This review may contain spoilers
A Mixed Bag (Of Mostly Good?)
I had mixed feelings after finishing this drama, but overall my feelings leaned more heavily on the "I really enjoyed this" end of things.To be precise, there were arcs, moments, and scenes I LOVED while others made my eyebrows go up.
I never would have thought I'd say a drama from 2018 felt like it had "not aged well" in every way, but it seems to be true of this drama.
THINGS I LOVED:
1. Ning Que - I love watching characters grow (I'm a sucker for it, actually), and Ning Que has some big growth moments in this drama (and boy, is it needed!). I know a lot of people had some issues with him and Sang Sang going more romantic at the end (and I can see why; it's parts of their story that, as I said above, haven't aged well), but apart from a few gripes I have (I'll talk more about them below 😅), Ning Que choosing Sang Sang over Mo Shan Shan actually ended up being one of my favorite arcs (to my surprise!). I loved that he had to learn what it meant to truly value Sang Sang as a person, not as a pet, possession, plaything, servant, little sister, buddy or any of the other things he at some point "thought" of her as in his dense jerkness. And not just any person, but THE person he loves, values and depends on most. It was Ning Que's close friend, Chen PiPi (more about him below, too!), who helped rip the veil from Ning Que's eyes and who forced him to see how deeply precious Sang Sang was to him and to take responsibility for that realization. It wasn't until Ning Que owned up to this reality did he finally embrace Sang Sang for who she was (and he then had to learn to TREAT her like that instead of taking her for granted!). I actually thought the romance was not the central component of Ning Que's realization, but more the naturally inevitable maturation of their deep bond as they grew from comrades as children into an adult man and woman. And the way NQ humanized after this epiphany was actually really lovely - I mean, you have to see others as human before you can be one yourself! It was also great getting to watch him grow with his cultivating; he truly was like a cockroach, never letting anything phase him for long without bouncing back almost immediately. 😅 The guy certainly had resilience! Arthur Chen was obviously pretty new to acting when he filmed this, but he still worked for me. He was completely convincing as the young, cheeky, brazen, immature, arrogant, brilliant, loyal imp that is Ning Que.
2. The Score - Wow, Roc Chen's music was glorious and perfect! He captured so many moods and set the tone for all the various scenes throughout the drama, reflective scenes and epic fighting sequences alike (my favorite BGM was "Longqing (Theme-Sad)").The track from the OST that I liked best was the one by Tan Wei Wei that would always play when he was with Fu Zi's disciples (but the best version was sung by the male singer--Spotify only has the Wei Wei version and all the titles are in Mandarin so I have no idea what they are! 😅).
3. The martial arts - I had this recommended to me as a drama with second-to-none action sequences, and it did not disappoint. Beautiful, stunning--even breathtaking at points. It didn't let the supernatural elements overpower the actual hand-to-hand combat, either (nor was the supernatural, CGI element used as a way to cover up sloppy choreography), which grounded the fighting immensely. Truly amazing in this respect, and all the actors/stunt doubles really, REALLY sold it.
4. The Two-Story Building Crew of Tang Academy - Oh my gosh, I adored all these characters (but particularly Chen Pi Pi--he was a true friend to NQ despite all the bluffing and fake grumbling! He was adorable, and my only gripe was not about his character, but about how many comments about his weight they wrote into the script 🙄🤨😖). The way they really became like big brothers and sisters to NQ was so sweet, wholesome, and heartwarming. I loved the montages of NQ learning from them and bantering with them (particularly in Episode 51--one of my favorite episodes, for sure!), and their sweet, nonjudgemental, quiet empowering of him. NQ finally found his family, and watching him thrive under their love and guidance was just lovely! They were the only characters in the drama where I felt like I could root for all of them and their decisions (Mo Shan Shan and Chao Xiaosu were the other two lovable characters, and Yan Se (sort of; as a mentor at least)).
Which leads me to...
