Everyone loves Fan Xian
I’m late to the party and I apologise for this. JoY slipped past me when it was released in 2019. With season 2 coming, I though, it is time to take the plunge.Seeing that there are dozens of reviews, I don’t see much point in breaking down the series in the usual way. I’ll just shares some thoughts and my expectations for the new season.
I know this will be heresy to some, but the show didn’t hook me at first. I did binge watched it and really enjoyed the series in the end. However, it was more due to perseverance than the classic “unmissable from the first scene!” vibe. In hindsight, I think there are several reasons but chiefly, the show was always meant to have more than 1 season so the first 46 eps are just a long way to set up the overarching main plot. I can see a parallel with The Fellowship of the Ring. That movie was a little unfocused and stilted compared to the rest of the LoTR series too and for a good reason.
Another aspect is that the ML is a bit annoying at first. Those were the days when you are literally asking for a beating just by looking at an official the wrong way and yet the ML is so cocksure that he is thumbing his nose at all and sundry and he gets away with it. It all make sense later on but it didn’t leave a great first impression.
This leads us to the next point; the ML really leads a charmed life. He can pull off crazy stints and “lucky” escapes. It might be fun to watch but when you consider the seriousness of the various plots, it does feel a bit flippant. This also runs contrary to the notion that the ML is smart, resourceful and strong but then he’d get “rescued” repeatedly.
I am happy to see the love line between Xian and Wan’er being so sweet and straightforward. It could have been so messy like in many other costume dramas. Small blessing, I suppose. However, in a nod to the classic martial arts novels of the last century, almost every eligible bachelorette is falling in love with Fan Xian. I can certainly see the attraction and he will need a big stick to fend them off in S2.
The OST is nice, especially the main themes. However, the show does have this habit of using some zany, jazzy music to signal a funny scene. It is a valid technique but it is more suited to a modern sitcom than an historical drama. It can be quite jarring at times.
In the end, there are plots within plots and secrets hiding more secrets so I’m not surprised that it will take over 100 eps to see it to conclusion. It is looking promising for the next season and if the production value and acting is maintained (more likely to be surpassed) then it should be an even bigger hit. The heightened expectations will ensure that.
All in all, it was worth the hype. Not quite the best costume drama I have ever watched but it certainly sets up the next season nicely. The unveiling story left me with more questions than answers. Bring on season 2!
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The initial premise is great: what if someone with modern sensibilities, good coping mechanisms, kind, generous and humorous were placed into a traditional wuxia storyline? For the first 10 episodes, you get subversions after subversions of the drama formula, 'misunderstandings' are cleared up, people who are bad turn good and good turn bad etc.
As the novelty wore off, I just didn't care that much about the fates of the characters - I didn't care who won the succession fight, or if the main romance prevailed. There was just so many minor characters and one oversized lead, that it was hard for me to get invested.
This is despite excellent, distinctive acting. This has a huge cast, yet I could keep track of most all the characters and their varying plotlines and was fond of many of them.
I loved the opening credits song, and enjoyed a lot of the music. I wouldn't rewatch - again just wasn't very invested in any particular scene.
I grade on other criteria as well:
Complex Themes - 8
The main theme is having mature coping mechanisms, humor, kindness and generosity will keep you on the right path despite all the wrong around you.
Character Growth - 4
Too many characters to have meaningful character growth, and the main lead is presented as close to perfect as is - just a bit overconfident.
Complex Women Characters/Plotlines - 7
The women are incredibly intriguing with distinct plot lines and characters, but the main lead and his problems and feelings take up so much center stage, there just isn't real space to develop the female characters other then as plot devices to help the male lead.
Production/Cinematography - 10
Really, truly beautiful with lots of interesting scenes shot in different ways, varied sets, lavish costumes. On par with the best aesthetics in C-dramas I've seen.
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What is this???
Ok I give up on this. I went into it with an open mind knowing that I don't usually like this type of drama but if it's a 9 I guess It was widely beloved for a reason right? Well no! After a couple of episodes these is so much ugly men and ugly drama visuals, that's not it too. Ugly men and ugly drama visuals and a confusing plot where is the time traveling element did I miss it? We start with him as a kid then he grows into an ugly random man who lives with his grandma then goes to the capital, the drama tries some very failed comedy. So counting ugly men, ugly drama visuals, confusing plot and dare I say atrocious makeup, especially on the old people you can see the cracks. Magically the ugly in this drama does not extend to the women, ha! All the women in here are absolutely stunning. All of them. So ugly men, ugly drama visuals, bad makeup, confusing plot and beautiful women paired with ugly men. You couldn't possibly Givin me a worse drama if you tried but wait a minute thats not the end the FL is apparently stupid af like she has the intelligence of a kid.. No literally she acts and thinks with the capacity of a 4 yr old kid. I will go ahead and say it this is by far the worst drama I have ever seen in my life and I didn't even manage to finish it.Was this review helpful to you?
