best costume drama of 2021 so far
story - 10/10the story is not based on the love story of the leads and was super interesting itself. i liked how almost every character was explained well, so there was not anything unreasonable in the series and you can not directly tell who is black and who is white. another thing to mention is that the drama was not dragged, which is an uncommon thing for chinese costume dramas.
acting/cast - 10/10
overall acting was amazing, and i'm gonna say a few words about the main characters:
changge - i was not a big fan of dilraba, but i really loved her there.
a'sun - it is my first drama of wu lei, and he did so good (i mean, who didn't cry on alir's death scene?). from cold and introverted general to an actually caring and sentimental person, his character development is underrated.
le yan - the biggest character development there. from a shy and timid girl to a matured and caring princess. also, the most kind-hearted person out there: even when she faced all that hardship, she never let hatred to take over her mind and remembered only good in people. even if she is not physically strong, i think she has a strong personality. as always, the role suited zhao lusi so well and she had a great chemistry with hao du.
hao du - as a person who initially started watching because of lyn, i totally fell in love with hao du there. hao du was a person who hides his feeling deep inside himself and i find him really selfless (not only his love for leyan, but also the fact that he placed his adoptive father's orders above his values), and liu yuning did really AMAZING, i mean, all these microexpressions---
and as for wei shuyu, one of the few characters that i didn't like. he is indeed spineless, but i can understand him, as it was quite a common thing for the member of a political family at that time tho.
i also liked the side characters as well, my favs were li shimin, du ruhui, a'dou :_), gongsun heng, mu jin, xu feng, etc etc etc (even she'er). it is the first time for me when i liked almost all characters sm, feels like i can write mini essay about each of them, lol.
music - 10/10
osts for this show were extremely good, i mean we had zhou shen, sa dingding and liu yuning for this. i especially loved "cocoon", "a love like before" and "falling sand", they suited the drama so well and helped to understand the characters. personally, i liked all ost's of the drama, and all six of them are in my playist now.
rewatch value: 10/10
it is the best costume drama of 2021 for me so far and i'm surely gonna rewatch it number of times for sure (been doing it whike waiting for new series to air). mb one thing which was quite annoying was cartoon scenes lol.
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Good story and perfect actor
Story is female lead story that is very empower women !Story
The story is a good consistent of situations. The circumstances happen with female in this story is very pity but as a result is very powerful. I think this drama show the real human are, what will they do if they face some situation. It made me feel reflect to myself as well. Every characters are growing not flat. Especially two female lead characters.
Actor/ actress
I like Delileba and Zhao Lusi from many drama and this drama they show perfectly improvement. Lusi from previous drama is lively and funny but this drama she can change the characters of herself completely. For male lead is good, handsome and clever. However, I don’t think that main couple have good chemistry but another couple is good chemistry. Overall of actors of his drama is good everyone can show the mood and expression well.
I minus one point because some scene should using people not cartoon.
Last, this drama is good, exciting every ep and all actor are perfect including you will learn many thing from it !! Don’t miss this it.
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This review may contain spoilers
Chang Ge Xing
Tsuyu-SEI's Review !I MADE AN ACCOUNT TO WRITE THIS TODAY !
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As a manhua-reader :
I actually cannot believe I've finished watching this. I still remember first reading the manhua and being absolutely stunned but the art and interesting storyline. I was so saddened by the fact that there was a complication and the manhua had to dropped. Then fast forward a few years later, this actually became a live-action. I've never been so happy to be able to see one of my most most favorite manhua get made into a drama TwT////
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Storyline Pacing :
Overall great pacing and each episode seemed well planned and didn't play on too much cliffhanger feel, it was rather straightforward and the way the war strategies were explained were also easy to understand.
For the first part of the plot, it was slightly weird to see them play kind of football/soccer ? I do wish they hadn't tried pushing the main leads to meet so early as it was much more interesting in the manhua where Changge is able to show her intelligence to Sun and they became "brothers". It was much more realistic build-up to their relationship for me.
They would have met after the war in "Shouzhou" and it would have showed how Changge was able to handle and take care of herself in tough situations even without Sun's help but I guess they wanted to put the main leads together early or it may have been the author's input or so.
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Character:
The changes in the characters as the story progresses is great ! I loved the selection of cast, each handled their role well !The way the main couple respects each other is so lovely !
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Plot : As there was never a conclusion in manhua, the way they wrapped it up and the ending of the drama is really perfect for me. They showed with the "Khatun" of a side that Changge could've have become had she kept going for revenge, but they also added in how she didn't just give up her revenge, but she was able to find out the truth and learn from it.
