Lyson

Aw I missed them, so good to see them together again. Could definitely have done without the TWO slow helmet head shake scenes and that stupid accidental fall into each other trope right at the end, but otherwise it's a good first ep so far!

sigh _(:_」∠)_

I like both differently and mostly equally, but the novel is overall better imo because it's the full story scope. So, the series is very unique and so well done.

Based.

"...the cut out shotgun kiss scene, graveyard scene, and pool shot of WSW wrapping his legs around CC and thinking it was such a waste for them to cut those out." ~~ exactly, these kinds of small scene details would have added more feeling to those moments in the show, and they're quite basic, makes no sense why it was cut, and makes no sense what was the point of filming any of it.

And yes, so many content clips on social media focusing whether tongues are in mouths and how they're touching each other, and where and for how long, referencing all this unhinged real people CP nonsense, it's very ick. I cringe, especially when you see the actors look at the bts camera with a side eye. I am personally a firm supporter of CLOSED SETS for intimate scenes for all shows in all countries. Hell, they didn't even have intimacy coordinators. Agreed, reading/writing fanfiction (of the characters, not the actors) as a way to cope is good, it's tried and tested, known to work!

"And yes, they are 100% milking this." ~~ yep, it feels really obvious. And I get what you're saying about why they might be doing it, but they could have made their money with other merch and even by selling the uncut series, many fans already stated they'd happily buy it, myself included, and it's be less exploitative for the actors.

Anyway, the actors signed off on the footage being released so it's whatever. My main point was that the footage could have been used way more productively (for the show quality and financially). That's why I think it's a waste.

Lol nah. I said what I said. That is all. You can stay mad.

I have no issue with the drama as it was released, I loved it, but as this bts stuff is dragged out it certainly paints an image of a more fleshed out show, not even including the intimate scenes, but also including them (I judge no one for liking or disliking or wanting or not wanting more intimate scenes, people have their interests, it is what it is).

And the bts bloopers and outtakes stuff are fun, like the stuff they were originally releasing during airing, a bit cute and a bit funny, but what they're doing now feels like overexposure for money specifically. The people mostly 'benefiting' from this are the fans who generally can't separate actors from characters and the content posts are ick.

I know the actors agreed to the bts being filmed and released, but actors also trust the crew to a certain extent and at some point, this feels like it started to go overboard imo. I just don't watch most of it, but to me, it does feel like a waste (of effort/hard work/pressure on the actors to deliver), and also an exploitative money grab on some level.

I answered a comment in a similar vein to Claddagh above, it's more or less the same answer I'd write to you, if you want to read it.

It feels like a waste to me because the actors did so much, from what I've seen in the clips I've skimmed, and yet so little footage was actually used, so what was the point of the actors being pushed that far? Things get cut out of shows all the time, but the extent of some of the stuff being shown that never made the cut feels like it never even needed to be filmed.

It's also starting to feel lowkey ick and exploitative imo. My Twitter feed is drowning in posts about that office scene, footage that in western shows would be filmed on a closed set and would not be available to the public. There should be a limit to the exposure of actors in intimate scenes, that's just my feeling about it though, I've never been a fan of excess bts footage in any show/movie.

All these bts are such a waste, would have preferred a proper release of these scenes in the show _(:Ⅰ」∠)_ blah

Gao Dawei is a plot device created for the series, he doesn't exist in the novel. There is no virtual game in the novel at all, it's a real alternate world. So there was no reason to place visual importance on Gao Dawei's character in the series, they just needed a character to refer to as the game's creator who had a personal connection to Jiushi.
Fun fact: Gao Dawei is played by Xia ZhiGuang, the same actor who plays Ruan Lanzhu.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/290693350965493398/

Ngl, now that I finally clocked the differences in their faces, I think the manager is better looking than the singer, also, he seems more likable as a character. I'm not really seeing the hype about the singer's looks and he doesn't see to have much a personality lol, but that's just me. Also unlike seemingly a lot of people here, I think the tiny teacher is nailing his role. He's supposed to be a fanboy, he's acting like a fanboy.

I still think it's funny the singer thought tiny teacher was a skank, but now he's starting to fall for him (as expected) and since there are only 10 eps, I don't think the fallout will take too long to happen or last all that long before it's resolved. I also thought it was cringe-level hilarious and whack when the girl asked the singer to show his abs, like, what level of mentally-unwell-fan is that?
Anyway, it's simple but entertaining, can't say I'm expecting much, but I'll probably see this one through.

Am I really the only one who's super bored with this? 😭

BUT that's poor writing imo, because his character did not go through the paces of 'a change' for us to see and even if they had fleshed out his sudden commitment to wanting to live up to his title, his issues with Duan Zi Ang just weren't justified, also his lack of acknowledgment, and lack of those closest to him pointing it out to him, about his brother being such a pos was lowkey frustrating. I mean, to put it bluntly, Zi Ang wasted his life on pursuing Shu He, who also wasted his life on trying to be someone he didn't want to, dead family drama and a useless grudge.

It was pretty though lol and I like the actors and the angst XD

" I don't really like that in the drama Shuhe acted as if all of this is Duan Ziang fault. " and " Hello, your brother killed your father and wanted to kill you!" !!! absolutely spot on. I couldn't help thinking Shu He's reasons for his grudge were just very very weak sauce. On a scale of one to absolute asshole, Duan Zi Ang was like a 3 and his brother was an absolute asshole and then some. lol

They both die, but like, at odds with each other on one hand but also inevitably ready to be together even in death. The 'happy ending' is that they die basically at the same time and expect to be together after death and it ends where they do meet after death and it's very pretty...but very asinine unless someone is into that redundant kind of ending. Shu He basically holds a grudge like a bitch until death does them part. lol Blame the novel probably? I dunno, haven't read it.

They both die.

TRUE STORY, those are the bts moments "I've all been waiting for" (unapologetic Deadpool quote) As it is I'm cherry picking, only watching the bts where the two of them are in the shots. The latest drop had some visual gems, like this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rO7M6FAYII8, and this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDrfMZcOxTM I don't even know who cares that ZX's face was a bit swollen when his face card is still such a serve,

LOL. Well, it was pretty at least but more bitter than sweet. Still a fantastic show, 9.5 for me.

Aaaaaah, they really said let's go with 'EVERYTHING IS BEAUITFUL & EVERYTHING HURTS' for the ending. lol But really, it was beautifully done. The acting, visuals and dialogue are 3 major highlights of this show. Stunning. Really enjoyed this.

If I had to choose a side out of the 2 ML's and their different motives and choices for everything they did, I'd be on Duan Zi Ang's side easily, because Shu He's family wasn't even worth all the drama and pain he suffered and he never even wanted to be an emperor. It'd be a little different if his douchebag of a brother and distant father figure hadn't just felt like losses cut and if his country and title had been important to him all along. But anyway, these period pieces are all about all-sacrificing filial children and family honor and death over shame and blah blah. So I get Shu He's whole never ending grudge thing in THAT sense.

However impo, and on my scale of 'was the Bottom worth that extra high level of simpage from the Top' when it comes to Chinese danmei, Shu He does not make the cut. He was not worth Duan Zi Ang's pain and longing and literally overthrowing an empire to have him. So that list still only holds Xie Lian and Wei Wuxian.

STILL, for me, who rarely likes costume dramas, this show is a solid 9.5. I'd give it a 9.8 actually, if MDL allowed, but alas.