Movie rates
Great movie!Casts delivered their roles exceptionally well. The fun times, humors and the characters played by the casts brought life into the movie💯.
I appreciate the work and efforts of the writer of this story, however, I would just like to point out that it is actually not necessary to make some characters die, especially the ones with big roles. Agreed, situations happen where good people die, but the deaths of some characters was not necessary and I'm sure it killed the interest of a lot of viewers at some point while watching the movie. It is already enough for them to suffer the loss of their fellow soldiers, must they die too? They are putting out their lives for their country, suffering injuries that they may never recover from, so did they have to die? After going through all that suffering and loss, the beauty of it all is that they endured and came out victorious.. despite all odds.
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A Journey to Love is one of the best wuxia productions that, even if the screenwriter, producer, and director turned delusional in the last eight minutes of the grandiose last episode, it does not take away from the fact that it is one of the best period legend dramas in matters of cinematography, costumes, writing, and a strong, smart, and passionate cast that has one of the best written dynamics in complex human interactions. This drama is fast paced and due to the fact that it has multiple leading characters, there’s never a dull moment. The audience is pulled into the plot and gets totally invested in the main characters and some great supporting characters as well. Although the plot deals with revenge and justice seeking themes, the story is really a beautiful and bittersweet tale about friendship, loyalty, romance, and the fine line between what is right or wrong in order to achieve justice. The main cast did an excellent job bringing their complex and ambivalent characters into life. And lets talk a bit about the extraordinary leading couple; the strong, smart, stiff, and frigid female assassin Ren Ru Yi / Ren Xin (played by Liu Shi Shi) an the intelligent, enigmatic, and resolute strategist Ning Yuan Zhou (played by Liu Yu Ning) which met by coincidence and found themselves working together for mutual benefits and, in the process of leading Wu's State's escort delegation to save the King of Wu who has been taken hostage by the State of An, formed a partnership based on mutual respect and understanding that leads to a steadfast and beautiful love story. SPOILER ALERT:Now to the end, what were they thinking? This is one of the rare dramas in which a tragic ending is written in a beautiful and mesmerizing way making it clear to the audience that the leading couple gave their all, saved many lives, and fulfilled their promise to live and die together. [After sustaining multiple injuries, the leading man was pierced all around his waist by nine spears, all at the same time, with blood gushing out while she says in despair: “You broke your promise again.” Then the leading lady goes to the Beipan enemy encampment, gathers all the leaders in a tent and, as she killed the Prince, she closes her eyes and, in her thoughts, she says: “Yanzhou. You’re gone. It’s too lonely for me… in the world.” Then she immediately throws two of Yuan Lu’s bombs and the tent bursts into flames following the blast.] So, why giving the audience the implausible ideas that they survived, had children, and are living their dreamed life? How ridiculous!!!!! If the audience stops at the 40 minute mark of the last episode before they announced: [Ten or so years later], it will avoid ending up scratching its head, in disbelief!
