A puzzle that gives a different answer every time.
After finishing the drama, I realise why no one was willing to leave a bad review for it, because this drama is strange.Shot in slow motion, but by God, you can't watch it on FF because you just can't. Sigh.
The cinematography was good, the fight scenes were epic, even the melodramatic sister had her charm. Here's my take. There's no sequel coming because:
1. Shanguan Qian is not pregnant [watch the scene carefully again and see the clues for yourself]
2. The ending: I'm not exactly upset here because the premise of this drama was never the romance, so It's either the ML died waiting for Ah Yun to return to him, or she actually did return after. I'm leaning on more of her return because she's obviously upgraded in martial arts since her arrival at the Gong's annnd she's picked up skills, obviously. Me thinks if she became pissed, she could pull it off and manage a comeback to her man after all.
3. I'm not watching a sequel because I cannot can this drama anymore, but if one does come out, which I know will not, I'll conveniently forget I wrote these words and watch it anyway, LOL.
4. This drama is a dark horse, you cannot hate it, but you're not sure you love it, the rewatch value is high, but an immediate rewatch after is slow.
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"wounds tell other that your body is hurt. tears tell others that heart is hurt". give it a chance.
Writing a review to this drama is unimaginably hard. I just have no idea if I should rant the series or should I praise the series. I am not Chinese and facts such as if the vibe has something to do with Japan and all I have no idea. And again the story itself was something different and the production was also very different. The dark and ominous vibe of the gong house and the mist covered jiuchen helps the story keep its mystery. The start of the story was truly engaging but after sometime the story become different and the main leads story was not as notable as the second main leads. The climax of story was rushed through 2 episodes and that was truly disappointing if they had taken more time to conclude the story by adding may be 2 or 3 more episodes it would have been totally different. The ending was a true cliff hanger you really don’t know what happened to some characters. For example the ending of the female lead was indefinite. They really don’t explain about the after math of the second female lead. Leaving the male lead at the gates of gong house was terribly cruel .the story didn’t really keep me guessing till the end but was interesting. The male lead was less interesting than the second male lead. gong zi yu (zhang liang he) was a simple character and the character development was also slow and very simple but the second male lead gong shangjue (rayan cheng) was complex and the character clearly had a development and it was a good one too. Plus the relationship between male lead and female lead was said to be a strong one with less number of things happening to them and the character development was something related to trauma and not the relationship between the lead. but then again the character development for the second male lead clearly was related to the second female lead and there is a definite reason why they can be a good couple. The series was a philosophical one and the metaphors used where reasonable though some might find it dragging and unnecessary it was quite enjoyable to me.Overall the one thing I can surely say is that you have watch this drama at your own risk. You might feel like troughing the entire story in the trash or could feel like keeping it a souvenir. All the best.
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This review may contain spoilers
Star-crossed
My Journey to You is a dark wuxia drama about a doomed romance between a spy and her ultimate target. It follows Yun Weishan, an orphaned girl taken and trained by a mysterious criminal organization called Wufeng. Her mission was to infiltrate an enemy clan and gather information about the enigmatic and secretive Gongs. But she fails her mission the moment she falls for Gong Zi Yu, the Sword Wielder and chief of the clan, causing her to question her own motives, feelings, and loyalty towards Wufeng.Yu Shuxin absolutely shines as the conflicted and highly intelligent Yun Weishan, a performance I never thought I'd see from her as she is notorious for her cutesy roles and infantile voice that drives me nuts at times. lol I loved her in this drama, though. It made me see her in another light and because of this drama, I am willing to give her another chance in similar works. But as much as I found the premise and female lead intriguing, I found myself more drawn to the secondary characters. I wasn't invested in her relationship with Gong Zi Yu played by Zhang Linghe. The character just felt flat to me for some reason. Perhaps Gong Zi Yu is far too much of a goody two shoes that he didn't resonate with me.
