My Journey to You

show is lacking chemistry

I love all the main characters on here and really want to love this show but the lack of chemistry from Esther Yu and Zhang Ling He is making it really hard to enjoy the show. I am pushing myself to watch the show because of the bond between Cheng Le and Tian Jia Ru's characters. The rating is high and I am sure the show overall is good and worth finishing but not binge worthy, in my opinion. I will finish this show...one day... just not today nor tomorrow...maybe not by May, possibly June 2026. I love watching C dramas because I love that I can binge watch and immerse myself into their world so it is disappointing when a show isn't binge worthy.

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Disappointing

Dropping this after 11 episodes.

Positives:

1/ What a gorgeous looking drama! It's as if someone saw one of those pretty Manhuas and decided to bring them to life. Midnight blues, lush greens and dark golds bring a beautiful aesthetic.
2/ Great costumes. I love the darker color scheme they've chosen, I myself don't like the pale pinks and blues most Wuxia's choose for their leads (meant to denote their purity) so this was a welcome change.
All well tailored to the actors with gorgeous embroidery and elegant draping. Sometimes I just pause the episode just to take it the beauty of the costumes.
3/ Great fight scenes. Crisp, clean, elegant and pack a punch. Glad they weren't just 90% pointless flying.

Negatives:
1/ The story may seem intelligent at first glance but it becomes quickly apparent that the writer is compensating for his/her inability to conjure clever plot threads with overly complex layers, and because this is often exhausting and hard to maintain, the times where the characters fall for fairly straightforward and simple traps quite jarring.
2/ While the synopsis promises a spy story with the reasonable expectation of intrigue and tension, it is actually the story of the Gongs and one man's journey to becoming worthy of the crown, protecting his "kingdom" from the external and internal forces that threaten to tear it apart. Our two spies in the 11 episodes that I've seen are mostly spending their time aiding the ML on their quests/gaining their favor. Very little spying so far.
3/ The actors seem to have been given a strange direction: Be as flat and monotonous in your delivery as much as possible. This has the effect of rendering the characters no more than rough sketches rather than fully realized people, one you can't tell what the characters are feeling at any given moment, it makes it hard to gain insight into them let alone become invested in their journeys.
4/ Speaking of the acting, I wasn't a fan of the majority of the actors. Esther Yu has one perpetual scrunched brows expression, Jolin Jin is too animated, Tian Jia Rui is too amateurish in portraying the arrogance of his character, Lu Yu Xiao's choice to act suspicious at every sentence uttered is a bad choice for her character, our suspicion towards Shanghuan Qian should've been the result of her taking seemingly contradictory actions while delivering a sincere performance at every one, instead we are left with the impression that we don't know this character at all. I've dropped this at 11 ep though so maybe that has changed.
Zhang LingHe and Ryan Cheng are fine.
My favourite despite his short screen time is actually Omid who plays HanYa Si, he acts with his eyes really well.
5/ The storytelling style chosen to tell the events of this story is detrimental to the momentum of the series. Every time one of our MCs is faced with a critical moment, we immediately flashback to the key that will save them in the present. This leads to a chopped progression. This is further compounded by the fact that this visual media is allergic to visual storytelling, everything has to be explained to the audience at the moment that it happens, everything requires an elaborate exposition. Our ML had a trial meant to challenge him and rather than have us watch him work thorough it, another character had to sit and explain how he is a kind-hearted and persistent person.
6/ The dialogue is an especially weak point. It is perfunctory pretending to be authentic. Oh, our MCs are meeting for the second time? Cue the dead parents conversation! Oh, our leads need some time together so we make their relationship believable? Have them talk about some flower!
7/ The pacing is another major issue. The series crawls to a halt by episode 6 and keeps spinning its wheels.
7/The music is unremarkable but the cue notes are insufferable. Because the writing is weak and the delivery weak, the cue notes feel like blatant emotional manipulation.


