What Is Going On?!
I may need to give this another try but based on what I’ve seen so far, I’m dropping it for now.The actors were great, especially Liu Xueyi in the first few episodes. He was captivating as Murong Jinghe. However, I got so confused at the story and thought it was just not for me. After giving it a chance, I decided to stop in the middle of episode 25 because.. what is going on?!
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Missed potential
This drama started good. The middle was nice but the characters that were smart in the first part, in the middle they become pretty dumb. The last part was like watching a different drama, but a stupid drama with no real writer that was above 14 years old. The actors work really good with what they were given, costumes nicely done. Just a small thing named THE SCRIPT lacked big times especially after ep 24. I am upset that I watched it? NO. Will I recommend it? Again: NO! It is a drama that gets lost in the middle of the pack of wuxia dramas.Was this review helpful to you?
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I feel scammed
There are already several lengthy, well written reviews that detail how this show's potential was squandered. I'm here merely to 2nd those. What a magnificent opening and then they just completely obliterated the characters they introduced and gave us something else entirely. I detest both the male leads now. They're both effing insane. While they did allow the female lead to retain some of her badassery, she still wasn't the character they led us to believe she'd be. The story didn't go where they implied it would. In the end, I feel lied to and betrayed. I don't even want to watch the rest.Was this review helpful to you?
Excellent then ridiculous
If the drama ended around episode 23 I would have given it a 10This was shaping up to be one of my fav dramas and I honestly I cannot fathom what made the writers, producers and director drop the ball so hard,
I was hopeful that it was a minor slip up and that things would get back on track but it just got worse and worse. After grinding through a few more episodes I eventually skipped to the last 2 episodes just to get closure.
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Love Liu Xue Yi more now!!
I don't think its spoilers just what some would like to know of this drama. Read at risk of maybe spoilers.I will not say this drama is perfect cause it is not, and it did not do the red flag male lead that a lot of people were expecting to get. Maybe I'm a typical romance lover and the two leads did deliver on that. Seen people saying they changed the novel never read the novel but may give it a go after watching this. My main draw for this drama I won't lie is Liu Xue Yi I think he is worth watching if nothing else. Also love the FL to she did an incredible job even when they try to put her with prince Yue Qin for a bit, and she never falls in love with him. It does have a sad ending which is usually a nope for some so to answer that for them, but it does show a clip for a what if moment which I thought was kinda cute.
I really enjoyed this drama and I think the actors deserve more credit for what they did with the script they were given. The actors are the reason why I think this is any good at all and worth the watch. I also really think the fight scenes are amazing to watch really loved them. Also have to mention Liu Xue Yi's crying scenes they were really amazing and will make you want to cry with him.
Want to include at least one thing I really didn't like about the drama and that was the love story between the crown prince and the general. The general Luo Mei they made change to quickly and out of no where. She was in love with the ML since childhood and and crown prince was in love with her. She falls in love with a man that lied to her and deceived her not saying that he didn't really love her he did I just didn't see any truth of her falling in love with him and telling him that if he would of told her sooner it would of made a difference cause it wouldn't of. They also have her choose him over her loyalty to the emperor for awhile which didn't make any sense that is not the kind of person she is portrayed to be. Granted they did have her make the right decision in the end. I do like the girl who played the general I just didn't like that love story.
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LOVED it but tighter writing/less episodes would have made it a 10 for me!
I loved this drama and the ending was expected for sure. The only thing I would have changed would be that I think it could have ended in 24-28 episodes. (RARE for me to say because I watch ALL the 70+ dramas hahaha) BUT I feel like tighter writing from episodes about 18-32 could have been helpful. A lot of what happened after the Crown Prince's situation was kind of unnecessary and drawn out and even the scenes leading up to that starting at the "Hunting Grounds" episodes were kind of almost skippable. cut the last 12 episodes into 6 and the drama would have been much better. Not only that, but, the ending wouldn't have been as "surprising"? to some watchers... the hope was drawn out too long/over and over again only to have it dashed in the end. (imho) Tighter writing would have avoided that problem and maybe the same ending would have been a bit more acceptable and expected.Was this review helpful to you?
When the Actors Shine, But the Story Falls Flat
WHAT I LIKE:- The Actors: For me the actors save the Messy story. Non only the Main Role who act amazingly, but even the Support Role act wonderfully. You know it when you hate the story, you skipped and speed up a lot, but you still cried when they cried, and laughed when they were happy.
- The Chemistry: Two Thumbs Up for Wu Jin Yan and Liu Xui Yi. At first I was worried that LXY might not keep up with WJY (because her act always a TOP NOTCH). But surprisingly LXY act SO GREAT. Their Chemistry is no kidding. When they teased each other, hugged, even kissed, all seems so natural.
- The Kiss: The kisses are just right. Sometimes its a light kiss with a sweet feeling. Sometimes its a deep kisses, but they don't overdo it, not a steamy kisses but intimate one.
- The Music: Good Job Director and Editor, the song match PERFECTLY with every important scenes.
- The BEAUTY: This is might be BIASED, but I dont care. I LOVE LXY!!! I'm a fan of handsome and cool man, not pretty boy like most of the Cdrama actors.
WHAT I DISLIKE:
Simple answer... THE STORY. Its just MESSY with alot of BORING scenes.
I think the writer just want to create a surprise attack with the SAD ENDING. I cried, but I didnt feel that sad because I am not attched to the story that much.
