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What happened to su muyu and su changhe
So i wached cdrama dashing youth then the donghua version of it then blood of youth donghua shao nian ge xing but i want to know what happened to su muyu because i completely don't understand even i watched all franchise like first dashing youth then young brew masters adventure then blood of youth donghua version great journey of teenagers but i don't know how su muyu got evil thrre and in the dark tales of blood river he's good i know that allot happened like lei mengsha died xiao rulofeng died xiao se is actually a royal in blood of youth and lei mengsha is lei wujie son but in the donghua it's longer because in great journey of teenagers is 4 season long but i need some help because i can't constantly watch it again to understand it better now I'm watching blood river i guess i watched it all together that is why I'm extremely confused but i have problems with remembering can someone explain what happened to su muyu and su changhe i know that in the end su changhe gets evil in the end but this feels different from them in blood of youth and great journey of teenagers but i didn't read the novel but only saw cdrama versions and donghua version
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This review may contain spoilers
a disappointment
i would like to start this review by saying i love blood river. moreover the production quality, the CGI, setups and styling are all just beyond gorgeous. the aesthetics all line up and the cinematography and OSTs are immaculate. most of the characters, despite their flaws, are likeable more or less.and the thematic quality of BR is just competent, clean and slices with such clarity that i would personally say that Blood River, thematically alone, can be ranked higher than even WoH or FoF. it has very striking metaphors and the questions it keeps asking, "How many people must die for us to the reach Others Shore?" "What does it take to step into the light?" "What do you become if you stop killing if you have only been ever a weapon?" are precise and resonating. You can immediately empathize with the characters on that.
also the acting is good. as some others noted, gong jun's performance seems off at times but imo it's pretty decent and the flaws are not very noticeable. the cast's acting is good. especially chang huasen's. he brings so much life into changhe's character.
but. the story stumbles and limps at times. we start immediately strong with the patriarch dying and many factions fighting for the sword, then SMY and SCH dismantling the forces behind Blood River and then the pacing pivots to domesticity that is a relief but feels very slow and out of place and then back to great epic fights and pacing in Wushuang City and drops to domesticity again and it's just. The pacing is a mess.
Moreover, I want to say that the found family of Blood River is told time and again that it's important to SMY and SCH but we don't feel any investment for that family, we don't even feel like they're family until episode 20 or so. Beyond Su Changhe, Su Muyu and Bai Hehuai, it's safe to say the remaining cast are cardboard cutouts. They exist thematically to represent the family, and they have their own arcs which makes them likeable — I love MXU and MQY — but not very developed. It's frustrating. Moreover a bunch of characters keep coming in to the point you can't even remember their names. Like in Wushuang City alone we met so many characters, expand too much on them and all of them disappear.
Now, let's talk about Su Muyu and Su Changhe. And a little about Bai Hehuai.
SMY: I don't dislike Su Muyu but at one point I really wished he'd just die — because despite the expectations that he's a misunderstood assassin, it felt like he was beloved by all and respected by all, universally attractive, everyone magnet-ed into following him to death. Every time he faces a death situation he comes unscathed, makes a new technique, or powers up unexpectedly. It's frustrating. Moreover, he doesn't exactly suffer from his choices, his actions doesn't have consequences, the consequences always land on other people related to him but never on himself. He was too centralized, too developed while other characters writing felt lacking. Additionally he's just a tiring MC to have. Even his flaws don't create friction; bad at cooking, doesn't save up money. Compare that to how Su Changhe is allowed to be wrong, to suffer from consequences, to make wrong decisions and feel the weight of them.
BHH: She's a decent character but at one point she was reduced to SMY's "waiting at home" figure and a symbol for SMY'S journey - his light, his home, his dream of ordinary life, rather than a person. And when they remember to give her autonomy and relevance to the plot, it's late and rushed. It's late and rushed when they introduce Night Crow and how this all is also BHH's responsibility. Moreover, her romance with SMY feels so OFF and stiff. Other than lack of chemistry, they lack friction. Their arcs never oppose, their ideologies never clash, there's no friction (not sexual, but moral, ideological, personal) between their characters.
