1
1
The underdogs became the winners
Family dynamics and politics were nicely depicted in this drama. The story was interesting. On two fronts, both the lead characters had cases on their hands to investigate and uncover.As a child, Luo Yi Ning who lost her mother was sent away from home to the countryside villa after being accused of causing the miscarriage of her step-mother. When she returned years later, she was determined to prove her innocence. Back home, she began to suspect that her mother was poisoned. If it was not her stepmother, then who did it and why?
This episode on Yi Ning's eviction from the Luo family because of her stepmother was similar to that of the Double. Who plagiarised who - I could not ascertain which story was published earlier. The Double was aired earlier; so the natural conclusion was this drama plagarised.
Her half brother, Luo Shen Yuan was not what he appeared to be - the uneducated and unfavoured son. He was secretly the student of a mandarin who was accused of corruption and was executed. Very intelligent and conniving, he lay low while investigating his tutor's case as it might involve someone very powerful.
ShenYuan was a maverick and schemed his way to solve his tutor's case. He was so smart that he lay all the traps to catch the evil lord and stole the necessary evidence to nail him. What appeared to be a bad turn of events was actually a scheme of his. In this regard, it was a little unconvincing for such a young lad to be able to solely do all these without an older, more experience adult as advisor or helper.
When Yi Ning was repeatedly schemed against by her stepmother and half sister, he stepped in to help her. While trying to find a cure for her ill-health, he discovered that she might not be a child of the Luo's family and started to develop romantic feelings for her. The investigation of his tutor's case brought him in direct conflict with Marquis Lu JiaXue, YiNing's former love interest who now became his love and political rival.
Also I actually did not feel there was much chemistry between Ren Min (Yi Ning) and Zhang Wan Yi (Shen Yuan). The romantic scenes between them felt quite bland and obviously just a show. Zhang Wan Yi was the male lead in Lost You Forever. Comparing his chemistry with Ren Min and Yang Zi, the chemistry with Yang Zi was a lot more convincing.
Additionally, they chose the wrong voice for Ren Min. The childish pitchy voice did not help in building the character. She acted in the drama, the Longest Promise, with Xiao Zhan and the drama was a disappointment. I think she should stay on for another 2-3 years as a second lead to outstanding lead actresses to learn from them before taking up lead acting roles.
I found myself feeling sorry for the second lead. He did love Yi Ning truly although in an obsessive manner. Would have been better if a different ending had been crafted for him. At some parts, it looked like MingZhu was interested in him. Yet, the screenwriter did not capitalise on this further.
The last four episodes were totally unnecessary as they seemed to be added to drag the drama on. The drama could easily have ended at episode 36 and would have fared better in my rating. The extra four episodes would have been better used to craft a different ending for the second lead.
Was this review helpful to you?
Dilraba and Leo Wu did not disappoint
The two main leads of a drama always make a big difference to a drama. For this, there are 4 leads who completely mesmerise - Dilraba, Leo Wu, Rosy Lusi Zhao and Liu Yu Ning. Additionally, there are the support roles played by Allen Fang and Yi Da Qian, Kudousi and Geng Le - all outstanding in their own rights.This drama tells the story of a Tang dynasty princess. Li Chang Ge, whose father was the crown prince and was killed by his brother who also massacred his nephews and became the emperor. She escaped and made her way to the northern border in the hope of securing support from her father's former generals to overthrow her uncle. She met an Ashile prince on the way and ended up in the kingdoms in the north. They went through a lot together and fell in love. Along with this, there were secrets, and what appeared to be and was not.
The story is interesting and keeps your attention. There are very few lull moments. To craft suspense and lip-biting moments in dramas, very often scenes which are silly and illogical are conveniently thrown in just for this purpose. There are relatively few of these. The story is pretty convincing although fictitious.
Dilraba who hailed from a number of highly rated dramas like Ten Mile Peach Blossom and its sequel lived up to expectations. Leo Wu who acted the teenage bodyguard Fei Liu has grown into a handsome young man did equally well.
