Fangs of Fortune

Bromance with Added Sismance, Truly Perfect!

Guo Jing Ming’s projects are always fraught with homoerotic tones; starting from Painted Skin: The Guo Jingming Edition, Wuliang, L.O.R.D 1, L.O.R.D 2, The Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity and the recently concluded Fangs of Fortune, all stand testament to his amazing prowess to pass Chinese censorship.

Some stories leave you exasperated whilst others leave you with a ray of hope and earnest longing; that someday, you might be able to meet these characters again. “Fangs of Fortune” was one such drama for me. It taught me valuable life lessons- you can redeem yourself once you accept you were in wrong; love should set you free, not imprison you. Also, you can love someone despite hating them in the past. Adapted from the classic text and the mythology and geography collection “Classic of Mountains and Seas” (山海经), the show has the most endearing characters that slowly become a family. The best part is that they aren’t all human- we have a makeshift family made of a Great Demon, two powerful Demon Hunters, a Half God and a Mountain God. The only thing that connects them is their yearning for familial ties and bonds. They become each other’s solace and peace of mind; they evolve and mature together, drawing inspiration and courage from one another. Another important aspect of Guo Jing Ming’s shows is the magnanimity of the settings and the mesmerizing locales. The costumes are posh, keeping in line with the stature/position of the characters. We bring you the evergreen queer romance that is characteristic of most Guo Jing Ming’s stories.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/11/20/fangs-of-fortune-series-review-ep-1-to-32/

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A Promise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Story - The story is something which is common but it showcases a different emotion and I really Liked it .
Cast - I need not to say anything , The cast is amazing . They are linked to each other and They really did amazing Job by delivering and I literally cried a lot of times
Although the story in the mid was ok but it's worth watching , We have another Lovable squad here .
Each person have each motive but they come together to solve it but at the end they al become one protect each other .
I really Liked this drama and It should be in your watch list if you didn't see it .

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What a masterpiece

So many actors coming together in a show is rare.
Solely watched it because of HOU MINGHAO and what a watch truly fell in love with it.

The story starts off strong, well paced and with all it’s twists and turns it keep us engaged.

The costumes, cinematography and music are much appreciated.

The short stories in between adds layers and depths in understanding of each character well.

Also the comic timing was perfect.

The growth of each one of them is worth watching. How Zhao and Zhuo became best friends from enemies, How Zhao wish he could be with the goddess but dares not to dream and try for a happy life.

All of them have great bond with each other and the way it transforms from just few ppl grouping up together to such meaningful relations was mesmerising and so genuine.

Just wish that they could have explored zhao and li lun story more, zhao past life could have been shown more.

And no it’s not a BL or GL.
NOT every relation is that of lovers..they could be soul mates, best friends, bros and sis…..loved how well they portrayed that!!

It’s gonna be a fun ride…i promise you will fall in love with them all and it will break your heart to say goodbye.

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Wow this is so good!

LIKE

Touching bromance between Yi Chen, Yuan Zhou and Li Lun

So hilarious especially when Yi Chen was tricked by everyone - that conversation where Ying Lei commented on fishes... I died

Lots of sacrifices, love and friendship

DISLIKE

Probably Wen Xiao who doesn't contribute much

MUSIC - personal fav

Yuan Zhou De Shao Nian 远舟的少年 - Hou Ming Hao 侯明昊
Wu Xin Sheng Da Meng 无心生大梦 - Liu Yu Ning 刘宇宁
Bu Nian Bu Xiang 不念不响 - Tian Jia Rui 田嘉瑞
Chun Feng Bu Wen 春风不问 - Guo Cai Jie 郭采洁
Duan Wei Niao 断尾鸟 - Tian Jia Rui 田嘉瑞
Xiao Shi Ju 小诗句 - everyone

REWATCH VAUE

Definitely

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A Gripping Tale of Friendship. Fate, Power, and Redemption

It's visually stunning with gorgeous costumes and beautiful cinematography. The OST is moving and memorable. The fight scenes are elegant and well executed. But above all else, we have a team of endearing and interesting main characters we can root for to overcome all obstacles thrown their way.

You will either love or dislike this drama, because like all dramas out there it has its flaws. Whether you can ignore the flaws and enjoy the drama is subjective.The biggest flaws in this drama for me were the lack of explanation regarding some important details as well as some illogical choices regarding the plot.Did those flaws ruin the drama for me? No, not at all. It left me with questions and a head shake here and there, but overall I still enjoyed this drama immensely.

"Meeting you all was like a wonderful dream... but dreams must end"

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Started Out Wanting Blood, Ended Up Finding Brotherhood ࣪ ִֶָ☾.

