Wuxia show featuring friendships, youth and ethics
I loved this show so much, i was watching it on VIKI and then paid subscription to YOUKU so i could watch the latest episodes! The actors playing the characters did a great job, and I enjoyed all the fight scenes/CGIs. Every episode has been nail biting and i havent felt it has dragged on at all. I usually fast forward drama shows with annoying jealous 3rd parties thankfully theres none of that here. The show focuses on friendships, integrity and forgiveness towards self and others.I feel the romance between Qianluo and Xiao Se is a bit extra, not feeling any chemistry between them. Ao Ruipeng is the perfect actor to play the gullible but loyal Lei Wujie. Li Hongyi captured Xiao Se's disdainful looks and elegance well. Lie Xueyi gave a moving portrayal of Wuxin, who is plagued with a troubled past. Some scenes really moved me, like when Wuxin saw his master before he departed for good. There seemed to be many lessons on life in this show. All the side characters and stories enriched the show without being too long/complicated either.
Overall a great show which i had stumbled upon and im so glad i started watching it!
Was this review helpful to you?
Like a warm hug
This show is like a hot cuppa on a rainy day with a nice rug over your shoulders while reading your favourite book. Its a slice of life drama discussing friendships, family, loss, grief, uncertainty of life, forging forward in life despite our fears. Its characters are multi dimensional and very relatable and real. There are no unbelievable scenes or outlandish storylines. Its my first time watching ML and FL and they have great chemistry and are completely comfortable around each other. Their romance is NOT the central theme of the show, and i see some people being disappointed about this. But there are so many more facets to this show than romance. Its about finding yourself, struggling between following your dreams vs the expectations your family have of you. Im sure many asian viewers like myself will be able to relate.All the actors did an amazing job but my most favourite character is Ah Yao's Nai nai. Omg shes the best grandmother in the world and says the wisest and funniest things. I absolutely adore her!!! I just looked her up and shes an acclaimed actor whos 85!!!! Omg so inspirational 🙌
Was this review helpful to you?
Must watch of 2022
OMG. The show that catapulted my obsession to Cdrama. Where do I begin. I absolutely LOVED every aspect of the show, from CGI graphics, the actors, the OST, character development... im obsessed. Esther Yu and Dylan Wang are just amazing young professionals who performed like a couple of veterans. The movements, expressions and gazes of Dongfang Qingcang were just spot on and took the drama to the next level. He must have improved a lot as many netizens had complained about his acting in previous dramas. The chemistry between esther and dylan was off the charts, and i really enjoyed watching the double dates with supporting leads too. Its another emotional rollercoaster and the script has you caught in the middle between love and service of the greater good. Absolute classic xianxia, best of 2022.Was this review helpful to you?
Enjoyed it so much
This show is funny, entertaining, heart breaking at times but it will also heal you. There is character development of the main leads, you will fall for the 2nd ML and side characters too. Stellar performance by Zhou Ye, she is so expressive and able to emote naturally at a level beyond her age and experience. Neo Hou and her visuals are amazing, the costumes and make up are on point without being OTT. The show is well paced and shows relationships between master and disciple, friends, fellow disciples and family. I was completely invested in the show, not many shows make me feel this way without fast forwarding through any scenes as i did not want to miss a thing. Its comparable to Blood of Youth for me. 100% recommend and ill definitely rewatch it.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Loved every episode of this show
Its a great production, costumes, cinematography and casting were good. I loved the initial banter between ML and FL. Their push/pull relationship made it interesting to watch. The secondary couples were adorable and you find yourself rooting for them too.Acting wise, ZLH and ZJM were perfect for the roles and they were easy to watch and believable. The light moments where ML and his servant cracked me up many times too.
I was annoyed by too much air time given to the SML. The show pissed viewers off by making Li Rong look ambivalent about her feelings for Su Rongqing. I think she felt pity towards him in the end, though that was not portrayed better, letting viewers think she had some romantic feelings for him. Her feelings for him were complex, it also showed she was a sentimental person in the way she treated her brother and Shangguan Ya who had previously harmed her.
Pei Wenxuan is actually a really smart and decisive character, they showed some of his capabilities. It was a shame the script did not allow him more time to showcase his capabilities. Instead the screenplay gave Su Rongqing soooo much airtime despite us knowing he's a deluded villain who will never see the light.
