Perfection! To sum up this series. The caveat: within the Chinese style. Too many unnecessary scenes with secondary characters, some of whom were presented in the first part of the series and after 30 eps we not even remember who they were. The good is that secondary actors are amazing in what they do and, in this series, very pretty as well. The only that they got the balance right – and even felt short- was with Sui Yuan Qing, the younger villain, amazingly played by 20 years old Lin Mu Ran. The main leads: I follow the career of ZL and TXW so I think I can compare and speak: ZL the best role of his career. He was soft and warm in the first episodes; such a touching performance and a sound display in acting skills toward the last 1/3 of the series particularly interacting with power house actors like Yan Yi Kuan (his uncle). He is committed in the romantic scenes – keeping his reputation as heartthrob that earned since Maiden Holmes. His beauty is a double spade sword and his reputation outside the screen as the iced cultural insensitive king could play a bit in our subconscious (e.g. watch live show The Truth), but he is convincing all the same. TXW – is the Queen of comedy, great character female actor, one of the best in China. She delivers every time, such hardworking actor. Again, not the best in creating romantic chemistry, but ZL and TXW did enough for their characters and their relationship. I remember that in the chemistry department she was great with Bai Jing Ting, but BJT can create fire from ice cubes, similar skills is granted to actors like Bai Lu and Li Qin among others. Not everybody is that lucky. The big surprise-gift-bombshell of this series was Deng Kai as Qi Ming, a solid secondary pro actor for years is finally given the golden opportunity of his career to shine as he deserves: he is a great actor. He posses everything: acting skills, looks, sensuality, vulnerability. He is a powerhouse indeed. His character is now iconic and is gracing covers of magazines. Luckily, he had a great acting “life partner”; an actress that brought the right energy and commitment: Snow Kong. She is probably still in the idol level of acting, but it was perfect next to him. Their sex scenes will linger in my mind for years to come. There is an in screen and outside screen warm relationship that have contributed to enhance their CP reputation; a flirty shyness between them, that kind of “I like you very much” energy that is perfect for fan service. They hardly can keep their hands to themselves in interviews and presentations. I hope they manage to keep friends at least. Sum up: Highly recommended, 10/10 despite of the slight shortcomings, something to enjoy for everybody.
I tried watching this show but put it on hold after ep02... I'm not interested in either the FL or Ml, which is…
Me too. I did not know him from before, but I heard good reviews of his acting in previous dramas. Here he did the minimum and look very pretty. The FL, oh no, I knew her from before....how is she a lead???
I feel like every episode so far I'm being thrown into the middle of a scene and I just have to wing it. Was this…
Thank you for your review, you are not the only one left feeling that way! Totally agree with your opinion about the FL, don't know how she is leading dramas, I tried to watch something with her before and had to stop, despite the ML was great. Here the ML was really pretty but he spent the 37 episode with the same 2 expressions in his face. Like you, I did not know him from before, but he is a well regarded actor so I may watch any other of his high rated dramas.
This series was so over the top. I don't even know how to explain it. I got interested because the ML Yi Ran, who I had never seen before, looks so interesting, beautiful features and a sound presence, but they kept him 37 episodes being stabbed, vomiting blood and in bed. Always on the edge of meeting whoever was his Creator. I knew the FL from before-apologies to her fans- but I find her mediocre. I like them together here, cute CP but I couldn't understand when she fell for him when she fell out and this pull and push was nonsensical. The best of this series was the flashbacks of the Warrior Aunt and His lover, what a CP! The actors: the beautiful Wan Peng and the super handsome Yun Rui stole the spotlight every time they appeared. I hope they cast them together in another series.
Update: Chinese blogger are claiming this CP is confirmed and Filming starts in May, crossing fingers! (The latest rumour is the 2CP of Pursuit of Jade: Deng Kai & Kon Xue'er would be the leads. After watching their bath sex scene I could not see any other CP more appropriate for this story line. The chemistry is pure fireworks. ) https://x.com/Allcbizmelons/status/2035661982649741516?s=20
I'm suprised you used 10 Dance as an example of exceptional JBL. I enjoyed it, don't get me wrong, but the romantic…
I really like The Journey to Killing you, one of the few BLs where the whole crew were professional actors leading by Wada Masanari, a super Japanese actor. For me it was credible because it is well know that the yakuza groups have homesexual practices either because they are gay/bisexual or as a way of dominance, like with the Samurais in old Japan. I have watched other Japanese BLs that were not that good to relax, but this one was extremely boring for me, so I was fast forwarding most of the time.
I'm suprised you used 10 Dance as an example of exceptional JBL. I enjoyed it, don't get me wrong, but the romantic…
I have been a fan of Japanese BL for many years, so I know how good they can be. Even if they are not that "deep" they are engaging. I respect your opinion about 10 Dance and I think I understand where you are coming from. I also prefer Japanese BLs like My Journey to Killing you and Happy for the end Then there are good comedy BLs like Osan love that have had I think like 3 seasons? I also could mention so many that tick many boxes, but lately just they don't make the cut, it is like Korean BLs, Semantic Error was something else but then I cannot recall another one that have had the same quality, the rest have been very mediocre.
