cocoa2blossom

I'm glad it helped you feel a little better ❤️
Now go watch something else as a palate cleanser, that's what I had to do haha
Even though I'm the one that wrote those comments, it only eased a tiny bit of my frustration 😆 you agreeing with me helps though, so thanks~

The Quiznos product placement was driving me crazy. I actually really like Quiznos you know? But the only one remotely close to me closed down many, many years ago, and I haven't had it since. The never to be fulfilled craving this gave me, how cruel 😭
Oh, the show was fun too 😆

That's a good point, I was kind of combining her with other FLs with this kind of relationship. She really doesn't have much of goal. If she did have one I would say it's to not "rock the boat". She wants to be happy with her sect and her family/friends and ignore the bad things happening. Or at least be sure the bad things don't affect her, even if that means ignoring red flags in the 6 sects. That's perfectly fine for a side character, or maybe even a villain, but she's our protagonist and is supposed to be a heroine. So many people like her and compare her to her aunt, so there should be something that makes me agree, but I don't really see it. Honestly, most of the time it just feels like people see her, mistake her for her aunt in looks, and then immediately like her and take her side with no effort on her part. Yes, when push comes to shove in extreme situations she'll choose to do what's right, but she spends far too much time deciding whether she wants to get involved until it gets to those extremes.

Honestly, she's probably just much too young. Someone said she's only around 15 in the novel when the story first starts. That's way too young to have that kind of responsibility on her shoulders and have a clingy boy chasing her around and wanting absolutes, she SHOULD be able to lounge at home with her family. You could maybe consider her to be a reluctant hero, but once again, she's not written in a way that makes it come across that way or be an enjoyable version of that trope. For me, a good version of the reluctant hero type is Li Lian Hua in Mysterious Lotus Casebook. I got quite a kick out of him. One that's quite different, but can also probably be characterized that way is Lu Zhao Yao in The Legends. Quite a messy show, but I feel she matches it, and I think she's of a similar age to Cai Zhao when it first starts.

I'm actually holding off from looking at that one because I didn't want to compare or get distracted with the last few episodes of this one. I'm not super sure, but from what I can tell the reason that one may have less substance is that I feel like what was pulling people in to watch it was the actors, most prominently the ML. In this one, more people were drawn to the plot. I base that off of conversations I saw leading up to them being released.

That tells me right off the bat that this one has a deeper plot that can draw people in even if they're unfamiliar with the actors, while Jade seems to be relying on the pretty package over plot. That doesn't mean it's not good or enjoyable, just that the conversations will look very different, probably less deep. It does seem like a fun watch, so I'll probably check it out next. I can't overly judge it since I haven't started it. Kind of seems like it might be a fun ride, but not a particularly deep or inventive one. I'll have to see if I change my mind once I actually start it.

Definitely, and I like your writing style by the way, it feels very poetic. I sometimes write like that, but have to be in a specific mood haha

You definitely caught my interest and it's moved up the list for sure. I'll have to check it out once I'm done with my current pile

I agree, I want them to need and rely on one another equally and be actual partners. I still want them to be proper individuals that aren't super dependent on one another, but being together should be positive for them. The relationships these days feel more parasitic. You've got the one that's super dependent and can't live without the other, and then the other one that seems perfectly fine if they never see them again and the relationship isn't necessarily even a positive for them.

Also agree with the tragedy thing. If it is portrayed as a tragedy, that can be fine, but otherwise it feels wrong.

You're reminding me that I really need to read that. Man, why are there so many books and shows to watch? I'll never finish my to be... lists, sigh. Based off of what you wrote, I can definitely see some parallels.

I accidentally stopped at the perfect spot, which is both happy and sad. Happy because I still remember it fondly, sad because I don't know if I'll ever finish. Even if I do, it'll leave a bad taste in my mouth.

That's what I was seeing in the comments, and I read some truly disheartening plot points that a minority of people were trying to excuse as romantic for some odd reason. Different tastes I guess. The problem is I really enjoyed the first few episodes and like HMH as an actor so I feel bad not finishing it. Sounds like it'll torture me though. What's funny is that right before it I was watching another similar one that pissed me off, so I went back to Glory to use as a palate cleanser since I really enjoyed the beginning and took a break while it completed, only to come back and read all those comments saying it was the exact same thing, but even worse! Really can't win right now. I went and picked out something else to watch instead.

I agree with everything you said up above and feel like it's such a shame. Those kind of narratives can work if framed properly, but not in this weird way it keeps being portrayed. And your reasons to keep watching are also my reasons to keep watching xD and my interest (also rare) is also remaining constant despite my frustration? I feel like almost all of that can be attributed to the ML, he's really doing a good job. I've never watched him in anything before this, I'll have to remember him.

