Ahh so true, I groaned when I saw them. But trust me...these men are only echos of their past. Both women have…
Yep, they have a reason to fight now and just wait until they see some results...they will be unstoppable. My guess (because I have neither read or seen anything beyond episode 10) is that ML who hides his true motivation behind a playboy exterior will be inspired by these women...and will at some point either join their effort or at least help facilitate it. For sure he is not at all who he appears to be. Notice not one person noticed her until he did. He alone saw her worth. Pretty remarkable. Also notice how the all well groomed and "pretty" women he smiles at....but clearly is not interested in...yet she is oblivious to grooming (dirty hands) or looking pretty...stayed in his mind days after meeting her. Implying he knows how to judge good character from bad. So he is a deep player...and no one really knows what he is up to at this point. Clearly his persona is all for show, as we see no real evidence that he is decadent. So a really captivating drama so far. My fave out of the 6 I am currently watching and all of them are very good.
I was wondering when the jerk ex-husbands were going to show up, and voila, both of them popped up! One so delusional…
Ahh so true, I groaned when I saw them. But trust me...these men are only echos of their past. Both women have moved far past them both. Each woman has already gained great strength from each other and from their taste of freedom.....and with every new challenge...they will only get more capable. What doesn't kill us really does make us stronger. Now ...they are living for themselves, whereas before they only lived for others. So these two weak men who once had an advantage over them, will not succeed again. Those days are over. These women are forging a new path together, they have the bit between their teeth and because two are much stronger than one...they will succeed. I feel zero fear for either of them. They will save themselves.
I confess,...I am bemused by the folks complaining after the first two episodes. What was not to like? These two leads are magic. The "Cinderella" scene in the first episode on the stairs was killer, loved those silver shoes, but seriously, both are giving what looks like the performance of their lives so far. When they sat outside under the tree slightly tipsy and really talked while looking into each others tearful eyes...it was so moving...I felt like crying with them. Lol. So dunno.....how some of us see something wonderful while others do not. But there it is. Regardless, I have a feeling this one will be a hit in Korea which is likely what really matters to those involved on the project. I can't wait to see Mom come around. I have a feeling she might flip the bad mom script.
Totally agree that the director blew this one away....and for more reasons than one. The ending was not just dissatisfying and tragic...it was also rushed and poorly done. So why this insistence on BE's? Perhaps in a country that is as large as China...anything that makes a series or a director stand out.....or a trending hot topic.. means more attention? That seems to work as controversy does seem to ratchet up the clicks. This ending was hotly discussed and debated, so perhaps that was the plan? If so, it is certainly backfiring from the viewpoint of a wider audience.....as I think most of us have had enough. It feels slightly sick (sadistic?) to sell the audience on a relationship (One and Only, I am looking at you) only to bring it to an tragic and traumatic end. They used to alibi it by saying ....oh ..the Chinese ppl love BE's. But the heat this ending brought to the directors social media made a lie out of that one. The netizens were livid...and brought enough pressure to bear on him...that his social media had to be shut down for a time. So who is driving this? Dunno, but agree with others that it appears to be slowly changing. Artistic styling or not it is nuts to tank a project because you wanted to play with the ending. Supposedly the ML in The Legend of Shen Li was so upset over the potential BE that the ML had to go to the hospital when he found out. I can't imagine they love it when ppl start hating a project they put their heart and soul into. We have seen this kind of frustration before and they have had to create alternative endings to quiet the revolt. Let's hope they get the message.
