Something is rotten in the state of Tang...
I started this drama on a dare with myself. I mean, who makes a 48-freaking-episode drama set in one city over the course of just 24 hours?! Well the joke is on me, cause I just spent a week binging this show.The first half is a thoroughly engaging mystery/action joyride and a feast for the eyes, featuring explosive horse cart chases and parkour on lantern-lit rooftops. We get to explore this marvel of a mediaeval city, while dragged on an immersive and spectacular journey from the highest seat of power to the darkest underbelly - meeting on the way a gallery of people who were made or broken by it. Action/superheroes/comics lovers will find a lot to keep their interest here, with the all-powerful boss of the underworld that likes to play cruel mind games, Wolven squad with a set of fantastical beliefs, parkour-loving prince of Persia and an unbreakable superhero Zhang Xiaojing who can win against any odds:D
The second half though wasn't an easy watch for me, as the heavy choices that the characters had been forced to make earlier in the day, started to catch up to them. It was actually quite refreshing not to care as much about the protagonists and sympathise with the troublemakers. Too many shows nowadays lead the audience by the hand, telling us who are the good guys that we should root for… Here, we get to see everyone's humane and inhumane sides, and most of them get to say their piece before the end… And they actually have a code of morals that fit the times! Not like the recently prevalent modern-day thinking people wearing costumes. By the end, the script started to gnaw on its own tail a bit though, with a few too many twists, confrontations and unlikely outcomes. It slightly muddled the characters' motivations and relationships.
In short, the mood and pace of the storytelling differs a lot between the two halves of this show. The first one is gripping and exhilarating, while the second one takes its time to peel the layers off characters, schemes and past events. In any case, this show is well worth watching as a visual masterpiece with authentic feel, memorable characters, unique plot points and one sexy villain in Zhou Yiwei's Long Bo;) Highly recommended for history and art lovers!
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My new comfort show:)
For how short of money this series was, I didn't expect such an explosion of beauty on screen. I don't just mean the actors^^, but the overall cinematography, color schemes, dance-like fight sequences, flowy vibrant clothing... The main director said in an interview that to him this story was about two desperate people, who come from very dark places, finding light in each other. And this motif of seeking light and hope, sun and warmth is one of my favourite visual and storytelling themes in this series. But there is so much more to unpack here with foreshadowing, hidden clues, overdubbed lines as well as poetry, culture and classic Wuxia references galore!I couldn't be happier that the entire team seemingly embraced the danmei origins of this story and didn't try to twist it into something else. WOH remains first and foremost a love story told in a very poetic and emotional way, with heaps of flirting, play fighting, sarcasm, sparkling banter and smouldering chemistry. Though the last six episodes are very rushed and a bit of an illogical mess, all in all, the witty and insighful script is definitely one of the series' strongest points. The other is quality of acting, which is good overall and outstanding when it comes to the main leads! I love the subtleties in Zhang Zhehan's acting, turning from stone-faced to mischievous, with the long, fond looks and small teasing smiles. Gong Jun was brilliant in the high-impact emotional scenes (he does vulnerability so well!), and had this charisma on screen as Wen Kexing that was very compelling.
Altogether, this is a beautifully shot Wuxia tale brimming with humour and feels, made with a lot of careful thought and effort, worth many rewatches.
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I went into this series expecting more (or any) scenes depicting the lives of herdsmen, forest guards and wildlife. Instead the focus, for the most part, stays fixed on dealing with past traumas and personal vendettas, falling more on the side of slow-burn thriller with some surprising twists and fast-paced arcs. The split narrative between the 'police group' and poachers group, where each side had things to resolve between themselves, worked quite well. There was a slow rising tension as more light was shed on the characters' pasts, new issues kept surfacing, and both sides kept moving slowly towards next collision point. These explosive or suspenseful 'encounters' between the two groups were the best and most spectacular parts of this series.
Unfortunately, the pacing lagged in some episodes. Unrelated conversations just kept happening one after another, while the plot didn't move an inch. I think ep5 suffered the most from this. But don't drop it there! Because in ep6 the tension skyrockets:) Another small annoyance was that I needed to suspend my disbelief about some events. I did roll my eyes quite heavily a few times while watching this. If you like to see a well trained, professional, physically fit police force working together or are allergic to stubborn heroic fools with minds and mouths filled with glory, duty and noble sacrifices, then you might be a tad frustrated with the plot;)
The highlight of this series is definitely the visual storytelling! - not only incredibly beautiful landscape shots of snow-capped mountains, lonely roads and arid plains, but also very intriguing compositions that go for your emotions. I loved both the dynamic fight sequences and the long static shots that let me fully digest all the visual elements.