SCH: my biggest problem. he's the best character and the highlight of BR and he's immediately more likeable than SMY or BHH. The fact he's so good is why it's disappointing when his arc is undercut. We get hooked into his character because he's ambitious, he wants something for himself, he wants change. He's not passive. He craves that sunlight. Everyone could rest, everyone could find peace within a normal life but SCH can't. Him being patriarch is not just a title, it's because he has the ambition that SMY lacks. Their different ideologies clash and create friction and chemistry that is interesting. Su Changhe is such a complex character. He holds resentment, indifference, recklessness, menace, loyalty, devotion, ambition, lethality. But then his character folds inward for the sake of Su Muyu. He defers and submits way too easily to whatever Su Muyu decides, he starts existing in scenes to do things by Su Muyu's will or for Su Muyu's convenience. His case is like fingers getting broken and reset into smaller shapes so they can hold one hand more proper; his existence in domestic and ordinary scenes feels restless, he tries to adapt to SMY's world but he's simply not fit for that normality. He gets reduced from a best friend, an equal, to a lackey. And when they remember too late to give him agency and autonomy by shoving that revenge arc and his faux "betrayal" in our face, it's too rushed. And even after that, he still is waiting to follow SMY's decisions. This really undermines his ambition and his role as the Patriarch. SMY is the one leading here. This takes Su Changhe's devotion for Su Muyu, a profound and complicated facet of him, and twists it into Su Changhe's self-erasure. I think the two of them had so much potential to be explored. Especially in terms of holding each other accountable. I'd loved a scene where SMY just crashes out because in the end it's Su Changhe's ambition and decisions that caused so much bloodshed and because the Other Shore they promised their family is just not what they promised. Or Su Changhe crashes out and accuses Su Muyu of leaving of being too ideological and saying Su Muyu is the only one who steps into the sunlight but Changhe himself gets left in the shadows alongside the rest of blood river. But it never comes. The narrative instead settles for convenient state of rest to not let their devotion coexist with their differences. Also Su Changhe low-key had an existential purposelessness going on: he doesn't know what he wants anymore, now that SMY stepped into the light, Su Changhe tries and fails because people will only ever think of him as the Undertaker, so Su Changhe gives up and instead goes back to saying "I'm vile I'm ambitious and greedy and violent" and "We're assassins, death is ro be expected" because he goes back to familiar patterns of the old blood river because he feels lost in the new one. It really is just like he said, if he left blood river he wouldn't know where to go, if he stopped killing, he wouldn't know who he is. Moreover he sort of emotionally withdraws from SMY the last few episodes not because their relationship matters any less but because Su Changhe does not fit nor is able to hold the side of SMY's world that has entered light, and he doesn't pretend to.
also the ending was frustrating as well. many bad people are not yet dead, more cliffhangers and a voiceover timeline skip narration. after getting invested for 38 episodes that what we get?
i thought Blood River would be a new favorite. It set up so much high expectations and only half delivered. They should've invested more effort in the writing and the script honestly.
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Uneven Story. Great Visuals, but Heavy on CGI. Good Actors Underutilized, Except for Chang Huasen.
WATCH THIS IF:--You enjoyed the donghua (anime) version of the same story called "Tale of Dark River". From what I hear, Blood River tracks pretty closely to what happens in the donghua, at least for the first maybe 10 episodes. BR also has a very anime look to it.
--You love CGI-dependent fight scenes. Many of the fights require CGI to make, for instance, building-height demons fight each other. Not my thing, but no judgment if you love this.
--You love dramas full of pretty people. This is a very pretty cast, the men and the women.
--You're an enormous Gong Jun fan who's happy just to see him onscreen doing anything. No shame in that!
--You're open to being wowed by Chuang Huasen in a "bad guy" role that I hope makes him a star. His is the most interesting, charismatic, emotionally complex performance in BR. I might've stopped watching without him.
--You're willing to suffer through several rough or "suboptimal" episodes early on to get to greener pastures in the middle and a bigger payoff at the end.
