CKDramaddicts

It's the same director and he seems to like casting the same people. :) Sheng Ming, Yinghong, Ye Yun and others were also in Blood of Youth, another really good one by the same director. Sheng Ming in particular, played another great character in BoY.

I was the same with Ye Shi'An, I had just finished watching WRTW not that long ago, so it took me a while to get used to the idea of Ye Shi'An as a good guy, haha.

That. Kiss. 🥵 "Do I have permission?" All the evidence anyone needs to show that consent is incredibly sexy.

THIS SHOW!!!! For me, it's about as close to perfection as I've ever seen after watching hundreds of dramas. It literally has everything I love in a series, the things that are hit and miss on other dramas they consistently do it well, and it has almost none of the usual annoying and frustrating tropes. I will be so sad when it ends in 4 episodes. 😭
(Editing to add that I hope those precious last four episodes will not derail all the great story telling and development that came before it, lol)

I think I saw that! So bizarre...just when I think I've seen everything...

Yes, that's definitely what makes him so likable, which makes the toxic hate campaign especially mind boggling. But riling people up is exactly what they want and love to see, so I don't bother engaging. Even an "lol" gives them oxygen. And TBH, same with those who can't deal with the slightest criticisms.

That's crazy regarding people getting into it on a drama page that has nothing to do with him! 🤦🏻‍♀️I know it happens with other celebs, so I usually try to avoid the comments section if a toxic fandom war is brewing. But sometimes, it's also hard not to look away too because it's so wild, lol.

Here's to wishing for a more positive and healthier environment!

No worries at all! I totally understand and know what you mean and agree with you on everything. It's really unfortunate that things can get so tense though because it's the kind of thing he's specifically spoken against, especially in the aftermath of 227, where he asked everyone to respect each other's likes and dislikes, interests, preferences, and to focus their energies on the real world, and not on online conflicts, etc.

I get why fans want to defend what/who they love when there are so many haters and trolls who just want to spoil everything for absolutely no reason. But this dynamic also makes for a tense environment that disuades viewers from offering casual comments and makes them more cautious as well (definitely not referring to your replies -- just in general!), whereas interactions and comments for other dramas are just fun and very relaxed. Before A03, XZ used to do these really amazing, in-depth interviews that were so open, instrospective and thoughtful, but he's also a lot more careful and guarded now too...it's all very unfortunate. Anyway, sory for going on about this too.

That's cool, to each their own! 😊 I usually give a show a good 10 episodes at least, and it's quite different from NLB.

Yeah, sounds like it really picks up around ep 8, so looking forward to it. But I agree, the Xiao Zhan factor really fuels the hype unfortunately, even though I try to filter all that out. He's always been one of my favourite actors, long before the craziness, but it's hard to just have a normal conversation about his work without everyone getting into absurd hyperbole either way about it (so I appreciate this particular exchange! :) ).

I love my angsty journeys and have enjoyed a number of Xianxias covering multiple lifetimes and undying love that spans tens of thousands of years too, lol, but I think I was just expecting higher production values and script quality, given the hype and build-up around it. All that being said, I'm enjoying it, and I'm happy to be surprised too. While a lot of C-dramas fizzle or take a nose dive at the end, some of my favourites have been the opposite. 🤞🏻🤞🏻

I really wasn't sure about this one after the first episode, but enjoying it more now that I'm about 5 episodes in. Despite some of the cheesy dialogue and CGI, and super cliched tropes and plotlines, it's entertaining enough to keep my interest, though I can't help but feel a bit disappointed by the overall quality. I think because I'm simultaneously watching Destined (which bucks all the usual c-drama stereotypes and so refreshing in every way) it's hard not to compare unfortunately, even if they're different genres.

Ah, I see. Thanks for sharing. LLYG is on my (long) list of dramas to check out, so I was curious. But I agree, intrigue and tension based on misunderstandings and secrets are easy. Destined has really set the bar high for doing it without those (often annoying and tired) clichés.

Curious - in a good way or bad way?

This is very interesting! And it all makes sense now. I can only imagine the competition and intensity behind-the-scenes with licences, deals, etc.

Oh, I know. I just mean psychologically, they lure us in and spoil us with daily episodes. Once we're hooked and completely addicted, settled into the daily routine, we realize, oh wait, now we have to wait 3 days! 😭😅 Yes, not actually bait and switch, but I couldn't think of another way to describe the feeling.

In my view, she is portraying a character that has lived her entire life with restraint in order to be "perfect" so that she can ensure she marries well and can take care of her mother. So she is very careful with her behaviour; that includes crying in a "delicate" and "ladylike" way etc. No big emotions. At the same time, she has strong opinions that she can't be too obvious about. To be able to convey those two sides I think is challenging and she does a great job acting demure with a steel core. As her character evolves and she is accepted into a family who allows her to be her true self, she becomes a lot more natural in her behaviour. Those delicate sniffles are gone, for example, and the emotions are more heartfelt. BJT's acting is really strong, but his character is more straightforward and clear; hers is more complicated because she is literally "acting" a certain way that's somewhat against her nature.

I was grinning so much. The relationships dynamics in this drama are all so wonderful and ridiculously healthy - so open, trusting, communicative, respectful, warm, loyal: OTP, parent-child/in laws relationships for main couple, employer and employee, servant and mistress/master, sworn brothers, sworn sisters, etc.

Destined viewers side-eying The Longest Promise's true daily airing schedule with envy 😭 (no bait and switch at the 20 episode mark 😅).

Awesome, thank you!

Right, make sense, thank you! I was curious given in the most recent episode, we had a time reference of nearly 3 years since that guy joined the army to fight Liang rebellion. Glad the book ending is satisfying. I'd love to read the book version of lots of dramas, but sometimes hesitate because I worry I'll prefer the drama changes more and don't want the book to ruin the story for me. This is the first drama where I feel like the book might add to my enjoyment of the drama version.

Curious, without too many spoilers, does the book have a happy satisfying ending? And does the book say how many years the entire story covers?