POJ emasculated the ML multiples times. Its always the same shit. Literally not a single show out there that doesnt…
Yes, it was her story,. But in the novel, his character was developed, and we got to see his military genius. It's been a while since I read the novel, but some people who read it more recently said that some of the military accomplishments of the ML in the novel were given to the FL in the drama.
If he was filming 2 projects and had limited time, I guess that's an excuse, but personally, my belief is if the director and writers had to change things to accommodate him overbooking himself, that's not a positive thing. The drama's ratings went down significantly on Douban after a very strong start, and one issue was the ML MIA. If the MIA was due to his double booking himself then his lack of consideration hurt the entire production, including cast, director and writer. So I hope it's just some rumor and not what really happened.
POJ emasculated the ML multiples times. Its always the same shit. Literally not a single show out there that doesnt…
It's definitely the current trend for sure, and it's definitely not something I enjoy. It was just so bad in Glory, where they made the ML turn stupid and the FL so emotionally cold that she was detestable, which I watched prior to PoJ, that PoJ looked fine in comparison. Plus, my specific complaint is when the ML is emasculated to elevate the FL. In PoJ I thought the bigger issue was that the ML was MIA too often. I wanted him in more scenes.
If Cdrama directors made things "historically accurate," then dirty faces, messy hair, facial scars and missing teeth (from all those punches and facial injuries that mysteriously disappear after a few scenes, leaving the skin perfect) would be the norm. Cdrama watchers are mostly women, and from multiple articles it's clear that they even start worrying about their favorite thin, pretty male actors if their agencies produce photos or video of them working out at a gym, because these fans are afraid they'll bulk up and no longer have that androgynous, skinny build that is preferred. And heaven forbid they have any body hair!! Even facial hair is frowned upon. So none of these dramas are realistic as far as men's styling.
And that's not even mentioning the reality of women's fashion - since the 10th century, Chinese noble women bound their feet. It spread to commoners and by the 19th century 40% to 50% of all Chinese women had bound feet, regardless of social class. Since many of these dramas are set in the Song Dynasty, all of the upper-class female characters would be hobbling around with feet barely bigger than their ankles.
None of the upper-class men would be monogamous - they would all have concubines. And stories about women posing as men and becoming famous military leaders would feature women who actually looked like men, not pretty women who were so obviously female that no one could ever possibly mistake them for men just because they adopted male hair styles and clothing.
Same is true of any historical dramas. Viewers don't want to see dirty haired, unbathed characters with no makeup. Think about all those British period dramas, from back when people bathed once every few weeks. By the end of the Regency period bathing was more popular than previously, but daily baths were still not a thing. It wasn't until the 1860s that plumbed -in baths became readily available. Before that, most people made do with a basin of water for bathing themselves.
Drama fans want to see pretty people in pretty outfits in pretty settings. They want the men to be without facial or body hair, and to be slender with defined but never bulky muscles. This requires makeup. So this imaginary complaint about makeup is really a pathetic grasping at straws.
One thing about the director (of Pursuit of Jade and also Blossom, my favorite drama of the last 4 or 5 years) is that he is known for creating gorgeous scenes, and for making the actors/actresses in the drama look gorgeous. The result is always a huge benefit to the actors' popularity and careers. Add to this that he is a great storyteller, and it's easy to see why he is currently my favorite director of Cdramas. Pursuit of Jade is another gem of a drama, although I still preferred Blossom, where the ML and FL were allowed to truly be supportive equals in the relationship, PoJ, while a really good drama, was a bit too female-centric for me, and I didn't care for the FL's total lack of education and poor ability to learn, but it was still very enjoyable, unlike the string of recent Cdramas that emasculate and diminish the ML in order to elevate the FL. (Example would be the recent Glory, where the director/writer ruined Hou Ming Hao's character to make the FL look super capable and smart.).
If you are not watching this, why are you posting opinion? This feels like a deliberate post to target at certain…
Are you the MDL police? I didn't think so. Also, do you have reading comprehension issues? I didn't criticize ANY actors in the drama. AC is not responsible for his styling, which is awful, and Dilraba is not responsible for the description of her character or how she is directed to play it. And I specifically said I don't like xianxia novels, and I know that PoJ was not xianxia. Duh. Go away. I'm not interested in hearing anything else from someone like you. I asked a question that someone might answer, and you aren't that person.
Still my top Kdrama after 8 years of drama watching. I am so thankful I found it very early in my Kdrama watching days, because otherwise I may not have been such a fan. It was sheer perfection for me. Definitely time for another rewatch!
I wanted to love this drama but I can't get through the first episode. Stylist should be jailed for Arthur Chen's horrible hair. Too much cheesy CGI. The story is draggy. I don't think a role where the character can't feel any of the five senses makes for a very interesting performance, and I feel annoyed that the nature of the character, and the way the director is going to direct it, is going to cause the Dilraba antifans to come in full force to criticize her acting.
