Douban rating rose to 8.2 π€ even though it was "only" #3 in numbers watching it for the week ending August 26. I have started a Companion piece for the drama - still under construction for the illustrated characters and cast part, and for the BTS and interviews links collection part. But you can already enjoy my notes about the Golden Triangle, about tapirs, and about the White Night Theater of Youku. There may be some mistypes, since I haven't yet taken time to proofread all this. I may also add a little more about the shooting in Xishuangbanna - I only found the wrapping date, would like to find the launch of shooting date as well (does someone have it ?) Besides which, ongoing watching.....
So many dramas π Escape from the Triangular Slopes reached 9500 heat index today ! π Thrilling, if rather unexpectedly violent series, in c-dramaland. As high now as Regeneration, after the new Youku "White Night Theater" collection started revving up, with Tender Night. Insect Detective S2 did not get over 7,181 in May, but I would not be surprised if Escape reaches the roster with 10,000 soon.
Of course. He was prevented from it by Dongfang Zui/Na Mianci's providential intervention. But he had spelled out in so many words to Xie Wanyin that his intention was to catch Na Mianci and have him watch the crown prince ravish drugged and memory loss FL. That's rape. This drama is tougher than it looked like in the beginning...
Rape is not "having sex with a sleaze bag". The emperor coerced her to submit to rape. He forced her against any acceptance on her part. She was not strong enough to fight, get killed and have her lover and family killed. He did not drug Jiang Mingyue as the crown prince did Xie Wanyin. Still, either of those two guys are textbook criminals, but being in power put them above laws... Only a revolt, or revolution can change the situation; can the Preceptor foment one remains to be seen. Since the empress and crown prince both want the emperor dead, the game of dominoes might begin from his demise.
This drama is tougher than it looked like in the beginning.
"Seeing the spoiler from episode 12, I have a feeling to save Tinghan she probably declares to the emperor that sheβs pregnant (pretending itβs the emperor child ) to spare his life"
So unlikely. Do you think the emperor and his doctor can't count days? If there was even a remote possibility that the child was conceived before she entered the palace, she would have been beheaded. Tinghan was away not for a week but for a war, so impossible for him to be the father of the baby. It can only be the fruit of rape... It's a tough drama indeed, not the expected sugar...
Are u kidding me just when they fell in love and started trusting each other they bring a memory lost plot in…
It's ok, she recovered all her memories in episode 14. That device is over. But perhaps she will act as if she is still poisoned and lost memory, in order to confuse the palace criminals. As the medicine woman said, if she really got inserted those darts again, she'd become a drooling idiot, game over, so she can't have been hit with the darts once again. There are still many episodes ahead π
Hahaha, "havenβt tried those meats π€―β¦ " I did for some, but drew the line at live monkey's brains (I am a Sun Wukong follower from the Mountain of Fruits and Flowers, can't go cannibalize family!!). Did not hunt for bear's paws. Cobra was fine: I saw the critter before it got prepared in an open air restaurant of Guilin, many years ago; scorpions were just like a sort of crawfish ; silkworm is like jelly with a rather bland taste; hairy crab is a well known delicacy ; I am not sure I was not peddled rabbit instead of dog soup which was on one menu (I did not see any dog in the kitchen and was not in the famed town where they reputedly breed some meaty ones for soup, so it was probably a scam. Besides, although being a cat person, I don't hate dogs so much that I'd take one to be butchered ; some dogs are cute and appetizing like the sausage shaped Dachshund of Zhao Lusi, but they look too intelligent to be sacrificed ; rabbits look cute too: they are seldom on menus in China, more so in the West). Anyway, the tastes were not that special that I would go for repeat experiences, save for hairy crab in season. Now, despite not having turned full vegetarian Buddhist, I prefer not to eat meat or fish more than once a week.
I just looked at Douban ratings and it looks like the initial one is out now at 8.1 (https://movie.douban.com/subject/36097760/) Knowing how picky Chinese audiences are for ratings, it's in the very good category !
They are, unfortunately. See https://tapirs.org/tapirs/ One reason why they are now on the endangered species list. Not sure they are a delicacy except for rarity. But there are several sub species across Asian and American continents. I don't think tapir figured on the list of bizarre menus in China, or even in South East Asia : perhaps they are really worshiped as luck bringing beasts so a dead one would be an ill omen?
I may have missed it but are Chapo and Aiso's wife real siblings. Or is something else going on?
I think she may have been a cousin ("younger" or "older" "brother" often don't mean real siblings in China, just cousins or friends or respectful address), and her infidelity (and perhaps even incestuous behavior) was clear. But Aisuo is not going to tolerate it for much longer...
