My preferences for his next gig1. Plays an arrogant pop idol but a vigilante at night saving a Gotham like city…
Somehow the vampire angle does not appeal to me. As I said to kwanto above, I would like him to be the ML Kang Da Wit in a C-drama remake of Pro "Bono" XD: https://kisskh.at/785270-pro-bono
I'd say serial killer would be top choice. Veterinarian or cardiologist by occupation, and serial killer by night…
Pro Bono is a fun yet serious legal K-drama. I would be interested to see LYX take on the lead role of Kang Da-Wit in a C-drama remake, because I believe he would ace it!
Nope. I am happy that Pei Zhen will go out into the world and be his own man, and not repeat the mistakes of his…
Here's quoting part of my answer to you about corporal punishment, as initially mentioned in my comment above (4th paragraph):
[ If a father disciplines you for being disrespectful (such as whacking you across the face, which Pei Zhen repeatedly received from his father), retaliating is a gigantic breach of filial piety. "打是疼，骂是爱" and "黄金条下出孝子" are some proverbs typically used to justify corporal punishment and discipline among the older generations. Doesn't mean the parent doing it is in the right. This also means ML's mother will not interfere with her husband's actions for doing so. Those of my generation might choose not to follow this. I definitely don't. ]
As I previously said to provide context in a familial setting, it doesn't mean the parent doing so is right. "棒打出孝子" is definitely an unfortunate application to Pei Zhen from his father.
Filial piety fulfilment is an important consideration when evaluating a potential good daughter-in-law, son-in-law or a future spouse. How a parent chooses to treat a child for discipline while claiming filial piety is a different matter. And when choosing a life partner, I would say anybody who is emotionally unhealthy to a certain extent is not datable, as per my stance on ML and 2ML whereby I am fine with ML by episode 19 but still not fine with 2ML until episode 27.
Beating up an employee in a modern drama is not acceptable. I don't fully understand your question about acceptable Confucian corporal punishment pertaining to employees. You mention a K-drama and an employee but off the top of my head, but I can't think of a Chinese proverb that would have led to it. Korea and China also have cultural differences despite being part of East Asia, and I don't run away from the awful fact that Confucianism isn't awesome in some aspects. What is the name of this K-drama?
"板子头上出状元" refers to the shaping of a scholar to ace the imperial exam. Nothing to do with employees and employers that I can think of.
I do not quite understand Pei Zhen’s hostility towards Xiao Zhi Yu. It’s kind of felt forced and inconsistent.…
Having lived in more than one country before the age of 25, I have the good fortune of an international upbringing while being able to respect the mixed heritage I carry from East Asia and West Asia.
I have mixed-feelings to know you went through a very traditional upbringing. There is immense beauty in traditions but just as cruelly depending on the circumstances, can be very emotionally damaging. As you and I understand only too well, 2ML is as you said: A product of his upbringing. For me, it's a miracle that he didn't turn out worse luckily because he had a stepmother whom he clearly cares for.
I hope you manage to enjoy the final 8 episodes of "Love Between The Lines". I believe the script dropped the ball on FL for those episodes, and I had been enjoying her characterisation until the end of episode 19. I wanted 2FL to be given the opportunity to showcase more of her acting chops for the final episode, but I'm glad she at least got a happy ending.
This drama will look good on the filmography of Lu Yuxiao and Chen Xing Xu, and I am very happy for them :D
"River Sunset" is doing well and has more TV viewership than "Glory" which is also doing well, according to CVB. I'm grateful that there is so much quality in variety for which viewers can pick and choose whatever we want to enjoy XD
For 2025, other than "The Guardians", I am glad for a non-romance xuanxia drama that finally reminded me of the depth and beauty in older HK movies I enjoy (and it is also a major hit being the only C-drama of 2025 nominated for CPOPwave 2026), so much so that I decided to explain a bit of three literary references involving Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism: https://kisskh.at/755725-shui-long-yin#comment-24569086
Nope. I am happy that Pei Zhen will go out into the world and be his own man, and not repeat the mistakes of his father. A significant number of us who appreciate Dai Xu's performance don't want him to be romantically involved, but want Dai Xu to showcase his acting further reminding producers and directors he should be ML at some point in another drama.
As Pei Zhen, Dai Xu elevated a very non-unique screenplay characterisation 2ML into a character that is trending highly in popularity on China social media such as weibo and douyin. I'll give you insight into why that is the case (not the MDL bubble on this page):
This isn't obvious to non-mandarin speakers who also don't understand Confucian traditions that strongly applies to this C-drama for the dynamics of ML with 2ML and 2ML's father, which is something my uncles followed with my now-deceased grandfather regardless of their ages and status:
If a father disciplines you for being disrespectful (such as whacking you across the face, which Pei Zhen repeatedly received from his father), retaliating is a gigantic breach of filial piety. "打是疼，骂是爱" and "黄金条下出孝子" are some proverbs typically used to justify corporal punishment and discipline among the older generations. Doesn't mean the parent doing it is in the right. This also means ML's mother will not interfere with her husband's actions for doing so. Those of my generation might choose not to follow this. I definitely don't.
