Decent way to pass the time
I went into this Cdrama with the hope that it would be a good follow up to Love Between Fairy and Devil and Till the End of the Moon based on the reviews here.One of the draws was that reviewers said this had a happy ending. I guess compared to other Cdramas, this does have a happy ending. But just like many of the recent Cdramas I've watched, the ending is rushed and sloppy, and you only get like 3 minutes of a resolution.
There are amusing moments, but many more moments where the story dragged. The acting was mid at best, with a very wooden ML and a FL whose most memorable point is shouting the ML's name a million times. To give credit to the ML, he does show some animation at one point later in the story, at least.
Their chemistry was lacking big time. Very minimal in terms of showing affection - you get a couple of lip pressed to lip moments that are more chaste and awkward than anything else. The hugs were stiff as well. So if you wanted something with a bit more intimacy, keep on looking and give this a pass.
I think the first half of the show was much more interesting than the latter half. The real villain was a joke. Suying was much more enjoyable as a villain tbh, and a lot less melodramatic.
Overall, i enjoyed it enough as a brainless palate cleanse, but i dont feel this has much rewatch value to it.
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Endured watching for its in-between episodes that always save this drama from being dropped
Story: A common story about a battle of good and evil rooted in obsessive unrequited love among Taoists and spirits. It started when the millennium dragon, Tianyao in the human form, was betrayed by his bride, Suying, at their matrimonial ceremony by cutting off his body parts making him powerless but unsuccessful to retrieve his heart-protecting scale only to sustain her lover’s life. Using his last string of strength, Tianyao was able to save his protecting heart scale by throwing it out up in the air and unexpectedly fell on a baby girl, Yanhui, suffering from a weak heart. Possessing the heart-protecting scale both helps and endanger her life. When Tianyao finally met the grown-up baby girl, Yanhui, they embarked on the journey of recovering his lost body parts.The story clearly showed the power of determination, sacrifice, and a cluster of efforts to defeat immortal wickedness.
This drama could have been a great one if not for the following:
1. Too many flashbacks that add to the boredom
2. Emotional scenes that were invaluable to affect the viewer’s emotion
3. Poor characterization of Tianyao known to be powerful of all but ended incapable in the story, and
4. Pushing the story long with unnecessary complexities.
Acting/Cast: Neo Hou as Tianyao pretty much did well and suits the role with that face. It was gratifying alone watching him on screen. The FL who I barely knew was not bad at all. Their acting complements each other. I blamed some of their dialogues and how the story was played that the whole cast’s performance was not appreciated strongly as it should be.
On the other hand, the best thing I loved about this drama was I had the pleasure of feasting my eyes with colors. It catered to one of the best fantasy aesthetics. I specifically praise the wedding of Tianyao and Yanhui which was very regal with that white cape flowing wedding costumes and headdress. There were more stunning to see that would somehow encourage you to care watching this drama if you haven’t yet.
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Not Top-Tier, But Still Worth Watching!
I think this series really stands out with its emotional depth and strong character development. Tianyao’s repeated stabbings of Yanhui, while frustrating, are understandable given his tragic past, but I feel the story could’ve explored a different approach to convey his inner turmoil without making his actions feel unnecessarily harsh. Yanhui, on the other hand, is such a relatable character. At first, she’s selfish, but as the story progresses, her growth into a selfless person who sacrifices for others is really moving. Her development, especially in learning to understand Tianyao’s pain, makes her journey so compelling.The acting, particularly from the female lead, is a major highlight for me. She brings such authenticity to her role, and her emotional scenes—especially the ones where she’s crying—really draw you in. The chemistry between the leads and the strong performances from the whole cast make the story even more engaging.
While the series doesn’t have the flashy effects or high-budget cinematography you might find in some top-tier dramas, it has its own charm. The character-driven storytelling really makes it shine. The OST is also fantastic. It perfectly complements the emotional tone of the series, and I was impressed by how it enhanced the overall experience. This series is definitely worth watching, and I think it’s also worth rewatching to appreciate all the little details even more.