Pity, because the premise is genuinely interesting and the first episode had great potential but the execution leaves much to be desired. Because of the points mentioned above, this story comes off as artificial and lacking in any meaningful emotional depth. I struggle to discern what the purpose of the tale being told here, are there any themes being explored or is there any message waiting to be conveyed? Because based on those 11 episodes that I've watched, the raison d'être behind this drama seems to be that the writer/director wanted a Wuxia with dark costumes and that's all.

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A little too murky for me …

I’ll keep this short since I’m in the middle of binge-watching. I just wanted to share a few things about my first impressions.

this drama looked to be very grounded to its mystery, and dark edge from watching the trailer. it’s proving to be just that; and isn’t misleading it’s audience to being more campy or a romantic comedy. Instead this drama has a dark mood and starts off with a very promising story.

I’m already interested in seeing the characters develope and grow to know eachother more. From the first episode alone it gives off a lot that keeps me wanting to watch more. Especially with the cinematography.

It’s better than average right now and in seriously anticipating that the ratings will score high and this drama will be successful. It’s not like many others airing around it, it’s very unique with its mood and costuming that sets it apart already. I’m glad I picked it up and will be keeping up with it daily until it’s done. There is something about this drama that makes me believe it is so promising.

The further in, the more the setting feels constricting. I understand why some want out, and why some chose to stay. I hope they explore their surroundings though, but I am still pretty early into the drama. I must say that Ester Yu is so impressive here, she usually is casts in roles that are naive and aloof, but here she is very intelligent and cold and cunning. Zhang Le He also is too handsome to not pay attention too, and I am looking forward to more projects from him (Eternal Faith)


In the end I get what people say when they want Zhang Le He to have a break out role that gets him really popular. He has the face and the talents and the height, but this drama didn’t help him. He’s a great actor here, but the chemistry lacked and that wasn’t any of the leads fault. I fear it was because of their pairings in others dramas and the comparisons I can’t help but making. Ester Yu is very good here also, I just think the whole atmosphere ended up bogging this one down a little too much for me. I felt like I didn’t get what I asked for with the leads, I wanted a mature and steamy romance but instead I didn’t think they are in it enough to keep me watching. I also heard there is a cliffhanger so in the end if this drama doesn’t fulfill anything that it’s not worth finishing. It isn’t like the leads aren’t in anything else, and since I liked them enough here.. I’ll check them out elsewhere.

This drama is simply too dark and so much plot with little action to keep me satisfied. I have a low attention span and am a simple person sometimes, so it just got caught in the middle of other dramas I just liked better. Not bad but not great.

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Characters Needed Work

I had to drop this drama, after many attempts at picking it back up. Mainly because I couldn't bring myself to care about the characters enough to try to properly identify the different clans and their kin.

Maybe I don't have what it takes to be a Wuxia watcher. Maybe you need to care about the Martial Arts World to watch Martial Arts centered dramas. I couldn't believe that the FL was played by the same dough-faced actress I hated so much in "Love Between Fairy and Demon". Could her role have been played better by a much better actress? Absolutely. But, she wasn't bad. She just doesn't have depth to her, naturally. She looked absolutely ridiculous in her wig, which was too large for her head. In scenes where she was supposed to outshine the other potential brides, she looked remarkably plain in comparison. Now, I am a huge fan of the moral story of a prince that chooses not the most beautiful, but the most innocent bride as his, but true goodness of character has to be expressed by the bride for us to fall in love with her.

The SFL is one that I fell in love with. They showed her vulnerability in flashbacks. They really fleshed her out. Not to mention that her beauty outshone the FL many times over.

The FL kept being saved by the SFL, the ML, and others, and without beauty, or character (like the SFL), I needed a reason to root for her, yet I found myself unable to come up with any except that she was the FL. I hated seeing the other female characters being harmed. I cared for them more than the FL, even though I knew less about them than I did about her. Without being able to care what happens to the FL, there was no tention left for me to care what happens next.

The cinematography was above and beyond the standard. It was big-budget cinematography, and bursts of colours were used sparingly and to good effect in high-drama moments.

