The Long Ballad

Good but mismatched main leads

When I started this series I wanted to drop it because instead of chemistry between main leads we got feeling of older sister caring for her brother and forcefully adding the romance felt weird. Then I heard second leads get good chemistry and better romance than main leads could ever try to fake.

As I watched it longer i started to like the story, fights and relationships between friends, comrades and family.

It would be better if they showed all fights instead of just showing animated pages of novel or manhwa, not sure what the series was adapted from. Not to mention when they made one fire saving scene half half so they made actors move but put a non moving walpaper behind them. It was as hilarious as it was lame.

Dilraba was perfect fit for female lead but in my opinion male lead should have been a bit older so we get some chemistry. Since Leo Wu was so young at that time neither of them could force it and it was clear as a day that she was like a mentor to him.

Overall series is good and it keeps you watching till the end. If you are here for the romance, you will get it but not between main leads, but between second leads yes.

After you accept disapointment in main leads "romance" ,show gets really good and second couple delivers instead.

OST is very good and hits you in the feels.

I gave it a 9 because i want to support good stories but it did have loopholes nearing ending of the series. It gave me a feeling like they hurried up to end it and didnt properly wrap out the Ashile tribe part of the story.

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You will have a hard time moving on

I rarely write full on reviews for dramas, but leave a comment. However, this drama just needed one. I spent the past week trying to really comprehend how we came to love TLB.
First off, both main leads are very strong and loyal to their countries. What made it a success I have to say about it, is the fact that throughout the whole drama they both remain that way. They don't compromise or suddenly put their loyalty on the burner side as their relationship grows. I think this was a breath of fresh air cause many times in such enemy-to-lovers tropes, one always starts compromising their family or country all in the name of love.
Secondly, it really does a good job of showing how complex human beings can be. Not every emotion is black and white in real life and TLB characters all exhibited this very beautifully. We are forced to make decisions out of hard predicaments and while in the moment they seem right, in the long run it can be detrimental. But how do you reconcile all those emotions? It's truly phenomenal how characters exhibited such inner struggles.
Thirdly, life is a journey and seasons change include relationships, goals and hopes. Several characters had to learn this one way of the other. As a result, the story never dulls down so much. There is always a relationshio and dynamic being tested, shifting, leaving room for us as watchers to be engaged throughout.
Honestly, this is the tip of the iceberg about the great things in TLB. I have not been able to move on. I keep longing to see a drama that has a wonderful balance between all characters. Will I rewatch this drama? A lot of times. Should you try it if you haven't already? For sure.

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ASHILE SUN IS A GREEN FLAG

Watched this show two years ago, but I still heavily regard it as one of my favorites. I love watching historical dramas but usually have a hard time finishing them. I recall staying up so late and binging this all in 2 days.

Sure there are some parts that could've been better. I am drawn to stories with a strong, smart FL and Li Changge was frustrating at times because she made rash, impulsive decisions. As a viewer, you forgive and commend her for her bravery and loyalty. I take into account that she is supposed to be very young, and this all plays a role in her character development. Love when a FL can fight and hold her own.

Wu Lei's acting was really good despite how young he is; he is showing his experience and dedication to acting. TLB made me a fan, and since then have looked forward to his works. I was also disappointed in the romance scenes, but given how young Wu Lei probably was when they filmed, it kind of makes sense. However, I really really enjoyed Ashile Sun's character and his own way of protecting Changge. For me, the chemistry and love was there. I usually can't stand too many lovey dovey scenes, and rather enjoyed the glances and small details. Like most viewers did, Ashile's character was the most likeable and memorable.

Rewatch value: 7.5/10 I rewatched it back then when I was more invested in the storyline. I enjoyed the soundtrack and honestly didn't mind the illustrations.

