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A muddled missed opportunity
My, where to begin?With better direction, this drama probably could have been more watchable - there appears to be at times a certain lack of attention made to guiding the performances and to creating a sense of a cohesive work of art.
But the real problem lies with the script. It tries to combine various elements that are common in idol period dramas these days but not always with good storytelling results. As a rebirth drama, not enough time is spent on establishing the "previous life" upfront. One spends most of the drama simply not understanding Jiang Si's relationship to Yu Jin or why we should care about Nanwu. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed the drama's first half - when the story focuses on the domestic struggles of our female lead. Seeing her save her father, brother and sister from the previous fates was somewhat satisfying and had some emotional weight. But by the second half, as the semi-political plot takes hold, everything is a bit of a mess. The villainous mother-daughter duo of Grand Princess and her whiny Mingyue simply are not well-developed enough to carry my attention, and the rebellion plot was wildly unrealistic.
As a romance story, this too could have worked for me better with a director experienced enough in helping the actors to shape their performances for the better. Jing Tian and Zhang Wanyi are both capable of delivering far more layered and convincing performances, so it is truly baffling and frustrating to me what happened in this show. With so many other period dramas out there, I would probably skip this one unless one is an uber fan of any of the cast.
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There is a running theme about putting on a show in this drama, and for much of the first half, it is certainly an entertaining one. Xue Fangfei is cruelly betrayed by her husband Shen Yurong, who buries her alive at the behest of psychotic Princess Wanning. From there, we follow Fangfei as she is rescued by the noble Jiang Li, who faces an unjust, untimely death and whose identity Fangfei assumes on her quest for revenge for the both of them. Along the way, she crosses paths with the powerful and intimidating Xiao Heng, who is on his own mission to clear the imperial court of corrupt officials and to seek justice for his father's wrongful death.This drama has a lot of similar beats and characteristics as The Story of Kunning Palace, and had I watched this one first, I may have rated it higher. Unfortunately, it is too much of the same thing and nothing much profound is developed. Expect a lot of juicy plot and not much on the side of multi-dimensional characters or logical world building. The problem for me with these types of dramas is that without spending the time to build a story, themes and characters, the end product tends to fall flat at the climax because it is ultimately "just a show" without much substance. For example, the final conflict with Prince Cheng feels unearned. More build up with his character and his collusion with the other antagonists (Shen Yurong and Wanning had so much more potential for something truly interesting) may have helped to make that storyline work.
At the end of the day, it was still an entertaining watch, especially if you are in the need to see the good guys win and trounce all the evil guys and gals out there.
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If you like modern workplace dramas with strong female characters, this is worth checking out.
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If I were more of a stickler for historical facts in my dramas, I probably would have rated this much lower as this drama takes quite a bit of artistic license with historical figures of the Ming dynasty. As a drama of itself, I found it quite entertaining and moving in parts with a terrific, experienced cast and overall great production values.The first 2/3 of this drama is pretty near perfect for me - the story and character arcs make sense. The last 1/3 (after Zhu Zhanji dies) is a bit of a mess - I've nearly blocked out all of it in rating this drama. The ending nearly obliterates the journey Zhu Zhanji and Sun Ruowei take together, and the head-scratching ending with the background music out of nowhere just seems like a weird fan MV to me.
In my mind, this could have been split into 2 dramas and would have worked better for each story being told (the first part being Ruowei and Zhanji's story and second being Ruowei and her son's story). In any case, if you are a fan of historical dramas, this is worth checking out (at least the first 2/3).
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The power of love
My fondness for the Ancient Love Poetry universe led me to this drama. While it is far from the worst Chinese drama that I have watched, it is the weakest of the 3 dramas (so far) set in this world in my opinion. The incredible world building and themes established in the original Ancient Love Poetry drama are not developed here in a deeper way. Characters are mostly archetypal sketches, and the full length of 40 episodes somehow works against the storytelling, making it feel a bit overstretched by the end.Still, there are moments here and there to be enjoyed. Personal highlights include when Bai Shuo's Dad sacrifices himself in the beginning, Tian Huo's story, and Bai Xi/Fu Ling's story. The drama's take on the timeless theme that love is the most powerful and enduring force in the universe still brings out a sense of hope and sincerity by the end of the story. But maybe it's my age speaking; having been around for a while, it will take something more than this type of drama to truly captivate me for 40 episodes.
If you are a fan of ALP or The Last Immortal or a fan of any of the cast (who do their best with what they have to work with), it is still worth checking out. If anything, it will be worth it to have playing Sa Ding Ding's OST over and over in your head - it's an incredibly catchy song and tune.
