Fed up with long lasting dramas ? Try this one.
I really didn’t expect enjoying watching this drama. First of all, because most of the actors were unknown to me and I also considered the story development to be superficial : each of the twenty episodes last less than 15 minutes.On first day I watched the 11 first episodes. On day 2, I got frustrated : is the drama already over ? Just like that ? Oh my God, I am already missing the ML.
Of course, it is fast to watch but everything you expect from a good drama is in here : love, hate, jealousy, revenge, twist plots.
Now, FL and ML have not that much chemistry but ML‘s acting is enough to make you dive into the story and make you watch the drama till the end with great pleasure. I'm sure, whether you are a girl or a boy you will fall in love with Li Jiu Lin before the end of episode 10. Wanna bet ?
I really loved ML and FL relationship, you can « feel » their love, or at least you can believe in it. Not just because of the acting but also the filming. Some scenes are sensual but nothing as erotic as what you can see in western films. ML is really good at playing emotionally.
For this kind of production, with clearly no ambition to deliver a piece of art, everything is perfect : settings, costumes, scenes, dialogues, actors and soundtracks. Unexpected twist on episode 12… Almost shocked…. Noooo !
The storyline may be a bit stereotypal, progressing really fast (maybe too fast, with real shortcuts) but who cares when it comes to thrilling entertainment ?
You may not rewatch this drama, but you’ll eventually go and look for shows in which Li Jiu Lin plays.
Not that bad I guess.
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Keeps you on suspense till the end
Maybe, in this drama, the most interesting thing is the chemistry between the actors and how relationships develop. Friendship, love, rivalry, betrayal, patriotism, hidden identities, heroism, undercover agents missions within the Japanese Headquarters : Sparrow is all about these. It’s also about the path you take in life, real love, affection, brotherhood, ambitions and sacrifices to idealism.Adopted from a novel, this drama is very well staged and directed. The casting is just amazing ! How good Li Yi Feng (Sparrow/Chen Shen) and Edward Zhang (Head of Japanese special forces) are together in this brotherhood relationship ! There is great chemistry, you can feel the two character’s deep affection even when they use each other to achieve their ends. I was eager to know how this relationship would end !
Edward Zhang’s acting is really accurate, just as Yin Zheng’s (Su Sancheng). Su Sancheng is very ambitious and clever. He wants to gain power, unfortunately he is also a psycho, the one you would dislike the most in this drama. Well done Yin Zheng, no one can stand your character !
If Sparrow is above all a series on the espionage of the Japanese invaders in Shanghai during the Second World War, it is also about love. I will just mention the two characters in love with Chen Shen. One is his first and only love, Xu Bicheng, the other one is the so-called « buddy » actress Li Xiaonan. I really liked all the moments where Li Yifeng and Kan Qingzi (Li Xiaonan) were on screen, there was such a great chemistry maybe because of the actress skills or her lively character, I don’t know. There was something stronger and more appealing when they were together than when Li Yifeng was with Zhou Dongyu (Xu Bicheng). I really hoped Li Xiaonan won over Xu Bicheng. Her character is so much more interesting and strong than Xu Bicheng’s. To me, she is this drama’s real heroin, protecting Chen Shen all along.
The ten last episodes are really great in actions and suspense… It’s thrilling : I rushed to watch each new episode and was never disappointed. Last two episodes aren’t easy to watch, you may get tensed… fearing a bad end, hoping for a good one !
Released in 2016, Sparrow is a timeless quality series, you will appreciate the characters, the acting, the script , the plots and the sets. A good production, a good show to watch, and re-watch.
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Sifeng, Xuanji is your demon, are you fated to be a cursed, painful and pitiful lover ? Wake up !
"Love and redemption" is definitely a drama worth to be watched, especially for those who love fated masochist love stories and xianxia dramas with happy ending.How nice to reunite in this drama some of the actors of Noble aspirations : especially Cheng Yi and Liu Xueyi. They have matured and give their best in Love and Redemption. I was quite surprised to see how Cheng Yi is terrific in love scenes, high in emotion and sincerity. Liu Xueyi is just gorgeous, so elegant, schemeful and manipulative in such a glamourous way, he doesnt act as a Dijun, he is Dijun ! Just want to add that Peer Zhu is awesome too. I didn't know this actor before but I must say that he plays demon Yuan Lang in a perfect and appealing way !
