The Long Ballad

It is just another ordinary historical C-drama. Nothing extraordinary!

After watching another Tang Dynasty inspired drama which has much stronger cast, beautifully made and brilliantly performed in the same time, the Long Ballad has become very ordinary and somewhat boring historical C-drama for me, especially when most interesting plots slowly declined after ep 28. As Wu Lei, the male lead acting was so stiff, I nearly dropped it but kept going to the end because of Zhao Lusi and Dilraba Dilmurat were in it only. Zhao Lusi character development are actually the one worth to watch here. I perhaps initially was drawn to watch this drama because it’s a well-known story and character and cast were predominantly good looking and the outdoor scenes did look amazing. However, some of them only good looking but not looking good in acting and their performance were somewhat annoying to watch. Furthermore, I’ve also felt that Dilraba Dilmurat could not really carry or portray Li Changge character in the book in a way I expected her to be. If she could be more expressive like Zhao Lusi, she could have been better! Unfortunately, the pairing with Wu Lei as lead couple couldn’t give much help. It’s a shamed that i couldn’t enjoy it as much as others since the public rating is so high. But i love the ending theme, it’s beautiful.

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very bad

Disappointed I don't know why this is celebrated so highly but it was so bad I haven't seen something that bad in a long time I regretted having watched it The story was bad and the actors didn't really fit together either There was no chemistry between Leo Wu and dilraba they absolutely didn't fit together delibra's acting is so bad I've never seen anything worse Leo Wu was great in his role as always Zhao Lusi and Liu Yu Ning also played great, you could really feel the chemistry with them, together very well but wu and delibra, there was nothing between the two Dilraba was so stiff no feelings no emotions really disappointing but what did I expect her acting is always bad but that was worse than bad. All the other actors were okay in their roles. Overall, the chemistry was right between all the actors, but delibra didn't fit in at all, I'm sorry to say that You don't have to look, I really don't understand the hype they're making about it, it's clearly too high for me 😒🤔😤 If there are errors in the rating, I'm sorry. Writing in English isn't really my thing

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The long ballad of supporting characters.

Amazing development, reliable traits with believable strengths and flaws, emotionally gripping stories that made me invested in the plot progress - what I’ve got from the supporting characters and side plots. Confused teens with good fighting skills are what the two main characters delivered.

So why did the main leads not work for me? Poorly presented context of their struggles. Li Chang Ge was introduced as a military prodigy for her young age. After facing the murder of her parents, she sets on the journey of revenge, that leads to countless self-reflection and changes of her goals and motivations. The issue is, the drama made me feel like an idiot.

All the characters around her kept saying how impulsive she is, how her actions are wrong, how the killer of her family is a good and a nice guy. I was sitting in front of my laptop questioning my sanity and the character's morals. Yes, I understand that there was more behind the story. I understood that the relationship between her and her uncles is not all that we see. My issue is, even the characters that had no reason to like or trust Li Shimin, ended up on his side right away, and I was just supposed to accept that. The writer wanted to make sure the viewers see Li Shimin as a good guy, without explaining why we should not view him as the villain. Even the most loyal people of the late emperor changed their affiliation in one or two days.

I was amazingly frustrated how no one tried to explain anything to Chang Ge, and she was just supposed to accept everyone’s claim that the new emperor is a good guy and she is wrong. As if everyone did not try to hunt her down without first giving her a chance to understand what truly happened. She was the traitor that needed to be killed.

Because of the unreasonable context, her journey just felt flat to me. Not to mention, while they showed her to be physically strong, she was extremely easily influenced by other people. Her morality, goals, views on the world shifted each time she met someone new. While self-discovery is based on exploration, the fact she just adopted whatever principles the people that were currently around her had, was a bit much.

Then we have Ashile Sun. There were fascinating ideas that could have been explored on a greater scale: how long are you obligated to stay loyal to the people who helped us in the past, should you accept all their demands or is our individuality as important, how long can you surrender to others’ demands and what are the long term consequences? His internal conflicts connected to Yan Li Khan were sadly overshadowed by his instant love for Li Chang Ge.