The director knows how to build a deliciously tense atmosphere, giving enough breathing room to bask in the simmering tension, search for clues, consider the situation from all angles, and wonder who's gonna make the next move in this game of wild hunt...
Final thought or a bit of extra (skippable) complaining:
I've seen a few comments that this series got cut by four episodes, which I think really clipped its wings. Not sure if the censors or the network are to blame, but it's very frustrating to see another good, original story get somewhat ruined by thoughtless editing. I think 'Hunter' had the potential to be exceptional if:
- it either got the chance to tell the full scripted story - giving us better developed characters, more cohesive storyline and a proper closure
- or it got further cut (prefereably removing any mention of the police - perhaps changing the MLs into ex-poachers or rogue forest guards), turning it into a no-frills psychological thriller.
At eight episodes, this show is regrettably stuck in between, shooting itself in the foot with unbalanced storytelling, weak characterization (except the poacher brothers! They were the most compelling by far) and overly solemn, rushed ending.
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This will be short, because I already talked myself out on the comments page. I'd just like to summarise quickly why this drama caught and held my attention despite it not being my usual genre:
1. Overabundance of creativity and bold ideas. Honestly, not a single boring cliché on the horizon. Every character has a distinct personality and style. The action takes place in an interesting fictional city where nothing is what it seems. The storyline packs an insane amount of clever schemes and challenging plot points, balanced with funny or unexpectedly moving moments.
2. Original premise/script with a host of very well-written characters. Two things about the writing really stood out to me:
1) logical and undisturbed flow despite people constantly lying and messing with each other, ever changing loyalties and multiple schemes playing out at the same time.
2) three-dimensional characters and complex believable relationships. The writers let us learn about their pasts/goals/hopes/mistakes/regrets in little bits and pieces over the course of the 24 episodes. It really ropes you in and gets you emotionally engaged by degrees.
3. Dark humour<3 mainly courtesy of one inspirational, stylish, clever, audacious, mercurial, murderous maniac named Liang Long!
4. Keeping my mind and emotions fully engaged! I'm emphasising this as it's pretty rare for me - my mind loves to wander and the rest is cynical to the bone;)
This drama moves at an insanely fast pace that barely allows you to blink, in case you miss sth. At the same time, keeping it real when it comes to people, their struggles and life stories unexpectedly squeezed a lot of genuine emotion out of me. Especially since most of the characters' arcs get tied up in a way that packs an emotional punch.
5. Top-tier direction and cinematography - a great mix of fresh ideas and experience. I liked the mind-gaming narration with contradictory hints, that kept challenging my perception of who each character was and what they're capable of. Loved the amazing locations, spectacle-oriented action sequences and hyperkinetic editing. The story flows pretty seamlessly for the first half …by the time the intensity picks up and the plot goes on a mind-bending trip you're already too deep to back out;))
Tbh I'm not sure if this deserves a 9 but that's what I'm giving it anyway - and not just for the fact that I took two hours off work to watch the finale …though how many dramas make you want to do that?;)
I was wondering if I should mention some flaws too. Because there were parts (few) that felt anticlimactic or just plain frustrating… But I don't really care about those at the moment. So let this be my most biased review to date:))
PS: Endings in c-dramaland suck, just saying...
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It's hard to find words expressing what a treasure this series is. Hotheaded artist and a suave businessman intertwine their lives against the backdrop of a bygone era. Beautifully made and brilliantly acted, all-time favourite!
I noticed this series is not very popular and I agree it may not be for everyone. It is not bingeable. It doesn't speed towards an emotional high-point (def. not a cute love story). There is no mystery that gets revealed at the end. This is basically two people from very different backgrounds and social classes meeting, getting into and bailing each other out of trouble continuously, and weaving their lives and the lives of people around them together. There's another layer to the story being told through the opera performances but that requires interest in the art. It also requires a certain mood and full attention, because it's very easy to get lost in the many characters and sidestories. I watched it at the pace of 3 episodes every few days.
Still, I wanted to write a few words for those who may be hesitating because of other reasons.
POSSIBLE SPOILERS below......,..,.....
First of all, I'd like to stress that this is not a bleak, tragic or depressing series.
