Is there any particular theme(s) specifically that you have an interest in?
I see you have 'Eternal Love' (aka ten miles of peach blossoms) on your plan-to-watch list. You really should get around to doing so. It meets all the categories you've mentioned and it's really been one of the stand outs in recent years. The 2nd couple irritate me no end (Bai Feng Jui and Dong Hua) but even so this is a regular re-watch for me. Helps that the music score is good.
I absolutely loved 'Guardians of the Ancient Oath'... : https://kisskh.at/33980-the-promise-keepers ...but I seem to be in the minority. It's a slow-burn mythic tale of ancient gods being rebirthed in the bodies of a family of characters in a historical wuxia setting. Be warned : it is a true mythical tale in that it is a tragedy. Don't go into this 45 episode series with an expectation of a happy ever after. Some other viewers have mentioned it was a production of some sort of media school environment as if to explain away its flaws, but since I absolutely loved the story I don't see this as needing to be mentioned to explain away anything quite frankly.
Some one mentioned 'Ever Night'. I highly recommend season 1. Go for season 2 at your own risk. Like 'Eternal Love' it's been one of the mighty pillars of wuxia/cultivation dramas in recent years. The main love story is meh, but the secondary romance beforehand is pretty good. Mainly watch this series for the world building and the occasional A-MAZ-ING fight scenes. It is a world where gods exist, but you don't see them, you're mainly following the cultivation progression of the ML. - https://kisskh.at/27178-ever-night
Legend of Fu Yao - a world cultivation story which has mini story arcs in it. First, Fu Yao's coming of age in a cultivation sect, then various stories of how she experiences hardship and develops from it in the various world areas once she leaves the sect. Interwoven with her stories of life progression are her interactions with the ML. I like to call them flirt fighting. Great characters, great world building. The tension kinda tapers off before she goes up against the big bad deity at the end. You could tie it off when she and ML finally commit to each other and her back story is completely unveiled (the mining city arc) and leave it at there. - https://kisskh.at/23171-legend-of-fu-yao
"The best part of this production for me was the PDA - real kisses, not those pressed lip fake kisses."
While I appreciate good kissing being depicted as opposed to, say, the bird beak kiss style of Yu Meng Long (much though I <3 him as an actor) , this was somewhat unrealistic to me. Despite her very independent nature, her character was supposed to be one that hadn't had a sweetheart before (that I can recall) ... and then for her very kiss (that I can recall) she's totally taking the initiative and diving in for a full open-mouthed tongue fest.
"Yes i felt she was childish sometimes..and not able to decide"
Yeah. She was supposed to be a 20 yro nearing the end of the marrying age of available women, yet what with her very young round face and occasionally youth-silly character, I found myself wondering if the actress was a 16yro. Actually put in the effort to look up her age to find she's 28.
Was astonished!
But in the end I suppose its more about how the character is written to be rather than necessarily because of the actress.
Despite all the controversies, I can only be patient until this drama ends to give an overall rating.but I can't…
Honestly I don't even know whether the relationship melodrama of the crew actually impacted the quality.
It seems to me like all this talk of the relationship drama of the crew affecting the series quality is more a meme than anything. 'Meme' in the original sense of the word. People are saying it is so because other people have said it is so.
I could be wrong.
Maybe there is actual evidence to point to the relationship tomfoolery having a material impact on the end product.
Or maybe the end result is simply the result of the available talent used to make the production, and that whole crew melodrama is merely something for rubberneckers to wag their fingers at.
I feel like there are scenes that are now cut since originally this should be 45 episodes but turned to 40..so…
Like those non-sect non-fountain abode bystanders that were shouting for BFX to be imprisoned or killed for the shifus death ... and who it seemed like kept looking to Yu Wuyuan. Who were they? Why were they there? Why was there a ceremony of sorts? Was it just for shifu's retirement or passing of leadership to Langhua or something else?
No explanation. They're just there all of a sudden.
And this poison that causes hands to shrivel ... I don't remember Lanxi mentioned this about his mother's death earlier. Did I miss it or was it not mentioned prior to this point?
And, have they actually unofficially married/become a couple? Because it seems like they were just going to go off, disappear into the wilderness and live their lives but all of a sudden, they have to go back to town to visit Lanxi's dear old dad.
I love "Under the Power"! Watched it a couple of times haha
It's all good with the no kissing contract. The man is devoted to his spouse, I gotta respect that.
That they filmed it in a way that they seemingly did kiss, perhaps using camera perspective, perhaps using doubles, whatever. Even though its just 'movie magic' I still count it - simply because as a romantic scene that entire drunk rooftop kiss + 'Wish' as musical accompaniment was just ... perfect.
Her drunken uninhibitness, her subsequent moment of self doubt on her actions, his then taking the lead, the lyrics/music moments that was partnered to it.
Perfect. Sublime.
Seriously, I have it bookmarked in my mind as one of my top scenes ever.
I don't get why some people get their knickers in a twist about whether actors really actually kissed. Do they expect actors to actually have arrows in their chest, or to actually be eating? I've never seen anyone get upset over the fact there was no food on the chopsticks that went into the actors' mouths.
That being said. If I'm paying money to go see a concert and the artist is billed as a singer, then they'd better be singing live. Mouthing to a backing tape my arse.
I absolutely loved 'Guardians of the Ancient Oath'... :
https://kisskh.at/33980-the-promise-keepers
...but I seem to be in the minority. It's a slow-burn mythic tale of ancient gods being rebirthed in the bodies of a family of characters in a historical wuxia setting. Be warned : it is a true mythical tale in that it is a tragedy. Don't go into this 45 episode series with an expectation of a happy ever after. Some other viewers have mentioned it was a production of some sort of media school environment as if to explain away its flaws, but since I absolutely loved the story I don't see this as needing to be mentioned to explain away anything quite frankly.
