This Director is going for a domestic winner and the likes of Ai Mi plus Ma Qiuyuan will want KTTPH to be a domestic winner, because that is what resonates most. IQiyi knows the beneficial impact of "This Thriving Land".
To add to my comment below about hits (actual domestic winners such as "The Battle at Lake Changjin" and "This Thriving Land" versus perceived hits by fans): Edits on Wikipedia were very detailed with relevant sources, so I'm going to quote for 'This Thriving Land" this once from Wiki (which I don't usually use)->
Viewership: {The series is regarded as a phenomenal success, achieving both high broadcast ratings and online streaming numbers while reversing the declining viewership trend for long-form dramas. It premiered on CCTV-8 on August 13, 2025, recording a cvb [zh] single-day rating of over 2%, with a peak rating exceeding 4%—breaking CCTV-8’s highest viewership record for 2025[15]—and consistently ranked first in its time slot. After its simultaneous release on streaming platforms, it topped the charts on multiple data platforms including Kuyun, Lighthouse, and Maoyan. According to Yunhe Data, its viewership market share exceeded 41.1%, setting a new industry record for 2025. Its single-day effective playback exceeded 100 million, making it the first Chinese television drama of 2025 to achieve this milestone, and topped the daily playback chart of any series in the recent three years. The "Yunhe Data Character Screen Dominance Index" for Yang Mi’s role as Ning Xiuxiu surpassed 1.2 million on August 21, 2025, making it the first character in 2025 to exceed 1.1 million on the index.[16][17][18] On iQiyi, the series’ popularity index broke 10,000 on August 16, 2025, within 65 hours of release, and reached 10,761 on August 19, becoming the second-highest in the platform’s history.[19][20]} [21]}
Impact: { Driven by the soaring trend of This Thriving Land, iQiyi's stock price has continued to rise. As of the closing bell on August 20, 2025, it had increased by 17.09%.[25] The series has also fueled a surge in tourism to its filming locations, with Ning Manor—the home of the character Ning Xiuxiu—now experiencing a visitor boom, as crowds swarm to take photographs at the site.[26][27] }
A domestic winner is what ultimately matters, while doing well internationally is a bonus. I am curious to see how well Luo Yunxi's will-flirt-with-everyone non-romance-ML anti-hero male-centric S++ drama will do versus "This Thriving Land", when it airs late this year. The investors pulled out more than the stops for that novel adaptation drama about Tang Lici. You should see the investments and expenditure.
The one-horned cow is actually there.
All the best to this Director and project KTTPH possibly being a domestic winner. Even if he doesn't reach the sky, he should reach the crown of the trees... Which he has done before.
Director for KTTPH has done very well so far, since this is the guy who can make anything but a potato sack emote. He's spotted the weaknesses of various cast members and is doing his best to elevate everyone. I believe he is focusing more on the males than the females in that aspect, rightfully so.
As an aside, "The Battle at Lake Changjin" in 2021 is the second highest-grossing movie in China's box office history, cast crowded with A-Listers of China under the Directors Chen Kaige, Tsui Hark and Dante Lam. With Wu Jing and Jackson Lee as the leads, the supporting roles were studded with the likes of critically-acclaimed actors such as Duan Yihong, Elvis Han Dongjun, Zhu Yawen, Li Chen, and Hu Jun.
Ou Hao and Lin Yongjian also managed to get supporting roles in that movie (they were reunited in this year's domestic hit drama "This Thriving Land"), and Ai Mi also managed to act in "The Battle at Lake Changjin".
The Battle at Lake Changjin is at 7.4 on Douban. This Thriving Land is at 7.2 (I'll quote some details in another comment for you to understand this). FoF is at 5.1. The Double is at 6.6. There are many ways to gauge how well a drama or movie does, and it is very smart of Ai Mi to have been able to add this movie to her filmography.
At the end of the day, it is important that any actor or actress going for a glorious critically-acclaimed career expanding into movies with acclaimed directors builds a portfolio that will help them reach their goals. That's clearly Ai Mi's direction, to the point that there are already several articles wondering if she is the next Liu Yifei or how she reminds the writer of Liu Yifei.
I believe she has more potential than Liu Yifei. What she chooses to act in will be important, such as limiting the number of costume dramas that she does for the next two years (maximum being one per year). Between Ai Mi and Ma Qiuyuan, I am looking forward to them crossing paths in KTTPH.