Yes, it's set in turbulent times. But the (very well-written) story mainly tells of ups and downs in the lives of all manner of people connected to our protagonists or the Beijing opera circle. The Japanese soldiers arrive to occupy Beiping only after 30+ episodes full of Shang Xirui's shenanigans and funny or emotional side stories.
Yes, it has an open-ending but it actually fits the story well and neither ML dies. Plus if you want a less ambiguous version, there's a 'gift ending' posted on bilibili by one of the screenwriters with an alternate cut of the last few minutes of the series.
I think the level of melodrama, or the sadness-happiness ratio, fits the slice of life genre. At least, there are no dramatics here for the dramatics sake.
Secondly, this is not some twisted heartbreaking love triangle story.
Yes, one of the MLs is married with a baby. It wasn't a love match though, but an arranged union in the past due to money problems. What this series has done incredibly well, is how well-written and fleshed out all the characters are, including Er Nainai. To me, the backstory fits the times well and adds an intriguing angle - the contrast between the two relationships in Cheng Fengtai's life. Not to mention, the curious interactions between the wife and the soulmate. Again, both from very different backgrounds.
Lastly, this may be worth watching just for the stylish visuals and artistic flare. I think this is the first series where I actually stopped the video to look at certain stills. There are so many insanely beautiful ones! Just take a look at the sequence in ep43 starting at 21:41. If I can get it in high-res this goes on my wall!
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Human nature is just more complicated than this!
I'm writing this out so I can try and put my thoughts in order about this drama - cause I have so many conflicting ones...First of all, communities existing outside of common law and the constraints of civilization is probably my favourite theme in the cinema as a whole. That's just to give you an idea how excited I was when I stumbled upon this show. And it did start very promising, weaving a pretty intricate web of suspense and ambivalence among several intriguing characters...
This doesn't follow the tired narrative where we'd see the younger brother arriving at the remote goldfield to unravel one big mystery step by step. Instead the story unfolds from several different POVs at the same time, with the brother just being one link in the chain of events. Thanks to that, there's a steady pace of reveals and new mysteries happening - you just have to have the patience to put together the various puzzle pieces sprinkled here and there by yourself. What's more, you get quickly and deeply immersed in this world thanks to the incredible attention to detail and quite creative cinematic style!!!
But then as I kept watching, I'd pause the video more and more often to let my mind focus on other things. By ep10 I had to actually force myself to continue watching.
I think the main reason for that is they just didn't delve deep enough into the psychology of the characters. Every episode has a sub-title that is like an aphorism about gold and greed f.e. "Apart from wildness, gold can lead to nowhere''. At some point, it became clear that whatever these characters do next - strike a deal, form a bond, etc. It would all just circle back to that message in the end. Which is fine, if they planned it like that - it's a storytelling device. However, what's missing is the struggle! Humans struggle with conflicting emotions (like I am now;), even if in the end we go with the predictable choice. That complexity is majorly missing in this script - and I needed that human quality to be able to connect to these characters.
This is further compounded by a very weird narrative flow. There are quite a few scenes where we'd have a very suspenseful situation, at times turning into Mexican-style standoff ...and then ...nothing.
No blow-up! No tension release!
We go from build-up straight into the fallout.
Like we'd see two characters standing at the opposite sides of a door readying for a fight. The camera would switch back and forth several times between them racking up the tension… Then next thing we see, one of them is already tied up on the floor!
So disappointing. I was like: OK, thanks! Is this freaking IKEA for me to have to play this scene in my imagination and add it by myself?
Doing it once is fine. But after it happens several times, the story just becomes monotonous, especially as there's also no surprises in how these people would act in any given situation.
Hence, needing to force myself to continue watching. Maybe if they condensed the story into 8 or 10eps, this wouldn't have irked me so much.
In the end, there were aspects of this drama I greatly enjoyed, but as a whole it awfully tired me out. Zero rewatch chance for that reason.
Still, I'm not discouraging anyone from checking it out. Gold Panning is a uniquely themed and well executed series with high-quality production values! Plenty of people seem to love it too - just sadly not me.
