Guardians of the Dafeng (2024)

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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Best drama ever!!!

To be honest I’ve never really been a fan of historical dramas but after this I think that may change. I first discovered this drama when I found out Dylan Wang (who I’ve seen in other dramas) was in it. So waited in expectancy for its release and was definitely not disappointed.
There were many laughs even from the first episode and the action and suspense progressed throughout the whole season in such a way that left me anxiously waiting for the next episode to be put out. Dylan Wang is the perfect lead for this role by far. How he expresses his emotions and portrays the character while still allowing some comical relief is just incredible.
Although I am late to write this review I wanted to make sure I watched it twice before giving my opinion. I’d say if you’ve been considering watching this drama definitely give it a try because you’ll surely be surprised.

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Season 2 please! Same cast!

This was a blast. I enjoyed watching something so different from the usual dramas I watched in 2024 - I loved all the characters, the underlying messages of being sincere and incorruptible, and the ridiculous family. I enjoyed the bit of romance because I thought they were cute when they were together. I thought the acting was great by everyone, and will never understand the Dylan Wang hate. He tries all sorts of things, which I admire in a performer, and I enjoy watching him on screen.

I like silly humor, case solving, fantasy world building types of stories. If you start and it seems too silly, you should try watching longer. It keeps having funny scenes, but the story itself isn’t silly.

My only complaint: I want a season 2 as the story lost focus for a bit and there are way too many unfinished storylines. Because the source material is looooooonnnnnnnngggggggg, they obviously needed to cut the story down to drama size. I think just focusing on the Guardians, the case solving, the family and world building would have easily filled 40 episodes. The wizard cult stuff could be explored in a season 2.

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Light, refreshing, witty, with intrigue and action

If there’s one thing The Guardians of the Dafeng proves, it’s that Dylan Wang is on a roll. Ever since I first saw him in Love Between Fairy and Devil, I’ve followed his work religiously, and he has yet to disappoint me. This show? Another masterpiece. It’s gripping, intelligent, and refreshingly light when it needs to be — an absolute joy to watch from start to finish.

What surprised me most was how much I adored the fact that romance is secondary at best in the plot. Coming from someone mostly into romance, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but Dylan’s versatility made sure I didn’t miss it.

Xu Qi’an is the kind of character that pulls you in — witty, self-assured without being insufferable, and always aware of the absurdity of his own circumstances. He’s got the confidence of a protagonist who knows he’s the smartest guy in the room but the humility (or maybe just the sheer bad luck) to never take himself too seriously. It’s that balance that makes him so endearing, and the way he seemingly easily gathers allies — from the Bureau of Astronomy to the Guardians, officials, and even the imperial family — just proves how much of a magnetic force he is.

Speaking of allies, the chemistry between the cast is incredible. The Xu family dynamic? Chef’s kiss. They bicker like there’s no tomorrow, but when it comes down to it, they will stand by each other, even in the face of death.

I can’t talk that long without appreciating the supporting characters. Beyond the emotional bonds, the show also delivers on the action front, with each character bringing their own strengths to the battlefield. And when it comes to sheer presence, few can match Yang Yan. His fight scenes are pure cinema. The aura, the might, the majesty — every time he’s on screen, it’s impossible to look away. And let’s not forget Nangong Qian Rou, the only female Gold Gong. A total badass and the perfect blend between power and elegance.

Then there’s Mr. Wei, the leader of the Guardians, whose father-son relationship with Xu Qi’an adds so much depth to the story. Watching their bond evolve, the way Mr. Wei both guides and challenges him, is one of the many emotional anchors of the series.

One of my favorite things about this show is its ability to transition seamlessly from deeply philosophical discussions to the most absurdly trivial matters. One moment, we’re questioning justice, morality, and the law; the next, we’re dealing with some completely ridiculous, almost comedic situation. It’s this ability to strike a balance between depth and humor that makes the show so engaging.