DO NOT WATCH THIS IF:
--You're hoping to see GJ in top acting form. WoH remains his best performance so far, by far.
--You're watching for Peng Xiaoran, who has very little screentime in an underwritten role (what a waste).
--You need a consistently strong story from beginning to end.
--You can't watch things that are very dark visually. This didn't bother me, and it does gets brighter about a third to half-way through, but some people have trouble seeing what's going on or enjoying such dark/dim visuals.
--You are a Blood of Youth purist who needs Blood River to line up 100% (I haven't seen BoY yet, but from what I hear, BoY and BR mostly line up, but some stuff in BR suggests things should have turned out differently in BoY).
--You want a strong ML/FL romance (zero chemistry, painful to watch).
--You're hoping for a strong BL romance. The two MLs have way more chemistry than the ML & FL, and this has BL overtones throughout, but I wouldn't call this a BL really.
--You'd be too frustrated by having 100 characters you can't keep track of (it gets better maybe halfway).
MY REACTIONS:
I loved Gong Jun in Word of Honor and hoped in Blood River he'd prove that WoH wasn't a fluke. That didn't happen.
Instead, he plays everything with no emotion (except at the very, very end). As a viewer, I can't emotionally connect with and care about a character if they have no emotions. Bad choice for the star and main attraction.
The first third of the series (maybe 9-10 episodes) was too much of everything for me. Too big, too fast, too crowded, too explicit, too pretty. Fight scenes fly by. A million characters are introduced and almost as many forgotten. The CGI budget for the 1st few episodes seems larger than the GDP of some small nations. I like beautiful people, but it's odd to have an assassin organization where everyone looks scouted by a modeling agency.
What bothered me most though in the first third of BR was the weak writing. Cramming too much setup into too few episodes leaves no time for things to unfold naturally, and I hate it when characters explain things in forced ways just to get the info out. I almost abandoned BR then, but Su Changhe (played by Chang Huasen) had me hooked, so I kept going.
In the middle third, things slow to what I consider a normal pace. New characters slow to a relative trickle, so you're finally following along. Even before then, fight scenes rely less on CGI and display more of each characters' fighting skills, which I prefer. You also get more backstory so you understand things better.
Fast forward to the last few episodes. Surprisingly, I'd grown pretty attached to some of the main characters and even some minor ones I didn't notice or like early on. I even cried at one scene! Part of that was I'd invested so much time watching that I ended up invested in some of the characters too. But also, the struggle of these characters made more sense by the end.
Looking back, the premise of the series was a good one. I'm glad I didn't abandon BR, though I don't think I'd rewatch the whole series, just specific scenes I like. I do wish they'd put less time/money into visuals/special effects and more into the writing, pacing, and character development. Plus, they should've done a better job directing GJ!
By shifting their focus to storytelling essentials, this could have been a 9-star rating, especially with so much going for them with a solid cast, big budget, and the original novel author as the screenwriter.
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You can forget the story and just enjoy the fighting scenes.
I must say that what makes me captivated and finished this drama was its fighting scenes. Every fighting scene was portrayed beautifully. Thumbs up for the fighting director! You can see the movement with rain, snow, and even falling leaves. Sumuyu with his umbrella was the definition of elegant in fighting scenes.For the story, I can enjoy the story, but I am a little bit dissapointed with the romance. I know that this drama focuses more on fighting than romance, but still, you need more convincing romance, especially between Su Mu Yu and the doctor.
To be honest, I like it better than The Dashing Youth. But, it is still bellow The Blood of Youth.
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Amazing Fight scenes with a Long-Awaited Payoff
The fight scenes were a definite highlight, they were well-choreographed, intense, and consistently engaging. Action lovers will not be disappointed.That said, I found Su MuYu too kind for his own good. Time and time again, he spared characters who went on to cause him even more trouble, and while this fits his moral code, it became frustrating to watch. His mercy often felt like a weakness rather than a strength.
Su Changhe, however, completely stole the show. The actor delivered an outstanding performance, chaotic, unhinged, and unpredictable, yet fiercely loyal as a friend. He brought so much energy and depth to every scene he was in.