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4 POINTS I PICKED UP IN 22 EPISODES
Ning Yuan Zhao (Liu YuNing) is the wise leader of Six Dao Hall Wu State on mission to escort young naive Prince(ss) Yang Ying to enemy kingdom to bring ransom money and to free jailed-king. He took 4 accomplish able men which are Yu Shi San (Alen Fang) is a good friend, handsome and flamboyant. Playboy and easy going personality (very different character from he used to) very attractive, he's crème de la crème. Yuan Lu (Chen You Wei) 18 yo loyal follower of Yuan Zhao, famous with his mechanical device creations. Qian Zhao (Wang Yi Zhe) a trusted guard of the Empress and old friend of Yuan Zhao, his expertise are cooking, medicine & poison. Sun Lang (Li Huan) most trusty guard from Human Division from Six Dao Hall incharge with guards & attendants. A long the way, Yuan Zhao realize that he needs a female preceptor to teach naive Prince(ss) Yang Ying how to navigate politic, manner, deportment so he invites Ren RuYi (Liu Shi Shi) to tag along, the former left envoy of the State of An Zhu Yiwai that has her own reason to agree. The story is the long journey (up to ep 18) they're still in the border Wu State and An State. She finds love, friendship, understanding, & brotherhood.4 points I pick up from this drama:
FIGHTING CHOREOGRAPHY/MARTIAL ART
It's entertaining. I don't know how the choreographer did, but it's nice to look at to. It might just a show, edit here and there and voila. With hair blowing, robes flying, smile coldly, vivid color, wind blow, artful movement, dramatic background music, yeah we get all the package of perfect visual feast. The choreography is so smooth and artful that like real.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT
As she wants a baby from him, she inserted herself to his personal space, pestering him to do the deeds. Although he refused, he can't barely escape her charm. She tries every trick to get him to sleep with her, coerced him, if that's not a sexual harassment so what is it call (in a nice way). From physical attraction because he's tall and excellent in martial art, she thinks she doesn't need a husband to have a baby with, just his cooperation. After fail persuasion, she then appreciate him more in personal level because he tells his subordinates to respect her and he's most considerate for her well being and happiness. With the advise from Yu Shi San, she changes the method of persuasion, by acting not care.
GOSSIPING MEN
Not only us women infamously known to gossiping, apparently these nothing-to-do men loves to gossip about what's going on with Ning Yuan Zhao & Ren Ru Yi. Giggling, whispering, guessing, talk amongst them, speculate their relationship during long journey to the enemy line, this is what they're filled their time with. Of course, they also has confrontation from ambush. The team work build thru misunderstanding to test their loyalty, character and strength. Since Ru Yi is the only female and a new comer on the group, she's the recipient of unwanted attention or distrust. No one know yet the deal she's making with Yuan Zhao (beside the baby business) which asking Six Dao Hall to investigate the death of her benefactor - the late dowager empress. Yu Shi San is the women's expert where everyone appreciate his expertise in women's need to get his good advise. Ep 6 is touching, Yuan Zhao shows Yang Ying's desperate question; why? Because of the country, the people, the lost, duty, loyalty and the price of privileges. Ep 11 Yuan Zhao proved to be a great leader, gives himself 10 lashes for the mistake his subordinates failing to guard the safety of Prince Yang Ying.
TEDIOUS ROMANCE SCENES/CRINGE LOVE
I notice, never fail, we get tension scenes - very critical - fighting - crisis- stressful situation but then the next scenes will be all lovey dovey all about love and sweet promises like come on....get on already!! Never fail! Too much sweetness and expression of love gets me really sick. Nah....too dreary. After the heart break and injuries Ep 12 Yuan Zhao agrees to her baby request but ask her to wait till the mission completes. All flirt, promise, and baby agreement isn't up to my fav....too much distraction and stir up the mission because of jealousy and couple's disagreement, too much PDA in my opinion. She would threaten 'baby is out of the table if you don't do this' and his face blank like 'ehhhh?' The love is too clingy...so cringe stare each other looking into their eyes..like in Jr High first love. I skip most of it. I think this is just fillers to prolong the episodes.
But all casts do great job with their character. Liu Shi Shi is seductive, she doesn't need to be arrogant as cold-bloody killer, she smiles suggestively and touches lightly, she approaches to corner him with dew eyes. Liu Yu Ning being single 30yo veteran leader is pretty fascinated with her attention, only his top mission priorities hanging on his head he manage to scud away the temptation. Alan Fang is great, really funny, the joker in the group, he should do more comedy. Between Liu Yu Ning and Alan Fang character in Long Ballad, I like their social dynamic in here. Decided to drop it, stuck on ep 22, it's great story but I don't care about their love story (on and on so tiring) they should cut down the love portion between Liu Yu Ning and Liu Shi Shi, not too mention love Li TongGuan to Ren RuYi....another on and on about them. Ugh...enough already. I heard the end is disappointment, not making into the end of episodes.