If you're going to watch this drama without understanding the cultural mindset, ML is going to look super-awesome while 2ML might come across to you as weak and pathetic. That's definitely one of the biggest perception differences between international non-mandarin speaking viewers versus mandarin-speaking viewers in East Asian or Southeast Asian countries.
2ML is definitely strong, because it is culturally obvious that he is trying to balance everything he's supposed to traditionally adhere to while being a modern man and in such a situation, he also looks like a traditional filial son who didn't run away and isn't a romance-addled weakling. On the professional front if he is doing a stellar job leading the company, Pei Zhen deserves the respect of his employees, and the drama also shows that.
ML had a hard life after leaving them all to make his own way, but he can be viewed as abandoning the traditional family unit and familial obligations such as staying by his mother for selfish self-centred freedom to attain his goals and is hence unreliable and unfilial. ML is not selfish and his actions are understandable from multiple angles and he is reliable, but he can come across that way depending on the viewer. 2ML fulfilled obligations of ML to ML's mother on behalf of ML, and 2ML clearly cares for his stepmother.
ML and 2ML are not emotionally healthy for at least the first ten episodes of the drama and they are not dateable during those episodes IMO. Hu Xiu is a well-written character, and rightfully gave ML a piece of her mind with an ultimatum in episode 19. BTW, I still believe Pei Zhen is undatable until the end of the second-last episode.
Pei Zhen trending on weibo and douyin isn't because viewers only think Dai Xu looks hot in glasses. Dai Xu as Pei Zhen is doing a very good balancing act which isn't obvious to viewers who don't get the culture and language. If he prioritises a woman and romance before family responsibilities and priorities including his father's wishes plus ambitions for Forma, then he as the unmarried oldest son will be an unfilial weakling who failed his upbringing and disgraces his father as the man of the house responsible for his upbringing. ML lost his biological father early and he isn't the oldest son nor a biological son in these new household dynamics when his mother remarried, so he doesn't have to be assessed as harshly as 2ML on these conditions and easily gets more leeway.
2ML fulfilled family obligations including towards his stepmother. ML did not. How you view all this is up to you. However, filial piety perception isn't up to you, but those in the larger community who hold Confucian beliefs, and ML will appear much worse for this aspect akin to a failure. You can ask anybody who is a fluent mandarin-speaker above the age of 50 about what I have pointed out here.
Going on about whether ML or 2ML is more suited for Hu Xiu as the key priority of how to assess the character of ML or 2ML is usually the typical primary perspective of a non-mandarin-speaking international viewer who is typically ignorant about filial piety being a key theme and absolute necessity to the dynamics between ML, 2ML and 2ML's biological father who is also ML's stepfather due to marriage with ML's mother.
That same ignorance from some viewers will usually lead to childish broad-brush painting of anybody admiring Dai Xu's performance as 2ML being simps for Pei Zhen. There are clearly international admirers of Dai Xu on this page. If someone cannot differentiate between an actor and a role they are playing and people able to point out primary cultural relevance where you cannot and you don't like people like me doing so: I suggest the viewer grows up because this is a drama page for discussion and different characters can be discussed, not a fan page simping only for one actor or actress.
This is a modern C-drama grounded in Confucianism for the family dynamics, not a modern Western drama. It's realistic (and hence partially disturbing) for portraying how Pei Zhen is treated by his father as the oldest son of the family. If you want to assess the family dynamics for the 2ML and ML of this C-drama accurately, you will need to know everything I have pointed out here.
I added my views of why Pei Zhen clearly exhibits emotional abuse inflicted on him since childhood by his father (I also claimed he is charming and repellant in turns): https://kisskh.at/760693-ya-xi#comment-24891090
Pei Zhen's father is clearly a nasty manipulative piece of work whose ideas of grooming a son for leadership should definitely be as lousy as his parenting style.
Pei Zhen gets to be his own man. And he does not have to suffer for his father's doings. I'm happy for him and 2FL. And the leads deserve each other. That's a good ending for them all from my perspective :)
Quoting from what I said to another viewer earlier on this question - This drama is brotherhood-centric and of the four major relationships (all male-centric) important to Tang Lici (who keeps secrets of his own), one of them is with his former sect brother whereby their mature love-hate dynamics are on display throughout this drama. Bromance is something you can decide for yourself as you watch, given different opinions. He develops a good friendship with more than one female character.
Brotherhood and brothers not by blood in wuxia is a strong theme here.
Tang Lici as per the synopsis is drawn into unfolding a complex conspiracy which he is confidently capable of countering as a chess master and best martial arts warrior of the world ie Shenzhou, unlike many protagonists in typical C-dramas who must cultivate and slowly go through trials to develop capability.
With this approach, the central plot is focused on plans and developments increasingly cementing crucial necessity and evolving symbolism of his adventures and existence, via numerous subplots. Viewers are primarily engaged in figuring out finer details and plans from antagonists versus the philosophical enigma of Tang Lici, not bogged down in concerns for a weak still-developing protagonist.
