Who Rules the World (2022)

The Actors saved the day!

The story itself was crappy. The direction, screen writing, production was shoddy. I don't know what the original novel was like, but if it was anything like this, I wouldn't have read it either. That being said, what carried this drama for me and what made me watch it to the end (albeit fast-forwarding through a lot of the fight and political arguing scenes) was definitely Yang Yang, and then in addition, Zhou Lusi, and a fine cast of actors who did a phenomenal job. You liked the good ones, and you detested the bad ones. The interactions were believable and well done.

Some of the reviews made me take a look at the chemistry between the ML & FL - and I am glad I gave it my own chance and didn't follow those opinions. I like how their relationship evolved and there was such an ease of progression in the development of their bond. Without saying a word, they could relay their emotions and feelings for each other. The subtle changes in expression for each of them said so much (if one was paying attention). Some complained about the way the main villain died, but I thought it was pretty well done. Not overdone.

I can't say enough how Yang Yang made this drama work for me. I will watch him in anything (historical romance preferred). In fact, I'd probably watch him simply standing still!

Read More

What attracted me to this drama was the ending song. I so in love with it. Then I decided to see the drama which thankfully I don't regret at all. I really loved the story however there were many parts I believe required elaboration to add flavour to the story. What can I say about my favourite main actors, their acting was beautiful. Never felt bored watching every detail of the story except the ending felt a bit "rushy" and was missing something but no problem it didn't effect the main story. The music is so beautiful too. The ending is not what I was actually expecting it to be, however I enjoyed the drama in general. It is worth watching.

Read More

it's a masterpiece

it's not the typical romance story, of course it contains struggles of the lead characters in order to achieve their goals in life. Their character is literally so sweet to each other, they have no score nor label but they knew what their hearts shouts. The end didn't dissapoint me but it feels like it lacks. and lusi's crying scene I honestly didn't feel it. Maybe that's because she is portraying a very different character than her past dramas before or everything happened so fast?. still it was a masterpiece the chemistry between the two of them is unexpected. I feel like the whole story ended so fast😭

Read More

Great heroine but somewhat messy execution

My favorite part of this show was Bai Fengxi, the female lead. She is a rare FL who is actually as strong and capable as her ML, even in fighting. I enjoyed watching her kick butt, handle situations, and be properly appreciated by her ML.

I very much enjoyed the first part of the show showing their adventures in the Jianghu. After that, they settle down in town for a while as court politics play out. Some people complain about the political arcs and I agree they are less interesting, but I found them still fun enough to watch. Unfortunately BFX is slightly sidelined here but I was always happily waiting for her to show up again.

Around halfway through is I believe when there was a shakeup in the crew and a bunch of people left. One unfortunate casualty must have been the choreographer because the great fight scenes of the first half are no more, replaced by some seriously lame sequences.

There are also some poorly explained plot devices, inconsistences, and logic holes, which seem worse in the second half. But since the script should be written before filming, I don’t think these are a product of the internal crisis. The plot holes are not as bad as some other dramas, I just always find it interesting how they can turn a book that makes sense into a drama that doesn’t.

I think dramas and their novels should be treated as separate entities, but in this case I do think some of the confusion and inconsistency comes from trying to hang onto some things from the novel while changing others. For instance, a lot of the novel centers on the rather complicated dynamic between the ML and FL. In the drama, Hei Fengxi has been edited to be more “likeable” and their relationship is simplified, which left me puzzling over things like why they are suddenly getting together now after 10 years of knowing each other, or the entire Hua Chunran story arc (which should have happened before they got together). Getting them together earlier is fan service at the expense of some logic, which I guess is ok. But if they are going to make a bunch of stuff up anyways (like all the palace politics), they could have done a better job.

For better or worse, they also added an evil mastermind villain for us all to hate. Personally I feel this cheapens the story a bit, turning it into another trite good-vs-evil deal. But it does reduce emotional turmoil for all of us audience.