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Average Drama, nothing remarkable...
I always start watching a drama without bias and try to stay open-minded.This drama was ok, but quite average, with nothing remarkable... I won't want to watch it a 2nd time.
I disliked the instrumental OST / sound FX: it sounded a little cheap and too cartoonish. But I guess it was the director's intent.
The OST with lyrics was ok, but it did not touch me.
The actors and costumes were good-looking, but I did not get attached to them, and I did not share their emotions as I've experienced with other dramas.
The ending spans over the last 4-5 episodes. I found the story's direction to be disappointing. I didn’t like the choices the director and writer made, and there were a lot of inconsistencies. They could have handled it much better. The plot felt stretched in a direction I didn’t enjoy, and while it held together somewhat, it was far from the best approach. Overall, it was nothing remarkable.
------Spoilet Alert : don't read if you haven't watch the show yet------
Speaking of inconsistencies... Episode 16
Tian Yao violently stabs Yan Hui to remove the Heart Protecting Scale—without any explanation or warning. Yan Hui is left completely in the dark, unaware of what’s happening or why Tian Yao suddenly turns on her. This one act sets off a chain of twists and turns that steer the drama in a forced, overly dramatic direction, seemingly just to add tension or appear imaginative.
It’s one of those “WTF” moments that feel completely unearned—where the writing seems to abandon character logic for shock value. In this instance, the writers seriously dropped the ball.
What should have happened to stay true to Tian Yao’s established personality and emotional arc?
He would have taken five minutes to explain what had just happened in Dragon Valley and what he planned to do. He would have asked Yan Hui to lend him the Heart Protecting Scale, promising to return it within three days—because he didn’t want her to die. Then, he would have left her in the care of Bai Xiaosheng and Huan Xiaoyan while he carried out his plan.
This alone would significantly alter the plot of the drama—and it would be an interesting creative exercise to rewrite the entire storyline from that one change just to explore how much better it could have been. But I won’t bother with that tedious task.
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One of the most epic beautiful and original xanxia and love story
pic and beautiful xanxia in every regardOne of the very best xanxia I have ever watched. An unusually entertaining, deep and engaging storyline, very different (in a good way) from the classic xanxia both in terms of plot and characters, good or bad , never one dull moment, or making you want to fast forward … no unnecessary secondary plot and characters…
well paced, great dialogs, lots of laugh to relieve darker moments in a very balanced and smart way,
The xanxia is served by a really good ost, beautiful REAL landscapes on top of the usual special effects and studio CGI fake sceneries (what breathtaking mountains and river views) in the second half)…
and what a cast…
their love story and the way it develops makes perfect sense, and is both extremely charming and endearing… you root for them.
What is also awesome is the amazing relationship between the main couple, their unwavering live for each other and the fact that their is no lengthy misunderstanding or separation drama between them. We can enjoy their growing relationship during the majority of the episodes and it is very soothing in that regard.
Special mention to the FL actress serving an awesome character.
Epic. Doesn’t get the success it deserves
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The Dragon Boy and His Mortal Beloved
For a xianxia idol drama, Back From The Brink is pretty good. In fact, I was happily surprised by how good it is. I actually expected it to crash and burn so badly I would have difficulty finishing it. Well, it did crash and burn right at the end, but it was good for the most part, in my opinion, so I'm not too disappointed. After all, I didn't expect much from this as it is an idol drama and I just wanted a light and fluffy romance to cleanse my palate. Little did I know that I would like it so much and even shed a tear or two because of the emotional beats and well-acted scenes.The story revolves around a powerful dragon spirit named Tianyao who was isolated in his kingdom for a thousand years, so he was oblivious to the struggles of his fellow spirits. In this fantasy world, spirits and humans are mortal enemies and lowly spirits are hunted and enslaved by the powerful Taoist cultivators. Think wizards and witches enslaving demons to become their familiars and do their bidding by using magical spells and traps. Tianyao falls in love with a human woman named Suying, who covets his dragon scales as they can grant immortality. She eventually betrays him and renders him disabled and almost at the brink of death. In his desperation, he manages to take his heart scale containing his inner core and throw it into space to prevent the woman from completely stealing his powers. His heart scale falls into the hands of a young child born with a heart defect and it miraculously heals her, allowing her to grow up into a healthy young woman named Yanhui. She grows up to become a cultivator herself, but one who doesn't understand the hostility between humans and spirits, so she is deemed a traitor by her own kind. Without his dragon powers, Tianyao is forced to take his human form and live without his powers as a mortal. He crosses paths with Yanhui and enlists her help in finding his missing dragon parts that were scattered all over the mortal world by Suying. This is how their journey starts and as the story progresses, more secrets are revealed, and I did enjoy some of the plot twists. I was attracted to the plot because it initially reminded me of the love story between Haku and Chihiro in Spirited Away. There's something about a dragon boy falling for a human girl that just gets me.