It's not a boring drama, exactly. Just.... you have to really care about the main characters to keep your interest, as their lives are the "stake" of the entire drama. Without the two main characters, there wouldn't be a story, so if you can't care about the main characters, then you're really out of luck.

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utterly lacking

"My Journey to You" was a disappointing experience from start to finish. The premise seemed promising, but the execution was utterly lacking. The plot was not only predictable but also riddled with clichés that made it feel stale and uninspired.

Character development was virtually non-existent; I found it hard to connect with anyone in the story. The protagonist's journey felt forced and unrelatable, which made it difficult to stay engaged. The dialogue was awkward and often cringeworthy, lacking any real depth or authenticity.

Pacing was another major issue—some scenes dragged on endlessly, while others rushed by without any meaningful impact. The overall narrative felt disjointed and poorly constructed, leaving me confused rather than captivated.

Visually, the production values were subpar, and the cinematography did little to enhance the experience. It felt like a missed opportunity to create something special.

In summary, "My Journey to You" was a frustrating watch that left me feeling unsatisfied and disappointed. I would rate it a 1/10, as it struggled to deliver on even the most basic storytelling elements.

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Excellent series❤️❤️ with roller-coaster of emotions.

SPOILER ALERT



I would have given a 10 rating if it wasn't open ended, even if it were to be a sad ending. It doesn't appear that there will be follow-up according to the news articles (as at 21 September 2023) which is unimaginable.....

Draw back..... The last 4 minutes of the final episode. Open ending which ended with Zi Yu waiting for Yan to return and at the final seconds of the episode hearing the doors opening....

Back to what I think of the series:
Story 9 (taking into account the open ending) a great plot with lots of twists which kept the viewer engaged and also gave very subtle hints on certain things. At times I didn't want to watch the next episode because I will then finish it too quickly. Roller-coaster of emotions and routed for the main couple as well as Jin Fan and Zhi Shang. Cried with deaths of family members of the Gong Family as well Han Ya Si and Yun's 'sister'.

Acting: 9 in my opinion for all Main actors as well Jolin Jin (loved her so much), Tian Jia Rui (he did a great job of portraying Yuan Zhi) and of course Sun Chen Jun.

Production and Visual FX : 10 loved all the costumes and different sets / backdrops - everything was beautiful

OST: 10 Beautiful songs and Sound effects were great.

Will definitely Rewatch. I'll just make up my own ending!

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Added this drama to my watchlist based off a TikTok edit I'd seen, was not disappointed. I was pleasantly surprised to see this show coming in at the 24-episode mark, as I am notorious for struggling to finish Cdramas. Ironically, I still took a couple of months' pause on this show at the 18-episode mark, not realizing it was about to pick up big time. Half of a point went missing for the ending because IMO, it ends in a way that doesn't make sense. I doubt a season 2 of this is coming, and if they did, possible areas to continue the plotline scare me because I know they'd most likely just make me mad, but again, personal opinions.

While this isn't technically solely a romance storyline, I appreciated the balance between action, mystery, and romance. I do feel like it was relatively paced well for the genre it is as a wuxia, although I agree with other reviews of this show stating you need to be okay with having a lot of loose ends that don't get tied up via showing and more telling in an exposition style until the last few episodes. I personally didn't mind it, but I can understand that particular aspect may be bothersome to some folk.

Sidenote: I knew this was Esther Lu, what I shockingly went the ENTIRE show without knowing is that the ML was Zhang Ling He, who also played alongside Esther in Love Between Fairy and Devil, just as the side ML *laughs nervously.* I wasn't expecting that, and frankly felt bad afterward when I found out. Plus, it lost some of the shock value of why these two had relatively decent chemistry, although the first few episodes truly may make you struggle to see it. Also, I am so mad about Gong Shangjue and Shangguan Qian's storyline. I loved it, because my gosh the TENSION. But, it was so confusing, and while that may have been on purpose, gosh was I livid when I saw her *SPOILER* leave at the end scotch-free after telling him she was pregnant after ACTIVELY PLANNING HIS MURDER?!? Like girl I was rooting for you because I thought you changed, but like, truly an untrustable character. All is fair in love and war I suppose though, and overall, this was a drama I seriously enjoyed, was a good palate cleanser, and gave me a newfound love to watch anything with Ryan Cheng in it.