Acting wise, I think Zhao Lusi captured BFX’s free spirit pretty well. Yang Yang always plays a certain kind of character, which just happened to be perfectly suited for this one. For the first half, the martial arts were solid, good choreography and technique from both of them. There is a part in the middle where they do solo forms, and it was fun to watch their different styles. Never mind that I had no idea what skill they were learning or why they were doing these forms.

If we overlook some garbled logic, this is still a fun watch, right up until the mess of the ending. They crammed the second half of the novel into 5 episodes. Granted, this was the less enjoyable half of the novel, however rushing through it without proper development didn’t help.

Also, FWIW, I thought the styling on this show was quite bad. All of the actors (especially male) looked a bit worse than they have in other dramas. Something about the helmet hair, or maybe it’s the makeup. This was one of the first Cdramas I watched and I was honestly surprised to see some of the same actors later, in other dramas, looking much better.

ENDING – READ AHEAD ONLY IF YOU WANT TO KNOW, CONTAINS SPOILERS





This show had a rushed and unsatisfying ending that could probably be considered bittersweet. They emerge alive but with a huge asterisk. It did not leave me feeling very happy.

In my head, I just sort of ignore the last two episodes. Whenever a show does “three years later”, I sort of roll my eyes. And without proper development and buildup, momentous occurrences feel cheap. The final battle lasting only a few minutes is not my major quibble, but still a good example of why the ending (and last few episodes) felt cheap.

Sometimes I read the book and/or its epilogues to get more closure. In this case, the novel ends a bit happier (without aforementioned asterisk), but I also found one of its epilogues to be super upsetting, so… not sure I would recommend the novel to bring happiness.

Read More

Great Production, Decent Storyline, Max Enjoyability

I had high hopes coming into this drama. I usually don't start watching dramas until they're completed, but I took a chance on this and yep, I have no regrets.

First of all, the production value of this drama was top notch. Everything looked great - loved all the different costumes and the sets, and it really helped set the mood throughout the whole series.

Second of all, I absolutely loved the FL. Honestly, if you're a fan of strong FLs, I would give this drama a chance because this definitely fits the bill. FL isn't the type of "strong" FL where they claim she's strong and then somehow somewhere down the line, 10 episodes in, you have the ML having to save her every other episode (an exaggeration, but you get my point). Nope, this FL holds her own throughout the whole drama, and is on par with the ML every step of the way, whether it's physically or intellectually. There were times where I thought, oh no, they're going to have her fall into the trap or oh, she's going to get saved by someone, but NOPE, she actually fucking figures it out and gets the job done herself.

This has now become my favourite drama of Yang Yang and Lusi so far. Yang Yang especially, stood out for me in this show and now I need him to do 500 other wuxia/xianxia because he is perfect in these types of roles. Chemistry between him and Lusi was great, so much so that I could deal with some Very Questionable Plot Points just because I was so invested in the two of them lol.

Also, bonus points for NO LOVE TRIANGLE. Hell yeah. There was a point where I thought they were headed to one with Feng Xiwu, but she became best friends with FL instead and was actually so genuinely supportive and kind to FL. A miracle!

All in all, it's a fantastic drama for me, highly enjoyable with engaging characters that I loved. Worth my time, and worth the watch.

Read More

Everything was good until.....

To be frank, it's been a long time since I last watch full episodes of Chinese drama and this is my first time watching Yang Yang as a Male Lead. My impression of him as Feng Lanxi/Hei Fengxi was none other than GREAT! He got complete package from good looks to amazing acting skills, and I will definitely want to watch his performance in every drama he participated moving forward.