Tang Lici in the novel flirts with anyone, male or female. In the drama, Tang Lici has chemistry with everyone but above it all, he makes friends and forms healthy friendships. I encourage you to try watching at least ten episodes before you decide :)
The richly-coloured art poster utilising at least one traditional artistic technique for SLY (Whispers of Fate) on this page contains many elements and details about Tang Lici's character and traits, including a literary reference which also helps with understanding of the drama ending drawing on multiple implications.
Azure recently translated a large segment of this Douban article about Tang Lici's thinking and behaviour (which is spoiler-free if you have finished watching this drama): https://kisskh.at/755725-shui-long-yin#comment-24608278
[ 2nd watch - be amazed with the foreshadowing that starts right upfront. Realise that the scriptwriters have woven a masterful connected story where there is no spurious scene or dialogue. There will be lots of "Aha" moments when it dawns on you that there's a reason why this or that action is taken/ event happens. Elegant meaningful conversation steeped in philosophy and cultural references (that many excellent reviewers on MDL like Xiang83, Taraverde and others have expounded in detail).
3rd watch - Fully immerse and appreciate the masterful acting by the main cast (especially LYX), artistic cinematography/ camera language (almost every frame is a worthy wallpaper :) ), detailed world-building brought to life in the CGI and excellent set designs, gorgeous costumes, innovative exciting fight sequences (those who appreciate animes and martial will find delight in seeing these brought to live-action dramas), and the absolutely on-point OSTs throughout. ]
i swear i have no problem with sad endings, but i found this one so tragic 😭 it made me so sad that everyone…
If it's any consolation, he broke the cycle of rebirth for himself and was reincarnated as a white fox. And the ending is also about understanding a certain literary reference.
Scrolling the comments I see that's another problem for the rating of this drama... but somehow, when the series…
The novel ending has Puzhu becoming the King of Insects and Tang Lici by himself mourning those who have died. A happy ending is not on the cards for many of the characters.
Drama-Tang Lici lived a full life, and he wanted others to have his happiness including his dragon goddess mother who tragically sacrificed herself knowing she would die so he could be born. Novel-Tang Lici most wanted to know his mother's love, which novel-Wanyu Yuedan pointed out.
It is sad for Tang Lici not to be remembered, but he was content with his choice for everyone else. Multiple reviews covering the Buddhism aspects of the ending and his journey touch on different aspects, where karma is not the biggest factor here.
Episodes 38 and 39 are truly AT LAST, and it looks like Oshima-taichō is about to view episode 40 with some very extreme feelings about what he cannot change.
I only just realised Casper Van Dien is the actor in this drama as honorary aviator Jimmy Doolittle (most decorated pilot in WWI). He's quite unlike what I remembered in "Starship Troopers" XD
With acclaimed film and television director Shaun Paul Piccinino (two of his six Netflix features topped Netflix's global charts) responsible for directing the American subplot covering the process leading to the Doolittle Raid in this drama, no wonder this segment has been outstandingly shot and acted across multiple episodes!
I do not quite understand Pei Zhen’s hostility towards Xiao Zhi Yu. It’s kind of felt forced and inconsistent.…
By this point, I'm invested in the character developments of 2ML and 2FL. I am disappointed that the Shanghai architectural angle wasn't more deeply explored and showcased, and the potential of the VR game was also not fully utilised.
Filial piety doesn't seem to be something international non-mandarin-speaking viewers grasp, so attempts at character analysis of ML versus 2ML come across as pretty weak to me.
Can the two brothers just team up and go end that asshole? He's such a manipulative bastard and he's just plain…
I'm going to point out something that isn't obvious to non-mandarin speakers who also don't understand Confucian traditions that strongly applies to this C-drama for the dynamics of ML with 2ML and 2ML's father, which is something my uncles followed with my now-deceased grandfather regardless of their ages and status:
If a father disciplines you for being disrespectful (such as whacking you across the face, which Pei Zhen repeatedly received from his father), retaliating is a gigantic breach of filial piety. "打是疼，骂是爱" and "黄金条下出孝子" are some proverbs typically used to justify corporal punishment and discipline among the older generations. Doesn't mean the parent doing it is in the right. Those of my generation might choose not to follow this. I definitely don't.
if you're going to watch this drama without understanding the cultural mindset, ML is going to look super-awesome while 2ML might come across to you as weak and pathetic. That's definitely one of the biggest perception differences between international non-mandarin speaking viewers versus mandarin-speaking viewers in East Asian or Southeast Asian countries. 2ML is definitely strong in his own manner, because one can see how he is trying to balance everything he's supposed to traditionally adhere to while being a modern man and in such a situation, he also looks like a traditional filial son who didn't run away and hence isn't a romance-addled weakling but a professional underhanded emotionally-abused adult. On the professional front if he is doing a stellar job leading the company, Pei Zhen deserves the respect of his employees.
ML had a hard life after leaving them all to make his own way, but he can be seen as abandoning the traditional family unit for selfish freedom to attain his goals. ML is not selfish, but he can come across that way depending on the viewer.
Pei Zhen trending on weibo and douyin isn't solely because Dai Xu looks hot in glasses. Dai Xu as Pei Zhen is doing a balancing act which isn't obvious to viewers who don't get the culture and language. If he prioritises a woman and romance before family priorities including his father's wishes, then the unmarried oldest son will look like an unfilial weakling who failed his upbringing and disgraces his father as the man of the house responsible for his upbringing. ML lost his biological father early and he isn't the oldest son nor a biological son in these new household dynamics when his mother remarried, so he doesn't have to be assessed as harshly as 2ML on these conditions and easily gets more leeway.
