Grace_G
Tiānshèng Empire
Fantastic drama, but a torture to get through at times
The visual effects and costumes are gorgeous in this drama, and the fantasy elements do not disappoint! In particular, I appreciate that the story doesn't offer stereotypical images of gods and demons (as exclusive symbols of good and evil, respectively). In addition, I love that it explores a variety of current themes using mythological filters (racism, interracial relationships, gender issues, same-sex relationships, etc.)
The cast in this drama is fabulous! First, kudos to actor Cheng Yi for portraying the overly self-sacrificing Si Feng with such finesse. He was such a captivating presence and so incredibly expressive, especially in the scenes that conveyed his character’s physical and spiritual suffering! Also, the assortment of villains in this drama is absolutely fantastic! Most of them have interesting layers and motivations, giving the main themes more dimension.
My only criticism is that the storyline tends to be repetitive, especially in the second half. Whoever wrote it must have been a sadist! That is, the romance is centered on continuously torturing and pounding on Sifeng (the male lead), whose commitment to the female lead verges on dangerously toxic. The relationship is fraught with misunderstandings and omissions, to the point it becomes almost unbearable to watch. A side effect, unfortunately, is that the female lead ends up being portrayed as naive, manipulable, and even unintelligent. At times, I found this aspect of the characters’ dynamic to be emotionally draining and vexing.
Still, despite these shortcomings, this drama IS a solid 10 out of 10 (for its great entertainment value), though I do want to mention that personally, I don’t think I could stand to put myself through it a second time.
The cast in this drama is fabulous! First, kudos to actor Cheng Yi for portraying the overly self-sacrificing Si Feng with such finesse. He was such a captivating presence and so incredibly expressive, especially in the scenes that conveyed his character’s physical and spiritual suffering! Also, the assortment of villains in this drama is absolutely fantastic! Most of them have interesting layers and motivations, giving the main themes more dimension.
My only criticism is that the storyline tends to be repetitive, especially in the second half. Whoever wrote it must have been a sadist! That is, the romance is centered on continuously torturing and pounding on Sifeng (the male lead), whose commitment to the female lead verges on dangerously toxic. The relationship is fraught with misunderstandings and omissions, to the point it becomes almost unbearable to watch. A side effect, unfortunately, is that the female lead ends up being portrayed as naive, manipulable, and even unintelligent. At times, I found this aspect of the characters’ dynamic to be emotionally draining and vexing.
Still, despite these shortcomings, this drama IS a solid 10 out of 10 (for its great entertainment value), though I do want to mention that personally, I don’t think I could stand to put myself through it a second time.
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