Ahaha, funny you should mention that. I enjoyed and watched it up until the cliffhanger where he got his memory back, then stopped to let it finish and went and watched something else. Came back and saw all the angry comments, so got too scared to finish it xD I'll go back eventually once I mentally prepare

Long accidental rant, if you are fully enjoying this show, please do yourself and your mental health and further enjoyment a favor and don't read. I don't want to sour your enjoyment. If you also feel a rant growing in you, go ahead and read I guess? Haha

Okay, I'm sorry, but as of ep 31 I've officially lost all patience for the FL. I was fine with her rebuffing him and his clingy self because it is all fairly one-sided and she doesn't have to reciprocate (even though the genre clearly says romance), but now she's just being rude. Hated that she called him the painted faced demon again. And she just entirely made up a version of events based on "feels" and not evidence or witnesses or anything? Just "my aunt cried, he must have used her to get stuff and did horrible things, here's what I bet happened that I just thought of in this moment". I don't know what happened back then, but neither does she. Even if it happened exactly as she thinks, that has nothing to do with him? He never even met the guy. He has the influence of his very lovely and sweet father, not his uncle. Sure the demon sect twisted him growing up, but his base is still good with such a great dad to emulate. Everything we see shows that her ancestors were always misunderstood and villainized, AS WELL as the Mus (/Li Clan?). Sure, they're manipulative and like their schemes, but I haven't seen anything that shows they're objectively bad. At this point I'd rather they do away with the romance and just have it be martial arts and friendship.

On a different note, I loved him giving her the cold shoulder and how that clearly bothered her. Wish it lasted longer.

I'm kind of interested in checking out the novel. I feel like the dynamic will still annoy me, but that it'll be better written. Based on comments I've seen.

I don't even like romance, I guess you could say I'm neutral. It's pretty hard to avoid when it's in everything. I much prefer solid friendships. I start to dislike the romance in a show when it becomes detrimental to the plot, and here the "romance" or lack thereof is definitely ruining the overall enjoyment. We don't even really get to see side relationships developing, it's just this constant back and forth between the leads that isn't even done in a way that pulls you in, it's just frustrating.

I'll still watch and semi-enjoy. I just want to fully know what happened in the past and see the ML cleared of poison, those are my motivators now. I've given up on the two leads being fun to watch together as a unit. (Imagine how much they would get done if the FL was just willing to work with him and stop blindly believing her shifu. She could still be a little suspicious and reserved, but there's no reason they can't figure things out together. Think she just wants to be told what happened in black and white, with the 6 sects in the white, whether it's true or not, and then go back to lounging). ML should reeeaaally find another nice girl that is willing to reciprocate and treat him kindly.

Why do they keep writing these simp MLs and cold and distant FLs that only care about their own goals? Seems to be extra popular to write about now. I realize this is an opinion, but it's so much better when they both care for one another equally and are their own people outside of the relationship with goals. One I really liked was A Journey to Love, they were both great in that. I think Prisoner of Beauty might have been another one, but don't remember as well anymore. There have been a few others, but lately most are just the ML constantly sacrificing for the FL, the FL not reciprocating, and then usually getting with him in a way that feels like "why not, there's no one better right now" and just giving in rather than truly loving him. I prefer it to the trashy MLs of the past that were always super mean to the FLs, because the FLs of today haven't quite hit the trash level of the old MLs, but I would still like healthier relationships portrayed and them working as a team. And no weird simping unless it's mutual! Come on writers, the more popular and higher rated shows all have something in common, figure it out please.

Toxic relationships can be fun to watch if the chemistry and allure is there, but these two barely interact and their interactions mostly fall short.

Sorry, rant over. As I typed, more and more thoughts appeared 😆

That's not a good reason. There is zero reason to hate a child with no crime and want to torture and kill him, as adults, just because his relative did something wrong. The one in the wrong gets the punishment, not someone with blood ties that is a good person. I really don't think you should be excusing them. The drama itself has pointed out through multiple characters that what they're doing to him is wrong and unjust. The few leaders are the ones pushing for it, and the rest are either too weak or too cowardly to go against them. Besides, I don't trust the current information. I feel like the Qi leader guy actually caused a lot of that past mess.

They're allowed to dislike him because of past events, even if it's irrational, but that is no excuse to harm him like they have.

I already knew the others were hypocrites, but I'm deeply disappointed in FL's parents. Guess the only good ones of the 6 sects that saw people as people were the Changs and that's why they got wiped out. He's a literal child to them, he can't be much more than late teens, and all these grown men are attacking him together for something he didn't even do. Truly disgraceful. I wish 2ML could become friends with MQY considering the hypocrisy he sees in his sect and knowing ML is good, but I guess it's unlikely considering the drama type.
Edit: if anything, he helped them by taking his sect back from an actual bad dude that they were ignoring 🙄

Ah man, when Shouma's alternate family saved him, that got me 😭
Must have been really hard to leave a world like that

Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ny11_TNKH68
Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QchuhyTdKcw

Oof, for something that started so comedic, they really went DARK dark towards the end there (also that poor princess consort, her storyline really disgusted me)

Thank you~

Dang, should have read the tags and not just the description. Not a big fan of soul swapping stories, hopefully this one will be tolerable (I get second-hand embarrassment veeeeery easily)