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Bad Scene : The " parrots " scene was reaalllyyy weird ! I think a fade out would have been better than watching that.....
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Good Scene / Favorites : The scene where changge says " uncle " is the best for me, they really did it so so perfectly ! I loved the tension of the scene !
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Ost : Godbless the songs, they're sooooo gooooood !!! really wonderful and the added sounds for all the scenes were so well done !
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Extras : I actually really liked how it wasn't too in your face, lovey-dovey for changge and sun but it was sprinkled here and there ! Though there was a bit much on the side couples ? I did feel it dragged a bit to add so many scenes for these, I wished the budget could have went to the fight scenes and costumes because I did feel they cut costs on that.
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One of the best Ancient drama for me! Chang Ge and Sun, I miss you!
I never thought that 49 episodes is not enough for an ancient drama, I always try my best to stay away from Chinese Ancient dramas as they're too long, tedious, traumatic and sometimes boring. But who would've thought that I enjoyed, loved and appreciated all of the 49 episodes of this series. Not an episode did I skipped nor fast forwarded as I find it tedious nor boring! Every episode is interesting, breathtaking, will leave you off edge and wanting for more! I laugh, cry, got scared for them, angry and frustrated and just simply amazed and excited for this series. It's my 2nd time watching Reba's drama (from YMG to this) and 1st time watching Leo! Such a powerful couple and fitted with their respective roles. They both give their characters depth, life and just simply amazing skills in acting. I loved all their scenes together, their conversation/interactions and just mainly everything. How I appreciated all the actors in this drama, their characters, from the main cast to the supporting roles, to the villains and to the production team.You'll find Chang Ge's character at first frustrating and just wanted to smack her at times, but you'll learned to understand and appreciate where she's coming from. In the long run, she'll learn to grow and realized what's more important for her.
I love Sun, everything about him is such a dream come true. Leo gave his all in performing this character and for this, I will be a new fan of him.
I love the executions of fight scenes, it's breathtaking and exciting! It's sooo good and looks real! My gosh! Will definitely watch this again! Until then, will be missing Chang Ge and Sun.
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Best Chinese Drama. Totally awesome.
I totally enjoyed this drama. Did a marathon of 49 episodes. I have never been addicted or rewatched any Chinese dramas but I did for The Long Ballad. All the pros and cons have been written on other reviews so Im not going to write them again. But there weren't any cons for me because I totally love it. I totally love the animation part too. It is something different and I think it is a wise choice too since we are in the middle of pandemic. Although there were no hot or sweet kiss scenes from both leads but I actually love the chemistry between both leads. They way they look at each other, the love, the trust, the faith, the understanding, loyalty they have for each other make all the lovey dovey scenes insignificant because they are already on another level where they trust each other with their lives.I recommended this drama to my mother in law and she totally loved it. She is now asking for a drama similar and as enjoyable as The Long Ballad. She did a marathon of 49episodes as well. After watching this, other dramas seem mediocre to me now.
Those who haven't watch The Long Ballad, it is a MUST Watch. Thanks to all the cast and team involved in this drama. I initially watch this for Dilraba but totally fell for Wu Lei's acting despite his young age. He is one talented actor.
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A beautiful journey!
I really felt taken in by this story. Loss and hardship countered by the resilience of the human heart when it is met with support and care. I found it entirely relatable and so wonderfully woven through all the story lines that were unfolding.The entire cast deserves a BIG shout out for expressing the myriad of challenges involved in growing up, slowly gaining grace and wisdom and ultimately how to let go of past grievances. I didn't feel is was overly heavy handed in getting those messages across. For me it was just the right amount of seriousness, tension and intrigue. Normally I do enjoy lots of the lovey dovey moments in the shows I choose but this one was completely okay with me being just how it was. The love and affection was inherent through their actions and did not require it to be in the spotlight. It all just came together so well and I loved the overall story as well as all the complimentary characters with their own challenges.
The soundtrack was spectacular and spot on. I'm listening to it as I write this review and I can say for me they absolutely NAILED the tone and vibe of ALL the moods and moments. It just flowed and supported the story so perfectly.
Overall the outfits were great and I tell you Ashile Sun in his full Eagle tribe regalia was stunning. Well done young man! You won my heart in Nirvana In Fire and I am SO happy to see you've come into your own in such a complex and courageous role. Of course Li Changge was equally lovely but it was even better to see her as a fierce, spirited and wounded soul who found her way through despite all the difficulties from within and around her. I loved seeing her grow and learn because then her physical beauty was matched by her glorious heart and spirit. I have to confess that I entirely fell in love with Hao Du's rather difficult and confusing path. I have another actor to keep an eye on which is always lovely to come away with because ending my time spent with these characters is rough. I wanted to keep watching them all live their good lives. Alas...
