Acting/characters: This is where the story truly shines. Both the male leads are very well casted and they did a great job with the characters. (I could go on a ramble here about how much I love Wen Ke Xing but i'll spare you that and just keep this part short.) This goes for the rest of the cast as well, mainly the scorpion king and Ye Bai Yi, which both ended up as my favorite side-characters.
Plot:
The plot is compelling, however I will say that the story sometimes felt a bit convoluted and at times it was difficult to follow along, this might just be me though and the language barrier might be a part of it. The ending felt a bit rushed and there where a few episodes in the middle with a lot of exposition which felt a bit too much.
Music:
Wasn't a huge fan of the opening at first but it grew on me, and the overall score is beautiful.
Technical Aspects
They made this drama on a tight budget and this does come through in technical aspects. However I still feel like they tried their best with the limitations and they put a lot more effort into the elements like staging and costuming.
Overall:
I gave the drama a 8.5, the parts that drag the score down is mainly the flow of the plot. However I would recommend this drama to pretty much anyone and i promise you, you will end up loving the characters and want to re-watch it the minute you finish it.
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This review may contain spoilers
Epic Bromance Wuxia did not get the deserved coverage due to unjustified black listing by
A masterpiece. The story is epic. The production one of the most beautiful i’ve seen for a wuxia. The two main leads are an eye feast , beside acting outstandingly (i am a woman), and normally am more inclined toward classical romance rather than bromance… But I was curious because of the very high rating, and because of Gong Jun, who i found perfect is the drama “Love equations” (which i recommend even if less ambitious)This drama did not get the coverage it deserved for an awful reason. Little after its release and immediate popularity, as it is outstanding, It has been banned in China on all platforms, and censorship has had every coverage of the drama, its main Lead Zhang Zhe Han past present and future activities etc. purely and simply removed/ cancelled etc, without any legal proceedings and condemnation, just after an amazing smearing coordinated campaign, following an old post from a trip in Japan in 2018, alledgely in front of a temple where japanese officers= who were at war with china and are considered criminals by china… were buried.
https://www.whatsonweibo.com/op-ed-⎪-cyber-bullying-and-fake-news-what-you-should-know-about-the-zhang-zhehan-story/
If you dig a little bit in the story, you will understand that the picture was not in the temple, but in the neighboring cherry blossoms site that is touristically very famous. Thats a pure shame.
https://www.whatsonweibo.com/op-ed-⎪-cyber-bullying-and-fake-news-what-you-should-know-about-the-zhang-zhehan-story/
My understanding, considering that there is no legal condemnation of any activity by the legal authorities, and that the smearing campaign was obviously orchestrated by the very authorities that decided to blacklist ZHANG ZHE HAN and make pressure for a total ban by chinese third parties …
so my understanding, is that he must have been courted by someone extremely powerful at the top of the organization, and denied his favors, and faced subsequent punishment. Thats the only rationale.
it happens every day in the corporate world. Whether you re a man or a woman.
Zhang zhe han has an instagram account… showing that he is still alive.
https://www.instagram.com/zhangzhehan_super3/
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Honest Review
Basic Summary: The story, casting, chemistry, music and rewatch levels are all 10/10 and they are deserving of that title.Story: The story in the first episode was a little draggy, but considering it was the first episode, it doesn't really count. The story was very beautiful. The scriptwriter really did the original novel justice. The ending is bittersweet and a HE. You can really see the trust and the love that WKX and ZZS have for each other even if it is not said out loud.
Acting/Cast: The casting was spot on. Gong Jun captures WKX's soft and hard nature. The scene in the rain was very good. Zhang Zhehan also captured ZZS very well. Zhou Ye was also very good at playing Gu Xiang. Overall, all the actors did very well.
Music: The music is beautiful. That's all I really have to say. I saved all of them to my Soundcloud playlist cuz I couldn't find it on Spotify
Rewatch Value: I've already watched all episodes but I am going back to watch it again already. You will notice a lot of hidden easter eggs and things that you didn't notice the first time, and that just makes it even more interesting. Things will make more sense. Even though I am rewatching, the emotion that I had the first time around is still there. Shows how good the drama is.