Thanks for sharing this. The Golden Triangle is a very complicated area and a known hotbed for drug trafficking…
Thank you very much! My thirst for info was well quenched! and next time I will not lazily forget to check the Chinese Wikipedia drama page which had it all π
Thanks for sharing this. The Golden Triangle is a very complicated area and a known hotbed for drug trafficking…
I totally agree with your views. It's interesting to be made aware of this "touristic zone" of the Golden Triangle through a Chinese thriller drama π Love that there are so many different dramas to get our interest in the "summer slump" where some are lamenting the weaknesses of the romance ones, although I suspect YouTube audiences are more fascinated by the way Jesse Ren kisses romance partner in silly but amusing "Embrace in the Dark Night", than by tribulations of a young under achiever just looking for manual labor, caught in the tangled web of criminals of south east Asia to save his uncle who got snared in another part of the web. I don't think the drama is based on a novel, there are two scriptwriters listed on the Baidu page but still not much more. Do you know when and where this was filmed?
... I don't pay for Bloomberg. Just get their nutshell newsletter, and sometimes an item is clickable like that one (all links in the alert were not; they'd have me pay, but I'm ... very stingy π
"not available in your region". Automatic subtitles only on first 3 episodes on Mango TV (MGTV) but ok for all episodes on Youtube's Huace Global Fun channel, as checked today. I was randomly checking the status of Xu Xiaonuo as FL after 2018 "About Is Love" drama in two parts.
I am not totally in sync with the conclusions of the reporting which alleges that China is tacitly or actively supporting the scams from GTSEZ in Laos, and illegal trades from Myanmar (ex Burma) : we have seen quite a few dramas recently which have in parts Chinese police cracking down on such schemes (in Ordinary Greatness, in Glory of the Special Forces, etc) and since dramas are meant to carry the official view (that's why they need permissions to air), that also means that the Chinese public is aware of those illegal activities and not at all supporting them, and that the official view is indeed to fight against that cancer. My opinion is that if the US, Mexico, Italy and others are not able to completely get rid of Mafias, that does not mean these states support the illegal activities or turns a blind eye to reap benefits from them, same for China and south-east Asian countries --- at least, I'd hope so?
It does give perspective on this Escape from the Triangular Slopes drama background...
Another background source of interest, with many pictures, that resemble the landscapes and buildings glimpsed in episode 6, are to be found on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Triangle_Special_Economic_Zone which also mentions the Kings Romans Casino and Mr. Zhao Wei, focus of the news feature above. I am starting to wonder where all these tropical settings were shot: there is no mention of where and when on the Baidu page, only that production involves two Beijing and one Chengdu company.
His name is Li Fei, not Li Yifei. You probably confused the name with Liu Yifei aka Crystal Liu π
ah yes, I know. Freudian confusion of names πππ Corrected. Actually, I was just out of re-watching tiredly parts of About is Love, where secondary couple characters names are FeiFei θ²θ² and Ning Fei η―ι, so all those Feis (and the -unrelated- ζ£ε¦ fans of Liu Yuning that I remembered from the bouquet throwing video posted on Youtube), were mixing bizarrely in my idly puzzling mind together with the famed Yang Guifei ζ₯θ²΄ε¦ who I was envisioning as possible character to be played in a hypothetical fantasy costume drama yet to be written for ζθ²..... ) That said, I do like Liu Yifei εδΊ¦θ² too!! But could she play that historical role and would she accept Li Fei as screen partner? π Thanks for correction, Cho Na π
2 
4 
1 
even though it was "only" #3 in numbers watching it for the week ending August 26.
I have started a Companion piece for the drama - still under construction for the illustrated characters and cast part, and for the BTS and interviews links collection part. But you can already enjoy my notes about the Golden Triangle, about tapirs, and about the White Night Theater of Youku.
There may be some mistypes, since I haven't yet taken time to proofread all this.
I may also add a little more about the shooting in Xishuangbanna - I only found the wrapping date, would like to find the launch of shooting date as well (does someone have it ?)
Besides which, ongoing watching.....
Thrilling, if rather unexpectedly violent series, in c-dramaland. As high now as Regeneration, after the new Youku "White Night Theater" collection started revving up, with Tender Night. Insect Detective S2 did not get over 7,181 in May, but I would not be surprised if Escape reaches the roster with 10,000 soon.
This drama is tougher than it looked like in the beginning...
He did not drug Jiang Mingyue as the crown prince did Xie Wanyin. Still, either of those two guys are textbook criminals, but being in power put them above laws...
Only a revolt, or revolution can change the situation; can the Preceptor foment one remains to be seen. Since the empress and crown prince both want the emperor dead, the game of dominoes might begin from his demise.
This drama is tougher than it looked like in the beginning.
So unlikely. Do you think the emperor and his doctor can't count days?
If there was even a remote possibility that the child was conceived before she entered the palace, she would have been beheaded.
Tinghan was away not for a week but for a war, so impossible for him to be the father of the baby. It can only be the fruit of rape...
It's a tough drama indeed, not the expected sugar...
But perhaps she will act as if she is still poisoned and lost memory, in order to confuse the palace criminals.
As the medicine woman said, if she really got inserted those darts again, she'd become a drooling idiot, game over, so she can't have been hit with the darts once again. There are still many episodes ahead π
Yes, I used to be very adventurous.... now, just with my drama tastes, perhaps.