Watching this right after Dashing Youth made the imperial family’s actions even more irritating, as it felt like they constantly escaped consequences. That’s why the ending especially what happened to the First Prince was incredibly satisfying. It finally felt like justice was served. Thanks Su MuYu!
Overall, this drama delivers strong action, memorable characters, and a rewarding conclusion that makes the journey worthwhile.
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There is a solid story here.
This will be long!! This is a scatterbrained attempt at a review but I really wanted to write one so here we are.When it first aired, there seemed to be an influx of negative comments highlighting how bad many things were. But I’d decided to watch it over a year ago when I heard that there would be a show in an assassin organization so I stopped checking comments and decided to watch for myself and that is the best decision I think anyone can make with a show they really want to watch.
I watched BR almost like a brand new drama with no expectations because I remember almost nothing from TBOY though I've watched it. Infact, I honestly don’t even remember SCH and SMY from TBOY. Until I checked and saw them on a clip on youtube, I honestly had no idea who they were or what they did there.
What I really loved was the story...
I like that we get right into it from the beginning. The Patriarch is hurt and the patriarchy is seemingly up for grabs within an assassin organization made up of three families with very little trust between them and a thirst for power. Its a rush to heal him or kill him and it looks like a free for all but there's a schemer with a whole other plan controlling some aspects of the plot. That's the kind of power play stuff I like and SCH did well with it.
I was never confused with the numerous characters at the beginning as they were color coded by family and there is no need to remember a large cast within the first three episodes, there was always going to be a weeding and cool down process with a story like that so I just tried to know what family each person was from and that was enough before everything settled.
I like SMY and SCH's introduction, you immediately understand that they are on opposing sides but they are also dear to each other.
I liked how every arc was an organic offshoot of the last one. No new arch felt misplaced like"where did this come from and why". I perfectly understood why each arc had to happen and also the hardships that were part of their goal.
I really liked when BHH asked SMY when they would get to the other shore, it felt like she was asking for us the viewers because I'd also wondered when they would reach the other shore and what it would even mean to do so. But show made sure that we were clear on what reaching the other shore actually meant, it wasn't just a new place physically but a new way of living for every member.
This brings me to the end, I really like that it wasn't a perfect end yet it wasn't a failure by any means. What they were seeking might take a generation to achieve but that doesn't mean they should stop and we can see that they were clearly willing to bet their lives on it and would not stop even with the disappointments they faced.
What I liked
- SCH, He was maybe the first character that really piqued the curiosity from the time he showed up. I liked his first interaction with SMY. The way his voice said ‘only you think anhe is your home’ stood out to me for the delivery and also because it immediately showed how their different mindsets at that point. Plus the voice acting as well as the physical acting was so lovely. And I liked that his character was smart, strong and wary.
His character was one I always loved to see on my screen and he gave off that -teetering on the edge- vibe sometimes. Plus some of his outfits were my favorite especially the one in ep 10, that red and black was delicious and his eyes always looked birdlike to me.
- The brotherhood between SMY and SCH. It really was one of the draws of this show and I think it was well done. It really conveyed the feeling of “I-trust-you-even-when-I-don’t-know-what-you’re-doing-but-I'll-still-trust-you-because-I-KNOW-you.”
It was so well done that you begin to understand that they know each other on a whole other level and respect and love each other regardless. I like that SMY knows how ambitious, greedy, conniving and cunning SCH can be and still chooses to protect him and even help temper him. And I like that SCH knows how honorable, righteous and rigid SMY can be but still chooses to be close to him, infact doesn't see any other options than being so.
We are so clear on their relationship that we have an idea of what one would say or think towards the others action even when it’s not shown and that’s really the best type of friendship. It didn’t give shippy vibes but one of genuine respect and loyalty to each other.
- BHH, so I already said I didn’t really like TBOY and one aspect of that was the cute-voiced female who I just never grew to like. I was afraid that BHH would be like that but I can reasonably say thatI don't think this drama would be the same without her. Romance or not, she’s not just a pining damsel in distress and she was competent and independent enough for me to respect her. Plus I liked her teasing vibe with SCH.
