costumes, traditions, scenery and overall "feel". By episode 48, I did start feeling as if the drama was beginning to drag, but the final episodes redeemed the drama somewhat. However, the final episode, I felt, seemed a bit of a letdown. All in all, a good drama!
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Feels fortunate to have this legendary cdrama in our lifetime
The story is unlike anything I have ever seen before. Every episode there's something big happening, a character gets unraveled deeper; I felt like I watched years (or even decades)- worth of history in just 50+ episodes.Admittedly I took longer to finish this because I don't have much patience for slower-paced dramas, much more political ones, but once I got to it I couldn't stop. The first 20 episodes really just lay the foundation (and a strong one at that!) for the next episodes, and hopefully those who plan on dropping this watch at least up until then because not only the action gets going, but we will really appreciate all the work and planning that went on in those "slow" episodes.
The acting is on another level, there are no blackholes. I've watched other dramas before and I also liked the acting there, but here I came to understand that this is what happens when a cast is made up of veteran actors. It almost feels like I am watching actual figures in history.
I hope everyone gets to watch this once in their lives.
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The drama really lays on the 3 B’s of excellence: Birth Secrets, Bromances and Babelicious Bods. Beautiful cinematography (would that be a 4th *B*?), excellent writing, and carefully crafted suspense kept me on the edge of my seat. The knots in my stomach tightened as each episode led to some unexpected climax. I would say more, but the guide says “No Spoilers”. For more, see my MDL Notes. Was this review helpful to you?
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A brilliant masterpiece
This is one of the best TV dramas I've watched, up there with Sherlock, Wolf Hall and The Crown. More thought-provoking and less violent with hardly any sex scenes, I much prefer this to Game of Thrones. The story, writing, direction, acting, music, cinematography and over-all production are top-notch.Hu Ge is flawless as political strategist Mei Changsu/Su Zhe who is bent on restoring his family's honor as well as those of his much-admired cousin Prince Qi and 70,000 soldiers of the Chiyan Army who were wrongfully accused of rebellion thirteen years ago. The rest of the characters, notably Prince Jingyan (Wang Kai), Duchess Mu Nihuang (Liu Tao), the Emperor of Great Liang (Ding Yong Dai) and Mei Changsu's young but capable bodyguard Fei Liu (Leo Wu), are as compelling. Watching Mei Changsu navigate the political arena in the imperial court is like watching a grandmaster playing chess. His metamorphosis from vibrant young marshal Lin Shu to a frail, soft-spoken but formidable strategist unrelenting in his search for justice is awe-inspiring but heart-breaking as well, such that even just hearing the beautiful opening and ending themes makes me tear up.
The first few times I watched the opening sequence, I was underwhelmed, wishing that, in addition to butterfly wings, there were also dramatic images of people to complement the stunning music. Then I realized there ARE human forms, I just had to be more observant. Turns out, the opening sequence is more beautiful than I could imagine. Since then, every time I watch it, I would try to find more hidden images, much like discovering forms in clouds. Another delightful feature is the original dialogue that I understand is poetic, making me want to learn Mandarin. These easter eggs show how meticulously crafted this gem is.
The emotional impact is not forced but grabs the viewers organically, from the story, acting, music and other elements that subtly add to the power of each scene. I cried almost the whole finale episode, even though there were hardly overly dramatic scenes. In fact, I think it's because the emotional expressions are muted that I felt the urge to release pent-up emotions. Even now, I still tear up whenever I remember the scene where Lin Shu bowed and silently wept in his family's ancestral hall after he successfully restored the family's honor.
It is a testament to the brilliance of the storytelling that a sucker for happily-ever-after endings like myself cannot fault the ending. While a fully fairytale ending would have been inconsistent with the tone of the story, this may be considered as having a happy ending, one that Mei Changsu/Su Zhe/Lin Shu would have approved of, having been able to give his all in the service of truth, justice and country.
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Here's hoping there will be more dramas like this one in the future.