Intriguing plot twist and turns, multi-dimensional schemes, philosophical, touching, something to laugh about, cry about, to 'ahhh' about, ponder about, get excited about, to cheer about. There were some moments when things didn't seem to quite make sense, or seemed disappointing. Every time, I just trusted the makers, and the significance was revealed later.
I watched the entire season twice, and it was just as good the second time around in the process of discovering many things I actually missed the first time. Highly recommend watching!!
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Thoroughly entertaining!
I was hesitant in watching this as the synopsis and the poster give an impression that this is a profound political drama. Don't be fooled! I am glad I didn't procrastinate watching it. This is a thoroughly entertaining drama and one of the best I have seen from east Asia not just from China.This drama has a unique blend of interesting characters, fantastic humor, amazing action and crazy plot twists, all nicely woven together by a great story. I am not exaggerating, trust me. The director did a fantastic job in mixing heavy scenes with light, fun ones. Whenever you start to think the show is getting serious, the next scene will make you laugh. You will also notice that the stunts and all action is general is of high quality.
If I had to nitpick, the only area that was lacking is OST, no song grabbed my attention unlike how other Chinese dramas such as The Untamed have done before. On the other hand they have done a good job with their quirky and modern background music.
What's more you ask? This is just the first season, there is more to come. I can't wait to watch the second season and immerse myself in this magical world again. Till then I can only re-watch this to satiate my hunger.
I can't recommend this enough especially if you enjoy political dramas or humor filled dramas or both ;)
Get some popcorn and start watching now, you won't regret it.
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Most of drama’s only main leads are the unforgettable and outstanding.but in this drama every character is best in it’s own way.after this drama zhang ruo yun also became my one of favorite actor.Actually I can’t mention any of weak points in this drama.this drama deserves awards.I finished all episodes in 4 days now I’m waiting for season two.Waiting is the hardest thing .please release season 2 as soon as possible with all previous actors.
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Joy of Life is now my whole personality
It's not like this show needs anymore reviews talking about how good it is, but Joy of Life has completely taken over my brain and I have THOUGHTS.First of all, this doesn’t pertain to anything, but I’ve been waiting to watch this drama for over a year because my sister watched it, loved it, and told me there was a huge cliffhanger at the end. So I didn’t want to watch it until we had some idea of when the second season would be out. So I waited…and waited…and then heard rumors about filming and then about possible release dates. Until last week I saw it finally confirmed that the second season would come out in a little over ONE WEEK. I despaired thinking there was no way I could watch 46 episodes in a little over a week while having a job and you know, being an adult. Boy was I wrong. It’s exactly a week later and I’m done.
Not only is this a testament to my lack of social life but it’s also a testament to how excellent Joy of Life is. The plot grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go for the entirety of the show. I tend to skip scenes in most cdramas, and usually I’m not missing much, but whenever I tried to skip something in this show, I realized that I’d just skipped something important and had to rewind. That’s the whole show; you need to be paying attention or you’ll miss something.
Plot aside, this drama could’ve fallen on its face if it didn’t have the actors that it did. All of the older actors are really excellent, but it’s Zhang Ruo Yun who carries this whole thing on his back. Without him, I don’t think the show would work. For the audience to root for a character like Fan Xian the actor has to be charismatic and engaging and not smug or arrogant, and Zhang Ruo Yun pulls it off perfectly. He’s acting circles around some of the younger actors in here (no disrespect to any of them).
Yeah, so while I’m sad that I didn’t watch this masterpiece sooner, I’m also happy with my choice to wait until the new season was about to drop. That way I didn’t have to wait in anticipation for years for the payoff to the cliffhanger.
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ONE OF THE BEST CDRAMAS EVER!!!
I watched this drama in 2020 when I was still new to cdramas cause I heard about it and for me to hear about a drama that means that it really had to make an impact. I started this drama without knowing about the plot or actors and I kid you not I was hooked from the 1st ep😆😆.The child actor nailed his role, and every other cast member too, the drama was so intriguing and made me so curious to know what happened next. The plot, the acting, the fight scenes, the emotions were all 💯💯 . I have to say that Zhang RuoYun is Fan Xian and Fan Xian is him. I couldn't have thought of anyone who could bring this character to life like he has.
I would have written a review long ago but bcs this drama ended in a cliffhanger and they made me wait for 4 yrs for S2 I decided not to write it but with S2 coming out I can finally write this long overdue review😁😁
THIS DRAMA IS TRULY A MASTERPIECE!!!!!!!
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This review may contain spoilers
I start to watch this drama becouse i read the novel first and bec i like YRY acting skills. Obviously i love the story and the acting, the music really a good match.
Luckily not so different than the novel. Maybe the drama more positive than the novel but thats not bad. FX here more innocence, this rather cute. Quite a lot the funny moment.
But prepare yourself thats deffinitly not an easy story, the scheming are soooo much you never know who is the real enemy.
