Singularity

Thanks, makes sense. I downloaded the audiobook and was confused why it wasn't funny at all.

Started getting into chinese webnovel audiobooks recently (I can't really read chinese very well but can understand it spoken fine) and holy shit they're so long, I'll throw this one on the queue lol.

A little weird, the drama actually feels a bit more feminist then most costume c-dramas which tend to have a moderate baseline level of sexism in general. You could even interpret the matrilineal husband thing as a parody criticism of marriage in general.

I would imagine the webnovel is more sexist then the drama though, seems like they usually are.

I think they're different genres. JOL is a drama/thriller with comedic elements, this is a comedy with dramatic elements. Focus is different.

Is the novel also a comedy? (and is it good?)

This show is a lot of fun with literal laugh out loud moments but the plot is ridiculous lol. I can buy importing modern business practices but what kind of modern businessman knows how to make pistols, black eggs, and textile machines from scratch? Did he write a thesis on early modern technology?

Still enjoying it though and curious where things go from here since they’ve basically vanquished all the current antagonists as of ep 14.

They tried to cut out most and keep the important bits but the problem is that it did not seem like they knew what to keep and even the stuff they kept they did not successfully translate.

The clearest example of the former is Tang San's hidden weapons, which were almost entirely absent from the drama despite being a central part of his character and motivations in the novel.

The most obvious example of the latter is Tan Hao's entrance at the end of the tournament, one of the most exciting moments in the novel and the anime, rendered to him just walking in through a door and throwing his hammer once.

I definitely got the feeling that this project came into being because somebody thought it could make some money. Really seems like nobody involved in the direction and production had a passion for the IP and a vision for how to translate it.

Not a romance drama guy but figured I’d try this drama due to the cast and here I am cackling to myself in an empty room. So funny!

It matches with the 1/3rd point roughly.

And yes, the scene with Bibi Dong and Tang Hao happens in the book in a similar way.

The main difference is the entire mystery the drama posed with the soul mutations and Chang Hui school and that mind control dude and Ghost Douluo assassination plot, none of that is in the novel.

I mean that's fine, if they felt like it was more interesting to have Tang Hao be the villain and assassinate Bibi Dong I'd be all for that.

But instead the big mystery plot that led us along for 40 episodes ends absolutely nowhere, Bibi Dong kills them all in 2 minutes flat and the story proceeds exactly as if none of it every happened. Bizarre

Whelp finished 40, gonna go write a review and then guess done with this board

As a drama it was fine, above-average for these types of dramas, good effects, good dialogue.

But holy hell, it fails so hard as an adaptation.

I'm not one of those people that wanted a 100% faithful adaptation. If the adapters wanted to rewrite the plot and make it more suitable for TV that's fine by me.

But what we got was a bunch of convoluted filler they threw in there that changed essentially NOTHING. What was the point of any of those changes? The story ended exactly where it was going to end, the entire Chang Hui assassination plot was pointless. All the foreshadowing and mysteries and guessing how the plot was going to differ, resolved in 2 minutes and changed nothing.

8/10 drama, 4/10 adaptation

Does Ever Night count?

First one looks interesting! Thanks for the tip, would have definitely missed it, romances aren't my thing

It is my genre though, I've watched tons of wuxia and xianxia. Might be bc I read the novel so there's a lot less suspense. I've re-watched dramas though and knowing where things are going generally don't make me feel any less suspense so idk why everything feels so empty this time around.

Wow, Xiao Gan is so buff! Quite possibly the most un-canon thing so far haha.

I feel like I'd rather watch an American serial-style show with the shrek seven devils where they're just in school and solving random mysteries every week.

The characters are really fun and likeable but the plot is just really not doing it for me. Ppl keep blathering on about mutations and I feel nothing

I like her way more then Tang San lol. Tang San in this version is a mediocre to annoying character

Same, I really like the dynamics among the shrek seven devils, those are the highlight of the show. The plot is kind of whatever. I am a fan of fantasy shows and OP power spirals and am just really not feeling it here for some reason.

Starts when they meet as kids but they’re not kids

Agree about Grandmaster. I do think the actor is doing a good job but I still don't get why it was necessary for him to be so nerfed and also seemingly aged down about 10 years.

That description is based on book 2, the second season (if there is one) will almost certainly still be in book 1. They are not even a third of the way through book 1.

Ah my bad, still on 27, couple more to catch up