Many reviewers have already said that this drama is awesome with very good and handsome actors, nice sceneries, costumes, OST and filming. I agree. Others think that this drama can be compared to Ashes of love and TMOPB for its quality and even for some similarities in the storylines. Is it just a pure coincidence if Xuanji parents are played by the same actors who were Jin Mi's parents in Ashes of love ? There are also some common points with Noble aspirations and the unforgetable Guili/Xiaofan.
But once you have said this, you have said nothing ! What is really interesting to underline in Love and Redemption is that the God of War is a woman who has to reincarnate to overcome tribulations in the mortal realm in order to save herself from becoming a demon and being expelled for ever from the heavenly realm. When the story begins, it is her last mortal life and her last chance to succeed her trial (overcoming her murdering pulsions and share real love).
In her last mortal life will she manage to love and trust Yu Sifeng who is so deeply in love with her ? This is what we are expecting and longing for but things get more bad in the drama when Sifeng's real identity is discovered on episode 37.
It was so entertaining to see, in the first episode, how Sifeng meets Xuanji, the very first girl he ever met cause in his sect no women were allowed in. He was so confused that he stuttered for the whole episode ! And of course fell for Xuanji who is naive and natural, lacking 6 of the commun's senses ( including love), not minding touching him with no reserve making him turn on... But those charming moments won't last in the drama and soon enough Sifeng will go through too many painful situations, risking his life and bearing so many sufferings in order to protect Xianji and helping her to recover the senses she never had... maybe all this is too much for us and we just feel bored watching Sifeng repeating the same tortured scenes, nearly dying, or crying being so pitiful in masochist hurting scenes and idealised romantic love ( ie episode 20 Sifeng suffers to death because of the cursed love mask effects; ep 27 Sifeng comes to watch his 9 human lives tribulations and we have to bear this with him). To me, if love brings you more pain than happiness, it's not worth it or at least you can't call it love but rather submission to obsession.
Though, this drama has so many beautiful and touching love scenes so well performed and staged. Sifeng and Xuanji are so sincere in expressing love feelings. Sifeng shows so much tenderness and love that you can only be moved by the actor's skills. I have to admit that you have in this drama some of the best love scenes and sweet moments of chinese drama ( for intance episode 15 when Xuanji takes off Sifeng's cursed love mask; ep 28 when Xuanji confesses her love, she knows now what love feelings are and is aware that Sifeng is the one she loves ; ep 30 tremendous episode with high, intense and deep emotions; ep 52 so passionate with a french kiss, so unusual in chinese dramas).
Unusual too the happy ending, well done Sifeng !
I will definitely rewatch this drama not only for Sifeng and Xuanji beautiful interactions but also for those others very interesting characters who bring so much to the drama : Hao Chen, Yuan Lang, Wu Tong, Liu Yihuan and Teng She. No female character ? Come on ! Ok, let's say Sifeng's spiritual pet !
Sure you will enjoy this drama ! I hope you will love most of the actors too !
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Ming dynasty or the story of mad emperors...
With this historical drama we don't know exactly when the storyline sticks to real facts and when it doesn't. We get poor psychological developments and emperors are finally shown in their ordinary madness or worst scheming sides.Costumes are great, sceneries too. Epic war actions are quite very well depicted and give this drama real great moments. There are also poetic and beautiful scenes.
But finally my feeeling is that this drama could have been so much better ! The first part has funny moments but maybe because of my cultural gap I didn't understand the interest in bringing no relevant comedy scenes to this drama. Those scenes were rather boring and slowed the story progression . The second part of the drama is complety the opposite, quite serious and tragical.
The soundtrack is really really good and brings intensity to this drama.
Lead actors are terrific. Zhu Ya Wen (Zhu Zhan Ji) is amazing. I didn't know this actor before and he really deserves a best actor award ! I love the way he plays and give strenghth to his character : dumb, submissive and
caring as the imperial's grandson, smart, assertive and brave as a royal investigator and finally fearless as a warrior and rather mad as an Emperor. What an interesting character he is ! One can only regret not seeing him in more love scenes with Sun Ruowei. With such a talented actor it's a real pity not having given him more sensivitive and emotial love lines.
I also loved Rebecca Tang, she is so charismatic but her character (Sun Ruowei) is just unrealistic. I really didn't understand her psychology. As Empress Dowager she is just amazing with a perfect acting. Sun Ruowei is this drama's main character but she is too much idealized as a female strong historical persona. Compred to her, Ming's Emperors seem all to be mad, unhappy and finally rather ill fated.