Costumes, music, cinematography, backdrop are all excellent. But I do not like the caps on the male actors - look quite silly.
Was this review helpful to you?
Will the 6th prince win the throne?
Tang Lian, the senior disciple at XueYue City was assigned the task to bring back a golden coffin to the city. He had no idea what or who was in the coffin. Along the way, he was waylaid by a number of different sects, demanding that he handed it over to them.Around the same time, a naive but highly skilled Lei Wu Jie was on his way to XueYue City. He stopped by an inn for a meal when a gang came in to rob. Out of righteousness and eager to demonstrate his ability, he defended the inn against attack only to have the money-minded and shrewd owner Xiao Se demanded that he paid for the damages. Convinced by Xiao that his action was redundant and therefore at fault, he suggested Xiao followed him to XueYue City where he would get the money to compensate him. Having another agenda of his own, Xiao Se agreed. Xiao Se appeared to have no martial art skills but exhibited excellent agility.
It is widely known that the 6th prince was a righteous man, highly talented and well-skilled in martial arts, possessing great inner force. But he offended his father, the emperor by siding with his uncle, the Lord Langya and was stripped off his princely title. While on his way to exile, he was attacked and seriously wounded by a mysterious attacker.
The parties met and teamed up together. Later in the drama, the content of the coffin was revealed and so was the true identity of Xiao Se.
What I like about this drama:
1. Hygiene factors: like a lot of good Chinese dramas, it satisfied most of the hygiene factors: good looking cast, excellent acting, lovely costumes especially that worn by the main leads, Li Hong Yi (Xiao Se) and Liu Xue Yi (Wu Xin - yes, a monk), the lovely backdrop and cinematography.
2. Special effects: it is packed with special effects as every fight is a show of the inner forces of each opponent. If you love martial arts and special effects in dramas, this is it.
3. Humour: although by and large, this is a rather serious drama, there are lots of comic relief. Wu Xin (acted by Liu Xue Yi) was hilarious when he asked the Marquis why he was looking at him - was it because of his good looks. He was always demonstrating his narcissism in this drama, which was quite funny.
4. Hook: to keep the audience chasing a long running drama, there must be a hook. The main hook of this drama was whether
the 6th prince's was going to escape further harm, recover his inner skill, be eventually reunited with the emperor and find out who was behind the attack that disabled his fighting skills, with the help of his new friends. And this is a strong hook.
There are not much I do not like about this drama but I am going to nitpick at some:
1. The theme of rivalry for the throne is so cliche and overused. I am sure this happened at every generation of every dynasty. But watching repeatedly as a storyline is kind of monotonous, even if the story develops differently.
2. Music is alright but not outstanding.
3. The on-screen chemistry between the main male and female leads is quite cold. The woman is keen but the man is distant. There is not much romantic feelings in this drama although there are a lot of couples. The main story is centred around the fight for the throne and the scheming of the 7th prince and how the other princes handle it.
4. Like a lot of Chinese dramas, the capable and righteous walks away from the throne, which is another element I find very cliche. I dislike this sort of ending as it goes against my personal belief. I believe it is only when there are capable and righteous people at the top that a country can prosper. Have people in leadership who are capable but unscrupulous and corrupt, or with good intent but incapable are all scenarios for disaster. Look around you, you may probably agree with me.
Overall, I think this drama is worth watching.
Was this review helpful to you?
Dull...
The story line of this drama is unrealistic and quite weak with a lot of parts which are unconvincing and poorly developed. There are illogical flaws all over. The 'hygiene' factors are there: pretty actresses and handsome actors with good acting skills, lovely costumes and beautiful computer graphics, but it ends there.It seems no one had combed through the script and the people in charge had no eye for details. Some parts of the script are just glossed over as I spotted some rather stupid scenes, for example, General Wei escaped injured in the midst of a shooting ambush but his horse was alright without any armour protection. And there are more.
Characters are rather stupid. The empress was a smart canny woman, yet she fell for the tricks of NingZhi at the beginning of the drama and schemes of the prisoner. The key character Wei Guang is supposed to be very smart and cunning and yet loyal. But when I look at his strategies, many are more of a gamble then well thought out and coordinated. He was lucky to have them ended well. My life experience tells me that leaving things to chance almost always never ends well.