- The plot and writing was really good. The story of a power tussle within an assassin organization is already an interesting premise and I think they do a good job of conveying it from the first episode with the betrayals, plans and schemes. I loved all the scheming at the beginning and could have watched it for another 10episodes. I was initially afraid that it wouldn’t be as interesting when the first arc was done but it was shockingly still good. I found the bumps they hit realistic and they way they moved to the next arcs felt organic and the ending made sense to me.
What I didn’t like
- I sadly never really liked the ML. I read from comments that he was actually conveying the character accurately based on the source material but I found him quite stiff, and sometimes he just looked almost uncomfortable or something. I didn’t hate him, infact I grew to accept him but never really liked the way the actor played him.
- The last 5 episodes were a bit draggy and ultimately made me lower my scores.
- MYM and TLY were two I could have completely done without. I didn’t enjoy their story at all or the way it was acted by both and ended up fast forwarding their scenes a lot.
- I wish the zodiacs were used better and actually powerful or something.
- My worst con are the action scenes. This is not a new complaint for me but the action scenes can be so confusing to watch. So much twirling, tumbling and posing all over the place with a nice helping of not-great cgi. I really hope they improve this aspect of their magical shows.
The music didn't stand out to me so I guess that is both good and not good as it means it wasn't annoying but it wasn't great or memorable either.
Random thoughts
- My only ship in this show was the Li Hanyi and the Scholarly Sword deity (forgot his name, sorry), I thought the vibe of headstrong fussy strong girl was well tempered by the calm, mature, coolheaded, equally strong nerd who wouldn’t and couldn’t be cowed by her as well as match her in power levels. I’d watch that drama.
- Maybe I should peek back into TBOY as I’m truly curious as to what would cause the divide that will bring about that tragic ending for SMY and SCH.
- Mu Ciling was a great standout and I wish to see more of that actor. That character could have been very cringy and animesque but instead he was interesting and I found myself enjoying the way He spoke and his quirks.
All 3 corrupt Tang Clan heads had some my favorite outfits, and the ones I’d wear if I could, looked so comfy atimes.
- Where are all the MOTHERS?! So many dead mothers!!
- I said Tajaja so many times while watching this show : )
Have a nice day!
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A Darker Vision With Uneven Execution
Though I absolutely adored the donghua, I had a different experience watching the live-action. For me, this series was my favorite of the three related dramas, partly because it leaned into a darker tone. I loved that it focused on an assassin group and the seedy underworld of martial arts. I also liked seeing my favorite characters and scenes from the donghua reinterpreted in live action. But as the episodes went on, it became harder to stay engaged and I felt like a pendulum, being interested in the story one minute and finding it sleepy at others.To get into the heart of things, the first 13 episodes felt almost like a direct rewatch because it followed the donghua so closely. When the show moved into new story content, I enjoyed the new characters and the political conspiracies, but they didn't evolve as much as I hoped. The fight sequences were some of the best I’ve seen, and the visuals were genuinely thrilling. Still, after a while, there were only so many cycles of conflict before the pacing began to feel repetitive. I think the series could have been reduced to around 25–30 episodes by condensing the reused donghua material and tightening the plot. Overall, this didn't fully work for me but I did enjoy certain elements and the performers did a great job.
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Beyond the Blood River awaits the Other Shore.
"Why can't the light of this world make room for Blood River? No one is born a killer. We deserve another chance to choose. Why do you block us again and again?"Blood River is a drama about a group of young assassins who want to seize control of their own lives and break free from the system that forced them into killing. The Blood River organization, run by Su, Mu, and Xie families, operates under a single Patriarch, though even he is quietly manipulated by shadowy figures lurking behind the scenes. When the current Patriarch is poisoned, the precarious balance between the families shatters, and a ruthless battle erupts to claim the symbolic sword of leadership.