Wow, just wow. Thank you so much for the post. You answered my need to probe a bit deeper about several things,…
That is a fair assessment and a reminder that we must let S2 play out as it will before any real analysis can be made. In my comment on the Viki board today, I did say that it appears as though the writer is rather methodically wrapping up certain arcs of the story....which has felt more mechanical than we liked. We went into this season knowing what was coming...but many of us who shipped her with XL..believed the story had merit irregardless of her eventual relationship with Jing. And we chose to watch with eyes wide open..even knowing the worst is yet to come. That says a great deal about the compelling nature of the story. It felt as though it had many layers that begged to be unraveled and explored. Such as the details with her father. But at least in these early episodes ...it appears that the mysterious element is lost. The story in S1 was told like an ancient legend...much like the stories of King Arthur, especially the last scene of S1 where Cang Xuan was crowned King. The writer could have opened with that story and shown him in a rather majestic role taking on the mantle of his grandfather. But his earlier complex personality has devolved into a one dimensional obsession with her and frankly not much else. It was explained that his purpose for everything he has done is so that he may continue to provide and protect her always. Perhaps becoming King was his only way to do that....but I felt his character had more depth when he was scheming to get there. In your opinion...do you think it is possible that as they were filming those early scenes with XL and her...that they were as caught up in XL's performance as we were..and it very naturally took on a life and prominence they didn't altogether expect? They are human, right, and the writer said he was her fave character. So is it possible that his role expanded in ways they didn't altogether plan? Were they as memorized by him as the rest of us...meaning that now...they are trying to play catch up? I dunno. But it is fun to wonder...was this writer caught by her own words (she likely did not expect the world wide support for XL) and does she wish she had this one back?
Personally, I dont find passive from XL...its his style (but,I did not expect him play zither&wear red and not…
Thanks for your post. I enjoyed reading it. Yeah...we are hanging with it too. This writer can make even the austere beautiful so maybe she will delight us before it is through. I do wonder though if while they were making season 1, if they kept on with the arcs they started simply because it was more magical than even they planned. XL as a character became larger and more magnetic than they expected. I mean they are human, right...and as they are filming it..is it possible..it took on a life of its own? Which def gave it more prominence. Thus, this season, she had to rush to wrap the arcs like the wedding, Jing's brother and wife, and even XL and XY just to move on with the rest. I dunno. But we will see if she can do it again with the 13 or so eps that are left.
The drama actually answers certain questions from the books. I have read the necessary and also watched until…
Wow, just wow. Thank you so much for the post. You answered my need to probe a bit deeper about several things, i.e. I knew the ball she made for XL had to be more significant than the slightly rushed episode conveyed. Also, my thanks for showing us again how important XL was to Xiao Yao. I think a lot of ppl are missing the nuance of each relationship and how much she loved each of these men..albeit in different ways. We could say that each one was vital to her well-being. She needed them all, well, except Fenglong, he was extraneous and respectfully in my view.. the writers only mistake..the wedding simply felt contrived....which the series simply did not need. I think for ppl who are just into the series for the relationship they ship, they might miss the authors larger intention and you gave it the consideration it needed. Much respect for that and thanks for the time it took to put it all in such a cohesive and orderly way. I hope you don't mind but I gave you a shout out to all my buddies on the slightly depressed Viki board. Any opinion on how well the writer is doing with this seasons production? We have been discussing why it feels rushed, did she realize she had to wrap some of these arcs (such as the wedding, the issue with Jing's wife and brother and even the relationship between XL and Xiao Yao) up rather quickly? My critique is that some of the magic from season 1 has been lost in S2...your thoughts?
Im here with you I’ve been feeling the same, things are kinda messy and rushed like even time and heaven are…
Funny you mentioned that it feels rushed. I made the same comment on Viki and had a friend say they rushed through these episodes. Look I am a fan of this writer. She has written the most beautiful dialog and has conveyed many magical scenes on the beach, in the water, that are really unforgettable. But these early episodes of S2 just don't have the same magic about them. I think it is very difficult to create two back to back seasons that are blockbusters. In one sense she has set the bar very high for herself with the first one...so not easy as well again. I am hoping she pulls it out. But so far, not feeling the buzz I felt last year. That one was lit.
Full disclosure here. I am sadly a bit underwhelmed @ episode 9. Not so much because of XL, we expected what has happened so far in this one. So no surprise there.
But in an overall sense...I feel something is missing. I am not loving XL's arc in this season. He appears passive and accepting which seems a contradiction to his previously forceful character. He always knew about her feelings for Jing ....did that ever stop him? And did He just trade her for his supplies? It sort appeared that he did. Can you imagine him doing that last season? I can't. I would have preferred he dropped her off the bird again. Lol.