Overall, this drama has very good moments. It's worth to be watched by all historical drama lovers.
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Oh my god, everything that happened was so expected ! So many clichés ! Tong Da Wei was charming but playing such a fool character ! Was there a single smart character in here ? I don't think so. A bunch of loosers and sick people who are so far away from reality and without any consistance. I recommand episode 30 where a marriage proposal's scene was such a waste although the actors were just beautiful and emotional ! What was the screenwriter's intention ? It was so ridiculous !
What about Wang Yibo ? He was 19 when he shot this drama and he actually shows great acting potential. If you are a Wang Yibo's fan, watch this, you will see him dance, roller-skate, drive a Ferrari, ride a motorcycle and even sing ! He even plays a model and an idol (such a piece of cake) ! And he will also cry (real tears please !) and kiss a girl... Honestly his acting is good but his character is just a nonsens.
The whole casting was rather excellent and saves this drama which really deals with love but in the worst way. If you want to watch a thrilling love story with unforgettable moments and lines, you'd better pass your way.
If you want to see how good actors can save a drama you can give it a try !
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Fated love... even after
This drama starts slowly being not convincing at all till Mu Qingge’s death. Su Yishui (ML) takes the oath to bring her back to life even if the sky were to fall (very beginning of ep. 6). From that moment on, the drama gets interesting and well structured with fewer flaws. Ran Ran (FL) is a lovely and lively character, Su Yishui wants to protect her at all costs and try to be a good Master even though he is the demon’s child and has to sacrifice his life just like Mu Qingge sacrified hers to save him. So, can we really expect much from this ? Certainly : many twists and turns till last episode !KEY POINTS
- Good characters, nice casting, good actors
- VFX aren’t the best I have seen
- The sound track is terrific
- The two last episodes could have been just one, battle scenes last too long
- Demons are too stereotypical
- Real fantasy from episode 16 onwards
- ML is great, heart touching and handsome BUT Su Yishui's versatility can be annoying (good guy/bad guy, strong /weak, in love/indifferent...)
- Episode 26 puts us under pressure when we get to fully understand Yu Su’s character and plans. A drama that can surprise us is quite rare...
- Very nice and sweet moments to watch and rewatch
- Also tense moments that make you realize how cruel life can be (unrequested love). So, yes this drama deals with love, from the best to the worst moments. All those « love » scenes are really well written and staged. You can feel love, hate and broken hearts : valuable moments where you feel and share the emotions of the characters.
All in all, a good drama to enjoy.
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This review may contain spoilers
The height of romanticism with happy ending
Three things I hate the most in dramas : 1. when you are told that you are in a novel and you happen to see parts of the writer’s life instead of focusing on the main story ; 2. when the female lead has modern values (like romantic love, freedom, equality between men and women) while the story takes place in remote times where women were considered as one commodity to serve their "owner ; 3. when there are too many historical nonsens.Well, then I should have dropped this drama, but I didn’t. Partly because of the actors and the story itself, partly because of the staging, sets and dialogue’s quality. It’s quite easy to become a fan of the show if you are a girl. You want to know what will happen to Dong Ge, Jurchen’s most beautiful woman, the one everyone wants to marry ! The one who doesn’t want to marry ! It may sound boring but surprisingly it isn’t. The twists of the story as well as the chemistry between the main characters (Dong Ge and Hong Taiji) keep us in suspense and it is a pleasure to watch many particularly moving and sweet scenes.
This is a romantic story, both Dong Ge et Hong Taiji want to feel and share the same kind of love. Both are waiting for their « one and only ». Sometimes, it is too much ! To me, Hong Taiji is an awesome romantic character. I don’t want to spoil anything but he saves her many times, even from her own death….
Dong Ge and Hong Taiji are cousins. She is older than him (7 or 8 years older) and sees him like a child. When Hong Taiji,s mother dies, she makes them promise to look after each other and support each other. They have a special bond that will gradually turn into love. Episode 19, their first kiss :
« Dong Ge : It can’t be…
Hong Taiji : What’s wrong ?
DG You are Nurhaci’son !
HT : So is Daisan !
DG : it’s not the same ! You are my aunt’s son. I promised her to take care of you !
HT : But, you are !
