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KiKo Tsukino

Wangxian Island

KiKo Tsukino

Wangxian Island
Back from the Brink chinese drama review
Completed
Back from the Brink
41 people found this review helpful
by KiKo Tsukino
Jun 9, 2023
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 2
Overall 10
Story 10.0
Acting/Cast 10.0
Music 10.0
Rewatch Value 10.0
This review may contain spoilers

Beautiful Heartwarming Xianxia! BFTB saved me from its Youku Predecessor!

TTEOTM and BFTB is completely unrelated in story, just to be clear... It's just that the comparison for me is... One is heaven (Back from the Brink ; Huxin), the other is Hell (Till the end of the Moon). How can two dramas by Youku gave me two polar opposite feelings? But this is exactly how I feel.

Honestly, I want to take this time, to express my gratitude to this drama: Back from the Brink (Hu Xin): Thank you for giving me this Drama, where I can heal my heart/pain from its predecessor Youku Drama: Till the end of the Moon (TTEOTM). One of the many things I'm grateful for is that BFTB was aired after TTEOTM because after the traumatized experience, came the healing process for me in BFTB, and this is all I ever could have asked for, in a story and pairing that I came to really love.

This isn't my first time I have seen Xianxia Genres, as a matter of fact, I really love Xianxia genres and have seen a lot on them. I have to express that while I have seen a lot of xianxia dramas, not many can make it into my top favourite, but this drama definitely take a top spot in my favourite Chinese drama. It is also the first time where it makes me want to add this drama CP: Tian Yao and Yan Hui as my no.1 Favourite Xianxia Drama CP, because before all this, while I do love the other Xianxia Drama CP, I love them all equally as much, in different dramas, never I actually thought of putting them as no.1, but for TianHui (Tian Yao x Yan Hui), it's the first time I want to put them as my no.1, and I am officially putting them as my no.1 Favourite Chinese Xianxia Drama CP!

In terms of pairing chemistry, and this pairing as the overall, you just got to love them! They are naturally so compatible with each other. They visually look great when they are together (even the people on set has said that too), and in terms of the pairing story, it is a gradual process where their feelings for each other grown through their travels and Journeys together. But honestly, what I love about the pairing Tian Yao and Yan Hui is that, their love for each other is EQUAL. Normally in other Xianxia Drama's there will always be a side that has a deeper love for the other in comparison, but for these two, I love how the writers have written them like this, because it really made me enjoyed their relationship. Equal Love, Equal Sacrifice, Tacit Understanding, their love for each other is really strong, and it is definitely a HEALTHY relationship.

For me personally, there are definitely scenes I really love, e.g. the scene when Tian Yao sacrificed himself to save Yan Hui, it was so heart wrenching and sad, but yet it was really touching for me, I remember that night I cried so much that my eyes hurts.... But I don't regret watching that scene because it gave me the feels that I really love.

Tian Yao is really a loveable character in my eyes, his past and what happened to him and how he came to have relationship PTSD was understandable how he can't open his heart to Yan Hui at the beginning, Tong Luo Village is also the starting point to their relationship, but I really love how Yan Hui warm herself into his heart, because she showed him that how she feels about him is nothing in comparison to how Su Ying feels about him, and that Yan Hui is someone who sincerely loves him with her whole heart. Tian Yao is someone who really uses words in a very poetic way/in a more deeper meaning to convey his love across, and he's definitely better at writing it out than actually saying it, and I was honestly really touched with what he wrote in his nuptial agreement to Yan Hui. The fact that he was the one who requested that to be written on an ink that last forever just makes me love him even more for that! I also love it when he came to really accept his feelings, and chase after Yan Hui to earn back her forgiveness, I really love him during those moments, to see how much he's come and grown in terms of character developments. Tian Yao is also someone who will silently sacrifice and give things to Yan Hui without her needing to know it, that's actually one of the points I actually love about him, since he's not looking at getting anything in return, or for Yan Hui to repay him, he just wants Yan Hui to be safe and happy. He's truly a selfless person when he came to love Yan Hui on his end. He's definitely among my favourite character in this drama, not to mention the time when he's Long BaoBao is really adorable!! Before seeing those scenes, I didn't think I will come to love him as Long Baobao, but Neo(HMH) has convinced me and I love the way how he's more upfront and open with his feelings for her, which is nice to see some acting capabilities from Hou Ming Hao in playing the different characters there.

Yan Hui IMO, is one of the best Female Lead we don't get in Xianxia Drama often, she is actually not those typical Female Lead that we see often. So it is really refreshing to see. I am glad her character is written like this. At least she is Infinite times better than Li Su Su (Till the End of the Moon). For Yan Hui, I love her character growth from the beginning to the end, and when she's come to love Tian Yao, she really shows it in a very sincere way. Although she misunderstood Tian Yao for not valuing her life when he took back the HPS, so during that time, I honestly, like how her character was handled. She can't forgive Tian Yao easily despite she understood why Tian Yao have to do it, but she is actually quite reasonable with how she handled the situation. It is also thanks to this, I get to see Tian Yao putting in the effort to chase after her. I felt like this drama is really magical in a way that, we are going through the process like Yan Hui where it's a gradual process, where the writer made it believable when she opens her heart to Tian Yao to love him again. Although for me, I have forgiven Tian Yao way back then, because I understood why he did it, and I know he wouldn't have done it if there's another choice. The main thing was for Tian Yao, he really ensured that Yan Hui will not die if he take back the HPS, that's what I love about him, and why I can forgive him on my end. But ofcourse Yan Hui doesn't know what Tian Yao sacrificed, so we can't blame her.