The second couple also did nothing for me as the second female lead was downright unlikable from the start. Her manipulative, selfish, arrogant, and scheming nature just left a bad taste in my mouth. With all due respect to Lu Yuxiao, her Shangguan Qian will most likely hinder me from watching her other works any time soon. I just couldn't stand her character! And I'm afraid I will associate her with this role for quite some time. Cheng Lei, however, was the perfect cold and domineering tsundere, Gong Shangjue. I wanted a better ending for him. But thank goodness for the third couple, Jin Fan and Gong Zishang, they were my favorites! Their comedic tandem kept me entertained all throughout the drama. I also became attached to the fourth couple, Elder Yue and Yun Que, they were quite charming though their love was ultimately a tragic one. The Xue boys and Young Master Hua were also adorable. Yun Weishan's master and handler, Han Ya Si was another unforgettable character. But my favorite is definitely Gong Yuanzhi. Tian Jiarui is simply magnetic in this role and he played it to a tee. I have high hopes for the future of this young actor.
Apart from his visuals and distinct filmmaking style, Guo Jingming's strong suit is writing relatable and interesting supporting characters, so it's no wonder that I loved this cast as much as I loved the cast of Fangs of Fortune. Speaking of visuals, like all of Guo Jingming's works, it is a spectacle to behold. The cinematography, the carefully curated sets, the beautifully crafted costumes, the deliberate almost dance-like movements of the actors, the cinematic shots, and the stylistic action choreography are unlike any other I've seen in C-dramas not helmed by him. It is, in every sense of the word, art. He may not have the best reputation in the industry or even be the most capable writer, but he is no slouch when it comes to artistry and that is why I keep watching his dramas and films.
The memorable music adds to the appeal of the drama and is pretty much the glue that holds the story together, making the emotional beats considerably more impactful. Kudos to the music composer and music editor for a job well done.
Unfortunately, this drama is not without flaws. Though relatively shorter with merely 24 episodes, the run time of each episode is about an hour long, and the signature slow speech and pacing of Guo Jingming's dramas dragged things out as if procrastination was its job, leaving me to nod off into dreamland quite a few times. And yet the last few episodes flew by like a super cyclone in a hurry to devastate another territory, only screeching into a halt with an abrupt cliffhanger of an ending. I mean, I get it. That ending was a deliberate choice to open things up for a potential sequel. I won't be surprised if they had at least another season planned. But with how busy the actors have gotten since the drama was released, I don't see how they would have the time to make another season. It took Joy of Life 5 years to produce a second season and it was a massive hit. It wouldn't have been possible without the full cooperation of all the actors involved. But they could've at least given it a proper ending. The main conflict of the season was already resolved, so it should've been able to stand on its own, sequel or no sequel. Sadly, this is a kind of trend in C-dramas. This is not the only drama I've seen with an ambiguous ending. And because of those flaws I mentioned, I can only give an 8.
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Waiting for a season 2
I didn't expect myself to complete this drama within 2 days with close to sleepless nights. The story itself builds up steadily and I would say this is one of the rare few dramas that I didn't drop. Watched it because of Linghe at first but I am happy with the direction of this story because I think it is Esther's first non-cutesy drama.I felt like Esther did an amazing job portraying her character considering her previous dramas. This was not cringey and it was rather mature. Everyone in the show definitely had some good acting points and I really like how each character was able to have some backstory towards the end of the show.
The only thing that I didn't really like was that they didn't release the second season directly after this. Many reviewers mentioned that the ending is rather the director's style. I LOVE it actually but I would love to see a continuation!
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Stockholm syndrome
Overall, worth watching: excellent and good looking cast, fantastic chemistry between the leads, lots of mysteries and twists in the story and great backdrop.However, be ready that the ending is open-ended. Would be nice if there is a sequel to tie everything up - but don't bet on it. I have not seen any Chinese drama sequel successfully released so far, and most of those released did not measure up to its predecessors.
Yun WeiShan was sent to the Gong clan as a spy by the WuFeng gang, disguised as a candidate for a bride. WuFeng was a notorious group which had dominated the martial art world and forced many clans to submit to them. However, the Gong clan rejected their demands and was about the last not to submit. And as the drama progressed, you would find there were other spies beside WeiShan. WeiShan found that she not only had to hide her identity from the Gongs, she had to deal with other scheming spies ready to betray her if necessary to protect their own identities and their mission.
The young handsome Gong ZiYu was thrown into the position of the clan leader when his father and eldest brother was assassinated, presumably by WuFeng's spies. While selecting his bride, ZiYu fell in love with WeiShan. Relationship between the spy and the new leader became complicated and it looked like she was a liability which might bring down ZiYu from the leadership position.
