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Sword Snow Stride - worth the watch!
I just finished the series and have to say, wow, I was pleasantly surprised. At first I thought this would be a hardcore wuxia series packed with action and fierce martial art techniques because of the title. However, it involves more intellect and wit.If you're looking for complex/amazing action scenes or romance, this may not be the drama for you. However, I highly recommend it to those who enjoy seeing intelligent characters outsmarting each other with their tactics. The plot was a slow burn, but was well written for the most part (minus some of the action scenes, which relied a lot on special effects). I was in awe with how intelligent and witty the characters were - smart yet quirky. The highlights of the drama definitely include the tactics, loyalty of the people in Beiliang, brotherhood and family. I personally think they did a good job with the cast - they suited their roles and had great chemistry.
Although it's only season 1, they wrapped it up nicely without leaving a terrible cliffhanger. Not sure if/when they'll film the subsequent seasons but hopefully soon with the same main cast (please don't change any of them)!!!
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This review may contain spoilers
A truly happily ever after
This drama was a nice and engaging series that touches on complex family dynamics/drama and politics. It was a slow burn type of story, but wasn’t one that dragged on due to the steady flow of events. I really appreciated the way the main leads were written - they were both extremely bright and talented and made the perfect team. Through supporting each other when no one had their backs, you get to see their relationship blossom into love with a strong foundation of trust and respect.Highlights:
- The acting by the main leads especially the ML and 2ML, they were so good and natural. I became a fan of Ci Sha who played Lu Jia Xue, the change between his his micro expressions was done really well. He really pulled off the obsessive and slightly unhinged character.
- The bond between the family members was touching, whether it was between Yining and her grandma or her father. I love Yining’s dad, he was so funny and endearing. His facial expressions aware on point.
- Action scenes - It’s a shame we didn’t get many of these but the ones that were shown really impressed me (especially ep 6 when the two MLs fought).
The lows:
- I feel the 2ML was under utilized as he was just a romantic plot device, which is a shame because he had so much potential. He is supposed to be a formidable character but we didn’t get to see much of the complex scheming or political intrigue. I didn’t understand Yining’s attitude towards him a lot of the time, it seemed a bit out of character for her. I get how she would be traumatized but knowing her curious and logical personality, you would expect that she would at least hear him out to clear up the past before moving on. She always ran away so there was never real closure which they both needed. Even at the part when he died. As crazy as he was, I pitied him because of that.
- The filler scenes (including the very long wedding episode). Even though it was nicely paced for the most part, I still think they could have condensed some things or used that time for the plot (ie more political intrigue)
- The perfect ending. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to have a HE for once especially after seeing what the main leads had to go through. But it was a bit too perfect for the some members of the Lou family (looking at you papa Luo). Considering everything that happened, it was a bit odd seeing everything living so harmoniously.
I knew I would enjoy this one after watching the trailers, probably because we get to see Zhang Wan Yi playing a role similar to that in Lost You Forever (I was a fan of huge him there). However, unlike in LYF, he gets a perfect ending here. I also got to meet some new actors through this series. Overall, a nice easy watch. I recommend.
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Finding the light in darkness
This is a story about a Dragon King who was cruelly betrayed and dismembered by his love and a girl who was expelled from her cultivation sect. Unknown to them, their fates have been intertwined from long ago. Their fateful meeting leads them on a journey searching for his lost body parts, while maintaining the light in a world that has been clouded by evil and darkness.Highlights:
- The main leads: I watched this drama mainly because of HMH and ZY. They literally look like they walked straight out of a manhua with beautiful aesthetics and chemistry. Those who are like me may find themselves shipping the two like Bai Xiao Sheng (haha). The actors were perfect for their roles, and the characters they portrayed were endearing. Among the many xian xia's I've watched, Yan Hui is one of the few female leads I admire - for her courage, compassion, and for being true to herself from the beginning to end. It was refreshing to see a female lead who plays the protector. The development and love story between the two was what kept me engaged in the series. I appreciated the more 'mature' relationship illustrated by Yan Hui and Tian Yao, especially with the way they navigated the trauma Tian Yao carried. They were each other's pillars of strength in their most vulnerable moments. Their relationship is a great example of how two people can bring out the best in each other. I hope to see HMH and ZY in another series one day!
