Where is the platonicness?
I started to this for the found family, sismance and bromance, but good god the bromance has me on a choke hold. This show has kept me up at night like nobody's business. I LOST SLEEP OVER THESE CHARACTERS. Zhuo Yichen and Zhao Yuanzhou genuinely had no right to have as much chemistry as they do, and my delulu mind could not see anything platonic.This was a beautiful story about loss, letting go, forgiveness, giving family in the most unlikely of people, finding one's place in the world. The ost, cinematography and visuals were absolutely out of this world. The actors were absolutely fantastic in their jobs, and I couldn't get enough.
But that being said, the start of this show was lowkey slow, and it took me a while to get into it. But the moment I did? I WAS HOOKED. OBSESSED. CHOCK-HOLD. But my girlie Wen Xiao? Nah, what they do to her. I don't even care that she was weak, I care how they butchered her character. The way the writer utilised her character was ridiculous and stupid. Like Ying Lei was weak, but damn, boy was a side character and he was utilised so much better. They actually did her so dirty in this show. I love Pei Sijing. That's my girl. And Li Lun had no right to be that hot. If villain why hot? If evil why sexy?
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Too much crying and flashbacks
The amount of crying and flashbacks killed this for me. The second male leads facial expression was the same the whole drama with al lot of tears🙄 The female lead was just as bad same facial expression and a very weak goddess. The Male lead carried this show, loved the character with al the joking and banter. The kids character in the beginning was very anoying, with all the screaming. The special affects was amazing with fighting scenes. I was disappointed after looking so forward to watch this after all the hype.Was this review helpful to you?
loved it
I started this one three times and kept dropping it. then someone on a fb page told me to keep going because it will be really good.i’m so glad I did! it was amazing. I wasn’t really a fan of the goddess but that was mostly the role she was playing. the actress is better as a evil character than something like this. i just couldn’t go past her powder throwing nonsense. then in another scene everyone fights for their life. everyone is bleeding and almoat dead and she pulls out the recorder and bam she wins. wth was that?! but justifies learning that instrument in elementary school.
the demons….omg! one more handsome than the other. Neo Hou…. he was perfect! he was everything and without him I don’t think the drama would have been this remarkable! Yan An… first time I saw him in a drama and I thought daaaaamn I do have a type and it’s that one right there! he was fabulous! he was seriously hot and evil and you couldn’t decide if you want to murder or smooch him. the music was amazing. especially Liu Yunings part of the ost. but he can’t do anything wrong. the martial art was captivating and the dialogue interesting and entertaining! this is a 10/10 from me and I will definitely rewatch it. i just wish they would make another special episode to see this amazing demon reborn and reunited with everyone! the bromance was almost better then the romance in this one. a real masterpiece
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This review may contain spoilers
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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This review may contain spoilers
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!
LIKETouching 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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1This review may contain spoilers
Started Out Wanting Blood, Ended Up Finding Brotherhood ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
This is my first favourite drama and i still can't get over with T.TThe 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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it was okay
Beautiful yet Pretentious.Fangs of Fortune presents an intriguing fantasy-adventure premise, but the execution falls short. The characters lack depth, the dialogue feels clichéd, and the pacing is inconsistent—dragging in some places and rushed in others. Action scenes come off as repetitive, and limited world-building weakens immersion despite a few visually appealing moments. Overall, the story shows potential but needs significant refinement.
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Also the OST??!!! I had to add it in my Spotify listens coz it was THAT good
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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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