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Destined to disappoint
The biggest problem with this drama is that there isn't enough story and development of characters to sustain 40 long, meandering episodes. If condensed and streamlined, it could have been a pretty straightforward xianxia story about two star-crossed lovers who try to go against their destiny to save the world and each other. The highlights of the story are when Mo Xiao first meets Wu Chen (a naive, amnesiac version of Feng Lixue, her true persona) and when Mo Xiao struggles with his true identity. Everything else is either too rushed and glossed over (the opening arc in Heaven) or unnecessarily drawn out (the Suyu mountain arc).In any case, it was still enjoyable to see Tong Mengshi as the male lead, although his character is made too be too weepy for my taste. And Han Dong is consistently Han Dong, bringing yet another villain/antagonist to life, albeit at some moments a bit too outlandish. The opening song is catchy, and the ending at least brings everything together satisfactorily, although I wish there was more of a bookend in addressing the Heavenly people horrible treatment of Bai Yan, Ni Huang and also Chong Guang (before he became Chong Guang).
This will probably be one of the more forgettable xianxia dramas out there, but if you need your xianxia fix or if you just want something to casually watch while eating or cleaning your house, this would be an option.
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A great rebirth drama
Lacking time to write a full length review, I will just simply say that this one is worth watching for any fans of Chinese period dramas. It’s an idol drama to be sure, but it maintains all the beats and elements that have made any excellent C period drama of yore stand out in the sea of period dramas from any country.Rebirth dramas have been popular lately, and I think this one balances that fantasy aspect with realism quite well. It’s grounded in Ming dynasty aesthetics and politics, which helps that side of the story work much better than say that of The Story of Kunning Palace. The romance side is done quite organically, with the tremendous help from a director with solid vision to tell that story with palpable tension and believability. My only small gripe is that the character of Song Han just didn’t work for me - he seemed to me an unnecessary villain in a story already complex enough with various antagonists.
Ultimately, gripe aside, of all the Chinese romance period dramas to pick from this year, this one reigns supreme for me.
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Uplifting legal drama with so much heart
I found this little gem while scrolling through Netflix. It's a heartwarming tale of two unlikely partners who find the courage to fight for the "weaker" ones in society and for what they want in life.Ishida Shoko is a paralegal who works at her father's small law firm. Though a graduate from a prominent university, she has failed to bass the bar exam multiple times. Haneoka Yoshio, on the other hand, passes the bar easily due to his photographic memory despite finishing only high school. The two find themselves immediately at odds with each other when Haneoka is hired to join the firm. Through the course of the 10 episodes, they learn how to support one another and overcome their respective traumas and inner struggles.
There are plenty of darker, serious-toned dramas involving the legal process. This is not one of them. If you need something to lift you up and give you hope again in humanity, this is a nice, short one to enjoy. The cases are easy to follow and are interwoven with the characters' own stories as they progress throughout the drama. Arimura Kasumi and Nakamura Tomoya have excellent onscreen chemistry as our leads - it is almost a shame the drama did not make most of that and push their relationship together further. Shoko's fledgling romantic storyline with our second male lead, Oba Ao, really does not go anywhere. Akaso Eiji does a fine job in his role, but I just did not buy Oba's relationship with Ishida.
In my perfect world, there would be a special or second season to see our legal duo continue their bickering, common folk-helping ways. Alas, I will most likely have to settle for what we have here and rewatch their scenes together whenever I need a pick-me-up. Their quiet moments together are pure gold. Arimura and Nakamura seamlessly move between comedy and drama and ultimately move our hearts.
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Twists and turns
Buckle up, this is a wild ride through a crazy family's shady dealings, orchestrated by the female lead's father, the sniveling and conniving Zhuang Shiyang. He decision to murder his father in order to save his own skin sets off a huge ripple down to the next generation, entangling his wife, concubine, their children and his in-laws into a messy web of over-the-top plot twists, which require a certain amount of suspension of disbelief but in their own macabre way deliver some amount of shock entertainment.At the center of this melodrama is female lead Zhuang Shiyang and male lead Fu Yunxi, who happens to begin this tale as her brother-in-law. Theirs is not an easy romance - even as they join hands in search of justice (or is it revenge?), there is a seemingly endless back and forth between them that may leave some romance lovers out there unsatisfied or frustrated. I enjoyed the tension between them, but some more emoting from actor Xin Yunlai would have sold the romance better.
Hoping to see Chen Duling in more complex female lead roles - she's perfectly cast in this as the shrewd, seemingly cold Hanyan. The rest of the supporting cast do their best with the extreme script (some will love Yu En Tai as the Daddy Zhuang, some will hate the crazy eyes haha), but it's the little girl as Fu Lingzhi who steals the show for me.