Li Rong actually loved PWX a lot, but it was mostly through actions and not words. If you look at her every move, she was always protecting him and would go to great lengths just to keep him safe. I just wished there was a scene where she'd tell SRQ flat out that she would never choose him even in this life or the next.
Overall i liked the show as it didnt have any draggy moments or useless fillers and i didnt skip or FF any scenes. Just wish they spent the time developing ML's character more, rather than giving so much airtime to 2ML. I couldn't get enough of the romantic scenes between ML abd FL either, wished they could have shown more of them together in the last episode.
Was this review helpful to you?
Excellent on many evels
The comedic levels this xianxia provides is what makes it stand out from the others. The chemistry between the leads/supporting actors is amazing. Acting wise the young actors killed it, and i loved that almost all of them used their own voice. Chen Xingxu showed his diverse acting skills with 5 different characters, it was like watching a different person each time.Storyline wise, although there is romance, i personally love the sisterhood and friendships more than anything else. It just tugs on my heart strings to see how much the sisters love and support one another with not an ounce of jealousy. This is my first time seeing all the actors and i really enjoyed it. He Xuanlin has the most beautiful voice too.
Was this review helpful to you?
How can anyone not like this show ?
I dont care what anyone says, this is the best kdrama of 2022, and maybe even 2020 to now. Every episode had me on edge, the different characters, their development, depth and pacing of the story was just brilliant. Of course this show propelled Jung So Min to new found fame, and rightly so. Her performance in this should win whatever lead awards of the korean tv industry. Im planning to rewatch this before the sequel comes out on 10th december. A great series which has been quite innovative in the overused storylines and tropes of kdramas. I give this a 10/10, special effects, CGI, acting, OST music are all on point!Was this review helpful to you?
Enjoyable watch, dont take it too seriously
I didnt skip any episodes!!! This show is adorable, easy to watch and i enjoyed the chemistry between ML and FL. 2nd ML got on my nerves a bit in the love triangle but it wasnt too bad. Some people commented on plot holes, like its meant to be a fantasy themed investigative show. So dont quibble over the details. Its a super slow burn cute romance. Overall i enjoyed it and as someone who skips eps/drops dramas a lot, I finished it without do either, which makes it a good show for me. If you want something to watch to relax and entertain you instead of frustrating you, then make sure you watch this!Was this review helpful to you?
Light fluffy romcom
Easy to watch, no angst, ML and FL are ry adorable and their on screen chemistry is perfect! The story line has few holes but hey, you probably arent watching this for groundbreaking plot. I really enjoyed watching Chen Zheyuan and Shen Yue, they're the stars of the show. The 2nd ML and 2nd FL's story could have been written better, it wasnt engaging and i found myself not caring about them and FF their scenes so i could yet to the main couple. So yeah, if the 2nd couple start to bore you, simply FF through their scenes.Was this review helpful to you?
I dont care what the ending is, this show is 10/10!!!
Best historical drama of 2023, and possibly of many , many that I've watched. The acting of Cheng Yi and Joseph Zeng is next level. They basically became Li Lianhua and Fang Duobing. There are little cases to solve, which lead them to a bigger case/conspiracy. There are NO dull moments, no long drawn misunderstandings, no annoying love triangles. There is plenty of action, bromance, funny/endearing moments, and overall the plot makes sense. The villains are not just bad for evil's sake, they each have their own agenda/motive for their actions. The dog Hulijing is a huge bonus as i love dogs, and she is super adorable and i had so many "nawwwww" moments watching her.The cases being solved are interesting, and the antics of Li Lianhua and Fang Duobing will make you laugh. Di Feisheng joins them at some stage and the 3 of them form a begrudging bromance. Nothing is as it seems in this show.
The production is super high quality, no overuse of fake CGI. Cheng Yi does all his own stunts, Joseph Zeng and Xiao Shunyao have amazing screen presence too. The scenes blend nicely to the next without choppy editing. Its well paced, well written and no dull moments or fillers. The costumes are simple yet elegant, and depict each character well.
The 3 main ML use their own voice which enhances the show 100% for me. Finally Cheng Yi gets to use his own voice as Li Lianhua, though Li Xiangyi is dubbed by a voice actor. Joseph Zeng and Xiao Shunyao have such booming and commanding voices it really suits their characters.
Overall this is a very high quality production and im so glad to have watched it. Will definitely rewatch it when it ends! Just hope the ending is kind to Li Lianhua 🙏 he deserves it ❤️
Was this review helpful to you?