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WOW!

ok first of all, I love the plot it was constructed so beautifully. The actors did really well in portraying the characters. Everytime the ml appeared, i screamed because he's rlly fine but also his words were so sweet. when they had their first kiss, it didn't match the level of excitement i felt for their other scenes bc the ml really showed his love through actions and words. Along with that, the fl was super cool and smart and everything was under her control. Their relationship was adorable but im a bit disappointed because I feel that their love story wasn't really completed. I really wish there was an extra episode to finish off all the tiny side stories too. I wanted to see ashile sun tell changge his last wish (to marry her hehe) and a wedding, i wanted to see him and sher drink together, and for his father to get better again. I could not stop watching, i would literally pull out my phone to watch it in school. I love the hidden identity trope too so this drama was perfect for me. There weren't any embarrassing scenes and the love was adorable but not to the point where it made me cringe. Im so jealous i want someone to look at me like how sun looks at changge! Each episode was interesting and it was never boring at all. usually i dont like rewatching dramas but i can totally see myself watching this one again. The fight scenes were amazing and I love how all the friends changge made went to go help her at the end. It's most definitely a slowburn but their love story started from the first episode and was realistically developed. they respected each other and there weren't any silly misunderstandings. ALSO they were both powerful on their own but when they were together it was just awesome!! He cared for her in his own way and they were willing to sacrifice themselves for each other. Their chemistry is unmatched and that’s not even the main focus of this drama! The ost fits the mood very well. I don’t think I will ever get over it. This cdrama was so beautiful and I loved it! im sad I finished it :(

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Loved the OST

I initially watched the show because I was just bored and Leo was in it; I never thought Rosy was also in it. I watched Love like the galaxy first and I loved them there. I thought their chemistry there was superb. Seeing them with different partners this time still had me gushing. Their chemistry with each of their partners were excellent. I absolutely love Hao Du’s character development and his love for the princess. I love how they had few scenes but had me waiting to see them every time. I hear they just recently had a new series which they are the main leads I am going to watch that as well. Hopefully it has a great plot.

The thing I am bummed about is the ending for the main leads. I felt lacking, i dont know i expected more since theyre the main leads.

I also absolutely love the opening song!!!! I usually always skip intros but this time around i always let it play just to hear the song 😂

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A Very Interesting Strategy Story of Love Matched on the Battleground

The rich historical account of China's battle with its neighbors have created this tv series that fictionally account the battle strategies during the early conquests of China. Utilizing tribal inter marriages or heqins, spies and even game matches can all be strategies in order to gain tribal access, favors and even battles.

The Long Ballad showcases that love can amazingly bloom even between enemies and on the battleground. That even the Emperor of Tang and Great Khan can agree that a perfect match of hearts can lead to attain peace in their war torn regions.

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Path to Revenge that turned into Patriotism

Story is about the road to revenge of a fallen princess of Tang Dynasty who ended up defending the person whom she believed to have killed her whole family. Along this revenge seeking adventure, she met with rival kingdom’s lead general, Ashile Sun - the ML - and they ended up going through life and death together. She eventually realized the right path for her was never revenge, but to live on without hate as her late mother had intended and to help ensure peace across the land.

The show had a good storyline and great line of actors and production. I must say the production is actually quite clever in reducing cost. Instead of hiring enormous amount of extras for battle scenes, or great hours of CGIs, they resorted to sketches instead. Im actually disappointed that there are no actual battle scenes. There were just sketches of battles and the lead actors waving their swords around on the foreground. Although undoubtedly a fresh idea, it made the show look rather cheapskate. Although they went frugal on battle scenes, im very satisfied with hand-on-hand combat performed by ML and SML. The fight sequence are seamlessly elegant which doesnt look rehearsed and awkward.

This is also one of those shows where they spend little effort in making the actress disguising as a male look convincing because she looked so damn feminine with ample contour on the chest area. Although, admittedly there really not much u can do when u hire an actress as gorgeous as Dilireba. She can never pass as a male no matter how much they disguise her. Her features are just too feminine, her voice cant get any deeper and well, her demeanor is much too graceful. It’s because of shows like this that I value shows like Fighting for Love where they go all out to make the disguise believable.

A fair warning to romance lovers, this story aint a feast for the lot of you. There is not much romance going on, as the story focuses more on revenge line and how each character developed into maturehood. The development of FL, ML and SFL is pretty significant. Even the small support characters gets their characters developed along the way, like how Wei Shuyu changed into a more confident man, Hao Du into a flexible and humane person, even Shiba got a decent growth into a real free woman. Her love story with Xu Jing is the cutest because she had always been this stone-cold fighter who cares nothing but for her master. Meanwhile, the main love story is pretty slow moving. The ML had shown fondness towards the FL quite early on, but he didnt realize it was love yet until quite to the middle of the show, and this had only been reciprocated by the FL towards the last 10 episode. It took a life-threatening arrow through ML’s chest before she finally confesses (when ML was unconscious) that she cannot live without him.

