Legend of Zang Hai

A great revenge drama

The first few minutes into the first episode, I was hooked. I didn't watch any trailers so I had no clue what this was really about. This was a great revenge drama. There was little to no romance but they didn't hide their feelings. Basically, the drama wasn't focused on romance but more on revenge.
Listen, every time Zang Hai is caught in a fighting scene or someone is after him, I laugh so much because he can't fight and its hilarious because he is the one seeking revenge but his master didn't think he should know how to fight? LOL
Luckily his lady can fight. I love how strong and smart Xiang An Tu character is.
I knew I liked Zhuang Zhi Xing lol and so happy he was smart and made the right decisions.
Overall, it was a great revenge drama.

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Edge of my seat

This drama has me so invested. It's beautiful but nerve wracking! Really has me on the edge of my seat wanting to know what happens next. An ancient costume drama of political intrigue, "Legend of Zang Hai" is a quality production with a well crafted script/plot. The complex narrative tension is top notch. There are many high-energy reversals which are making viewers crazy. The combination of deep character creation and a strong cast grabs the audience right from the start. I've been impressed with the actors, especially Xiao Zhan in the title role. Not only is he devastatingly handsome but his acting is very detailed and nuanced, with micro expressions that are on point. I highly recommend this drama. I literally can't wait for each episode to drop and worry about Zang Hai in between episodes. Please survive Zhinu!

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REVENGE HAS TAKEN

When I started watching this MASTERPIECE, I never expected this much😭but it turns out the roller coaster ride of emotions...i never Bing watched any ongoing drama...this is the 1st drama ever I watched like this...made so many theories and thought of so many possibilities.....and this is the drama that hold me till the end....i excited about this drama only cause of ZHANG JINGYI....but after watching this I became fan of XIAO ZHAN and the marquis.....so this is 1st time me watching that REVENGE also taken like this...omg😳😳ZHANG HAI a intelligent, smart , skilled....and what to say about him...has taken revenge for his family....which killed by 3 monsters in which the last 2 were big monsters like no words for them specially Zhao bingwen...when we don't expect anything from someone is the one who did so bad.....creat hatered in ZH'S heart just for his own wish and even get succeed half way but our ZH got him at the end.....one this that really hurt me was when gao ming died 🥹😭his master......this was one of the brutal scene to watch.....and of course so many people against the romance but for me it was the one of the best thing in this drama MY NUNU TUTU....antu is his home his family ❤️my poor boy gone through so much in his life but yes at the end he got his goal and leave everything for peace 💗....this drama is going to be THAT drama I will never forget any plot any tactics and anything about them....JUST MASTERPIECE....going to miss them so muchh...

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Unique Take on the Revenge Genre

Legend of Zang Hai starts off with a bang. The first episode will have you on the edge of your seat and rooting for him to do absolutely anything to achieve his revenge. There are many historical revenge type dramas out there and this one felt very different, which in large part is because Zang Hai can’t fight. He’s not physically strong, he can’t take anyone in a fight, he’s not doing any crazy martial arts or flying around like in many others. His lack of physical strength means that he has to accomplish his revenge mostly just through his own wits. Seeing Zang Hai act as a puppet master to enact his revenge was fascinating.

My main complaint is that the end of the show had a bit of a pacing problem. They killed off the most interesting and complex villain in the middle, and the final villain felt incredibly flat in comparison. The most interesting relationships to watch ended or disappeared for much of the end, which did reduce my interest in this drama.

Legend of Zang Hai had unique writing and felt like it was playing with some drama stereotypes in an interesting way. Not only can the male lead not fight, but the female lead can and is able to act as his executioner or backup. While the romance was a pretty minor focus, they also avoided the very overdone trope where they have to choose between love and revenge. The female lead had a very interesting backstory and personality herself, and while it could have been more developed, it was clear that this was meant to be about Zang Hai.

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The plot twists and the cunningness of our ML does not disappoint!

Goodness me this drama was such a good watch. First our ML, he is a smart and cunning man, only using his wits to turn situations around. Upon his introduction onscreen, to the end, he was amazing to watch. The schemes he schemed, the traps he set, leave the viewers on the edge of their seats. We don't even know what plot twist is going to happen next! That is what makes our ML so fun to watch. Now our FL is this warrior princess, smart and funny. The both of them truly have great chemistry and the wait for their romance is truly worth it. The other supporting characters all were amazing, making us fall in love with them, being shocked by their supposed betrayals or deeply saddened by their deaths. In the legend of Zanghai you will never know what will happen next, that is what makes it such a great drama!

