Emma

Have you seen Prince of Lan Ling? I liked that a lot. Terrible 2nd lead syndrome though, so you have been warned.

Not a historical drama, but My Sunshine was a nice diversion (I usually only watch historical dramas). So many happy scenes in the end (like 1 or 2 episodes specially made for fans it seems). I like Wallace Chung so much (the male lead from General and I). A pity they butchered the English language in My Sunshine.

I moved on to Journey of Flower. You can read the comment section of that drama and decide whether you want to give it a try. Warning, that one is quite heavy. In the end I felt like I have been hit by a train. And I cried a lot.

I would say, don't give up on this drama yet. I had the same with Journey of Flower, I watched Eternal Love 3 times (first unsubbed and skipped parts, then subbed and finally only the fav parts). That's what it took for me to move on. But although it was 4 weeks later when I started a new drama (Journey of Flower) I still had trouble to let this drama in. I disliked the first 10 episodes, but I trusted the ratings and I'm glad I did. Whilst I like Eternal Love more than Journey of Flower, the latter was definitely worth watching.

@Mighty Brosia. Don't give up on Eternal Love. I had the same with JoF. I watched Eternal Love first and had trouble to let JoF in because of EL. I have rewatched EL 3 times before I could let go and started JoF 4 weeks after I finished EL. It's a pity if you miss out one of the best C-dramas just because you're still in the JoF mood.

Have you btw seen Prince of Lan Ling? That's another favourite of mine. If you can handle JoF you won't have a problem with this drama. I liked General and I as well, although there are parts that are boring (just skip those parts).

@hazardous. She regained her memory in the novel? Why didn't they incorporate their marriage in the drama? Why are they only married for 5 years?

@Jordan. Yes, I definitely like the drama. Thanks for recommending. I saw reviews before, but all the comments scared me, until some people incl. you mentioned it as their fav drama. I'm glad I trusted you.

I can't say it is one of my favourity drama. Maybe if I'm a person who likes to intentionally inflict pain on myself, then yes ;).

However, this drama has many of the best lines ever. In Eternal Love, I also liked the line 'Qian Qian, come here'. Especially in the last scene. It represents so much YH's love, affections and his personality. Such simple line, but with so much power and meaning.
But in JoF are the most memorable lines I have ever heard. One is from Sha Jie Jie. It was something like 'if you hurt her because of Chang Liu I will wipe out Chang Liu, if you hurt her for the world, I will kill everyone in this world. Another one (by HQG): the people that loved me have died for me, but the one I love wants me to die. And the ultimate line(s), the cursing and she telling him that if she could start over, she wish she won't fall in love with him again. And finally his response that he would do whatever she wants, what does Chang Liu has to do with him, what does all those people dying or living has to do with him...(a pity he realized it after she died, but like I said, the most stupid guy I have ever come across in dramaland).

Aaaah... yes, I will miss this drama.

@silvermc and hazardous. I thought I was more or less the only one that felt pity for BZH and I don't totally hate him and even felt sympathy for him :). Glad to hear there are more people who think the same.

Anne, I felt the same wrt the lack of maternal instinct. Being a mother myself, that part felt somewhat unsatisfying or unrealistic. The drama follows the novel. Perhaps the author is not a mother herself, otherwise she would have paid more attention to this part?

But I think it is clear that both Ye Hua and Bai Qian love eachother more than they love their child. Ye Hua jumped after Susu (whilst he know it would/could kill him) and he even tried to use his own soul for the soul gathering lamp. That is basically commiting suicide and leaving Ali an orphan. And the times he sacrified his own life for Bai Qian's. He only thought of her and not Ali's best interest.

I finished the drama 2 days ago. I wasn't able to write about it, but I posted my review above too in the comment section.

@Mighty_Brosia. I also cried soooo much that I had terrible headache for 2 days.
I saw you comment in Eternal Love. I hope you can finish that one. I like Eternal Love more. I think which one you watch first also plays a part, but in my case I would love Eternal Love more in any case because it left me breathless, hopefull and in happy tears. HE for everyone, whilst JoF was pain, pain, pain and then mixed feeling of joy in the end. But both drama has left such impact on me. I'm glad I turned back to C dramas after a 10 year break. Quality has improved so much!

Well... what to say. I finished JoF and can't remember when was the last time I cried so much over a drama. Probably 20 years ago, when I was young and was easily moved. A warning for everyone that is planning to watch this one, it will leave you with so much mixed feelings, internal conflicts and heartache. And in the end it felt like I was hit by a train. Didn't help I had a cold and my head already felt heavy. After finishing the drama I had a terrible headache for 2 days (had to take ibuprofen) because I cried so much.

I didn't like the drama in the beginning. The story and side characters didn't interest me. I didn't like Wallace's voice dubbing and the female lead felt too naive and too kind in a unrealistic way. But I trusted all the comments. There is a reason why viewers were so moved by this drama so patiently watched 1 episode a day. I ve also watched Eternal Love before JoF (Eternal Love was the reason I was watching JoF due to the romance between disciple/shifu --> I felt sad for Mo Yuan in Eternal Love). I needed time to let a new drama in. Luckily, it got better after Hua Quan Gu became Bai Zi Hua's disciple.

I knew Hua Quan Qu would suffer immensely, so my heart was prepared. Though I still cried when that evil Ni Man Tian ruined her face and she was left in the desert to be tortured. And I cried from then on. It made me angry that Hua Qian Gu never stood up for herself.