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Sunshine meets grumpy
It was a perfect series to binge on a long journey - charmingly fun, intriguing and visually appealing with strong, lovable characters, including a finicky cat sidekick.Set in 1930s Shanghai, the story focuses on an accomplished authoress's emotional journey from a comfortable life beside her husband, through betrayal, grief and some murders, to a comfortable life beside her photographer friend Weiwei …or, in other words, from a relationship with one unhinged person to another (slightly less) unhinged one;) Youyi is that ‘ray of sunshine’ person who radiates positivity and warmth. Nothing gets her down for long. I’ve always been drawn to people like that in my life, so I wasn't surprised Weiwei fell under her charm so quickly. Weiwei, in the classic opposites attract way, is mysterious, reserved, suspicious and constantly on the defensive. There's unmistakable chemistry between the pair and their acting was very natural, but the quality of writing and editing dragged everything down.
My main complaint about this series is that while the plot was engaging, it was way too shallow to stay in my memory for long. There was more focus on delivering cute and funny scenes of the girls, skimping on emotional depth. Too many important moments between them (like the big confession about Zhang Wan) happened off screen which felt disappointing. Instead, we got served long emotional scenes with Youyi's ex. I was completely uninterested in the one-man pity party that was Yifan. No idea what the writers wanted me to feel for this character besides annoyance. Story would've been much better if they cut him out. I don't want to nitpick or spoil anything, but believe me there was some truly lazy writing. How many car accidents can you cram into one story before it starts feeling like a bad parody?
All in all, it's a good pick-me-up series if too lightweight and predictable for my taste. In any case, I still have high hopes for season 2 if/when it happens, because it looks like the focus will switch to Weiwei’s dangerous past. Btw the series ends on a happy, domestic note. A new conflict gets introduced in the last few minutes as a preview of S2, but the story of S1 gets resolved with a happy ending.
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Visually rich, twisted fairytale. Best enjoyed if you let your imagination off the leash.
Once upon a time, there was a poor tender-hearted girl who got betrayed by her own father and sold to a brothel. Cruel fate then sent her to a hotbed of evil - a danger-filled city of assassins! There she encountered a handsome tortured prince in disguise. Oh wait, make that two! Sigh, if only it weren’t for the evil queen…:)Don’t watch this as wuxia, watch it as a collection of fairy tales tinged with the blood of many lovers. This drama has a distinct magical flavour, eerie and timeless, thanks to amazing art direction, imaginative use of animation and a vibrant palette of characters! Story wise, it’s wuxia meets gothic romance with a dash of mystery and horror. It's one of those dramas that you need to try before deciding if it's to your taste.
I have to applaud the creative team behind this drama for being able to build such a sinister, unnerving atmosphere even with all the mature elements toned down. There's no gore, no sex, not even a kiss on screen. Yet, this drama overflows with passion, allure, menace and dark morality.
Actually, it played with my imagination a little too well… There's a scene of three people eating soup. One is supposed to be blind, but isn't. The other two want to catch him out. Now, we never know exactly what’s in that bowl. Just that the other two are pretty horrified by it. It's all in the masterful acting and the tension building in that long scene. It created such vivid images in my head, I very nearly threw up… Ok, fun anecdote time over - back to review;)
Another thing that drew me in early on was , what I called earlier in a comment, bunch of nutty characters that I just couldn't help but adore. Starting with the sexually frustrated, ingenious torturer, cat mommy villain with a pastime of skinning people:)
The portrayals were just enough to give the characters an unconventional, eccentric feel, without crossing over into grotesque. As for the three leads, they were exceptional.
Wan Mei: My love for the heroine was of a tempestuous nature. A lot of the time I wanted to reach in and shake some sense into her. At other times, I felt like cuddling her to death. She was charming and clever, but also frustrating as all hell. I think her character suffered the most from the censoring of the original novel. She was a ridiculously unconvincing assassin. A big part of this drama is Wan Mei going on various missions. That arc was both too episodic in nature and brought a lot of inconsistency to the character. Generally, I felt her purpose wasn't written as clearly as the other two leads.
Gong Zi and Chang An: The two tortured princes! Complex and charismatic characters with very different understanding of what love is. They both have a classic wuxia thirst for revenge/hidden identity storyline in the background. I felt Chang An's story was underdeveloped. But it was pretty obvious they didn't have the budget.
Personally, I liked him best in their early scenes with Wan Mei. Qu Chuxiao infused the character with such a magnetic charisma I couldn't take my eyes off him.
If Chang An was irresistible, then Gong Zi was just striking! Wang Duo's stylish, melancholic portrayal of Gong Zi brought such a unique, unearthly feel to this series. One of the most memorable characters in the whole dramaland for me.
