Hey Una! Glad to see you back!! I remember we discussed some things about Chenrong being an invaded country only…
Hi there! So nice to see you, too!
I just never could grasp onto any of them, because their goals were so despicable. Chenrong deserved better. (I felt it even more so after knowing what the previous novel was about.)
Xiang Liu deserved so much more. I wish they'd only had him lose one life, let him escape to somewhere far away and follow his other 8 lives as he struggles to heal from all that trauma, find some peace and self-worth, and even some joy in the world.
That would be 8 novels I would totally read, if the author knew how to navigate a healing path, rather than a war path.
While I was prepared by reading the novel in advance, I hoped the drama ending would be different somehow. After…
I agree. Though, I also think that he may have felt that there was no place for him in the world. That he had such a tormented life, in a world that demonized him, that he may have just felt done.
Still, I'd like to see a story, where he just lost one life here and we see where he goes from there. With 8 more lives, he could go through a lot of struggles finding any amount of peace, joy, or contentment in the world. A long story of the bumpy road toward healing from all that trauma.
This story is so painful to watch. Well executed on so many levels.
That said, one of the core pieces of the story, driving so much of the plot is about Xiyan conquering other states. Can you say, "imperialism"?
It was impossible for me to empathize or cheer for that. So what if it was his grandfather's wish? Leave people in peace.
This political ambition was behind all the tragedy in the story and, not once does anyone say, "hey, we all would have suffered less if we'd not been at war. Let's stop doing that!"
We're supposed to empathize with Cang Xuan, but he's an imperialist. I know this idea of "uniting the lands" is a Chinese notion that we're supposed to see as noble, but all I see is the willingness to slaughter people so you can rule over them.
Chenrong didn't deserve to be annihilated. Xiyan bascially committed genocide. Why would I want to see that?
Though Xiang Liu is not a member of the Chenrong clans, his fate ends up representing the fate of Chenrong: forced to become fierce and die at the hands of the ones who tormented him into that, just because they wanted to rule over him.
So, while watching, I couldn't really care too much about many of the characters. Sure, I could empathize with that Jing was put through. I could empathize with the losses that Xiao Yao and Cang Xuan faced as children. Xiao Yao running off on her own and then getting into serious trouble, made that aspect of her life experience complex.
But, once they're all in their powerful/wealthy family situations and fighting for rule of all the land, I just didn't care. They had so much privilege. (At least Jing and Xiao Yao just wanted to get away from all that.)
In the end, the only one my heart was breaking for was Xiang Liu. He had the most cruel and undeserved fate. I wish the story had been about his life, the political action from his point of view, and an ending where he was allowed to finally go wander, without fear of being persecuted, and live in peace.
Interesting story, using the lead detective and his journey toward taking the impact of fraud seriously, as a way to get the audience to empathize and hopefully reduce the amount of public victim-blaming that can happen.
A good depiction of how the victims might have some solidarity, but also have very different personalities and agendas, which, at times might clash and even impede their own goals.
I also found it very realistic that the narcissistic villain was the only one who could really hold onto the concept of trusting no one. Its human to want to trust, even after our trust has been betrayed. So, one of the things that demonstrates how his humanity has been stripped is that he absolutely never trusts anyone, ever. Meanwhile, people around him continue to want to trust him, at least on a limited basis. It gives him the power to be so cunning. It also makes him the loneliest, though it doesn't seem that he cares about that.
They might have done a better job showing that the journalist actually did journalism other than her own personal cause. She'd never have a job the way its shown here. I guess we're just supposed to assume that she's actually doing the job she was hired for and that we're only seeing her when she's doing things related to the fraud case. Her character was written kind of flat and there wasn't a lot for the actress to do, sadly.
I did not find the flashbacks confusing, at all. If you watch each one for a few seconds, it becomes clear where they are chronologically.
The one bit I found rather inexplicable was the villain coupling. They became lovers? I couldn't picture it, at all. There wasn't any need for them to be romantically linked, so I'm a bit baffled by that part of the writing.
Overall, though, a very good watch. The story kept me rapt.
Interesting story, using the lead detective and his journey toward taking the impact of fraud seriously, as a way to get the audience to empathize and hopefully reduce the amount of public victim-blaming that can happen.
A good depiction of how the victims might have some solidarity, but also have very different personalities and agendas, which, at times might clash and even impede their own goals.
I also found it very realistic that the narcissistic villain was the only one who could really hold onto the concept of trusting no one. Its human to want to trust, even after our trust has been betrayed. So, one of the things that demonstrates how his humanity has been stripped is that he absolutely never trusts anyone, ever. Meanwhile, people around him continue to want to trust him, at least on a limited basis. It gives him the power to be so cunning. It also makes him the loneliest, though it doesn't seem that he cares about that.