And the romance was not that great. He literally fell for her because “she was not like other girls”, remembering all the behaviors she presented that are usually linked to masculine traits. He fell fast and hard, and she was the initial reason for his character’s development - I find it disappointing. Often he did not feel like an individual character, but rather a shadow of the female lead.

Luckily, we’ve got some interesting side characters who made me like the show a lot. Easily my favorite, Li Le Yan had one of the best written character developments I have seen in a while. Her character development was built on her already existing characteristics. She did not become a completely different person - she simply worked on her flaws while staying true to her peaceful and gentle approach. She trusted the people around her, knew her limits and when to ask for help. She showed maturity and emotional strength when other characters were struggling to control themselves.

Hao Du, everyone’s favorite. Truth to be told, it took me a while to truly understand why everyone was so obsessed with his character, but he does creep on you - you don’t even know when, and you love him. I wish his story had a bit more screen time, so the development would be more gradual and well paced. Sill, the progress from distant, lone wolf to lost, adorable puppy was extremely entertaining and endearing to watch. I also appreciate his efficiency - kill first, ask questions later.

Even if not as well developed, the other characters that I appreciated by the end of the show were She Er, General Li Jing, King of Mobei, Gongsun Heng, Situ Lang Lang, Zhen Zhu and probably a few other supporting characters. They all had distinctive personalities, motivations, goals and aspirations. They all played an important role in the plot, affecting the events in a meaningful way. None of them felt like a background filler.

The characters made the show, because the plot was slightly all over the place.

Then we have the production issues. I am sorry, but they did not even try to make the cross-dressing believable. When Chang Ge was addressed as “he” after her first appearance, I had to pause the episode, I was so confused. All I could think about was: how could anyone ever assume she is a guy? And the show did not improve on that aspect at all.

Then there is the issue with kissing scenes. One could say - small detail if we take into consideration the whole show. But romance was a huge portion of it. The romance was what drove a lot of the characters. So when we’ve got birds’ make out sessions, a non-existing kiss fading to a white screen and even a dead body getting more action than the lead characters, one would start to get frustrated.

The Long Ballad had a lot of unintentionally hilarious moments. The new emperor being surprised his daughter was starving when she was a refugee (little grasp on reality he had, no?), “think for yourself” being seen as a lifelong experience that can be passed on to only the worthy one, the fact male lead had to be told he loved female lead 31 episodes in, after he risked his life and lives of other people he cares about for her, the overall vibe of “people die, get over it” everyone gave, female lead telling male lead he can’t kill his brother for killing his mother, while she herself has been on the revenge trip for months to kill her uncle for killing her parents. To sum it up, everyone lacks brain cells.

Overall, The Long Ballad was addicting and entertaining and I had a lot of fun watching. Undeniably sharing my rants and views on mdl feeds did make the whole experience a bit better, but even without it, I would appreciate what I’ve got from the show. For 49 episodes, it was a quick watch with likable characters, fast paced plot that does not require much brain power to understand, which makes it perfect late night binge watch material.

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Overhyped drama

This drama got popular cuz of the two main leads and it shows. I started the drama because I'm Zhao Lusi fan and right before it aired I found out Liu Hai Kuan had a role too (that turned out to be insignificant). This is the first drama I watch with Dilraba and Leo Wu and I'm NOT impressed.

First, I don't like the leads, especially Ashile Sun who felt like a Gary Sue (or should I call him Gary Sun?). None of his acrtion had consequences since no matter how he did, Great Khan was all over him he didn't face anything. The only thing about his character was him having a crush on Changge. Hell, the two leads have no romantic chemistry. Changge didn't think about him at all while he didn't mind others. Her falling in love with him was so forced I rolled my eyes. Maybe the fact neither of them had an actual character growth. Somehow they were always right (especially Ashile Sun) and EVERYONE listened to them. After Ashile Sun "died", I skipped almost everything.