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Baddas assassins female lead you must watch this
DIS actually what i dreamed as a chinese dramas enjoyers, strong fl and ml, adult romantic but its DOESN'T mean like spicy or smth etc but it how their relationship going so wise there are some drama but they got talking together to solve the problem (ning yuanzhou such a green flag hehe), i'd love the comedy and their friendship i miss them SO BADD 🫶🏻 ohh and i'd really love with the developement character the princess ITS SO SMOOTH. I think it would never stop if we talkin bout the ending lmaoo, i just accept it like they are warrior guys they are served their country for peace, so that's make sense (yah but i cried a lot and didn't watch another drama for two months lmao). U must watch it RIGHT NOWWWWas this review helpful to you?
Highly Recommended.. You'll have generations of daughters and son if you watch this .. kidding
Can't explain how this series brought my standard so high when it comes to historical dramas. It's filled with intensity that grips you from start to finish.The actors deliver outstanding performances that make the characters feel real. The cinematography is stunning and has a well-crafted storyline. This series is one of those master piece of work I've watched w/o unnecessary fillers. It's a perfect blend of excellent acting, impressive visuals, and a heartbreaking story that keeps you hooked.Was this review helpful to you?
Many stunning fighting scenes and great OST
I loved this drama. Mostly bc of the many and stunning fighting sceenes together with a fantastic OST. But also bc of the very artistic scenery together with the OST. The OST really lifted and made the scenes more emotional. For me - a wuxia lover - all this gave me sparkling eyes and a happy heart.The FL is in this drama the strongest of them all and that is something I really liked.
The plot was good and interesting and the characters were very loveable.
There is several love stories going on but romance never takes over the story.
The ML and FL are lovers but also very loyal companions.
Loyalty is the key word in the drama.
There are some scenes that really don't make sense but it doesn't ruin the drama.
Everybody play their roles very good but I can see that Liu Yuning is a better actor today than he was in this drama.
The end is very "cdrama-ish" but the very last scene left me with questions.....
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A masterpiece ✨️
where do I start , I loved everything about casting , acting , music it was great .loved that we didn't get the dimsel in distress type FL.
loved ML being considerate and not trying to clip FL wings .
loved their mature relationship and the trust they had for each other.
I really wished for a happy ending but the ending they gave us was so bitter yet justified they fought for peace and died for it , what other greater cause could they have died for ?
but I am devastated 😩💔
either way this is a masterpiece and deserves to give it a go .
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The Most Ironic (Iconic) Title In History Of Cdramas
𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆🌷͙⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ Summary𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆🌷͙⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָFemale assassin Ren Ru Yi, the former left envoy of the Scarlet Guards, becomes a member of the Wu's State's escort delegation to save the King of Wu who has been taken hostage by the State of An. Together with Ning Yuan Zhou, the leader of the Wu State's Six Realms Hall, the free-spirited Yu Shi San, Princess Yang Ying, clever teen Yuan Lu and the imperial guard Qian Zhao, they experience love, life, death, and grow together.
I really appreciate the complexities in the narrative of "A Journey to Love." The characters are so well-developed, and their relationships are intriguing. Ren Ru Yi, the female assassin with an incredible backstory, adds a layer of depth that keeps me invested in the political intrigue of the Wu State's attempt to rescue their king from the clutches of the State of An. The dynamic between her and Ning Yuan Zhou, the leader of the Six Realms Hall, is particularly engaging. Their partnership reflects not just a mission of love but also an intertwining of destiny and duty.
.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ✦ ‧₊˚ ⋅Reveiw.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ✦ ‧₊˚ ⋅
And oh, the ensemble cast! Each character brings something unique to the table. There's the free-spirited Yu Shi San, the resilient Princess Yang Ying, the clever teen Yuan Lu, and the loyal imperial guard Qian Zhao. It creates a rich tapestry of interactions and experiences, allowing for moments of genuine love, heart-rending sacrifice, and the harsh realities of life and death. I love how the plot intricately weaves their personal journeys with the overarching political narrative.
