A tribute to ink
This is richly produced if deeply flawed drama set during the Ming dynasty, highlighting the Huizhou ink industry. While there are moments of stirring tribute to the painstaking craftsmanship involved in the making of ink and moments of genuine human drama, this is overall a pretty meandering and lackluster drama that is far too long with 42 episodes. Think of every family drama trope you have seen in a period Chinese drama of a similar genre, and you will find it in this show. Most critically, there is little chemistry between the lead characters, who are only thinly constructed in writing and even more poorly executed on screen, especially the character of Luo Wenqian.Some real emotional weight is brought through several veteran actors - notably Tian Xiaojie as Li Zhen's grandfather, Li Hongliang as her uncle, and Cao Lei as Luo Wenqian's brother. Unfortunately for Yang Zi, this is not her best feature - she is far more effective and engaging in the recent Flourished Peony.
I could not help thinking of The Story of Minglan while watching this. That drama was perhaps the first of this kind of idol period drama. Although a very long drama there as well involving various family and political drama arcs, it built to a nice climax as it went along. Moreover, the characters were dimensional and grew as the story grew. Unfortunately in The Heir, things build to an awkward ending arc (against the Japanese?), and the lead characters for the most part remained the same throughout the show. Unless you are very interesting in exploring ink-making or a devoted fan of the cast, you probably could skip out on this one.
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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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Finding jade is hard
There's a promise of something exciting and swoon-worthy in the opening episodes of this show, but it ultimately suffers from the typical trappings of an idol period drama, with the more political and court intrigue side of the story leaving much to be desired. There's nothing particularly bad in all departments, but there is also lack in all the major areas as well - in acting, writing and even directing.Still, it's an enjoyable romance tale primarily, and the director certainly excels in this area. Tian Xiwei makes an appealing performance as Fan Changyu, who certainly will go down as one of the more charismatic and layered strong female leads in recent years. Her story from peasant butcher lady to formidable general is probably the most well-constructed character in the show. Unfortunately, Xie Zheng's story is not developed as thoughtfully, and Zhang Linghe's performance is too nondescript to leave a lasting impression - at least for me. He's certainly capable of more (he's much more lively and memorable in Love Between Fairy and Devil and The Princess Royal).
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Restart and rewind
There are some great seeds of storytelling in this fantasy tale, but it is a winding road from beginning to end, and not enough is explored more deeply to be truly profound or memorable among the myriad fantasy shows out there. Themes of belonging, love, and brotherhood are touched upon but then are dropped amid the tendency to focus on sudden shock reveals and reversals that may be exciting for the moment but then are ultimately a bit empty in the return. Some parts are redundant when focused on a particular character that did not give any more added weight by the 3rd or 4th time the same aspects of the character were reemphasized. At the end, we arrive at the beginning, and one has to wonder if the whole journey was worthwhile.Still, this is a pleasing production bolstered by a talented cast that make you care about the characters even though not enough is spent developing them all. The music is creative and certainly adds to the world and makes it come alive. The middle of the story was the standout to me - all the strands of the story build together nicely to an exciting mid-story climax. I only wish I could say the same for the finale.
Ultimately, this is worth checking out for the cast and for its sumptuous visuals and sound design.
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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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Nirvana in Fire Season 2: The Wind Blows in Chang Lin
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Something is rotten in the state of Liang
Nirvana in Fire 1 is a masterfully paced tale of revenge and a fight for the throne in a quest for truth and justice. Its story is mostly linear and thus builds satisfyingly to its climax near the end with a fittingly bittersweet denouement. NIF 2 is a different kind of story. More complex in its character construction and narrative, the second installment gets off to a slower start and because of its story structure, may encounter some bumps along the way for some viewers.There are essentially 2 major parts to this story, the first part ending with Xiao Pingzhang's death, and the second culminating in Xiao Yuanqi's revolt. As such, although you may consider Xiao Pingjing to be the main character, he has to share screen time with his brother in the first part of the story. At other points in the story, he is either in a coma or hanging out on Langya Mountain, while the plot is moved along by some of the supporting cast. What is more, he comes off as somewhat of a callow youth in the beginning of the drama, although he is very intelligent and quick on his toes.