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Great until the halfway point

Pros:
1) Zang hai and his elaborate revenge planning abilities
2) loved the complexity of the marquis (officially one of my favourite antagonists of all time I swear he and that entire house is so well written and executed)
3) Gauo Mein. Just him and his entire arc
4) the whole toumbs and elaborate mechanisms of the sets
5) the only genuine plot twist I felt was the astronomer being one of caos men
6) the acting of the whole cast was wonderful

Cons:
1) compared to the marquis the other two felt very one dimensional and had had cartoon villain vibes.
2) left with more questions than answers like: why skin kai do and his wife? And why the prince who I forgot the name of existing we saw like three episodes of him and he randomly helps out in the end? Then some random takes the throne? How are hundreds of people dying on the street with the whole kill caos foster son arc and not a single minister noticing? What happened to antus elaborate network after she lost the zhen tower? Like the people still listen to you?
4) the second the masked dude mentioned the three people that were zang hais enemies and only name dropped two I could tell he was the third. Cause if you know the two are connected then you can fish out the third because obviously they have shared history. If you truly wanted to help your student then you'd pull through.
5) the princess becoming a background character in the second arc
6) zang hais his buddy deserves more screen time
7) the emperor is dumb as hell... Like seriously what did you think was gonna happen bro?
8) my biggest complaint is it just got so disoriented towards the end

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A tale of revenge, patience, and persistence

Let’s start with the story. I feel like there does seem to be an influx of revenge-seeking, my entire family got wiped out backstories recently. Even with the high amount of such cdramas, Zang Hai still manages to stand out due to its plot complexity and various twists and turns. At first, I thought this drama was just going to be another everyone’s dumb but me type of situation, but it really wasn’t. Zang Hai was pushed onto the battlefield before he was completely ready, which made the story all the more interesting and realistic. I would also like to credit the uniqueness of each character within the story. All of the bad guys have their own strengths and weaknesses. Each one is harder to beat than the next. This helps highlight Zang Hai’s growth and progression to the top. Sometimes, I even found myself sympathizing or understanding the struggles of the bad guys, such as Duke Ping Jin. The bad people in this cdrama aren’t purely evil because they want to be. There is a lot more complexity and it doesn’t seem as superficial. As the cdrama progresses, you are really able to see a lot of the back and forth and character growth of Zang Hai. One thing I wasn’t really sold on was the entire cause of Zang Hai’s suffering, a mythical object that creates zombie-esc and unbeatable warriors. It was surprising that a historical cdrama would center its story around something so wuxia or xianxia coded. To me it doesn’t feel like it fits in with the setting and historical aspect of the story. Maybe they could have used something else as the center of the story and not some magical tool. Additionally, I really hoped Zhao Bing Wen would have a more cruel ending rather than just getting scared to death. It really wasn’t fitting for such a mastermind evil person like him. It wasn’t very satisfying but oh well.

You definitely can’t watch the Legend of Zang Hai without noticing the skill behind the acting. Xiao Zhan is really solidifying his status as one of the best male actors of his generation (IMO). I think he’s really been working and fine tuning his acting skills, and it has really shown in his depiction of Zang Hai. There’s a lot of levels to his character, and I think he explores them very well, such as the back and forth between seeking revenge or just trying to live a peaceful life with the people he cares about. You can see the internal struggle and survivor’s guilt that he grapples with. The other actors are all superb. For me the MVPs would be Master Gao Ming or Duke Ping Jing. They, just like Xiao Zhan, do an EXCELLENT job of really bringing their characters to life and portraying their realistic emotional turmoil. His master struggles with leading Zang Hai while hiding the truth from him, while Duke Ping Jin tries to keep his many enemies at bay while still protecting his family. It was really great to see so many talented actors in one spot. I have to say Zhang Jing Yi really didn’t do it for me in this cdrama, but I do think that has to do with how this drama was more of a male-lead centered on.

I also wanted to point out the cinematography of this cdrama. The director does a really good job of showing Zang Hai’s inner sneakiness and his exterior confidence and nonchalance. In this scene, the director uses this light and dark dichotomy to portray the innocence of Zang Hai against the evilness of Zhao Bing Wen. Also the only scene where I cried was when Master Gao Ming died. The way he slowly walked away from Zang Hai while slowly deteriorating. Zang Hai’s desperation as he realizes what his Master is doing. And then the way Master Gao Ming kneels on the ground and waves behind him to Zang Hai. CINEMA. I was sobbing. Master Gao Ming deserves better– end of story.