Now, on to negatives
Well, this is a medium-budget web drama from 2018. The CGI is better not mentioned:)
For wuxia, the fight scenes are nothing to speak of. The final battle between our heroine and the evil queen was extremely underwhelming.
As I said earlier, the plot in the middle is meandering and episodic. I put it on hold for a few months because the story seemed to be going nowhere. Also, the whole Wan Mei being an unwilling assassin part was far too sentimental for my taste. It lacked any real sense of danger or thrill.
Even though the music is quite beautiful, I felt it was overused and oft-repeated. Seriously, I challenge anyone not to know the lyrics to the theme song by heart after 30 episodes.
Not enough attention to detail. For example, I got confused about who knew of Gong Zi's cured blindness at which stage. The actor seemed to randomly alternate between the two looks.
Can’t remember any more. Go watch the drama. Enjoy the magical spectacle, Wan Mei’s awesomeness, Chang An’s devotion and Gong Zi’s wily ways.
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The guy may try to be good, but the people who cross his path have the worst luck.
I wish more people watched this, because there is so much to discuss and joke about in this drama:) The story centers around a security guard at a thermos factory who gets it in his head that if he commits meritorious service he'll be able to score a job with PSB. He's both stubborn and determined but most unluckily creates havoc wherever he goes. He also sets up a lot of events in motion that unfold over the course of the series to often tragic results. I should mention here that the comedy genre is definitely the black and deadly, not the feelgood, type.Other key characters in the story include Hu Ting - old Shang's nephew, policeman and husband of Lv Ling. Their marriage problems comprise one of the multiple story threads.
Then there's Shang Jin - Shang's somewhat estranged daughter and the youngest doctor in a county hospital. She tries to investigate strange symptoms in patients rumoured to have visited Laoyao Mountain. It's a mysterious place featuring in a lot of town legends that is home to either ghosts, aliens or Japanese gold, depending on whom you ask.
There's also Xueqin - a dumplings shop owner, who often acts as a sounding board for Shang's crazy ideas and has a brother who's walking trouble. Not sure why she's listed as a main character. Her storyline and acting are both on the weaker side.
Finally, in the background we have two local "crime lords" battling it out and an out-of-town criminal gang 'tiger brothers' who are one of the most unfortunate to have ever crossed paths with the good guy.
Stylewise the series is a mix of black comedy, crime thriller and life/family drama. There's off and on screen violence and some genuinely tragic moments. A lot of the humour is a miss for me but overall it's engaging fun.
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This review may contain spoilers
Just too short...
Aya, this left me with such mixed feelings! There was a whole lot I liked about this tale of a man going to Yunnan to try and find himself and of course finding love:) The visual mood and beautiful scenery of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain massif for one. But then, you can't really have both internal and external conflicts with such a short runtime and resolve everything in a satisfying way, which made the plot feel a bit contrived.I wish Qingyu and A-Ren were given a chance to decide on their own what they wanted to do with their lives, before outside forces interfered. There's enough tension in a love story between a man trying to find his own path in the sudden absence of his father's strict guidance - dealing with both the unlimited freedom and emptiness that followed, and a man who has a responsibility to a tight-knit community he grew up in. The film never made it as far as them choosing between tradition and love. It was more in the line of one blockhead with prejudices against outsiders, finally finding a convenient excuse to go after the person he'd been gunning for from the start.
From what I've read, this movie references an old legend of the Naxi people about Jade Dragon 'disanguo' - the guardian spirit of people in love. According to the legend, couples whose love clashed with traditional social ethics, and who found it impossible to face reality, could choose to sacrifice their lives to gain access to another living space - an ideal/dream country. Leaving aside cultural implications, this was just too short to convincingly set up such a dramatic finale. Fortunately, the ending is quite ambiguous and really depends on your own interpretation of events and the titular third country.
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No matter what, the game must be played to the end.