This is my first favourite drama and i still can't get over with T.T

The cinematography is absolutely stunning, with breathtaking color grading and a strong sense of Chinese symmetrical aesthetics. The transitions between scenes are smooth, and each location—from bustling palaces to quiet forests—feels immersive. There's a poetic quality to every frame. The CGI is also impressively high-budget, and the costume and makeup design are meticulously crafted。

The drama goes far beyond romance. It weaves together deep, complex bonds—friendship, brotherhood, sisterhood, mentorship, and even the conflicting emotions between former allies. The relationship between the young demon hunter and the great demon adds layers of tension and emotional weight. The series examines whether demons are truly evil or simply beings shaped by circumstance
Beneath its surface, this show is heavy and melancholic, almost like a lyric poem rather than a typical idol drama. I found that strangely moving

The female leads are fine, but I never felt deeply invested in their arcs. The male leads and their supporting bromance ultimately steal the show. There's simply too much talking, especially in the later episodes. The slow conversations drag down the momentum. The finale is tragically beautiful, but it leaves many viewers with complicated feelings. It wraps things up with a sense of emotional weight, yet some questions remain unanswered, and the execution of the final scenes feels somewhat rushed

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Gorgeously off the rails

PROS:
- Most beautiful cinematography, costume designing, and production out of ALL the C-dramas I've seen. Obviously meticulous work was done in order to achieve the stunning visual effects (enhanced by the OST).

- Beautiful OST. I didn't find it so beautiful when I first listened to it (without the drama), but it melded impeccably with the drama's scenes. Most of the OSTs were used, too, so I wasn't left wondering why I didn't hear something when listening to the track list afterward.

- Good acting. I think this is one of Hou Minghao's strongest and most layered performances and encouraged me to look into his other dramas. As for the other actors, I think they all did the part that they could with the script (largely focused on ML alone; few other characters had any sort of development or growth).

- Good exploration of friendship between ML and 2ML. A lot of chemistry is in this performance, and I can actually see how the friendship developed.

- The humor is unmatched, especially if you're decently fluent in Chinese (I think the humor is on par with Falling Into Your Smile, which is a seriously funny drama).

CONS:
- Disjointed storyline largely reliant on flashbacks, side plots, and magical objects (which the fate of the world depends on, but they break super easily). I lost track of what was going on and the explanations for all the random scenes by Ep. 23 (?) Up until Ep. 10 though, I thought the story was wonderful. Beyond that, it barely passes as "cohesive."

- Too many people died for no particular purpose. A lot of tragedies happened in this drama, but I don't think they enhanced it in any way. Too much of something tragic/beautiful makes nothing tragic/beautiful at all. Additionally, there wasn't enough character development for me to feel attached to any of the characters besides ML so their deaths were "just another death."

- FL development in the script was terrible. I'm sure Chen Duling did what was asked of her, but there wasn't really much for her to work with. The FL's presence + romance feels a little like the director's afterthought (though I do think the romance was more developed than many viewers claim and occupied a decent number of scenes).

- A lot of missing/unbelievable character actions/explanations. Why was the main antagonist for 15 episodes redeemed? Nobody saw his change of mind until he actually acted upon it, and that left very little development for the actual "main villain."

COMPARISON TO SIMILAR C-DRAMAS:

1. Till the End of the Moon (Bai Lu/Luo Yunxi) compared to Fangs of Fortune
- Heavier on the romance
- Better written female lead and overall more cohesive plot
- Less beautiful visuals + cinematography; a lot of it is a LOT overdone (blood vomiting)
- Similar presence of side stories though generally less important side characters
- OST in FoF is more suitable/enjoyable IMO
- Similar tragic ML, though I think the ML here is less psychotic/intense

Personally, I think they're on a pretty similar level quality-wise.

TLDR; I thought this was a decently good drama because it was beautiful to look at (hats off to the costume designers, cinematographers, and everyone involved in that). It was enough to keep me watching, but do note that the story and character development arcs are pretty poorly done besides for the ML.

Do note that I did think about this drama for a very long time afterward and had trouble watching any other drama's cinematography (this was pretty insane). I'd give it a watch, and I do find myself going back to certain episodes/scenes to watch it again.

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─ ‍the small city traps the small us. // i will never forget the way back to home.

