The Long Ballad

Intelligent and layered characterization of leads with survival feats in the midst of chaos and tragedy. Stories featuring war, politics and rebellion.

Both have a strong FL who disguises herself as male and a military ML who learns her secret early on but hides it for her.

- Strong Female Leads, Transformation Through Adversity in Male-Dominated Worlds
- Great alchemy between Main Leads & Strong Supporting Cast
- Historical setting, Blend of Action, Drama, and Romance as a Subplot
- Themes of Love, Loss, and Family Loyalty
- High Emotional Stakes and Character-Driven Plot
- Rich Historical and Cultural Context with Captivating Visuals and beautiful OSTs
- Exploration of Identity, Growth, and Complex Relationships
- Themes of Resilience, morally ambiguous characters and redemption

In both dramas:
- Both dramas revolve around royals
- The FL has great martial arts skills, military tactics, and schemes
- The FL is naughty and acts freely, never afraid to speak their mind
- A prince from the grasslands took interest in the FL
- The main leads had complicated relationships
- The ML is an orphan/ adopted into a different place
- The main leads had many admirers
- The supports lead pairs up

Hidden identity, revenge, politics and good relationship development. SML is in both dramas. A smart and strong ML, a clever and resourceful FL. Some of the same voice actors. Very entertaining with characters that really grow and change throughout the series.

Alrhough its not the same era or custume style, they still both have the same strong and smart leads. This one has a smart female lead that is from a rich family and a strong cunning male lead that is a soldier/commander. Since TLB made you cry for numerous deaths, this one would also make you cry just like TLB.

Both dramas have:
; strong female leads
; both characters have martial arts skills.
; hidden identities
; cross dressing
; Cold male lead with similar personality
; Cold female lead with similar personality
; adapted from source (manhua or a novel)
; revenge
; the female lead family have died in both dramas

Both feature a bodyguard/princess romance although the dynamics are very different.
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I really like Reba's performance!
She is so beautiful that I can't help screaming when I see her!
and my heart melt......
I've seen almost all her plays, and I really like them! HC!!!!!!

Ok firstly, this may be wrong as I'm still near the start of The Long Ballad bUT-
I feel like The Long Ballad focuses a lot more on like revenge and the activities rather than romance itself, which reminds me The Handsome Siblings drama. Both dramas focus more on like revenge for example, tho romance is a little more towards the side?

So if you like there being more action and stuff and less fluff romance then woohoo (?)
Either way, love both dramas!

-Strong FLs in terms of mentality (FL in TLB can also fight)
-strong focus on scheming
-some focus on revenge for TLB, while The Double is pretty much all revenge
-hidden coup

There are many identifiable similarities, but I feel like the overall vibe of both dramas are quite similar. If you're especially looking for strong FLs who can scheme, both dramas are great.

1. Both protagonists strive to find their own path & way of life.
2. Adventure & encountering great masters.
3. Intelligent leads.
4. Emotional

Both have Leo Wu and Zhao Lusi in their cast.
Both have slow burn romance and hidden pasts
Both are revenge driven
Both feature strong female leads
Both cases, male lead falls in love first
Both have happy ending

Both dramas:
- Wuxia genre
- FL cross dresses
- Hidden identity
- revenge
- cute romance and chemistry between main leads
- Fantasy, royalty, scheming, fight scenes, and strong female lead.

Overall, its an exciting and emotional drama to watch with beautiful scenery following a strong female lead on her quest to fight for what is rightfully hers

Basically if you enjoyed the tribal grasslands/prairie culture of Eagle Flag, and you didn't particularly care for all the supernatural aspects, you'll enjoy the Long Ballad.

A lot of it is set in the Ashine tribe, and the male lead is a warrior/general of that tribe, the foster son of the Khan. As a story goes, it's much more linear and has a pretty satisfying (if abrupt) conclusion.

Oh, I'll admit it - I'm mainly here for the braided tribal hair on the men, ok? While with Eagle Flag it was just Asule and not all the time, in LB it's Ashine Sun (ML), his men, everyone.