I'll remember this as the drama that got me stress eating. It is pretty much what the tags here advertised: a nerve-racking, slow-burn thriller full of moral dilemmas and emotional complexity. It starts with a stubborn, unsociable, resentful small town Go teacher, Cui Ye, who gets thrown out of his comfort zone and into deadly trouble at a difficult time in his life and relies on his Go skills to manipulate the outcome and win. How far he is willing to take things and what he is willing to sacrifice on the way is very much the question. The stakes are ever rising and the tension is steadily building up to, and through, the finale. The plot twists were not many but incredibly well-timed and well-executed. Even though I predicted some of them were coming, the way they fit into the story left a deep impact. I also appreciated the dark comedy adding bittersweet irony to the mix. The way the drama weaved in heart-warming, funny, romantic or family moments worked perfectly to break the tension, add complexity and get you emotionally attached to the characters. The cinematography, soundtrack and attention to detail were all top-notch. Anyone who visited the south of China in early 2000s will feel very nostalgic:) I also really liked the way foreshadowing and symbolism were used to create anticipation and give better insight into the often hard-to-read main character.I think the Chinese title is a slightly better fit because at its core the story is about knowing what kind of player a person is and using that knowledge to defeat them. Cui Ye is often shown reviewing past matches and contemplating why a person made certain moves to try and grasp how they think. He translates people's behaviour into game moves to gain insight into their characters and predict how they will act when faced with a given situation. It's like a psychological warfare where he actively sets traps to lure his 'opponents' to act they way he wants. Except life is unpredictable and doesn't follow the rules of the game. A smart move can bring about devastating consequences or require a hard to stomach sacrifice... Cui Ye is the most self-assured when dealing with his brother Cui Wei, because he knows him best. But of course, his brother has a good understanding of him as well. Theirs is a complex relationship with layers upon layers of past hurts and resentment. It's quite fascinating to watch these two 'battle it out' throughout the drama.
The characters are memorable but not for likeability. I think Cui Wei was the only one who didn't make me feel exasperated with him at some point. The rest either did stupid stuff (Xiasheng, the inconvenient sidekick;)) or I waited for them to finally do something (Shuhua, the estranged wife). In general, the middle part of the series left me vaguely dissatisfied as I felt there was unrealized potential in secondary characters' storylines. Maybe, it's because I've just seen the actress playing Cui Wei's wife in a much bigger role in another drama, so I expected she would get her own arc. There was palpable tension between Wei and his father-in-law that never really got explained. The pacing also noticeably slowed down in this part, but never to the point where it would lose my interest. With how many emotions these exasperating people evoked in me, it was near impossible to distance myself from their plight. Teenage love is not my thing, but Xiasheng and his love interest really pulled at my heartstrings. However, the most compelling character (called one ear) arrives at the last arc and proceeds to steal the show! The way the ending unfolds kept me at the edge of my seat. It's so rare these days for a c-drama to have a cleverly wrapped up and emotionally satisfying ending. Not to mention uplifting! I thought they were toying with us by naming the end credit song (and last episode) 'things really aren't as bad as they look':)
As for Cui Ye, he exasperated me most of all. Part of the reason was the actor relying on micro expressions to portray his emotions. I admit I prefer more expressive acting. In some scenes I needed more 'emotional leakage' from him but he remained stubbornly blank ...which is probably how those around him felt too. Some of his actions are equally frustrating and hard to understand, but to be fair, that's also the strength of this drama. It doesn't provide you with easy answers. Is Cui Ye a socially inept genius or a selfish master manipulator? A loving father who doesn't know how to show it or a compulsive player who's willing to risk anything to win? There comes a moment in the drama where I felt it would've been better for everyone if he abandoned the game. It's an open question in the end if the outcome and what he risked by continuing was worth it. Watch and decide for yourself.
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Compelling tragic hero story weakened by uninspired direction
For me, it was one of those dramas you continue watching because you want to know how the story ends and what happens to the characters you like but not necessarily enjoy the road to get there. I felt disengaged from the individual cases because there was very little space given to get emotionally involved or get your brain gears turning as a viewer. Everything was quickly introduced and quickly resolved, with not much tension or nuance in the storytelling. There was more talking about investigating than actual investigation being shown on screen. I cannot stress this enough, this drama involves hours of people standing around discussing stuff... My fellow suspense junkies, do not approach! On the other hand, the martial arts scenes were nicely filmed and quite exciting.Cheng Yi excelled in his role as Li Lianhua. He is the soul and heart of this drama. A rare compulsive liar protagonist who completely won me over. Once a hopeful, audacious hero now cynical and disillusioned with the world. The wall he built around him gets dismantled brick by brick, first by an offer of friendship from an eager and idealistic young detective, then being forced to deal with unresolved past issues. Watching him shamelessly toy with young Fang Xiaobao was a pleasure. I wish the reluctant friendship with his erstwhile enemy, Di Feisheng, was given more screentime though. It was way more interesting to me than the overused master and apprentice bond.