I did for some, but drew the line at live monkey's brains (I am a Sun Wukong follower from the Mountain of Fruits and Flowers, can't go cannibalize family!!). Did not hunt for bear's paws. Cobra was fine: I saw the critter before it got prepared in an open air restaurant of Guilin, many years ago; scorpions were just like a sort of crawfish ; silkworm is like jelly with a rather bland taste; hairy crab is a well known delicacy ; I am not sure I was not peddled rabbit instead of dog soup which was on one menu (I did not see any dog in the kitchen and was not in the famed town where they reputedly breed some meaty ones for soup, so it was probably a scam. Besides, although being a cat person, I don't hate dogs so much that I'd take one to be butchered ; some dogs are cute and appetizing like the sausage shaped Dachshund of Zhao Lusi, but they look too intelligent to be sacrificed ; rabbits look cute too: they are seldom on menus in China, more so in the West). Anyway, the tastes were not that special that I would go for repeat experiences, save for hairy crab in season. Now, despite not having turned full vegetarian Buddhist, I prefer not to eat meat or fish more than once a week.
Douban initial rating seems out now at last : 8.1
One reason why they are now on the endangered species list.
Not sure they are a delicacy except for rarity.
But there are several sub species across Asian and American continents.
I don't think tapir figured on the list of bizarre menus in China, or even in South East Asia : perhaps they are really worshiped as luck bringing beasts so a dead one would be an ill omen?
But Aisuo is not going to tolerate it for much longer...
It looks like it's heating up... now that 10 episodes are aired. π
It's interesting to be made aware of this "touristic zone" of the Golden Triangle through a Chinese thriller drama π
Love that there are so many different dramas to get our interest in the "summer slump" where some are lamenting the weaknesses of the romance ones, although I suspect YouTube audiences are more fascinated by the way Jesse Ren kisses romance partner in silly but amusing "Embrace in the Dark Night", than by tribulations of a young under achiever just looking for manual labor, caught in the tangled web of criminals of south east Asia to save his uncle who got snared in another part of the web.
I don't think the drama is based on a novel, there are two scriptwriters listed on the Baidu page but still not much more. Do you know when and where this was filmed?
... I don't pay for Bloomberg. Just get their nutshell newsletter, and sometimes an item is clickable like that one (all links in the alert were not; they'd have me pay, but I'm ... very stingy π
I was randomly checking the status of Xu Xiaonuo as FL after 2018 "About Is Love" drama in two parts.
"Inside the Dark World of Asiaβs Golden Triangle
Law enforcement says illegal activity is thriving in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (GTSEZ) inside Laos, where scammers, drugrunners and human traffickers allegedly operate with impunity. Bloomberg Originals investigates how a Chinese businessman became the de-facto ruler of this remote area in Southeast Asia. (Source: Bloomberg)"
Link to the 15 mins footage : https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2024-08-19/inside-the-dark-world-of-asia-s-golden-triangle?cmpid=BBD082024_BIZ&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_term=240820&utm_campaign=bloombergdaily
I am not totally in sync with the conclusions of the reporting which alleges that China is tacitly or actively supporting the scams from GTSEZ in Laos, and illegal trades from Myanmar (ex Burma) : we have seen quite a few dramas recently which have in parts Chinese police cracking down on such schemes (in Ordinary Greatness, in Glory of the Special Forces, etc) and since dramas are meant to carry the official view (that's why they need permissions to air), that also means that the Chinese public is aware of those illegal activities and not at all supporting them, and that the official view is indeed to fight against that cancer. My opinion is that if the US, Mexico, Italy and others are not able to completely get rid of Mafias, that does not mean these states support the illegal activities or turns a blind eye to reap benefits from them, same for China and south-east Asian countries --- at least, I'd hope so?
It does give perspective on this Escape from the Triangular Slopes drama background...
Another background source of interest, with many pictures, that resemble the landscapes and buildings glimpsed in episode 6, are to be found on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Triangle_Special_Economic_Zone which also mentions the Kings Romans Casino and Mr. Zhao Wei, focus of the news feature above. I am starting to wonder where all these tropical settings were shot: there is no mention of where and when on the Baidu page, only that production involves two Beijing and one Chengdu company.
Corrected.
Actually, I was just out of re-watching tiredly parts of About is Love, where secondary couple characters names are FeiFei θ²θ² and Ning Fei η―ι, so all those Feis (and the -unrelated- ζ£ε¦ fans of Liu Yuning that I remembered from the bouquet throwing video posted on Youtube), were mixing bizarrely in my idly puzzling mind together with the famed Yang Guifei ζ₯θ²΄ε¦ who I was envisioning as possible character to be played in a hypothetical fantasy costume drama yet to be written for ζθ²..... )
That said, I do like Liu Yifei εδΊ¦θ² too!! But could she play that historical role and would she accept Li Fei as screen partner? π
Thanks for correction, Cho Na π