The scenery was spectacular, smooth transitions through the various areas. The pace felt just right...not too fast and didn't drag. I enjoyed the fighting scenes and the way the battles were depicted, very new and fresh to me.
I really am glad I watched this series and I think everyone involved did an excellent job of putting together a really good quality experience!
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A Solid Female-centric Historical Piece
The main reason I started on this show was for Reba & Lusi because they both are pretty good when it comes to acting. I have seen Leo in some of his past works, mostly as child counterpart, so I was curious to see how his transition would be here as well. For Yuning, I had never watched any of his works. I had only followed his songs closely as he is one of the household names when it comes to OST. Hence, it was a pleasant surprise watch him act.Story
I guess most of the reviews had gave a summary of the entire story. I came in with not much knowledge about the history, but from the portrayal, it was evident that Li Shi Min was a great King. The story revolves around Changge's ambitions for revenge at the start when her family was killed in the Xuan Wu Men troupe. Li Shi Min then ascended the throne and while he adored Changge as one of his own, his people are concerned of Changge's existence as a potential threat to the Tang Dynasty. We can see how Changge grew through her adventures from her ordeals in the different states and how she comes to a conclusion herself that her so-called revenge isn't the best option. While she did not fully reconciled with Li Shi Min, she acknowledged his abilities as a King and eventually gave up on her assassination for the greater good of Tang. Her pairing with Leo was cute, but I was hoping there was more deeper scenes between their interactions. I do understand this is a female centric drama revolving around history and fighting for a peaceful era, hence there were lesser background development for some of the male leads in this drama I feel. Overall, the main lead portrayed their roles really well, I will just think that it's the lack of episodes that is limiting their romantic development (though they of course ended up with e/o in the end).
I personally felt the most wholesome developed character will be Leyan. From an innocent and timid Sheriff, to Tang's Princess overnight. I really enjoyed her scenes with Changge and their sisterly bond really touched me. I am glad they didn't let their family fued get in the way of their relationship in the end. Leyan was timid but brave and her transition was evident from the experiences and ordeals she faced as a refugee. She came to realize the importance of her title and vowed to become a great princess for the people of Tang. I personally felt her loveline was the most wholesome and complete one out of the 3 CPs in this drama. She started of having a crush for Shuyu and ended up realizing the one she truly love was Haodou. I guess it's the contrast in their personalities that made them such a good couple despite their limited screentime in the series. Haodou also had his growth from an emotionless, unopinionated imperial guard to someone who can make decisions for himself and eventually able to be with the one he loves. His inferior complex and of course Shuyu had gotten in the way of his feelings for Leyan, otherwise I believed they would have ended up earlier together. Overall, i think Yuning acted out his role on point despite being relatively new in this industry and I really enjoyed his scenes with his father & Leyan. Having watch a few of Lusi's drama, I enjoyed her character portrayal as I have never seen her in a character like this. I really liked Leyan's character as she was an extra character that wasn't included in the novel, but enjoyed the one of the most wholeseome development from all aspects.
Probably the only awkward part I felt for the show will be the use of animations. I fully understand that the rational behind this was to pay tribute to the manhwa author and of course because filming took place during trying times. but i felt, they could have lessen these as it was pretty anti-climatic. Also, i did felt a tad awkward for the 3rd CP whom was the only one that had a "real" kiss scene. somehow i am thankful that the other 2 CP had not had a "real" kiss scene since the 3rd CP ended up being the only one with bad ending lol.
Overall, I would say it's a good watch. It is really a classic female centric story and all the characters are written for a purpose for Changge's growth and development. I personally hope the 2 main couples will have another chance for collaboration in a less historically heavy series because their chemistry is simply over the roof!
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A very compelling storyline with a great cast
***SPOILER ALERT, PROCEED READING AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION***I didn't have any expectations for The Long Ballad because I stumbled across the drama without knowing anything about it; however, the storyline really blew me away. This drama took many unexpected turns and it really kept me on my toes the entire time. At first, the assassination of Li Changge's family and her struggle to survive for revenge drew me in. As the story progresses, we witness the growth of Changge as she realizes the consequences of pursuing her revenge plot. This is one reason why I enjoyed watching this drama so much, there are many lessons to be learned and someone has to bear the consequences of every action. It's not only a story of great victories but also of great loss.