The music score of this show isnt that memorable and catchy enough so they didnt stick really stick in my head. Although, i especially liked the tune they use each time the scene with Ashile tribe is on.

The reconcilation scene on the episode 46 is gold! Throughout the show, I have never viewed both of them as any other than father and daughter, even as FL hated him so much. I knew there’s something behind her mom’s death that wouldnt have been his fault. I just hope FL wouldve hugged him before she left for good. I really like the Li Shimin character.

However, it is unconvincing to see Hao Du as general in the last 2 episodes. Throughout the show he had always been that lone ranger imperial guard and has always been working alone. He had shown no military prowess before this other than his brawn as an imperial guard. Pretty ridiculous to see him donning the general hat all of a sudden. So yeah maybe after being Prince Consort he’s given an army of his own, but to lead one as general is rather unconvincing. Just doesnt go in line with his character at all. It is more believable if it was Changge leading the troop to intercept Princess Yicheng’s fake carriage, she had always shown to be a military strategist and have actually fought in battles.

Leo Wu has proven he’s no longer that actor with a babyface. I was not convinced in the earlier episodes, but his look as a fierce general kinda grows into you.

All in all the show as a whole does not disappoint. A plus plus for having a happy ending too. This covered up for the loss of star in music score. After A Journey to Love, I’m so sick of tragic endings already. Is it worth a rewatch? I wrote this review after a rewatch, so yeah definitely worth it.

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Powerful, mind-twisting and passionate drama!

Dwelling in the past only brings trouble, people come and go but you trust the new that is the future. This drama captures military strategies and depicts the fight against kingdoms so beautifully. I was intensely involved in how the leaders were making decisions and how Changge(FL) was coming up with interesting ideas. I personally love strategies and problem solving and this drama showed it really well and nicely executed. However, many claim to stay just for romance and forwarded a lot.
Here, comes the other side, the romance of the leads wasn't that involving. Although I loved the initial part of drama, slowly it started losing its color and became dull. At this moment the second leads picked up the romance and it was worth watching because it was so fricking lovely. (Flash alert: These 2 have an upcoming drama in 2024 which is super exciting as their chemistry was just out of the world)
Acting:
I felt the acting in this drama required a lot of emotions and facial expressions and each character play their role well which is not the case with most dramas.
Story:
I loved the storyline but somewhere near 35ish ep I started feeling same strategies being repeated, characters being purposely killed which really wasn't necessary but just screentime. So i found myself forwarding in the end but the second leads romance always grabbed my eye.
On a side note, I also loved the FLs character development because they show how rage can sometimes blind you from making the right choice and end up hurting the ones you love. It was beautiful, lot to learn and grasp. The ML was just there tho, its just shown he fell hard for her and nothing more, this could have been developed better,

Overall:
Its a great drama, unlike most cheesy dramas (which im not a fan of like story of minglan or ashes of love which just show blind love and not focus on other aspects of life because the world just revolves around the 2 leads which does not resonate with me). This one was a bit real, although it lost that interest towards end specific to the leads but the rest storylines and characters, the strategies, the dialogues teach so many life lessons like moving on, what true love feels like (loves you for you) and how to take advantage of making the right decisions. I would highly recommend to watch this worth a watch historical drama. It felt hard to remember places and names but it helped me improve my memory power and focus i guess xD.

Don't look back if you're looking for a intense historical drama, this is the right one!

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Great Epic production. Loved the 2nd leads

The Long Ballad is an epic historical drama that delivers on all fronts: a compelling story, fantastic acting, and stunning production. The show masterfully weaves together political intrigue, warfare, and a deep, emotional character journey.
While the main leads, Dilraba Dilmurat and Leo Wu, deliver exceptional performances, the supporting cast truly shines. The on-screen chemistry and complex relationship between the second leads, played by Zhao Lusi and Liu Yuning, are a definite highlight. Their character development is a journey you won't want to miss.

One of the show's biggest strengths is its focus on character growth. Each character, from the main protagonist to the supporting cast, undergoes a significant transformation. You get to see them evolve and mature as they face challenges, which makes their stories feel rich and authentic. The drama's high-quality production, from the beautiful cinematography to the elaborate costumes and sets, adds another layer of depth, making it a must-watch for any fan of the genre.

