harunomasu

I've watched this during the time the drama was aired in 2017 and recently rewatched it again because my mom wanted to watch it. My review is based on the recent impression I have about this drama, which is in 2023.

Ultimately, if you watch this drama in 2017, I think that the plot might not be that bad. I was one of those people who actually like it because there's no other drama so exciting as this after Nirvana in Fire and Startling by Each Step. Pure wuxia drama with politics. It's just so good. But in 2023, when you rewatch it again, you will see many inconsistency in the drama, too many plot holes, and annoyingly dragged out episodes. It's something that you might not be able to find post 2021.

Plot (6/10)
The beginning was really good. It hooked you and make you stay. The first part of the drama feels like a complete introduction to all the characters. Then the middle and later part not so good in comparison to the first part. Starting around episode 20+, the plot started to derail and it feels like they added too much plot just so it could get longer and longer. The ending is questionable and super annoying cliffhanger.

Characters (6/10)
If there's no Yuwen Yue, the score might be lower. Like 2/10.

Yuwen Yue is my most favorite character. He's loyal and also very understanding. He's someone who you can consider as the perfect gentleman. Even though he loves the girl, he didn't try to make her do something she didn't want to do. He always gives her a choice. Even if that choice is to leave him, he accepted it. He's one of the best character in the whole story. He's smart, intelligent, and also super caring. That's why people pledge loyalty to him, not because of fear.

Xing'er or Chu Qiao might not be my favorite girl in the whole story, but her loyalty got me. I don't know why she choose Yan Xu over and over again, even though it's easy to see she's no longer happy being with him. It feels like she had obligation towards him but that obligation caused too many demise to the people in the whole country.

Yan Xun is one of the worst character, even worst than the Wei emperor he's trying to kill. True, the emperor's paranoia killed his entire family. But what did he do? Killing more innocent people and waging war that hurt the innocent people more than it ever hurt the emperor. What did he get by doing that? Nothing. He claims he wanted revenge, but he killed the people who don't even partake in the killing of his family. So is it still revenge he's seeking? Or is it just him wanting to be on the top and feared by all?

Music (7.5/10)
The music is such a banger. I really love the music. It's one of the reason why I stayed watching the drama throughout, from the beginning till the end.

Overall (6.5/10)
One of the weakest link could be the script, and the next weak link is the actor who played Yan Xun. He's one of the main characters, but he's the one that showed the weakest performance. Unfortunate, but that's true. Maybe that's why it feels like Yan Xun was not relatable at all to me. But it's still not a bad drama. It's still watchable for those who wanted to have fun watching historical drama that's filled with many twists and turns.

It's just a coincidence for me to check this page again because I wanted to get the drama chinese name to check on douban rating, and I read your post.

I have to say I agree with you. I also think that the plot is too complicated, or the drama team makes it too complicated. Some people here convince me that I just "don't understand" the plot and asked me to read the novel, which I will never do. I wanted to watch the drama, and if the drama didn't make sense, why I have to read the novel just to get clarification of the things that should be explained in the drama?

I actually gave up on the plot around episode 26. Then I just watch it because my mom watch it. She didn't even understand why things happen the way they did in the drama, and she often looks at me confused, "Why it's like this?" And she can digest the blood-spitting story of Till The End of The Moon more and she can narrate it back to me, while for this, I think my mom just felt compelled to finish it since she started it.

I applaud your bravery for making it through the end! It was not a bad drama, but definitely not the greatest ever. There are worst xianxia dramas out there with even more plot holes and confusing plot lines, but this drama is also not very outstanding. It's just kinda mid and stays there.

Sadly, Fukou-kun is just that. Cute. Have you read volume 2?

Don't You Like Me for me is still one of the best coming of age story with actually good characters and good plot setting. Some novel not even that fortunate. Not even the J novel. The cold series back then was such a mess but I stay through it because I like the premise.

There are times when song wei long is descent, for example go ahead and league of noblemen, but the times when he's not. Though we can't always judge him though. Sometimes, the actor can be so goddamn awful due to the problems with the directing and script. So who knows?

I saw Zhang Yuxi ever since I can't Hug You. So long time ago. But I think she still has the same wooden expression. I hope she could get better though, or at least fits her character.

There are times when song wei long is descent, for example go ahead and league of noblemen, but most the times he's not. Though we can't always judge him though. Sometimes, the actor can be so goddamn awful due to the problems with the directing and script. So who knows?

I saw Zhang Yuxi ever since I can't Hug You. So long time ago. But I think she still has the same wooden expression. I hope she could get better though, or at least fits her character.

The premise is different. Fukou-kun (Mr Unlucky) is a manga, and it's first published in 2020. Don't You Like Me is a novel, and it's released in 2017.