The production value of this drama is nothing to write home about, it is after all a low-budget series with clunky CGI, passable cinematography, and cheap-looking sets. But I didn't mind because it suited the vibe of the drama for some reason. The CGI used for the fight scenes are not too bad, though. I rather liked the dragon fire special effects. But the music is awesome! The opening theme has an Evanescence sound to it and the ending theme by Liu Yuning is perfection! I also liked Hou Minghao's contribution to the soundtrack.
The writing, though, could've been better. It has great world-building and the social commentary about racism and discrimination is a good addition. There are also very moving moments in the drama that can make you tear up and some beautiful life lessons worth pondering on. But the positives end there, I'm afraid. The drama starts strong but falls off somewhat in the middle and then completely goes off the rails at the end. For the life of me, I don't understand why they had to end it like that. But I have to give the writers props for tying up some loose ends. Just when I thought something is an obvious plot hole, they come up with something that kinda explains things and makes it logical... sort of. Not to say that there are no plot holes at all because there are plenty and I still had to suspend my disbelief several times. It's just a shame because this drama had the potential to be soooo much better.
As for the acting, I really loved Zhou Ye in this. She is one of the few Chinese actresses that I find undeniably pretty and not annoying (thank god!). Although I think she still has a long way to go in terms of acting skills, I believe she did well as Yanhui and I rooted for her all the way! She has great comedic timing, too. I love her with Hou Minghao! I swear, they are a match made in heaven! The moment I saw them together, I felt their palpable chemistry. I don't think I will be able to see them paired with other people without complaining that they just don't fit right with anyone else. At first, I didn't think much about Minghao's acting but he eventually proved that he has some acting chops hidden somewhere just waiting to be uncovered. Then there's the fact that he is quite dashing. He and Zhou Ye make a gorgeous couple. I just loved seeing them onscreen. The rest of the cast are very good as well, no complaints here. The villains are so good that I wanted to kill Suying and her vile sister. Suying could've been made a sympathetic villain instead of a complete lunatic, though. When the truth is finally revealed, I actually felt some sort of pity for her. But she could've been written and portrayed in a way that would've made her more relatable. So again, this is a problem with the writing.
But as a whole, this was a good watch. I had fun watching this and I fell in love with Tianyao and Yanhui. I loved immersing myself in this world and I felt sad leaving it. I just wish they had tapped into its full potential because the story is solid, the characters are layered and interesting, and the world that the original author created is rich with lore. But just the same, I will miss my dragon boy and his mortal beloved.
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having a pure soul makes you the most powerful
This is a love story between a Demon and Taoist. Naturally these 2 clans do not go well together however, our female lead believes in no discrimination and doesnt harm the demons. Instead she befriends them and tries to bring out the good in them. Due to her outgoing nature which did not align with her clan's beliefs, she was kicked out and had to go on a journey on her own.While travelling she comes across the Dragon King who has lost all his ability after being betrayed by his ex. The dragon king realises that his heart is inside her and starts his plan to gain her trust. After alot of hurdles the two of them start their journey to hunt for all the missing dragon pieces (bones, horns, veins, scales). Only once all is found the dragon king becomes strong enough to defeat their enemies.
