Guardians of the Dafeng

It got better 2H

I enjoyed the first few episodes but ep 10-20 was a little slow. I put it on hold for several months but decided to continue on a few days ago. The story and the pace vastly improved after ep 20 and I was able to enjoy and finish the second half much more easily.

Dylan is top notch in this drama and the silly and sarcastic humor was enjoyable. I mostly enjoyed the secondary characters but the chemistry between the ML and FL was not that great. I wouldn’t even consider her the FL. There really wasn’t a FL in this drama.

I am now looking forward to S2. I hope it gets filmed and released soon this year.

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Advocating for a S2 ✊✊

I'm review this a little bit late, but what a drama it was incredible, everyone should watch it 😭😭. If you love Joy of Life, you will surely love it.

The plot was well written and well balanced between comedy and more heavy situations. The second half ( starting with ep24) was a bit slow to start but the end was emotional, heartbreaking and in a sense fulfilling with Qi'An decision. Also perfect between martial art, fantasy, political plot. Romance was the weak point but they were cute.

Things I loved :

- Xu Qi'An : Throughout the drama I kept surprising myself with the way I love him. In those type of series I tend to dislike the MC because I found them way too much prideful, arrogant and out the touch with their world in the end. But Ningyan, I just LOVED how he just accepted his place, knew exactly when to flaunt, when to be "submissive", not too naive but not too nonchalant either.
When he was acting "reckless" I was surprised to support him fully even if I knew the consequences, because in a certain way I knew it was exceptional and his standard attitude.

BIG SHOUT-OUT to Dylan Wang for this amazing performance, I know I wouldn't like Qi'An so much if it was played by another actor. He embodied this character perfectly with his expressions, playful tone, emotional reactions (specially in ep 39-40). It was my favourite performance of him knowing that Dongfang QingCang isn't easy to top.

- Princess Lin'An : Like her, but I struggled with her because I didn't think she had a great impact in the story, her relationship with Qi'An felt more like secondary plot. But I guess FL is always the weak point in male centric drama and it's kinda of sad actually that they still can't write a proper FL and not a side character.
The actress was great though with the "small" amount of time screen she had, specially when she came to implore justice for her cousin/BFF, it was sad to the point I got chills.

- Qi'An friends & family : they were the story's comedic relief, wished we could've seen more and more if this trio

- The Dafeng Guardians : funny how they kept arguing about who should take Qi'An. Feel like they can be still be more developed but I don't know how it will unfold, so I will indulgent.

What about next season ? : I didn't read the novel but it feels like we didn't explored 20% of the story. Many points have yet to be developed, and I'm very curious about it so S2 come quick ✊.

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I LOVE IT!!!!

At first I wasn't sure whether I would like this. This is different to a lot of c dramas I have watched but I quickly fell in love with this series. It has the perfect blend of amazing characters, great acting from Dylan Wang, immersive scenes & effects, and mystery. Without the silly moments which add charm to this series, this would be much much darker and the darker moments wouldn't have as much weight.

This was a great watch. I stayed up a few nights just to continue watching. I REALLY want a season 2 with another lot of 40 episodes. And I can't wait for Guardians of Dafeng: No One Like Me.

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A Masterpiece of Cinematography and Storytelling.

The series is just drop dead gorgeous. Breathtaking cinematography, Breathtaking CGI , Breathtaking Performance. The acting was so good it never felt for once the cast was acting. It felt like the cast were the character themselves. A very well balance of comedy, seriousness, emotions and a little drizzle of romance. The cast was so well selected and the characters were very well written. The fight scenes were so WOW, like they were so well choreographed. My mouth just wouldn't close while watching the fights and I would be left with goosebumps.

The role Xu Qi An was made for Wang Hedi. I cannot imagine anyone else playing that character. The laughs, emotions, depth, you name it everything was on point but it never felt scripted. Everything was so natural. The story revolved around Xu Qi An yet it never felt overwhelming. Xu Qi An was clearly favored everywhere unrealistically but it never felt partial or wrong. Like it was nonchalant and cool like it was meant to be set there.

The people from the Bureau were just so fantastic. My personal favorite was Caiwei (she kind of became my spirit animal). She is so carefree yet excellent at her job. The use of modern elements was so clever it never felt too much or too little. It was just the right amount. The Supervisor is such a clever character, It felt like he did nothing yet secretly everything was going according to his arrangements and much of it was revolving around him.

The people from Yamen were so cool. Especially the Gold Gongs, SPECIFICALLY GOLG GONG YANG YAN. It's just a personal bias but he's so cool. The brothership was so great between the copper gongs. And most importantly all of the Gaurdians sticked to their roles barely partaking in any corruption. They always stood together firmly against the wrong without any hesitation and helped each other out. And I loved how Yang Yan always stood up for Xu Qi An without any doubt. Lord Wei was kind of a father figure for Xu Qi An. Even thought I was doubtful about Lord Wei character from the first but later their interactions were adorable. Lord Wei guided Xu Qi An like a real mentor would do and always cleaned up after his mess it was adorable.