I would actually give 10/10 for the overall rating except I was a bit disappointed (actually it breaks my heart) with the way they end such an almost perfect Male Lead character with just 10 years of remaining life to live and for making him not taking the throne that was rightfully his but instead handed it to Huang Chao, King of Yizhou and husband of Hua Chunran. It is very clear to everyone that Feng Lanxi and Feng Xiyun will make much better Emperor and Empress for the world they have been fighting for, even though he only have few years left to live. They are better in every aspect from characters, abilities, network (Fountain Abode and Jiang Hu engagement). Worst scenario if Lan Xi cannot make it after 10 years, he may at least leave the country in a safe hand which is Feng Xiyun's who is capable of being the best female ruler after her predecessor (as been told since the beginning of the story).

Even if they decided to live a secluded life because of Lanxi's condition afterward, Feng Lanxi and Feng Xiyun legacy can then be passed on to their son who will definitely be a better heir having both parents so outstanding in terms of skills and character than any Huang Chao's son can ever be (again considering Chunran as his spouse to contribute). The ending I must say is the only thing that hold me back from giving 10/10, the rest are nothing but perfect. Yang Yang and Zhao Lusi, their chemistry are extremely good as the Male and Female Lead definitely. Storyline was almost perfect without the unnecessary misunderstanding, conflicts and dragging. Only how I wish the ending can be a bit different than what it was. It would then be one of the best all time favourite drama for me personally and maybe to many more audiences as well if they share the same perspective as mine.

Last but not least, this is nothing but just a humble opinion of myself. Also nevertheless, thumbs up to the writer and production team for making this wonderful manuscript successfully converted into glorious visual which is very pleasant to watch indeed. Must not been easily done or achieved, hence appreciation is a must no matter what. Thank you.

Read More

I haven't come across a Chinese drama that as good as this one for a long time.

This Chinese drama is a must watched. I can assure that this is one of the unique drama that everyone should give a try.
Plot: The plot is really amazing, it has the balance of everything from Wuxia, romance, court and politic. The drama basically focus more on romance and political struggle. There are tricks one upon another, but as I said this drama is really amazing, since you can wait for twist and turn that happen one after another. It maybe seem toxic for some but I assure you that you won't stress for too long for the problems. Another reason that I love this show so much is that it prove that "Good always triumphs over evil". However, there are some

Cast: The chemistry between Yang Yang and Zhao lusi is really strong. I must say I attached this much to the drama because of the love-line between Bai-Hei Fengxi. I love this couple, they are so powerful and their love is even greater. Yang Yang portrayed Hei Fengxi to be so lively and witty. He is just the perfect fit for the character, I really can't imagine anyone else playing this role. As for Lusi who took the role of Bai Fengxi, she also really fit with the role. A virtue, brave, smart, strong woman who is really feel content while watching her scene. This couple just make me simp so hard TT. They are really matched made in heaven.

Production: I can say that the budget on the filming is a lot and it worth the money. I love the costume the most, pretty and lavish. The cinematography is on point, it was really satisfy to watch. The decoration and scenes on each frame are organize thoroughly. The fighting scenes mostly are fun to watch and not too much CG. Generally, the production team made a good job

I highly-highly recommended this drama. <333

Read More

if you haven't watched period dramas before, this one is a good start.

I have always had a skeptical approach on period dramas. Chinese period drama was a new genre for me, So I had prepared myself for the worst. having watched some clips on YT before-hand to get myself interested in it, I started the series with an open-mind. And I suggest you do the same.
The story line over-all is a good mix or action, romance and politics. The main characters have a charm to them and have played their roles beautifully. I have not read the novel, so I cannot say what was missing from that point of view but I would have loved to see the main characters first interaction as Bai Fengxi and Hei Fengxi.
I liked how the plot evolved.
The bond of the two martial arts masters was so beautifully portrayed that I felt almost every emotion with them. The push and pull , and the support system they had, and all their flirtatious acts was very fascinating to watch. Even with all the romance going on, the plot stayed to revolve around the Imperial token and achieving the power to rule the world. The cheesiness absolutely took the second place for the plot. The show was filled with ups and downs ranging from comedy to seriousness. The director did a good job to not make it feel out of the place but at their perfect place.
The production did not looked staged and was so smooth that made me question by bias towards period drama, specially of dramas with martial arts. The set all over the series were beautifully picked and gave off a majestic but calm feeling. The wardrobe always seemed to match the mood of the scenes nicely. I would find myself sometimes being mesmerized in someone's robe or the hairdo.
Over-all the series was a good watch, the actors did not disappoint neither did the plot nor the direction. I did not see the ending coming, I was hoping for a married life with kids in the end ,even if Lanxi died , Xiyun raising the kids on her own like the boss lady she is and ruling the world. Well we can't always get what we want, it was satisfying. I laughed a lot, Cried a lot and enjoyed a whole lot.