So this is the basis of the plot which was interesting and the hurdles and stories their introduced at every arc was good as well. There is comedy, romance, friendship and loads of cuteness. There are multiple heartbreaking moments as well. The leads were so devoted to each other that they did everything to protect one another.
Yanhui was a very outgoing character who was very bubbly, Tianyao on the other hand was really calm and collected. BXS was also a really interesting character. He was the cupid for our leads. Initially i though he would be the bad guy but thankfully no he was very helpful and saved them numerous times. I adoreddd the kids at the dragon valley. They were so cuteee. The dragon valley arc was both very cute and sad.
The drama isnt very heavy on romantic scenes but the leads are together 90% of the time so you get plenty of cute cute moments!
Overall it was a good watch!
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Zhou Ye/Yan Hui (FL) is the best part of the drama
**ending spoilers only towards the end of review**For some reason, I thought the production value of “Back From The Brink” would be higher or similar to that of “Starry Love”. Because of this expectation, I was a little disappointed and distracted from a few things that prevented me from fully immersing myself into the story and enjoying it. This is not a bad drama at all, but an average one instead of a good one.
Acting -
The best part about this drama is our female lead, Yan Hui (played by Zhou Ye). I’ve only seen Zhou Ye in one other drama, the very popular “Word of Honor” where she made quite an impression on a lot of people. I am glad to see her taking the lead in this, as her acting is the best of the bunch, even more than some of the veterans. Yan Hui is a very likable character to play. She is fun, intelligent, has a good head on her shoulders and won’t take crap from others. She might have started off as someone young and inexperienced, but she was in no way naive or a damsel in distress. It has been a great watch to follow her journey of growth to become a mature, independent, courageous warrior. It’s not hard to find another story about a female lead’s growth, but it’s hard to find one like Yan Hui who is not naive and innocent or acts like a child to begin with. I enjoy her character development and growth much more than our Dragon King Tian Yao.
The only other actor I would shower praise on the acting is Yang Rong, playing the character of Su Ying. Yang Rong is a veteran actress and I’ve seen her in other roles (“Marvelous Women” and “Song of Youth”). I enjoyed her portrayal of the love-obsessed Su Ying. I just wish her character is not such a stereotypical second female lead - one who goes crazy because she’s obsessive in love. Nevertheless, Yang Rong is a talented and versatile actress.
However, the acting for the rest of the cast is just average. I was hoping Neo Hou would be better than a pretty face. I can’t say I enjoy his acting here. He is a little better than when he was in “A Girl Like Me” but nowhere close to the fun and young teenager in “When We Were Young”. He looks good though, even with long white hair. Riley Wang is fine but not excellent. His character, Bao Xiao Sheng, is a fun one to play but the hairstyle distracted me. The rest of the supporting cast is OK and no one really exceeds expectations. It also seems like aside from Neo Hou, Zhou Ye, Yang Rong, Riley Wang, and Chen Xin Yu, most of the supporting characters are not very well-known or are quite new to the industry.
Plot/Pacing -
The pacing for the first 20-25 episodes is great. A lot happens as viewers get to know the characters, learn about the backstory of the betrayal, and the challenges our main leads face. There are also many funny moments, some more subtle than others. I did have a great time laughing along. But then, the pacing slows down in the next 10 episodes, and doesn’t pick up until the last 5 episodes. The general plot itself is not difficult to understand and follows a similar pattern of other dramas of the same genre. I would not say everything is predictable or unpredictable, but I was pretty engaged in the first half of the drama. There are a few questionable plot holes here and there, but nothing major.
Romance -
Neo Hou and Zhou Ye have decent chemistry. I like that there’s no love at first sight, and the feelings really didn’t blossom until they started their journey together. And maybe that’s why, we’re not getting sizzling hot romantic energy from them. Of course, it would also be due to the actors inability to portray such love. Tian Yao and Yan Hui are quite similar when it comes to love. Their love is steady, honest and never wavers. They support and love each other unconditionally and it’s hard not to root for them in the end. I do have mixed feelings regarding the ending (will talk more later). Riley Wang/Bai Xiao Sheng has to be one of the best third wheel out there. He’s so likable that you can’t hate him, even if you are not a fan of love triangles. Romance is easy to watch, but it also lacks a certain “spark”.