I watch this drama because it was recently produced, just to keep up with new drama releases. But it was quite disappointing. I stopped at episode 32 when the villain escaped again - that is a really lame way to extend the number of episodes. I went on to watch about 7 other dramas before I finally returned to give it a second chance while I figured out what to watch next. Even then, I could not get beyond episode 34 and than skipped onto episode 39 to watch the ending. I must say this works and I am still able to follow the story - obviously not missing much. 5 episodes or more could be taken out of this drama to improve the pace of the story.
Also, the Chinese title of the drama is more accurately translated to Game of the Phoenix instead of Legend of the Phoenix. Every other Chinese drama is called a legend these days.
Felt too much of another run-off-the-mill production - the hygiene factors are met but the story is dull. Of course, I could be critical - I always pick dramas above rating of 8 on mydramalist before I would watch them.
Was this review helpful to you?
Novoland: The Castle in the Sky Season 2
6 people found this review helpful
Let me start with the outstanding. Jeremy Xu outshone himself in Legend of Phoenix which I thought was quite an average drama. The story in this drama was more interesting and gave him the opportunity to really express himself, besides being very handsome.
The ending theme song is extremely good - the combination of the music, singing and poetic lyrics. It brought out so much emotions - nostalgia, sadness, regrets. It is rare that I got to like a piece of music listening to it for the first time but I did for this. And usually I skip the opening and ending theme songs to save on time when binge watching a drama. But I actually listen to every repeat of this song at the end of every episode!
The drama was also very well paced without the draggy moments you often see in longer dramas.
For such an excellent production, it was a pity that the audio was missing in a number of moments on the YouTube videos. Also, while the English translation for the ending theme song was good, it did not fully capture the poetic feel of the song, which was a pity - it needs an outstanding and very skillful translator to do that. Of course, these had nothing to do with the drama, so I did not take it into account in my rating.
Weaknesses of Chinese dramas are often in the story. Although this story is interesting, there are some minor flaws in it. Xue was always running away from Feng. After a while, that got boring and I wondered whether there were going to be any new development. Feng had an invisibility cloak too - seemed like a copy from Harry Porter. Yet she did not use it to the fullest to rescue herself and the servant maid from the palace. For these, I took away 0.5 points from the story.
Was this review helpful to you?
The Kingdom or Her Heart - can it be both?
The sequel to Flourished Peony comes with sky-high expectations—and for good reason. The original had us hooked with He Wei Fang (aka Peony)’s harrowing journey: deceived into a toxic marriage, robbed of her dowry, and nearly killed by her in-laws. Her escape marked the start of her transformation, but her ex-husband’s sudden desire to win her back sets the stage for this next chapter.Jealousy enters in the form of the County Princess, who sees Peony as a threat and tries to eliminate her. Enter Jiang Chang Yang—charismatic, corrupt, and complicated—who helps Peony reclaim her mother’s estate and turn it into a thriving business. To shield her from danger, he takes her in as his concubine.
If you have seen the first drama, you will want to watch this sequel. However, while the sequel remains highly entertaining, it does not quite match the gripping originality of its predecessor (which I rated a solid 10). Spoilers on sites like kisskh take some tension out of the ending, and there are a few plot weaknesses and clichés that slightly drag the drama down—but only slightly. I still give it a 9.
The slow-burn romance between Peony and Jiang is a major highlight. Both hide their feelings: Peony, convinced he is just a charming flirt; Jiang, fearful that drawing her closer could make her a target in his impending clash with Prince Ning. But someone has to crack first—can you guess who?
The plot to bring down Prince Ning raises the stakes. Jiang, knowing the dangers, tries to send Peony away. History has shown that anyone who opposes the Prince risks not just their lives but their families’.
A Few Quibbles:
A supposedly fatal stabbing by Prince Ning is reversed later with the flimsy excuse that he deliberately missed the heart. Realistically, a twisted dagger anywhere into the lungs should have been fatal. Plus a stab into the abdomen during the torture and Jiang does not die. The writer should think of something better.
