SecondBreakfast

Let’s start with the story. I feel like there does seem to be an influx of revenge-seeking, my entire family got wiped out backstories recently. Even with the high amount of such cdramas, Zang Hai still manages to stand out due to its plot complexity and various twists and turns. At first, I thought this drama was just going to be another everyone’s dumb but me type of situation, but it really wasn’t. Zang Hai was pushed onto the battlefield before he was completely ready, which made the story all the more interesting and realistic. I would also like to credit the uniqueness of each character within the story. All of the bad guys have their own strengths and weaknesses. Each one is harder to beat than the next. This helps highlight Zang Hai’s growth and progression to the top. Sometimes, I even found myself sympathizing or understanding the struggles of the bad guys, such as Duke Ping Jin. The bad people in this cdrama aren’t purely evil because they want to be. There is a lot more complexity and it doesn’t seem as superficial. As the cdrama progresses, you are really able to see a lot of the back and forth and character growth of Zang Hai. One thing I wasn’t really sold on was the entire cause of Zang Hai’s suffering, a mythical object that creates zombie-esc and unbeatable warriors. It was surprising that a historical cdrama would center its story around something so wuxia or xianxia coded. To me it doesn’t feel like it fits in with the setting and historical aspect of the story. Maybe they could have used something else as the center of the story and not some magical tool. Additionally, I really hoped Zhao Bing Wen would have a more cruel ending rather than just getting scared to death. It really wasn’t fitting for such a mastermind evil person like him. It wasn’t very satisfying but oh well.

You definitely can’t watch the Legend of Zang Hai without noticing the skill behind the acting. Xiao Zhan is really solidifying his status as one of the best male actors of his generation (IMO). I think he’s really been working and fine tuning his acting skills, and it has really shown in his depiction of Zang Hai. There’s a lot of levels to his character, and I think he explores them very well, such as the back and forth between seeking revenge or just trying to live a peaceful life with the people he cares about. You can see the internal struggle and survivor’s guilt that he grapples with. The other actors are all superb. For me the MVPs would be Master Gao Ming or Duke Ping Jing. They, just like Xiao Zhan, do an EXCELLENT job of really bringing their characters to life and portraying their realistic emotional turmoil. His master struggles with leading Zang Hai while hiding the truth from him, while Duke Ping Jin tries to keep his many enemies at bay while still protecting his family. It was really great to see so many talented actors in one spot. I have to say Zhang Jing Yi really didn’t do it for me in this cdrama, but I do think that has to do with how this drama was more of a male-lead centered on.

I also wanted to point out the cinematography of this cdrama. The director does a really good job of showing Zang Hai’s inner sneakiness and his exterior confidence and nonchalance. In this scene, the director uses this light and dark dichotomy to portray the innocence of Zang Hai against the evilness of Zhao Bing Wen. Also the only scene where I cried was when Master Gao Ming died. The way he slowly walked away from Zang Hai while slowly deteriorating. Zang Hai’s desperation as he realizes what his Master is doing. And then the way Master Gao Ming kneels on the ground and waves behind him to Zang Hai. CINEMA. I was sobbing. Master Gao Ming deserves better– end of story.

I know there’s elements of romance in this cdrama, but like I said I really was not feeling a ton of chemistry between Zang Hai and Xiang An Tu. I get that, yes, they did have some sizzling tension at the beginning, but IDK why I just wasn’t really sold on their relationship. I feel like Zang Hai was more intent on seeking out revenge and that should’ve been the entire focus of the story. I would’ve been fine without a romantic subplot entirely. I also wished Master Gao Ming and Liu Chu’s story would have been developed a little more. They’re literally so cute, and their chemistry is more than Zang Hai and Xiang An Tu’s. I needed to know more about Liu Chu’s backstory 😩.

Anyways, I would give Zang Hai a solid like 8-8.5/10. Really good story. I encourage everyone to take a look and appreciate a really really solid historical cdrama!