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The best C-drama probably until the end of time
I've written a review for my other favorite, TTEOTM, and decided I should write one about this one (I watched it years ago).If TTEOTM was a culmination of arcs and ideas that were exploited satisfyingly (albeit with some plot problems), this one seemed to start at a single point and expand outward relentlessly from there. The pacing is intense and substantive, the story is complex and masterful, and the acting is nothing short of wonderful. Very rarely do elements come together to form what could be an alternate universe or a chapter in history... Nirvana in Fire manages this, and is probably thus one of the best dramas I've personally ever watched.
Where to even start? Probably the story, the most wonderful thing about this drama. Although this meets the eye as the typical revenge plot with an ambitious strategist as the protagonist, there's so much nuance and many dynamics under the surface level that truly connect the dots together. How Lin Shu's history is intertwined with the present for many characters including Jingyan is beautiful, and the little twists and schemes involved (completely impossible but riveting) from how Mei Chang Su deals with Nihuang's suitor contest to how his aid towards Prince Yu helps Prince Jing is magnificent. Not only are the details critical and brilliant, they play a tremendous role in how the drama ultimately develops. Despite the numerous arcs, etc. that are present in the drama, they still fit into the narrative on how Lin Shu achieves his revenge goal. The writing in between, including the dialogue and script, excellently achieves this effect (not sure how the countless translated captions fare in corroborating the intent of the original script... watched this in Mandarin). Cleverness and wit are woven into every aspect of this drama and its characters' motivations (they all make sense given the time, personality, etc.). How the drama doesn't seem forced (besides its pacing at times) as well as the plot's fluidity is really impressive storytelling; it's also what separates this from similarly good Wuxia/Xianxia that doesn't reach its heights.
That being said, its complexity makes elements of the plot sometimes difficult to remember beyond the initial watching. That makes it satisfying to rewatch, and every rewatch I still find myself astounded by the numerous twists and ideas present. Given this, know that I watch a drama for the ideas and cleverness more so than the execution/logical sense (this one for the most part fulfills both, but there are some plot holes you find if you think carefully enough), and therefore I'd probably enjoy gripping stories much more than most/prioritize them over other things to make/break a drama.
I guess that's enough time spent on the story. I think the second thing to note here is the acting.
To be fair, there isn't much character development in most of the characters more than a change of motivations/desires, etc. I do think the characters fit perfectly with the setting and situation, but for those looking for those coming-of-age/character development arc dramas, this one is probably less so your thing... I'd push you to TTEOTM to see Tantai Jin if you wanted to see character development. The characters are mostly well developed already in this drama, and because of the abundance of motivations and schematics, it's hard to follow individual characters throughout (even the protagonist).
Given this, I don't think this drama would be a rave review for any individual actor. Instead, the entire cast does a great job portraying their parts to really make this story work. From Xia Jiang to Xie Yu (antagonists along the way), the antagonists of this drama are played amazingly. Their micro expressions, desperation, and different emotions are played realistically and believably for the plights they find themselves in. I do think a special shoutout has to go to Victor Huang who plays Prince Yu; his scenes are done beautifully to portray a pompous and crafty prince who eventually devolves into resignation. Additionally, the characters really do interact with the story and plot's purposes, something that I find often missing from a drama. The protagonists are played similarly well, with Mei Chang Su (Hu Ge) displaying the depth needed for a sick strategist who needs to finish one final task. He did remind me of Tantai Jin (Til the End of the Moon), but this one is significantly less dramatic of a portrayal (I think it's fair for the role Mei Chang Su plays) and therefore also less memorable. It's great acting nonetheless, and other protagonists like Consort Jing do really come alive with the acting of a splendid (and very expensive) cast.
Finally, I'll talk about the OST a little. I personally quite enjoyed the song 红颜旧 sung by Liu Tao (plays Mu Nihuang) and think the majority of the songs are quite pleasant. I did enjoy their melodies although I oftentimes found the singing subpar (that's okay, I do think it's more representative of the cast when sung by the cast). It's one of the great OSTs I've heard, despite having few songs. I wouldn't watch it for the OST (like I would Love Between Fairy and Devil), but it's kind of a bonus :)
Definitely the best drama I've ever watched and will be coming back to it over and over again.