Zero Angst, zero drama, full of sugar and spice
This show made me fall in love with Tan Jianci. I dont care about the haters who say Mo Qingcheng is unrealistically perfect. This drama is basically a healing show for anyone who wants something to laugh at and relax at the end of the day.Zhou Ye plays a very shy and introverted girl here, and i love her versatility. In reality she's a straighforward and bubbly sort so its nice to see her in a different role. I found myself so envious of Sheng Sheng because she was so loved by her family and friends. They all love her unconditionally and want the best for her. The friendships between the gang are so wholesome and heart warming too.
I wont lie, these are the things i enjoyed most of this show:
1. OST - the songs amd Tan Jianci's voice are living in my head rent free - simply LOVE them.
2. Kissing scenes - it took them long enough to have their first kiss, but once they started they couldnt stop! This CP's chemistry was through the roof! Sheng Sheng is very shy by nature and so there's alot of awkwardness fron her in the early stages which i thought Zhou Ye captured well.
3. Food - i found myself having mala chicken and pork intestine for dinner while watching the show!! All the dishes looked amazing and mouth watering.
4. Tourism/scenary shots of Yang Shuo, Guilin - beautiful lakes, rivers and sunsets.
Basically this is a fluffy romance/slice of life show which introduces viewers to the dubbing industry.
Was this review helpful to you?
Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty II To the West
1 people found this review helpful
Better than Season 1!!!
The cases are interesting, all have different settings and themes. And not easily guessed and plot twists abound too! I've grown really fond of the main characters and was sad when the show was over. Their comradery and friendship really grew in this season. In S1 i found Lu Lingfeng overbearing and arrogant, but he has decent character development here. Even Pei Xijun had immense growth and got to showcase her intellignce and grace. There is minimal romance and the show focuses heavily on strange tales and cases. Its definitely deserving of more than a 8!Was this review helpful to you?
Best modern drama of 2023
Absolutely loved this show. Every episode was engaging, fun and easy to watch. Came for Wu Lei, stayed for him and everyone else. If you are looking for a mature storyline whose characters have depth, look no further. Time and effort was spent on the lead and also supporting characters. The script writer made me care about the characters and i liked all of them immensely, despite all their little quirks and flaws. I was completely invested in all the side stories when usually they are just fillers but in this case i was invested in every story. Wu Lei nails it with his acting again, portraying a young athlete struggling with demons of his past while trying to forge a new career. Zhou Yutong is believable and likeable as the smart and streetwise but restrained career lady. There are no tropes in this drama: no lame 3rd party love triangle, no silly misunderstandings, no money grubbing gold digging women looking for a rich boyfriend. What i loved was also the friendship and sismance between Liang You An and her best friend Luo Nian. I am very fortunate to have friends like thag in my life too. I probably enjoy this show a lot more as im 40, so a lot of the dialogue rang true and resonated with me. My fave is when You An said:"There can never be 50/50 in a relationship, when 1 of you is down and out and can only give 1%, the other person who truly loves you will not mind giving the other 99%.Was this review helpful to you?
Underrated gem
I didnt know any of the actors in this except for Du Ya Fei from Jun Jiu Ling. It seemed like a low budget show with rookie actors. But wow, the story drew me in and i binged 5 eps the first night. The story was well-paced without useless filler side stories. I loved all the characters, especially Wang Ruo Shan who played Ms Zhan. Such poise, gaze and natural acting from a young performer. She made me feel the pain of being raised as an assassin. The love story between Ms Zhan and Jian Buzhi was subtle yet moving and pure. The theme OST was so good too and wasnt overused during the show. Ms Zhan's make up was minimal, depicting the true look of an assassin. Her outfits were plain but elegant. I just fell in love with her character, and was so impressed that she was able to ride the horse while it was galloping away. I HATE fake horseriding shots as it just shows the actors are lazy to learn and devote time to their craft. Highly recommend watching this show, very well done at 24 episodes. Heres hoping therell be a second season!Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Hardcore Wuxia
No excessive use of CGI, realistic wuxia scenes with great fight choreography. Cinematography and OST were really good too. I havent read the book yet but not a fan of how the relationship developed between ML and FL.Idk if Qin Junjie was the person for the role, another actor might have been better?
Stars of the show for me were Xing Fei and Lin YuShen.
The stories/plots of the side couples weren't the best for me either. Like it didnt make much sense and it just felt like tragedy all round. Come on, you gotta balance a story, it cant all be tragedy, we deal with enough crap on real life.
Was this review helpful to you?