Thank you for your efforts :DYou should see this BTS (adding to what you have by significantly expanding on the…
This account will typically have a ginormous collation. 38 links from 29 August pertaining to BTS, some overlapping from different accounts (mostly Neo, but also has Ai Mi): https://m.weibo.cn/status/5205258629546064
Very nice updates! That montage is very nice!Do you have this clip of Ma Qiuyuan emoting (upset due to... possibly…
Might be a bit difficult, because of certain reality on the ground. There's this link I'll send you in DM about how the industry views and ranks certain actors and actresses in terms of how they can attract investors, etc
Very nice updates! That montage is very nice!Do you have this clip of Ma Qiuyuan emoting (upset due to... possibly…
Just take it that if I share a video, you can add the video to the relevant collection. Maybe you should consider making a discussion post listing your daily collection of different takes by the month (one description for each day and then linking to the MDL comment), when shooting is over.
As for content not pertaining to Ai Mi, Neo and Riley, it'll depend on when those scenes are shot. For the opening launch of KTTPH at Hengdian Studios, Ai Mi and Ma Qiuyuan were having a comfortable conversation: https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5189253174919527
Then there's the BTS from 1/8 where Ma Qiuyuan is rehearsing her lines and also talking to Riley prior to the scenes being shot from morning and into the evening, with various pictures of her looking beautiful in blue even when memorising her lines with (and I believe you had at least two different videos).
Long overdue for Ma Qiuyuan to finally be in a full-length drama. I believe one day, she should be a FL in a historical full-length drama.
~ Reuters ~ 29.08.25 / 30.08.25 ~(NEW) Another clever splicing together of various clips to make a complete sequence…
Thank you for your efforts :D
You should see this BTS (adding to what you have by significantly expanding on the scene): Neo and Ai Mi rehearse and then go into the actual scene where Ai Mi acts as if she has hit her forehead while Neo catches her ankle (they are clearly having a ball on this). At one point, Neo lets go of her ankle and she falls completely flat to the ground (not acting in this take)- https://weibo.com/tv/show/1034:5205074625101854
Here's some different angles of the scene by another user 牧云千里Neo (this user can do very spiffy splicing with music to match eg. carrying scene where Ai Mi was wearing purple and I shared for 29/7, which you already added to the collection) complete with up-close wincing from Neo: https://so.douyin.com/video/detail?aweme_id=7543962735215561984
~ One user decided to screenshot what was officially shared today on three official weibo accounts including from Ai Mi and Neo Hou. The words chosen to describe the sentiments across these three accounts can be praised as deep, evocative and poetic with restraint - https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5204927622414689
Every time I see some of these elaborate costumes, I'm thankful the actors and actresses are alright because they could easily trip and sprain an ankle (or worse).
Edited to add: Fairy不修仙 decides to share their FMV utilising scenes of BTS from KTTPH plus very apt song lyrics from 《大梦归离》 by Li Yuchun: https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5204927045177631
Yea, I've read about that king, he was a real piece of work. Not sure rewriting some history would work here,…
ML hasn't been excessively whitewashed. He tried to kill the FL and was repeatedly rude to her. After getting someone to retrieve her handbag, he cruelly allows her to express gratitude and relief before promptly hurling the handbag away and rubbing it in her face that she cannot leave. And despite a certain line of "How dare they hurt something that belongs to me"- He hasn't shown any inclination to treat her as a woman who is an equal human being. What he has shown is an intention to do what he wants without disclosing his reasons (and includes using people), and willingness to keep her by his side since he is intrigued and she can cook so well. He is attracted and in denial, but at this point he's far from dateable by any standards.
In return, it is primarily because of his behaviour in words and actions that she becomes fully aware of her plight as a possession and by the end of ep 2, she is still adamant about finding a way to leave and return to her time and escape him. Through her, the screenwriters are not sugarcoating the fact that she doesn't like the way he treats her and by default, women. What the duo have going for them is a tantalising chemistry that at times borders on siblinghood and a very good love-hate possibility being suggested and built on. That should get interesting from ep 3 onwards.
How are the screenwriters going to make the novel work? Any difference in adaptation? I shared a link to the ending in the discussion post above.
It’s interesting and technically not bad but it’s really bothering me who the ml is. They’re making him…
There are a significant number of watchers here who recognise which king this ML is modelled upon (even if they changed the name, to be less distressing). No one is saying the worst king of the Joseon Dynasty is being excused here. I have conflicted feelings, but I want to see how this drama winds up ie FL hopefully being able to change the ML as a ruling tyrant (will this create an alternate ending for the ML's role in history or not? How will the screenwriters pull this off? ). The fact that the time travel trope is present makes this less unacceptable, even if they are littering details such as the Gapja-Sahwa in the episodes.
