NotYourOppa

An unsuccessful attempt to duplicate "The Double" mastery. Although I've seen only 3 episodes, but first: there's no way she would be so well-versed, intelligent and composed living like this. Just reading every book in a houshold won't be enough. And she's suppossed to be 17!!
The actress' face seems emotionless - not sure if that's how it's supposed to be.
Also, the great bonks in attempting suicide while being distressed that we can see in some Chinese dramas, are preposterous (and too much of unintended comedy).
And too much of a theatre while putting old secrets to light.

Bonus:
The most diabolical mother I've ever seen in any drama! And I think they (the dramamakers) will try to justify her actions, trying to tell a story she wasn't that bad, she couldn't do otherwise, both 17 years ago and now. Ugh...

It's kinda shitty plot for me, but Japanese sometimes manage to give some value to a drama even if the story is so weak. Is it this case or should I just skip it without regret?

I'm halfway. And I think it has potential for a nice movie. Why make it prolonged for 6 h in total when nothing's really happening? It lacks substance.
And why the second couple has to be kept in secret? It feels like Phojai takes advantage of Tag.

Available globally - NO

Might also be a factor. I'm notoriously dissappointed that an asian show I'd like to watch (and on MDL it says it's on Netflix) is not available for me ಠ︵ಠ

My biggest frustration:
- girl, SPEAK!!! (ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻━┻
He told her more and more, but she what? Just kept everything to herself. For so f** long. And even longer. And I thought he had doubts all the time so he won't be much heartbroken later... I felt really sorry for him.

The plot is lacking - to put it shortly. "Silly" is the best word that comes to my mind thinking od the drama. I'm not a fan of throwing "oh there's a special device for this, that and more" just to push the action forward. And it's discouraging when a character's core existance is based on "I love sb and I want to make them mine". Adding previous traumas hadn't much helped bc for most of his on-screen time it was "I live thanks to her-> I'll do anything for her->why can't she choose me."

However, I did enjoy the show XD I shamelessly admit I'd stayed watching for the actors. And Ji Bozai definitely gets The Best Badass Rescuing Entry Award -> I laughed so much! (that I've invented such award :D)

I thought the perfect word describing this drama is "silly". But yet I'm rather enjoying it at least bc of the actors(„• ᴗ •„) I shamelessly admit.
The last seen ep 13 was the best for me :D Chinese fantasy dramas are quite slow, so it's normal you won't get hooked after 2 episodes.
Nethertheless don't expect "heavy plot" or darkness (although like I said I'm not even in the middle of the show, but after 13 hours you can get what you're watching) so it might be too light for you.

*Edit: Edit! Edit! It gets a little more serious and steamy (literally ;)) I haven't expected that. Still I saw you've dropped Love Between Fairy and Demon and Till the End of the Moon, I'd say the three are from one genre.

P.S. I've to ask - why no score next to Go Ahead? It was darker, unhealthy and real bc of these. I enjoyed it for those reasons (and the beautiful song(༎ຶ⌑༎ຶ))

I've also just finished 13th ep. The best one so far! But I really thought Ji Bozai was suspecting her all the time. Rather heartbreaking he didn't(╯︵╰)

Like at first it wasn't THAT BAD. He came with a mission, unexpectedly met Shu He... Maybe he couldn't understand his decisions but at least they're talking ab it. I recall the moment when Shu He couldn't convince him, Zi Ang was still against his actions but kinda let it go? Like: I don't support your decision, I think it's too dangerous for you, but it's not like I can tie you up and keep you forever in the room.
While later it was exactly like this.

I def wouldn't nitpick about sacrificing without being sure your feelings are reciprocated ;) At least it showed Zi Ang did care, at some point, and could forfeit his mission.
I see it that there was an understatement in their relation at first. Both weren't sure the nature of it and let it slowly develop. Which was totally fine. They didn't need grand, flowery speeches of how much one loved the other.

Totally agree with the last paragraph. The second half of the drama was all about it: superficial, romantic-like gestures and love-hate ping-pong to satify the audience. But they'd lost real feelings in that.

Well said on the part Zi Ang bears a lot of traumas on his own. So... What he chose to do proves how weak he is as a person.

Also agreed on "he's possessive, but not intentionally cruel". I didn't say he planned to humiliate Shu He. It just... somehow turned out like this? His possessiveness made him lose his loved one from his eyesight. Not sure if it's clearXD
So maybe in another words: Zi Ang focused on how much HE loves Shu He and how much HE doesn't want - "can't" in his mind actually - lose him and what to do to keep him HERE/CLOSE, that he'd stopped thinking about the prince as a separate, equal human being. Obsession is not love. I won't applaud playing on your beloved one as one wants and calling it great love.

*Altough it's not like this from the beginning. I think his character deteriorated along with the plot.

