Guardians of the Dafeng

Uneven but good enough

I am writing this review as both a prior reader of the novel, and a native Chinese speaker. I listened to the novel (on Ximalaya, a Chinese audiobook site) about 2-3 years ago and it's one of my favorite webnovels of all time. It has the perfect blend of action, comedy, and drama. Given how much the novel meant to me, it's possible for me to review the drama on its own merits. This is all to say if you haven't read the novel, your mileage may vary.

Writing/Plotting: 7/10. The transition from page to screen comes with necessary adjustments but results are uneven. The pacing of the drama is odd. Long stretches of screen time were spent on minor/irrelevant sideplots, while interesting sections of the book were breezed over.

The most significant problem translating from page to screen is the loss of any sense of power scaling in the drama. Power levels fluctuate wildly scene to scene, and there is no established sense of how powerful anybody is, relative to anybody else. All this being said, when they slow down and just adapt scenes/sequences from the book, the results can be spectacular. Episodes 37-40 is the perfect microcosm of this. Most of this arc (the aftermath of the Bloodshed) is mesmerizing and reminded me at times of Langya Bang (very high praise). However, the final 30 minutes of ep 40 however bizarre, brusque, and unnecessary. From the highest high to the lowest low, a perfect example of the uneven plotting.

Acting: 8/10. I think the lead actor is the weakest part of the cast, as he seems to only have one facial expression. I do suspect this was an acting choice , but he was still fairly wooden. Fortunately the supporting cast is generally superb. From the Emperor and Princess Linan to Wei Yuan the Xu family, all the major characters were well-cast and fit their roles. The comedic hits generally land and the dramatic moments are heart-felt.

Audio/Music: 8/10. Overall pretty good. Don't have much to say here. I will say that as a native mandarin speaker I wish the lead actor hadn't used his own voice. His enunciation is generally poor and in a lot of scenes it sounds like he's just reading his lines off of a page. This isn't really a problem for anybody else.

CGI/Costumes/Sets: 8/10. Everything looked pretty good to me. Decent number of extras, CGI looks nice. You can tell this isn't a huge budget drama, but they made an effort to make sets look lived-in. Not much to praise, not much to complain about.

Action: 6/10. This is another major shortcoming of the drama. While there are a couple of intact fun fight scenes, many of the fight scenes are crazy truncated. This is especially true of the "climactic" fight between XQA and Duke Zhengbe, which in the novel occupied multiple pages but basically didn't exist in the drama. In general the drama prefers the "pose for CGI" model of action over choreographed martial arts scenes, which unfortunately seems to be a trend for c-dramas in general in recent years.

Overall: 7.5/10. I think this drama is an enjoyable watch but I suspect it will often be confusing for non-book readers, and often mildly infuriating for book readers. The scripting/writing is mostly to blame here, with the story moving glacially slow for several episodes before condensing entire arcs into 15 minutes. Character motivation is often unclear/inconsistent and power levels are very vague. The drama is redeemed by a solid cast and production as well as comedy that generally hits.

Comparisons: I think the most worthwhile comparison is with Joy of Life, which has a similar premise. Overall I think Joy of Life is the superior show, with a better lead actor and a better script. I've actually read (listened) to the audiobook of Joy of Life as well. For JOL the drama in many ways improves on the novel, adding drama, character development/motivation, and stakes. While Guardians improves on the comedy in some scenes, in general the best parts of the drama are wholly lifted out of the novel and the stuff the drama adds just serves to add confusion.

TL;DR: Overall I would describe the drama as "pretty good." The weakest points are the plotting/writing and the fight scenes. The best parts are the comedy and the supporting cast.

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From Slow Start to Epic Finish: A Review of The Guardians of the Dafeng

This series is a bit of a slow burn, requiring patience, especially in the beginning. The first 14 episodes were a 7.5/10 for me, bogged down by excessive dialogue and a slow pace. However, if you stick with it, the payoff is worth it. The story picks up significantly from episodes 15-24, earning an 8/10 as the plot thickens. Then, the show really hits its stride from episodes 25-35, delivering compelling content worthy of a 9/10. Episode 36 was a standout, a definite highlight and a 10/10 for me! While the final episodes (37-40) dipped slightly back to a 9/10, the overall experience was fantastic. My final rating for the series is a 9/10. My only real complaint is the inexplicable cutting of some fight scenes, which was a bit disappointing. Despite that, I highly recommend this series to anyone willing to invest the time.

