A Hidden Gem!
I usually don't write reviews but I feel like this drama has been very overlooked. I highly recommend it for 1-Casting: the leads' chemistry and sexual tension is off the chart and acting is superb, along with the support actor who plays the prince. It really does make you feel for them. 2-Original story that is very binge worthy, I chased it and finish in days. Usually I find Chinese dramas to drag but this one has the right amount of episodes with me wanting to see more. There is also a poetic nature to story I love. 3-Production: from the begin song to costumes to sets to fight scenes, you can tell they put in the work.However I have two negatives and "spoiler alert", DO NOT continue to read if you did not watch drama yet...1-all the teasing and sexual connotations amount to as far as only hugging was very VERY disappointing! and 2-not a complete story, I need part 2, Shaw Qu and Li Yitong now becomes my top couple I desperately want to work together again.
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I loved his drama. I love the cast. The storyline. Everything. There were some scenes that made me dislike some aspects but I loved it nether the less.
The ending however got me a bit riled up. I do hope there is a second season to continue to story and to tie up some loose ends
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This review may contain spoilers
I took a few months break from dramas and this was the first one I started to watch and I was HOOKED in every episode, this drama genre fits for me but it definitely could have been even more better. Good cinematography and acting with deep storyline was amazing to watch, Even the music is lovely and fits which I still listen to it. First of all I love dark themes in storylines so the torture and killing scenes were fine for me but I did read the novel a bit and okay that one was too much for me...The drama did very well in making it interesting without going overboard.I loved the villains and was amazed by the animation when showing each character backstory! At times I got annoyed by how main actress acted in her missions but near the end of the drama her reasons for it fits and I started to agree with her choices. She starts off weaker but grows stronger with each mission till she snaps at certain scenes and it was so awesome when that finally happened! Watch this drama if you don't mind torture, betrayal, angst and finding love at a dark place and don't mind having some hate/love treatment towards the villains.
SPOILER ALERT BELOW!!! regarding romance in this drama ( Don't read if you don't want to be spoiled <3)
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I was dissappointed on the lack of romance scenes since it did not even make sense as they were seen as lovers but hardly acted like one. I just wanted more romance between them and felt like they should have added more to have bigger impact as you get closer to the ending part. Id feel better if they would make season 2 since the story does go on in the novel and have more romance in there and some stuffs left unanswered.
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First of all i want to dwell on Wang Duo as the prince/young master/Gong Zi.
This is my 1st time watching his craft and oh boy oh boy was i blown off my feet. I loved, absolutely adored his acting. All his tumultuous heartfelt actions and thoughts were all displayed by his facial expressions. This guy literally left my jaw sweeping the ground. I loved him to bits.
I found this story very refreshing and it provoked my imagination and let it run out of control. The locations i mean Gong Zi's bamboo manor left me in awe. His laid back attire, his lazy postures, the way he carried and conducted himself in his manor i must say it was all befitting of his character, looks and that manor itself.
I loved the new feel to the story. If there are other dramas done with a similar storyline and locations then i probably missed it and this is my 1st drama. I enjoyed it so much. It was full of twists, turns and surprises along the way. I did muddle headed quite a lot along the way and that was the magic of the drama. It constantly kept me up on my toes paying close attention to all going ons and all the suttle emotions and gestures. This got to be one of the best dramas i watched in 2018. A true hidden germ.
As much as i loved almost everything about this drama i hated how the female lead kept on going back and forth. I hated her indecisiveness. It was kinda hard to figure out if she was an assassin or a spineless wimp. That is how the writers intended her character to be. She played her role well and she was such a bore and a wet blanket to the story.
As for the main villain Cha Luo i hated her cruelty and wickedness and i fell in love with the actress playing her role.
I can go on and on mention each and every character but this review will be too long.
So if you are looking for something refreshing, something new, something out of the norm then this drama is the perfect catch. I found everything refreshing. Even the locations, customes, hair and make up. They went a little out of their way with the hair and make up esp with Gong Zi and that pathetic emperor.