Production Value -
As I said earlier, I am not impressed with a lot of the production quality in “Back From The Brink”. I am disappointed that none of the actors/actresses uses their own voice (not even in post production). The dubbing is off and horrible at times. You would hear the voices but the lips are not moving (and I am not talking about internal monologues). The visual effects and CGI are only average at best. The fight scenes are OK as well. At least the costume department does a decent job. Well, Zhou Ye and Neo Hou are good-looking, so they look good in anything they wear. I also like the OST and you can't go wrong with songs from Zhou Shen and Liu Yu Ning (I can't find the songs on Spotify though 😞 ). The sets and some of the props look fake and flimsy. If Tian Yao’s sword is not lit with the fire visual effect, you should see how fake it looks. Having said all that, I am someone who is bothered by these production qualities as they affect my viewing pleasure. If you are not like me, you might enjoy this drama a lot more than I do.
Ending Spoilers -
I know as C-drama fans we are frustrated with sad and ambiguous endings. However, “Back From The Brink” seems to want to please fans by force-feeding us a happy ending. After searching for many years, Tian Yao finally found Yan Hui. But I am not sure if Yan Hui still retains her memories. If she does, why didn’t she go looking for Tian Yao and her friends? If she lost her memories, isn’t a kiss in the end considered big time sexual harassment? OK, maybe I should shut down my brain and just enjoy a happy ending.
Overall, this is a decent watch. If you are a fan of the actors and actresses, then it’s worth a watch. If you are not and you are just looking for a good fantasy wuxia drama, I think there are better ones out there. Because I really like Zhou Ye and her character Yan Hui, I’m giving this drama no less than an 8.0 rating.
Completed: 6/30/2023 - Review #323
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what am i supposed to do now...
mild spoilers in the second bit of this review, ill put a warnings once it starts!generally i LOVED this drama. this drama was like my reintroduction back into cdramas since final season was over and lemme just say, this was the perfect destress! the story is nice and pleasing, it's heavy but not too heavy in which you feel empty after watching episodes.
i do have to say a few things regarding the show however. the cgi looks a little silly goofy some times but i get that their budget wasn't the greatest, but overall its still a pretty show! neo's acting has definitely gotten better comparing him to his other works, but sometimes he just has the same look for some scenes. not too big of an issue!
the biggest bone ive seem people pick at is how it's drastically different from the book, but i feel like it has it's own charm. obviously as a drama vers from an existing IP, it should hold up to it's original material but ignoring that it's a good show!
THE CHEMMMMMM the chem between zhou ye and neo is just crazy.... i need to see them in a new drama ASAP!!
MILD SPOILERS
as much as i loved bxs, in the second half of the show i just counldnt get myself to watch his scenes, especially when they had to do with the relationship thingy. they tried to force a love triangle but it just didn't work...
SPOILERS OVER
ending? happy, a little open, ending!
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A lovely combination of fairytale, romance and adventure
This is a very entertaining fairytale drama (xianxia in Chinese terminology). And the kids will love it with the mix-in of cartoon-like and half-animal characters.What I like about this drama?
- Story is interesting. Although it does not have that extraordinary surprise or twist, it does conceal a lot of mystery which are revealed as the drama progresses.
- The bad guys lose and the good guys win. This approach always work for me as it appeals to my strong sense of justice.
- Good looking cast. This is likely the most prominent drama that Neo Hou acted in since 'A Girl Like Me' which was hilarious. He is undoubtedly the best looking actor in this drama. Zhou Ye is very pretty too, she is outstanding when she is dressed as the dark aura master. Acting as a Taoist girl, she is more like the girl next door - a bit plain.
- CGI and special effects are very good. Costumes are good too although not too elaborate but befits the characters.
What I do not like about this drama?