This filial piety perception isn't up to you, but those in the larger community who hold Confucian beliefs.
Going on about whether ML or 2ML is more suited for Hu Xiu as the key priority of how to assess the character of ML or 2ML is usually the typical primary perspective of an international viewer who ignores everything about filial piety being a key theme and necessity to the dynamics between ML, 2ML and 2ML's biological father who is also ML's stepfather due to marriage with ML's mother.
Pei Zhen's father is clearly a nasty manipulative piece of work whose ideas of grooming a son for leadership should definitely be as lousy as his parenting style. Don't put it past him to insert lies to whatever he says to ML and 2ML when they were growing up. In this case, will need Hu Xiu and reality to wake 2ML up, I reckon.
I do not quite understand Pei Zhen’s hostility towards Xiao Zhi Yu. It’s kind of felt forced and inconsistent.…
It's not uncommon in terms of thinking for the likes of my uncles that if the man of the house who is their father hits them in private even when something similar happened less than 10 years ago (just like what you see with Pei Zhen here, and these are grown men with families of their own while also heads of their own households), they are not supposed to retaliate even if the father is in the wrong.
I massively disagree with that traditional POV but I can see where they are coming from.
We'll see what the end results bring. I want 2ML and 2FL to have good endings that showcase their acting range and chops, not romance. At this point, I am interested in these characters as individuals triumphing over their personal obstacles and/or faults.
I just want to do a brief analysis on Wang Guang Ming’s cheating behavior, and it should not be generalised…
If one has to lie massively to hide the presence and/or significance of another female (who isn't a relative) from your wife, then yes, Wang Guang Ming is definitely cheating massively. Somebody already listed all the ways he lied to his wife and hence 2FL divorced him, rightfully so: https://kisskh.at/760693-ya-xi#comment-24876842
Whether or not he pulled away from a kiss he didn't expect isn't the issue. That is missing the tree for the forest of lies spun to deceive someone you're married to about someone you're not married to. If one puts themselves in 2FL's shoes and suffered all those lies, would they be comforted to know that strangers are justifying many lies from your spouse?
He's lied so compulsively and often about presence and/or significance of another female that 2FL should divorce him. And I wouldn't want her to wind up with someone else by the end of this drama. I'd like to see her take the next step in her career (the cafe becomes something bigger?) and become emotionally whole again after the trauma WGM put her through.
The best ending isn't always a romance. For 2FL, I reckon the actress should be given something to showcase her range of acting, and romance definitely isn't it. The best acting and most memorable work I have seen doesn't come from acting out a romantic role but something else. That's also matched by what people remember of hits and roles such as This Thriving Land, The Knockout, Nirvana in Fire, Whispers of Fate, Joy Of Life and Story of Yanxi Palace.
I do not quite understand Pei Zhen’s hostility towards Xiao Zhi Yu. It’s kind of felt forced and inconsistent.…
When I'm wondering about ML and 2ML having a best buddy right from episode 1, I'm referring to the kind that you can confide anything in (including if someone had an affair without hiding the negative to only shape what you want a friend to think of you).
Keeping everyone at arms-length distance despite being on good terms with people is not emotionally healthy, and I thought that was also unhealthy about ML understandably so because of what he suffered as a kid. I'm glad for Hu Xiu being in his life, helping him with trust issues and fully becoming the man that I'm sure he will want his father to see.
Narcissists can shape a child into a narcissist, and it has nothing to do with monetary background or lack of. In Pei Zhen's case, I'm grateful he had a feminine adult influence and secondary adult example of behaviour to lessen the impact of insufficient emotional gratification from his father as a child (that was crucial to preventing him from becoming like his father). He's done wrong, he needs to be accountable and learn to completely rectify what needs correcting.
A decent person who sees the traits of emotional abuse in an adult will typically wish for them to get the help they need, and become the person they really want to be. I find it hard to gloat or wish them ill, because that comes across as immature and spiteful. You don't have to like someone to wish them well. I'm sure people who later reflect on what they didn't realise about their mistakes are always grateful that someone cared enough to see what they were versus what they needed to be and where changes had to happen plus why through firm compassion.
Here's to the ending I'm hoping for, of ML and 2ML becoming true brothers and good friends after Hu Xiu has taught each of them necessary lessons including friendship!
2ML Syndrome appears to be a phrase interpreted differently by different people. So as to aid in clarification,…
No worries, young padawan. I'm probably a good bit older than you :p
What's interesting about 2ML is nothing to do with his romantic possibilities, which is why he trends on weibo and douyin. Dai Xu has taken a mediocre 2ML role (nothing outstanding or unique about the writing for his character in this drama) in a mostly well-produced drama and made it solely his own.
What I have been seeing (after returning to this comment section today) is that there are clearly fans of the actor for ML on this drama page who cannot stand the actor as 2ML being positively lauded for his acting and getting positive attention on this page, hence constantly making snide remarks on a daily basis about anyone who praises 2ML or spotlights him positively on this page.