Anyway, it's very disappointing, particularly after Pursuit of Jade.
Maybe I'll start the novel and t hen revisit, although I don't really like xianxia novels very much.
Are there any other good Cdramas that have come out recently? I can't wait for Rebirth. I just rewatched Blossom. Love Li Yun Rui, but Yummy Yummy Yummy wasn't my kind of drama, so I've been waiting for Rebirth.
Have you heard of dark romance? Just because women romanticize some fictive characters and their behavior doesn't…
I'm sure I'm far more educated in this genre than you are. And you are wrong. This is not the typical "fantasy rape-but-not-rape sex scene" that I've described above, which is a trope long explored in romance novels for women. There is no consent, no desire, no secret pleasure in being controlled and forced. This woman wants to escape and be rid of this mad man.
Have you heard of dark romance? Just because women romanticize some fictive characters and their behavior doesn't…
You must be one of the sickos who like dramas like a short drama I watched in horror before dropping. The ML kept the FL locked up. He had her stripped of her martial arts powers while she screamed and begged him not to. He killed the man she loved in front of her. He violently and repeatedly raped her while she screamed for him to stop. And sickos like you were asking in the comments, "it's going to be hard for them to have a happy ending. I wonder if she'll forgive him." The only HE would be for her to kill that sick mofo. There are sexual fantasies - we used to call them bodice rippers - for housewives and young girls. I guess the modern version is the pathetic, vanilla Fifty Shades of Grey - but again the issue is really consent. The "rape" of the woman by the bad man was a fantasy for a "good girl" to have passionate sex. It's a classic trope. Watch an old western with the young Clint Eastwood grabbing a woman, taking her to the barn, having his "wicked way" with her, and walking out, leaving her smiling and humming in the hay stack. Scarlet O'Hara and Rhett Butler in GWTW when he sweeps her off her feet and carries her, kicking and hitting him, upstairs to their bedroom, and the next scene is her in bed alone the next morning, with a big, satisfied smile, humming to herself. The scenes between QM and YQQ in PoJ are not like that. She is locked up and forced. When she appears compliant and seems to be seducing him it is purely a way to distract him so that the nanny can escape with her son and take him to safety before QM kills him. There is nothing romantic about any of that. Period paragraph.
Tonight at 6:00 Beijing time, the remaining 5 episodes will all be released. Tencent Video has already displayed…
For me it was this morning (March 26th). The express package I bought finally had 28, 39 and 40. I've never had so few episodes for a $5.99 express package. Usually, it's 5 or 6. I never watch the BTS stuff. I don't have any interest in those interviews and silly promotional videos, but am glad they are included for people who do enjoy watching them.
Have you heard of dark romance? Just because women romanticize some fictive characters and their behavior doesn't…
There’s nothing romantic about it. I think the character is fantastic as a villain. I think the actor has done an excellent job and the director is my favorite Chinese director. But this character is forcing a woman who doesn’t want to be with him against her will. That’s not romantic and it’s certainly not “love.” If she felt the same it would be a sex game. But she doesn’t.
Have you heard of dark romance? Just because women romanticize some fictive characters and their behavior doesn't…
BDSM requires consent. There is no consent in the relationship between QM and YQQ. Kidnapping, imprisonment, and planning to murder her son. You think that’s equivalent to a sexual kink/pleasure like BDSM? Pathetic.
Various social media sites are full of silly women/girls swooning over Qi Min’s “deep love” for Yu Qian Qian. It’s already appalling, but after watching episode 35 k find it seriously disturbing that so many women - most of whom are probably young girls - think anything about Qi Min’s actions are indicative of “love.” Obsession, control, forced contact. How does a normal, emotionally healthy woman find anything about that forced relationship romantic? How is it even acceptable??
It has always bothered me that young Kdrama and Cdrama watchers are so swoony over what would merit criminal charges where I live. It’s sickening how obsessive, controlling, stalking behavior is not just accepted as valid expressions of love, but romanticized as true, deep love. All it takes is for the abuser to be hot. Truly disturbing.
I noticed the countdown and airing symbol have gone, so does that mean the express drop is out already?
No. At least not on IQIYI and Tencent available in the US. Netflix doesn’t do express packages. As of this evening, all I see is the exclusive BTS package that’s been advertised since the drama started, and in which I have zero interest.
I’m so annoyed I can’t watch the last 5 episodes now, like I usually do
There are only 5 episodes left and neither IQIYI nor Tencent are offering any type of express package. So annoying. It looks like they won’t offer one at all, which is particularly ridiculous in this drama since there was a leak of all of the remaining unaired episodes last week. 😡
If he was filming 2 projects and had limited time, I guess that's an excuse, but personally, my belief is if the director and writers had to change things to accommodate him overbooking himself, that's not a positive thing. The drama's ratings went down significantly on Douban after a very strong start, and one issue was the ML MIA. If the MIA was due to his double booking himself then his lack of consideration hurt the entire production, including cast, director and writer. So I hope it's just some rumor and not what really happened.