Fukou-kun is a silly romantic story. I would say there's a depth, but coming from the Japanese BL, I think it's more about being silly and romantic. Not bad, but definitely not the best either. Most of the JP BL manga is in the same category, unless they have the very mature tag. For example, Kyuuso, Ten Count, etc.

Don't You Like Me is more in the supernatural category. The two male leads from the manga and novel also have some differences, though it maybe due to the differences in culture. JP and CN guys have different way of flirting. Though like I said, it's still a very light coming of age story. It's cute but not overly deep. What Fukou-kun lacked, which is the reason on why the main character is so unlucky, is actually being explained well in Don't You Like Me. There's also explanation on why Gu Kaifeng (Jiang Chi) can repel the ghost, while the lead in Fukou-kun didn't even have any explanation on why he's so lucky.

Both the manga and novel has no deep story or plot actually. One thing the same: both are very good and cute coming of age story!

Nice to know someone who reads danmei as well! I'm always careful when making this kind of statement, as someone could take it out of context.

In opposite to you, I like to read modern danmei more ^^; My most fave genre is the criminal/crime solving, e-sport category, then school or campus setting. I do like Wuxia or any political setting, like Qiang Jinjiu, but it's not a lot. I usually got headache reading them because it has too many characters. I still have problems remembering Heaven's Official Blessing characters lol

Up to episode 3
Ever since I read the synopsis, I immediately know what's the story is about. Because I've read the novel before. The novel is called "Don't You Like Me" and it's a funny coming of age story about the main character who can see ghosts.

The drama itself is not bad, but the setup is far too long. I wish they just take this as a flashback instead of spending 1 and a half episode to build up the background. And I wish we can stop with the extremely aloof male lead. Thankfully, in episode 3 Jiang Chi did loosen up and started to show his playful personality around Bu Xia.

For the acting, I think it's passable. It's still okay so far. Not the best but also not the worst ever, so it's watchable. As I already know about the whole novel, I enjoyed the story more, maybe more than those who didn't read the novel.

It's from a chinese danmei novel called "Don't You Like Me." It's a funny coming of age story.

Except for the beginning, it's actually quite similar. I guess they wanted to expand on why Lin Feiran (Bu Xia) didn't like Gu Kaifeng (Jiang Chi) in the beginning. Don't You Like Me is one of my fave coming of age story, and when I read the synopsis I know what story this is based on. From half of episode 2 they started to follow the novel story timeline with some tweaking here and there. I wish Jiang Chi takes the Gu Kaifeng personality instead of being this aloof man. Gu Kaifeng is so flirty I love him so much. He's also a warm hearted person. So seeing Jiang Chi portrayed as the cool man in the drama make me a little bit sad lol

I've watched all of them. I don't mind ancient drama setting, and I recently watched The Blood of Youth, which is like a proper wuxia, though the battle is full of CG. But it's still better to me since it has a very good plot as well.

I watched a lot of modern dramas. Mostly because I really love the genre and it's relaxing. I can also understand the conversation more without having to look at the subtitle ^^

Nirvana in Fire is simply a masterpiece, I agree on that. I still remember the excitement I feel when I first watched it, and I still love it even after I rewatch it many many times.

Modern drama is easier for me to digest. It's also closest to the reality. Especially when I see those hard working people getting pressured by their boss, I see myself in them ^^;

Sadly I don't watch western movies since I like asian aesthetic. Though I get your point. I remember how people don't like Lu Han, and after Cross Fire, even me change my mind about his acting since he's sooooooo good in that drama. Most of the time, the whole production itself will determine on whether the end product will be good or not.

Ah, I see. It could be though. Het novel, especially the long ones, usually sacrifice the integrity of the female lead for the sake of plot. This also happened with most of the long winding het novel, and that's also why I don't really read them anymore. Like Ming Lan, I think it's over 200+ chapters, and while the beginning was good, the middle and end part seriously making me unhappy. That's why I decided I no longer read the het novel after that.

Thanks for the concern :) I'm old and mature enough not to get anyone to bother me. I hope we can meet in the next drama as well. As long as my mom continue to watch Xianxia, I'll have to continue to suffer lol

Sadly, I don't really read het novels in general. I have my own preferences.

I feel like that too. I mean, I don't understand why they keep on making the same open ending for the Xianxia dramas. Like, why? Is it some kind of agreement or what?

The problem is, this pastel colour had been present ever since Journey of Flower in 2015. It's been like what? 7-8 years? I wish they stop with the pastel colours. We can have Xianxia dramas without the pastel colours really. But again, that's my opinion. The last time I see something colourful on my screen is from The Untamed. I love that we have the gold, the purple, the black, the blue, the red, etc. I don't ask for bright vivid colours, but at least no longer pastel. I think ever since Ten Miles and Ashes of Love, all these people agreed that Xianxia has to use this pastel colour. Even during White Snake Legend in the 90s, they use more oclours than the one in the Xianxia nowadays.