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An Equivalent Exchange: I received a captivating drama and return it with a perfect score.

Guardians of the Dafeng was a surprisingly charming discovery for me. I had always known of its existence, after all, it was a much-talked-about and popular drama, but I didn’t know anything about the plot or the novel that inspired it. When it was released, I didn’t even consider watching it because I was focused on other productions. However, earlier this month, I decided to give it a chance... And I’m so glad I did!

With a captivating blend of fantasy, humor, and mystery, we are transported into the journey of Yang Ling, a charismatic young man who graduated from the police academy, and, through twists of fate, ends up starting his career in real estate. Everything seemed to be going as planned until, after a seemingly ordinary game with his colleagues, his life takes an unexpected turn: Yang Ling awakens as Xu Qi An in Dafeng, a kingdom filled with hidden forces and supernatural events.

Armed with his modern knowledge and keen investigative deductive abilities, Xu Qi An quickly stands out, attracting the attention of powerful institutions in Dafeng. Initially, he seeks only a peaceful, financially comfortable life, but his strong sense of justice drives him to face the abuses and injustices he witnesses. What he didn’t expect was that all of this was part of a complex scheme, in which he had been carefully manipulated as a key piece in a much larger game.

For me, the strongest point of this drama lies in the development of its characters and the relationships formed throughout the story. Each bond, every interpersonal dynamic is developed so naturally that it was impossible not to get involved. On top of that, the cast delivers incredibly convincing performances. Dylan Wang truly stood out as Xu Qi An, with his portrayal being so immersive that at times, it felt like we were watching Dylan live that reality, rather than just playing a character.

Charismatic, silly, intelligent, impulsive, and kind, Xu Qi An won me over with his essence. One line that I think perfectly illustrates his character is: "It's not about worth. Some things in life are greater than life itself." This line reflects the depth of his worldview because, despite being human and flawed, he carries a high sense of justice. He understands that there are values, principles, and relationships that cannot be measured by individual worth, and that, above all, there are aspects of life that are greater than existence itself, such as justice, loyalty, and truth. Xu Qi An knows that what really matters is acting with integrity, even if it means making personal sacrifices.

His interactions with the other characters were captivating, especially with his chaotic and eccentric family. These scenes were among my favorites because they combined humor and affection. Despite being clearly dysfunctional haha, there was genuine warmth between them. Moreover, his relationship with the Guardians’ team was also full of comedic moments. His friendship with some of the group members, especially Guang Xiao and Ting Feng, was incredible, as they shared the same charming energy, almost like partners in mischief, haha.

Another touching highlight was his connection with Lord Wei. There was a relationship filled with affection and respect, almost like father and son. It was moving to see the mutual care between them, something that stood out because of the sincerity and emotional depth in the dialogues they had throughout the episodes. Xu Qi An’s interactions with the Astronomical Department and the Yu Lun Academy also added a dose of humor to the plot. The “equivalent exchange” dynamic, where he would always ask for something but it would always come with some kind of demand in return, created hilarious scenes.

And of course, I can’t forget to mention his relationship with Princess Li An, which brought the sweet and romantic moments to the drama. Notably, romance isn’t the main focus of this drama, but I enjoyed what was portrayed, as the two had personalities with some similar traits, which made their scenes together ridiculously cute. I understand that not everyone may have sympathized with the princess’s personality, but personally, I wasn’t bothered by it. I saw in her a young woman still searching for true purpose, someone who, despite being spoiled, was genuine, loyal, and sincere in her feelings, which made me grow fond of her character over the episodes.

The plot of this drama isn’t complicated, but it’s important to pay attention to the political and social events throughout the episodes. At first, it may seem like the challenges Xu Qi An faces are disconnected, but in reality, everything is intertwined by a power game, involving several characters who build this complex network of relationships. The production maintains an engaging pace, with well-crafted and immersive sets and CGI. The costumes and soundtrack added a memorable visual and auditory touch. Additionally, the cinematography stands out, especially in the fight scenes, which were executed impressively. Honestly, I wish there had been more of these scenes, haha.

With 40 episodes, the drama managed to answer all my questions, both directly and indirectly. While many might find the ending rushed or lacking a clear conclusion, I thought the approach was quite interesting because it left a compelling mystery, sparking my curiosity about how the characters will handle the cliffhanger left in the final episode. That cliffhanger promises to add new layers to the plot. Now, I can only hope for a new season.