But, I must confess, it’s frustrating when the couples I root for don’t end up together! I had high hopes for the Marquis and the strong, independent princess with her horse; that seemed like such a match made in heaven. I envisioned their chemistry blossoming amid the chaos. Yet, as the story unfolds, it seems destiny has something else in mind for them. And don’t get me started on the heart-wrenching turns where it felt like every character I loved was taken too soon. I mean, the title "A Journey to Love" feels almost ironic when tragedy strikes so frequently! I want to believe in the possibility of love triumphing, but with characters meeting such fateful ends, it leaves me in a state of emotional confusion. Balancing romance amidst the harsh truths of politics can make for a thrilling ride, but I just wish that, in this case, it didn’t leave me with so many heartbreaks and unanswered questions. It’s a testament to how gripping the story is, though—captivating yet bittersweet, because every loss feels so personal.
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2nd Best Bad Ass Female Character (Top 1 will be Heyan, Legend of a female General)
A journey to love is not just about the love between the two leads, but to me it meant so much more. A love for their brotherhood/comrades, their country, etc.Although the last few episodes were such a let down,it was really rushed and sloppily done. The beginning and the half of this series was really the best in my opinion, yes there were a handful of unnecessary scenes and deaths but this series made me shed buckets of tears and at the same time made me laugh so hard.
it wasn’t a perfect series but this is far way better than a couple of series I’ve watched.
There were a lot of loop holes if you ask me, and a lot of questionable, and over the top scenes. My favorite character would be the female lead, she’s gorgeous, and portrayed the character with so much conviction, such a bad a**! but overall it’s the comaradery and friendship of the 5 heaven realms soldiers that really made me emotionally invested in this series. I just disapprove of some deaths here, there were a lot of unbelievable scenarios that pissed me off, halfway I stopped watching and just resumed recently and finally decided to finish it once and for all. I binged watched episodes 1-30 in one seating 😆. Yuan Lu was such a likable character not because he was fragile w/ a heart disease but he brings out the kid in yo, kinda happy vibe, but he was so strong willed as well. Yu Shi San was so hilarious, same goes to Qian zhao, and li huan they all have this such likeable vibes to them.
At times Li tong guang was so annoying, but I couldn’t dislike him, I’m sorry he was pathetic most of the time but I have a soft spot for him.
I enjoyed seeing familiar faces that I’ve seen before, actors from scent of time, the double, till the end of the moon.
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Came for Liu Yuning, fell in love with the whole cast
I started watching this for Liu Yuning but quickly the rest of the cast enchanted me too. However, if you’re looking for a story with a happy ending perhaps this one is not for you as I cried through the last few episodes and the final scene left me so so sad.The story revolves around a stupid, selfish Emperor who falsely condemns a group of warriors who die while protecting him. He gets kidnapped by an enemy kingdom and a retired general / head of one of 6 spy divisions, played by Yuning, leads a team tasked with rescuing him. This general takes up the challenge as he is determined to clear the names of the fallen warriors all of whom were personally known to him and his men.
The task force sent to bring the emperor home is made up of a shy and pathetic Princess disguised as a prince, an assassin from the enemy country bent on revenge against the people that killed her benefactor and men from the country’s 6 spy divisions many of whom all have their own reasons for volunteering.
This story has it all: action, romance, plot twists, fantastic character growth (the princess grows a backbone of steel), love, bonds of friendship and trust.
Liu Yuning’s character Ning Yuan Zhou is dynamic, funny, strong, vulnerable, you name it, he portrays it really well. Liu Shi Shi is brilliant as the kick ass, strong female lead Ren Xin and she is everything a strong female assassin should be wrapped up in a complex and sometimes vulnerable conundrum.
The other stand out performances of this series for me were He Lan Dou who plays Princess Yan who morphs from a pathetic, coddled and innocent young girl into a fearless woman of substance and Chen You Wei who played Yuan Lu a happy go lucky young lad with a life limiting illness.
The rest of the cast are incredibly well chosen and they provide humour and their own back stories and character development that helps to bring this story to life.
