Saffy88

Not sure that they need to have a super expensive platform for international viewers. When Rebel Princess was first showing China Zone had a subscription only advance release using their youtube platform..........it does mean however that youku has to get its translation done properly and on time. So that's probably where more investment should go to - more and better translators. And yes they are indeed doing a better job than Mango TV which either doesn't sub for a long time or subs atrociously, to the point of LMAO. It's quite likely that WOH will be picked up either by Netflix and/or Amazon Prime - don't know how that process works but youku should maybe try selling the rights to them sooner rather than later. I remember when Longest Day in Chang'an was on air, Amazon was also totally up-to-date with the episodes, and definitely faster than viki at that time.

Yes, I also read the post that they had no budget for fake rain although apparently they were using some fake rain and then the weather obliged with some real rain as well...........but honestly it just goes to show you don't need a big budget to have a hit when you have a well-written script and great actors who can pull it off.

ZZH today, tomorrow, always.......

The subbed ep 9 has not come out yet - we are all waiting for Monday when the next episode (9) is released. The schedule is 1 episode per day Mon-Thurs and then only 3 episodes a week from March 15 (ugh). In the meantime, I'm reading the translated novel...............

Apparently it may be cos they've kept it really low-profile pre-release and even now not promoting it too much. If they did, it would probably be subject to more heavy-handed censorship. Fingers crossed authorities don't try to step in when they suss what a hit it has become and the buzz it's generated.

Yes I read that too. Currently it's at 8.6 on douban

Don't mind paying as long as they release every day.............they've turned us into desperate junkies!

No more subbed episodes till Monday.......agonizing wait - and apparently they're going to cut that down to 3 episodes a week only from March 15 -yikes! Patience is a virtue, patience is a virtue..........if one repeats that often enough, perhaps one will believe it LOL!

Totally agree. I'm just surprised so many people are only zeroing in on the romance they expected and wanting a monogamous romantic story when in fact that romantic ideal was totally alien to traditional Chinese culture - instead of appreciating the storyline. Possibly people are looking for a repeat of Under the Power where Seven Tan was running around freely as a constable fighting and bickering with Allen Ren in the Ming Dynasty. But I like this storyline too cos we get to see the other side and probably the more common fate of women in the Ming Dynasty. Wallace Chung's character is also uncommon - he does not like the fawning ways of the harem and every move they make to gain his favour merely deepens his disdain and makes him more distant. And he also dares to support his wife in the face of the favourtism showed by his mother for Qiao when probably most men would just back off and leave those "women" matters alone. Am looking forward to more episodes.....

Yes, Shiyi is described as being too independent and strong-minded by her father's legal wife. She's got her own opinions; she knows what she wants to accomplish - which is to find her mother's murderer and run away, which is why she's worried about getting pregnant :) - and she has the means to support herself if she's allowed to do so by society. Every time I watch one of these dramas I always think how sad it was to be a woman then - they had nowhere to channel their energy and their world was so narrow. All they were left with was jockeying for position in the harem. Imagine if they had channeled that energy into running a business or government instead..........

No women's rights in those days. Only benighted neo-confucianism aka keep the woman oppressed. Wives and concubines were not even their own persons - they "belonged" in all senses of the word to the man.

Yes, Episode 6 is brilliant! Ayyy, only one subbed episode a day......

It's all about the woman's reputation. If people discover that she was lost for one night outside her house or her relatives' house than they can imply that she was molested/raped and lost her "virtue". This is the ridiculousness of a patriarchal/male dominated system. We see it continuing even today where female victims are usually blamed for getting themselves raped etc (palm face emoji here).

Totally agree. I still haven't been able to watch The Untamed till the end - I keep losing interest even though I like Xiao Chan and Wang Yibo in other dramas like The Wolf and Legend of Fei. But I am currently hooked on Word of Honor. Love the fighting scenes where the 2 MLs mirror each other's moves. ZZH is playing a far more unrestrained character than in Ruyi Pavillion or Legend of Yunxi and it's an absolute pleasure to watch that. Simon Gong also surprises - I keep trying to reconcile him here with how he played the 11th Prince in Lost Love in Times and it's amazing to see his versatile acting skills. And the flirtation keeps getting better each episode........wah episode 6!

Approaching Chinese historical dramas with a modern mindset can be upsetting - but as so many have pointed out in the comments, the plot is historically accurate. Not so long ago, in my grandfather's day in fact, those who could afford it still had 2/3 or more wives in the overseas Chinese communities in Singapore/Malaysia/Indonesia. I had 2 grandmothers on one side - no one thought it was strange at all, and everyone got along. Also this is not the first Chinese period drama to show a typical traditional Chinese household. I'm watching it cos of Seven Tan and I want to see how her character's gonna handle the other biatches in the household while looking for her mother's murderer. She doesn't expect any romance from her marriage - it's us modern people looking for modern concepts in Chinese historical dramas.............watch it to enjoy seeing how the FL survives/thrives or go and watch other things like Word of Honor or My Heroic Husband or A Girl Like Me for romance/feminist/LGBT elements - there're so many interesting dramas currently airing/just ended.

If you're looking for strong smart FLs can check out: The Legends, Miss Truth, Maiden Holmes, Romance of Tiger and Rose, Jiu Liu Overlord

Totally agree - it's absolutely brilliant up to this point. Zhang Zi Yi really shines. Hoping it will live up to its promise of becoming one of the best c-dramas of all time.

Approached this with hesitation as Alan Yu has been super stiff in the last few period dramas he was in. He still moves around like a stiff in this one but at least shows some sign of life every now and then. Don't know if the director isn't giving him enough direction or when he is told to be aloof he goes into "stiff" overdrive. After all he wasn't that bad in Eternal Love. Merxat and Fair Xing's characters are however rather endearing and entertaining and saving the drama at the moment. Am wondering why/how the FL eventually ends up with first ML instead of second ML as she's currently bonding much better with no 2.

Agree with you - this was one of those dramas that opened quite promisingly with a smart and funny FL and then peters out with a whimper from the middle onwards. In the novel JLY is even worse - he doesn't even have the excuse of being poisoned, instead he's just a spoiled prince used to getting his own way and doesn't know how to express his feelings for FW except through picking on her, bullying her and essentially driving her up the wall. - anyway at least she gets to slap him around a bit for all the angst he puts her through. However, in the novel, at least up to where I've read, she doesn't have this problem of having to go back from whence she came and her main focus is to survive the many attempts by the Zuo clan to wipe her and her immediate family out. And yes, YMY is definitely the worthier suitor, even in the novel he's way nicer to FW than the bratty JLY.

This drama just keeps getting better and better. The rivalry between JLY and YMY is hilarious. Meanwhile Feng Wu continues to impress with tricks up her sleeve. Now wondering what the Empress and the leader of the Darknight Court's back stories are.