- The OST: This drama had a solid soundtrack. You just CANNOT go wrong with Zhou Shen and Liu Yu Ning. I also really liked HMH's OST, he has a beautiful voice.
- The themes and lessons in the story: This drama touches on how each person has both light and darkness in their hearts, and which parts we nurture is ultimately our choice. We get to see this theme illustrated through each character's journey, as well as, through their relationships with others. It was touching and meaningful.
The 'meh':
- The storyline: As much as I love the main leads and their love story, the plot was not anything unique. The plot fillers, cheesy scenes, and flashbacks were sometimes a little too much. Some parts felt draggy and uneventful. After reading snippets of the novel, I can see why some people commented that they had watered down the characters and the storyline. It's unfortunate because I would love to see the darker and more complex story come to life, but can understand the limitations due to censorship and other reasons (simplified for the viewing experience). However, I did not want to be too nit picky this time around because I watched it mainly because of the actors - just to have a simple 'easy' watch. If you don't focus on the details and just come for the love story between the leads, then it is still enjoyable.
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Act from your heart
I want to preface by saying that I came to this drama without any knowledge of the novels or the sequel, TBOY. This drama illustrates the main message of acting from/following your heart, and we see that through BLDJ's journey. Here is a summary of my thoughts.The highlights:
- Amazing CGI effects (this must've been a high budget series), great aesthetics, and enough eye candies to keep you distracted
- The OSTs are probably one of my favourite things about this series, I've literally had them on repeat (nice to know that one was a solo track by Neo Hou and another by 5 of the main cast)
- The bromance and friendship between BLDJ and YDZ was just so touching and the anchor of the show. It was beautiful because their bond never faded even with time and distance. BLDJ was the one person who trusted and believed in YDZ until the very end (even when YDZ's love of his life, YWJ, didn't have enough faith in him and their relationship). It was tragic because you always think of what could've been if YDZ never lost his family and the two friends could grow up together
- The bromance between BLDJ and all of his seniors and SKCF was also great - their quirks and antics kept me going. I wish they fleshed out some of the characters more and their background story. I would totally enjoy side stories for each of them. I didn't have a hard time remembering all of them (there were SO many characters in this series) because they all had their own unique traits.
- I think everyone can agree that BLDJ's shifu NGCS is a fan favourite for a good reason - loved him. I can see the actor getting many love calls after this series
- The last 10 eps with the more engaging events of political strife and buildup
The lows
- As good as the CGI effects were, they were also overkill. Considering that this is supposed to be a wuxia series where the everyone is constantly emphasizing their passion for martial arts in almost every episode, the action scenes fell flat. There were barely any scenes with actual martial arts choreography. It was 95% talk and most scenes would end before they could even begin. The way they would name their moves was very cheesy at times.
- The timelines and convoluted series of events
- The romance. I didn't feel any sparks for the main couples - even between BLDJ and YY (who had more scenes together compared to YDZ and YWJ) felt lukewarm. They could've done without the romance or even glossed over it since there was a lack of foundation and proper development (especially between YDZ and YWJ).
- The female leads. I like YY's character and the actress conveyed her elegance very well, but I question the importance of her role. White YWJ was a plot device/catalyst of the main events, YY was diminished to just being BLDJ's companion for majority of the series
Overall, the drama would have done better if they had fleshed out some of the main characters, relationships and main events more. If you don't focus too much on the details, you can still enjoy the series.
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Beautiful love story - 2 amazing leads
I usually avoid XianXia genres because they always follow the same type of storyline. While Immortal Samsara was no different in terms of depicting a love transcending different lifetimes and all the emotional angst, Yang Zi and Cheng Yi really carried the show with their acting and chemistry. I loved that they played characters that can stand on their own (both are equally intelligent and talented), and are unstoppable as a team. I appreciate that the characters remained consistent from beginning to end, with some growth and development. There was no damsel in distress or weird shifts in characterization midway through the series.This drama definitely had its flaws. There was choppy editing and too much focus on the side characters (and their love stories). They could have used that time to focus no the main couple and plot.
Overall, I enjoyed the series (had a good laugh too at times). A beautiful love story between YingYuan and YanDan!
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