Xiang83

Have we actually gotten enough clues as to why Xie Huaigui is desperate to know about what went down with the An and Lu clans relative to a certain King of Northern Qin, more than 20 years ago?

His reaction to Empress Dowager Shao Yang had me trying to figure out if I missed anything.

Psst, give a bit of detail in a reply to your comment, under spoiler tag?

Or at least one sentence to tease everyone XD

It's lunchtime. Have a good meal!

I have stir-fried vermicelli waiting for me!

This will be useful:

https://kisskh.at/790870-que-gu#comment-26815862

Also note that the politics and character development are primary focuses, with engaging battle and combat scenes, and the romance is secondary. But where there is romance, the comment above gives you very specific context.

They are thinking Western romance or some Bollywood film. This is why K-drama watchers have been running to C-Ent, because they don't like the Westernisation of K-dramas. Japan and C-Ent are the last bastions of East Asian decency. I'm starting to think I should write to the NRTA to insist on certain regulations restricting non-Chinese corruptive immoral Western kisses and PDA in this recent idol-drama trend of the recent 10 years, which has left IQiyi perpetually on the brink of financial meltdown when it comes to viewership numbers versus numbers of investments.

This is a drama where everybody in the cast has to carry weight. That is a big part of why "Key To The Phoenix Heart" is riveting. The screenplay at this point appears not to be bogged down by egos from outside sources wanting specific characters to have more scenes, at the expense of other characters. Screenwriting can be significantly affected by daft behind-the-scenes demands from agencies and whatnot.

Comedy is very difficult to pull off. The first four episodes have an old-school TVB style, which I am sure many viewers have no idea what that means. And that also means don't take anything at face value.

BTW, I noticed eyelid glue in one scene for a close-up with Xie Jiayu (I am that picky) and I'm sure people have quibbles with makeup for the females, but these little flaws outweigh the amazing combination that constitutes "Key To The Phoenix Heart". Political viewers are trying to connect the dots, because the choices and actions of the leads are tied to that. Those who want a realistic romance between a jaded cunning general and a sheltered naive money-grubbing tech whiz are rewarded with poignant moments of comedy plus little incidents propelling the connection forward. We started from hostilities, into distrust as acquaintances, then establishing friendship, now going into self-realisations.

It's great to see viewers enjoy "Key To The Phoenix Heart"!

In this drama, I'm sure falling off a cliff kills someone.

Director Gao doesn't do magical cliff survivals.

I was sporfling at it. Yeah, the hero cannot always save the gal. Xie Jiayu needs to work on her qinggong!

Thank you.

I love the way Xiao Wuyi is written. You can see his motives and how he changes, how he slowly stops hiding his inner self (and I am not referring to love). Xie Jiayu is also well written. She is annoying at times because she is sixteen-years-old, but growing up.

For acting in this drama, I would say Tao Xin Ran as the Empress Dowager is the best in acting for me, and she's very good as a veteran actress. She has incredible screen presence and tells her story in one look or every exchange, with limited scenes. This can only come from many years in the industry. Peter Ho is second, because he does oily characters very well, including switching between modes.

I first watched Peter Ho as Bu Jingyun in the 2002 drama "Wind and Cloud", and I prefer that drama in cantonese.

Hou Minghao and Ai Mi are doing very well acting-wise, considering how much younger they are than these two veterans and they are obviously trying to match their veteran colleagues.

BTW, if this drama was romance-first, I would have dropped within three episodes. I need politics or a main storyline with emotional and cultural goals, plus character developments.

Go ask anybody above the age of 50 who watches TV. They watch this, and they will tell you it reminds them of classics. I am in my early 40s.

Here is the context of the livestream, which I shared yesterday late afternoon and explained earlier:

Livestream: https://weibo.com/l/wblive/p/show/1022:2321325320950270001294

Summary: https://kisskh.at/790870-que-gu#comment-26810008

[ There are 6 cast members present in this segment: Merxat Yalkun (the Eagle King) next to Ma Qiuyuan (who is Li Lejun), Zhang Ya Wen (plays Yuanji) next to Su Jun He (who is Xiao Yao and Xiao Wuyi's older brother), plus the hostess next to Hou Minghao, and Ai Mi.

This is a group event with a convivial atmosphere, where different members of the cast share camaraderie as colleagues. I am also very distracted by the three big assorted colourful fruit platters. I just realised I ran out of watermelon in the fridge.