I think Di Feisheng’s story arc dealing with his past was criminally underdeveloped. His lifelong struggle to break free from the confines of his brutal past was given a 5-minute resolution before the drama galloped on. That was a major disappointment for me. He was such an interesting, layered character and yet he was absent from almost half of the episodes. In general, secondary characters weren't fleshed out very well and only a few got closure. No one was particularly memorable or original. The villains were boring, shallow Wuxia clichés too. Honestly, if it weren't for Li Lianhua being such a compelling tragic hero, I would've dropped it before the halfway mark.
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Addictive! melodrama using all the tricks in the book to keep you glued to the screen.
This is like a sugar binge in a drama form. Not because it's sweet (unless we're talking sweet poison^^), but because you can't help but eat it all at once for the rush of excitement it gives you, then wonder how come there's no more ...and what do you mean it's been 40 episodes already? The slump is real but short-lived. After a bit you start craving more wholesome food;) Seriously though, it is a rare drama for me that's so unapologetically in-your-face about being pure emotion-driven entertainment without sacrificing the storytelling. If you strip all the melodramatic elements, the story at its core is still powerful enough to engage and resonate with you.The storyline can be divided into three parts. The first focuses on the heroine's downfall, subsequent return to the capital under a new identity (coincidentaly on purpose both characters share the same nickname: A-Li) and her attempts at restoring the real Jiang Li’s reputation. Fortunately, most of the pain and suffering was reserved for the villains in this drama, so we're not hit with a prolonged account of all the wrongs done to both girls at the start. There's nothing groundbreaking here in terms of plot which involves the typical household scheming, but it's very fast-paced and entertaining.
Second part deals with A-Li trying to uncover the truth of what happened to her real family. She goes on a trip and gets herself thrown in jail (twice). We also see a lot more of the male lead, Duke Su aka Xiao Heng, as their intimacy grows, so we're treated to some epic flirting. Oh, the amount of double entendres flying around! They both loved to tease each other about everything from being a straight-faced liar to having a pretty sulking face ...and it was the FL that did the lying while the ML did the sulking.
The third part is all about the villains reaping what they sowed and the culmination of a drama-long scheme involving the emperor. We also finally explore Duke Su's past but it gets overshadowed by the villains drama. Be prepared for the dramatics to go up a few notches. Best practice: take your thinking cap off entirely for the finale.
What I liked about this drama:
As a revenge story, it's emotionally engaging without crossing into ridiculous or depressing. Thankfully, it didn't sacrifice logic (too much) for the sake of delivering a more spectacular face-slapping. The villains have some depth to them. Their backstories show us how they were compelled to turn to the dark side, making their motivations more complex and understandable.
As a female-centric drama it stayed true to the theme. I don't remember the last time I liked a female lead in a c-drama as much. She had such a calming presence and looked enviably zen while exacting her revenge. A well-rounded character that was genuinely strong, brave, cunning but also compassionate and protective of others around her.
As a melodrama it made clever use of music, visuals, comedic exaggeration and pathos to enhance the emotional impact and draw viewers into the scene. Some of those stylistic choices were jarring at first, like the frequent use of extreme close-ups with actors looking directly at the camera or rather at you... There's definitely some flirting with breaking the fourth wall in those shots. It makes you feel like you're invited to be a part of the conversation, not just a passive observer, all in line with the immersive theatre theme. But there were also fun elements - I found it endlessly entertaining that the male protagonist would always enter or exit the 'stage' in some kind of dramatic fashion.
Although romance is clearly not the focus of the drama, it was the highlight for me. What I especially liked about A-Li and Xiao Heng's relationship was that there were no ridiculous misunderstandings or made-up trouble just for the sake of cheap dramatics. From the start, there's this feeling of tacit connection between them. Since there was no need to rehash everything on screen, they made good use of their time together to flirt and tease each other;) All throughout the drama they're busy with their own agendas while keeping an eye on each other and offering support when needed. That usually meant XH stepping in when A-Li got herself into trouble, which was sort of the running theme in the first half of the drama. It had the knight-in-shining-armour vibe but only on the surface. XH could offer her resources she didn't have and A-Li was smart enough to use him, just as she was aware he used her in his own schemes. The deep trust and uderstanding allowed these two to stand unshakably strong together while all sorts of drama raged around. That's about my favourite type of couple.
