Drama Addict
New Zealand
The best of 2020 and first quarter of 2021 - with a refreshing difference.
This drama is grossly and sadly underrated in Mydramalist. I think mainly because it was influenced by the earlier viewers of the drama who wrote extremely unfavorable bias reviews of the drama. But in my opinion, it is the best among the dramas released in 2020 and first quarter of 2021 - and I had watched a lot of good ones. To enjoy this drama, do not watch any trailers or reviews with spoilers, otherwise it spoils the suspense in the story. This is a high budget production; high budget productions do not always produce excellent dramas, but for this, it did.
This is a 'historical' epic based on the Liao dynasty which controlled North East China, East Mongolia, East Russia and North Korea about a thousand years ago. Many of the characters actually existed in history and some parts of the story were true , based on what is written in Wikipedia, provided it had not been doctored to suit.
The story centred around the 3 daughters of the Prime Minister who were married to 3 different branches of the Yelu clan, the imperial family. They were very close when young but the rivalry of the 3 families for the throne eventually led them to pit against each other. The story covered the rise to power and rule of Emperor Jingzong, and his life.
I watched this drama a second time before I decided to rate it and I really appreciated it more the second time. This is a high tension drama with a lot of scenes making you really nervous for the characters. It would hold you in suspense wondering what would be the outcome of each conspiracy - both the good and the bad had their share of instigating these - whether the good would be hurt by the bad, and yes, some times they were.
The lead cast was outstanding and the acting was great. The male lead Shawn Dou was the second lead from the Princess Agent; the lead actress Tiffany Tang was the female lead in a number of well-known dramas, one of which is Princess WeiYang. The second male lead Jing Chao was the second male lead in Princess Silver. And the second female lead, HK Charmaine Sheh needs no further introduction. The rest of the main cast acting the Prime Minister, Wuguli, XiYin, Yansage was equally outstanding. Li Jing, acting the drunken, paranoid, tyrannical and homicidal Emperor Muzong, was really convincingly hateful.
This drama evoked a whole load of emotions - glee when planks were successfully played on the annoying and tears at the heart rendering moments. When the 2 elder sisters were leaving the home during the wedding, it actually made me tearful - I am very immune to crying over dramas - so it is rare any drama managed to do that.
The scale of the production was impressive with Khitan costumes, architecture, and mode of transport, reflecting the nomadic lifestyle of that period and culture. Khitan women were also way more liberal than the stuffy Han women. Historically, Khitan women were trained to hunt, took care of family matters and even court matters. The Liao dynasty was known to have several capable Empress Dowagers (unlike the Empress Dowagers of the late Qing dynasty) including the one in this story. It makes a refreshing difference.
The opening and closing theme songs are nostalgic and very suited to the historical setting.
So overall, I rated it a 10 - one of the very few that I had done - I had done this only for Nirvana in Fire, The Untamed and Ten Mile Peach Blossom.
But I really do not like the title of the drama - legend again? Such a lazy and uncreative translation - translators need to work a bit harder and think a bit more. Something along the lines of 'YanYun Tower', 'Xiao-Yelu Dynasty', 'Yelu Feuding', 'Xiao YanYan' or simply 'Xiao Chuo', 'Emperor JingZong of Liao'. 'Women in Power' or something more creative would be better.
If you are able to appreciate a different culture, women in power and a second chance in love, you would enjoy this drama.
This is a 'historical' epic based on the Liao dynasty which controlled North East China, East Mongolia, East Russia and North Korea about a thousand years ago. Many of the characters actually existed in history and some parts of the story were true , based on what is written in Wikipedia, provided it had not been doctored to suit.
The story centred around the 3 daughters of the Prime Minister who were married to 3 different branches of the Yelu clan, the imperial family. They were very close when young but the rivalry of the 3 families for the throne eventually led them to pit against each other. The story covered the rise to power and rule of Emperor Jingzong, and his life.
I watched this drama a second time before I decided to rate it and I really appreciated it more the second time. This is a high tension drama with a lot of scenes making you really nervous for the characters. It would hold you in suspense wondering what would be the outcome of each conspiracy - both the good and the bad had their share of instigating these - whether the good would be hurt by the bad, and yes, some times they were.
The lead cast was outstanding and the acting was great. The male lead Shawn Dou was the second lead from the Princess Agent; the lead actress Tiffany Tang was the female lead in a number of well-known dramas, one of which is Princess WeiYang. The second male lead Jing Chao was the second male lead in Princess Silver. And the second female lead, HK Charmaine Sheh needs no further introduction. The rest of the main cast acting the Prime Minister, Wuguli, XiYin, Yansage was equally outstanding. Li Jing, acting the drunken, paranoid, tyrannical and homicidal Emperor Muzong, was really convincingly hateful.
This drama evoked a whole load of emotions - glee when planks were successfully played on the annoying and tears at the heart rendering moments. When the 2 elder sisters were leaving the home during the wedding, it actually made me tearful - I am very immune to crying over dramas - so it is rare any drama managed to do that.
The scale of the production was impressive with Khitan costumes, architecture, and mode of transport, reflecting the nomadic lifestyle of that period and culture. Khitan women were also way more liberal than the stuffy Han women. Historically, Khitan women were trained to hunt, took care of family matters and even court matters. The Liao dynasty was known to have several capable Empress Dowagers (unlike the Empress Dowagers of the late Qing dynasty) including the one in this story. It makes a refreshing difference.
The opening and closing theme songs are nostalgic and very suited to the historical setting.
So overall, I rated it a 10 - one of the very few that I had done - I had done this only for Nirvana in Fire, The Untamed and Ten Mile Peach Blossom.
But I really do not like the title of the drama - legend again? Such a lazy and uncreative translation - translators need to work a bit harder and think a bit more. Something along the lines of 'YanYun Tower', 'Xiao-Yelu Dynasty', 'Yelu Feuding', 'Xiao YanYan' or simply 'Xiao Chuo', 'Emperor JingZong of Liao'. 'Women in Power' or something more creative would be better.
If you are able to appreciate a different culture, women in power and a second chance in love, you would enjoy this drama.
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