They might have done a better job showing that the journalist actually did journalism other than her own personal cause. She'd never have a job the way its shown here. I guess we're just supposed to assume that she's actually doing the job she was hired for and that we're only seeing her when she's doing things related to the fraud case. Her character was written kind of flat and there wasn't a lot for the actress to do, sadly.
I did not find the flashbacks confusing, at all. If you watch each one for a few seconds, it becomes clear where they are chronologically.
The one bit I found rather inexplicable was the villain coupling. They became lovers? I couldn't picture it, at all. There wasn't any need for them to be romantically linked, so I'm a bit baffled by that part of the writing.
Overall, though, a very good watch. The story kept me rapt.
So i've been watching this show and it has been quite good but can I just say I cannot stand the mother in law's…
I came here to say this! I couldn't keep going either. Her character makes no sense and she makes me sick to my stomach. I tried ep 11, but as soon as she showed up, I couldn't keep going.
I should have stopped after she asked her son to force her daughter-in-law to illegally change the deed on the property. What kind of person does this?
Its too bad, as I was curious about how they'd play out the two parallel stories. Does she have a fate and both choices ultimately lead to the same conclusion? Or are both choices just different mixes of joys and losses?
One big note: both the FLs have horrible character writing. I know its from an old game, but some things aren't necessary to keep as they were.
FL1 is crying in almost every single scene. What in the world did her grandmother teach on that island for all those years? She seems so completely ungrounded. And the ML is supposed to be attached to her, why? Because she's pretty? Who wants to be around someone who cries all the time?
FL2 keeps pining for someone she knows is in love with someone else. That someone else is supposedly her friend. It gets boring. Have her be an actual friend and move on, already. There isn't anything in the plot which requires her being so lacking in self-esteem that she would keep this up.
One big note: both the FLs have horrible character writing. I know its from an old game, but some things aren't necessary to keep as they were.
FL1 is crying in almost every single scene. What in the world did her grandmother teach on that island for all those years? She seems so completely ungrounded. And the ML is supposed to be attached to her, why? Because she's pretty? Who wants to be around someone who cries all the time?
FL2 keeps pining for someone she knows is in love with someone else. That someone else is supposedly her friend. It gets boring. Have her be an actual friend and move on, already. There isn't anything in the plot which requires her being so lacking in self-esteem that she would keep this up.
Probably because it's the beginning of a new arc, and a lot happened in season 1. The current intrigue asks way…
^ this. they are all more mature and they've had 5 years for their characters to simmer within them. To me, they're all far more nuanced in this season and the chemistry amongst them all is much more superb.
its more palace intrigue than action adventure, so it may feel "slower", but the story writing is excellent and the acting is top-notch. I'm far more captivated this season. Not that I didn't enjoy season 1, obviously, but this is sublime.
it just keeps getting worse. not sure I can finish this. why would she willing meet alone, much less get into a car, with someone involved in a murder; someone she knows spiked someone else's drink; someone she knows is dangerous? what in the world could she have accomplished? why is this very smart woman so dumb? who wrote this character?
I just never could grasp onto any of them, because their goals were so despicable. Chenrong deserved better. (I felt it even more so after knowing what the previous novel was about.)
Xiang Liu deserved so much more. I wish they'd only had him lose one life, let him escape to somewhere far away and follow his other 8 lives as he struggles to heal from all that trauma, find some peace and self-worth, and even some joy in the world.
That would be 8 novels I would totally read, if the author knew how to navigate a healing path, rather than a war path.
Still, I'd like to see a story, where he just lost one life here and we see where he goes from there. With 8 more lives, he could go through a lot of struggles finding any amount of peace, joy, or contentment in the world. A long story of the bumpy road toward healing from all that trauma.
That said, one of the core pieces of the story, driving so much of the plot is about Xiyan conquering other states. Can you say, "imperialism"?
It was impossible for me to empathize or cheer for that. So what if it was his grandfather's wish? Leave people in peace.
This political ambition was behind all the tragedy in the story and, not once does anyone say, "hey, we all would have suffered less if we'd not been at war. Let's stop doing that!"
We're supposed to empathize with Cang Xuan, but he's an imperialist. I know this idea of "uniting the lands" is a Chinese notion that we're supposed to see as noble, but all I see is the willingness to slaughter people so you can rule over them.
Chenrong didn't deserve to be annihilated. Xiyan bascially committed genocide. Why would I want to see that?
Though Xiang Liu is not a member of the Chenrong clans, his fate ends up representing the fate of Chenrong: forced to become fierce and die at the hands of the ones who tormented him into that, just because they wanted to rule over him.
So, while watching, I couldn't really care too much about many of the characters. Sure, I could empathize with that Jing was put through. I could empathize with the losses that Xiao Yao and Cang Xuan faced as children. Xiao Yao running off on her own and then getting into serious trouble, made that aspect of her life experience complex.
