
dora:
I have been watching Guardian to have a completed show to keep me busy. Plus I have decided I love queer-coded bromances. I just got to the part where Yunlan found out that Shen Wei is sharing his life force with him in order to heal his blindness. If this doesn’t scream “I love you and can’t live without you” I don’t know what does. This also made me think maybe the creators of Wu have seen Guardian. Because Niran linking his life force with Pete is so similar. But maybe that’s a romantasy trope I’m just not familiar with yet. Lol. In any case I’m really loving Guardian, except for the low-budget issues.but I can get over that. It’s just a bit distracting.
Btw, I’m also loving Wu and totally recommend it if you like fantasy/horror and don’t mind unspoken BL love. Because this bromance is so queer! So call it bromance if you want. But it satisfies me emotionally. Also SkyNani are definitely killing it in multiple ways. I’m really impressed with them.
Guardian takes me wayyyy back in the day. So for some back story, this drama was originally going to be really expensive but at the last minute all the backers (no pun intended) backed out of production. Which is why that opening song slaps so hard but doesn't fit the low budget vibe (they had already paid for it when they still had money 🤣). Also Bai Yu and Zhu Yi Long were really dedicated to their roll, even in post production when some lines didn't get past censorship they were the only ones from the main cast to come in a voice over their lines to the new script.
Also this drama is significant in being a mile stone to potential BL actors in china because Zhu Yi Long became famous from this drama and later on winning Golden Rooster Awards’ "Best Actor" showing that doing (censored) BL does not end your career. This was a big topic at the time he won.
Another note. That scene you love, I believe it's the kitchen scene, is completely different in the book. Shen Wei actually orchestrated that whole event to make Yunlan feel indebted and guilty toward him so he can never leave. He's kind if toxic in the book. 😅 Though I don't know why seeing as Yunlan is obsessed with him. Honestly, because of censorship do to the reincarnation, smoking, and BL; they had to rework the story so much the drama is vastly different from the book.
In the end Gardian is that drama in the chinese space that is said 'to walk so The Untamed could run and Word of Honor could sprint.'