Within this large power struggle, there is also a smaller faction of young assassins led by Su Changhe (code name: The Undertaker). Their goal is to overthrow the entire Blood River leadership. His closest friend, Su Muyu (code name: The Umbrella Ghost), is a Kui, basically the Patriarch’s personal bodyguard, which places them on two opposite sides of the conflict. That’s where the drama begins: one sworn to kill the Patriarch, the other sworn to protect him.
Despite their opposing positions, their bond remains unmistakably strong. As the story progresses, the drama shifts from rebellion to themes of friendship, loyalty, politics and defying fate, i.e. breaking the chains meant to restrain and control you. It also becomes a tale of revenge and righteousness, of searching for light in the darkest of times, and of crossing the “blood river” in pursuit of a new future.
The aspect that resonated with me the most was the unshakeable bond between Su Changhe and Su Muyu. Their friendship remained steadfast from beginning to end, marked by a quiet, instinctive understanding. Even when their views diverged, they never failed to support each other, protect each other, and find ways to bridge every divide. Their connection gave the whole drama a strong emotional core.
Besides the interesting story, the drama has very good special effects and fight scenes. The action is nicely spread throughout the episodes, so there’s always something exciting to watch. The music was also good. For me, none of the songs stuck in my mind, but all of them fit the scenes well and supported the atmosphere.
The acting was impressive too. I watched Gong Jun before in Word of Honor, and while he was good, I didn’t finish that drama especially impressed. But here, that definitely changed. He played Su Muyu, a character who is calm, almost cold on the outside, but with deep kindness and a strong sense of righteousness. I was especially impressed by one of his crying scenes in the last episode.
Chang Hua Sen was also great as Su Changhe. I’ve seen him in other dramas, and his acting always stood out. Here he played a very charming, deadly assassin, and he fit the role perfectly. When it comes to his acting, the scene that impressed me the most was in episode 2 - a flashback showing Su Changhe and Su Muyu’s past, where Su Changhe tries to sacrifice himself to save his best friend's life.
Even the side characters were interesting and had their own unique charms. Whenever something bad happened to them, I honestly felt bad and rooted for them.
Now, for the things that weren’t as strong. Su Muyu has a love interest in this drama, and while I do think the story behind it had its own logic and showed his desire for a simple, ordinary life away from the dark world of Blood River, I personally found his brotherhood with Su Changhe far more compelling and wished we’d seen more of it. Also, some parts of the plot were left hanging rather abruptly and never addressed again. ALSO, I wish we got more of Su Changhe's backstory.
The ending leans bittersweet, but it fits the story’s tone. It's a realistic conclusion for a world built on shadows and blood, yet it still carries enough warmth to be considered happy, at least by assassin-story standards.
All in all, I would recommend it & wish we get more of these darker-themed dramas in the future. 9/10
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The character of Su Muyu & Shounen type Wuxia
I want to paint a picture of his personality in hopes that Su Muyu is not misunderstood but beloved.Tales of Dark River is part of the 'The Blood of Youth' and 'Dashing Youth' world. Both shows depict the characters who move in the 'righteous' realms whereas Dark River is about the assassin sect and the shadow realms, the underbelly of society.
So consider that our main character in the 'TBoY' is sarcastic, emotional, thoughtful and strong willed. And our main character of 'DY' is youthful, jovial and mischievous.
While Su Muyu is reserved, calm, quiet, introspective, resolute. Then we have Changhe as our second ML and he is verbose, willful, playful, ambitious. He is Muyu's foil in Blood River. Considering these more charismatic character types, Su Muyu could seem bland or boring, not charismatic. But I don't think so. He is an atypical ML character type. It isn't that 'likable' or 'relatable' personality. We got those character perspectives in the other two dramas. Muyu's character type plays a big part in how we are meant to experience and witness this story arc, much more somber and darker.
Su Muyu has been raised as a weapon. He has been raised with the enforced beliefs that his life and value are tied together in obeying and killing. What is the meaning of life without freedom? Why should I kill? What do I stand for? These are the existential questions we see Su Muyu and the new generation of Dark River are working through as the story unfolds. And just as much as in the other two dramas, we are seeing the main theme is brotherhood.