Highlights about this drama:
1. The story was very interesting. There was always new discoveries; nothing and no one was what they seemed to be.
2. There were good humour as portrayed by the character Gong ZiShang. Although her behaviour was funny in many scenes and helped lightened up the dark and serious drama, some were quite snapstick.
3. Zhang Ling He was as usual outstanding in this drama. He was the second lead in the drama Love between Devil and Fairy and was perhaps overlooked or overshadowed. But his subsequent performance in this and the Story of Kunning Palace along with Bai Lu was nothing short of outstanding.
4. The other main leads were equally good. Ryan Cheng played the cold faced Gong ShangJue who actually had a soft side. Yu Shu Xin hailed from the drama Love between Devil and Fairy - I am not quite convinced about her acting - she played the cool and calm spy - a character which was mostly quite boring - saved mainly by her chemistry with Zhang Ling He. By comparison, the scheming Shangquan Qian (Lu Yu Xiao) was more interesting and earned our disgust.
5. Everything was good except the last episode. Everyone was unhappy - a sharp contrast to the Story of Kunning Palace. I wish they could do a better job with the ending. I suggest with such lousy endings, come up with your own ending.
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Not Ester Yu’s usual character type - hurray!
Originally I began watching this because of ZLH but was pleasantly surprised that EY was not playing an airhead which was very refreshing and her character was totally believable.The plot follows two female spies from the evil and vicious Wufeng sect that infiltrate an introverted and mysterious sect controlled by the Gongs who specialise in lotions, potions and poisons only to find that the second son has suddenly become the sect leader upon the death of his father and heir apparent elder brother. Their aim is to destroy Gong so that Wufeng can proceed with its plan for world domination.
The FL starts to fall for the ML as she helps him to conquer physical obstacles, his family members and the elders who don’t want him as their leader. He gains in confidence and their relationship grows and she confesses to being by his side with a mission to kill him and help destroy the sect. Due to their honesty (he lets her see how little confidence he has, how unhappy he was to be made the ruler and how he longs to return to being the ‘spare’. She tells him how she longs for her freedom and to break free from her contract with Wufeng) they build not just deep feelings but absolute trust in each other and there is abundant chemistry as they fall in love.
The second spy manages to build a relationship with MLs cousin but lies and cheats her way into his bed and yet despite their relationship being built on lust not love, there are still feelings between them, no matter how conflicted, and the actors really bring to life their complex characters and the situations they find themselves in.
Although this seems like a really dark tale, there are some amusing moments as MLs sister chases after his body guard in subtle and not so subtle ways.
My only criticism is that this story finishes on a bit of a cliffy but I’m not sure if there will ever be a second series to tie up the large number of loose ends which is a shame as the chemistry between the main characters is so good and there is enough content to put into a sequel.
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A promising beginning....if only the rest wasn't dragging
The very beginning was very interesting, and I couldn't wait to see more. But around episode 10 the drama started to drag.The pacing is the biggest problem here. One scene shouldn't last for 20+ minutes. I often found myself falling asleep to it.
Now, the second problem was Esther Yu and Zhang Ling He. Their romance didn't work for me at all. I didn't understand where this instant attraction came from.
I felt no chemistry between them. Like 0%. I do like both actors, especially Ling He, but I hope they will never cast them together again.
Esther Yu acting wasn't bad, but at the same time, she felt flat for me in some episodes. I really enjoyed her performance in episode 23.
Now, the second couple was truly amazing. I felt their chemistry through the scene. Shang Jue was for me the best character in the entire drama together with Zi Shang and Yuan Zhi.
Zi Shang made me laugh so hard. Her comedy is top! I'd love to see her in more dramas.
The twist at the end surprised me quite a bit. I was glad to see that at the end the whole Gong family got together and went against Wufeng together.
The music was outstanding. The dark aesthetic of this drama is something I'd like to see more. Every scene was beautiful shot, and directed.
I wonder what made them add the last 6 minutes of pointless footage at the end. It was totally unnecessary since there won't be a season 2.
Over all, I enjoyed the drama. But it could've been done much better.