I dunno, it feels as though we are missing details. Why the immediate demise of Fengfeng? And the issues surrounding Jing and his brother and wife which were at an impasse for years... Jing and Xiaoya resolved overnight.
Her wedding seemed extraneous,there wasn't a single meaningful moment. And the interruption by XL was so shocking, yet it was resolved without a whimper. Didn't you expect that the groom and family might oppose Cangxuan after? But nope...no rift in the relationship. Which seems anti-climatic.
And the romance of Jing and the FL, perhaps it was on again and off again too long before it was resolved, but I feel none of breathless wonder we felt...as we watched XL and her. We know this writer can write like that...so hoping she pulls it off. We need more of the beauty and wonder we felt out on the lake with the big majestic moon or the moments under the sea... I dunno guys..not feeling it yet ....but my fingers are crossed hard. Please tell me I am not the only one who feels this way? Lol.
I read below that someone said the age gap between them was 6 years (in the story)...I would like to know where you got that info. Because he was in his junior year of HS and she was 20 years old when she met his mother and started teaching him..so I am not getting the 6 years. Not minding the difference..just want to confirm. Anyone know for sure? My guess was always no more than 3 years and perhaps less. As students in China graduate HS at 19 or do I have that wrong?
This is the second so called controversy with this series..both of them seem contrived. After all, if this is considered bad form and I agree with that...no one wants anyone on the road with alcohol in their system...but why not create a riot over the black out drinking in so many series that we can't even keep a count of. Why cherry pick this?
Which makes me wonder....who the heck is stirring all this brouhaha up? Does someone hate the writer, producer or director or cast? What the heck is really going on? 2 controversies in two weeks? Are you telling me there haven't been other series that could've been picked at or critiqued but nope, not a peep....this just isn't credible. Someone has it in for this series.
1 
Notice not one person noticed her until he did. He alone saw her worth. Pretty remarkable. Also notice how the all well groomed and "pretty" women he smiles at....but clearly is not interested in...yet she is oblivious to grooming (dirty hands) or looking pretty...stayed in his mind days after meeting her. Implying he knows how to judge good character from bad. So he is a deep player...and no one really knows what he is up to at this point. Clearly his persona is all for show, as we see no real evidence that he is decadent. So a really captivating drama so far. My fave out of the 6 I am currently watching and all of them are very good.
knowing the ending. Anyone know anything more about this one?
So dunno.....how some of us see something wonderful while others do not. But there it is.
Regardless, I have a feeling this one will be a hit in Korea which is likely what really matters to those involved on the project. I can't wait to see Mom come around. I have a feeling she might flip the bad mom script.
So why this insistence on BE's?
Perhaps in a country that is as large as China...anything that makes a series or a director stand out.....or a trending hot topic.. means more attention? That seems to work as controversy does seem to ratchet up the clicks. This ending was hotly discussed and debated, so perhaps that was the plan?
If so, it is certainly backfiring from the viewpoint of a wider audience.....as I think most of us have had enough. It feels slightly sick (sadistic?) to sell the audience on a relationship (One and Only, I am looking at you) only to bring it to an tragic and traumatic end.
They used to alibi it by saying ....oh ..the Chinese ppl love BE's. But the heat this ending brought to the directors social media made a lie out of that one. The netizens were livid...and brought enough pressure to bear on him...that his social media had to be shut down for a time.
So who is driving this? Dunno, but agree with others that it appears to be slowly changing. Artistic styling or not it is nuts to tank a project because you wanted to play with the ending.
Supposedly the ML in The Legend of Shen Li was so upset over the potential BE that the ML had to go to the hospital when he found out. I can't imagine they love it when ppl start hating a project they put their heart and soul into.
We have seen this kind of frustration before and they have had to create alternative endings to
quiet the revolt. Let's hope they get the message.
We went into this season knowing what was coming...but many of us who shipped her with XL..believed the story had merit irregardless of her eventual relationship with Jing. And we chose to watch with eyes wide open..even knowing the worst is yet to come. That says a great deal about the compelling nature of the story. It felt as though it had many layers that begged to be unraveled and explored. Such as the details with her father.