THINGS I DISLIKED:
1. Ning Que - 😂 I know, he made both lists! Sometimes I wanted to grab the guy and shake him--narcissistic, self-obsessed, oblivious jerk that he could be! Goodness gracious. The way he sometimes treated Sang Sang was truly terrible and inexcusable--like, duuuude! C'mon! Have a heart? And he was so obsessed with revenge, no matter the cost (even being willing to "leave" Sang Sang who supported him regardless), and all his panting for other pretty women while Sang Sang looked on--ack, I didn't dig that AT ALL. He just sometimes gave massive, conceited jerk vibes. He drove me nuts because I couldn't always root for him. 😅 The only thing that softened my bristles over his treatment of Sang Sang was the way his jabs and put downs would just roll off Sang Sang's back like she wore impenetrable armor against his meanness. My interpretation of this was that Sang Sang could separate the way Ning Que treated her from the way he actually felt about her (which is why she ran away when he tried to bring Shan Shan home--she had to show him his own heart, because it was time for him to face it and no longer avoid the elephant in the room 😅; this dynamic couldn't exist in real life, but they made it work for me here). Sang Sang knew more than anyone how important she was to Ning Que, and that allowed her to put up with a lot of immaturity and mistakes from Ning Que. So, at times it can almost feel like Sang Sang is Ning Que's doormat, but that's very much not the case on closer inspection.
2. Right and Wrong portrayed as... Unclear 🤷♀️ - I'm not up on Yin Yang and the Eastern view of good and evil (and I don't know if this drama has anything realistic about that view that it's drawing from and accurately portraying in this drama), but what I saw in this drama was a muddled, slippery moral standard. Outside of Fu Zi's gang and a few other choice characters, it was really hard to know how I was supposed to think and feel about some characters and their choices (certain sects and cultivation arts, too, were cloudy) because there wasn't much of a moral compass on what was acceptable or unacceptable behavior or choices, and I found that disappointing and at times maddening. I know some might call it nuance and subtlety, I see it as sloppy and muddled because I don't think it was navigated in a subtle way at all. There was no established standard of right and wrong, so it made so many events ambiguous, and made the actions of some characters feel arbitrarily "good" because they did not exist within a moral context. So many of the cultivator's standards seemed purely arbitrary and based on what their master said was "okay," and I didn't like that. Mentors and Elders should be respected, but that doesn't mean they always have a corner on the market of Wisdom and should be trusted above all else to always know what can and should be done. (For instance, at one point, NQ's first teacher, Yan Se, says about NQ, "I don't care about his faults, crimes or the mistakes he made in the past, I will defend him against anyone because he is my student." 🤔 Oh? Just because he's your student, he can do no wrong? He should always be defended and trusted? I didn't agree with that; mentors are also meant to critique and hold their students accountable, because their students aren't perfect!). I also found almost everything about Xiling (moral standards or otherwise) confusing. 😅
So, to sum up, Ning Que's secret to success is not something from within HIM, it ended up being due to the people who loved, supported, and fought for him (i.e. Sang Sang, Yan Se, Fu Zi, Chen Pi Pi, his 3rd Senior Sister (and Fu Zi's other disciples), Zuo Er, Mo Shan Shan, Ye Hong Yu). And if he had one virtue, it's that he's fiercely loyal.
So, the true hero of this drama is actually Friendship.
Friendship is the heart and soul of this story; it turns an average (even at times, problematic), coming-of-age revenge story (with some EPIC fighting) into a sweeping, poignant, and heartfelt story about a nobody finding his place among the great and glorious, all because of those who empowered him.
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Epic Fight Scenes & Story!
16/01/2023From Google search:
"When his family is unjustly massacred by a great general, Ning Que escapes and rescues an abandoned baby girl he names Sang Sang; together they have many adventures while Ning Que carries the burden of exacting revenge for his friends and family."
If looking for full on romance then this is a slow burn one that goes deep into season 2 before it is well and truly established.
There are about 15-20 episodes that Ning Que and Sang Sang aren't together in this 60 episode drama starting from around episode 30. Also, the first kiss, if you can call it that, happens in episode 55.
However, I was in it for the story and fight scenes so was fine with it all!
My favourite characters are: Ning Que, Jun Mo and Chen Pi Pi - a few others as well.
The best fight scenes for me were in episodes 6 and 7, also, episode 60 which was epic. Others too!
Most episodes are full of drama, action, and adventure, but with it being 60 episodes there are most definitely draggy parts and parts that could have been omitted like the boring unnecessary conversations. Not all, but some!
This, however, doesn't lessen the value of this drama because it is well worth watching!