I also appreciate that although the plot follows Changge, we are introduced to a lot of incredibly virtuous and charming characters. Each of these characters have their own struggles and as we witness their sacrifices, we learn the depth of one's love for their family, for their lover, or for their country. Later, Changge understands that her love for her country is greater than her resentment and this holds her back from taking catastrophic actions before finding out the truth about her family's murder. It's developments like these that really keep me engrossed and we witness many among the characters throughout drama. The only tiny change I would want for the story is in the main couple's love story. Having been through thick and thin, I would have liked to see more physical affection. In my opinion, it would be more realistic for two people who are madly in love with each other to take it further than hugs and one questionable kiss.
That aside, the music was top notch. I liked many of the songs and I have to say my favorite is the one sung by Zhou Shen. His voice is majestic and I think good dramas follow him because every drama I've watched with him singing the ost was good. I also watched a bts video about the music production and the producer was very meticulous in making music that fit the drama's theme and I believe his hard work paid off because he gave us several unforgettable songs that tug at our heartstrings.
Last but not least, all of the actors did an incredible job portraying their characters. At first, I couldn't get into Rosy Zhao's character, Princess Yongan/Leyan. This is not because Rosy falls short as an actress, rather I have watched several of her dramas and bts videos in which she is nothing like the quiet, docile Leyan whom she portrays here. However, as I continued watching, her character grew on me and I was reminded again what an incredible actress she is (at such a young age too). My favorite scene of Leyan was when she reminded Hao Du of all of Changge's sacrifices for Tang dynasty. I was very impressed with Rosy's acting in that scene. I was also introduced to Leo Wu, who plays Ashile Sun, in this drama and was surprised when I found out his age (21). Likewise, he did a great job portraying his character. These two actors are a reminder that talent comes in all ages.
Needless to say, I highly recommend this drama if you're looking for an action-packed, original war story involving poverty, resentment, sacrifice, and devotion.
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This review may contain spoilers
I have watched a lot of historical dramas but only some have such a satisfying storyline. From episode 1, you know you are in for the best stuff. Li Chang Ge's entry and Ashile Sun's dominating vibe....such amazing actors. Leo's acting in this drama was really really good. He acted out every scene perfectly. His character didn't have major changes personality wise. He liked Li Chang Ge from the very beginning therefore he did everything for. His way was just the way he thought was best. But I have to say that the fact he is willing to change and leave so much behind for her was very touching. He made her his slave but then he became her guard. He went searching for her after episode 26 and then she went to rescue him at the end. The balance in their relationship was very equal. They hurt each other unintentionally but made up for all the bad and even the good. I loved Sun's expressions, his jealousy and specially his soft side for his love.Li Chang Ge's character had big changes. The free and outgoing princess changed to a revengeful, strong-minded warrior. There were some parts where she made mistakes but in my opinion they were needed for her to realise that revenge won't get her anywhere. Even though the emperor didn't kill her mother, she let go of her revenge without knowing this. Whatever happened because of her at the Ashile camp was a turning point for her. She became so mature since then. Then we ended up with a Chang Ge who only cared about her loved ones and thought things through before taking action.
I always felt bad for Hao Du but honestly they couldn't have given him a better storyline than to let him and Leyan get married.
I'm glad they didn't show the main leads living a life in the countryside like they were going to because both the ML and the FL are good at what they do. They are totally capable to be the leaders they are and still live a peaceful life together.
I can carry on and on forever but I'll stop here.
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Historical Genre at its Finest
The Long Ballad is easily one of the best historical dramas. Loosely based on Li Shimin’s rise to power, the story follows fictional Princess Li Changge’s banishment from the capital. After the Xuanwu Gate incident (real historical event), she loses her parents and regality. To avenge her family and reclaim power, she embarks on an arduous journey. Along the way, she encounters issues that threaten the welfare of her people. She plunges into an endless series of military operations and political maneuvers. In the show, Changge remarks that “by saving others, I am saving myself”.Li Changge’s development is what makes the show so valuable to watch. Through her decision-making skills and profound leadership, she becomes an extraordinarily endearing main character. Changge is played by Dilraba Dilmurat, who perfectly portrays the exiled princess. Additionally, the male lead Wu Lei makes a lasting impression as ASun, the steadfast Tegin. Other amazing characters include Sher, Hao Du, Li Shimin, Du Ruhui, and Princess Yicheng.
The relationships in this drama is best described as refreshing. Unlike other shows, there are no misunderstandings that drag on forever. Changge and ASun may not be the cliche “romantic” couple, but the mature dynamic matches their personalities. The scenes between parent-child and mentor-mentee are incredibly heartwarming. Some noteworthy examples are Changge and Li Shimin, ASun and Yanli, Sher and Yicheng, Hao Du and Du Ruhui. I even find the relationship between Changge and Yicheng to be very interesting as the two characters mirror one another.