In my humble opinion:
When a writer creates a great story like the Drama "A Journey to Love", the Sad Ending will leave a VOID and HEARTBREAK on the audience, that is the criteria of success!!!
SUMMARY: I give 8.5/10 for the ACTS and MUSIC.
But DEFINITELY will not rewatch.
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Soaring high before gliding down
The first part of this drama was phenomenal, the actors were absolutely amazing, the fighting-scenes breathtaking, the chemistry between the leads sizzling, the OST wonderful - I was clearly watching a 9 or 10-drama...... that is until the death of villain nr. 1, the crown prince. From then on it faded away.
I had the feeling that the writers tried desperately to find a new villain but couldn't decide which one to choose, the story became a little dragging, some characters were overdone (as the King of Xiyan), some characters were just there to fill in whenever they needed someone to help/do something but noone was fit (Luomei), Mei Li died again and again (falling into a coma or else), leaving Jinghe heartbroken again and again ...
And why, just why did she deny him this long? I get the reasons, but at that point they were already clear about it. Some sidestories made it just boring.
The second part was no more than a 6.
It's such a pity, the acting was topnotch! The leads hat an amazing chemistry.
All in all I loved it none the less and absolutely recommend it. The first part is so good you don't want to miss it. Just make do with the second part.
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A brilliant, thrilling first half and a touching ending don't makeup for a lost, floundering middle section . . . Warning: This is a tragedy
Some mistakes you can't recover from. In the first half, the momentum is high with our male and female lead teaming together on a path of revenge. They both are attractive, talented, and have excellent romantic chemistry. As the first storyline nears its end, there's still a big looming problem: Murong Jinghe in his darkest, most cruel moments poisoned Mei Lin without securing an antidote. What will happen when he tells her? Will he be able to make it up to her and cure her?
When Mei Lin finds out she will have none of it, and leaves him. Good for her. But then what? Then what indeed . . . from there Murong Jinghe mopes, and pines, and hoovers not sure how to make it up to her, but still desperately in love with her.
The acting is great, the themes are solid, it's beautifully shot, but this easily could have been 24 episodes instead of 32 and not lost anything.
Despite it all, this drama will stick with me. Greed, power struggles and revenge often take the beginnings of a good life and turn them into tragedy. Endearing life-long love stories are hard to come by in times of struggle, uncertainty and war. In the midst of the darkness, do we truly understand what we're giving up until it's too late?
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Bait and switch supposed enemies to lovers romance that peters out after its explosive introduction
So, this was sold as this dark enemies-to-lovers toxic romance with lots of triggers and red flags, which means I was there day one like a moth to a flame, and...it was very misleading. The beginning is certainly that, but the leads form an alliance way too fast, and then it's mostly about Mei Lin protecting baby princess Murong Jinghe and them trying be happy despite horrible circumstances. Is it spicy ? Not really once you've seen the famous bathtub scene. After that, say goodbye to your dark fantasies and go watch a trashy minidrama instead (there is hundreds of them with this type of plot), as the leads fall in (basic) love very fast, frolic under the moonlight, all that jazz. Is Lui Xue Yi's unhinged and magnetic performance worth it and strangely sexy ? Absolutely. Is Wu Jin Yan on fire as an assassin on the hunt ? Also yes. But they don't stay that way very long, and it doesn't erase the fact that the show is not what we were promised. Still, I was going with it after that first letdown, and enjoying it for the most part. Problem is, the subplots are waaay too weak, and some don't even feel like they belong in the show (don't get me started on the idiotic Xiyan siblings and kingdom). The secondary romances, if you can even call them that, were also bafflingly bad. I've heard since that the original novel is paper-thin, that they had several writers creating various plots to fill the void, and if it's true, it explains a lot. It's also too long for its own good, and I dropped it around the 20th episode, when I just couldn't care anymore about any of the politics happening. I've heard bad things about the ending so no regrets. What a waste though, the beginning was so good.Was this review helpful to you?
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Better the 2nd time to Rewatch
The first time I watched the series, I didn't like it that much because the story seemed to be jumping everywhere and I had a hard time to follow. However, the superb acting of the ML, FL and the rest of the crews had kept me going to finish. I have since rewatched it more than one time. The small talks are good and touching, which I had missed the first me, but really contribute to the story development.The ML acting is especially on point, his eyes, face and body expression and the tone of voice. He is just the right age, mature, so masculine and good looking in any outfit. He seemed to be deranged in the beginning, but his character evolved due to interactions with FL. He became a really good human being and devoted partner. It really brings up raw emotion knowing he was the one trained and poisoned the FL and after they fell in love all the positive things he did to FL.
The FL acting is also good. She is pretty, agile and a good fighter, also a good communicator, her words are kind and positive. She knows when your act alone is enough and no need to say anything in some touchy moments. I thought she was lucky that the ML loved her very much but it's not that simple. She was also poisoned and lied to by ML, hard to imagine how to get over that, thank goodness ML never gave up on her.
This is one of the greatest love stories known and I recommend to rewatch it.
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Worth it
It's the first chinese series ever to have me bawling my eyes out for more than 20 minutes. The last episode messed me up. The sad ending is so fitting, it couldn't have been different. Watch all of it, even the annoying parts, ignore the plot holes and some miraculous comebacks, and let it wash over you. And allow the tears to cleanse you. Truly artful the way it was delivered.Was this review helpful to you?