I actually liked Arthur Chen more when I found out afterwards he was 18 years old when he took on the role of Ning Que - impressive indeed.
This series has a great cast, music, cinematography, costumes and is thematic plus it has a good story line and is full of action, adventure or drama.
It isn't perfect because it does have its slow moments, but overall is is entertaining and decent as dramas go.
It is highly recommended to watch and is in my top 50!
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No Light Without Darkness
Ever Night depicts the adventures of characters in the Empire of Tang. The Emperor of Tang rules over several kingdoms with different religious sects trying to maintain a balance of power and peace. He’s hindered by his own royal family, due to rivaling siblings, and the opposition of the conquered kingdoms. Other troublemakers are the religious fanatics of Xiling and the barbaric Demon Sect in the North. Both parties believe in the foretelling of “Ever Night is coming” a.k.a. the Legend of the Child of Hades who will destroy all light and happiness in the world. Their mission is to kill this child of darkness as soon as possible.Both sects are highly skilled in martial arts leaning on mystical power from some kind of energy field that is created by light/angels/heaven or darkness/demons/earth. They are able to perform super powers like telepathy, telekinesis, and manipulation of physical energy. Apprentices are aided by their masters to obtain higher levels in power through training and meditation.
Summary
The protagonists of Ever Night are Ning Que and Sang Sang. They’ve lived together since early childhood, being both survivors from a massacre. The 5 year old Ning Que has found baby girl Sang Sang under a pile of corpses protected by a big black umbrella. Wherever they go they take this umbrella with them like a symbol of their relationship, a strong protective bond against all evils in the world.
Ning Que is driven by anger and revenge, Sang Sang is motivated by loyalty and love. Their story unfolds 15 years later. Ning Que (Arthur Chen) earns a living thanks to his natural fighting skills. One day he’s hired to accompany the royal princess of Tang to Wei City, where he decides to stay as a professional fighter while Sang Sang (Yiren Song) takes care of his basic needs and house hold.
Once they are settled in the city they become entangled in the power struggle of the palace factions and religious sects. The fanatics of Xiling believe Ning Que is the child of darkness so they try to kill him. Somehow every battle is won by Ning Que gaining him even more powers. One day he gets the chance to be trained by the Head Master of the Martial Academy of Tang. Ning Que grows into fame as Mister 13, the 13th disciple of the Academy, envied and admired by many people including beautiful ladies. More and more he’s driven by his testosterone levels and the iron ambition to kill the culprit of the massacre. This attitude puts pressure on his relationship with Sang Sang. Main question is: what’s more important, Ning Que’s passions or his lifelong habit to live with Sang Sang? Will they end up together or on opposite sites? There are no spoilers available, just an universal truth, There’s No Light Without Darkness.
The Pro’s
Ever Night has the look and feel of a Disney movie. Ning Que and Sang Sang seem like a leading couple in Star Wars sometimes. The cinematography is outstanding with glorious landscapes, buildings, close ups, time lapses of the weather, and slow motion scenes of falling rain. The music score is constantly pulling at our heart strings.
Then there's the cast. The 18 year male lead convinces as the apparently uncaring, selfish anti-hero whose only soft spot is his little “house maid”. Although the female lead is 6 years his senior she’s believable as loyal Sang Sang. I loved their teasing-caring scenes, and the painful awareness, eventually, of their own hidden feelings as shown in episode 45 and further.
Personally I’m not a fan of Wuxia battles, but if you are, you will appreciate the many fighting scenes, the choreography is A++.
The Cons
The characters from the supporting cast remain rather flat throughout the series. Take for instance the emperor. The way he calmly accepts the bad attitude from his siblings and political opponents keeps me wondering if he’s some sort of saint in stead of an absolute ruler. Also the antagonistic Prince Long Qing learns nothing from his faults, making his evilness somewhat dull and childish.
Moreover this epic adventure follows the traditional Chinese way of story telling meaning long winding scenes, endless repetitions, flash backs, and a lack of focus on the main story in favor of less interesting side characters. I had to resist the urge to use the fast forward button.
Verdict
The beautiful faces, places, and music, won me over eventually. Ever Night ends with a cliff hanger, but I am a fan waiting for the sequel. I really want to know who’s the Xiling ruler behind the mask. He made me think of a good guy turned evil like Darth Vader. Perhaps he is the legendary pupil of Tang Academy, the one and only love interest of Madam Jian Da Jia of Red Sleeves Bordello. Who knows?
