I've just generally come to expect that every Kdrama I watch will have a worse second half than first half, but I still like it. Just feels a bit truncated and trite, and some revelations don't hit as hard as they could have.
It's alright. I kinda wish it was longer and more fleshed out. Stellar work with the CGI, for sure. Overall preferred TTEOTM, The Blue Whisper and Chinese Paladin from xianxia I watched in 2023, though.
I don't get it. It says that iQIYI is the broadcaster and yet I don't see it and apparently it's unavailable to so many who have that subscription. Hello?
Hm,🤔 quite different for me. What you contrasted there between the two just left a bitter taste in my mouth…
Given the little I might know about your tendencies, the thing that might displease you the most about this drama is its inherent logic. The success rate of either schemes or their counter measures in the constant battle of wits defies belief, as does some of the convoluted nature of the schemes themselves. It's something I just took on the chin myself.
Now that I've finished it, everything originally stated remains the case in terms of, despite having very good production, Yanxi not reaching the more immaculate heights of overall production and quality of Ming Lan. Ming Lan has outstanding acting performances from every main, and frankly most sides, but Xukai doesn't deliver on that level here — partly also to do with the fact that Yanxi has a lot of dubbing, which to me is almost invariably a negative and often produces a disconnect. Ming Lan also stands out for splendid aesthetics and elegant cinematography, as well as having superbly composed dialogue. For me it only had one real flaw and that was general immersion - it took me a long time to finish the drama and even though every scene in itself felt like a work of art even, my drive to see what was next was not so high after the midway point.
Neither drama has a great story to me in terms of craft, with Ming Lan drifting at times, carried by immaculate direction and dialogue, and Yanxi relying on short scale impulses rather than some masterfully crafted big arc. Both still have good stories though, just that I found much more immersion in one "style" than the other.
Regarding music, in the end the somewhat tacky and capricious matching of music to scene and sentiment in Yanxi palace did end up being probably about as good as Ming Lan's music. Both OSTs are somewhat problematic... In Ming Lan's case, it just simply doesn't evolve with the story, despite usually being aptly matched. Very little of it is also interesting on its own.
The main driving factor for Yanxi was its perpetual intrigue, created largely by its sheer scope of villainy and character + plot transformations.... it's overall dynamism.
(Though to me there's still no bigger t**t than Zhu Manniang. What a piece of work she was.)
Have you ever considered being silent from spreading your negative feelings?Do you need attention?These are fan…
The main trolling and rudeness is coming from yourself with the various assertions on the wholeness of one's character.
You contradict yourself by asserting someone has say, a disorder, or low self esteem, or is a narc and whatnot when having only exchanged a few sentences with them.
That's some quite incredulous attitude.
And fans gather to talk about dramas (it goes without saying) but if you want to continue deflecting the fact that it's an open forum for opinions then nothing else can really be added here. Some of those opinions are going to be negative, that's just how it goes.
Let's see what insults you come up with next (just curious to see how low you're willing to stoop).
Have you ever considered being silent from spreading your negative feelings?Do you need attention?These are fan…
Then have fun calling 100s of people here narcs based on sharing opinions on whether and why they like a drama after watching only 20% of it.
I don't think you have a good handle at all on what objectivity actually is in action.
This isn't a "fan page" it's a hub for the drama in question where people can share opinions.
The cherry on the cake of your inept response is to ask me (obviously rhetorically, but still with impressive stupidity) if I'm (or is one) an acclaimed critic or producer who has watched the full series.
10/10. nothing more to say here. top 1 drama on my list now. The villains here are some of the most annoying I've…
There is such vile, diabolical villainy in this show, from such a vast array absolute arses. This has gotta rank up there for most despicable dramas. Add to that an impressive cadre of genius concubines, consorts and empresses with a savvy emperor and the stage is set for perpetual intrigue.
Really struggled to get through the final two episodes as I was pretty done with it.
Oh - and Ren Min rocks.
Be prepared also to be angry at lots of horrible people.
My most intense binge since Empress Ki in 2021.
Now that I've finished it, everything originally stated remains the case in terms of, despite having very good production, Yanxi not reaching the more immaculate heights of overall production and quality of Ming Lan. Ming Lan has outstanding acting performances from every main, and frankly most sides, but Xukai doesn't deliver on that level here — partly also to do with the fact that Yanxi has a lot of dubbing, which to me is almost invariably a negative and often produces a disconnect. Ming Lan also stands out for splendid aesthetics and elegant cinematography, as well as having superbly composed dialogue. For me it only had one real flaw and that was general immersion - it took me a long time to finish the drama and even though every scene in itself felt like a work of art even, my drive to see what was next was not so high after the midway point.
Neither drama has a great story to me in terms of craft, with Ming Lan drifting at times, carried by immaculate direction and dialogue, and Yanxi relying on short scale impulses rather than some masterfully crafted big arc. Both still have good stories though, just that I found much more immersion in one "style" than the other.
Regarding music, in the end the somewhat tacky and capricious matching of music to scene and sentiment in Yanxi palace did end up being probably about as good as Ming Lan's music. Both OSTs are somewhat problematic... In Ming Lan's case, it just simply doesn't evolve with the story, despite usually being aptly matched. Very little of it is also interesting on its own.
The main driving factor for Yanxi was its perpetual intrigue, created largely by its sheer scope of villainy and character + plot transformations.... it's overall dynamism.
(Though to me there's still no bigger t**t than Zhu Manniang. What a piece of work she was.)
Do be well.
You contradict yourself by asserting someone has say, a disorder, or low self esteem, or is a narc and whatnot when having only exchanged a few sentences with them.
That's some quite incredulous attitude.
And fans gather to talk about dramas (it goes without saying) but if you want to continue deflecting the fact that it's an open forum for opinions then nothing else can really be added here. Some of those opinions are going to be negative, that's just how it goes.
Let's see what insults you come up with next (just curious to see how low you're willing to stoop).
I don't think you have a good handle at all on what objectivity actually is in action.
This isn't a "fan page" it's a hub for the drama in question where people can share opinions.
The cherry on the cake of your inept response is to ask me (obviously rhetorically, but still with impressive stupidity) if I'm (or is one) an acclaimed critic or producer who has watched the full series.
Do get a grip.
Story of Yanxi Palace = nonstop intrigue.