Mimi was annoying. I don't hate Shuyu-gege, but never cared for him. Also, he shot Changge and it didn't affect anything??? Also, the plot was her getting revenge on her uncle but she dropped it without any apperent reason other than it would might contradict history (Li Shimin was an empror during Tang dynasty, that much is what I know). The truth is revealed later, but she drops her revange too early. So the whole plot is pointless. Also the story with Khatun is the one I skipped and I'm okay with that. It was so boring and predictable.

And don't let me start how much I hated the animation. Either do it properly or don't do it at all. There are drawings of a battle, but the pictures and the sound don't match. People talikng- real poeple- over the animation and it doesn't look good. It a shame since I do like the art style and it doesn't have to be in motion, but the anumation director should be fired. There were only two time there the animation was used in the right way. It was a very lazy way to save money. So many of the scenes could be live. Not to mention there episodes with no animation- I like it but it made the animation stand out more in a bad way.

Few points I liked- Leyan and Hou Du however are superior both in romantic plot line and indivitual character development. Leyan's story and growth was much more interesting than Changge's most of the time. I'm one of the few people who like Hou Du from the beggining and by the end I was completely in love. I think he is what Ashile Sun was meant to be only he was done better. Situ Lang Lang should have had more screen time, he was so much fun. Also, I've supported Sher from the begining, maybe because he was right for hating Ashile Sun.

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Like many had mentioned; A MUST WATCH (for the century!)

This is my 2nd review on a drama (and the first for a period dramas).

Since most reviews has summarized the whole storyline, I shall not repeat what's said.

To me, this is an amazing drama which worth all the busy time in the world to watch it (I personally had watched it, all the 49 episodes for 3x and will do so again)!!
IT'S WAY WAY EXTRAORDINARILY THAN HUA MU LAN!! Many remarkable life lessons to gain from the dramas too!! Seeing the greater good!!

Astonishing storyline!!
Magnificent acting skills from all casts!! Dilraba, Leo Wu and all the rest, fits their role perfectly!!
The production crews, the screen writers, producers, etc.. have all done an incredible job to bring this magnificent dramas alive!!

By far the most successful period drama, I ever watched! Thank you all for bringing us this magnificent dramas!!

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I finished this series only for cast team

May be because of huge China’s population even this drama got good rating.
They took 49 episodes only to prove that it is impossible to change one’s character even after too much of suffering and loses. Especially for the main leads no one expect this kind of character. The only enjoyment we will get while watching Chinese dramas is we will get confused whether the direction team is brainless or the one who is watching it. Their characters(every character in the drama ) acts like they have multiple personality disorder, some time they are too quick witted, some time they act like very dumb and sometimes like fools.
From first to last episode the FL never learned anything from her mistakes even after so much of suffering and loses. She keeps on acting reckless, she keeps on suffering because of that and keeps on crying by thinking her mistakes but she never changed her character even after so many loved ones died because of her reckless and careless behavior, even at the last seen also the same thing.
In the whole drama it is same she keep on doing mistakes and getting troubled but always the ML rescued her with great price but she never changed even after promising so many times, I literally prayed to god it’s better for the drama to watch if someone kill her or the ML. Even if any animal suffers that much it will change but the FL of the drama not.
The funniest thing is they have mocked the war with cartoons explaining what has happened in the war, I am not saying it is because to save the production cost but may their creativity because when I say the other settings and the plots it is in executive level. I can promptly say that I never saw low budget, poor cast or poor acting skills Chinese dramas but only they lack in brainy direction team. Really its a shocking thing that with that much Chinese population they don’t have enough talented directors.

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The Long Ballad

''The Long Ballad'' The series tells the life of the Great Tang Princess Chang Ge. This series left an impression on me in many ways. The deep sibling bond between Chang Ge and her cousin LeYan is very impressive. Apart from this, the friendship bonds, strong characters, and family relationships in the series impressed me. The fact that it had different content made me more attached to the series. Although I discovered the series late, I watched and finished all the episodes in a short time.