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With all that going for it, I really should like it more. What’s not working? A cast of dozens and dozens underdeveloped characters.
There’s tons of characters which get introduced, serve a minor plot point and then reappear kind of randomly. Coupled with lots of dropped plot threads and it adds up to a writing team that couldn’t figure out how to balance pacing, plot and characters. Everything is a little off balance. If the writers ouldjust focus on the key characters we needed to care about, then I could get more emotional involved with the show. Instead, it was entertaining, but at a distance.
A couple of critical characters really needed more emphasis including Sang Sang, the lead character. She gets short changed A LOT. Since her character is soft-spoken and humble, hiding her isn’t helping things any. Sigh. Just another example of what didn’t go right.
Some of these dropped threads may be because they were counting on additional seasons to tell the story. So much feels incomplete which is pretty sloppy storytelling.
It was refreshing to see a lot of new and different faces. For once, the cast doesn’t look like they are all spokespersons for luxury brands once the wigs come off. It’s great to see a wide variety of faces and personalities.
Unfortunately it looks like they didn’t sign all cast members back for the next season so it will be ingesting to see what the new faces will do to the characters.
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Breakout Hit but Sometimes a Miss!
Theres many things to like about this show. Evernight is a high production/ambitious adaptation of a webnovel by the name of Nightfall. The cinematography is breathetaking, showcasing natural landscape of snowy mountains, dessert plains, and grasslands. The music score is great, which heightens the scenes in every aspect. The cgi/effects are well done. The fight choreography is brilliantly executed, with alot of intensity and energy. Its a beautiful drama for viewing on a large screen format. The worldbuilding is neat/unique.My overall nitpick & setbacks about the show is the writing and its direction over the course/run. The onslaught of exposition makes the dialogue pretty heavy-handed. Too much telling, not enough showing. Example, Ningque gains abilities/powersets too quickly without any steady progression. The physical/learning process of Ningque's growth is shown onscreen inorganically. There are some faults in characterization, specifically the male lead character.
Ningque's personality isnt distinctive enough, other than he's a bit haughty. His characterization is inconstistent so he comes off a bit dull and overbearing at certain times. His growth is stagnant throughout the drama. Ningque exceeds well in combat and literature, but his finer quality is his relationship with SangSang. He's more interesting when he's interacting with SangSang or his peers. Chen Feiyu embodies Ningque in terms of appearance, voice, and physicality, although he can definitely improve in terms of acting. He underperforms in the emotional department, although he executes the action sequence with ease. He doesnt quite emote well with his eyes, and he twitches/furrow his brows quite often to my slight annoyance.
Sang Sang is my favorite character in the show. She's loyal, sweet, and endearing. She's also emotional and expressive, as she is seen moving around alot and drench in tears in the more emotional scenes of the show. She adores money and has a thing for cooking. Unfortunately, her character isnt written with much agency which results in less screentime & minimal dialogue compared to her onscreen counterpart. Its quite abysmal. Song Yiren portrays Sang Sang very well. She cries effortlessly and definitely makes Sang Sang appear as the heart of the story. She's very animated in her gestures and face expressions when she's emoting.
Ningque and Sang Sang's relationship is one of my favorite aspect. The chemistry between the two plays out naturally onscreen. Chen Feiyu and Song Yiren both portray their characters in terms of their relationship to each other well. The relationship becomes a bit muddled around episode 30 & up. Sang Sang gets the short end of the stick as Ningque becomes the the product of several girls' affection later on, which downplays Ningque and Sang Sang's importance to each other. The power imbalance between the two characters is offputting, which can be fix with proper development, but it lacks in the writing. This lessens both of the character's development and growth as individuals and a pair.
The antagonists in the show are somewhat decent. Longqing is rather stale and doesnt serve as any challenge for Ningque at all. Ningque's path to vengeance gets bogged down through various arcs, as he doesnt officially meet his eventual foe a little over halfway into the show without any builtup tension.
The way the romance played out in the show is rather odd. Too much underdeveloped characters that appears and are forgettable. Things happen to abruptly and things happen way too late which can be resolve much early on in the show. The show needs more emphasis on the cultivation aspect for Ningque's character. The writing juggles between several themes but the execution is a bit convoluted due to its focus on prolong arcs & extended list of various characters.
