Striking Cinematography, Perfect Leads, and Powerful OST
Sometimes I just want an story with an elegant vampire, don't you? Even better if it was set in the Republican Era—dramas I've just recently discovered. I love so much the look of them: the clothes, hair, cities, interiors, and cars (oh, those cars!). Such style and class.
I can't say enough good things about the FL. She was charming, sweet, brave, and such a nice change from the silly, ineffectual girls that are often portrayed in Chinese dramas. The actress did an amazing job depicting an abused girl slowly being transformed by love. The ML was mesmerizing as he transformed from cold and aloof to cautiously looking forward to a future filled with happiness.
There were some cheesy moments and exasperation that some people refused to die and stay dead, but I overlooked all that because the main leads were so charismatic, the visuals were stunning, and the music was fitting. It's worth watching just for those alone.
The drama was hampered by censorship. The word "vampire" was never uttered, no fangs were shown, and no direct feeding was depicted. The romance was greatly hampered. I realize there was a theoretical age gap of 82 years between the two leads, which could be problematic for some. It didn't bother me and I was rooting for them (they both deserved love and happiness in their lives and were optimally suited to one another due to their damaged psyches), but the censors downplayed the romance due to the age difference. Even so, the chemistry was deep and strong. I'm left to wonder how amazing this drama could have been without censorship.
The last episode was rushed and unsatisfying. I wasn't happy with the ending, but it made sense, and I've made peace with it. I wasn't the only one displeased: after the drama ended, there was so much vitriol directed at the production team that the director had to disable his Weibo, and the screenwriter posted a happy ending epilogue on hers to placate the viewers.
An extra half star was awarded for beautiful images and lovely music.
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=kHrHfFAqfpc&list=PL_cn955nlB8Tsq16mP_RBZIYoOLvHqbkM
I can't say enough good things about the FL. She was charming, sweet, brave, and such a nice change from the silly, ineffectual girls that are often portrayed in Chinese dramas. The actress did an amazing job depicting an abused girl slowly being transformed by love. The ML was mesmerizing as he transformed from cold and aloof to cautiously looking forward to a future filled with happiness.
There were some cheesy moments and exasperation that some people refused to die and stay dead, but I overlooked all that because the main leads were so charismatic, the visuals were stunning, and the music was fitting. It's worth watching just for those alone.
The drama was hampered by censorship. The word "vampire" was never uttered, no fangs were shown, and no direct feeding was depicted. The romance was greatly hampered. I realize there was a theoretical age gap of 82 years between the two leads, which could be problematic for some. It didn't bother me and I was rooting for them (they both deserved love and happiness in their lives and were optimally suited to one another due to their damaged psyches), but the censors downplayed the romance due to the age difference. Even so, the chemistry was deep and strong. I'm left to wonder how amazing this drama could have been without censorship.
The last episode was rushed and unsatisfying. I wasn't happy with the ending, but it made sense, and I've made peace with it. I wasn't the only one displeased: after the drama ended, there was so much vitriol directed at the production team that the director had to disable his Weibo, and the screenwriter posted a happy ending epilogue on hers to placate the viewers.
An extra half star was awarded for beautiful images and lovely music.
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=kHrHfFAqfpc&list=PL_cn955nlB8Tsq16mP_RBZIYoOLvHqbkM
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