This has been ongoing for the past ten days, even before you made your post that upset one of the ML fans because they decided to take your post personally. Getting upset over a fictional character to indirectly attack an actor and fellow viewer is pathetic and really needs a reality check.
If we could all positively encourage actors and actresses and dramas and not reward bad behaviour, everyone benefits. If you are curious about what C-Ent was like 20 years ago and what has changed today (for the worse), this will be helpful: https://kisskh.at/486-chinese-paladin#comment-16908031
Yeah they both have fallen for same woman but the most important thing is FL fallen for ML and choose the best…
ML and 2ML each strike me as being emotionally unhealthy ever since episode 1 and from my POV, they are each undatable as of episode 1.
I find it lovely that Hu Xiu winds up teaching ML about the flaws of his emotional character across 18 episodes, and the directing brings out the scriptwriting wonderfully for this.
I would like Hu Xiu to teach Pei Zhen the same thing. Be a good person first, so you can be a good friend that others trust. An interesting thing about this drama is the FL teaching ML and 2ML emotional healing simply by her principles shining through and demonstrating them. I would like ML and 2ML to be emotionally healthy and good friends one day being true brothers by the end of this drama.
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[ If a father disciplines you for being disrespectful (such as whacking you across the face, which Pei Zhen repeatedly received from his father), retaliating is a gigantic breach of filial piety. "打是疼，骂是爱" and "黄金条下出孝子" are some proverbs typically used to justify corporal punishment and discipline among the older generations. Doesn't mean the parent doing it is in the right. This also means ML's mother will not interfere with her husband's actions for doing so. Those of my generation might choose not to follow this. I definitely don't. ]
As I previously said to provide context in a familial setting, it doesn't mean the parent doing so is right. "棒打出孝子" is definitely an unfortunate application to Pei Zhen from his father.
Filial piety fulfilment is an important consideration when evaluating a potential good daughter-in-law, son-in-law or a future spouse. How a parent chooses to treat a child for discipline while claiming filial piety is a different matter. And when choosing a life partner, I would say anybody who is emotionally unhealthy to a certain extent is not datable, as per my stance on ML and 2ML whereby I am fine with ML by episode 19 but still not fine with 2ML until episode 27.
Beating up an employee in a modern drama is not acceptable. I don't fully understand your question about acceptable Confucian corporal punishment pertaining to employees. You mention a K-drama and an employee but off the top of my head, but I can't think of a Chinese proverb that would have led to it. Korea and China also have cultural differences despite being part of East Asia, and I don't run away from the awful fact that Confucianism isn't awesome in some aspects. What is the name of this K-drama?
"板子头上出状元" refers to the shaping of a scholar to ace the imperial exam. Nothing to do with employees and employers that I can think of.
I have mixed-feelings to know you went through a very traditional upbringing. There is immense beauty in traditions but just as cruelly depending on the circumstances, can be very emotionally damaging. As you and I understand only too well, 2ML is as you said: A product of his upbringing. For me, it's a miracle that he didn't turn out worse luckily because he had a stepmother whom he clearly cares for.
I hope you manage to enjoy the final 8 episodes of "Love Between The Lines". I believe the script dropped the ball on FL for those episodes, and I had been enjoying her characterisation until the end of episode 19. I wanted 2FL to be given the opportunity to showcase more of her acting chops for the final episode, but I'm glad she at least got a happy ending.
This drama will look good on the filmography of Lu Yuxiao and Chen Xing Xu, and I am very happy for them :D
"River Sunset" is doing well and has more TV viewership than "Glory" which is also doing well, according to CVB. I'm grateful that there is so much quality in variety for which viewers can pick and choose whatever we want to enjoy XD
For 2025, other than "The Guardians", I am glad for a non-romance xuanxia drama that finally reminded me of the depth and beauty in older HK movies I enjoy (and it is also a major hit being the only C-drama of 2025 nominated for CPOPwave 2026), so much so that I decided to explain a bit of three literary references involving Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism: https://kisskh.at/755725-shui-long-yin#comment-24569086
As Pei Zhen, Dai Xu elevated a very non-unique screenplay characterisation 2ML into a character that is trending highly in popularity on China social media such as weibo and douyin. I'll give you insight into why that is the case (not the MDL bubble on this page):
This isn't obvious to non-mandarin speakers who also don't understand Confucian traditions that strongly applies to this C-drama for the dynamics of ML with 2ML and 2ML's father, which is something my uncles followed with my now-deceased grandfather regardless of their ages and status:
If a father disciplines you for being disrespectful (such as whacking you across the face, which Pei Zhen repeatedly received from his father), retaliating is a gigantic breach of filial piety. "打是疼，骂是爱" and "黄金条下出孝子" are some proverbs typically used to justify corporal punishment and discipline among the older generations. Doesn't mean the parent doing it is in the right. This also means ML's mother will not interfere with her husband's actions for doing so. Those of my generation might choose not to follow this. I definitely don't.
If you're going to watch this drama without understanding the cultural mindset, ML is going to look super-awesome while 2ML might come across to you as weak and pathetic. That's definitely one of the biggest perception differences between international non-mandarin speaking viewers versus mandarin-speaking viewers in East Asian or Southeast Asian countries.