I really wait for the upcoming seasons.
But sooooo far the end. This season only third of the whole novel.
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its a masterpiece!!!!!!
Something about this drama felt amazing and fantastic, I couldn't stop watching it.It had a good amount of martial arts, humor and a great story line. This is only the first season!
Fan Xian is the main male lead of the drama. He is a smart, sarcastic, and cunning man. He knows how to speak his way out of things, he also have great martial arts skills. Did I mention he's quite funny as well? :) I just love his character so much! The actor did a wonderful job in playing this character! His subtle expressions are hilarious. XD
Aside from trying to find the love of his life at first sight, cancelling his engagement or..not cancelling it, Fan Xian has assassins coming after him day after day. The drama focuses on Fan XIan trying to figure out who is behind all these assassins, figuring out where he's from, and staying alive to be with his beloved Wan Er.
Uncle Wu Zhu (or should I say Xiao Zhu Zhu LOL♥) is the handsome protector who helped raised Fan Xian and was also a servant of Fan Xian's mother. Lets just say his martial arts is very monstrous. He is like a ninja, he comes and goes without making a single sound which can annoy Fan Xian - quite funny to watch. XD I really like his character for some reason, aside from the obvious handsomeness haha He is strict and mature albeit there were times when he went loose and either spoke like a teen or a tiny bit like a psycho due to memories that were triggered.
Wan Er is your typical fairy-like female lead. She's very elegant, and cute. She also likes chicken legs, and that is also how she met Fan Xian, unknowingly. She does not have much of a presence in this season, because she barely has any scenes. But she is an important figure in this drama because she's the daughter of a princess. However, this drama focuses majority on Fan Xian and his journey to solve the mysteries behind murders of his friends, the trunk that belonged to his mother, and assassinations. Wan Er is there only when Fan Xian went to visit her and other issues that involved her family.
The main villain is the grand princess and her nephew(s).S She's in charge of something that once belonged to Fan Xian's mother. Lets just say she doesn't want to let go of it.
However, she is not the only villain, there are many people who wants Fan Xian dead, including those who pretended to be his friend.
If you're watching this drama cause of Xiao Zhan prepare to be disappointed because you'll only see his actual face in the last 8 episodes or so. I assume he will be a main in the next season as his character is not what we think he is. Personally, I still enjoyed the drama without seeing much of Xiao Zhan.
Other characters worth mentioning is Wang Qi Nian, he's a chubby middle aged man but is a useful friend of Fan Xian. :) He joins Fan Xian in majority of his journeys. Fan Xian's sister, Fan Ruo Ruo is quite an interesting character, she's very smart and quick witted but can become clueless and slow(?) when it comes to Fan Xian. Its like she idolizes her big bro. But she can be dead serious when it comes to disciplining their little brother. I quite like her personality trait than Wan Er's.
Overall, I really enjoyed this drama. Its funny, and has great martial choreography. I didn't expect to love it so much,. it's one of my top two favorites of 2019!! Definitely recommend if you're looking for something fun to watch.
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This drama is really amazing. Nowaday it really hard to find a best drama to watch because it has pently. The drama is best because it has child, adult, old version. Starting from young character to adult. It's good to watch. It is not waste your life time to spend on this one.
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Amazing Drama !
One of the best dramas I've ever watched. It made me discover Zhang Ruo Yun who is very talented. That was the first drama I watched with him in it and it felt like I've always known him. I loved the plot and I'm eager to see how the next season is gonna be like.My favorite character was Li Cheng Ze, the second prince. His personality did it all for me. I loved the fact that he was likeable but annoying at the same time. Like I really wanted to both hug and slap him, yet, I couldn't explain this feeling. Talking about princes, I hope they develop the crown prince more in the next season : he's like THE CROWN PRINCE so I feel like we should know more about his story.
The emperor of Qing, Fan Jian, Chen Ping Ping and Fei Jie were just WOW ! They really carried a big part of the drama and the chosen actors were just excellent. I absolutely loved that each one of them had a unique type of relationship with Fan Xian with their very own hopes and projects for him.
The only thing that bothered me (might be an unpopular opinion or me being weird lol) was the romance between Wan'er and Fan Xian : it ANNOYED me ! Like I'm sorry but I was shipping Fan Xian more with any other female character of the drama BUT Wan'er. It just wasn't it for me. I felt like Fan Xian needed (and looked better with) a woman like Duo Duo by his side but that's just me and this detail didn't ruin the whole drama for me anyway.
Yan Bing Yun really intrigued me from the very moment he got introduced in the drama. When we finally got to see him, I found him really... "bland" ? Not in a bad way but more in a mysterious way. It felt like it was intentional that his character was written like this and with the end of the drama, I have even more questions about him and can't wait for the second season to answer them. I hope we'll be able to see more of the acting skills Xiao Zhan showed in the Untamed.
Anyway, all of this to say that I recommend this drama eyes freaking closed with cement (I'm sorry...).
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