Overall: Really great. I don't have many complaints. The production value is low, but that the drama makes you forget about it completely. The costumes are really good actually, and the looks are great as well. Chemistry is great, and I love the wordplay that is used in the drama. Subtle, but you can catch it. There are many posts on what was really said in the drama under the dubbing. The chemistry is just great. I loved the side couple, Gu Xiang and Cao Wei Ning. They were adorable.
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A very limited adaptation
This drama benefits a lot from the plot of the source material in the beginning and from the eye catching performance of Wei Kexing (newbie actor Gong Jun). However it ultimately falls short due to the budget level acting of most of the cast and most importantly, the adaptation lacking necessary plot points from the book.It's very clear that the budget is limited here. Firstly they don't have a single good big name actor. Gong Jun is charismatic but his inexperience shows when he is trying to portray more complex emotions.. Huang Youming as Ye Baiyi was fine and well suited to his role. The wheelchair kid was the best villain in the story. Almost everyone else had noticeable flaws. For a veteran actor, Zhang Zehan is better when he's not trying to depict any emotion however this is the case for most of his roles. The general acting level was hard to tolerate as the series went on because the story stopped being supported by the level of the plot.
In general the way the screenwriters chose to begin the series was promising, revealing a good trail of clues up to around the point when Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu reveal their true identities to each other. However by that point a lot was changed in the source material and the logic of the plot fell apart as a torrent of characters was introduced in quick succession. Wen Kexing's new backstory is ok but a lot of the background of the ghosts, background of Tian Chuang and so on were omitted making it hard to follow the motives of such a large cast. The writers tried to make up for this by majorly playing up fan service between the leads but this lowered the quality by taking away necessary plot development time.
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A Heartfelt Drama
There are some dramas where the story is needed to keep the viewer watching or the relationships fall short of the mark. WoH is not one of those dramas.WoH starts as your basic wuxia drama that follows different sects who are for fighting for some coveted item. It is nothing to the wuxia/xianxia world hasn't done before nor is it particularly exciting (for me at least) but the basis plotline is not the whole picture. Viewer beware, there will be a lot of information thrown at you very quickly so be ready. There are a lot of sects and many (many) side stories we follow along the thirty-six episodes. Out of the many side characters, only one was (however necessary) rather bland but the others were absolute perfection. This is a drama that is going to make you angry, smile, and cry often.
Although the story lacks individualism, the relationships and characters shine bright. The acting was wonderful, with obvious character development brought through in micro-expressions and interactions. The romance depicted between the various couples are sweet, built on good foundations and pure. I honestly loved the wholesome aspects between the non-romantic and the romantic relationships as toxicity was scarce. WoH is all about the simple things like learning to rely on someone and the happiness that loved ones can bring you. The chemistry between the cast was engaging no matter the scene and I was delighted and heartbroken throughout the course of the watch. The costumes and choreographed fight scenes are only an add-on to the growing list of reasons to watch this. They are respectively flawless, vibrant and eye-catching. The detail in the fight scenes and the costumes really brought me a lot of joy while watching. The OST is stunning, heartfelt, and follows the tone of the drama perfectly.
My only complaint with this is obviously the basis for the storyline felt a little bland but the pros outweighed the cons in this case and it hardly impacted my viewing experience. The pacing at times felt a little fast in some places and a little slow in others, with the ending feeling a tad rushed. It might have benefitted from a couple more episodes to iron out some storylines but I will say the drama rarely felt draggy. There are A LOT of side stories in this so be prepared to devote your full attention. It's very easy to miss important information and then get a little lost.
All in all though, WoH is a wonderful drama with heartfelt relationships that result in a rewarding watching experience. It has wuxia and romance as well (or bromance if that's your thing) which are both flawless pulled off. I highly recommend.
