Feud

Finally finished this gem, with one or two breaks within which actually made me forget small things about side stories, lol.

First of all: The acting performance was a feast.

Second: I never thought I would actually say this but: I so much prefer the white hair over the black version of the ML in this!! Probably one of the reasons why I didn't like the mortal trial.

As I said before, this one had beautiful settings, CGI was well used here. They were even able to keep the obvious fake plants somewhat in the background, so it wouldn't diminish the optical look/value.

I really liked the beginning, a not so good cultivatress happens to marry a deity. The whole concept, including the deity's suspicion and his obvious discontent while she is trying to convince him of her sincerity. I really hoped that it would work out somehow for both of them and that the deity was wrong about his suspicion. I was actually a bit disappointed, when it turned out otherwise.

The next part, the mortal trial felt a bit long-winded and I liked it the least. But once this part was over the story became more interesting again, even though I kinda hated the FL for a long time after the outcome of the story's beginning, since there was a never a real explanation for her actions, and the ML seemed way more sincere, yet somewhat aloof. This is actually funny having those not so good feelings about both leads at the same time. But I still loved watching their interactions, always hoping both of them would give in and reconsile.

Overall it was a pleasure to watch this. Especially after getting to know all the background stories. I also liked some of the side characters' stories, while a disliked other side characters equally.

And here's the thing about the music. There were really good songs and there were some mediocre ones, esp. in the beginning. I usually love most of the music of a xianxia, but here it was actually 50/50. But that's probably a personal thing.

Overall a great xianxia and definitely recommended to watch.

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Beautiful philosophical drama, with deep emotional content. I love it.

Dama Feud is the most unique and interesting cinematic content I have seen. It is beautifully written and equally so delivered, which keeps me coming to it again and again. I watched it four times already, discovering new beauty and depth each time. The drama is not for casual viewing or for those who do not or cannot appreciate detail and depth.

Through the mouths of Bai lu and others, the drama delivered many powerful and positive messages to the audience (see some of the ones I recorded below). The discord between the two leading characters, Hua Ruyue and Bai Jiusi, played by Bai Lu and Zeng Shunxi respectively, was philosophical in nature. While Bai Jiusi saw only immortals as relevant beings, Hua Ruyue saw and felt the power and beauty in the human race. She views humans as worthy, demanding they get equal treatment as devine ones. With the backdrop of Taoist spiritualism, Feud philosophy is inherently agnostic in the sense that revering god or gods or praying to them have no effect on human lives. Only determination, hard work, perseverance and endurance can change human lives for better. Devine beings, in Hua Ruyue words, do not "hold dominion over all under heaven". Everybody should be deciding for himself, not for others.

The emotional twists and turns through which the drama leads us, are so deep and monumental, keeping us guessing what will happen next until the very end. The end was actually a great relief. After each side learned full story, their love in the prevailed. It is impossible not cry on deeply emotional moments of the story, such as when Hua Ruyue's son dies, which Bai Lu delivered in a powerful way. Her entire portrayal of motherhood was beautiful. In a relative short sequence, she captured struggles, happiness, and sorrows of motherhood. The drama kept me crying and emotionally on the edge, especially in the last 11 episodes.

Bailu was masterful once again, affirming her status as the leading actress in China and, possibly, in the world. Acting was great throughout. This was a complex endeavor form start to finish. I congratulate everyone involved in the project on the job well done.

Here are some beautiful messages of the drama I recorded:

- Humanity is not insignificant. Nor the devine beings hold dominion over all under heaven.

- In a world like this, if nobody stands up to fight for justice how messed up would it be.

- There is no such thing as love without reason, nor hatred without cause.

- Follow your hart and have no regrets.

- Heaven may be ruthless, but humans are different: Love, family affection, and fellowship all mater.

- Everybody's life should be theirs to decide, not yours.

- For tents of thousands of years, whether there were floods or famines, plagues or insect infestations, mortals who were in the thick of it always felt hopeless about the future and struggled to make a living. But every time, as long they gritted their teeth and persevered, they could always get through it. All this did not come from praying to gods or Buddha, but from their own persistence and endurance.

- Hatred is but love taken to extreme.

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Amazing story

Feud starring Bai Lu and Joseph Zeng is a captivating Xianxia drama that masterfully weaves together intricate plotlines, stunning visuals, and emotional depth. At its core, the story revolves around the tumultuous relationship between Hua Ruyue, played by Bai Lu, and Bai Jiusi, played by Joseph Zeng, two powerful immortals bound by fate yet torn apart by their complicated past.