You're so sweet<3 I finally finished it :D Oh yeah, Mi Jin fits Shu He very well.
The drama has indeed spark my interest, but I've stayed a little critical - I added my impressions in the new comment.
I'll say here (in case that one will get floded) I didn't liked in the second part that Duan Zi Ang treated Shu He like shit, while still saying how much he loves him. And Shu He stating he hates him (but also loves him a little) and the quick changes: in one scene they hate, a few days later they hold hands...
I kinda get the plot point and how they came to becoming enemies, but after those humiliations Shu He should never show any affection to Duan Zi Ang. Nor wait for him you-know-when-and-where.

Finally I've finished! And gave it 6 after all... Not sure if it's still too high😅
First episodes were kinda boring - I couldn't get hooked in it. But it was "bad". And in the middle of 5th ep it became interesting ;) However the last episode I was watching with a little disgust... like, Duan Zi Ang treated him like shit, while Shu He was a prince, an emperor or a king even. So what "love" there possibly could've lasted?
Maybe if there would've been many episodes it would feel different however when it's like this the shifts from hate to love(with hate) were every few days?XD He humiliated Shu He, put him in irons and few days later they hold hands... Come on.

Duan Zi Ang at least had a good one: when he wondered if his every decision he made, was wrong. I screamed: YEEEEEES!!!! dude.

Lemme vocalise the real problem here.
Japan has never acknowledge the atrocities they did in Korea during WWII (as well in China). Never has express remorse, sense of guilt, not to mention any apology. They even dare to reject the existance of sexual slavery system they commited.
The awareness in the society is also very low.

Is a Japanese actor the guilty one here? I'm not so sure. A huge question is do we (and he) know his grandfather commited smth we'd call a war crime? I know it might be hard to prove however him stating he's proud of his grandfather ISN'T automatically praising the atrocities. And there's strong culture of respecting one's ancestors in the region so I can imagine a public dismissal of our own ancestor might've itself lead to criticism. I strongly believe he wouldn't be invited to that programme if he were to said anything else .

But I must say: telling that Japanese are here thanks to the soldiers from that time... is a blatant b*ll*t. You know what? (I'm adressing Fukushi Sota here) There would be many more of you now, as well many wouldn't be suffering from the nukes to these days, if you hadn't started attacking your neighbours (and others too).

O_O So now there's two of us. How can you be European and not heard anything ab Hitler for 18 years?

Read the novel. It was WAAAAAY better😎

Yep, even when I rewatch I tend to skip the first episode or skip most of it XD But then again, after I got hooked into this drama, I regreted not starting it sooner.

Dongfang Qingcang's "sacrificing plan" (before their wedding) was like this: make her stop loving him, so she'll throw Bone Orchid out and leave so even if they lose the war she won't be affected. Xunfang had to take that Bone Orchid and use Chidi's soul to unlock 100 000 soldiers. But he took Xiao Lanhua to those soldiers and gave her Chengqin so she can kill herself.
I know she asked by herself but Xunfang was absolutely aware what his brother thinks ab it and what he wanted to do. Also it looked like he himself has started to respect her. Yet unblinkingly took her to her death and then reported to Dongfang Qingcang he failed to release the soldiers.
Was Xungfang just that bad or did I miss smth?

After rewatching I have one doubt. Spoiler ahead👇🏻

Exactly like Zii3 has said. This behaviour just fits the character. Can't help it. And it get's better with time, the first episodes are the worst regarding that matter.

HOWEVER, it's a really great comedy fairy tale with character's evolutions and interesting side stories. To be honest when I had started this drama for the first time, I dropped it not finishing the first episode 😅 Some time later I tried once more and I loved it! It happens to me from time to time that the first episodes of fantasy Cdramas feel kinda boring and slow, but later they turn out as little gems (not always ofc).
This one might not have the best special effects you've seen and on the other hand have strange head accessories (poor Changheng) but it's def worth watching. I've just rewatched it for the third time 😃 The OST and BGM are also very pleasing.

P.S. Watch out for some subtitles, many available have some💩 like "I have the soul of King Kong" (ep 2)😂 I know Netflix has "Vajra", but it's not like they have the licence for every country...🤷🏻‍♀️

Yeah I've no idea where "7" could emerge from... This movie was outstanding! Everything you've mentioned + the cast itself. What a perfect Sugiki!

What a great, heartwarming drama🩵 I really enjoyed it and highly recommend. Love to see the second season, because it feels unfinished - or maybe it's just me wanting to see more of it😅

Just one thing.... how I wished it wasn't the case of 30 years old guys playing highschoolers💀Don't get me wrong, they're wonderful actors. But we see 16? 17? yo characters, acting like ones but with grown men's physique. It clashed so much esp with Liu Dong Qin.

The plot is pretty flawless. Though it's making me curious why we get brothers-but not-real-brothers trope in every other drama? 😅

Oh and another one, but I might be niggling;) Or just found a poor copy. It's the sound. I enjoy listening to dialogues - and probably Ch-dramas I became picky - and here from time to time screams on the screen where too loud and unpleasant, I had to volume down in general, ending up not hearing most of it.