If you’re looking for an adventure drama with hilarious comedy driven by the characters’ actions and a touch of fantasy, this might be a good recommendation for you. Guardians of the Dafeng won me over with its lightness, even when dealing with chaotic situations, the genuine love and care the characters have for Xu Qi An, and the way, despite his imperfections, Xu Qi An becomes a symbol of the fight against the injustices in the kingdom.

"You can easily oppress the commom people, but you can't fool the heavens." — Xu Qi An.

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Watched this because many people said this was a good one. And also there're Dylan Wang & Tian Xi Wei too. So I decided to watch this.

Story about Yang Ling (YL), a modern office worker, who is transported to the Da Feng Dynasty, where he becomes Xu Qi An (QA).

At first QA is a useless lad who is degraded in his family. QA lived with his uncle’s family, and his aunt really didn't like him. But since YL entered QA body, everything changed.

Soon YL gets introduced to this world, he quickly learns that in this world magic is a normal thing. Yet intellectuals & politics are still highly appreciated.

So, using his memories of poetry from the modern world, YL aka QA started gaining popularity among the scholars. Not only that, YL aka QA also uses his modern knowledge and reasoning to solve bizarre cases, earning the title of top investigator. QA started from the lower rank, a "copper gong", night watchman and soon promoted into the silver gong.

After sometime QA also starts to know some influential people. Among these people the one that really appreciates & thinks highly about him is Wei Yuan (WY). The more QA understands WY kindness and appreciation for QA, the more QA feels grateful & respects for WY.

And soon, QA also started getting entangled in a bigger mess in the kingdom, and started to deal and even offend the emperor himself. So, how will the QA journey enden in the end…? Will YL be able to get back to his world?

That's pretty much the story without giving the spoiler. Now what I like and don't.

What I like:
+ This is quite a funny drama. A few time they succeeded in making me laugh out loud.
+ The journey of QA is quite interesting to watch.
+ The crazy & messy political story you find nowhere else.

What I don't like:
- quite a boring plot for most of the time
- I don't d*mn care too much about the plot. If not because it suddenly becomes more interesting toward the end, I'm actually gonna rate this quite low.

Don't know whether to put it into like or not, but if you entered this with expectation about Dylan Wang & Tian Xi romance, you probably need to quick kick it from ur though. This is more like Joy of Life kinda situation, where politics are more dominant the whole drama.

Overall this is just another title on my list. Below I'll write some SPOILERS!!! Read it at your own risk.












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SPOILER ALERT!!!
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This is kinda an open ending, with a more confusing plot. I don't know I will watch this or not, if there's a 2nd season.

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Incredibly Hilarious, a Fresh Breath of Air

First things first, can we talk about Yang Yan? My Xiao Thor. He is an absolute baddie, I liked his portrayal of the character and charisma so much that I hanged on.

Second thing, I am a usually fast watcher, even if it is a fifty-episode drama, but this one took me a couple of weeks and a lot of fast-forwarding at times. However, it is super funny and has some genius storytelling (story of guardsmen in the sea lol). I think Didi did not just act the character but also reflected his goofiness into the character. His family is also a great foil to this plot. I laughed a lot and was not surprised much, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Got mad at FL many times, but the actress herself does a good job. From the bloopers, I could tell they had siblingly rivalry lol. I can actually imagine her acting with Chen Zhe Yuan, I think they would be a cute couple.

The third thing is the cinematography and special effects. It was obviously well done and well paid. And for the first time in my c-drama journey, I liked the whole OST. From the intro to the Atari (that is my take) remake in the sea story, songs were composed super intelligently.

It was a slow watch for me, personally. By any means, it was not bad at all.

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Awesome Watch! Enjoyed it…!

It was such an entertaining drama. Keeps a good hold throughout the episodes!
Definetly worth a good watch….!
Loved the comedic moments, emotional moments as well as the great action moments ….!
Dylan Wang is such a perfect actor for the character of Xu Qian. Not just him, the overall casting for each role was very well done.

If you have not watched it yet, then I would definitely recommend it.

Rewatch value usually lowers because the suspense is broken already, however it was such a fun and engaging watch that I won’t mind if I bump across the drama again! 👌

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Dafeng is worth it!