Fangs of Fortune was one of the dramas I was most excited about this year, especially given the director's reputation for stunning cinematography, costumes, and a dark, atmospheric color palette. With a familiar cast, including several actors I’ve enjoyed watching in previous works by the director, I was optimistic — but also cautious. The director has a tendency to stretch out the story in certain parts and leave major twists for the end, sometimes making the final act feel rushed. While the writing and story delivery weren’t bad, the pacing and flow needed some adjustments. This was, for me, the main flaw that impacted the drama.

Some characters and key moments lacked the development needed to fully invest in their emotional growth. While there were several unexpected twists that kept us on our toes, the repetitiveness of certain plot devices ( such as revealing that characters already knew crucial information ) eventually undermined the suspense. At times, it became easy to predict that something was amiss, which reduced the tension.

Another aspect that I struggled with were the emotional scenes. While I have no issue with characters expressing emotion through tears, the excessive focus on making the crying scenes visually "beautiful" sometimes detracted from the raw emotion of the moment, preventing the audience from fully connecting.

That said, the ending was tragically beautiful. Though it was somewhat predictable, the execution still managed to leave a lasting impact.

Despite its flaws, the show had plenty of strengths. One of the highlights was how the main characters were given enough screen time to develop, allowing us to appreciate each of their roles in the story. The evolving family dynamics were particularly compelling, as it wasn’t just about characters trusting each other after one shared experience. Given their complex backgrounds, trust was built gradually, which added depth to their relationships. I also enjoyed the connection of side characters that built the story.

The show also managed to balance intense drama with moments of comedy, which provided some welcome relief. I appreciated how the story used symbolism, mythology, and even indirect biblical references to convey deeper meanings. The characters’ growth — both mental and physical — was portrayed beautifully, and it was refreshing to see a story that focused on the many forms of love, from friendship to family, rather than just romantic love.

Some of the lines were incredibly well-written and delivered, which I really appreciated. The acting, especially the chemistry between the characters, was another standout element.

The OST was one of the best of the year, with songs that perfectly reflected the story’s themes. It’s hard to choose a favorite, as each track was so thoughtfully integrated.

Overall, Fangs of Fortune was an enjoyable watch with a tale-like quality. Despite its flaws, it left an impression, and I can see myself returning to rewatch some of the scenes.

Link to edits : https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxplWeBw3y5hL26ocu_hNx4eucxlss3Q9&si=dFBHTOLZZLIaZCwp

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If you're soft hearted don't watch ?

The drama is beautiful.... But here's the thing at the start you'll laugh love every character 🥺 but after the last ten eps you will be a sobbing mess 😭 im actually traumatised im angry at myself for not reading comments here before watching 🥹 maybe then i wouldve like watched only few eps and dropped at a happy moment.


To be honest I felt like the deaths were unnecessary, like they couldve avoided them but i guess the director loves to inflict pain to us audience.... Every death was also very painful.

All characters were quite good but one thing I've got to say Zhou Yichen is always either teary eyed or shedding tears its kinda too over done like??? He's always also remembering or mentioning his family.. Which will ofc I understand but also a bit too much!

I think they did hou minghao dirty the makeup and hairstyle werent that good but they did manage to make him feel like a demon who lived for hundreds of years...

The FL Character was very disappointing.... She's weak despite being the Goddess.. Like I only liked her when she was Aoyin I actually hoped she'd be the one turning into a demon rather than yichen

Ying lei was also done dirty they didnt give him much importance which is sad 😭 I loved him so much

Overall the drama was good but couldve been even better if they gave us a good proper ending with no deaths 🥹

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The most crying in a drama award goes to...

Best OST ever. Ofc the song Liu Yu Ning sings, 'Unintentional Dreams' is the banger. And Huo Ming's 'Yuanzhou’s Youth' is so so lovely.

Great costumes, great cast, great sets, great visuals, great production. Huo Ming Hao is stunning as always and does a great job creating this character. Chin Du Ling is adorable and does great as well in her role. Great dynamic relationships. Li Lun and Yichen are great characters as well and the actors do such a great job.

I enjoy the demon hunter setting and different micro stories with different demons. There was a lot of learning and growing for each character. However, a lot of it really seemed superfluous. Truthfully the story-telling was the biggest let down of this drama. The story has great bones, and is deep and emotional and interesting..

So here is the BUT - there are way too many long monologues used to tell the story. Many scenes are drawn out too long. the filler and fluff of it all is where the let down of the story telling happens. This drama uses a non-linear narrative and it honestly is just too much of back storytelling. Also, there is a lot of crying. Yes the drama has a dark and sad story as the big picture but everybody is crying like all the time...literally all the time.

That said, I'm so thankful to get to watch this drama and support the entire cast and crew. Thank you so much for all your hard work. It is definitely worth watching. But I will not rewatch it.

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