The leads chemistry went a long way to compensate for the sparseness of their scenes together. Both Wu Jinyan and Wang Xingyue seemed to have a lot of fun playing these characters and looked very comfortable with each other. They had little difficutly switching between the playful, more theatrical acting and the serious, emotive kind as needed. I liked them both immensely.
The harmonious relationship between the main leads contrasted strongly with the angsty, violent, misguided tragimance that was Shen Yurong and Wanning story. I can't say I liked them, but they were definitely memorable. No effort was spared to make us feel for what amounted to an emotional warfare between the fallen once honorable scholar and the disturbed, possessive princess. It's quite hard to stay indifferent to them as a result, even if the only thing you feel like doing is actively cheer for them to kill each other. I have to admit they succeeded with softening my feelings towards Wanning somewhat by the end. Mostly because I believed she genuinely fell in love, even if her method of securing that love was completely demented. Not with Shen Yurong though, I wholeheartedly detested that murderous coward right to the bittersweet end. I have to give it to the actors, they were both chillingly good in their roles. Liang Yongqi left such a deep impression on me as Shen Yurong, I probably won't be able to enjoy him in another role for a while. Li Meng perfected the haughty princess I-can-trample-you-like-an-ant look, but there was a bit too much theatricality in her portrayal for me to really connect with the character.
What I'm not so thrilled about:
Let's be honest the drama has derailed in the finale. I don't even know what to call that last battle scene, other than some weird visual fetish. It's like they run out of episodes to tell the rest of the story but still had a lot of expensive scenes left, so decided to include them all with little care to the storyline. Better project management next time guys!
I wish they gave us more happy moments with the lead couple and their families in the last few episodes. That would've been a much needed (and well-earned) breather from the angsty villain arc. Alas, it isn't that kind of drama.
Some scenes were obviously just added for shock value, including an unnecessarily high death toll. Needlessly killing off well-liked characters is a sure way for a drama to get on my shitlist. On that note, going into battle with no armour or helmet had me facepalming so hard I hurt myself.
Why on earth did they bring ML’s grandfather so late in the story? We could've had 40 episodes of their banter!! I feel robbed. Xiao Heng deserved to be a better developed, more complex character. It looked like they planned for it in the last arc but run out of episodes... I'm not sure, but it was a little disappointing.
Not a fan of the way they resolved Shuran's story arc. It was way too convenient and incomplete, especially with how long the drama lingered on her story.
This one is more of my own making. I unfortunately went to Douban to read some comments when I started watching this drama. One of them said that the FL looked like a blind person and I couldn't unsee it for the rest of the drama;( I liked Wu Jinyan's acting on the whole but sometimes her gaze really looked empty.
But all that's minor stuff, go and let yourself be seduced by this epic melodrama with no regrets!
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Suspicious minds: nail-biting suspense and doomed romance
🎶we can't go on together with suspicious mindsand we can't build our dreams on suspicious minds🎶
This was much darker and more serious than I expected, even taking into account the heavy subject matter. BL shows usually have more comic levity and heart-warming moments, not suspense dialled up to the max.
But if I'm honest, it was that suspense that kept me watching when the mystery and romance fizzled out.
The first half had a nice dangerous vibe with a whodunit mystery and the two protagonists caught in a loop between suspicion and attraction. I loved dr Kan in the first couple episodes. He came off as seductive and dangerous - a mysterious homme fatale playing with the vulnerable policeman's feelings. Tew, on the other hand, seemed to be fighting a losing battle between his suspicious mind and other parts of his anatomy;) I thought it was a rather delicious dynamics, even if the two actors didn't have that much chemistry with each other. I wish they stayed like that till the end. Instead, in the blink of an eye, they became all loving and domestic (at least on the surface), which was hard to buy with no proper build-up.
I wouldn't call this series a serious exploration of the topic of euthanasia. For that, a bigger focus on idividual cases and better balance of differing voices was needed in the story. Tew was not the person who took daily care of his sick and dying mother, his sister was, yet she wasn't given a voice. But overall, the series did a good job showing the complexity of the subject and had some thought-provoking scenes. I'm not going to discuss the plot to avoid spoilers, but imo they made a wrong judgment call with how they resolved Boss's arc. It pushed the story in a direction I didn't care for and killed any goodwill I had towards dr Kan. Of course, this might've been by design, to make us question where the uncrossable line lies, but it just further soured me towards the romance.
The production values and acting were pretty good. Also, no blatant stupidity about police and hospital procedures in the script which was refreshing. Overall, it's definitely worth watching, just not for romance.
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