Some one mentioned 'Ever Night'. I highly recommend season 1. Go for season 2 at your own risk. Like 'Eternal Love' it's been one of the mighty pillars of wuxia/cultivation dramas in recent years. The main love story is meh, but the secondary romance beforehand is pretty good. Mainly watch this series for the world building and the occasional A-MAZ-ING fight scenes. It is a world where gods exist, but you don't see them, you're mainly following the cultivation progression of the ML.
- https://kisskh.at/27178-ever-night
Legend of Fu Yao - a world cultivation story which has mini story arcs in it. First, Fu Yao's coming of age in a cultivation sect, then various stories of how she experiences hardship and develops from it in the various world areas once she leaves the sect. Interwoven with her stories of life progression are her interactions with the ML. I like to call them flirt fighting. Great characters, great world building. The tension kinda tapers off before she goes up against the big bad deity at the end. You could tie it off when she and ML finally commit to each other and her back story is completely unveiled (the mining city arc) and leave it at there.
- https://kisskh.at/23171-legend-of-fu-yao
Historical ML chasing FL, but no deity/immortal/demons:
Moon Lovers : Scarlet Heart Ryeo
- https://kisskh.at/15999-moon-lovers-scarlet-heart-ryeo
The Flame's Daughter, kinda drags in the latter stages, but a great ending if you can bear through the draggy part.
- https://kisskh.at/21920-liehuo-ruge
Rookie Historian
- https://kisskh.at/33249-rookie-historian-goo-hae-ryun
The Moon Brightens For You
- https://kisskh.at/39951-the-moon-bright-for-you
The Legends
- https://kisskh.at/26760-the-legends
Some others I think you might enjoy:
Chef Hua (basically food porn in a historical light drama)
- https://kisskh.at/52173-the-fires-of-cooking-hua-xiao-chu
My Heroic Husband - fake chin wobble crying aside, I loved this one, it's river boat song & dance scene is one of my favorites in cdramas
- https://kisskh.at/61977-zhui-xu
Once Upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain. Abrupt ending out of nowhere, but up until then it was very enjoyable.
- https://kisskh.at/33252-once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-spirit-blade-mountain
Novoland : Pearl Eclipse. Great OST, fight scenes, characters, and world building.
- https://kisskh.at/31998-novoland-pearl-eclipse
Princess Silver
- https://kisskh.at/28600-princess-silver
She Was Pretty, the chinese remake is ok, but I prefer this korean version, haven't seen the other versions
- https://kisskh.at/15055-she-was-pretty
What's Wrong With Secretary Kim
- https://kisskh.at/27885-why-secretary-kim
Goblin - a deity (goblin) living in modern times story. Another recent pillar of the drama world.
- https://kisskh.at/18452-goblin
While I appreciate good kissing being depicted as opposed to, say, the bird beak kiss style of Yu Meng Long (much though I <3 him as an actor) , this was somewhat unrealistic to me. Despite her very independent nature, her character was supposed to be one that hadn't had a sweetheart before (that I can recall) ... and then for her very kiss (that I can recall) she's totally taking the initiative and diving in for a full open-mouthed tongue fest.
Wha...!?
Yeah. She was supposed to be a 20 yro nearing the end of the marrying age of available women, yet what with her very young round face and occasionally youth-silly character, I found myself wondering if the actress was a 16yro. Actually put in the effort to look up her age to find she's 28.
Was astonished!
But in the end I suppose its more about how the character is written to be rather than necessarily because of the actress.
And breathe in
😯
And breathe out
😙
They both hit their characters' notes perfectly.
She's fantastic.
👏👏👌
Yeeeeeaah. That wasn't ominous in this slightest. Not at all. lol
It seems to me like all this talk of the relationship drama of the crew affecting the series quality is more a meme than anything. 'Meme' in the original sense of the word. People are saying it is so because other people have said it is so.
I could be wrong.
Maybe there is actual evidence to point to the relationship tomfoolery having a material impact on the end product.
Or maybe the end result is simply the result of the available talent used to make the production, and that whole crew melodrama is merely something for rubberneckers to wag their fingers at.
No explanation. They're just there all of a sudden.
And this poison that causes hands to shrivel ... I don't remember Lanxi mentioned this about his mother's death earlier. Did I miss it or was it not mentioned prior to this point?
And, have they actually unofficially married/become a couple? Because it seems like they were just going to go off, disappear into the wilderness and live their lives but all of a sudden, they have to go back to town to visit Lanxi's dear old dad.
The saying "can't see the forest for the trees" comes to mind.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_al0ZvZE44
That they filmed it in a way that they seemingly did kiss, perhaps using camera perspective, perhaps using doubles, whatever. Even though its just 'movie magic' I still count it - simply because as a romantic scene that entire drunk rooftop kiss + 'Wish' as musical accompaniment was just ... perfect.
Her drunken uninhibitness, her subsequent moment of self doubt on her actions, his then taking the lead, the lyrics/music moments that was partnered to it.
Perfect. Sublime.
Seriously, I have it bookmarked in my mind as one of my top scenes ever.
I don't get why some people get their knickers in a twist about whether actors really actually kissed. Do they expect actors to actually have arrows in their chest, or to actually be eating? I've never seen anyone get upset over the fact there was no food on the chopsticks that went into the actors' mouths.
That being said. If I'm paying money to go see a concert and the artist is billed as a singer, then they'd better be singing live. Mouthing to a backing tape my arse.
Don't tell anyone else. Keep this between us. 🤫