This series didn't have much romance to begin with but whatever was there it was cute. Princess Lin An character acted a little immature and dumb at the beginning but it gradually improved. His Majesty was just a straight up bipolar man who took run the world like a chess board too seriously. His character was so wierd and suffocating to watch.

Overall I was mostly stunned by the cinematography of the series. It was shot like a movie, Each and every frame was so gorgeous and the CGI felt so natural. I would consider this as Hedi's best work till date. His role had so much depth. I would definitely rewatch this whenever I can. I classify this as one of those dramas I would want to watch for the first time again, Highly anticipating the next season.

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Hands down one of the best shows! (10/10)"

This is hands down one of the best shows I have ever watched! The storyline is super engaging, the acting is top-notch, and the music gives absolute chills. I've watched all 40 episodes and I am totally hooked. I genuinely cannot wait for the next episode to release. A solid 10/10 from my side! Highly recommended to everyone!This is hands down one of the best shows I have ever watched! The storyline is super engaging, the acting is top-notch, and the music gives absolute chills. I've watched all 40 episodes and I am totally hooked. I genuinely cannot wait for the next episode to release. A solid 10/10 from my side! Highly recommended to everyone! The character development throughout the series is brilliant, and every single twist keeps you on the edge of your seat. The production quality and visuals are truly outstanding as well

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THRILLING PLOT, BITTERSWEET VICTORIES, STRONG LOYALTY AND FRIENDSHIP

From episode 01 to 40, I never got bored. I dont usually like dramas with politics, but this is a drama with politics that I watched without skipping a minute.

The personalities of the main lead and his comrades, family and acquaintances made me love this drama even more. I could not help but love the loyalty and brotherhood between ML and his fighter friends, the sweet and homey love-hate relationship with his family, and his very optimistic encounters with the other side characters.

The plot is amazingly intense. Every new surfacing plot is linked to the previous so I did not feel bored or uninterested bcs every single one of the cases that were being solved was one step closer to uncovering mysteries surrounding the MAIN plot.

The romance was not the main focus, but its there. I did not have any high expectations for the romance bcs I was too invested in the plot at hand.

Comedic moments did not end when the story got to its serious point. Comedic scenes continued, even after a series of sadness or heartbreak.

The cast really played their roles well. Each one played their character so well that you can just feel the emotions and expressions in the moment. You can even feel the excitement and thrills in the very intense moments.

The ending is what left me shaken. Theres still other mysteries that have not been solved yet it ended with a cliffhanger. Im assuming that a season 2 is very likely, but I was upset for a moment bcs I enjoyed every moment of this drama only to be left hanging. BUT I LOVED IT!

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Great acting, humor, action packed!

Dylan Wang’s acting was awesome. He was humorous, intelligent,charismatic, handsome and very likable. Romance was not over bearing; too silly or demanding. You got to know each character well and all were great. It was also action packed with many heroes, great fighting scenes; mysteries and anticipation, Overall, I loved it and highly recommend it. Looking forward to Season 2❤️.

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When the Comedy Hits Hard… and the Finale Hits Harder

The last two episodes changed the scale of the whole drama. Initially thought it was an usual wuxia, but it turned out to be so much more - the story, politics, mystery, and the comedy were all brilliant. Can't agree with the romance part - it felt totally unnecessary and there was zero chemistry. I was waiting for everything to unfold, but it just ended, and with what? a BANG! What in the world was that? I have never come across such impactful endings lately!

Let me take a moment to appreciate the Grand Princess - incredibly wise, secretly protects her sister, and even boldly told the Supervisor not to involve Lin An unless absolutely necessary! I thought she was the main lead and maybe has more to her character which was never showed.
As for Lin’an, I don’t mind a female lead who is naïve, or isn't strong, but her character was just so hard to like. The moment she impersonated her sister, I almost dropped the drama out of pure frustration. It seemed like she had no real role to play and couldn't comprehend how she and Qi An fell in love at all. They should have skipped the romance entirely, or paired him with the Grand Princess or the Duchess instead.

On the brighter side, the comedy never failed, especially the family forgetting a person each time lol. I enjoyed the most when they forgot Xinnian as they moved to new house, a series of his embarrassments, and Qi An’s face whenever the lovers kept missing each other on different bridges? Comedy gold.

But my god, those final episodes - what a massive shift in dynamics! Even though Commissioner Zheng and Qi An barely spent any time together, the emotional impact was huge. Dylan's acting was on another level , made the loss feel so raw and deeply personal. Bro, I literally cried non-stop. Its's like he was made for this role. I was cheering and so proud when Qi An sliced their legs - I couldn’t skip a single second.

I have SO many questions left, but you're telling me there's a Season 2?! If I had known this wasn't a standalone show, I wouldn't have started it yet! 😭

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