First 2 eps and I have some hopes for a more engaging Japanese BL, we are in total deficit. Countdown to Yes, was so bland, the actors were simply bad. These actors are better, it always help that the production house balance the CP with one of them being a pro actor, in this case is Iuchi Haruchi. It happens the same with Happy for the end, they brought Beppo who is a good young actor. The chemistry is there, they look mature enough to deliver the storyline. The older tutor is super creepy so let's see how this play out. I really tired of the Japanese Bls in which two straight boys become gay after 10 episodes when they accept the love each other!?. In the other extreme are the Thai BLs that they want to bang each other from minute 1. Very much in the centre are the Chinese BLs in which overtly gay storylines are presented some how from the beginning: to my shore, one of them is gay the other just go for it. Kill to Love, childhood friends that became in love at the reunion nobody raise an eyebrow, and so on and so forth, at least one of the characters in a Chinese BL has been bisexual or gay from the start. Well, even the so called "bromance", who can forget Wei Wu Xian feeling an instant attraction for Lang Wan Ji. They sell "The Untamed" really badly as a bromance, it was a BL through and through without kisses and of course Word of Honour too.
I don't know what is going on with Japanese BLs, but lately they are so bland. These boys were not the best actors, one very stiff, the other trying too hard. The storyline was so boring and this was not replace by romance, so we did not have the counterbalance that the Thai BLs bring, low in script but high in sexual tension. So no I wouldn't recommend it and like this I have not watched a number of them recently released because why to bother? The BL market has now a new competitor that have raised the bar high: Chinese BLs, They have brought everything, original storylines, big romance, sex, and a decent acting, on a couple of them even excellent acting. Japanese BLs need to update the game and stop doing "idols" series. 10 Dance is an example of how far they can take the BL genre when they have the right elements.
Deng Kai was in a good support role in The Wanted Detective, and I noticed him before in Follow Your Heart (I…
Short dramas are really cliche and women have lousy roles. He is in The Maid for instance, typical short production script. I will check the Wanted Detective, thank you.
Hahaha i agree with that bath scene. Hoping Snow kong getting more main lead chances for higher budget movie.…
Agree. These actors just need a chance. Look at Cheng Lei, he waited for years for an acting role, finally he got into a short production, and now is top tier actor (How dare you, My journey to you etc). A higher production comes with better direction, better scripts, great photography, great costumes, make-up, hairdos, and the best post-production e.g. they apply soft filters that make the actors look gorgeous. Even ZL does not have that perfect velvety skin!
This series is more than perfect. The storyline is superior; it has all the ingredients to make this an amazing viewer experience. For TXW and ZL, one of the best characterisations of their careers, especially for ZL. Good chemistry among them, very adequate for the plot. The secondary characters are super. All of them. The little sister shows maturity in every mood. And when we thought we had all the perfect elements, they introduced Deng Kai as the super sadistic Qi Min. This actor has been recruited from short drama productions, that are normally in the spicy side, and next to Snow Kong who is pretending to have surrendered to him, delivered the best bath sex scene on a drama of this level. So it is complete. Highly recommended.
Last two episodes can't fix the bad timing of this drama. Too much time for an unnecessary love tringle, to little…
I also did not favour the love triangle. I was thinking of the reason for this, I guess they were trying to convince us that She did not just fell in love with "uncle" because he needed help to raise the baby, but because she really made a conscious choice to love uncle, who was very lovable. Having said this, they could convince us in half episode and not in three!?
Don't pay attention to the rating and the tags. This series is really good. it is centred around raising a child between in laws that did not know each other before, and when they do, they started in the wrong foot. Auntie and Uncle are very lovable characters, but the star of the show is the baby. Agree with the majority that the triangle was unnecessary and the misery tale that he was also from an orphanage so extra. Was not enough that the ML was from an orphanage? How many Korean men have been in one. Fortunatly the minority. People complained about the only kiss between the leads, but it is obvious they tried to keep with the storyline of raising a child. I have watched series with both actors and they are both great kissers. So the direction here was more into the "fish kiss" zone category, due to the presence of the baby. Anyway, it is a really nice watch, just to relax and binge watch in one go.
The main leads: I follow the career of ZL and TXW so I think I can compare and speak:
ZL the best role of his career. He was soft and warm in the first episodes; such a touching performance and a sound display in acting skills toward the last 1/3 of the series particularly interacting with power house actors like Yan Yi Kuan (his uncle). He is committed in the romantic scenes – keeping his reputation as heartthrob that earned since Maiden Holmes. His beauty is a double spade sword and his reputation outside the screen as the iced cultural insensitive king could play a bit in our subconscious (e.g. watch live show The Truth), but he is convincing all the same.
TXW – is the Queen of comedy, great character female actor, one of the best in China. She delivers every time, such hardworking actor. Again, not the best in creating romantic chemistry, but ZL and TXW did enough for their characters and their relationship. I remember that in the chemistry department she was great with Bai Jing Ting, but BJT can create fire from ice cubes, similar skills is granted to actors like Bai Lu and Li Qin among others. Not everybody is that lucky.
The big surprise-gift-bombshell of this series was Deng Kai as Qi Ming, a solid secondary pro actor for years is finally given the golden opportunity of his career to shine as he deserves: he is a great actor. He posses everything: acting skills, looks, sensuality, vulnerability. He is a powerhouse indeed. His character is now iconic and is gracing covers of magazines. Luckily, he had a great acting “life partner”; an actress that brought the right energy and commitment: Snow Kong. She is probably still in the idol level of acting, but it was perfect next to him. Their sex scenes will linger in my mind for years to come. There is an in screen and outside screen warm relationship that have contributed to enhance their CP reputation; a flirty shyness between them, that kind of “I like you very much” energy that is perfect for fan service. They hardly can keep their hands to themselves in interviews and presentations. I hope they manage to keep friends at least.
Sum up: Highly recommended, 10/10 despite of the slight shortcomings, something to enjoy for everybody.
https://x.com/Allcbizmelons/status/2035661982649741516?s=20