I am very much looking forward to Gong Jun's interpretation of this character. I think he is perfect for the part. Especially because he has expressive eyes which are needed to play a role with someone who talks more with their eyes. However, 19 episodes in and I just really don't like what he did with his voice. It really has made Su Muyu seem like a robot when he is actually an interesting character even if more reserved.
The reason I have given the acting a rating of 6 has to do with all the actors and not just our MLs (which both equally have some flaws in really embodying their characters). It's not about Su Muyu's personality. There is something that feels slightly off with all of the actors. It might have more to do with the director's directions than with the actor and their skills. But idk. Something just feels restrained with all of their movements or it's that something feels lifeless in their movements.
It could have to do with the sets and the space they have to act in idk. But it also gives off that, 'I'm on a set' feel. There is a lack liveliness which should still be there even if there is a lot of standing around and talking. It's been disappointing but is also remissible. I know all the actors work so hard and so much work goes into filming and making these dramas. It's great when the drama can meet our expectations. Ofc we feel disappointed when the drama doesn't. I haven't been able to get past these issues and have dropped the drama. I'm so sad about it because I loved loved loved TBOY and DY and had such hopes.
As far as how the story gets told. One thing I really liked about 'TBoY' is that the storyboarding for the episodes paralleled the animation. Blood River is also following the storyboarding of the animation also. Also, if you need something to do between updates you can also watch the animation of this series here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZI7aLF7AWBk. And ofc, if you haven't yet, definitely watch 'Dashing Youth' and then 'The Blood of Youth' which are both phenomenally done (Su Muyu also makes appearances in these dramas as well).
Also, please note that this is a Shounen Drama. All three of these series are. Already reviewers have criticized this aspect of this series. There are going to be fights ever other scene. This is going to be high action scene after scene, constantly meeting new opponents and epic quests. The plot is wrapped up in the character growth, with especially a focus on heroism and perseverance of the ML. There are usually strong themes of friendship and personal growth and minor emphasis on romance. Think Dragon Ball Z or Jujitsu Kaisen or Naruto. These type of series have open worlds with open endless stories and are focused on the characters moving through experiences. Don't judge the show and rate it low because you expected it to be something else. Or because you just don't have a great grasp on shounen story-telling. It may not be your preferred story type, but rate within its genre context please.
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The Most Anticipated Turns The Most Disappointing!!
If you have watched “The Blood of Youth” & “Dashing Youth”, then you would expect a lot from this show!In some instances, this show somehow meets those expectations and in some ways, it is slightly disappointing. After having watched the above-mentioned shows, you would be well acquainted with the villains in the novel “Tales of Dark River” (暗河传) by Zhou Mu Nan (周木楠). “The Blood of River” portrays them in their later years while “Dashing Youth” depicts the assassins in former years. The contrast is obvious, so “Blood River” should be the rendition of their organization. The story stretches across Su Muyu & Su Changhe’s need for survival and freedom. The main highlight of this universe is the Bromance, especially when it comes to these two assassins. They are scary, invincible and also quite close to each other. Wherever there is Su Muyu, Su Change would be around. That’s the impression we got from “The Blood of River” & “Dashing Youth”. “Blood River” does touch on this scenario, but then squabbles that chemistry with an unwarranted romance with the female lead.
Read the complete article here-
https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2025/12/10/blood-river-series-review/
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Why this drama is a must watch?
The most important part of the drama that many people overlook is the storyline. We have top tier actors and actresses in this drama that play their roles exactly as intended in the story but some people think they lack in certain fields. For example, I've read some reviews complaining about how the ML has a blank face and can’t act. With all due respect that is exactly how the characteristics of Su Muyu should be. The acting comes with its own personality that is how the drama progresses.Now let’s talk about the visuals. The cinematography in this drama is perfect. They honestly gave all the characters in this drama their own visually stunning fight scenes that will have you in awe. Costumes and make up too on point.
I know I'm early in giving a review but I must give this an 9/10 for now. It might change in the future.Besides that i do recommend this drama.
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