Enjoying it this far, for what it is despite several interesting flaws. If you find yourself unable to watch at a certain point, it's understandable.
Wow, phenomenal compilation effort here! THANK YOU!You might like this FNV montage from different angles of Xiao…
Here are at least four articles pertaining to Ai Mi reminding viewers of a younger Liu Yifei and whether Ai Mi is the next Liu Yifei (ever since 2024).
No pressure, other than the fact that anyone who's aware of all this will be wondering if "Key To The Phoenix Heart" for Ai Mi will be what "Return Of The Condor Heroes" was to Liu Yifei.
Domestic viewers not missing the usable footage and lines of FoF from Qinggeng and Zhao Yuanzhou to create FMVs combining KTTPH material.
~ Reuters ~ 26.08.28 / 27.08.25 ~ (Date Amendment / Completing the set) ~ (NEW) 🖤Riley🖤 and ❤️AiMi❤️…
I wonder which part of the drama this is supposed to be in, for the night market scenes. Also depends if Riley's character is going to go against Neo Hou's character, or not.
Montage of nine clips showing an armoured Neo Hou fighting in the mask and without (believe it is all from yesterday, but correct me if I get mixed up with three days ago): https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5204327587121849
Wow, phenomenal compilation effort here! THANK YOU!You might like this FNV montage from different angles of Xiao…
Tiktok is useful for collating from across all the mediums. Xiaohongshu is about as accessible and easy to use as weibo, for a large number of international viewers. Bilibili can result in gems that surprise.
That is a very nice clip of her emoting in a monologue. Looking forward to longer clips of hers coming out.
As long as Ai Mi is relaxed, her abilities will be at their natural maximum potential, which in turn enables her to do that thing which only a few actresses have, and bring out plus elevate the best natural performance in her ML. HMH is not in my top 4 choices of a ML for her. But in terms of a ML in her first historical costume drama, he's very suitable under the right director. He's hardworking, his performance in Dashing Youth versus FoF was like two completely different worlds, and this director might be able to help him finally breach a certain barrier.
Here's another video montage you can add to the above, which has a very nice song to go with the splicing of scenes combining drumming and close-up: https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5204046060458473
For example, the scene where he is beating the drum, his lips move a little. And then he stops, face not changing, but emoting with the eyes. Pauses. Turns. Eyes widen slightly, lips parting further apart very slightly. His eyes are riveted as if he is rooted to the spot, almost as if he had inhaled and forgot to exhale. In a span of eight seconds, he has managed to emote effectively enough as per what I am used to easily seeing for more than 30 years, from actors much older than him. None of this emoting was in Dashing Youth.
I couldn't help grinning at the BTS of these two running towards each other, embracing, looking at each other and revealing what they each felt without words, then having tender confessions- That is the classic combo of killing the audience through intense devotion and heartfelt emoting after a separation. This director can do classic well, since he is going for timeless longevity. His usage of war props and Mohist Mechanism props should be great, if the quality of armour is anything to go by. Or I could also be slightly pissy at the fact that three of his completed historical dramas with very interesting scripts and cast are not broadcasting.
Part of the reason why "Return Of The Condor Heroes" in 2006 was iconic for Liu Yifei (the drama did not age well given how it was shot) is because her lines, movements, and emoting were streamlined so you focus on her performance and delivery which required specific nuances and not primarily her beauty. It involved not having unnecessary PDA that is rampant in historical C-dramas these days. Every scene she was in has to move the plot or subplot along and serves a purpose, while building and consolidating the relationship she has with her ML. If this director is smart, he'll do just that with a bit more fanservice, in at least five different ways of Neo Hou carrying Aimi and other schticks such as helping her with her passions for inventions and whatnot.
As to Liu Yifei versus Gong Li and K-dramas versus C-dramas, I'll take that in a DM.
Go update that drama wrt Ai Mi!
I have been updating details on MDL (including movies listed for some random HKer guest role actor nobody on MDL added). Very fun but I think the staff approving my edits are wondering who is this nutter picking obscurities never heard of XD
If you've watched 2 episodes and uncertain of how to survive the wait for eps 3 and 4: Currently on Youtube, the hashtag #bonappetityourmajesty leads to at least 1600 shorts across more than 500 channels.