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This review may contain spoilers
Make sure you watch extra episode 37
I have to say had there not been the "extra" episode 37 I'm not sure my final overall score would have been this high. The show ending was the worst ending since Princess Agents (actually worse).As a recap, Zhou Zi Shu in an effort to end his life in peace and repentance reforms the seven nails torture on himself to leave The Window of Heaven, basically a gout of assassins for the Prince of Jin. He only has a few years to live but at least he would be free. While traveling he meets Wen Ke Xing a mysterious man. It turns out Wen Ke Xing is the leader of Ghost valley and at odds with the martial arts world and "heroes" , After the murder of the Zhang family, the only surviving son, Chen Ling, is entrusted to Zhou Zi Shu. The three become a family and travel together, unraveling the secrets and corruption on the martial arts world and their tragic histories on the road to redemption. Of course the "heroes" are not that heroic and the "ghosts" are not all evil. Eventually the tragedy that was Wen Ke Xing's life unfolds and how he is related to Zhou Zi Shu and all of the "heroes" . Unfortunately the plan he put in place to right the wrongs of the past have consequences.
To start with the story is a little confusing and a lot of characters are brought in and not fully developed. I admit I was lost with the back story from 20 years early and who all the people were. I had to re-watch a few times to get the idea of how the current leaders were integrated with Rong Zuan, the immortal Ye Bai Yi and Wen Ke Xing's family, Plus some of the heroes come and go and I forgot who they were by the time they reappeared. Also, somehow the Prince of Jin was involved (that was never really explained) and there were other "princes" but not sure if this was an effort to get to the throne, The story line with the 3 main leads was very good, a long with the second couple Gu Xiang and Cao Wei Ning was very well written.
The music was just alright. Nothing spectacular. I look forward to music and not just songs and since the composer was the same as for The Untamed I was hoping from some really amazing music but have to say even during emotional scenes the music didn't really leave an impression or add to the scene, so that was disappointing,
Finally, the ending was not my favorite thing, WARNING this is the spoiler part. The last 2 episodes were horrible, I mean stop when everyone is happy. I get the that Zhou Zi Shu removed the nails after he thought Wen Ke Xing died, and therefore had a short time, but the second last episode killing Gu Xiang and Cao Wie Ning was just heart wrenching. I mean they were so happy for their wedding and then it was just a blood bath, and they way Cao Wei Ning died from his master was awful. Then you have the end with Wen Ke Xing basically using all of his body and soul to save Zhou Zi Shu. The show "ends" with all of Wen Ke Xing's meridians destroyed, his hair all white, and he hands limp losing Zhou Zi Shu grip as he collapses. I mean I was so depressed and annoyed, but then I found there was a special episode 37 and that made it better. Although not for Gu Xiang and Cao Wei Ning!
So what I did like, was the story line between Zhou Zi Shu and Wen Ke Xing with their "son" Cheng Ling. I Loved Wen Ke Xing's relationship with Gu Xiang. I felt the main 5 characters were well developed, all likable even if not perfect, and you really felt and understood their relationship.
The best thing about the show was Gong Jun and his portrayal of Wen Ke Xing. To say the least he was a complex character. Not really bad but he did bad things to get revenge / justice for his parents and the child that we was. Raised in a cruel world he assumed he was not worth saving and he would take the world down with him. Then when he meets Zhou Zi Shu and realizes that someone does care and that there is something fro him to care about and live for, it is bittersweet as he is concerned that if Zhou Zi She and Chen Ling know who he is the he would lose everything. Gong Jun managed to convey all of that, the edge of madness, the bitterness, the silly and playfulness, in the portrayal. This is right up there with Mark Chao as Ye Hua in TMOPB and Xiao Zhan in The Untamed. He makes this show well worth the watch.
Just make sure you stop before episode 35 or find a copy of the extra (and short) episode 37.
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BEST WUXIA BL IN CHINA IT'S A MASTERPIECE
This is my 1st BL Wuxia in China. I'm happy watching this. I love the two characters ZhangZhehan and Gongjun they really played their characters very well. I love their actings and expressions throughout the whole episodes. I love the actions, ost, and cinematography. I love the side characters Gu Xiang, Yi Ba Ye, and also the Scorpion king. I watch this while quarantine I'm happy to discovered this wuxia drama. It deserved the recognition. Highly recommended. WATCH! WATCH! WATCH! WATCH! WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOU WENZHOUWas this review helpful to you?