I have no problem with Xiao Zhan, I think his acting is okay enough. But his characters are not. Like, I believe actors can perform bad if they have bad direction as well, that's why I don't talk about the actors but mostly about their performance in the drama.

Thank you for your reply as well. I'm happy to have someone to talk about it in a logical way :)

Are we talking about the Chinese drama in general or the whole movie in general? I am not sure why when I'm talking about Xianxia I got slapped with the information about western movie? For your information, I didn't watch western movie. The number of western movies I watched is like 5-6 in the past 10 years.

I didn't push the agenda. But how many Xianxia in the past 3 years that have open ending? In this year and last year, 90% of the Xianxia drama has this. Again, I am talking about the Chinese drama in general.

I always discuss it with my mom. We talked about the dramas together. This has been the routine since I was 9 until now I'm 34. That's why we always watch drama together. I will watch dramas my mom like with her, and I will watch the dramas my dad like with him.

But my mom is the type who likes to watch and then forget it the next second she turns off the TV, unless it's something that's stuck with her and she likes it a lot. So our discussion is during the time the episode played on the TV.

I'm also not a het novel reader (I have my own preferences) so I don't read the novel. That's why I don't understand why the characters do what they did.

For your second ideas, I think it's more than too much. It's like she never doubted him. I was baffled. But I guess that's just me trying to being logical.

Thanks! My mom did rock! :D

I will always be the minority when it comes to the Xianxia drama, and this one is no different. Again, I hold no content toward any of the actors/actresses, what I review is their characters in the drama, and their performance to convince me on whether they're a good fit for the characters or not.

Plot (6.5/10)
People would say, "You don't understand the plot!", and this might be true. I might be that girl who is just too stupid to understand the big reveal in the Xianxia plot, hence I never really like them. But I clearly love Nirvana in Fire to the bits, where I have to think alongside the characters instead of just being fed up with the materials that makes no sense. Reviving Shi Ying took efforts like crazy, and reviving Zhu Yan is like, put him on the pond and he's revived! Yay! Can we please be consistent at least on one thing?

I still don't get the main story of the drama, even when I watched it until the end. I have VIP in WeTv and I'm not spending my money to buy the express version, and I would not buy it for my mom. So I waited until the VIP is released, and I might be a little bit behind than others. I do have to wait for several days before the express content is no longer locked behind the paywall. I have to say that I'm glad I don't even use my money to buy the express.

The Xianxia and their love for open ending. It's like there's a rule: If it's Xianxia, there should be no BE or HE, there's only 1 answer, it's open ending!

Even though the plot was nonsensical, I wished that the ending at least makes more sense. Apparently, it did not.

Characters (6/10)
Female lead: I was still on my opinion that this character is badly written. She has a lot of bad decision-making capability, and every one of them is making the people around her suffer. I don't know anymore, why do people like her? She's almost like all the female lead in the Xianxia drama, the annoying type that talks too much and being too kind, so kind it attracts trouble. I thought she redeemed herself, but then she made more error in her decision-making.

Male lead 1 (Shi Ying): I have a hard time connecting to his character. He was the aloof teacher in the beginning, passionate lover in the middle, the person with amnesia near the end, and then he's just a tragic hero at the very end. Well, I guess at least he's pretty so my eyes are cleansed.

Male lead 2 (Zhi Yuan): Obsessed ex-boyfriend, that's the title I would give to this person if I have to introduce him or talk about him. He has almost the same facial expression, which is either frowning or frowning even deeper. I get it that he loves his dead girlfriend so much, but being obsessed until he becomes evil because of it just takes annoying to another level. I am least invested in his character among the 3 leads.

Production (7.8/10)
In overall, I can sum it up as "Gorgeous". I love the gorgeous music, it sounds really really really nice. It's kinda give me the feeling of "ethereal". The set is also really amazing. I think most of the set is using the real set, so it looks even better. I was mesmerized by the set, it looks so good.

The costume is still the standard Xianxia drama. Most of them is so pastel it blends with the background. They did have colourful clothes, but it's back again to the usual red and black. It's like the production of Xianxia drama has this agreement, that there's this special tone used for Xianxia and no one should use other colour palette.

Overall score for me is 6.5/10.
Definitely not the worst, but also not the best either. This is a score given by someone who doesn't like Xianxia, so my score should not affect those who like this genre and most likely be open with all the tropes that annoyed me the most in the drama. I was not hating it, but I also don't like it that much either. It's just average to me.

I would argue that Word of Honour is most likely Wuxia, since the base of the novel is Wuxia. It's not Xianxia.

I didn't watch Legend of Yunxi. I actually prefer the modern drama more than the ancient setting. There are those that I like, but it's very little. The ones I like: Nirvana in Fire and The Blood of Youth. I mostly like the politics and the wuxia aspect. The Untamed was okay, but I like the novel more since it has more complex storytelling and I'm more of a novel reader than drama watcher.