Once viewed as a whole, however, NIF 2 becomes an epic tale of the frailty and courage of human nature - a timeless tale reminding us that as much as we aspire to be our better selves, we may just as easily fall prey to our vices. There is always a sense of unease when watching this, whether it is watching the creepily Rasputin-like Puyang Ying achieve his devious goals or the pitiful Yuanqi fall further and further to his inevitable defeat. We see the bonds of brotherhood and family tested as the balance of power between the Imperial court and the military hangs forever in a delicate balance. Pingjing's coming-of-age story is interwoven throughout, and I found myself very much moved as he struggles to deal with the deaths of his brother and father and his identity as the son of the Old Prince of Chang Lin.
The older cast definitely elevate this drama with their performances, but the younger cast do a fine job in their roles. The grounded production and stirring music round out this excellent drama worth watching and re-watching.
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Forest of secrets indeed
This show got me back into K dramas after a long hiatus after college. I was tired of watching the usual romcoms and found this one a refreshing departure from what I had been used to seeing. From the outset, the story seems to be a straightforward murder mystery, but as you keep watching, you realize soon that the web being spun if far more complicated. I found myself delightfully second guessing characters and trying to figure out who everything was connected right up until the thrilling climax.The talented cast give as a whole grounded and nuanced performances, fittingly restrained (for the most part) for the darker tone of the series overall. But it's not a downer of a story; throughout the whole drama, you can't help but root for Hwang Si-Mok, as he charges ahead in search of the truth.
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Royal cookout
This is in many ways a classic Korean romcom and an overall fun watch if you are not expecting gripping level palace drama. The focus is on the food - its cultural and historical contexts - and the dedication to making the various dishes shine is apparent.The romantic storyline and palace drama are very unremarkable in terms of writing, but both leads make an endearing couple onscreen, a testament to both actors’ ability to balance the comedic and dramatic elements of the characters.
All in all, a fun watch but nothing groundbreaking.
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A butchered script
There was a lot more potential in this story, especially as presented in the first third or half of the drama. Whether it was exploring deeper themes such as divine intervention vs fate and yin/yang, or whether it was exploring the very human stories of a failed marriage and the pain of losing a child, these could have gone in a more interesting direction. The script takes the safer route of maximizing drama in scenes but not taking the time to really plan out the structure of the story or the development of characters and themes in a more polished manner. In the hands of a better director, perhaps this still could have at least looked and sounded more layered. In the end, the whole thing is a bit soulless and forgettable. There are still moments that could be moving (I found Li Mo's story the most compelling) and entertaining, but in a year with already some great xianxia dramas, this is not one the ones I would recommend first to check out.Was this review helpful to you?
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Not enough steam to last until the end
This drama starts off in a powerful way but by the middle of the 16 episodes, there is not enough meat to the story to sustain it until the end. The female lead's "revenge" story has nowhere to go because the audience already knows that the king is not the true villain of the story. Perhaps more importantly, the character lacks any real personality to make her scenes compelling to watch, much less make her romance with the delightfully complex male lead at all convincing.The king (male lead), on the other hand, has a true story to tell in this drama. His journey from Grand Prince to exile in Qing and back to Joseon and ultimately the throne is thrilling, and Jo Jung-suk plays him with so much pathos and intensity. The show could have ultimately benefited from minimizing the romance and female lead's role and focused on the king with a shorter number of episodes. Alternatively, a more interesting romance or more complex political storyline could have justified the full 16 episodes.
I was hoping for more from this beautifully produced show, hoping for a really satisfying, dramatic sageuk. There are some really great moments throughout, but by the end, I was fast-forwarding more than actually watching. I feel as though an 8 is really generous from me - but some of the performances (including the younger child actors) are really terrific and lift up the show. Something to check out for those who love period/historical dramas, but it is no masterpiece.
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