Guardians of the Dafeng is one of the best dramas I have watched recently. It's complex, beautiful, humorous and provides food for thought about things like, what is the meaning of life? What makes one life complete?

Yang Ling is a street-smart sales manager, who initially wanted to be policemen but life made its' correction. He is young, fast on his feet, pretty adjustable in social situations. After drinking party, he and his colleagues decide to play murder mystery game. That's how he ended up being in body of Xu Qi An, Chanty Constable who is in fact being imprisoned. That's how the story starts.

Story itself is very interesting. We start from case 1, and then we see it unfolding and connected to case 2 and bigger cases. While I was watching on-air, they constantly left us on cliffhanger, and I couldn't wait for another episode. Drama has a lot of easter eggs or details which makes interesting to me on re-watches. Complex world with magic, sects, taoist, artifacts and cultivation levels.

I like that drama has style, it explores and introduces quite complex world of Dafeng and connects us with characters through humor. Humor and a bit of hyperbolic style of acting might be not everyone's cup of tea. For me, it was highlights of Guardians of the Dafeng. I found myself to relate to a lot of situations. A lot of it touches work culture, relationships in family and society. I love visual aspects of the drama, CGI is extremely well-done, world building designs, it's amazing.

I love that drama has a lot of characters and they are all pretty well-written and have distinctive features about them and their own stage to shine. This is quite impressive considering how many characters are present in the drama.

This drama portrays absolutely beautifully the importance of family. Xu family is most chaotic and endearing family. Through humorous situations we get to know them, we see their bickering which depicts some real family dynamics so much. However, by the end of the series I found that I love them so much. There are so many moments when they stood for each other and showed genuine care and love for each other that it brought tears to my eyes. But at the same time, they provided some of the best comedic moments (like forgetting each other which ended up being connected to more serious note).

I loved romance storyline. I found that Xu Qi An and Lin An fit each other well. Romance is not the main plot but their moments were cute, endearing with spark of absolute chemistry. I think Lin An though by no means perfect is fitting for Xu Qi An. Lin An in the same way as Xu Qi An stood up to seek justice for her loved ones. Actually, the fact that both of them had their own lives and agendas made this line more realistic and healthy.

There's also significant story arc with Lord Wei and Guardians which shows the value of friendship, of people having your back and coming for each other. Some of the moments made me cry.

Overall, I think with portrayal of Xu Qi An's life they showed full spectrum of what makes one people's life full.

I have to talk about main protagonist and his character growth. Xu Qi An is a bit unserious and gives a lot of opportunist vibes at the very beginning. He is charismatic, charming and has his way with people. However, it's interesting and evident right from the first case that he is actually feels strongly about weaker people being oppressed. Interesting detail I noticed that he doesn't care much and can swallow if he is the one oppressed. And then he comes back to being unserious and being childish. I think Lord Wei described him: "You seem to be flexible on the outside, but you are rigid on the inside." I find interesting that guy that started from wanting to make money in Dafeng, spent large amount of time and efforts thinking about how to progress in the career and connecting with right people to what he did in the end of the series.

Cast is superb and everyone did a great job. Dylan Wang has showed his new side and how much he improved throughout his career. Portrayal of Xu Qi An is quite complex, he goes from being this hilarious character to heartbreak and to angry and just person. His gestures, body language, face expressions, tones of voice - just a great acting job altogether for a person that carried show. They showed scene where he goes from portraying young men, middle-aged man and old man - I couldn't believe my eyes. Great, great piece of acting. He also didn't get lost acting with much more senior cast and excellent actors.

I think everyone should give it a try of watching this. Dafeng is worth it a thousands times.

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Truly enjoyable from start to finish

Dylan Wang did an excellent job in this series. Xuqian has to be one of his best roles yet. I also loved how good he is at comedy which we were able to see in this series. he and that comedic flair that kept me laughing. I love how this series had all the elements I loved: family relationships, friendships, father/mother figures. Although it didn't focus a lot on the romance as it was a side plot, in the end it didn't bother me because what we got, I loved. Tian Xiwei and Dylan Wang had amazing chemistry makes me wish that maybe one day in the future we see them in a romance drama.
I loved how the series was action, adventure, mystery with a little bit of romance. It ticked all the right boxes for me. And I truly enjoyed it from start to finish.
10/10 from me.

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