2ML is definitely strong, because it is culturally obvious that he is trying to balance everything he's supposed to traditionally adhere to while being a modern man and in such a situation, he also looks like a traditional filial son who didn't run away and isn't a romance-addled weakling. On the professional front if he is doing a stellar job leading the company, Pei Zhen deserves the respect of his employees, and the drama also shows that.
ML had a hard life after leaving them all to make his own way, but he can be viewed as abandoning the traditional family unit and familial obligations such as staying by his mother for selfish self-centred freedom to attain his goals and is hence unreliable and unfilial. ML is not selfish and his actions are understandable from multiple angles and he is reliable, but he can come across that way depending on the viewer. 2ML fulfilled obligations of ML to ML's mother on behalf of ML, and 2ML clearly cares for his stepmother.
ML and 2ML are not emotionally healthy for at least the first ten episodes of the drama and they are not dateable during those episodes IMO. Hu Xiu is a well-written character, and rightfully gave ML a piece of her mind with an ultimatum in episode 19. BTW, I still believe Pei Zhen is undatable until the end of the second-last episode.
Pei Zhen trending on weibo and douyin isn't because viewers only think Dai Xu looks hot in glasses. Dai Xu as Pei Zhen is doing a very good balancing act which isn't obvious to viewers who don't get the culture and language. If he prioritises a woman and romance before family responsibilities and priorities including his father's wishes plus ambitions for Forma, then he as the unmarried oldest son will be an unfilial weakling who failed his upbringing and disgraces his father as the man of the house responsible for his upbringing. ML lost his biological father early and he isn't the oldest son nor a biological son in these new household dynamics when his mother remarried, so he doesn't have to be assessed as harshly as 2ML on these conditions and easily gets more leeway.
2ML fulfilled family obligations including towards his stepmother. ML did not. How you view all this is up to you. However, filial piety perception isn't up to you, but those in the larger community who hold Confucian beliefs, and ML will appear much worse for this aspect akin to a failure. You can ask anybody who is a fluent mandarin-speaker above the age of 50 about what I have pointed out here.
Going on about whether ML or 2ML is more suited for Hu Xiu as the key priority of how to assess the character of ML or 2ML is usually the typical primary perspective of a non-mandarin-speaking international viewer who is typically ignorant about filial piety being a key theme and absolute necessity to the dynamics between ML, 2ML and 2ML's biological father who is also ML's stepfather due to marriage with ML's mother.
That same ignorance from some viewers will usually lead to childish broad-brush painting of anybody admiring Dai Xu's performance as 2ML being simps for Pei Zhen. There are clearly international admirers of Dai Xu on this page. If someone cannot differentiate between an actor and a role they are playing and people able to point out primary cultural relevance where you cannot and you don't like people like me doing so: I suggest the viewer grows up because this is a drama page for discussion and different characters can be discussed, not a fan page simping only for one actor or actress.
This is a modern C-drama grounded in Confucianism for the family dynamics, not a modern Western drama. It's realistic (and hence partially disturbing) for portraying how Pei Zhen is treated by his father as the oldest son of the family. If you want to assess the family dynamics for the 2ML and ML of this C-drama accurately, you will need to know everything I have pointed out here.
A fellow viewer shared her views about Pei Zhen's repellant behaviour that can be deemed childish and manipulative: https://kisskh.at/760693-ya-xi#comment-24890416
I added my views of why Pei Zhen clearly exhibits emotional abuse inflicted on him since childhood by his father (I also claimed he is charming and repellant in turns): https://kisskh.at/760693-ya-xi#comment-24891090
Pei Zhen's father is clearly a nasty manipulative piece of work whose ideas of grooming a son for leadership should definitely be as lousy as his parenting style.
Pei Zhen gets to be his own man. And he does not have to suffer for his father's doings. I'm happy for him and 2FL. And the leads deserve each other. That's a good ending for them all from my perspective :)
Here is the official opening song, with scenes from the drama: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn9_a762jU8
Brotherhood and brothers not by blood in wuxia is a strong theme here.
Tang Lici as per the synopsis is drawn into unfolding a complex conspiracy which he is confidently capable of countering as a chess master and best martial arts warrior of the world ie Shenzhou, unlike many protagonists in typical C-dramas who must cultivate and slowly go through trials to develop capability.
With this approach, the central plot is focused on plans and developments increasingly cementing crucial necessity and evolving symbolism of his adventures and existence, via numerous subplots. Viewers are primarily engaged in figuring out finer details and plans from antagonists versus the philosophical enigma of Tang Lici, not bogged down in concerns for a weak still-developing protagonist.