But at least in these early episodes ...it appears that the mysterious element is lost. The story in S1 was told like an ancient legend...much like the stories of King Arthur, especially the last scene of S1 where Cang Xuan was crowned King. The writer could have opened with that story and shown him in a rather majestic role taking on the mantle of his grandfather. But his earlier complex personality has devolved into a one dimensional obsession with her and frankly not much else. It was explained that his purpose for everything he has done is so that he may continue to provide and protect her always. Perhaps becoming King was his only way to do that....but I felt his character had more depth when he was scheming to get there.
In your opinion...do you think it is possible that as they were filming those early scenes with XL and her...that they were as caught up in XL's performance as we were..and it very naturally took on a life and prominence they didn't altogether expect? They are human, right, and the writer said he was her fave character. So is it possible that his role expanded in ways they didn't altogether plan? Were they as memorized by him as the rest of us...meaning that now...they are trying to play catch up? I dunno. But it is fun to wonder...was this writer caught by her own words (she likely did not expect the world wide support for XL) and does she wish she had this one back?
Also, my thanks for showing us again how important XL was to Xiao Yao. I think a lot of ppl are missing the nuance of each relationship and how much she loved each of these men..albeit in different ways. We could say that each one was vital to her well-being. She needed them all, well, except Fenglong, he was extraneous and respectfully in my view.. the writers only mistake..the wedding simply felt contrived....which the series simply did not need.
I think for ppl who are just into the series for the relationship they ship, they might miss the authors larger intention and you gave it the consideration it needed. Much respect for that and thanks for the time it took to put it all in such a cohesive and orderly way.
I hope you don't mind but I gave you a shout out to all my buddies on the slightly depressed Viki board.
Any opinion on how well the writer is doing with this seasons production? We have been discussing why it feels rushed, did she realize she had to wrap some of these arcs (such as the wedding, the issue with Jing's wife and brother and even the relationship between XL and Xiao Yao) up rather quickly? My critique is that some of the magic from season 1 has been lost in S2...your thoughts?
Look I am a fan of this writer. She has written the most beautiful dialog and has conveyed many magical scenes on the beach, in the water, that are really unforgettable. But these early episodes of S2 just don't have the same magic about them.
I think it is very difficult to create two back to back seasons that are blockbusters. In one sense she has set the bar very high for herself with the first one...so not easy as well again. I am hoping she pulls it out. But so far, not feeling the buzz I felt last year. That one was lit.
But in an overall sense...I feel something is missing. I am not loving XL's arc in this season. He appears passive and accepting which seems a contradiction to his previously forceful character. He always knew about her feelings for Jing ....did that ever stop him? And did He just trade her for his supplies? It sort appeared that he did. Can you imagine him doing that last season? I can't. I would have preferred he dropped her off the bird again. Lol.
I dunno, it feels as though we are missing details. Why the immediate demise of Fengfeng? And the issues surrounding Jing and his brother and wife which were at an impasse for years... Jing and Xiaoya resolved overnight.
Her wedding seemed extraneous,there wasn't a single meaningful moment. And the interruption by XL was so shocking, yet it was resolved without a whimper. Didn't you expect that the groom and family might oppose Cangxuan after? But nope...no rift in the relationship. Which seems anti-climatic.
And the romance of Jing and the FL, perhaps it was on again and off again too long before it was resolved, but I feel none of breathless wonder we felt...as we watched XL and her. We know this writer can write like that...so hoping she pulls it off. We need more of the beauty and wonder we felt out on the lake with the big majestic moon or the moments under the sea...
I dunno guys..not feeling it yet ....but my fingers are crossed hard.
Please tell me I am not the only one who feels this way? Lol.
Which makes me wonder....who the heck is stirring all this brouhaha up? Does someone hate the writer, producer or director or cast? What the heck is really going on? 2 controversies in two weeks? Are you telling me there haven't been other series that could've been picked at or critiqued but nope, not a peep....this just isn't credible. Someone has it in for this series.