But, once they're all in their powerful/wealthy family situations and fighting for rule of all the land, I just didn't care. They had so much privilege. (At least Jing and Xiao Yao just wanted to get away from all that.)
In the end, the only one my heart was breaking for was Xiang Liu. He had the most cruel and undeserved fate. I wish the story had been about his life, the political action from his point of view, and an ending where he was allowed to finally go wander, without fear of being persecuted, and live in peace.
But, I'm not sure I can handle the tragedy.
A good depiction of how the victims might have some solidarity, but also have very different personalities and agendas, which, at times might clash and even impede their own goals.
I also found it very realistic that the narcissistic villain was the only one who could really hold onto the concept of trusting no one. Its human to want to trust, even after our trust has been betrayed. So, one of the things that demonstrates how his humanity has been stripped is that he absolutely never trusts anyone, ever. Meanwhile, people around him continue to want to trust him, at least on a limited basis. It gives him the power to be so cunning. It also makes him the loneliest, though it doesn't seem that he cares about that.
They might have done a better job showing that the journalist actually did journalism other than her own personal cause. She'd never have a job the way its shown here. I guess we're just supposed to assume that she's actually doing the job she was hired for and that we're only seeing her when she's doing things related to the fraud case. Her character was written kind of flat and there wasn't a lot for the actress to do, sadly.
I did not find the flashbacks confusing, at all. If you watch each one for a few seconds, it becomes clear where they are chronologically.
The one bit I found rather inexplicable was the villain coupling. They became lovers? I couldn't picture it, at all. There wasn't any need for them to be romantically linked, so I'm a bit baffled by that part of the writing.
Overall, though, a very good watch. The story kept me rapt.
A good depiction of how the victims might have some solidarity, but also have very different personalities and agendas, which, at times might clash and even impede their own goals.
I also found it very realistic that the narcissistic villain was the only one who could really hold onto the concept of trusting no one. Its human to want to trust, even after our trust has been betrayed. So, one of the things that demonstrates how his humanity has been stripped is that he absolutely never trusts anyone, ever. Meanwhile, people around him continue to want to trust him, at least on a limited basis. It gives him the power to be so cunning. It also makes him the loneliest, though it doesn't seem that he cares about that.
They might have done a better job showing that the journalist actually did journalism other than her own personal cause. She'd never have a job the way its shown here. I guess we're just supposed to assume that she's actually doing the job she was hired for and that we're only seeing her when she's doing things related to the fraud case. Her character was written kind of flat and there wasn't a lot for the actress to do, sadly.
I did not find the flashbacks confusing, at all. If you watch each one for a few seconds, it becomes clear where they are chronologically.
The one bit I found rather inexplicable was the villain coupling. They became lovers? I couldn't picture it, at all. There wasn't any need for them to be romantically linked, so I'm a bit baffled by that part of the writing.
Overall, though, a very good watch. The story kept me rapt.
I should have stopped after she asked her son to force her daughter-in-law to illegally change the deed on the property. What kind of person does this?
Its too bad, as I was curious about how they'd play out the two parallel stories. Does she have a fate and both choices ultimately lead to the same conclusion? Or are both choices just different mixes of joys and losses?
Guess I'll never know.
One big note: both the FLs have horrible character writing. I know its from an old game, but some things aren't necessary to keep as they were.
FL1 is crying in almost every single scene. What in the world did her grandmother teach on that island for all those years? She seems so completely ungrounded. And the ML is supposed to be attached to her, why? Because she's pretty? Who wants to be around someone who cries all the time?
FL2 keeps pining for someone she knows is in love with someone else. That someone else is supposedly her friend. It gets boring. Have her be an actual friend and move on, already. There isn't anything in the plot which requires her being so lacking in self-esteem that she would keep this up.
One big note: both the FLs have horrible character writing. I know its from an old game, but some things aren't necessary to keep as they were.
FL1 is crying in almost every single scene. What in the world did her grandmother teach on that island for all those years? She seems so completely ungrounded. And the ML is supposed to be attached to her, why? Because she's pretty? Who wants to be around someone who cries all the time?
FL2 keeps pining for someone she knows is in love with someone else. That someone else is supposedly her friend. It gets boring. Have her be an actual friend and move on, already. There isn't anything in the plot which requires her being so lacking in self-esteem that she would keep this up.
One thing I'm noting is that I don't really care which side wins in the end. Its just fascinating to watch the game play.
Anyway, I guess it doesn't bother anyone else.
Its not weird to anyone that she basically raised him as a child and that there is a massive age and power difference? I know its fantasy. Still.
its more palace intrigue than action adventure, so it may feel "slower", but the story writing is excellent and the acting is top-notch. I'm far more captivated this season. Not that I didn't enjoy season 1, obviously, but this is sublime.