I know there’s elements of romance in this cdrama, but like I said I really was not feeling a ton of chemistry between Zang Hai and Xiang An Tu. I get that, yes, they did have some sizzling tension at the beginning, but IDK why I just wasn’t really sold on their relationship. I feel like Zang Hai was more intent on seeking out revenge and that should’ve been the entire focus of the story. I would’ve been fine without a romantic subplot entirely. I also wished Master Gao Ming and Liu Chu’s story would have been developed a little more. They’re literally so cute, and their chemistry is more than Zang Hai and Xiang An Tu’s. I needed to know more about Liu Chu’s backstory 😩.

Anyways, I would give Zang Hai a solid like 8-8.5/10. Really good story. I encourage everyone to take a look and appreciate a really really solid historical cdrama!

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A political drama with a brilliant lead performance

Legend of Zang Hai impressed me with its political story, this one shows a clever game of alliances, betrayals and secret plans. Every episode keeps you guessing about who to trust and what will happen next. Xiao Zhan was amazing as Zang Hai, he made the character feel smart and emotional.
I loved how he handled tricky situations and his acting really made the story believable.
The sets, costumes and music were also good and helped make the world of the drama feel alive and detailed.
The romance part was definitely weak and felt a little flat compared to the rest of the story.
But that didn’t bother me too much because the political plot was so strong and interesting.
I enjoyed watching the power struggles, strategies, and clever moves between characters.
The tension and suspense kept me hooked from start to finish.
This drama is a standout because of its clever plot, exciting political games and Xiao Zhan’s great performance, I think anyone who likes smart stories would enjoy it.

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Finally some good fucking food

There's a part of me that escapes 'good tv.' Every day, I'm tired from working my five jobs, my many other obligations, and all I want to do is veg out and fry my brain with stupid tv. It's why I end up plowing through so many silly romance transmigration xianxias with .5 substance. But the legendary Legend of Zhen Huan director, Zheng Xiaolong coming out with a revenge political intrigue drama starring Xiao Zhan? Say less.

I had forgotten how good nutritious food tastes. I had forgotten that a complete meal includes a protein, fiber and carb. I'd been gorging myself on candy for so long, I had actually forgotten that food that is good for you... just tastes good!!!! Wow when something is well shot, well written and well acted it's good??? The restraint, the absolute trust and belief they have in the intelligence in their audience, respect towards the material, the emotional depth... amazing! Even just something like NOT putting every character’s name and title next to them when they appear for the first time, letting the audience learn who that person is by telling a STORY makes a massive difference. Or like, not forcing a song with lyrics into the sad scenes, and letting them sit in silence instead. Zang Hai honest to god tricked ME multiple times making me think he was showing his honest emotions (jail cell scene w Houye immediately comes to mind) but of course it was another plot! Not overcrowding the audience with information like, see?? This is what xyz means and what Zang Hai is ACTUALLY doing, and instead just naturally showing it so you can figure it out yourself. Good tv is just good tv. I knew I could trust Zheng Xiaolong, but the entire production team and cast really knocked it out of the park! There are just some scenes that are going to live rent free in my mind forever purely because of how well the story is told, such as Zang Hai emerging from the tomb, Houye saving Zang Hai in the fire, the entire failed coup and Houye vs ZZX, Shi Quan's betrayal, that shot of Antu running to Zang Hai emerging from the cave smiling and the feeling of release, freedom, gratitude!! I could go on and on, but it is seriously just so well done.

I don't even know where to begin. There are definitely some flaws in the plot and some of the characters are a bit disappointing, but if I could describe this drama simply?? 精彩。 太精彩了！It's exciting, always keeps you on the edge, interesting, complex, emotional, it really has it all. The plot builds really wonderfully, I'd honestly say the first 20 episodes are an absolute 10/10, no notes, chef's kiss. Seeing Zang Hai get himself into and out of sticky situations, improvising and thinking on his feet are extremely enjoyable. The parts that are fast paced are exciting, the parts that are slow feel meaningful with great pay off. The emotional beats were so strong and didn’t feel overly manipulative of the audience, but just genuinely human. I cried absolute buckets when Zang Hai dreamed of his family and when Gao Ming died. Like heaving sobs. Honestly I have so little words because it was just well done. The final 20 episodes are still great plot wise, but certain things are rushed like the trip to Dongxia, and there are parts where you kind of have to suspend disbelief based on how people are acting. For ex. Zang Hai just taking the Dongxia queen's word that she was besties w his dad and not requiring further proof.