I was thinking of Li Yitong for the FL. I found her hilarious in A Dream Within A Dream. She’s also closer in…
I don't know if Li Landi could be insouciant enough. She is a good actress and can do defiance and cold insults well enough, but when it comes to mocking the king (before she realises he is the king she has been criticising and insulting)? I'm not sure she could be sufficiently insouciant and careless at the same time. I'm not insulting the FL portrayal or actress for this drama, but Li Landi might portray this role a bit too intelligently in a C-drama remake. And one feature about this female chef is that she is resourceful and wary but not that bright in other departments, partially due to ignorance.
My question is the age of the tyrant for this drama. Edited because my brain fart ended and then I remembered I was getting mixed up. This tyrant should be close to the age of 30, as per the novel relative to the Literati Purge. But for the drama, I don't know if they are sticking with that age.
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To add to my comment below about hits (actual domestic winners such as "The Battle at Lake Changjin" and "This Thriving Land" versus perceived hits by fans): Edits on Wikipedia were very detailed with relevant sources, so I'm going to quote for 'This Thriving Land" this once from Wiki (which I don't usually use)->
Viewership: {The series is regarded as a phenomenal success, achieving both high broadcast ratings and online streaming numbers while reversing the declining viewership trend for long-form dramas. It premiered on CCTV-8 on August 13, 2025, recording a cvb [zh] single-day rating of over 2%, with a peak rating exceeding 4%—breaking CCTV-8’s highest viewership record for 2025[15]—and consistently ranked first in its time slot. After its simultaneous release on streaming platforms, it topped the charts on multiple data platforms including Kuyun, Lighthouse, and Maoyan. According to Yunhe Data, its viewership market share exceeded 41.1%, setting a new industry record for 2025. Its single-day effective playback exceeded 100 million, making it the first Chinese television drama of 2025 to achieve this milestone, and topped the daily playback chart of any series in the recent three years. The "Yunhe Data Character Screen Dominance Index" for Yang Mi’s role as Ning Xiuxiu surpassed 1.2 million on August 21, 2025, making it the first character in 2025 to exceed 1.1 million on the index.[16][17][18] On iQiyi, the series’ popularity index broke 10,000 on August 16, 2025, within 65 hours of release, and reached 10,761 on August 19, becoming the second-highest in the platform’s history.[19][20]}
[21]}
Impact: { Driven by the soaring trend of This Thriving Land, iQiyi's stock price has continued to rise. As of the closing bell on August 20, 2025, it had increased by 17.09%.[25] The series has also fueled a surge in tourism to its filming locations, with Ning Manor—the home of the character Ning Xiuxiu—now experiencing a visitor boom, as crowds swarm to take photographs at the site.[26][27] }
A domestic winner is what ultimately matters, while doing well internationally is a bonus. I am curious to see how well Luo Yunxi's will-flirt-with-everyone non-romance-ML anti-hero male-centric S++ drama will do versus "This Thriving Land", when it airs late this year. The investors pulled out more than the stops for that novel adaptation drama about Tang Lici. You should see the investments and expenditure.
The one-horned cow is actually there.
All the best to this Director and project KTTPH possibly being a domestic winner. Even if he doesn't reach the sky, he should reach the crown of the trees... Which he has done before.
As an aside, "The Battle at Lake Changjin" in 2021 is the second highest-grossing movie in China's box office history, cast crowded with A-Listers of China under the Directors Chen Kaige, Tsui Hark and Dante Lam. With Wu Jing and Jackson Lee as the leads, the supporting roles were studded with the likes of critically-acclaimed actors such as Duan Yihong, Elvis Han Dongjun, Zhu Yawen, Li Chen, and Hu Jun.
Ou Hao and Lin Yongjian also managed to get supporting roles in that movie (they were reunited in this year's domestic hit drama "This Thriving Land"), and Ai Mi also managed to act in "The Battle at Lake Changjin".
The Battle at Lake Changjin is at 7.4 on Douban. This Thriving Land is at 7.2 (I'll quote some details in another comment for you to understand this). FoF is at 5.1. The Double is at 6.6. There are many ways to gauge how well a drama or movie does, and it is very smart of Ai Mi to have been able to add this movie to her filmography.
At the end of the day, it is important that any actor or actress going for a glorious critically-acclaimed career expanding into movies with acclaimed directors builds a portfolio that will help them reach their goals. That's clearly Ai Mi's direction, to the point that there are already several articles wondering if she is the next Liu Yifei or how she reminds the writer of Liu Yifei.