DG : No, no ! This is not right ! I am much older than you ! Besides I am also… Anyway, Hong Taiji, it’s impossible for us to be together !
HT : Dong Ge, to me nothing is impossible ! It’s only impossible for me to loose you. »
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Romantic everlasting loves
This drama is all about love. You take it or you leave it. Dylan Wang's imposing acting makes the difference.I came to this drama after watching "Love between fairy and devil" I was quite impressed with Dylan Wang's charisma and amazing acting. There are many similarities between the two dramas but the main difference stands in the interest of the stories themselves. In "Miss the dragon" you will soon find out that what matters the most is the relationships between main characters not the storyline itself. So you may get a little bit bored and frustrated asking : where is this drama leading me ? We have really beautiful and quality scenes but will the plot get more interesting ? What do the screenwriters aim to ? Why are they focusing on relationships rather than the plot development ? Everything is just a pretext to watch main leads characters live their love surrounded by wonderful and fairylike landscapes. It's all very romantic and beautiful. That's it.
If you don't believe in everlasting love and get bored with a man's devotion and protection, this drama is certainly not for you. 4 lives and 4 deaths for the mortal girl and always the same everlasting romantic love. When the story finally comes to an end with the real plot development it becomes really goood. Episode 34 is maybe the best one. Last episode is really great too. In the firts episodes, it was really funny to make immortal Dragon King try to understand humans and behave like them. He doesn't know how to repay Liu Ying's kindness. He reads human books such as "the legend of white snake" and try to act just like it is said in the book ! How funny that was !
This show is beautiful for the eyes but lacks intense happenings. The plot is dragging too much so it's hard to rate this drama too highly. 8 is a good compromise to congatulate the actors, the Director and pointing out the great soundtrack !
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A love story so enjoyable to watch !
No need to say too much, this is kind of modern cinderella love story : no chance this is to happen in real life !So enjoyable to watch, every girl would like to have such a handsome boyfriend even though he seems not to know that a girl is not just an object or a toy you can control as you like ! The guy is a jerk but he finally tuns out to be so considerate... I didn't like him that much at the beginning, but I just loved the couple relationship.
Very nice actor's chemistry and many everlasting hot kisses make you share and feel their love ! I was just thrilled and hooked on this couple.
I enjoyed this K-drama very much. Please yourself and watch it !
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Ethan Juan is just hilarious
Woaw ! This comedy is just brilliant. I laughed all way through and loved all the characters but Anna. Among all the very funny scenes and crazy ones, there is also a big tragic event that is very much unexpected. Maybe the very last episodes are a bit draggy and don't bring any better value to the storyline but still I enjoyed watching them for their crazy moments.The actors were all very funny. Ethan Juan was so hilarious : just watching to his facetious cute and silly expressions makes you burst into hysterical laughs. Episode 18 is a real comedy master piece !
Great show, only Baron Chen's hairstyle disappointed me !
Filmed on 2008, this very good entertainment hasn't aged at all. It's a real 'must watch' comedy.
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In this spy drama the enemy is the japonese invader. The action takes place in Shanghai during World War 2. This gives good opportunity for spying actions and double agents purposes. The historical background is very important here cause the disguiser, Ming Lou (Jin Dong) has 3 different identities : he is officially part of the pro-japonese Shangai's government, undercovered Shangai's KTW ( kind of Chinese CIA) leader (code name Viper) and hidden leader of Shangai communist underground forces (code name Cobra). This character is of course mature, mastermind with great understanding and capabilities. He is playing a chess party and every piece of it should be sacrified if there is no other way.. He belongs to the wealthy Ming's family directed by Ming Jing (Liu Min Tao), the authoritarian Old Sister (hidden communist). The 2 siblings also have an adopted little brother they raised up since he was 3 or 4 years old, Ming Tai (Hu Ge). He is spoiled up a lot cause he is more treated as a precious son rather than a brother. Ming's family members have very strong and deep loving bonds and feelings and this is quite important for the whole plot and actions and psychological issues. At the beginning of the drama, Ming Tai is a student and gets kidnapped and trained in the army to become a brilliant KTW spy. Once he becomes a spy in Shangai, the real plot starts and it's just amazing.