I'd say one of my favorite thing about the show is definitely the music score, not necessarily the original soundtrack. The mixture of traditional sounds & orchestral pieces really elevates the show in the more emotional/dramatic parts. Easily one of the best music score I've heard in any drama. It's almost quite majestic, fortunately, in comparison to the lackluster of the writing.
The action sequences is really great! Well choreographed and lots of energy.
Overall, there's many things to enjoy about Ever Night. The writing is questionable and falters a bit later in the show, although I commend the director for pulling off such a large scale of a show with it's setting, set designs, costumes, and fight sequence.
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Sorry but the story started out to be brother-sister relationship between Ning Que and Sangsang. Even the way their bodies look, it's similar to an older brother to a small younger sister. The story tells of a scene where Ning Que became comfortable of sleeping with Sangsang because she has reached puberty stage. But then since Sangsang told Ningque that she wanted her for herself then he stopped dating other girls. He could just told her that they can't be lovers because they are related to each other by the way they built the relationship. Just taboo in my opinion. Was this review helpful to you?
Great Drama
Great drama with exceptional music: OST is in my humble opinion the best of any C-drama and I've watched 40ish so far. It doesn't matter how bad or stressful work is, once i hear first few tunes of opening song i'm transferred far, far away and my troubles are gone in an instant.Main protagonist, Sing Sing & Ning Qui play their roles very well and growth of characters and their skills is nicely done. Support actors are exceptional as well .
Story, acting, sets, costumes, CGI effects and fight choreography are all done quite well and very often you will run in to very emotional moments.
While not perfect, definitely worth the time and highly commandeered if you like this genre.
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Evernight is a beautifully filmed drama that does it all: it’s endearing, funny, action-filled, suspenseful, has a smart plot, amazing actors, and an incredibly ambitious vision (of an already ambitious author) brought to life by the director!
I admit that I started this series out of boredom. I mean, that poster? The default poster for this show does it no justice. Terribly understates the mystical feel of the drama and is not the best photo of the ML and FL. After the first episode though, I’ve been hooked.
The leads: Arthur Chen does an amazing job as Ning Que. Having read the book, he does a great job of playing a cold-blooded bandit killer seeking revenge AND being the sweetest person to his little handmaiden. Ning Que’s character is very complex and I am so thrilled that he is doing NQ justice. I’m not interested in watching pretty faces with mediocre acting skills play their characters with stereotypical acting faces. It’s refreshing to see Arthur Chen as NQ because he really helps bring NQ’s obsessive revenge, shamelessness, and subtle romance with Sangsang to life.
Song Yi Ren…during the first episode, I actually wished that the main lead will fall in love with someone else! But Sangsang’s character is my favorite of the book and drama. Song Yi Ren does an amazing job brightening her character while still preserving the quiet nature of Sangsang. I seriously look forward to every one of her scenes and her low key blunt and sassy comments.
The romance: These two main leads have incredible chemistry! Sometimes their scenes together are such a tease because it can be so brief, but the endearing nature of it will tug at your heart.
The supporting cast: For reasons above, this show is already amazing, and they will continue to impress you with the talent of their supporting cast. It’s cringeworthy in other dramas when you get a scene with supporting cast or extras and the acting is terrible. This is the best drama with the most amazing supporting cast. Chao Xiaoshu (one of the best fighting scenes with NQ), Chen Pipi (you will love his bromance with NQ), Second Brother, Headmaster, and literally all of them are incredible actors. Even the extras die realistically in battles! And the children actors are talented as well and they’re in some pretty tough scenes.
The music: So good, so varied, and so well timed. You will not get bored listening to the amazing music. One of the songs is sung by Jane Zhang and her voice is incredible. One of the folk songs is written by Sangsang in the book.
The plot: The book is seriously epic in world building and character building so it has a strong foundation to create this story. I love trope subversions and Evernight is unlike other rehashed stories with different faces. It is genuinely funny and the humor is not forced and dragged without that annoying “I’m being mischievous” background music. When the humor happens, it’s short, fast, and effective.