When the lead hero 'dies' with several episodes to go, it is obvious he will return—so the drama loses suspense.
His refusal to reveal he is alive because “it is hard to explain” feels weak. As someone who roots for justice, I felt cheated that he never received proper recognition for his heroism.
Highlights:
The chemistry between Li Xian (Jiang) and Yang Zi (Peony) is magnetic—intense gazes, passionate kisses, and believable emotional pull. Their real-life connection as former schoolmates only fuels the speculation that there is a real-life connection. Their playful chases and flirty exchanges inject a burst of lighthearted energy into an otherwise intense and serious drama, creating those perfect 'cherry-on-top' moments that balance the tension with a touch of sweetness.
The secondary couple, too, shines—Wei Zhe Ming is a standout with expressive acting and undeniable good-looks. The production quality, acting, and character arcs are top-notch.
Also, the show delivers emotionally. One antagonist’s breakdown—confessing he resents Prince Ning for crippling him and destroying his dreams—adds depth to his character. Sadly too, he starts with lofty ideas and righteousness but is destroyed by people close to him and his own obsession. His final fate, just as life was looking up for his romantic life, is tragic but dramatically effective.
Verdict: Despite a few narrative stumbles, this is a richly satisfying follow-up. If you loved Flourished Peony, the sequel is a must-watch. Together, they form a beautifully crafted, emotionally resonant drama. Highly recommended.
PS: After rewatching this sequel, I decide to revise my initial rating of 9 to 9.5. This deserves a perfect 10 - the production is top-notch. But those strange bits on Jiang's surviving Prince Ning's stabbings are unconvincing and rather awkward, taking that half point away.
Was this review helpful to you?
The best of 2020 and 2021 - with a refreshing difference.
This drama is grossly and sadly underrated in Mydramalist. I think mainly because it was influenced by the earlier viewers of the drama who wrote extremely unfavorable bias reviews of the drama. But in my opinion, it is the best among the dramas released in 2020 and first quarter of 2021 - and I had watched a lot of good ones. To enjoy this drama, do not watch any trailers or reviews with spoilers, otherwise it spoils the suspense in the story. This is a high budget production; high budget productions do not always produce excellent dramas, but for this, it did.This is a 'historical' epic based on the Liao dynasty which controlled North East China, East Mongolia, East Russia and North Korea about a thousand years ago. Many of the characters actually existed in history and some parts of the story were true , based on what is written in Wikipedia, provided it had not been doctored to suit.
The story centred around the 3 daughters of the Prime Minister who were married to 3 different branches of the Yelu clan, the imperial family. They were very close when young but the rivalry of the 3 families for the throne eventually led them to pit against each other. The story covered the rise to power and rule of Emperor Jingzong, and his life.
I watched this drama a second time before I decided to rate it and I really appreciated it more the second time. This is a high tension drama with a lot of scenes making you really nervous for the characters. It would hold you in suspense wondering what would be the outcome of each conspiracy - both the good and the bad had their share of instigating these - whether the good would be hurt by the bad, and yes, some times they were.
The lead cast was outstanding and the acting was great. The male lead Shawn Dou was the second lead from the Princess Agent; the lead actress Tiffany Tang was the female lead in a number of well-known dramas, one of which is Princess WeiYang. The second male lead Jing Chao was the second male lead in Princess Silver. And the second female lead, HK Charmaine Sheh needs no further introduction. The rest of the main cast acting the Prime Minister, Wuguli, XiYin, Yansage was equally outstanding. Li Jing, acting the drunken, paranoid, tyrannical and homicidal Emperor Muzong, was really convincingly hateful.
This drama evoked a whole load of emotions - glee when planks were successfully played on the annoying and tears at the heart rendering moments. When the 2 elder sisters were leaving the home during the wedding, it actually made me tearful - I am very immune to crying over dramas - so it is rare any drama managed to do that.