- The selection of actors for the various roles are good except for Zhang Lan and Chen Yi. Kenny Kwan who acts the parts of these twins is very good looking and does the part well. In age, he is old enough for the character, but in looks he appears younger than his son and daughter. It looks a bit weird when his son addresses him as father. Perhaps the roles should be reshuffled. He is better acting Lu Mu Sheng who captures the heart of SuYing.
- The on-screen chemistry between Neo Hou and Zhou Ye as leads is good but not as endearing as between him and Guan Xiao Tong in 'A Girl Like Me'.
- The ending is not properly explained. How did the new dark aura master vanish and then resurrect?
I am deciding whether to give it a 8.5 which is what I would usually give to a drama of similar quality, but decide to give it a 9 instead for its overall production.
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An Engaging Fairytale about a Dragon and a Spunky Girl
The leads were anime-pretty, especially Hou Ming Hao's eyes. The story suffered a bit from too many episodes, loose ends, and unanswered situations. The ending made little sense. It had been 15 years, yet when ML met Xian Ge, her oldest child was about seven years old; she'd been heavily pregnant the last time he saw her! This could have been an 8.5, but it lost its way.Still, it was worth the watch to see Hou Min Hao as a baby dragon in an adult male's body: the look of innocence mingled with indignation and ire, culminated in tiny spurts of dragon flame shooting from his mouth. I'd watch the drama just for that. I've awarded a half star for that cute baby dragon.
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Nice enough drama
Am currently in an attempt to watch more of Neo Hao's dramas after his Dashing Youth, so decided to give this a go. It was a nice enough drama for me, enough to get me watching till the end in maybe a week? Coming from Dashing Youth, seeing Tianyao with his poker face and cold-ish attitude, it was getting a bit used to. lol. His carefree and naughty spoiled Baili Dongjun was still fresh in my mind I guess. But one thing for sure, Neo Hao was still as handsome as ever! His makeup and hairdo as TY doesn't seem that much different though from BLDJ (except from when he became baby dragon. lol) I was a big fan of Neo Hao from his A Girl Like Me era, so getting back to his works doesn't seem to be a chore. I always like his acting since then, and I could say his acting still kept me interested in his work. Coupled with Zhao Ye (whom I'd seen in Everyone Loves Me and liked), I'd say I enjoyed this drama. The chemistry is there between them two, however sometimes, it seems off as well. I guess maybe it is due to TY having to keep his cold demeanor that somehow he seems quite standoff-ish and affects the feel of chemistry between them. I still like them two together though.In terms of plot, being a fantasy genre, I guess sometimes things doesn't make much sense, and I would just like to just accept the nonsense and rolled on. lol. There is a reason fantasy genre is just my least favorite genre of all. But all the hero whump dose I get from this drama is definitely my cup of tea. lol. One thing I realized though, TY's costumes are all so beautiful and expensive looking, even from the start when he only sets out in search of his body parts. Coupled with Neo Hao's looks, I'm diggin' it! Guess the production really spoiled him. ZY's outfits are mostly beautiful too, probably only missing out a couple. But the costumes in which they got married was to die for! so beautiful and ethereal. 10/10! Others' not so much though, so I guess the budget goes to the main leads' costumes. lol
Villains in this drama were quite weak tbh. Suying was annoying with her obsession with Luo Musheng but I cannot stand Lingfei erghhhh felt like stepping on her everytime! Fu Yin's face was not that convincing as the ultimate villain and I was admittedly quite bored towards the end of the series, during the Phantom King trope. The SML was ok enough. He brings comedy factor to the story though I was getting annoyed sometimes when he decided to keep the FL to himself out of nowhere. The ending was quite ambiguous to me at first, and I only understood it after lurking around to find explanation in mydramalist lol. OST was quite nice though, and was used quite extensively in a lot of scenes. I remembered I was laughing so hard at a few scenes during watching, but for the life of me, I cant really recall what is it right now. haha.
All in all, definitely worth watching, especially for anyone who loves Neo Hao (or looking for a drama with drop dead ML lol) and Zhao Ye.
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