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My first review for my top drama
Seriously the best Chinese drama I have seen so far. All dramas I watch will be compared to this one. I never rewatch dramas but I made an exception for this one. And after all these years it’s still awesome.Story
Enjoyable story keeps you hooked till the end. There could have been a little bit more romance, not necessarily for the ML but in general. The story is not too complicated but very interesting and well written. I didn’t find any unnecessary plotlines rather I want to know more about what happened before the drama starts and what happens after it. Season 2 sadly doesn’t really connect to the end of season 1.
Acting/Cast
Top notch acting and very well-chosen cast. The characters in general are a joy to watch and unique in their own way. You can tell it’s a veteran cast with lots of experience.
Music
I personally don’t pay much attention to music/OST so I can’t really judge but I certainly can’t complain about it.
Rewatch Value
First drama I have ever rewatched and will probably rewatch in the future.
Overall
A must watch for “historic/costume drama”-lovers and if not, should at least give it a chance in my opinion.
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Just WOW - the hype is real
I'm quite late to the bandwagon, but am so glad that I gave this masterpiece a chance! I've watched many dramas over the years and I have to say this is probably one of the most well written dramas I've seen. The acting and storyline are amazing! I'm very pleased with the cast because they really brought the characters to life.Mei Chang Su is the most beautiful tragic hero, and is a someone who I could not stop admiring episode after episode. His wit and intelligence never failed to amaze me. Despite the mental, physical and emotional pains he had to endure, he is blessed to have loyal and loving friends and comrades. The highlight of this drama is definitely the relationship between Mei Chang Su and the rest of the main characters. The BROMANCE is real yall. I love his bond with Fei Liu, Meng Zhi, Jingyan, Li Chen, etc. There is a bit of romance, but that was not the focal point of the drama (which I very much appreciated). Honestly, the story would have done well even if they decided to forego the romance.
I will say that this drama will require time and patience to watch because it is a slow burn with lots of details, so your full attention is required to really appreciate the story. The rewatch value would be high because I'm sure I missed a few details the first time watching. My only complaint was the way the last episode played out, as there were some things I would have changed (e.g. the filler scenes). Otherwise, I really enjoyed it.
Nirvana in Fire will definitely go down in history as a classic. Thank you to the writer, cast and crew for such a beautiful series.
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So much can happen in a blink of eye
Before starting I want to state that this is my first drama review.So if there is any mistake please spare that.Title: The title is the first thing that attracted me .So in Nirvana in fire ,Mei Changsu is basically the flames. Title is too catchy to ignore.
Cast: I cannot imagine anyone except Hu Ge in that role.The same goes with all the other actors playing their roles.I could feel the ambition in every character.Especially the female leads nailed it.
Story: Perfect.It is the only word that can explain the draam.We can never get another Mei Changsu who is willing to sacrifice everything literally everything for his country and his men.The way he shows his love and care to ni hung and jinyang cannot be explained.On that note Yujin's and jingrui's friendship is underrated here. Every character is subjected to injustice even in the end but they served justice. Jinyang is quiet stupid I guess.But still a good human being.Concubine Jing is truly something.Without her help it would have been difficult for Mei Changsu to serve his purpose. I sympathized with Prince Yu in the end.At least I wanted his last wish to save his unborn child could be granted.Jingrui's story is also quite unique,thrilling and mysterious.Ni hung being a strong female is portrayed well.I think Banruo was the female version of Mei Changsu with more evilness.This drama is male centred but the actual masterminds are all female except Mei Changsu.In the c dramaland Mei Changsu aka lin Shu aka Xiao Shu is still my favourite character.Not to mention that Mei Changsu is my biggest crush till date.
Ending: Bittersweet.And that is what makes it more perfect.The way jingyan removed the red cloth assuming that Lin Shu is never coming back ,the last conversation between nihung and Lin Shu ,the re naming of the army refering to Mei Changsu,is hard it throw out of my mind.
Music was beautiful.I am definitely watching it again.And everytime you watch it just keep attention to the dialogues because you may have to re watch the scene to understand what is actually happening.
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