Cast;
The relationship between Chang Ge and Ashile Sun is clearly evident from their actions and facial expressions, how much they care for each other.
The second couple of our series, LeYan and Hao Du, were my favorite couple of the series. The cowardly, weak princess and the tough, ruthless commander.
The leading men in the series were very handsome. Leo Wu and Liu Yu Ning were both handsome and mature.
Three actors I love very much were acting in a series, and this made the series even more appealing to me.
Leo Wu, Liu Yu Ning, and Zhao Lusi are my favorites. Dilruba's acting was also good but I didn't really feel her role in the series.

Rewatch value - 8.0
The series is very good to watch both in terms of the plot and the talent of the actors. But I don't plan on watching it again. But the series had many good scenes that could be watched again. Especially LeYan and Hao Du's scenes.

Overall: 9.5

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Amazing Journey

This review might be a bit late, since the drama already aired a while ago, but I just had to write one.

I have a habit of waiting till the drama is complete before watching, because I'm not patient enough to wait for each episode and I'm so glad that I didn't start this while it was airing.

As dramas go, this is one of the longer ones with 49 episodes, but it is definitely worth your time.

Let's start with the actual review then!

Story:

The story starts off with our heroine leading a carefree life as a Princess, but in a matter of episodes her world is turned upside down, when her uncle kills her whole family and brands them as rebels. She barely escapes with her life and vows revenge. On her journey she matures and learns many things and eventually lets go of her hate for the sake of her country. The beautiful thing about this story is the growth and development of each character as individuals as well as their relationships with each other. Each and every character evolves and it's beautiful to see and exciting to follow.

Acting/Cast:

It's definitely one of the dramas that is perfectly cast, from the older cast to the tiny babies. When initial reports came out that Wu Lei was going to act opposite Dilraba Dilmurat, I was one of the sceptics. I never doubted his ability to act, because I have seen him in other dramas and I know he's a terrific actor despite his young age. What worried me was the fact that the two might not share any chemistry. I'll admit, I was wrong. So wrong. They were entrancing together.

The whole cast of this drama did an amazing job, but here are the standouts for me:

- Dilraba Dilmurat as Chang Ge: Obviously, she's the main character and we're are practically following her story. Dilraba never disappoints. Whether Chang Ge is being mischievous, emotional, serious or deadly, it's all believable and she delivers an amazing performance, playing a character that's complex and ever changing. Chang Ge is one of the characters that changes and matures throughout her journey so much, but somehow still holds on to her values. She's a very strong character and Dilraba did a great job portraying her.

- Wu Lei as Ahile Sun: Absolutely magnetic. I never doubted Wu Lei could act, but he's outdone himself as Sun. Strong, brave and loyal, this character was an absolute delight to watch. I can't imagine any other actor playing this role now. Just like Dilraba, Wu Lei performed each scene to perfection. I was very impressed with the amount of emotion he can portray. A simple gaze seemed to tell a whole story.

- Zhao Lu Si as Leyan: Zhao Lu Si is adorable and that's the side that people are most familiar with from her previous dramas, but as Le Yan she can finally show off her range. Her character's journey is one of the most interesting to watch on the show and the way she changed from the sheltered, weak princess into a mature and formidable woman was one of the highlights of the drama.

- Liu Yu Ning as Hao Du: This is the first time I've ever seen his act and it's a breath of fresh air. From the cold Hao Du in the beginning of the drama to the warm ball of light at the end, Liu Yu Ning did such an amazing job portraying his character that I couldn't take my eyes off him. He was able to portray emotion with tiny changes in his expression. I'm looking forward to seeing him in other projects.

- Kudousi Jiang Ainiwaer as Ashile She'er: Another character who's reveals more and more of himself as the episodes go by, She'er is complex, misunderstood and lonely. This is another actor that I'm seeing act for the first time and I was really impressed by the range of emotion he can portray. He was able to make us feel whatever we needed to feel towards his character whenever he appeared. Great performance.

- Geng Le as Li Shimin: From the generation of the parents, Geng Le's Li Shimin stands out above the rest. The sheer emotion this man can portray is enough to move mountains. His relationship with Le Yan and Chang Ge was heartwarming to watch. As the Emperor he's brave, majestic, intelligent, kind and fair. As a father, he dotes on both Le Yan and Chang Ge and his desire to protect both of them is an absolute pleasure to witness.