There's something special about Zang Hai as a ML in a revenge drama, something that makes him far more similar to Zhen Xiaolong's Empress Zhen Huan than other famous man-centric revenge drama MLs. Zang Hai has no martial skill, but he also has no initial power outside of the masked man (to which he is just a pawn). Nirvana in Fire's Mei Changsu spent years building information networks of loyal spies and harnessed great power in the martial world before entering the court. Zang Hai is not a fallen general seeking revenge, or a forgotten prince, or the son of a grand noble family. Zang Hai doesn't move through the ranks and eventually win because he had power or martial skills, but rather through his brain and his words alone. His survival is entirely dependent on Pingjin Hou's favor, he understands that man inside and out and knows exactly how to appeal to him. Zang Hai created a persona tailor made to appeal to Houye’s ego- an extremely loyal, useful tool who kneels half the time and demeans himself with every word. I rarely see this in a man-centric political intrigue show, the concept of ‘saving face’ wouldn’t allow it, but I frequently see these moves from concubines in the harem. Zang Hai is smart, but he's also stupid and thoughtless at times, he miscalculates, he's extremely reckless, and impulsive in a way that reminds me of YXGL's Wei Yingluo, he trusts the wrong people, he gambles with his own life constantly, and sometimes, he doesn't even have a back up plan. He doesn't feel like an omniscient all powerful 10 steps ahead kind of mc. He's scrappy, claws to the top and is flawed in a way that makes him human and this is sooooo refreshing. It makes the tension so much more palpable, the show is so exciting because there are real stakes!! Despite that protagonist halo, sometimes, you just don't know if he's going to make it!! And even if he does make it there are heavy losses!! It's also just so fun to see him put on a different mask with Pingjin Hou, with Zhuang Zhixing, Antu, the emperor, etc. etc. Major props to Xiao Zhan for pulling it off. I feel safe saying that he’s officially made his mark as an actor known for his craft, rather than just his looks!

I enjoy his character arc a lot too, and am so thankful that despite getting to a really dark place, thinking of himself as already dead and wanting to die, he ultimately appreciated the love that he had around him and chose to live for himself. Retiring and getting to live out the rest of his life in peace and freedom is an ending I wanted but could never receive from Zhen Huan and Nirvana in Fire. It's a true testament to the themes of this show and something I deeply appreciate about it. We began with a corrupt system and ended with that very same system, just new players. The emperor was a pathetic, reluctant, foolish tyrant, and the new one continues to display the same tyrannical, and selfish traits, albeit more determined. The corrupt cabinet and ministers are still profiting while the common people suffer. And Zang Hai was like, fuck that, I'm not gonna change this, I'm getting out of here and living for myself LMAOOO. I love that although Zang Hai is just and does whatever is within his capabilities to help people, he recognizes that there is a boundary to what he can do to change the corrupt system. 'How do you know that the emperors after you will never use the Guixi?' There is no way to fix the system! Something that I can really trust Director Zheng with! Something that Nirvana in Fire naively and almost irresponsibly showed was possible (replacing bad guys with good guys is truly so simplistic it boggles my mind that this show has the reputation it does sometimes), with a ML with grander, nobler ambitions than pure revenge, who literally then died to restore his former masculinity and nationalistic pride. While Zang Hai found the only true liberation from the system- leaving it. His only goal was revenge, the methods didn't matter, and he didn't need to personally do the killing either, as long as it was done, he could leave everything behind, no matter any appeals to his morality. It's an ending that is far more realistic and refreshing, and also kind to its ML- who deserves a break! I'm also thankful for the anti- imperialist message, with Zhao Bingwen wanting to make an army out of Dongxia laborers a clear colonial project. A lot of shows I've watched recently have an uncomfortable... uhhh One China vibe that are all like, let's take over all these other lands and live in harmony together and share the wealth!!! Which is straight up just imperialist propaganda lmao. All in all, the themes of the show are very much appreciated.