Compared to the book: I started the series, then 1/4 of the way through, I wanted to read the book to get to the ending haha. And I feel in love with the story even more. It’s seldom to see a book be interpreted into tv/movie with the right feeling you felt while reading the book unfold. The director (a woman!) and this team were able to do that and more. I actually really like the little details that the director changed in the drama.
Having seen a little glimpse of the ending credits (I try not to watch too much of it), I have some pretty good hunches on what scenes will be added from the book, and I am so excited! It’s a beautifully written story and I’m happy that the caliber of the drama has been able to meet it. I can’t wait to finish the drama!
Final note: I’m sad (really sad) that Arthur Chen is not coming back for season 2. I heard there is even a season 3? I was even thinking of dropping this drama, but even if it is for just one season, it’s a happy experience watching this lovely drama unfold. I had once said I wouldn’t even look at the next seasons in protest, but I felt like that wouldn’t be fair for the director, actors, and crew as they didn’t have a say in the matter. Things happen, and maybe the next actor will surprise us. The fact is that season 1 is already a shoo-in.
What are you doing? Go watch this
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An ok time waster
I didn't like Ning Que as a character, and I didn't like the actor playing him.That and the slow uneven pacing were my main big problems.
The main romance is a bit (ok, at times a lot) uncomfortable.
The fighting is mostly good, but sometimes the CG sucks. And the fights are actually surprisingly rare.
Long Qing is a bitch, but I like him as a character.
Ye Hongye is bae, Bookworm Maniac is a sweet cinnamon bun.
(seriously, the supporting characters in this are better than the main ones.)
I'll watch season 2, but I need a break. This shit is LONG.
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Quality? Soaring highs and devastating lows
This is a heartbreaking one because I actually have really strong feelings about this drama. When I first started it I was so amazed by the world-building, quality of production, scale of the cast, fight scenes, and uniqueness of the main characters. It was so fully realized and engrossing right away, which is rare in a drama. It also felt fresh and exciting, which is even rarer! There was a visceral quality to the cinematography, costuming and acting. The relationship between the leads was totally different from anything I had seen before.I think there are real strengths to this drama: it has a great cast of interesting characters, strong world-building, quite good pace, compelling villains and visually appealing design. I was emotionally attached to the journey of our leads and felt like the relationship (older brother/younger sister; master/servant) between them was really well fleshed it, along with all its flaws.
Unfortunately, the final third was more of a struggle. The sudden turn toward a romantic relationship between them felt incestuous and gross and awkward. The showdown was a bit tired and the pace got wonky. It was still okay, but just didn't work for me. After such a great start, this was pretty upsetting. Hence my rating.
If you like Chinese fantasy, watch this. You may not end up liking it by the end, but it's still a good adventure and an engrossing story.
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Too much talking Not enough Action
I’ve had “Ever Night” on and off my PTW list for 2 years. I finally took the plunge because I was running out of good wuxia dramas to watch. As it turned out, what I thought I would like did not meet my expectations. What I thought I hated and delayed my decision to watch, turned out to be not that bad.Preconception but doesn’t mean they are true::
♦︎ "Ever Night” is a great wuxia drama with amazing fight scenes. A great story of our hero starting weak but becoming the strongest.
♦︎ The romance between Ning Que and Sang Sang is not my cup of tea, thus, it took me so long to watch this. I am a romance lover and if the romance doesn’t attract me, I might not want to watch.
What I Like❤️:
1. Sang Sang (FL) - This is a minor surprise as I usually do not like naive and innocent female leads. But Sang Sang turns out to be innocent yet smart and can take care of herself without being taken advantage of. She is so adorable! Ireine Song did a great job in showing Sang Sang’s innocence and adorableness without making feel like she’s another typical annoying female lead. I never would have thought Ireine was 25 years old (in 2018).
2. Ning Que (ML) - I have always liked an anti-hero. Usually in a wuxia cultivation drama, the male lead is weak but perfect, smart, outgoing and well-liked. Ning Que is different. He’s smart but calculating and keeps his cards close to his chest. He doesn’t care if you like him or not, and doesn’t often show interest in others. He’s not particularly cold, but also not particularly friendly.
3. Veteran actors - All the veteran actors in this drama shine the brightest. The younger generation really cannot hold a candle to them. I am particularly impressed with Chin Shih Chieh (Divine Talisman Master) and Ni Da Hong (Grand Priest of Light). Their scenes individually and also together during their battle are so well-acted.