Music:

The soundtrack of this drama matches it so perfectly. The instrumental music complements each scene and the songs are absolutely amazing and unforgettable. I'm in love with this soundtrack.

Favourite Scenes (no in any particular order):

- The duel between Sun and She'er. It was absolutely breathtaking. I could hardly take my eyes off the screen. I've rewatched this scene many, many times.

- The duel between Hao Du and She'er. The high stakes, Le Yan's outburst of emotion and Hao Du's unshakable determination. Another scene I have rewatched.

- Sun and Chang Ge rolling off the roof. Cute and exciting.

- Sun telling Chang Ge what his first wish is. This was basically his confession moment and I absolutely loved the wording of it. He wasn't demanding anything, but giving his all to her instead.

- A Dou's death and the battle outside the gates afterwards. This is one of the scenes that absolutely killed me. I was not prepared for it.

- Hao Du and Le Yan confessing to each other after his duel with She'er. This was the cutest thing to watch. And a scene I was waiting for since the moment Hao Du picked up the little pouch that Le Yan dropped.

- Le Yan slapping Hao Du. This was a scene that absolutely needed to happen and when it does, it's everything you wanted.

- Sun saving Chang Ge after she's kidnapped by Khatun's men. The way he just charges in with his arrows!!!!

- When Sun takes off his mask and Chang Ge finds out his Ashile Sun. Besides being and absolutely stunning scene visually, the emotion is everything.

- The scene between Chang Ge and Li Shimin when she finally calls him Second Uncle again.

- The death of Sun's foster mother and the following outburst.

There are more, but I think I need to stop now, before the whole drama is written down here.

If you're still doubting whether to watch this, stop doubting and just watch it. The moment you start, you won't be able to stop and you'll actually wish there were more episodes.

This is one of the dramas that I'll be rewatching in the future.

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Politics, War and Romance

This is my first series with Dilraba as the main female lead. At first a bit hesitate to watch this, as I don't really like the male lead.
Overall this series is good, the story flow and paced nicely, not too much romance, just enough. Not too heavy with the politics, just enough for the entertainment purpose. The war scenes are good, fighting scene also good. Recommended to those looking for great story with politics and war and a hint of romance. Not heavy politics like 3 kingdoms and stuff, but entertaining.
Some scenes a bit weird though, especially the horse riding scene, really really fake and not natural. In episode one when Li chang ge ride the horse, can see that she is not really riding the horse but something else and got other scene also the same result. But this is a minor.
Story wise, yet to read the novel..but I think as usual there's deviation with the novel.
In my opinion Ashile Shun should be play by other actor with bigger build and face to suit the grassland people image. Leo Wu is too small for that.
Overall all casts acting are good, especially Zhao Lu Si here, as we can see her great acting transformation from a cry baby princess to a strong princess.

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Too long but decent wuxia drama

Not a fan of dillireba, especially in period dramas because I felt that something about her image don't suit period dramas that well and it's abit hard to focus on her expression and all. However, i do think this is one of the better ones she acted (also with the boost of a lot other strong supporting actor/actress). Had a lot of mixed feelings while watching this because i think it's neither good/bad.. i managed to finish it by skipping a lot of boring scenes.

PROS:
- Good change in Zhao Lu Si's usual fun and quirky roles. Her role as princess has impressed me a lot.
- ML is not a jerk and express his feelings well
- Despite ML's young age, he managed to pull off the role very well & also the romance with FL
- No evil love triangle plot

CONS:
- 2nd couple (ZLS and LYN) can have more scenes together and more on their relationship growth since the drama is so long
- FL's role as someone that is good at martial arts is not portrayed well in most scenes.. sometimes she can fight hundreds of people, sometimes she don't seem like she can fight
- Too long, a lot of scenes can be cut short/ you can still catch up after skipping a fair bit

FINAL VERDICT: watch if you like a strong FL and ML & not much romance involved

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