Divine Aria

Sometimes it is absolutely about the actor/actress. I was referring specifically to people watching certain shows when they already know how much they hate a certain actor/actress. Not much in that drama is going to please them after that. They're intentionally setting themselves up to complain.

First off, let me apologize for having misread your comment. You said that disaster has struck this show, then mentioned Wu Lei being present. Indeed, I took that to mean that Wu Lei's presence was the disaster. Secondly, I don't mind if people didn't enjoy something that I did, and they are free to properly critique whatever they feel went wrong or what could be done to better improve things. I'm just extremely fed up with people complaining about actors/actresses that they don't like and complaining that they wished those actors/actresses weren't in so-and-so drama(one of the latest fights over the female lead actress in "In Blossom" has been harsh/nasty). My thought is that the casting is what it is. None of that is changing, and if people absolutely abhor a certain actor or actress, then instead of watching and whining about it, it's best to just avoid that series and watch something else. I mean, if I could have it my way, Wu Lei would be in everything instead of other people's favorite actors...but that's obviously not how it works. Because I misunderstood your comment, it just really rubbed me the wrong way. Again, my apologies for having snapped at you.

I think that was just you. Fr.

After finishing the drama, I personally felt like she never truly loved him. It was a very one-sided, traumatic, punishing love story. She loved herself most. Second person she loved after herself was the Empress. I dunno where LBY is on her list of loved ones. Sadly, to me, Shao Shang just wasn't a very likable character: unreasonable, self-centered, self-victimizing, unwilling to compromise/to receive criticism/to accept the consequences of her actions/ to truly grow/or take any accountability for her decisions. I was waiting for a ton of character growth on her part(not for LBY to just shoulder all the blame), and it just never really happened. Disappointing.

If Wu Lei is such a disaster, why are you here? With how much you disliked him in AASOL, you shouldn't have even come here. As soon as you see his name listed on a drama, just avoid it, duh. Go watch "Will Love in Spring" then and stay out of this one. You may not like him, but some of us know how to appreciate him. Stick to your lane.

And? Again, my point is, he doesn't have the same expressions. Try watching more than one or two of his dramas/films. He has about 70 of them. You can check any of them out. Try "Nothing But You", "Our Times", "Fights Break Sphere", or "Tomb of the Sea", for example.

He doesn't. Try watching more than one or two of his projects. Super versatile, one of the most expressive actors around.

If he's too intense for you then just watch another actor. Personally, I wish I had a guy who would look at me the way the ML looks at the FL.

Pretty sure that's just the director's way of portraying romance. He chose to use two little birds VS the typical close-up lip-locking of the characters. People keep forgetting and/or ignoring the fact that the second leads didn't get a real kissing scene either. They were leaning in for their kiss and the scene simply faded out on them, so I don't think there's anything "weird" about how the kissing scene between the main leads were done. In general, TLB just didn't have a lot of intimate scenes between its couples. That's how the manhua/original comic was too.

So who said that they weren't getting along? Never heard of that one. In fact, Wu Lei and Dilraba had some of the highest praises for each other. Dilraba said that Wu Lei was super attentive/caring toward her, and that whomever his future GF is would be so lucky. Wu Lei said that Dilraba was really professional and that she was "perfection" in her role. Actually, the two had been in other projects together prior to collaborating in TLB. They shot a short video together, did a magazine shoot, and were in a few variety shows with each other. Wu Lei even sent Dilraba flowers for her birthday one year. And, to this day, they still interact at events(Wu Lei talked to and also helped Dilraba off the stage at Weibo night just earlier this year). Highly, highly doubt it it had anything to do with the idea that they weren't getting along. What I'd heard was that there were talks of some kind of no-kissing clause in Wu Lei's contract since he was still so young at the time(only 20 at the time of filming), but the no-kissing clause reasoning was also just fan speculation, nothing that was actually confirmed. FYI, the second leads ALSO didn't have a real kissing scene, so it seems to me like the director just wanted to portray romance differently from the usual.

Fact is, Wu Lei is the lead actor of this drama, and it is rated quite high. None of that is changing. As I said, if you don't like it, find something else to watch.

Each to his or her own. If you didn't like him, you should have watched something else. Wu Lei was the reason I watched this drama, and it is the reason why it is rated as highly as it is. He was incredibly convincing as a man in love.

It's obviously more than a little crush though if he's willing to make so many sacrifices for her. That's the point. Sure, Sun is the one who started making sacrifices for her first, but she has also helped him at various points, and will make sacrifices for him as well in the future. It all balances out in the end.

My exact thoughts. Thank you! After having seen the drama so many times, I still always keep coming back to it.

There is def a reciprocation in feelings, but Changge is a character who has a lot on her plate. It's complicated for her because she has a lot of conflicting relationships she has to deal with. Her love interest is an enemy of her country(even if he's not an enemy to her personally). And while she personally hates her uncle, her country needs him. It's all quite the balancing act for her. On top of that, Changge is a female who was raised like a male, so she isn't comfortable with her femininity or with being treated gently as if she's female. It's a bit of a challenge for her when it comes to knowing how to react to Sun's care and affections. What I absolutely love about Sun and Changge though, is how the two truly have a strong foundation for a good relationship with mutual understanding/feelings of respect and admiration for one another and with how they naturally view each other as equal partners. With all of that said, there's way more to TLB than just the love story, so I would def recommend that you finish it.

Leyan wasn't an actual character in the original manhua/comic. She was created specifically just for the drama version of Changge Xing. I think that's prob why she, in particular, is so disjointed from the main plot of the drama. Out of the three, Shuyu does have a little more significance in his role as one of Tang's envoy.

I absolutely adore Sun and Changge. They're just as amazing individually as they are together. Still my favorite CP in 2024. I didn't want the drama to end either when I watched it for the first time, and I've watched the drama so many times since.

Can someone pls explain to me how their chemistry is sibling-like? With the way they're staring at each other, it's so creepy to be saying that they're like siblings.

We all have different tastes. Pretty sure I don't enjoy everything that you do. There is not a single drama out there that every single person loves. It's fine if you didn't enjoy it. No need to talk about the tastes of other people.

If you're already on EP9 and still feel that it's too slow then it's probably not for you. It has pretty consistent pacing.