sunsky
Solid acting from the casts
I started this drama because of the trailer I had watched maybe around 2 years ago. They hype made me watched it and I’m satisfied with the drama. I’m not a big stan of any of the leads in this drama, just casual watcher.
The start of this drama may be quite slow to some people but I would say stick until episode 8 above. The initial built up was just to make it makes sense in later episodes. I was hooked around ep8 when the CGI, action and romance with love bridge scene finally kicked in.
Acting:
-Xiao Zhan did so well as his character Shi Ying. A very reserved priest who lived in seclusion due to unfair slander that affected his life. He nailed micro-expressions. I watched his interview and I agreed with him about not giving expressionless expressions to SY character. He’s in control of his potrayal as SY. I also love that I can see changes in his expressions from being a shifu to FL and after he actually accepted his feelings for her. You can totally see how unrestrained his gazes for her once he decided to love her freely. His in love expressions were spotted on, whenever she’s around his eyes lit up. He had his times when he had to behave like 12years old and a possesed villain, he nailed it all. I think he mastered all the looks in his eyes. Great decision for him to take this character. The character was well written for him.
- Ren Min’s character as Zhu Yan was quite lacking in earlier episodes, I personally think her character was poorly written even in the novel. I heard the novel received criticisms and they changed a lot from the novel while still maintaining some essense from it because they can’t totally change it or else it will interrupt the whole plot. You may see he character as childish, annoying etc which I can understand because I notice a lot of cdramas xianxia, wuxia love to use this kind of behavior to show ‘character development’. I have seen worse FL characters than her, and she’s much better from the original novel ‘Zhu Yan’ tbh the novel was a letdown, title as ‘Zhu Yan’ but writing such a miserable FL.
But Ren Min potrayed Zhu Yan well imo she’s supposed to be that way. It kinda irks me that her life goal were to resurrect prince SY, and later to accompany her shifu for the rest of his life. But I need to remind myself, the writer clearly wrote her that way. It’s poorly written at the first place. If you wanted to see some development, I will say ep35 above towards the ending.
Ren Min’s acting skyrocketed on last 8episodes, this girl cried so naturally and effortlessly. The amount of water works she did with Xiao Zhan whoa they have good acting synergy.
Personal opinion, Zhu Yan looked much better without her bangs around ep28. The stylist was lacking with her styling on earlier episodes. Like put some efforts on your FL duh.
-Special mention Allen Fan Yilun as Zhi Yuan. I like that he’s not super jealous scheming SML who wanted FL to be with him all the time while destroying ML. He nailed his good guy role into possessed villain role. The last moment when he finally died to stop God of destruction from harming ZY-SY, I know SY understood that the one Yuan actually loves wasn’t Yao Yi anymore, it’s Zhu Yan. I don’t think ZY realized that. But dude is a good actor. The first time I saw him was on The Long Ballad.
Chemistry:
- idc what others said but I think this slowburn romance of SY-ZY was chemistrying well. At first they’re just acquintaces who always disagreed with each other, almost friends, developed into shifu-disciple and finally lovers. I like how ZY totally looked like SY’s disciple. He’s a good shifu to her, while teaching and being strict to her, we can still see his fondness of her. Those little smiles they gave each other. SY taught her to be better and ZY was someone who really wanted to be better and learn, with her still being mischevious here and there because of her young age. I think it’s a very sweet and cute relationship of them. Whenever they’re on screen together I just can’t help but smile. Cute chemistry, really.
-After done being cute, the two leads have very impressive emotional scenes chemistry. Their acting truly shine on emotional scenes. The way these two just cried so naturally and effortlessly.
-Couple fighting scenes were another things I wanted to praise, I love it when they fought together, especially after ZY became stronger and she can match him.
CGI: The best CGI to me were the dragon and sand demon scenes. The made it looked so believable, not obvious fake. The fighting scenes were all done well as well with magic effects with the sound effects, they mesh it very well together. I’m more to wuxia fan so I like the scenes.
Wishing tree CGI was breathaking!
-Cinematography was really good as well especially the desert scenes. I know they travelled far for it and it looked so good.
Rewatch? yes I will definitely rewatch for Shi Ying-Zhu Yan’s scenes. All the moments together were all worth watching.
Overall, I still think TLP worth the hype. I watched 2 eps everyday religiously before they came out with express 8eps. I binge-watched the whole 8eps in 1 night and coincidently I was on annual leave the next day so it’s all well. I don’t have to show my ugly after-crying the whole night face to everyone lol
RECOMMENDED?