There is cross-banter, as they converse and rib each other about their on-screen "couples" and characters in the drama. It's quite funny at times, such as at 20:04 when Hou Minghao is ribbing Merxat about his character the Eagle King using too many words to express something to Li Lejun, and Hou Minghao also mentions how he would get to the point 😆😆😆 ]

don't waste your time. Why @Sanoya is on this page:

https://kisskh.at/790870-que-gu#comment-26815706

Full context for spam from @Sanoya and why they are on this page:

https://kisskh.at/790870-que-gu#comment-26815706

Context for spam from @Uvimolla:

https://kisskh.at/790870-que-gu#comment-26815706

Observation about "Key To The Phoenix Heart":

"Key To The Phoenix Heart" captures the essence of a uniquely Chinese romance of purity, portraying it with exquisite nuance. The affection between Xiao Wuyi and Xie Jiayu is never expressed through bold, impassioned declarations; instead, it is woven into the fabric of their daily lives—growing slowly and spreading quietly amidst their constant, bickering banter. While they often trade barbs on the surface, each has long since—and without fanfare—reserved the tenderest spot in their heart for the other. Their love is one of restraint and subtlety; what began as a faint flutter of the heart upon their first meeting gradually deepened over time into an all-encompassing, profound devotion. The dynamic between Xiao and Xie is truly captivating; it has been a long time since a TV drama has portrayed a romance so clean and pure."

https://m.weibo.cn/status/5320736732349526

I want to add that I have skipped and/or dropped many historical costume C-dramas within the past ten years, because the Male Lead is not written with such love and care and layers, as seen in "Key To The Phoenix". I like the ML general in "Fated Hearts", but even that character wasn't given the amount of personal detailing like the ML here.

When you see people like myself mention "chemistry", I am referring to emotional connections portrayed through acting, little incidents, and events. Those are the dramas I grew up with in C-Ent WITHOUT subtitles. But for using this word as per how I've watched C-Ent for more than 25 years and usually prefer C-dramas without PDA (I fast-forward almost all kissing scenes in historical costume dramas, because that is a recent trend for some of the idol dramas), I've been attacked on this MDL page with names from people whose minds are clearly in the gutter from what they themselves want to watch.

Even if I incorporate a Western perspective, "Chemistry" in the chemistry screen test doesn't refer to romance. Every actor or actress will know what an audition is, when you go through one and the chemistry screen test comes up.

Ai Mi has a lot of chemistry with Peter Ho and Jin Sha, which were my first thoughts because these artists appear first in episode 1 with Ai Mi and are necessary to establish specific dynamics for all these characters, and not Hou Minghao with Ai Mi.

Hou Minghao's first scenes in episode 1 are not about Ai Mi. He needs to portray ruthlessness in layers. As a general. With responsibilities and cunning. The scenes in the first four episodes are meant to give you certain impressions. Hou Minghao and Ai Mi as Xiao Wuyi and Xie Jiayu are hostile towards each other, in episode 1. If you can't get the point of "chemistry" and acting in historical costume C-drama casting necessary from all characters in episode 1 but you're hunting for a certain type of romance or indecency starting in episode 1, the problem is you.

Fellow viewers, please note MDL has numerous trolls and desperate attention-seekers with personal offline issues. They pretend to be outraged over various issues, but are actually anti C-Ent and/or attack artists getting praise they don't see for the ones they idolise. Their typical pattern is spamming various drama pages pretending to be morally outraged and/or feminists. At the least, hypocrites.

Examples:

@Sanoya was mostly-ignored at the pages "The Legend Of Rosy Clouds" and "Archives: The Nanyang Mystery.

More than 22 days ago, @Sanoya claimed rape was present in the drama. I watched that drama, since I like no-romance adventures. After the sensationalist comment got a bit of attention, they repeated the same claim more than 21 days ago. But the second comment revealed their aims (praise the drama tin the first half of comment, got one major detail wrong as their key point and has actual viewers plus Nanpai Sanshu fans skeptical as to whether they watched the entire drama and why. That wrong detail was used to target the entire production team):

[ Though I've finished, I would never recommend or even rewatch a single episode. Everybody on the writing and production team that signed off on those scenes need to be put in jail. It was truly repulsive predatory of them. ]

Links and screencaps ->

1) https://kisskh.at/700335-cases-of-the-south#comment-26560560

https://postimg.cc/Yj7mLK2P

2) https://kisskh.at/700335-cases-of-the-south#comment-26569

https://postimg.cc/f3XJk5Gs

@Sanoya is mostly ignored. Some people need professional help offline, not attention online.

~*~*~*~

I couldn't remember where I saw @uvimolla, but I remembered something about their age and gender hypocrisy. I asked them. They didn't want to answer.

Another viewer helpfully filled in the blanks for me:

[ Nope she approves of Older FL and younger ML but not the other way around as you can see from the Double pic on her profile. [

https://news.mydramalist.com/article/hou-ming-hao-and-ai-mi-s-key-to-the-phoenix-heart-announces-premiere-date#comment-26735122

These details with specific context will help, whenever you see such accounts spamming pages just like this one.

Everything is dubbed by VAs, for both leads.

Yang Xiao Lu and Shao Yang.

1) -> FL is obviously sick and emotionally very upset, likely delirious with fever.

I dunno what you are referring about, for 2)

In this C-drama, one won't survive falling off a cliff.

I also recommend checking out two forum threads by PeachBlossomGoddess, for the politics so you don't get lost.