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A Tale of Two Families
Somewhere inside this melodrama is an excellent story about two people who have trouble communicating with each other and their journey to overcome all and finally open up to each other honestly. The use of the phone calls, sign language and other motifs help to tell this story in a creative away.What is more difficult to achieve in this drama, and where I feel things fall apart a bit especially towards the end, are the more classic drama storylines involving two powerful families with dark secrets and the triller/kidnapper psychotic son. The story simultaneously feels over-bloated and too simplistic - something about the story just does not work by episode 12. However, this is primarily a romance tale, and the superb performances of the cast, particularly Yoo Yeon Seok and Chae Soo Bin as the leads carries the drama to a solid ending.
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The noble fight continues
Set in 2009 Linshan in China, this series depicts a small anti-trafficking police team's efforts to uncover a sex/child trafficking operation. The drama shines when it focuses on the realistic portrayal of police work and the raw, devastating emotional toll on the police and victims and their families. Unfortunately, it cannot fully shake off some of its more melodramatic tendencies (particularly at the end) or the rah-rah support for the police that really is not necessary given the already huge amount of pathos the human stories hold for the audience. Still, I enjoyed it for allowing Dilraba to be in a very different kind of role (at least of late). Additionally, many of the guest/supporting characters (including the child actors) were outstanding.Was this review helpful to you?
Flow like water
Primarily a love story set in a chaotic period of time akin to the warring states period in ancient China, this drama relies heavily on the chemistry between its leads Liu Yuning and Song Zuer. It works well in the first half, but without a better plan for the political story and more imaginative directing, the show suffers somewhat in the second half. Certain matters are resolved too conveniently that a great amount of suspension of disbelief may be required. And any deeper themes revolving around the use of water as a metaphor for perseverance, strength and harmony are regrettably not developed satisfactorily.Ultimately, there is still much to be enjoyed in this especially for fans of romance. Besides the leads, some of the supporting cast are really great here as well. Liu Duan Duan gives my favorite performance from the cast as the complicated Wei Yan. Xuan Lu also does her best to give depth to a very typical C drama villainess.
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The strength of many
This show is a delightful surprise in an overall lackluster year for Chinese dramas. Much more than an idol romance fantasy drama, this one invites you on a journey to re-examine what true love is - romantic love, familial love, friendship, and even a healthy love of oneself.Ling Miao Miao is our 21st century heroine who enjoys reading novels written by a certain Fu Zhou. She somehow ends up in the world of one of his novels and is tasked with various missions in order to return to the real world. As the story progresses, we learn about the various characters in the novel and particularly about the intense animosity between humans and demons (monsters) that pervades this world. This tension between races centers upon our male lead, Mu Sheng, who happens to be half demon and half human.
Love blooms between the two, but the story is not entirely focused on their romance. We also have our secondary leads, Mu Yao (Mu Sheng’s sister, though not by blood) and Liu Fu Yi, who have meaningful arcs to their characters as well. The fine line between love and hate, devotion and obsession, are explored throughout the show - and it is ultimately selfless, sacrificing love that saves the day.
If there is anything to nitpick, it would be that the female lead never really changes from the beginning to the end, making her story far less compelling than that of the male lead and even the secondary leads. Fortunately, the story is full of rich supporting characters and themes, making this far less a lead-centric tale and more of an ensemble piece, which, when considering the stirring climax where the entire world comes together to save itself, is a fitting characteristic of the show.
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The future is a long past
Having not read the novel, I had no idea what I was in for in this first installment of the Joy of Life series. And honestly, it took me about 12 episodes before I really settled into the drama. The anachronistic elements and humor were not landing for me yet, and Fan Xian's love-at-first-sight for Lin Wan'er was not at all interesting. Once his friend Teng Zijing is killed, the drama finally finds its footing and a better balance between its heavy drama and lighter moments. As Fan Xian becomes mired in the cesspool of political and palace power struggles, the audience too is drawn in - and things do not let up until the very last shot of episode 46 when you are left with a most frustrating cliffhanger.The characters are deliciously multi-dimensional, even as some ooze pure evil (Princess Royal Li Yunrui is a standout) as they endeavor to manipulate people and events to their own benefit. Even our determined male lead Fan Xian behind his confident exterior carries a lot of pain and loneliness. My favorite scenes are those where we get a glimpse of his true inner state - the quieter moments (such as Xiao En's final moments, the last scene with Zhuang Mohan, and just chatting in Haitang Duoduo's garden).
Without getting too much into things, this story is apparently a period drama, but it is actually set in the very distant future (I know, is this story sci-fi? Historical? Have to wait and see in season 2 if this gets explained further). As such, it makes the story all the more poignant. Many years from now, what will mankind have to show for itself? Have we been able to overcome our greed, hatred and distrust of others? When will we stop hurting or killing each other? Can centuries of literature, poetry and history truly make us better? These are timeless questions, all the more pertinent in today's conflict-ridden world. I think this story, which has yet to finish, will ultimately take an optimistic stance because we all want to believe in Fan Xian - the seemingly powerless one who can stand up and continue in the endless fight for good.
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