The scale of the production was impressive with Khitan costumes, architecture, and mode of transport, reflecting the nomadic lifestyle of that period and culture. Khitan women were also way more liberal than the stuffy Han women. Historically, Khitan women were trained to hunt, took care of family matters and even court matters. The Liao dynasty was known to have several capable Empress Dowagers (unlike the Empress Dowagers of the late Qing dynasty) including the one in this story. It makes a refreshing difference.
The opening and closing theme songs are nostalgic and very suited to the historical setting.
So overall, I rated it a 10 - one of the very few that I had done - I had done this only for Nirvana in Fire, The Untamed and Ten Mile Peach Blossom.
But I really do not like the title of the drama - legend again? Such a lazy and uncreative translation - translators need to work a bit harder and think a bit more. Something along the lines of 'YanYun Tower', 'Xiao-Yelu Dynasty', 'Yelu Feuding', 'Xiao YanYan' or simply 'Xiao Chuo', 'Emperor JingZong of Liao'. 'Women in Power' or something more creative would be better.
If you are able to appreciate a different culture, women in power and a second chance in love, you would enjoy this drama.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
This drama is underrated on kisskh. It is very well produced and exciting, and holds you in suspense as 3 parties battle each other. And for the female viewers, 4 handsome lead actors - Liu Xue Yi, Allen Ren, Liu Huan, Li Ting Zhe - are added attractions. The actresses are very pretty too.I usually do not like dramas set in the second world war and republic period. I dropped Winter Begonia and The Disguiser but I completed this. This should give you an idea of how much it had held my attention. I was debating giving it an 8.5 or a 9, and finally decided on a 9 mainly for the strong male cast.
However, there are history inaccuracies - the CCP is over glorified, of course. Viewers from HongKong and Taiwan are likely to rate this drama poorly for this reason.
For long dramas, you could get a bit impatient as the drama drags on, unless the story is very well developed. During the 30+ episodes, I did get a little impatient for the story to change course. The story became dull as Ye Chong and Miyamoto continued to try to outwit each other. But the story picked up momentum again as it reached the 40+ episodes.
The female characters were not well developed. Their contribution to the story was quite limited as well - remove them, the story would not be much affected. They appeared to be flower vases for the male actors to dance around. The female lead character was dull and somewhat dumb. The second female lead was impetuous, rowdy and flamboyant.
The location setting has spoiled the market for this drama - Hongkong, Taiwan are not likely to broadcast this. Similarly many other Asian countries would not. They could have used some fictitious country names.
If you are not disturbed by the historical inaccuracies and not anti-CCP, this drama is worth watching. However, do note that 2 of the lead actors would die - dropping just a bit of a spoiler. If you are depressive, you may not want to watch this.
Was this review helpful to you?
It stars Luo Yunxi, who has been one of my favourites since Ashes of Love. Once again, he does not disappoint. His portrayal of Tang Li Ci is remarkable—transforming from a broken, traumatised refugee to a near god-like figure. The emotional range he delivers, from vulnerability to quiet triumph, is impressive. In many of his previous roles, such as Ashes of Love and Till the End of the Moon, he plays similar diverse roles from lowly figures to powerful, divine characters, and this drama continues that trend—yet still feels fresh.
Alen Fang also deserves special mention for his intense performance as Liu Yan. His portrayal of obsession and delusion is convincing and, at times, unsettling.
The cast overall performs strongly and is visually appealing. The storyline is refreshing—moving away from the usual gods-versus-demons formula common in Chinese fantasy dramas. The CGI is impressive, the fight sequences are visually striking, and the costumes are stunning. Luo Yunxi, in particular, seems to glide effortlessly from one elegant costume and hairstyle to another.
That said, the drama does echo elements of The Untamed, especially with musical instruments like the qin and flute used as lethal weapons. I even checked whether they shared the same writer—but they do not.
What truly hooks the audience is the central mystery: what really happened in the past, and who exactly is Tang Li Ci? Is he truly YiQue YinYang?