4. OST - “Ever Night” has a very eclectic soundtrack. I was surprised to hear the fun “Take Your Life (取你的命)”. There’s also a good mix of songs that have a very historical/wuxia or romantic feel to them. My favorite song is probably the title song, “Changan (故长安)” by Jane Zhang (张靓颖) and “Let Me (任我)” by Reno Wang (王铮亮).
5. Production Quality - Although there aren’t too many fancy costumes, but I like what I see. Arthur Chen looks great in both black, white and navy blue. I also like the costumes of the Queen and Princess and their accessories. Crystal Yuan as the Book Addict looks beautiful and graceful. The sets and props do not look cheap or flimsy. Another thing I greatly appreciate is that actors use their own voice and there seems to be live recording. I think it’s quite rare for a historical drama in 2018 (though we see more in 2020’s).
What I have Mixed Feelings or Don’t Like 🤨
1. Romance - At first, I thought I might hate the idea of Ning Que and Sang Sang together. But they are so adorable in the first half of the drama that I want to see them as a couple. I looked forward to ep 47 when they had the big confrontation/heart-to-heart. Unfortunately, their chemistry went downhill after ep 47. Nothing romantic happened, they didn’t seem to have that many scenes together. Ning Que did not look like he was in love with Sang Sang, nor did he really act that differently. I think he looked like he was more in love with Mo Shan Shan during those shy scenes. I was sorely disappointed. I felt bad for Sang Sang. It didn’t help that Ning Que seemed to flirt with everyone.
2. Plot/Pacing - It took me about 10 episodes to get into the groove. But once we got to the arc of the Academy and the exam, it was fun for me again. I want to see more Academy shenanigans and actual learning. I really didn’t see much learning/studying/training in the Academy. Unfortunately, the last ⅓ of the drama was too slow.. There’s too much talking and not enough action. I typically enjoy someone like Ning Que learning and training to become the hero of the story. Unfortunately, the drama spends too much time on politics and the fight for the throne. In the end, politics didn’t really play a big part in Ning Que’s cultivation and revenge story. So much time was wasted on the princes. I would love to see more of the Academy instead of the royal family.
3. Action - I was hoping there will be plenty of action scenes throughout the drama for this wuxia/fighting fan. Unfortunately, there are barely any action scenes in the first half of the drama. I was expecting something during the battle between Light & Talisman, but the battle was just too poetic with fireworks and rainbows. Argh… I was so disappointed! Give me some good CGI fights if they are too old to do wire work. I have to wait till the last couple episodes to see a few good fights. I do appreciate the lack of standing around during fights or twirling/spinning. These hard-to-come-by fights are fun and exciting to watch. I was also hoping to see more of the disciples in action. They are interesting in theory but aside from the exam, and the last episode, we barely see their gifts in action. It’s just a lot of hanging out and chatting. These disciples just don’t make for exciting drama watching. If not all of them are the fighting type, at least have Disciple #1 and #2 do some fighting. I really had high expectations.
4. Prince Long Qin - I am not sure how I feel about this character. Is he a true villain? Not really. He just has a different belief system than others and is very stubborn about it. But, he also seems very cartoonish as a character. This character probably is the most difficult to play as Long Qin when first introduced and the Long Qin in the last episode are very different. I think Sun Zu Jun did a decent job.
5. Pizza Hut - I just cannot NOT talk about Pizza Hut. This has got to be the most ridiculous product placement in a historical drama. Once I saw pizzas and wings for the first time in episode 7,, I cannot unsee them in every other scene they show up. I can deal with the snacks but pizzas are just too much for me.
6. Ugly Wigs - What is up with the ugly wigs for all the male characters???
Other Random Observations:
1. Arthur Chen was so young in this drama (about 18 years old). His acting is decent but not quite up to par.
2. I can’t help but stare at Sun Zu Jun’s abs.. The 6-pack looks so toned but fake at the same time.
3. The height difference between Arthur Chen and Ireine Song is just too much to make the romance believable.
4. Love the bromance between Ning Que and Chen Pi Pi.
5. I want to see more of the history and romance between the King and Queen.
6. So surprised to see Leon Lai as the King. I can’t believe he’s changed so much and not the heartthrob that I remember.
Completed: 11/22/2022
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