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second leads outshining main leads?
i honestly don't understand why this plot was so weird. the main leads are literally zhang linghe and esther yu yet the script and plot literally just showcases the "BETTER" chemistry between lu yuxiao and ryan cheng, the red flag couple.yushuxin's acting was quite good, the contrast of her in lbfad and in my journey to you was really huge, her cuteness in lbfad and the cold vibe she's giving off in this show as the wufeng spy in this show was really great, showcasing her strengths in acting cute characters and cold/evil characters. she's such a great actress!! the casting was actually a solid 10/10. just a very unexpectedly weird plot, it seemed like the directors only used the main leads to gain fame for this show just to project viewers to enjoy the acting of the 2nd couple more. If there was more scenes and chances for the main leads to showcase their romance/chemistry in this show more, im pretty sure we can see how their relationship deepens. the ending of this show was also pretty abrupt and seemed rushed? i hope there's a 2nd season where we can see what actually happened in the end instead of an inexplainable and "forcing viewers to guess" kind of ending.
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the cinematography is crazy!
I found this drama from the teaser on the wetv application and decided to wait for it to air. I felt sad when I heard that this drama had problems being broadcast, but finally it was able to be broadcast.I've been watching it since the drama was released because I was waiting for it. I saw that the teaser was very good because I really like dramas with dark and cool tones. Very much my type!
I immediately liked the first episode, the actors' acting was also good. I like Esther's type of acting in this drama, I think she suits her role and she is very beautiful with a calm and cool character in this drama.
The story is good, I like the plot even though I felt confused about the family tree in this drama. But I always find it difficult to understand the family tree in historical dramas hahahaa
What I like most is the CGI, cinematography, visual effects, the shooting is very beautiful to watch! All the scenes are worth looking at more carefully because they are really good!
But I was very annoyed with the ending of the story, why does it have to be an open ending? And even the two main characters haven't had much time together
For the OST, I don't remember hearing any songs in this drama, maybe because I was too serious when watching it
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Painstakingly slow then kaboom! Then ??!
The title of this review is the arc of the whole show.Let me start with the good:
Amazing cast, music and costumes. The story is great too but I'll explain later why I docked points. Everybody plays their roles perfectly and believeably. It was my first time seeing Luyu Xiao in a semi-villainous role and wow, she killed it! I loved the intricate and complicated structure of the Gong family (back and front hill). Super cool and unique.
The bad:
So, the story itself is a 9. However, for some reason they paced it so slowly, which is why I rated it 7.5. Despite being only 24 episodes long, it really feels like a lifetime because a) the pacing and b) for some reason the director made all the characters talk.......like........this...... It's already a dark and moody show, there's really no need for the characters to speak at snail speed.
The story then picks up in the last 4-5 episodes leaving the viewer on the edge, only to end with great part of the storyline unresolved. It feels like you get tricked out of a reward for getting to the end and now I hear it doesn’t look like a sequel will happen. I wish more shows would end more cleanly without betting on whether or not they'll get a sequel.
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Gi start and then..
The storyline started with potential but quickly became predictable and repetitive. Character development felt shallow, and many emotional scenes lacked impact due to forced dialogue. The pacing dragged in several episodes, making it hard to stay engaged. Overall, it felt like a missed opportunity.Visually, the costumes and sets were appealing, but the script failed to capture the depth and complexity of the period. The plot relied too heavily on clichés, and some historical details felt inaccurate or oversimplified. Performances were uneven, with certain roles coming across as one-dimensional.
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Catch me if you can
I was actually surprised by this drama, as the description didn't give too much away and I avoided any potential spoilers, so I went into this blind.As for me, I loved the dynamic between the three brothers. Each had their own character and back-story and there was some character developement as well.
As for Yun Weishan and Qian, they both have been interesting as well, with the ladder being more complex, yet less likable to me. I appreaciated the tone of romance for both of them as it suited both their personalities.
The plot left me guessing until the end. I am afraid I am not so smart and I enjoy the plot twists as I usually do not see them coming. It was a gripping story, with enough suspense for me to keep binge watching. I love undercover stories, schemes and a good "cat-and-mouse" game.
The ending could have been executed in a better way, but after reading some of the comments, I kinda get it. Still, I think the plot is lacking in this aspect and some scenes dragged on too long.
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