The story is intriguing. An ancient tribe developed the Rebirth Scroll—a mystical technique granting rapid healing and extraordinary power. These near-immortal beings ascended to form the TianRen Realm, leaving behind ShenZhou, their earthly home. However, history takes a dark turn when a TianRen (Celestial Being)—Ye Mo (also known as Yi Que Yin Yang)—descends to earth, is mistreated by humans, turns rogue, and brings devastation upon the land.
Beyond fantasy, the drama mirrors real-world dynamics in a surprisingly sharp way. Both Tang Li Ci and Liu Yan are deeply tied to Fang Zhou, almost like devoted followers of a political figure. Their conflict stems from this attachment. Liu Yan, convinced that Tang killed Fang, clings stubbornly to this belief—even when evidence suggests otherwise. His judgement is clouded not only by manipulation from the sinister Ghostly Peony, but also by his own jealousy and personal dislike. It is a powerful reminder of how easily bias shapes perception—we often believe the worst about those we resent.
What appears to be an intense rivalry between Liu Yan and Tang Li Ci gradually reveals deeper layers. There are unseen forces at work—manipulators pulling strings behind the scenes.
The internal dynamics of the Sword Alliance are also strikingly realistic: resistance to change, suspicion of rising talent, and vulnerability to corruption. Despite clear threats, they struggle to adapt—something that feels all too familiar in real-world organisations.
One weakness of the drama is its pacing. The prolonged conflict between Liu Yan and Tang Li Ci—especially when it extends beyond episode 22—can feel repetitive and slow. Liu Yan continually sets traps to prove Tang is YiQue YinYang, and while the clues (such as the Rebirth Scroll and the forehead mark) are compelling, the lack of progress can be frustrating. However, the story improves significantly as the mysteries begin to unfold later on. Tang’s ambiguous behaviour—such as his occasional admission to a crime he may not have committed—adds another layer of intrigue.
Emotionally, the drama delivers. A particularly heartbreaking moment comes with the loss of one of Tang’s loyal companions and also a strong supporter. Meanwhile, the larger conflict escalates: the TianRen Realm, facing decline, seeks to reclaim ShenZhou—at the cost of annihilating its current inhabitants. Ironically, in trying to survive, they risk their own destruction.
The story raises a profound question. Tang is determined to save his adopted earthly homeland and those he grows to love—but it ultimately becomes a choice between one race and another. Is survival always a zero-sum game? Must one side perish for the other to live?
This dilemma reflects the real world all too closely. Wars are often fought for dominance, not coexistence. Coexistence is often overlooked, and solutions that benefit all remain elusive. The unwillingness to understand or support the “other side” reveals a deeper human flaw—self-interest at its most destructive.
Was this review helpful to you?
Beneath the Vows, a Nation's Wound
On all the production “hygiene factors,” this drama delivers with flying colours: stunning cinematography, exquisite costuming, a charismatic cast, and convincing chemistry between the leads. Visually, it is a feast. And the performances are solid across the board.Xuan Lu, known for her demure and gentle character from The Untamed, switches gears here to play the villain—and does so with surprising flair. Liu Yu Ning hardly needs an introduction. The soundtrack was absolutely enchanting, especially with Liu Yu Ning lending his rich vocals to the theme song, adding depth and emotion to the drama. Liu Duan Duan, whom many would recognise from Joy of Life, reprises his knack for eccentric roles, injecting a unique flavour to the ensemble.
At the heart of the story is the turbulent union between Wei Shao and Qiao Man—two descendents of rival states brought together by a marriage alliance meant to bury a bloody past. Decades earlier, a promise of military support between their grandfathers was broken, leading to the annihilation of Wei Shao’s lineage—his grandfather, father, and brother all perishing in battle. Fourteen years later, with political tensions still simmering, their families attempt to heal old wounds through matrimony.
But Qiao Man’s crossing into enemy territory to become Shao’s wife is anything but romantic. Resentment brews. Political sabotage looms. And soon, romantic rivals enter the fray—from strategic manipulators to sincere admirers and lovelorn relatives.