The drama expertly explores themes of love, loss, and redemption, evoking strong emotions from the audience. Bai Lu's portrayal of Hua Ruyue's pain, anger, and vulnerability is particularly noteworthy. Her character's emotional journey is complex and multifaceted, making it easy to become invested in her story.
Both leads deliver nuanced performances, bringing depth and complexity to their characters. Their chemistry is undeniable, making their tumultuous relationship all the more compelling. The supporting cast is equally impressive, with memorable performances that add depth and complexity to the narrative.
The drama's non-linear narrative structure adds to its emotional impact, slowly revealing the characters' backstories and motivations through flashbacks and plot twists. This approach keeps the viewer engaged and curious, eager to uncover the truth behind the characters' actions.
The cinematography and costumes are visually pleasing, capturing the tone of the story and immersing the viewer in the world of Xianxia. The drama's use of vibrant colors and stunning landscapes adds to its visual appeal, making it a treat for the eye

Feud is a standout Xianxia drama that will resonate with viewers who enjoy emotional, character-driven storytelling. With its intricate plot, stunning visuals, and powerful performances, it's a must-watch for fans of the genre. Bai Lu shines as Hua Ruyue, bringing depth and nuance to the character. If you're looking for a drama that will leave a lasting impact, Feud is an excellent choice.

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If you enjoyed this drama please tell me why?

Wow, the most contrived and toxic drama I have seen yet. Recycled over done plot points and filler. Absolutely toxic of all toxic relationship between the main leads. The first episode seemed like it could be cute and magical. But it just flopped and got worse from each episode to episode.

I think they were trying to recreate 'Till the End of the Moon'. And yeah, this was just not worth watching.

Things I can say that are nice... Joseph looks great in his costume. I liked that they used a different voice actress for Bai Lu's character. (I do like Bai Lu, she is a great actress... but she is just in everything and I'm kinda tired of her).

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Love & Hate. Misunderstandings. Plot Twists. It had the potential but didn’t fully deliver.

This drama had such a potential with its uniquely set up plot but it sadly didn’t fully deliver. Honestly, I feel like Bai Lu and Joseph Zeng are the plot because I only finished this story for them. The main components of this drama is a mix of love & hate, misunderstandings, angst and plot twists. The drama is about the feud between the main leads, who are Gods created from the same source, similar to ying/yang.

POSITIVE:
- Bai Lu and Joseph Zeng slayed. Their performance and on-screen chemistry was brilliant. In fact I’d say they are the plot! I finished the drama only for them. In fact, it was my first time seeing Joseph properly, and I’m now a fan!
- Second female lead. I went through so many emotions with this girl. I hated her, didn’t care for her, loved her. Her story appeared to be cliche at first but ended up being very unique. The daughter-father story arc was unexpectedly really well done.
- Plot twists. Ok I’ll give them that, the writers knew how to fool their audience. Usually in cdrama, they do this stupid stuff of showing everything the bad guys are doing. But this time, it was hidden and only in the finale episodes we got to see who the bad guy was.
- Nice angst. As a xianxia angst lover, the emotional scenes hit me hard and I loved it. But the rest… is another topic.

NEGATIVE:
- Plot/characters. My main issue with this drama is that the script spent so much time creating plot twists, that it neglected to properly fresh out its characters. In general, all the character's interactions (except the leads) felt like plot devices to reach the next plot point. The dialogue either was forced or lacked at certain scenes. There were many characters that popped up just for that one plot point and nothing else. For example, the Goddess of Time was so random. You could argue she was there because of the leads tribulation. Cool, but she still popped up out of nowhere to move the plot forward and then disappeared. Same with the God Elders (or whatever they were, it’s not like it was explained). I’m not asking for their whole backstory but at least show us something to make them look more real.

The plot twists were cool but at the same time the drama took TOO long to get to them. Most scenes, in between the twists, were kind of boring and draggy. The non-linear storytelling made the drama messy. There was a lot of back and forth with flashbacks, timelines etc. The issue wasn’t that it was hard to follow but that it took too long to get to the actual point. Hell, the female lead spent the whole 10 episodes pretending to be someone else. For what? It could have been done in 5 episodes. I get that the writers were banking on suspense and mind blowing twists but the way everything was set up ended up feeling artificial to me.

Another thing this drama focused on was tribulation and learning valuable lessons. Well, I know about human nature, I know about these lessons etc, it’s nothing new. What I wanted to see was characters who could resonate with me on a deeper/human level. And honestly, the only two that did were the female and second female lead. The male lead had the potential but he felt more like a background piece in the second half. The rest were more like cardboards.