My most emotional twist was Xi Qi’an’s trial, where he was charged for killing a Silver Gong — an act of justice that clashed with the very law he served. Mr. Wei, his mentor, was the one forced to hand down the sentence, torn between duty and the knowledge that Xu Qi’an had done the right thing. The weight of that moment, the tension in their gazes, the silent war between justice and the law — it was cinematic gold.

Xu Qi’an’s brilliance in solving the unsolvable cases made him a highly sought-after asset, with Gold Gongs even competing to have him on their team. The respect he earned throughout the series is palpable. Even characters like Li Yuchun, who started off distrusting him, by the time Silver Gong’s death trial comes around, were already standing up for him wholeheartedly.

A lot of people compare TGOTD to Joy of Life, but to me, the former stands on its own. It keeps things playful even when the stakes are high, whereas JOL— despite Fan Xian’s humor — carries a heavier sense of danger with its plot twists. TGOTD thrives on its witty exchanges, fast-paced storytelling, and engaging character dynamics, making it feel more like a thrilling yet fun ride. While danger is always present, the story never lingers too long in despair. Each twist feels exhilarating rather than angsty. The tension is real, but it never tips into the same level of dread that JOL sometimes reaches, keeping the ride fun and fast-paced.

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This series exceeded my expectations. You can't just see so many of Dylan's acting positions in one person. It's impossible to count the number of emotions I experienced while watching the series. This series confirmed for me that Dylan's acting is of very high quality and is still improving. Series after series is better and better even without acting education, developing his talent prerequisites for acting with an emphasis on the ability to adapt to any character he portrays. He is truly unique. Because as an actor he is truly, humble. He is humble, in every role, because his portrayal of all his characters is not the work of a moment, but a parallel to eternity, this feeling that his acting leaves in me. And only when he portrays a given character with a humility that is inherent to himself, only then does he become great in his talent. Although very young, but his emphasis on portrayal and passion for acting - this is exactly why he is so incredibly creative.

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"Dafeng's not worth it " Lol. After so long, here comes a very good Wu xia

This Series ended with a major Cliff hanger and it's damn interesting and makes me to wait for season 2. I really really love this series, I'm actually contended that finally there is one good Wuxia. Dylan Wang's acting was the cream on top. He just killed it. Lors wei was also one of my faourite characters of this series.

Other than him the chemistry between the other actors truly deserves applause, Lord Wei's character was so well written and well executed. The comedy was on point that made me laugh wholeheartedly. I loved the fact that the series is well balanced in everything except for romance which was actually not necessary given the story line. Though at the first Lin An role wasn't matched with the phase of the story, as the story moves on her role was much satisfied. Though there was not much romance, the screenwriter gave us what was actually needed.

The relationship between the family members, superior and his colleagues was lovable and heart touching and funny as well.
The emperor was creepy for the whole time and was really ambiguous till the end.
I didn't find this series rushed at all but I felt that they gave us a lot of content in 40 eps which was the limit and that made them to miss many details and major fights wasn't shown, like the one in chuzou was too short, I expected a big fight at that time but too bad it didn't happen. Things were going really fast towards the end.

Mysteries to be unveiled:
There were so many mysteries which has to be unveiled in the next season:
The other 2 members of that jade mirror realm
The kui's story
The witcher sects story
The man whose name was erased from the history and the reason
Su su's father
Lord Wei and Empress relationship
The emperor's goal
The supreme sword
The supervisor's game



The end***( A spoiler):

I couldn't accept the fact that everyone forgets Xu qian at the end of the story after all the thick and thin he has gone through. I wasn't ready to accept Lord wei's death. season 2 without lord wei is unimaginable Plus the ending was really intriguing and making me to wait badly for season 2. I hope season 2 comes soon and reveal the truth.

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A missed opportunity

Going to start by saying, this was my most anticipated drama, and having read the novel, I was 100% invested in how it would come to life. Fantasy lore as genre has always interested me and knowing this would be a high budget drama got me excited since the grandeur, action and effects would be top notch. But, after watching, I am left with nothing but disappointment. While the show had it's highlight moments which gave me hope that it was finally getting back on track, but it veered off almost immediately making this journey a "damn it, what it could have been", rather frustrating, hence the long review.