The premise feels familiar: two enemies forced into an unwanted marriage who slowly grow to love each other. Unfortunately, the execution does not quite live up to its potential. Conflicts arise—wars, betrayals, assassination plots—too many of them and are often resolved far too quickly. Just when the tension should peak, the story takes a soft landing. Emotional sparks that could have been gut-wrenching are instead smoothed over, and the pacing robs key scenes of their full dramatic impact.
Still, the drama offers delightful moments of levity. Wei Shao’s four generals provide much-needed comic relief with their camaraderie and cheeky banter—bringing warmth and humanity to the story.
There are moments of genuine poignancy—self-sacrifice, battlefield loss, and the bittersweet justice of karmic retribution. But for viewers seasoned by countless dramas (like myself), the emotional resonance may not run deep. It is a well-made series, just not a particularly stirring one.
Er Huang’s character (Xuan Lu) serves as a subtle moral reflection—she mourns her misfortunes with intensity, yet remains blind to the love and sacrifices made by the men in her life. Her inability to recognise affection beyond her own suffering becomes a quiet but powerful lesson in gratitude, self-awareness, and emotional maturity.
After listening to the soundtrack again, I return to change my initial rating of 8.5 to 9. It is a polished production with all the right ingredients—while it may not leave a deep emotional imprint, it offers a satisfying and mostly uplifting viewing experience.
Was this review helpful to you?
Special effects, fantasy and fairytale
This is a fantasy story set in a place called Douluo Continent. Here each martial art expert has a personal ability called martial spirit which enables them to display special powers. The story is more in the genre of Harry Porter although the story and setting are entirely different. I think this drama would appeal to the young adults and children as it has a fairytale setting and is filled with special effects and actions.The backdrop is that of an academy struggling to survive financially while it takes in some of the most outstanding martial students and trains them to become masters. They are invited to a competition hosted by the continent's most powerful martial spirit academy. Conspiracies loom and hidden secrets are brought to light.
Like a lot of dramas, there is a mystery leading you on. It is quite clear from early in the drama that there are hidden secrets that the lead characters set out to investigate, so there is not much twists in the story.
Xiao Zhan is the main lead and his fans are likely thrilled. His acting is superb but I think it is still short of his performance in the Untamed which is a tough record to beat.
If you are into action oriented fantasy and fairytale, this is an excellent drama to spend your spare time on.
Was this review helpful to you?
At some points, it got a bit tiring when yet another scheming got them into massive hurt. However, the drama did keep me following episodes after episodes.
This drama deserves a place among the top Chinese dramas. If you like dramas like Yanxi Palace, you would like this.
Was this review helpful to you?
Story is interesting although unrealistic. But for a romance comedy, story line could be given some liberty. Nevertheless, I am going to point these out.
What idiot would insist on his fiancee disguising as a guy and joining him in an academy for men only , especially when it might be a capital sentence for deceit to the emperor. The writer should think of a better reason she ended up in the academy.
Also, is communication a problem in the Chinese culture? ZiAn did not talk to his father about his suspicion but instead took the drastic action of exposing a crime openly in court. Han did not talk to DieYi about 'his' ancestry and chose to instigate the Crown Prince to stage a revolt - even if he succeed, how was he going to snatch the throne for the rightful heir when the military and tribes were supporting the Crown Prince? All these did not seem to be properly thought out.
While each Chinese drama has its own unique story line, women disguising as men are quite cliche. And when you do need an actress to act as a man, you need to get someone with a bit more masculine features. Men have more angular facial feature and more coarse complexion. Women tend to have softer features and fuller on the cheeks. All the students and lecturers must be blind not to tell that 'he' was a girl. Insofar, all the actresses I had seen made to play a man did not look like a man. You need an actress who has more angular facial features and tall, and yet look very good as a woman - someone like Angelina Jolie perhaps for her angular features.
Was this review helpful to you?