I thought I would hate Bai Zi Hua. All the comments mentioned him being the most cruel male lead ever, but surprisingly I didn't (only a little). That's because I felt his torture as well, And the viewer get to hear his inner thoughts. He believed it was in HQG's best interest if she stayed in the desert etc. His problem was he believed too strongly in his believes and responsiblities. It wasn't like he didn't suffer. He suffered almost as much as Hua Quan Gu throughout the drama. In my opinion he is not the most cruel male lead, but definitely the most stupid one and most in denial of his feelings (and that is probably he was without emotions for 1,000 years he didn't recognize them).

The final episode when she cursed him and died and when he finally realized everything else in the world didn't matter, that was one of the (or probably the most) emotional scene I have ever watched in a drama. Goosebumps all over my body when she cursed him and when BZH said, just don't leave me. Then I realized what a great actress Zanilia is and how much I love Wallace. Whilst I didn't like the kind and gentle Hua Qian Gu that much, I felt her pain, her loniless and despair when she was the demon goddess.

Like lots of viewers I think, I had such mixed feelings in the end. The ending was bittersweet indeed, but at first I struggled so much whether Bai Zi Hua still deserved her after being the most stupid guy in dramaland. It took me 2 days after finishing the drama to find my answer and have peace with the ending. A good drama makes me feel the characters have come to life and JoF did. I like to think how a character/personality would react in certain situation. And I figured, all Hua Qian Gu has wanted was for shifu to love her. She was so heartbroken, mad and disappointed in the end that she cursed him, because he still didn't want to admit his feelings. I believe her kind and forgiving nature would have forgiven him if she regained her memory. Being together with shifu is and will always be her ultimate wish. And I'm the kind of viewer (and in real life as well) truly believes you should let a person decide for themselves despite whether other thinks shifu deserves a 2nd chance. And it's not that shifu wasn't punished. Hua Qian Gu will die anyway (after reviving her she was no longer the demon goddess, but a mortal again?) and shifu still has to live for eternity....

Rewatch value of this drama is a 2. I don't think I will rewatch it. There are lows and highs in a drama, but JoF contains mainly lows and one enourmous high in the end. Watching the whole drama would be too painful and unsatisfying for me. I will probably watch the final eps again. I have seen the final scene like 10 times already.

This is probably the only drama I know that very surprisingly only the OTP has an happy ending (sort of) and none of the side charachters. Most of the time it's the other way around. Another reason btw for me not to watch this drama again. Everyone dies!! I only understood in the end they had to die for her to become the demon goddess, but still... Nearly toward the end I really wished she would chose Dong Fang and live happily ever after with him.

I rated it only an 8, but in terms of which drama has touched my heart the most that I will never forget, this one is definitly in my top 3.

@vmv. Really don't like the way you express yourself. There is no need for using such language.

Now I'm in ep 33 (skipped a few scenes, have to work tomorrow), but shifu is still OK I think. He let her stay with him till her birthday, then she was supposed to leave for Mount Zu. So far so good.

I'm in ep 28 now... and it gets better and better :). Bai Zi Hua is still the caring and gentle shifu.

Thanks silver and jordan. I tried dramanice and quality is indeed better☺

Dramafever doesn't work in my country... :(

Yes, I have read enough spoilers now to know Bai zi hua won't be a Mo Yuan for long... I will hate it when he's cruel to Qian Gu but at the same time a good drama should be an emotional rollercoaster.
Drama got much better indeed from the moment she became bai zi hua's disciple. So funny how she ruined his long cherished flowers and how horrified he was when she confessed to him she did something wrong (peeking at him through the mirror via magic while he took a bath), he thougt she has killed more of his precious flowers...

I just finished ep 14 and finally get the feeling I am going to like it! I trusted the comments and reviews that it would be good, but I wasn't hooked from the start like it was with Eternal Love. So, I was patiently watching the episodes.

A good thing actually, otherwise I binge watched the drama whilst I'm having exams... But now I'm afraid I won't be able to switch off the television again.

I (still) love shifu now. He is very kind to Qian Gu. He does give me the Mo Yuan feeling from Eternal Love, but probably I'm going to hate him a few eps later when he's going to hurt the female lead.

EDIT. I'm watching it on youtube, but quality is poor. I tried kissasian as well. Same poor quality. And the sound/voice dubbing is terrible too in this drama. Shifu's voice sounds so odd. It's a pity they didn't use one of the better voice actors to do the job.

@jorda. Sorry.. I had to pass a medical exam in the past few days and... devoted my time Journey of Flower.

Susan Johnson is not my favourite eithe, but my sister loved her. Before she returned to china she left me all her paperbacks incl this author. I only like one of her books, about a russian prince set in late 1800. All the male are incredible playboys and see other women during their relationship. I don't like that.

I'm still in my exams. I will send you a private message with a list of authors which is OK and that combines romance and skinship. I don't remember their names, not because I didn't like them, but I read so many different authors and with everything digital now there is no need to remember them.

Damn.... I see now that half of my previous comment got lost while I edited it... I commented on catherine coulter and fifty shades... ok, never mind.

@jordan. Do you like Susan Johnson then? I have many novels from her too. I found a couple of authors who combine the hot scenes I'm used of Bertrice Small but with more satisfying romance (susan johnson is btw not one of them). If you re interested I will look it up for you. It's all in my kindle.

I'm not sure how it works, but i read somewhere that you can lend books to other kindle users. I haven't tried before, but if you like i can look into it and lend you the books. I also have many top rated mill & boon novels. One of my favourite is golden ring of betrayal. It's hard to find someone who share the same passion for romance novels as I do and also likes to talk about it

Yes, I knew. That's why I assumed DH/FJ drama will come 'soon', but with other actors,

I'm going to read it first thing tonight... (I live in a small country in Western Europe, it's still morning here). Can't wait.