Tang Lici in the novel flirts with anyone, male or female. In the drama, Tang Lici has chemistry with everyone but above it all, he makes friends and forms healthy friendships. I encourage you to try watching at least ten episodes before you decide :)
RBF made this forum post in November 2023, which I share here: https://kisskh.at/discussions/shui-long-yin/121095-sly-art-poster-analysis-slight-spoilers?pid=2851189&page=1#p2851189
Azure recently translated a large segment of this Douban article about Tang Lici's thinking and behaviour (which is spoiler-free if you have finished watching this drama): https://kisskh.at/755725-shui-long-yin#comment-24608278
Mizuhira-san started the ball rolling, when she translated the segments on Zhong Chunji and Liu Yan: https://kisskh.at/755725-shui-long-yin#comment-24450266
I quote DramFun29212 from more than a month ago, who shared their experiences from watching WoF three times: https://kisskh.at/755725-shui-long-yin#comment-24521460
[ 2nd watch - be amazed with the foreshadowing that starts right upfront. Realise that the scriptwriters have woven a masterful connected story where there is no spurious scene or dialogue. There will be lots of "Aha" moments when it dawns on you that there's a reason why this or that action is taken/ event happens. Elegant meaningful conversation steeped in philosophy and cultural references (that many excellent reviewers on MDL like Xiang83, Taraverde and others have expounded in detail).
3rd watch - Fully immerse and appreciate the masterful acting by the main cast (especially LYX), artistic cinematography/ camera language (almost every frame is a worthy wallpaper :) ), detailed world-building brought to life in the CGI and excellent set designs, gorgeous costumes, innovative exciting fight sequences (those who appreciate animes and martial will find delight in seeing these brought to live-action dramas), and the absolutely on-point OSTs throughout. ]
Enjoy watching and/or rewatching! :D
RBF posted this in 2023 about the details of the poster plus the ending (which I totally recommend checking out): https://kisskh.at/discussions/shui-long-yin/121095-sly-art-poster-analysis-slight-spoilers
Drama-Tang Lici lived a full life, and he wanted others to have his happiness including his dragon goddess mother who tragically sacrificed herself knowing she would die so he could be born. Novel-Tang Lici most wanted to know his mother's love, which novel-Wanyu Yuedan pointed out.
It is sad for Tang Lici not to be remembered, but he was content with his choice for everyone else. Multiple reviews covering the Buddhism aspects of the ending and his journey touch on different aspects, where karma is not the biggest factor here.
Episodes 38 and 39 are truly AT LAST, and it looks like Oshima-taichō is about to view episode 40 with some very extreme feelings about what he cannot change.
I only just realised Casper Van Dien is the actor in this drama as honorary aviator Jimmy Doolittle (most decorated pilot in WWI). He's quite unlike what I remembered in "Starship Troopers" XD
He labels his role in this drama as "Role of a lifetime" on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10156356708292899&id=90285817898&set=a.396424422898
With acclaimed film and television director Shaun Paul Piccinino (two of his six Netflix features topped Netflix's global charts) responsible for directing the American subplot covering the process leading to the Doolittle Raid in this drama, no wonder this segment has been outstandingly shot and acted across multiple episodes!
Filial piety doesn't seem to be something international non-mandarin-speaking viewers grasp, so attempts at character analysis of ML versus 2ML come across as pretty weak to me.
I finally inserted my own take on the dynamics of ML, 2ML and 2ML's toxic father relative to filial piety: https://kisskh.at/760693-ya-xi#comment-24904120
TV ratings according to CVB (from 10 January to 16 January): https://m.weibo.cn/status/5257213381708476
Iqiyi (as of 17 January): https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5256195529250152
Tencent heat index hits 21000 today (less than 3 hours ago): https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5257271147761590
If a father disciplines you for being disrespectful (such as whacking you across the face, which Pei Zhen repeatedly received from his father), retaliating is a gigantic breach of filial piety. "打是疼，骂是爱" and "黄金条下出孝子" are some proverbs typically used to justify corporal punishment and discipline among the older generations. Doesn't mean the parent doing it is in the right. Those of my generation might choose not to follow this. I definitely don't.
if you're going to watch this drama without understanding the cultural mindset, ML is going to look super-awesome while 2ML might come across to you as weak and pathetic. That's definitely one of the biggest perception differences between international non-mandarin speaking viewers versus mandarin-speaking viewers in East Asian or Southeast Asian countries. 2ML is definitely strong in his own manner, because one can see how he is trying to balance everything he's supposed to traditionally adhere to while being a modern man and in such a situation, he also looks like a traditional filial son who didn't run away and hence isn't a romance-addled weakling but a professional underhanded emotionally-abused adult. On the professional front if he is doing a stellar job leading the company, Pei Zhen deserves the respect of his employees.
ML had a hard life after leaving them all to make his own way, but he can be seen as abandoning the traditional family unit for selfish freedom to attain his goals. ML is not selfish, but he can come across that way depending on the viewer.
Pei Zhen trending on weibo and douyin isn't solely because Dai Xu looks hot in glasses. Dai Xu as Pei Zhen is doing a balancing act which isn't obvious to viewers who don't get the culture and language. If he prioritises a woman and romance before family priorities including his father's wishes, then the unmarried oldest son will look like an unfilial weakling who failed his upbringing and disgraces his father as the man of the house responsible for his upbringing. ML lost his biological father early and he isn't the oldest son nor a biological son in these new household dynamics when his mother remarried, so he doesn't have to be assessed as harshly as 2ML on these conditions and easily gets more leeway.