The other characters are all generally quite complex and multifaceted. I loved Pingjin Hou and found him a perfect villain. An absolutely corrupt patriarch whose love is entirely conditional upon how much use that person is to him. But he had reason and depth, an incredible presence that made him someone I couldn't help but like and empathize with despite being an irredeemably bad person. Zhuang Zhixing is so well written too, and the weird whatever is going on between between him-Houye-Zang Hai triangle is sooooooo fascinating. ZZX wanting love and acknowledgment from his father whom he hates... ZZX simultaneously admiring Zang Hai and wanting his care to be real and resenting him ..... ZZX being jealous of both Houye and Zang Hai for their relationship to each other..... Zang Hai playing the role of a strict teacher-father with ZZX and a deferential loyal dog closer than any son to Houye…. ZZX turning around and asking that Zang Hai serve him the way he served his dad then hitting a tree when Zang Hai rejects him LMAOOO. Honestly chefs kiss for this complex relationship. The resentment tied so tightly with love and admiration!!! ZZX’s childlike petulance and dented masculinity because he can’t measure up to his father!!! The inferiority complex!!!!! This is my shit!!!!! I love this shit!!!!!! The entire Zhuang family kind of just does it for me, like I truly love a despicable conniving noblewoman like Jiang Xiang, and simple idiot Zhuang Zhifu. They got exactly as they deserved for playing a part in a corrupt feudal patrilineal system- but they were still compelling characters worthy of sympathy. I even teared up at how Houye cast them aside once they were not only of no use to him, but ruined the image of the Zhuang family. In the end, I’m still a harem drama girly at my roots, so naturally I enjoyed the family arc a lot.

The greatest weaknesses character wise for me were Xiang Antu and Zhao Bingwen :( Antu was really great for the first twenty episodes, and it isn’t like she doesn’t have depth or complexity, but she absolutely becomes sidelined in the last quarter as just Zang Hai’s gf and bodyguard. It’s kind of wild when she was Boss Xiang not too long ago with a whole network of spies and people working for her, and somehow none of this is useful when Zang Hai is fighting ZBW? Zang Hai died and she was just hanging around while Gao Ming drugged him?? She started out the show as a powerful player and ends up just supporting her man which is a disappointment. In most man-centric shows this is how it goes for the FL but I would’ve really liked to see them break the mold. The other disappointment was ZBW… like…. Wow, honestly what a let down?? All this build up for the 3rd enemy and it’s this guy with negative charisma, not nearly enough development or backstory or insight into his reasoning? Just a power hungry psycho who wants to genocide everybody because the world is bad??? If there were even just… three more episodes for him I might’ve felt more satisfied, or maybe if the actor playing him was different?? I don’t know, maybe I’m wrong, I’d love to be proven wrong. If someone can give me a reason why Zhao Bingwen is a great villain, I’m happy to listen. Like am I missing something??? At the end of the day, Pingjin Hou is the villain that holds the most weight, has the most impact on the story and the emotional beats, and is the most human. His relationship with Zang Hai is also the most interesting and multi-faceted. The amount of care and attention both Zang Hai and the narrative put into him compared to the other villains is also really clear. So something feels off when he dies two thirds of the way into the show and we’re left with uhhh everyone else.

All in all, it’s been a very, very long time since I’ve given a show a near perfect score. Zang Hai Zhuan comes pretty damn close. The flaws are a bit annoying, but don’t have much impact on the overall effect of the show for me- powerful, refreshing, unforgettable!! Xiao Zhan the KING!!! Zheng Xiaolong the GOAT!!! Thank you for feeding me delicious protein. I finally have the strength and inspiration to go on.

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Excellent production quality and acting

The Legend of Zang Hai is a suspense drama with excellent production quality and outstanding performances. Without giving the story away, Legend of Zang Hai (LOZH) focuses on a revenge, a theme that has become quite popular among Chinese screenwriters/producers. What makes LOZH stand out is a tightly written original screenplay that keeps you guessing, pretty much till the end of the show.

Xiao Zhan plays the titular protagonist, and as always, provides a nuanced and brilliant performance. Many other characters are compelling, particularly Zhuang Lu Yin- Huang Jue's extraordinary performance makes for some of the best moments on the show. The Zhuang arc was my favourite on the show, and even some characters we should not be rooting for were made human. Zhixing's arc was equally interesting - the character had one of the best developed arcs on the show and provides redemption for his family.

The suspense was very well-written, and many of the main mysteries were intelligently hidden, leading to multiple and significant twists. Zang Hai's journey entailed several ups and downs too, with dangerous encounters, as well as personal growth. Episode 38’s “fog” sequence was one of my favourite moments on the show. Zang Hai is a character who learns on the job - he does not have much time to plan in advance. This makes him an interesting character, as he lacks martial arts and has to rely entirely on his wits.

For a large part of the show I did not enjoy Antu’s character. I do wish she was better written and had more screen time, but towards the end of the show her importance was evident.

Overall this is a very solid show. Highly recommended, and certainly one of the best shows this year.

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