This is a must watch.
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The visuals (cinematography, editing, color palette) was indeed undeniably beautiful. Especially adored the animated narration, it was gorgeous. The coloring gave the whole series a movie-like vibe, unlike the usual cheap looking bright-colored Chinese 'idol-drama'. (sorry)
The early episodes till halfway into the series, plot/storyline was interesting and enganging with a lot of mistery and characters' complicated background stories, but the characters were not well written, imo. I just can't understand what did the writer wanted the main actress to portray. (She was definitely the most impulsive, whiniest, clueless, scaredy cat assasin i've ever seen, instead of a mighty, level-headed killer i thought she was supposed to be).
Not really feeling the chemistry between the supposed OTP too. A lot of agst, stupid sacrifices, and a bunch of life threatening tortures and yet i couldnt feel (or see) the 'depth' of their relationship aside from a merciful, caring but stupid master and her ambitious, revenge driven 'shadow/chef/bodyguard/hairdresser'.
Ended up dropping this drama halfway (and read some of the later episodes and ending recapss)
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This review may contain spoilers
The story goes straight to the point what the female lead has to do to survive. She meets her love, and together they face a bloody and cruel world, People only want to seperate or kill them.Cast: Many new faces to me, but overall they did at great job. I could feel anger, compassion, sympathy and sorrow to most of the characters because of their background and life experiences.
Story: I love the contradictions the main couple went through. But also the many obstacles the support roles were facing throughout the drama. I was not bored, and I especially loved they way they animated the stories behind each character.
Disliked: The slow dialogues, taking a lot of breaks to finish a sentence. I am sure if the actors could move normally when there are sad scenes and talk in normal speed, it would be at least 5 episodes less.
Liked: I love the content in the dialogues. The fighting scenes are amazing and incredible to watch. Beautiful OST. Realistic description of Gui Hua City, the city of asassins and their brutal daily life. Cha Lua is straightforward evil leader of the city. Chang An IS THE BEST!! I loved everything about him.
Watch the whole drama, it is absolutely worth your time.
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Summarizing drama was good and had the very beautiful set design.
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There is no unnecessary cheesy scene between lead couple. You know they love each other just by their acting, how they protect each other and with the look in the eyes.
This drama deserve recognition and have I mentioned how great the lead male and female acting were?
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In my opinion, the two leads acted very well. There were no kiss scenes in the show, but it was at the level of chemistry where you could tell they loved each other simply from the looks and occasional hugs they shared with one another. I am also very picky with background music, but Bloody Romance really nailed it - Especially with tragic/heart-wrenching scenes. The music really drives up the sad factor, loved it!
I didn't read the novel so I can't comment on what's different, but from the perspective of someone who's watched only the drama, my main gripe is that while the story started off great, it felt a little rushed and slightly unbelievable towards the end. It also felt as if the relationship of the main couple wasn't happy for that long. In fact, they suffered from misunderstandings more often than not. It got to a point where I was just sick and tired of the continuous tension in their relationship (I was also sick and tired of crying..... my heart hurt so bad seeing them suffer). But nonetheless, the romantic tension is so strong in some scenes you can almost taste it.
Ultimately.. this is not the drama you wanna watch for a fluffy and lighthearted romance. But if you're in a masochistic, ugh-pls-just-let-them-be-happy kinda mood with a craving for good acting, you've come to the right place. I would definitely rewatch this drama, if only to see the main couple together again!
P.S. The male lead actor Qu Chu Xiao gets hotter the more you see him *squeal*
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Music -
As much as I loved the theme song sung by Tia Ray, it was very overused. They had about four other songs they could have used, but they only started using the other songs at the end of the drama. Even the BGM was beautiful... especially the ones for Chang An and Gong Zi.
IF you like a drama without a lot of kissing but a lot of passionate staring....then I TRULY recommend you this drama! <3
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