If Cdrama directors made things "historically accurate," then dirty faces, messy hair, facial scars and missing teeth (from all those punches and facial injuries that mysteriously disappear after a few scenes, leaving the skin perfect) would be the norm. Cdrama watchers are mostly women, and from multiple articles it's clear that they even start worrying about their favorite thin, pretty male actors if their agencies produce photos or video of them working out at a gym, because these fans are afraid they'll bulk up and no longer have that androgynous, skinny build that is preferred. And heaven forbid they have any body hair!! Even facial hair is frowned upon. So none of these dramas are realistic as far as men's styling.
And that's not even mentioning the reality of women's fashion - since the 10th century, Chinese noble women bound their feet. It spread to commoners and by the 19th century 40% to 50% of all Chinese women had bound feet, regardless of social class. Since many of these dramas are set in the Song Dynasty, all of the upper-class female characters would be hobbling around with feet barely bigger than their ankles.
None of the upper-class men would be monogamous - they would all have concubines. And stories about women posing as men and becoming famous military leaders would feature women who actually looked like men, not pretty women who were so obviously female that no one could ever possibly mistake them for men just because they adopted male hair styles and clothing.
Same is true of any historical dramas. Viewers don't want to see dirty haired, unbathed characters with no makeup. Think about all those British period dramas, from back when people bathed once every few weeks. By the end of the Regency period bathing was more popular than previously, but daily baths were still not a thing. It wasn't until the 1860s that plumbed -in baths became readily available. Before that, most people made do with a basin of water for bathing themselves.
Drama fans want to see pretty people in pretty outfits in pretty settings. They want the men to be without facial or body hair, and to be slender with defined but never bulky muscles. This requires makeup. So this imaginary complaint about makeup is really a pathetic grasping at straws.
One thing about the director (of Pursuit of Jade and also Blossom, my favorite drama of the last 4 or 5 years) is that he is known for creating gorgeous scenes, and for making the actors/actresses in the drama look gorgeous. The result is always a huge benefit to the actors' popularity and careers. Add to this that he is a great storyteller, and it's easy to see why he is currently my favorite director of Cdramas. Pursuit of Jade is another gem of a drama, although I still preferred Blossom, where the ML and FL were allowed to truly be supportive equals in the relationship, PoJ, while a really good drama, was a bit too female-centric for me, and I didn't care for the FL's total lack of education and poor ability to learn, but it was still very enjoyable, unlike the string of recent Cdramas that emasculate and diminish the ML in order to elevate the FL. (Example would be the recent Glory, where the director/writer ruined Hou Ming Hao's character to make the FL look super capable and smart.).
Also, do you have reading comprehension issues? I didn't criticize ANY actors in the drama. AC is not responsible for his styling, which is awful, and Dilraba is not responsible for the description of her character or how she is directed to play it. And I specifically said I don't like xianxia novels, and I know that PoJ was not xianxia. Duh.
Go away. I'm not interested in hearing anything else from someone like you. I asked a question that someone might answer, and you aren't that person.
Anyway, it's very disappointing, particularly after Pursuit of Jade.
Maybe I'll start the novel and t hen revisit, although I don't really like xianxia novels very much.
Are there any other good Cdramas that have come out recently? I can't wait for Rebirth. I just rewatched Blossom. Love Li Yun Rui, but Yummy Yummy Yummy wasn't my kind of drama, so I've been waiting for Rebirth.
There are sexual fantasies - we used to call them bodice rippers - for housewives and young girls. I guess the modern version is the pathetic, vanilla Fifty Shades of Grey - but again the issue is really consent. The "rape" of the woman by the bad man was a fantasy for a "good girl" to have passionate sex. It's a classic trope. Watch an old western with the young Clint Eastwood grabbing a woman, taking her to the barn, having his "wicked way" with her, and walking out, leaving her smiling and humming in the hay stack. Scarlet O'Hara and Rhett Butler in GWTW when he sweeps her off her feet and carries her, kicking and hitting him, upstairs to their bedroom, and the next scene is her in bed alone the next morning, with a big, satisfied smile, humming to herself.
The scenes between QM and YQQ in PoJ are not like that. She is locked up and forced. When she appears compliant and seems to be seducing him it is purely a way to distract him so that the nanny can escape with her son and take him to safety before QM kills him. There is nothing romantic about any of that. Period paragraph.
It has always bothered me that young Kdrama and Cdrama watchers are so swoony over what would merit criminal charges where I live. It’s sickening how obsessive, controlling, stalking behavior is not just accepted as valid expressions of love, but romanticized as true, deep love. All it takes is for the abuser to be hot. Truly disturbing.
As of this evening, all I see is the exclusive BTS package that’s been advertised since the drama started, and in which I have zero interest.
I’m so annoyed I can’t watch the last 5 episodes now, like I usually do