I believe she has more potential than Liu Yifei. What she chooses to act in will be important, such as limiting the number of costume dramas that she does for the next two years (maximum being one per year). Between Ai Mi and Ma Qiuyuan, I am looking forward to them crossing paths in KTTPH.
I shared one microdrama of Ma Qiuyuan here, for anyone to watch because there was another watcher who is clearly here for her: https://kisskh.at/790870-que-gu#comment-23184462
What would you recommend if I watch something feat. 阿尚?
As for content not pertaining to Ai Mi, Neo and Riley, it'll depend on when those scenes are shot. For the opening launch of KTTPH at Hengdian Studios, Ai Mi and Ma Qiuyuan were having a comfortable conversation: https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5189253174919527
Then there's the BTS from 1/8 where Ma Qiuyuan is rehearsing her lines and also talking to Riley prior to the scenes being shot from morning and into the evening, with various pictures of her looking beautiful in blue even when memorising her lines with (and I believe you had at least two different videos).
Long overdue for Ma Qiuyuan to finally be in a full-length drama. I believe one day, she should be a FL in a historical full-length drama.
You should see this BTS (adding to what you have by significantly expanding on the scene): Neo and Ai Mi rehearse and then go into the actual scene where Ai Mi acts as if she has hit her forehead while Neo catches her ankle (they are clearly having a ball on this). At one point, Neo lets go of her ankle and she falls completely flat to the ground (not acting in this take)- https://weibo.com/tv/show/1034:5205074625101854
Same video on douyin by the same user: https://so.douyin.com/video/detail?aweme_id=7543980144433253658
Here's some different angles of the scene by another user 牧云千里Neo (this user can do very spiffy splicing with music to match eg. carrying scene where Ai Mi was wearing purple and I shared for 29/7, which you already added to the collection) complete with up-close wincing from Neo: https://so.douyin.com/video/detail?aweme_id=7543962735215561984
On bilibili, somebody decides to share a splicing of multiple scenes from today: https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1kehdzxEGC/
~ From the 雀骨官微 weibo account 20 minutes ago (another 七夕 video to add to what you have shared): https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5205099992581259#&video
[ #雀骨# #爱奇艺七夕甜到位了##蓄水期甜蜜心动日#
瞧瞧👀雀宝儿给小雀幸们带来了什么🤲
哒铛～～掉落晚间惊喜啦🎁
又搜罗出来一些萧无衣@侯明昊 与谢嘉鱼@演员艾米 的七夕小料咯 ]
(somebody forgot to remove the plastic bag from one of Ai Mi's hair accessories at 0:06, oops)
~ On bilibili, someone shares both official Qixi highlights videos: https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV18ghQzxE5E/
~ One user decided to screenshot what was officially shared today on three official weibo accounts including from Ai Mi and Neo Hou. The words chosen to describe the sentiments across these three accounts can be praised as deep, evocative and poetic with restraint - https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5204927622414689
Every time I see some of these elaborate costumes, I'm thankful the actors and actresses are alright because they could easily trip and sprain an ankle (or worse).
Edited to add: Fairy不修仙 decides to share their FMV utilising scenes of BTS from KTTPH plus very apt song lyrics from 《大梦归离》 by Li Yuchun: https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5204927045177631
In return, it is primarily because of his behaviour in words and actions that she becomes fully aware of her plight as a possession and by the end of ep 2, she is still adamant about finding a way to leave and return to her time and escape him. Through her, the screenwriters are not sugarcoating the fact that she doesn't like the way he treats her and by default, women. What the duo have going for them is a tantalising chemistry that at times borders on siblinghood and a very good love-hate possibility being suggested and built on. That should get interesting from ep 3 onwards.
How are the screenwriters going to make the novel work? Any difference in adaptation? I shared a link to the ending in the discussion post above.
Enjoying it this far, for what it is despite several interesting flaws. If you find yourself unable to watch at a certain point, it's understandable.
Do you have this clip of Ma Qiuyuan emoting (upset due to... possibly talking to Neo Hou's character): https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5204315912540317#&video
https://www.sohu.com/a/733214230_121730009
https://www.163.com/dy/article/JJCMMNA90537RDUV.html
https://baike.baidu.com/tashuo/browse/content?id=a1817d0f7bf956671e8835f2&fromModule=tashuo-article_bottom-tashuo-feed
https://www.worldjournal.com/wj/story/121478/8019556
No pressure, other than the fact that anyone who's aware of all this will be wondering if "Key To The Phoenix Heart" for Ai Mi will be what "Return Of The Condor Heroes" was to Liu Yifei.