Positive- I loved Wang Hedi as Xu Qi An. I know there were conversations around accent, but since I am not a chinese speaker, i only focused on the expressions & emotions and he definitely delivered on those. He was funny when he needed to be and serious when the story demanded it and I loved that for him. His emotional breakdown in the Chuzhou case was very well done. Loved the way he executed his one slash skill, I had hoped to see more intense action, considering all his BTS practice, but alas, that's a plot issue (and I am ranting about it below). His character and how he stands for his ideals and defends people was an instant winner.
Defintely loved the family dynamics, our little glutton Lingyin was such a cutie. The Pingyan and LinAn friendship was heartwarming to see, that entire sub plot though different from the novel was a good emotional journey albeit long. The whole Guardians cast was the absolute best as well. Ep 38-39 were definite highlights, made me cry and remember why i wanted to watch this show in the first place. Great CGI, makes it even worse they didn't use all this great CGI in creating more thrilling action scenes.

Negative- SCRIPT/DIRECTING- 99% of my problems with the show are concentrated here. Just sticking to the original material in terms of the big sub plots could have made this a 100/10. But there was no effort to introduce the Dafeng universe, the various sects and ranks among them which would have greatly benefitted viewers. The scriptwriter seemed determined to ruin the show, and the director adding fuel on fire, by introducing chracters at random focusing on making it "funny", not bothering with their stories & ruining the depth of them. The show should have focused on the action, the lore, but all the crew could think of is cringeworthy comedy. I was bored for so much of it. The original book is peppered with naturally funny moments, there was no need for this forced humour. It was infuriating to watch them completely ruin the character of Xu Xin Nian, who was SUPPOSED TO BE A SMART, LEARNED SCHOLAR specialising in strategy by making him a complete parody. They made him such a loser, all his little points of wisdom, especially the scene where he comes to scolds the king for hours which was so well written in the book, had no impact whatsoever.
I understand the need to focus on the romance angle, but come on. The unnecessary Lin An moments, did nothing for the story, made her more dislikeable as it wasted precious runtime that could have been used for plot continuity and most importantly, took away from developing Huaquing as the smart, accomplished female character that she could have been. They had time to show Lin An's stupidity at the Bureau and no time to show Heng Yuan teach Xu Qi An the Lion's roar that was a perfect compliment to his primary skill and a major part of him defeating Tianyu later. And this tradeoff is still not the worst thing. Post Episode 15, when the progress begun, I hoped the best is yet to come. But no. Major plots where the action and emotion were all just skipped over, or showed in a minute or in some cases narrated. Xu Qi An is a martial artist, the whole story revolves around his journey of developing and ultimately becoming a martial god, but all of it was deemed unimportant. I could cry at how they skipped over his heroic & emotional death in Yunzhou case which cemented his reputation in the world & showed it in one scene as just him retriving silver. His strength i.e., investigating, deleted. And was further apalled at how they cut short the Xu Qi An and Duke's battle, one slash and that was it. They completely undermined a 3rd rank warrior's strength to the viewers and ruined a highlight intense action moment? Did the budget dry up, it was literally my most anticipated scene of the show. Could have taken out that 15 mins from the unnecessary Xu Xin Nian and Li Miaozhen moment or the uncle trying to break into & getting caught by the Guardians or that seriously unfunny and long Lin An poetry plotline or the Xu Xin Nian & Wang Simu's unnecessary running meetups. And that ending summary of Wei Yuan's battle, I was going to pull my hair out. Xu Qi An and Wei Yuan's remarkable relationship, his reactions and action to defeat the Witcher Sect and avenge Wei Yuan, the grand bow he made at the end in the book all just skipped over? I would rather they have completely saved it for next season instead of doing it this way.

My hope for the next season, if there is one- Add the stupid when you have developed the plot. Don't add fillers at the expense of killing major, game changing moments.

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