I won't say more about the story but it is brilliant and will take your breath away.... I loved Ming Lou character who is perfectly performed, high in emotion and in turmoil but also cold and mastermind when needed. Hu Ge is also great playing a 20 years old guy but he was actually 32 when filming this.... so it 's a bit weird ! All actors where so good in this drama and I especially loved Song Yi who was really gorgeous in Yu Man Li's character. While watching this show, you will laugh, you will be thrilled and may shed a tear...
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The storyline is based on a videogame where main characters join together to kill Boss monsters and take from them energy pills ! So this isn't enough to make a 50 episodes drama... you'll get then many secondary stories .... The main story is progressing too slowly and is spoiled by too many characters who don't even give any better value to the show. We are eager to know more about the main characters and their ineractions. Over all, many hilarious scenes make us enjoy this drama. I recall episode 19 which made me laugh to death ! The different love stories of this drama make us feel frustrated. Don't expect to find in here intense emotional love story, there isn't even one single kiss !
Of course, main character Baili Tusu (Li Yi Feng) is quite interesting and you really want to know whether he will get rid of his evil aura and if he will finally share Qing Xue (Yang Mi)'s love feelings. You will also be quite interested in discovering Ouyang Shao Gong's wherabouts and obsession to revive his lost beloved wife. Is he really a friend to Baili Tusu ? Honestly, actor Qiao Zhen Yu gives mystery, charm and genuineness to Shao Gong,
Most of all, acting is the very good point of this drama. Li Yi Feng is impressive and handsome as he always is and Qiao Zhen Yu just outstanding ! Support roles actors are currently well known chinese actors, some of them were at their early beginnings ( Zheng Ye Cheng, William Chan, Vengo Gao, Leon Zhang...) so this make this drama a must watch one ! Ray Ma is very funny, playing a spoiled young man in love with a young fox demon girl... I think Yang Mi's and Dilraba Dilmurat's ways of acting are much more interesting in this drama than in their recent ones.
Finally, I enjoyed watching this drama, the 10 last episodes are really thrilling, lively, and really entertaining !
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Immortal Samasra or how to get disgusted with Xianxia Cdrama
After watching Part 1, I couldn't write a review. I really didn't know what to say, the show was far away from my expectations. I couldn't say the storyline was bad it wasn't but it wasn't good either. How could I agree with the fact that love between immortals was forbidden ? This sounded really silly to me. How could deity who are supposed to be a billion times more clever and wiser than humans could forbid the more valuable thing in the world ? How could such an evil law have been established in Heavenly Realm ? That was absolute nonsense to me !So, of course forbidden love will be there and you'll have to pay for it !
As always, to redeem yourself there is the mortal realm. But you have to cross the river of forgetfulness. For Yandan (Yang Zi) it will take 800 years, her spirit was about to burst into ashes for she couldn't forget her loved one Yingyuan (Cheng Yi). It was terrible to watch her unable to cross the river... Finally Yingyuan will help her and will punish himself. To save his own life, he will have to live as a mortal and find 4 artefacts to heal his heart and not perish for ever. That's when part 2 begins.
I really hoped Part 2 would be better than Part 1, but it wasn't. Too many plots, too many flaws and interactions between Heavenly realm and mortal realm when they are not supposed to be. A nonsense again ! The storyline went on more and more messy with our two lovers more and more disappointing us. Few love scenes, I love you, I don't love you, I love you, I can't love you, I forgive you, I can't forgive you, I love you, I die for you, You can't, I can... Oh my God ! Why is it like this ? Why is it all so boring ? No consistance in this love, only sufferings. Why do we always have this kind of actions ? Why love shoud be painful with misunderstandings and grudges ?
More terrible than the uninteresting storyline is the fact that the actors themselves were jsut boring ! Yang Zi is Yang Zi : always the same facial expressions, always the same kind of xianxia's character. She was more fresh in Ashes of love, for sure. Cheng Yi is just the puppet of himself in here, or shall I say a shadow. In Love and redemption, he was so much into his character, but in here he seems tired, I didn't sense any sincerity. His facial expressions were just a mask he put on, always the same mask. How boring ! How disgusting !
Can producers and directors give him a chance to play real different characters, some comedy where we can laugh with him, where we can laugh because of him ?
This show was really not enjoyable. It's a waste of time watching it. The end is ridiculous. Part 2 is not good at all.
If you want to enjoy yourself in a Xianxian Cdrama, you can watch Love between fairy and devil, full of love and nice moments (best 2022 cdrama for me until now).
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