People didn't like the Stab scene when Tian Yao took back the HPS, but for me, in terms of writing perspectives, I understood why it needed to go down that route, and why Tian Yao couldn't reveal the truth to her, not because he didn't want to, but because the writers have no intention to let him tell her the truth. If he did told her the truth, than we wouldn't have those developments we came to love in the later part of the story, so for me, I honestly did love how it was handled by the writers there.

The only thing I didn't like was how the writers not have Yan Hui said "Wo Ai Ni"(I love you) instead the writers have her saying "Wo Xihuan Ni" (I like you). If it's the beginning I can understand why she would use Xihuan, but the her in the later stages(after everything), I felt it is more meaningful if the writers should have her use 愛(ai) instead.

For me honestly when Yan Hui said 喜歡(xi huan), I take it as love already I just wish the writers would use 愛(ai) instead since when 喜歡(xi huan) is used and said it does felt like it's downgrading her feelings and that's probably why I don't like it. But to me , her feelings for Tian Yao is 愛(ai) strong enough to be put into the level of love. So in context of when Yan Hui said 喜歡(xi huan), for me I will just interpret it as 愛(ai) instead. Since we know how much she loves him.

Now with all that being said, Tian Yao and Yan Hui are the epitome of true love. Their love for each other is really admirable, how they are both devoted, loyal and will protect each other in those times, how they really portray their love and their relationship to be very equal to me. There is no Tian Yao loving Yan Hui more, or Yan Hui loving Tian Yao more in my eyes, since I see their love is EQUAL. This is what I love about them on my end. They also have a very strong bond that I come to love, and another one of my favourite moments was when they did the CP Test together, since it shows how compatible they are with each other.

The story has a theme that I really love as well:

"Will you choose to save one person" OR
"Sacrifice one person to save the world"?

The Correct Answer has been highlighted: "To save the person you love over saving the world". The key theme behind this is... If you can't save the one person you love, how can you think about saving the world? It's only when you can save that one person, then you two can work together to save the world (kinda theme). So the first and foremost is to save the one you love. It's really refreshing, and I love this revelation being the correct answer, because I am tired of characters choosing to save the world, and sacrifice the one they love...

Both Tian Yao and Yan Hui, respectively in the CP Test, they chose to save each other. This CP Test not only showed how compatible they are with each other, but how they feel about each other is the same, so I really love how that was brought forward for the viewers to see.

In terms of the story pacing, for me, it's not draggy at all, I felt like each episode really went by so fast, and I actually subscribed to Youku and watch it on Youku App on my phone (joined VIP) so I can support this drama view-counts, and also because I always look forward to a new episode. I always look forward to 8PM every weekday nights to watch this drama, and I am going to miss those times. Weekend seems so long for me, because Youku don't air it on the weekend. It's also the first time a drama will make me not like Friday because the next two days will be a weekend for me, and not new episodes, so this drama is really an eye opener to show how much I came to really love it!

For Ending side of things, I am Happy with the Ending, I got something more than what I could have asked for, since it is better than some drama's that ends with a "Last Minute Happy Ending", but for Hu Xin (Back from the Brink), they have more interactions, they actually talk, and we get a final kiss between them! So I am eternally grateful that they gave me this happy ending! Finally a happy ending between the relationship of a Dragon and a Human lover.

I personally also really love how the Final Battle is handled with the whole Yin and Yang concept, and how it shows Tian Yao and Yan Hui working together as one to defeat the final villain once and for all, there's a lot of parallel and highlight that I love, which I have talked about in this thread here: https://mydramalist.com/discussions/hu-xin/106609-ending-explanation?pid=2611095&page=1#p2611095

Zhou Ye and Hou Ming Hao, you two truly have chemistry! I really hope you can film another (and many more) modern day romance drama where you are the Main CP, and have many sweet and romantic moments, and I definitely will look forward to some (umm > w < ) Passionate Kiss scenes between you two! That's one thing Hu Xin lack for me, but if I am going to blame anyone, I will blame the directors for not knowing how to give advice for kissing scenes >.< LOL. But anyways, not saying I don't love the kiss scenes in Hu Xin, I will take what I can get, and when they did kiss, I can still fangirl on it, and when they hug each other, how can just a simple hug make me fangirl on them? This is when I know I have come to love this CP so much, and I am glad they can get their happy ending in the end.

I love the many OST's in this Drama! Definitely on my Album to listen to over and over again!

Rewatch Value: Definitely going to rewatch again!!!! <3 I can go through the journey again from the beginning to the end, and while I am not a fan of amnesia plots to be honest, because I tend to not like seeing the development starting over again and them getting to know each other again.... And the whole losing one identity that I don't like, but I got to say that Hu Xin (Back from the Brink) handled it really well. I am sure a lot of people agree to this, since I have seen it in the comments <3

I am going to miss Tian Yao and Yan Hui!! T__T I think I might just go and check out the novel on my end, because I want to see what the novel is like, I have started a few chapters in, but didn't finish it, I guess it's a good time to resume on my end.

I also want to add my note by saying, Bai Xiao Sheng, I was skeptical to like him at first, then I came to did like him since he's the matchmaker for my OTP (Tian Yao x Yan Hui) then I came to really dislike him to the point I feel like punching him because..... *well won't spoil that for you, you will see for yourself when you watch it * but by the end, he got his character development, so he's back to the character I like LOL.

With that all said, this comes the end of my review now.... So what are you waiting for?! Go watch this drama if you have not already!!! I definitely recommend this drama to everyone especially xianxia lovers!!! It is a drama you should NOT miss out!! At the end of the day, I will do my best to recommend this to you, however, whether you watch it or not, it's up to you. In my eyes if you don't watch it, you'll just miss out!!
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