Domestic viewers not missing the usable footage and lines of FoF from Qinggeng and Zhao Yuanzhou to create FMVs combining KTTPH material.
I think this might be the most popular one this far, at more than 20,000 views: https://m.weibo.cn/status/5188999379683793
This one lags behind at 9000+ views but gives a totally different spin to those FoF lines: https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5188789504836763
There's this overlooked FMV of when Ai Mi was Qinggeng, and her close-up emoting was very subtle yet nicely done: https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5204212281773627
Neo Hou cannot keep a straight face during Ai Mi's lines to him: https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5203824379692053
Montage of nine clips showing an armoured Neo Hou fighting in the mask and without (believe it is all from yesterday, but correct me if I get mixed up with three days ago): https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5204327587121849
More pictures: https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5204311706963555
Close-up of masked Neo set to music: https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5204334683621926
Wounded Neo in mask, behind Ai Mi who does not notice: https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5204335174881377
Could he have gotten wounded from here: https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5204310753286408
Another 9 photos and clips (ignore the last clip which is from the grand finale day of BTS ): https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5204319737481520
This is a montage of footage of masked Neo from three days ago, set to one song as an FMV: https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5203351068476213
Tiktok should be full of this. Thank you for going to gather them!
That is a very nice clip of her emoting in a monologue. Looking forward to longer clips of hers coming out.
As long as Ai Mi is relaxed, her abilities will be at their natural maximum potential, which in turn enables her to do that thing which only a few actresses have, and bring out plus elevate the best natural performance in her ML. HMH is not in my top 4 choices of a ML for her. But in terms of a ML in her first historical costume drama, he's very suitable under the right director. He's hardworking, his performance in Dashing Youth versus FoF was like two completely different worlds, and this director might be able to help him finally breach a certain barrier.
Here's another video montage you can add to the above, which has a very nice song to go with the splicing of scenes combining drumming and close-up: https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5204046060458473
For example, the scene where he is beating the drum, his lips move a little. And then he stops, face not changing, but emoting with the eyes. Pauses. Turns. Eyes widen slightly, lips parting further apart very slightly. His eyes are riveted as if he is rooted to the spot, almost as if he had inhaled and forgot to exhale. In a span of eight seconds, he has managed to emote effectively enough as per what I am used to easily seeing for more than 30 years, from actors much older than him. None of this emoting was in Dashing Youth.
I couldn't help grinning at the BTS of these two running towards each other, embracing, looking at each other and revealing what they each felt without words, then having tender confessions- That is the classic combo of killing the audience through intense devotion and heartfelt emoting after a separation. This director can do classic well, since he is going for timeless longevity. His usage of war props and Mohist Mechanism props should be great, if the quality of armour is anything to go by. Or I could also be slightly pissy at the fact that three of his completed historical dramas with very interesting scripts and cast are not broadcasting.
Part of the reason why "Return Of The Condor Heroes" in 2006 was iconic for Liu Yifei (the drama did not age well given how it was shot) is because her lines, movements, and emoting were streamlined so you focus on her performance and delivery which required specific nuances and not primarily her beauty. It involved not having unnecessary PDA that is rampant in historical C-dramas these days. Every scene she was in has to move the plot or subplot along and serves a purpose, while building and consolidating the relationship she has with her ML. If this director is smart, he'll do just that with a bit more fanservice, in at least five different ways of Neo Hou carrying Aimi and other schticks such as helping her with her passions for inventions and whatnot.
As to Liu Yifei versus Gong Li and K-dramas versus C-dramas, I'll take that in a DM.
Go update that drama wrt Ai Mi!
I have been updating details on MDL (including movies listed for some random HKer guest role actor nobody on MDL added). Very fun but I think the staff approving my edits are wondering who is this nutter picking obscurities never heard of XD
Music and edits of a certain fight: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JW68XAzEfA8
Onscreen versus offscreen BTS in the same hilarious short: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Fk1QJpkSHTg
We don't have full FMVs yet, but there are edits of hilarity with music and more XD
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JW68XAzEfA8
My question is the age of the tyrant for this drama. Edited because my brain fart ended and then I remembered I was getting mixed up. This tyrant should be close to the age of 30, as per the novel relative to the Literati Purge. But for the drama, I don't know if they are sticking with that age.