Just completed this and while it was good, the ending was just meh. What is it with Chinese dramas and endings?…
So much time was devoted to the snakes, Mei Si, and Book Boy, but Mei Zhuyu was rarely onscreen and his final scenes were rushed and difficult to follow.
Unlike Xu Kai's current promotional campaign, Less Is Not More with regards to Mei Zhuyu.
Expect to hear the next melon in December. Or maybe early Jan. XK next drama rumor usually comes out 1.5 or 2…
Although these false allegations have made Xu Kai's life hell, the fact that he got through them and handled it impeccably will strengthen his position if he's looking to move to another agency. He's also in a better bargaining position if he chooses to stay.
Further attacks by Yu Zheng won't have the same effect as they did a few months ago. He'll just look bitter once it's announced that Xu Kai is leaving.
I’ve not watched any investigative Chinese dramas. How is this one similar or different than other Tang dynasty…
I just watched the first 10 episodes of seasons 1 and 3 of Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty on iQiyi. From what I can gather, the two male leads in Tiandu are very different from the Tang drama in terms of background, abilities, and their relationship to each other. And no red-nosed comic-relief 🙄 physician.
Weirdly, one of the Tang series' ML's is named Su Wuming. The Tiandu leads are Shi Wuming and Su Xue Lou.🤔
I'm not usually drawn to this particular genre of Chinese drama as I've had it in abundance via Western entertainment for decades. But Xu Kai's participation makes it a must-watch for me. ❤️
I think it was royal feast correct me if i'm wrong.
What I'm saying is that there are Xu Kai dramas that contain so much filler that have nothing to do with his character, they could be reduced by many, many episodes.
Moonlit Reunion is the latest example.
Side stories are fine, but a lead character shouldn't disappear or be relegated to a few minutes of screentime in an episode.
"Mei Si and His Adventures With the Snake Family" could have been its own drama.
no, because they didn't know who they could trust or if the Wei family was apart of Chu's army massacre. Also…
In any other drama, you report it to the emperor directly. Worrying about who leaked it is less important than being prepared the next time you fight. The Weis walked in blind and were destroyed. It was vital to acknowledge they had the weapons, and not how they got them.
Other than this contrivance, I'm enjoying the drama (currently on episode 12).
I have a bit of an issue with the story logic. If the Chu army had reported the situation with the enemy's weaponry when they encountered it, couldn't that have prevented the massacre of a forewarned Wei army?
I think it was royal feast correct me if i'm wrong.
I know we dump on Huanyu, but there have been a few Xu Kai dramas involving other production companies where it's apparent that KaiKai is there to get the project rolling and that's it. I just finished a re-rewatch of Moonlit Reunion focusing on Xu Kai's scenes. It took no time at all. The snakes and Mei Si storylines overshadowed Mei Zhuyu and Wu Zhen. And Book Boy was squeezed in everywhere.
We don't know how A Cup of Love is going to shake out, but at least Fire Investigator and 800 Meters should focus on his characters. Of course, if his other dramas were edited down to just 24 episodes, the same could be said for them.
All this is to say, I'm looking forward to the time when Xu Kai is truly treated like an ML actor, and not a special guest star.
You could watch a few eps to get a feel for the drama to see if it's something that will keep your interest. Also…
I had no idea who Xu Kai was until I saw him in Once Upon a Time on Lingjian Mountain. I was immediately impressed with his willingness to go all in and embrace the silliness of it all. Cross-dressing, BL, pulling faces. He did it all while maintaining leading man looks and aura.
I later watched dramas in which his characters started off cool and commanding, but that was just on the surface. Xu Kai was able to display great emotional depth as the series continued.
I don't follow Chinese pop music so I haven't developed a biased view in favor of actors like Lin Yuning. I don't have a thing for white-haired demons with heavy eye makeup. And I don't make a habit of watching variety shows. I judge an actor on their ability to bring a character to life.
Perhaps it's Xu Kai's ability to ground his characters in some form of reality, no matter the circumstances, that you find bland. As you said, it's a matter of taste.
Unlike Xu Kai's current promotional campaign, Less Is Not More with regards to Mei Zhuyu.
Further attacks by Yu Zheng won't have the same effect as they did a few months ago. He'll just look bitter once it's announced that Xu Kai is leaving.
Weirdly, one of the Tang series' ML's is named Su Wuming. The Tiandu leads are Shi Wuming and Su Xue Lou.🤔
I'm not usually drawn to this particular genre of Chinese drama as I've had it in abundance via Western entertainment for decades. But Xu Kai's participation makes it a must-watch for me. ❤️
I am not commenting on the number of episodes of his upcoming dramas.
Moonlit Reunion is the latest example.
Side stories are fine, but a lead character shouldn't disappear or be relegated to a few minutes of screentime in an episode.
"Mei Si and His Adventures With the Snake Family" could have been its own drama.
Other than this contrivance, I'm enjoying the drama (currently on episode 12).
We don't know how A Cup of Love is going to shake out, but at least Fire Investigator and 800 Meters should focus on his characters. Of course, if his other dramas were edited down to just 24 episodes, the same could be said for them.
All this is to say, I'm looking forward to the time when Xu Kai is truly treated like an ML actor, and not a special guest star.
Here's the trailer:
https://youtu.be/GJesgcf6DFs?si=_ylahEMwwA4ZeIQq
Beautiful costumes, stunning sets, great effects and stunts. Sweet couples. A memorable OST. Jokes about rough sex(!).
Some BTS
https://youtu.be/XNH_QBvgFko?si=3gw_xwAxNh2cGI9m
Tian Xiwei and Xu Kai on Hello Saturday:
https://youtu.be/KMXrkXxxWL4?si=j3V0f3hI_VGQofd5
I later watched dramas in which his characters started off cool and commanding, but that was just on the surface. Xu Kai was able to display great emotional depth as the series continued.
I don't follow Chinese pop music so I haven't developed a biased view in favor of actors like Lin Yuning. I don't have a thing for white-haired demons with heavy eye makeup. And I don't make a habit of watching variety shows. I judge an actor on their ability to bring a character to life.
Perhaps it's Xu Kai's ability to ground his characters in some form of reality, no matter the circumstances, that you find bland. As you said, it's a matter of taste.