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Nice female leads

I loved this drama unexpectedly. I loved both the fls here. Both were strong n had such a nice ckt arc where they grew as ckts individually due to the hardships they faced. I loved dilraba n wu lies chemistry too n loved their pair but sadly it had less of romance story of them n so I ended up feeling robbed off as the drama isnt abt romance much. But still it was enjoyable. Unpopular opinion but I didn't like hao du as ckt or with Zhao lusi as her love interest. He wasn't given a proper arc or reason to fall in love with yong in. He was jst obsessed with following his father's order to kill yongan, then suddenly realised he loves yongin after going in search of her🥴, maybe the need to find her safe made his protective side to feel he is in love with her or something.. Anyway, we move. I loved Shers ckt too, wanted to see more bromance scenes between sher n Sun. All in all a long n slow but interesting drama, I may not rewatch but enjoyed watching it nonetheless. Oh, Leo wu looked absolutely breathtaking with Ashile tribe getup n added the charm to the show. 🥰

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Love it and Hate it

The Long Ballad is a story about a talented princess and her growth over the course of 49 episodes. Her journey starts out as one seeking revenge, and then it develops into something more. She is both the central figure of the story, and the highlight of it.

The story begins by portraying her as very talented both in martial arts and strategy. It would be easy to describe her as even being a little too perfect. It quickly humanizes her though, displaying her naivety and ignorance of the world. She is talented and smart, but she is not invincible or all knowing. Her journey forces her to face many hardships and grow as an individual as she faces the realities of common people.

Overall Princess Changge is an intriguing character, and Dilraba Dilmurat does a fine job in the role.

The negatives with this show are entirely related to the completely perfect male lead. In fact, calling him perfect is too modest. He's the best at martial arts, archery, strategy, cunning, courage, care for others, etc...He's so perfect that it is barely an inconvenience for him to go out of his way to save to FL no matter the circumstances. He has a lot going for him, but essentially he is a 1-dimensional character. That 1 dimension is perfection.

Consequently, the Long Ballad is the story of Changge and her journey. The story tells us that we should expect a lot out of her, but then it FREQUENTLY presents opportunities to put her in danger that only the ML can save her from.

The romance also fell flat. Part of this is related to how perfect the ML was, but there also just was not a lot of chemistry between the two characters. I started to dread any scene that featured both leads together.

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This drama is the reason I'm not giving up on Chinese historical romances

After having watched two historical cdramas before and being thoroughly annoyed with them, I was starting to think that the problem was just me,the common denominator, but this drama proved me wrong.

I thoroughly enjoyed the title. Yes, it had its moments of frustration and bad decisions (mostly on part of the FL), I recognise that they were in fact used as a plot device and build up and in a very effective manner, might I add. Few points:

1. The plot and the storyline was strong - 49 episodes and not once did I think it was dragging. The writers knew what they wanted to show and did not deviate, kudos to that.
2. The acting was stellar from the leads, the side characters and the villains alike. I found myself absolutely immersed in the story and that is something that hasn't been happening to me a lot recently.
3. Most, if not all, characters turn out to be wholesome unlike the other dramas that I watched where I hated pretty much everybody(yes, including the leads):
The male lead was consistent to his character throughout the run of the show and the charisma Leo Wu brought to the role was just *chef's kiss*.
Zhao Lusi did an incredible job playing Le Yan, especially considering how much I hate such characters usually. Both the writing and the acting of the character made her emerge as an extremely endearing character.
The character arc our dear Hao Du got has got to be one of my favourites recently. He had one of the realest and most wholesome character development and the transition of the cold blooded general to our adorable prince consort was super cute.
The only little qualms that I have are with the female lead. She literally had a foundation to be a strong, independent and smart lady but she was dumbed down to a damsel in distress so bad. Even when I did not know about the existence of the manhwa I felt this, and the feeling only amplifies once I did get to knw about it thought the comments. It would've been nice to have the entire gaining respect through actions before people finding out she's a woman arc. Plus the ending really did irk me, she had to be saved by the ML yet again, like character development where? It was very obvious that while the showmakers wanted to appeal the FL as a strong and smart war strategist, they couldn't let go of the cliche 'saved by the ML' trope. But still, I never once found myself to be hating her. I was rooting for her improvement and survival throughout. Plus, Dilraba playing the character could never make me hate her.

4. All in all, I enjoyed the run of this drama - it was well directed, well casted and well implemented. Though I would've preferred them truely following the manhwa a bit more, I'm not salty about it.

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