- Second male lead as plot device. This annoyed me tremendously. His character had potential to be somewhat cool. But what did the writers do? They USED him for all the plot twists which made him feel like a shell of a character. Seriously, aside from being devoted to the female lead, he literally had zero personality and interests.

- Misunderstandings. Xianxia is known for this cliche trope. I usually don’t mind that but here it took most of the drama to get to it. The reveal of why there is a feud between the leads was delivered in a nice angsty style but at the same time not so shocking because it was literally shown in the trailer.

- Second couple = wasted potential. Instead of the guest couple (disciple-demon), that nobody cared about, I would have liked the focus to be on the second leads. Yes, it didn’t fit the story of them falling in love BUT IF the second female lead’s tribulation happened earlier, it would have left the door open for that too. Or at least friendship if nothing else.

- Visuals. They were decent but at the same time, the producer was totally stingy with the setting designs and CGI. And not even a special episode? Bai Lu deserved better.
- Side characters blah blah Literally nobody stood out, I didn’t care about anyone except maybe the healer Li Mo but even that is a stretch. The human sect disciples, all the immortals in the Nine Heavens, they were just plot devices.
- Dubbing. Minor annoyance for me but the leads being dubbed was criminal.
- Ending. It felt like a cheap trick to satisfy the audience. In general, the final episodes were very underwhelming with a random (but at least hot) villain and lackluster fight scenes. The fact that the male lead was barely there was criminal.

OVERALL:
This story had the potential to be the next Till the End of the Moon but it sadly didn’t deliver. I don’t like to compare but TTEOTM is still the best xianxia of Bai lu for me. In fact, I wasn’t a huge fan of Moonlight Mystique but it weirdly feels like it was more fleshed out. Both Feud and MM have their pros and cons so I feel they are on a similar level. Decent but not that great. I really wanted to love this drama as Bai Lu is my number one Queen. At the start, I was totally obsessed with the lead’s love story but somehow the second half got boring and the final episodes were a let down. In conclusion, it's hard for me to recommend this but if you love xianxia and Bai Lu, I guess give it a chance.

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A life walked cannot be erased

It’s no secret Bai Lu and Zeng Shunxi are two of my favourite Chinese actors, so when it was announced they would be working together I was really excited to see what kind of story they would share with the audience.

Wuxia it’s not something that I usually watch, except when my bias are part of it and it the plot seems interesting. Thanks to Bai and Zeng and rethinking this stand, and might give the genre more of a change because this drama was really good.

Feud works on different levels of tribulations through its 32 episodes, for our leads and the audience. The world building is incredible thanks to a solid script that new exactly the story was going. This is a treat when I think that so many scriptwriters force the narrative upon their characters, leaving them with no choices and, as consequence, one dimensional. Every character in this story had choices, particularly the leads, and it was their decisions what pushed the story, never the other way around.

All of this made for rich character build, which must have been really fun for Zeng and Bai, and it shows in their performances. Never once I doubted them as the many instances of their love trial unfolded. Waiting patiently for their next move and wishing for reconciliation.

Thematically, this drama is great as it explores how our decisions have a wide range of consequences that can’t be taken them back. A life walked cannot be erased. We can only keep going and grow as people trying our best, hoping for another chance.

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It's an eye-roll, type of angst.

At first, the only reason I even started watching Feud was because the two main leads are already written to be married.

Honestly, I didn’t think the visual effects were that bad. The art direction—from costumes and set design to VFX and color grading—was decent. It’s obvious the budget was limited, but they managed it fairly well and made the most of what they had.

One of the first things that completely annoyed me, though, was the background music and sound effects. The timing was often off, and some sounds were just not fitting for the scenes—like sound effects for something as small as blinking (seriously?). It reminded me of Thai comedy dramas or variety shows where every tiny movement gets a sound. As for the OSTs, most were solid, except for one song: “Pluck the Stars” by Su Jiang Xin. I get that it’s meant to be emotional, but it was so distracting it pulled me out of the scenes entirely. Like, can it calm down for a second?

Now onto acting and characters. Bai Lu delivered, as always. That said, her character felt very similar to Jiang Xue Ning (Story of the Kunning Palace) and Li Su Su (Till the End of the Moon). I expected more of a shift in her character dynamic, but there were only slight differences.

Joseph Zeng really surprised me here, especially with his facial expressions—they added a lot of depth to his character. I first saw him in Mysterious Lotus Casebook, and Bai Jiu Si is quite the opposite of his role there, which shows his range.