Would I watch it again? Absolutely
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Drinking in the windy snow as the snow turns to ashes. Lamenting that seperation's are irrecovable
I don't understand the hate LYN got during the drama's airing. In my honest opinion, LYN did the character justice, he became NYZ. It might be his best character drama yet. From the past dramas I've watched from him, I can see his growth, and deserves lead roles. Won't lie at first, I started this drama because of FYL. And I fell in love with the cast.Can we talk about the growth of Princess Yang Ying, you can't tell me she and LTG weren't Ruyi and NYZ's children.
The ost's and the sound effects. Killer.
Writer Jie...What kind of ending are you giving us? You didn't have to kill half of the squad. And the ending...I am still confused about how I'm supposed to interpret the ending of the drama. Is she dreaming? Did she die? Is it a what-if? Like even the supposed kid of our main leads showed up...
Anyway, a must-watch drama, and the cast was amazing. Now I'm going to wish for a modern drama with the same cast with a happy ending. No dying this time.😅
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Don't be cynical about love
Overall, I rate this drama very well. An interesting story, a good cast, excellent chemistry between leads, lovely backdrop , beautiful costumes and melodious music.The story centred around Ren RuYi and Ning YuanZhou. The former was the leader of the female spy ring of the Kingdom of An, who was presumed dead. The latter was the newly reinstated head of the LiuDaoTang, the spy ring of the rival Kingdom of Wu. King of Wu lost the battle with An and was captured and imprisoned. The King of An demanded ten thousand ingots of gold for his release, to be delivered by a Wu prince.
RuYi was running away from being captured in the Wu kingdom and ended up hiding in YuanZhou's residence. Meantime, Yuan Zhou was appointed the leader of the delegation to deliver the the gold to An. The only prince capable of travelling to An was also the Regent ruling in the absence of the King of Wu and it was deemed too risky to lose him. Motivated by promise of rewards, Princess YangYing volunteered to be the 'Prince'. YuanZhou engaged the help of RuYi to coach YangYing on the ways of the An. So this delegation of people oddly thrown together had to make their way to An and rescue the King. How many would return safely?
What I like about this drama?
1. In a way, this story was along the similar theme as A Journey to You, a theme of a spy in the opposite camp who developed a Stockholm Syndrome. But the story development was a lot more interesting and the ending was a lot more appealing.
2. It was sad and cheerful at the same time - it spiced up your senses. Who could say that the world is perfect. Therefore we don't expect a perfect ending for everyone. Many did not make it back to the Wu Kingdom. But we rejoice that some found their own happiness eventually.
3. The story was interesting and original in its own ways. No plagiarism observed. and certainly different from 'A Journey to You'.
4. There were a lot of philosophical lessons in the drama. Many were very in tuned into human nature. I laughed at the lessons in relationship that ShiSan was teaching Chu Yue - somewhat crappy, somewhat wise. And in episodes 18 and 19, the lead characters were trying to sort out where they would eventually settle after their missions. This is so apt even in contemporary real life settings.
5. Chemistry between YuanZhou and RuYi was very well played out by Liu ShiShi and Liu YuNing. When RuYi insisted that YuanZhou was her choice of the father of her child and insisted on only a physical relation with him with no emotional attachment, it was hilarious.
6. The second male lead, Allen Fang, YiLun also brightened the drama a lot, acting as ShiSan. He was hilarious. It is the first time i saw him as a comic character, a departure from his usual stony face character. Hope to see him as first lead in a good drama.
6. All the hygiene factors were there: a good cast, excellent chemistry between leads, lovely backdrop , beautiful costumes and melodious music. And the opening and ending theme songs were beautiful.
What I do not like about this drama?
1. While there were some wise lessons to be taught in the drama, there were also some crap. RuYi was name calling her disciple as the illegitimate child when this was his Achilles' heels. Yet he accepted her ill-treatment and fell in love with her - I could not understand this. So one was masochistic and the other sadistic? And they complement each other? No compliments and encouragements - no wonder there are so much anger in some people. Imagine being criticised, beaten and name called all the time.
2. The final pretence was not convincing. How did someone surrounded and stabbed by the enemy soldiers survive?
For the last two points, I took half a point away from a perfect 10 but highly recommend this drama.
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