The start of this drama may be quite slow to some people but I would say stick until episode 8 above. The initial built up was just to make it makes sense in later episodes. I was hooked around ep8 when the CGI, action and romance with love bridge scene finally kicked in.
Acting:
-Xiao Zhan did so well as his character Shi Ying. A very reserved priest who lived in seclusion due to unfair slander that affected his life. He nailed micro-expressions. I watched his interview and I agreed with him about not giving expressionless expressions to SY character. He’s in control of his potrayal as SY. I also love that I can see changes in his expressions from being a shifu to FL and after he actually accepted his feelings for her. You can totally see how unrestrained his gazes for her once he decided to love her freely. His in love expressions were spotted on, whenever she’s around his eyes lit up. He had his times when he had to behave like 12years old and a possesed villain, he nailed it all. I think he mastered all the looks in his eyes. Great decision for him to take this character. The character was well written for him.
- Ren Min’s character as Zhu Yan was quite lacking in earlier episodes, I personally think her character was poorly written even in the novel. I heard the novel received criticisms and they changed a lot from the novel while still maintaining some essense from it because they can’t totally change it or else it will interrupt the whole plot. You may see he character as childish, annoying etc which I can understand because I notice a lot of cdramas xianxia, wuxia love to use this kind of behavior to show ‘character development’. I have seen worse FL characters than her, and she’s much better from the original novel ‘Zhu Yan’ tbh the novel was a letdown, title as ‘Zhu Yan’ but writing such a miserable FL.
But Ren Min potrayed Zhu Yan well imo she’s supposed to be that way. It kinda irks me that her life goal were to resurrect prince SY, and later to accompany her shifu for the rest of his life. But I need to remind myself, the writer clearly wrote her that way. It’s poorly written at the first place. If you wanted to see some development, I will say ep35 above towards the ending.
Ren Min’s acting skyrocketed on last 8episodes, this girl cried so naturally and effortlessly. The amount of water works she did with Xiao Zhan whoa they have good acting synergy.
Personal opinion, Zhu Yan looked much better without her bangs around ep28. The stylist was lacking with her styling on earlier episodes. Like put some efforts on your FL duh.
-Special mention Allen Fan Yilun as Zhi Yuan. I like that he’s not super jealous scheming SML who wanted FL to be with him all the time while destroying ML. He nailed his good guy role into possessed villain role. The last moment when he finally died to stop God of destruction from harming ZY-SY, I know SY understood that the one Yuan actually loves wasn’t Yao Yi anymore, it’s Zhu Yan. I don’t think ZY realized that. But dude is a good actor. The first time I saw him was on The Long Ballad.
Chemistry:
- idc what others said but I think this slowburn romance of SY-ZY was chemistrying well. At first they’re just acquintaces who always disagreed with each other, almost friends, developed into shifu-disciple and finally lovers. I like how ZY totally looked like SY’s disciple. He’s a good shifu to her, while teaching and being strict to her, we can still see his fondness of her. Those little smiles they gave each other. SY taught her to be better and ZY was someone who really wanted to be better and learn, with her still being mischevious here and there because of her young age. I think it’s a very sweet and cute relationship of them. Whenever they’re on screen together I just can’t help but smile. Cute chemistry, really.
-After done being cute, the two leads have very impressive emotional scenes chemistry. Their acting truly shine on emotional scenes. The way these two just cried so naturally and effortlessly.
-Couple fighting scenes were another things I wanted to praise, I love it when they fought together, especially after ZY became stronger and she can match him.
CGI: The best CGI to me were the dragon and sand demon scenes. The made it looked so believable, not obvious fake. The fighting scenes were all done well as well with magic effects with the sound effects, they mesh it very well together. I’m more to wuxia fan so I like the scenes.
Wishing tree CGI was breathaking!
-Cinematography was really good as well especially the desert scenes. I know they travelled far for it and it looked so good.
Rewatch? yes I will definitely rewatch for Shi Ying-Zhu Yan’s scenes. All the moments together were all worth watching.
Overall, I still think TLP worth the hype. I watched 2 eps everyday religiously before they came out with express 8eps. I binge-watched the whole 8eps in 1 night and coincidently I was on annual leave the next day so it’s all well. I don’t have to show my ugly after-crying the whole night face to everyone lol
RECOMMENDED?
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