Beautifully Series
This series is beautiful in every way. the characters and storyline are perfectly set. The actor's chemistry is amazing. This is close to the book and was a great action, character growth, and chemistry. There are two only down parts for me, one the ending was left open-ended which I hate they needed to do a better job with the ending, and two that it was censored without the real beauty of it being BL. It is sad that China is still living in the dark ages and censored anything of BL. This would be a 10 easily if they allowed for it to be fully shown and shown the right way with the beauty of BL. The bromance was nice, but you always felt you were missing the true BL of even a tender kiss would have made all the difference. The two main actors were amazing playing the characters and you felt the growth and development of their love. The books are even better. Please China grow up and stop censoring the BL world and welcome it.Was this review helpful to you?
the untamed walk so word of honor could run
Watching this because people recommended this after watching the untamed, and boy oh boy, I ENJOYED THIS DRAMA SO MUCH. I also am very pleasantly shocked by how... Lax... The censorship for this drama went, compared to the Untamed? Dont get me wrong, things that are too much (with chinese national tv standard) will still be censured. People said it's because the marketing was so low key and the untamed hog all the attention so this got away with barely a scratch.WoH has all the elements i want in a drama; romance, found family, soulmate etc. I adored all the characters, from the leads to the extras. But I find the back and forth between the leads a little bit stilted(?). One day they are lovey-dovey, the next they are having big fight, lao wen went berserk, and then he went back as if nothing happened. The pattern is like a husband who left the house with a fuming wife inside! That is SO CUTE. And dont make me start on cao weining and gu xiang. They are THE BEST BEST PAIR OF CUTE CP.
The chemistry between gong jun and zhang zhehan is also top notch. zzs as the aloof but soft-hearted assassin with wkx as the clingy psycho... They are match made in heaven.
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One of 2021 Best C-Drama
I enjoy it so much watching WOH. For me 1st episode almost average but luckily after that the storyline was develop. You will enjoy more after episode 5.Appraise more for Gong Jun acting who played Wen Ke Xing very good 🤩. His flirt, smile and devil side etc for me he execute that with good.
ZZH also good, but i feel his face emotional look so flat on mostly episode 😄. But in the next episode, his acting more & more good, and match/ blend with GJ.
I'm glad that WOH really popular and get so many attention especially inter fans. If you like The Untamed series, you'll enjoy this series 👌
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Love the relationship dynamics but plot is boring
I'm saying this at the start because it's important: make sure to watch episode 37 which is a few minutes of epilogue to the story because in most websites you will only find till episode 36. I was drawn to watch this because it's a BL drama and I've never seen one before.WHAT I LOVED:
I absolutely loved the relationship dynamic between the two male leads. One is a grumpy introvert with his love for bombastic side eye while the other is a flirty extrovert with his love for crazy eyes (with his loved ones he is a ray of sunshine, with his enemies his looks can kill you). At first glance it does seem like they are the total opposites but later down the story we are revealed a lot of things and see how similar and connected the two are. I love how they were able to portray their love and care for each other even though the drama is censored. Their relationship is the definition of actions that speak louder than words. They also call each other soulmates which is just the sweetest thing. There are also two young characters that are disciples of each male lead - one girl and one guy. The four of them have such a fun and crazy family dynamic that for me is the best part of the drama.
The fight scenes and setting are worth mentioning because they look very beautiful. In typical wuxia style you have people flying around but what is quite different in this drama is that they incorporate parts of the settings to the fighting. You see really cool fights on a bridge, river boat, around pink trees. One of the male leads has his signature belt sword while the other uses a super cool fan. I especially loved seeing how the young girl fought like a true badass.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
My rating went down because unfortunately I didn't like the plot. There are tons of sects and names which I couldn't remember. The backstory is done as a mystery but the reveal is quite confusing because of all the names/places etc and honestly quite underwhelming. None of the other characters interested me and I skipped most of the scenes with the villains and sect talk because it was just boring. The whole plot is about opening an armoury to gain some secrets which does sound realistic but it was just not interesting to me. It is a shame because I love the main characters, if the plot was different I probably would have liked it a lot more.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Overall I think it's a great BL drama and I'd still recommend it because of the relationship dynamics. One of the male leads has become now a favourite character so because of him, the drama is worth a watch.
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