Tell a lie and you need a hundred to cover it
This drama is an absolute delight—full of laughter, intrigue, and unexpected twists! While there were three major plot twists that caught me off guard, the storytelling was so well-crafted that I could sense the revelations coming just before they unfolded. The production was visually stunning, featuring a talented cast, breathtaking costumes, and an enchanting backdrop. Not to mention, the theme songs were beautiful, perfectly complementing the excellent acting.The three leading couples had fantastic chemistry, making their romances a joy to watch. Zhang Wan Yi and Wang Chu Ran, the lead actors were playful and affectionate, teasing each other in a way that felt natural and heartwarming. Zhang Wan Yi delivered an outstanding performance, surpassing even his role in Lost You Forever. As for Wang Chu Ran, she was truly stunning—often in dramas, a character was hyped as a great beauty, only to fall short of expectations. But in her case, she genuinely lived up to the hype.
The second lead couple, Chang Hua Sen and Yuan Yu Xuan brought depth to their roles—their relationship was more serious, with Hua Sen deeply devoted (unfortunately to another) while Yu Xuan supported him willingly in spite of knowing that. Yuan Yu Xuan’s performance was particularly impressive, showcasing her strong acting skills beyond her previous role as Cheng Yu in Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms. The third couple, Liu Ling Zi and Zhang Chi, had a bit of an imbalance—Liu Ling Zi was slightly stiff, but Zhang Chi shone as the mischievous Marquis who brought a lot of laughter.
The story kicked off when Prince Cui XingZhou discovered Liu MianTang badly injured by the river. She had lost her memory and mistakenly believed he was her husband. Rumors swirled that she was the concubine of a fearsome bandit leader. Seeing an opportunity to capture the bandit, XingZhou played along, pretending to be her husband, hoping to lure the bandit into a trap. Naturally, this deception led to plenty of comedic moments as he and his men scrambled to maintain the lie. But when MianTang’s memory returns, she was furious and determined to get even with him.
As the story unfolded, danger loomed. The scheming Empress Dowager plotted against XingZhou. Her wickedness however led to a sudden palace revolt when the rightful heir returned to reclaim the throne. Yet, the heir's uncle, Prince Sui, had ambitions of his own and sought the throne for himself. To complicate matters further, the heir saw XingZhou as a romantic rival. With loyalties tested and power struggles brewing, the question remained—whose side would XingZhou take?
The one aspect that did not sit well with me was how Prince Cui pursued Liu MianTang after she uncovered his deception. While his love for her was undeniable, and the situation had its moments of both heartbreak and humor, there was a moral gray area that felt uncomfortable. When someone repeatedly says they want space, it should be respected—otherwise, it veers into harassment rather than romance. The drama would have been stronger if it had made it clearer that Prince Cui respected her wishes, stepped back, and let her make her own choice. The same issue arose with Marquis ZhenNan’s pursuit of He Zhen. Sometimes, persistence in love is portrayed in dramas as romantic but they should also emphasize the importance of respect and consent.
This drama is an absolute must-watch! It delivers romance, humor, political intrigue, and outstanding performances. Highly recommended!
Was this review helpful to you?
Alchemy of Souls Season 2: Light and Shadow
12 people found this review helpful
Nothing much to rave about but certainly an interesting wrap-up
This is a sequel to the Alchemy of Souls with an open-ended and frustrating ending. At the end of the first series, Jang Uk was killed but was resurrected by the Ice Stone. Three years later in this sequel, he becomes a soul shifter killer, hunting down the remains of those who had escaped in the first series. While hunting a soul shifter, he runs into a beautiful woman who is held captive by her mother and begs him to help her escaped.This sequel pales in comparison to the first. There are not much to look forward to. The identities are all revealed even that of this new Jin Bu-yeon is revealed to the audience. I thought the writer should hold on a few more episodes before doing that. I guess it is all to quickly allay the frustrations of those who watched the first series watching MuDeok died.
It becomes a bit of a drag - the identity of the new Jin Bu-yeon is known to the audience but not the characters involved. Jang Uk is in the dark and so are a lot of people in the drama. So the story revolves around them finding out one by one, and also how the 'righteous' people turn to the dark side.
I watched it as I wanted to know how it would all ends. So if you have already watched the first series, you would want to watch this one too.
Was this review helpful to you?