While I have heavily enjoyed watching The Long Ballad, there are some flaws. I am not a fan of Mimi Guli and wish that her character could have less screentime. The manga drawings are okay but a bit comical at times. I appreciate the mature relationship between Changge and ASun but would prefer some more romantic scenes between the two. However, these issues are minor. I still give the show a high rating because of the life lessons learned from Changge’s pivotal adventure.
Lastly, I want to give a special shout-out to the amazing OST. The music team has produced an epically beautiful selection of songs. Zhang Bicheng’s “Direction of the Light” resembles a battle song but surprisingly can serve as a healing instrumental for some scenes. Liu Yuning’s “One Love as Always” nicely complements his scenes with Zhao Lusi. Zhou Shen’s Cocoon is my favorite ballad of this year. The song can represent Changge’s emotional turmoil, her unwavering love for ASun, or her hope for eternal peace.
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A Very Compelling Historical Drama
I mainly watch modern cdramas, so for a historical drama this long to actually stick is a rare event.The Long Ballad was not perfect, but it was pretty close to it. Each character has an enormous and very evident arc throughout the story, each one very different from the last. That kept me hooked even when the focus was away from the main characters.
The romance was not really a part of the story, and it didn't need to be. After doing some research on why the leads never kissed, I was more lenient about the directors choice to leave that out. Even so, the subtle interactions between couples were so precious and really helped move the story.
The plot was also an amazing addition to the drama. The several elements incorporated into the story really helped move it along. It was fast paced, but not enough for the viewer to fall behind. No storyline was continued for too long, and most loose ends were tied. I also loved to see a strong female lead and the other female lead become super strong over the course of her story arc. The male lead also did an amazing job. I loved Wu Lei's acting. Additionally, Liu Yu Ning's character (Hao Du) had an excellent story arc, his arguably being the most surprising. It was so exciting to see his character grow to care about more beyond his role in the palace. The writers really didn't fail to keep things interesting at all times!
I was constantly looking forward to the next episode. The production was a tiny, tiny bit below what it should have been at times, but not enough to be noticeable. I did see some editing discontinuities from time to time, and a few music issues as well. Aside from that, it was flawless.
This historical is definitely going down as a top 2021 drama, and everyone should definitely give it a watch!
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ONE OF THE BEST DRAMAS??
The Long Ballad, adapted from a popular manga, tells the story of Li Chang Ge (played by "Dilraba"), she's a princess of Tang Empire, and this drama tells about the misunderstanding she had, and because of it, she had to go far, far away from home, and she discovers the true meaning of friendship, faith, loyalty, sacrifice, love. Thereafter, She meets Ashile Sun (played by "Leo Wu) and she gets tangled into a vicious circle of politics [ more of a mess for me]. Long adventure with new people and full of dangers, new challenges, well her character is real brave and stubborn.ROMANCE>>>
Slow burn, I will say this that even though it was slow burn and we didn't got to see much between them but, it was beautiful. He's always so caring, protective of her, while she's the type to run away again and again and again. He was so jealous when she was with Sher [his brother]. But Iiked it overall.
CAST>>>>
Amazing cast and their acting superb, I got to see my 3 favourite actors in a single drama, I can't ask for more. And the characters like SHER, they made it real interesting. HAO DU his character being strong, adding that the ost was sung by him, worth it.
OST , SOUND EFFECTS>>>>
The most interesting part of this drama was the background music, OST was real good, the music was fit for every scene.
I love listening to all types of music, so I added another track in my fav's.
CHOREOGRAPHY>>>>
The acting for the CUJU game was awesome, the director did a good job there, archery scenes, horse riding scenes, sword fighting, and all the fighting scenes, satisfying 100% , since I am a fan of action genre. 1st episode and CUJU game, I totally got immersed in it. Hitting the ball by head and, a perfect kick score goal, those strategies , movements with hands , fist.
The outfits were really attractive, like I was wishing for, that they would wear the grassland attire in the whole 49 episodes.
MY REVIEW IS SHORT BECAUSE I'M NOT GOOD WITH WORDS, SO I CAN'T EXPRESS MY FEELINGS ABOUT THIS DRAMA MUCH,
BUT ONE THING FOR SURE NO FAN WILL REGRET WATCHING THIS DRAMA, FANTASTIC DRAMA.
Thank you for reading>>>>>
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