Read More

Their love towards martial arts !!

Their presentation of martial arts, being most powerful people and their love is truly amazing. This drama made me cry more than twice and I re-watched it. I hope that they can cast another drama because they look so cute together. Only thing which I didn't like about this series is the last part where he looses half of his life (i won't tell the reason for that!!). We can't skip any part because there are few minute points to be noted which will be useful later. Lusi and Yang yang is my favourite actors and there was a time when I wished and prayed for them to cast together in a series, after they announced about this series i was eagerly waiting and they presented one of the best piece ever in my opinion. TBH i loved it more than any series i have watched so far.

Read More

Enjoyable fantasy/alternative world watch

In my personal rating system of "loved," "liked," "meh," and "nah," this rates a "liked" with potential to rewatch.

I watched this steadily and without any time spent "on hold" (which is rare for me). I enjoyed both ML and FL in their roles. I enjoyed the costumes, the sets, the world-building (is this an alternative history wuxia or a true fantasy?), the music. The leads relationship was positive, supportive, and absent of stupid misunderstandings and sacrifices*.

Thanks to the nice discussion started by @CloudA, we find out, however, that the story is a little different in that the book is written mostly about FL and her adventures in the pugilistic world instead of the actual drama which is mostly about ML and his political adventures. That is disappointing to me because, while I enjoyed the drama, I think it would have rated a "loved" if it had been focused on FL instead. The only thing I did not mind was Yu Wu Yuan being the antagonist in this (versus the book, from what I understand), as he did well in that role. I always enjoy watching Leon Lai--I feel like he's starting to play more support roles where he is someone in power. He has a pretty commanding presence on screen (and he's nice to look at...:D).

There were things I did not quite understand/plot holes. For example, why did Bai Fengxi use "I don't want to be an empress" as her excuse to reject Huang Chao's proposal when she totally supported Hei Fengxi's plan to conquer the world? (Which, of course, would have landed her as empress...). (Though her objection about concubines and consorts was totally legit!). Why did Hei Fengxi fight Huang Chao to a stalemate (which btw STILL resulted in loss of life even if they tried to keep civilians out of it) and then suddenly give up and be all "nevermind, I'm fine with you being emperor"? How could Bai/Hei Fengxi take only ten years to become the most powerful martial artists in the entire land? Doesn't it take decades for that level of cultivation to be reached? And how old exactly where they when they started? (On the one hand, that never got clarified, on the other, I don't really mind). Why did Bai Fengxi's "little sister" suddenly accuse her of murder after having grown up with her? She should have known that was not something BF would ever do! How was the actual Princess XiYun so well-loved by her country and family when she was never actually there!? (I also did not like the time skips at the end. It made the ending seem rushed and not well thought out).

My 'burning' questions aside (and there were more, just can't remember them at the moment), I do not feel that this was a waste of time, it deserves my "liked" rating and I'll likely rewatch. If you like true fantasy (as in alternate world) and/or wuxia (though it really wasn't a true wuxia), you'll probably enjoy this drama.

*I take that back. There was sacrifices I disagreed with...you'll get what I'm talking about if you watch all the way to the end.

Read More