This filial piety perception isn't up to you, but those in the larger community who hold Confucian beliefs.
Going on about whether ML or 2ML is more suited for Hu Xiu as the key priority of how to assess the character of ML or 2ML is usually the typical primary perspective of an international viewer who ignores everything about filial piety being a key theme and necessity to the dynamics between ML, 2ML and 2ML's biological father who is also ML's stepfather due to marriage with ML's mother.
A fellow viewer shared her views about Pei Zhen's repellant behaviour that can be deemed childish and manipulative: https://kisskh.at/760693-ya-xi#comment-24890416
I added my views of why Pei Zhen clearly exhibits emotional abuse inflicted on him since childhood by his father: https://kisskh.at/760693-ya-xi#comment-24891090
Pei Zhen's father is clearly a nasty manipulative piece of work whose ideas of grooming a son for leadership should definitely be as lousy as his parenting style. Don't put it past him to insert lies to whatever he says to ML and 2ML when they were growing up. In this case, will need Hu Xiu and reality to wake 2ML up, I reckon.
I massively disagree with that traditional POV but I can see where they are coming from.
We'll see what the end results bring. I want 2ML and 2FL to have good endings that showcase their acting range and chops, not romance. At this point, I am interested in these characters as individuals triumphing over their personal obstacles and/or faults.
Whether or not he pulled away from a kiss he didn't expect isn't the issue. That is missing the tree for the forest of lies spun to deceive someone you're married to about someone you're not married to. If one puts themselves in 2FL's shoes and suffered all those lies, would they be comforted to know that strangers are justifying many lies from your spouse?
He's lied so compulsively and often about presence and/or significance of another female that 2FL should divorce him. And I wouldn't want her to wind up with someone else by the end of this drama. I'd like to see her take the next step in her career (the cafe becomes something bigger?) and become emotionally whole again after the trauma WGM put her through.
The best ending isn't always a romance. For 2FL, I reckon the actress should be given something to showcase her range of acting, and romance definitely isn't it. The best acting and most memorable work I have seen doesn't come from acting out a romantic role but something else. That's also matched by what people remember of hits and roles such as This Thriving Land, The Knockout, Nirvana in Fire, Whispers of Fate, Joy Of Life and Story of Yanxi Palace.
Keeping everyone at arms-length distance despite being on good terms with people is not emotionally healthy, and I thought that was also unhealthy about ML understandably so because of what he suffered as a kid. I'm glad for Hu Xiu being in his life, helping him with trust issues and fully becoming the man that I'm sure he will want his father to see.
Narcissists can shape a child into a narcissist, and it has nothing to do with monetary background or lack of. In Pei Zhen's case, I'm grateful he had a feminine adult influence and secondary adult example of behaviour to lessen the impact of insufficient emotional gratification from his father as a child (that was crucial to preventing him from becoming like his father). He's done wrong, he needs to be accountable and learn to completely rectify what needs correcting.
A decent person who sees the traits of emotional abuse in an adult will typically wish for them to get the help they need, and become the person they really want to be. I find it hard to gloat or wish them ill, because that comes across as immature and spiteful. You don't have to like someone to wish them well. I'm sure people who later reflect on what they didn't realise about their mistakes are always grateful that someone cared enough to see what they were versus what they needed to be and where changes had to happen plus why through firm compassion.
Here's to the ending I'm hoping for, of ML and 2ML becoming true brothers and good friends after Hu Xiu has taught each of them necessary lessons including friendship!
What's interesting about 2ML is nothing to do with his romantic possibilities, which is why he trends on weibo and douyin. Dai Xu has taken a mediocre 2ML role (nothing outstanding or unique about the writing for his character in this drama) in a mostly well-produced drama and made it solely his own.
That is what I call a masterful performance. My analysis of Pei Zhen here takes that into account: https://kisskh.at/760693-ya-xi#comment-24891090
What I have been seeing (after returning to this comment section today) is that there are clearly fans of the actor for ML on this drama page who cannot stand the actor as 2ML being positively lauded for his acting and getting positive attention on this page, hence constantly making snide remarks on a daily basis about anyone who praises 2ML or spotlights him positively on this page.
This has been ongoing for the past ten days, even before you made your post that upset one of the ML fans because they decided to take your post personally. Getting upset over a fictional character to indirectly attack an actor and fellow viewer is pathetic and really needs a reality check.
If we could all positively encourage actors and actresses and dramas and not reward bad behaviour, everyone benefits. If you are curious about what C-Ent was like 20 years ago and what has changed today (for the worse), this will be helpful: https://kisskh.at/486-chinese-paladin#comment-16908031
I find it lovely that Hu Xiu winds up teaching ML about the flaws of his emotional character across 18 episodes, and the directing brings out the scriptwriting wonderfully for this.
I would like Hu Xiu to teach Pei Zhen the same thing. Be a good person first, so you can be a good friend that others trust. An interesting thing about this drama is the FL teaching ML and 2ML emotional healing simply by her principles shining through and demonstrating them. I would like ML and 2ML to be emotionally healthy and good friends one day being true brothers by the end of this drama.
I also gave a take on Pei Zhen's character: https://kisskh.at/760693-ya-xi#comment-24891090