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Superior drama!

I was not going to write a review but I started jotting down some notes and here we are. I just finished the drama so my thoughts are not well organized but here is my reflection on this drama. I will try not to rehash the same things most people have already said.

First off, the actors blew my mind away. I came for Zhang Ling He and Yu Shu Xin but by the end, I fell in love with Cheng Lei and Tian Jia Rui just stole my heart with his childish antics. All the actors without exception did a fantastic job. I wasn't a fan of the actress playing Shang Guan Qian and I was not rooting for their romance because, in the end, she broke my dude's heart. However, I can admit that, for a moment, she had me fooled when it looked like she had turned against Wufeng.

Talking about our main couple, I love ZLH and YSX but I didn't feel the chemistry between them at all. I didn't care about this couple's story one bit. I'm not sure if the reason for that was her lack of emotions. Don't get me wrong, her acting was fitting for the role of a spy, but not so much for that of a new bride who is supposed to fool her husband/ lover and endear herself to him. She got lucky that Gong Zi Yu fell first because she made zero effort to entice either Zi Yu or Shang Jue to give her a second glance during the bride selection, unlike Qian. Maybe I'm being too hard on her because this is the character YSX was given but this took away from my enjoyment of their relationship. It was so much of him being infatuated and her "being stoic as long as it fulfilled her agenda" until she fell too in the later parts.

That being said on the subject of love, I feel like everyone was treated equally. By the end of the show (with the info we're left with at least) there is only one happy pair (Jin Fang and Zi Shang). I wish we'd seen more of them.
The drama wasn't about romance which is why I overlooked that and still rated it pretty high. The qualities of this drama lie in everything else that it did. I particularly love how the things that seemed like plotholes or were not making sense in the earlier episodes, were all tied together at the end.

For me though, aside from the intrigue and the story itself, I found the emphasis on the Gong family's relationships so touching. I don't usually care about family ties and lessons in dramas. Here though... man! They made me bawl my eyes out in those last episodes...
The brothers' relationships with each other and as a whole (minus Huan Yu)... all different but similarly loving and supportive.
The parents' love and support for their kids in hidden ways... (minus Zi Shang's asshole father)
The love that the Gong family has for their members and the people they love is so deep.
From an outsider's perspective, all those things may seem cruel, isolating, and harsh but once you're in, it's an unbreakable bond that a lot would envy.

The ending seems to suggest a second season, but it could also mean that the writers are letting us interpret it the way we want. All I can deduce from Zhang Ling He's face is that whatever was behind that door was not good news or not what he was waiting for.

It's not satisfying but I'm not upset by it. In my mind, she died and I hope Zi Yu recovers soon but would it be this drama if it was that simple? Too many things are still left unanswered. They defeated the Wang warriors of Wufeng but not the Wufeng as a whole. What if the Liang warriors exist? What about his brother? Has he truly given up and been defeated? Could the whole martial world unite against Wufeng with the Gong family? Could the Gong family eventually become more open to outsiders if the former point happens? So many questions and that's why I love this drama, regardless of whether we will get an answer to them or not.

As you can tell, My Journey To You has impressed me beyond words with all its twists and turns.

If I can end this long review with a small quibble (aka what I referred to above as plotholes), I wish the story had been told more linearly. There were a lot of flashbacks and retelling of stuff that the audience had no way of knowing. It worked the way in a lot of moments but for example, when I wonder where Shang Guan Qian was amidst all the final Wufeng chaos, it feels like there is a disconnect between scenes. She only reappears during the Huan Yu showdown. It seems like it's not all happening at the same time. This did not deter me from enjoying the show, however, if there was another season, I wish there'd be less of that style of storytelling.

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