The second male lead, though—Zhang Suan, played by Chen Xin Hai—was the most disappointing. The character is already written to be annoying, especially if you’re rooting for the main couple. But Chen Xin Hai brought nothing extra to redeem that. Honestly, his delivery felt so stiff. There was a huge disconnect between his lines and his body language. His face barely changed, and his attempt at subtlety just came off as flat and empty—as if he didn’t know how to act. On top of that, his complexion always looked dull and sickly on screen.

On the flip side, He Rui Xian as Fan Linger made a great first impression. Her acting was solid, but her storyline didn’t live up to her potential. Instead of a meaningful arc, her character got reduced to a typical family conflict with her father—something that could’ve gone in a much more interesting direction.

Another standout was Hong Yao as Xiao Jing Shan. I’m not sure if he was dubbed (it wasn't listed anywhere), but if he wasn’t, then props to him. His diction and line delivery felt natural and his expressions added real weight to his role. He gave off “quality actor” energy.

As for the story itself, it was more cohesive than most xianxia dramas I’ve seen. That said, I ended up sympathizing more with Bai Jiu Si than Hua Ruyue. From the start, even though Ruyue seemed to care for others on the surface, her actions were mostly driven by self-interest. Everything began with what she wanted, not necessarily what was right. In her relationship with Jiu Si, he was the one constantly focused on her—doing everything for her happiness and safety. Meanwhile, she mainly focused on her own feelings and perspective, often disregarding his.

Take the situation with the child: Jiu Si didn't want one because Lord Yu Ya warned him that pregnancy would weaken Ruyue. Even if he had told her they needed to go take punishment for killing the drought dragon, the baby probably would’ve died anyway—or even Ruyue herself, considering they’d be struck by 99 lightning bolts daily. Jiu Si’s karma, I guess, was making that choice for her instead of letting her choose.

What really sealed my sympathy for him was how, after everything he did to protect her—including keeping her mortal for ten years to avoid divine punishment—he still got stabbed and imprisoned by her. All while hearing her say she hated him and wanted him dead. Then, when he finally learns the truth—that they had a child and lost him because of his actions—he’s emotionally wrecked. And to top it off, he watches the love of his life get burned and buried alive. Like, bro. That’s pain.

Overall, the story was okay. It felt tame for my taste, but it was digestible.
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*edit: Now that I’ve finished it, I have to say—the ending felt like it was written purely for convenience, just to avoid a “bad ending.” It was rushed and fell flat.

The villain’s motive, while initially understandable (his revenge being warped by the demonic energy he consumed), ended up feeling forced. The story tried to deepen his vendetta by turning it into this whole “restart the world through destruction” plot, but it lost me. It felt like it came out of nowhere and didn’t connect to his original reason for vengeance.

It would’ve made more sense if he had tampered with time to go back and save his family. That would’ve been consistent with his grief. But instead, they went with “erasing the killer’s name” as a resolution—like, bruh. Really?

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I love you..., hate,choked, stabbed, decieve, I did this all for you...for us? Ok, I love you again

I was really into Feud when it first started. It had gorgeous visuals, heavy emotions, and that dramatic, almost operatic energy that only a fantasy drama can bring. But somewhere around the halfway point, my excitement mellowed out. It’s not your typical xianxia drama with the usual enemy-to-lovers arc. This one leans more into the eternally doomed lovers kind of story. Li Qing Yue and Bai Jiu Si weren’t enemies; they were already deeply in love, had a history, and then just kept breaking each other over and over again. It was more like: we’ve loved, misunderstood, separated, hurt each other because of miscommunication, choked each other out, killed each other,deceived each other, and still… somehow fell in love again, because we never really stopped. It’s tragic and romantic, and exhausting all at once.

Bai Lu, as always, was incredible. Her performance as Li Qing Yue/Hua Ru Yue was easily the best thing about the drama. You could feel every layer of her pain, devotion, and inner conflict even when the script wasn’t giving her much to work with. Honestly, the role felt kind of one-dimensional compared to what she’s done in the past, but she gave it everything and made it believable. Zeng Shun Xi, too, nailed his portrayal of Bai Jiu Si, so ethereal, untouchable, cold to the point of frustration. He looked and felt every bit the aloof, all-powerful master who doesn’t emote, doesn’t bend, and absolutely does not communicate with the woman he supposedly loves. Which, of course, led to misunderstanding after misunderstanding. Classic.

What didn’t land for me at all were the second leads—Fan Ling’er and Zhang Suan. If they were supposed to have a romantic arc, I completely missed it. I didn’t feel anything between them emotionally or romantically. That said, I did appreciate Zhang Suan’s admiration and steady love for Li Qing Yue, and Fan Ling’er’s loyalty to her was one of the few genuine supporting dynamics that felt real. But as a duo? Flat.

OST was immaculate.

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