For full enjoyable experience, PLEASE watch the cut/trimmed scenes and the second ending
If anyone have watched any dramas from MGTV, you'll know that they suck, especially when they put it on YouTube. MGTV doesn't always provide Eng subs, they will cut audio if it means avoiding music copyright issues, and they also edit and cut/trim down scenes a lot. Sadly, they're not like the wonderful YOUKU with "Word of Honor." YOUKU has been giving such an wonderful experience for fans of Word of Honor. MGTV could never because they're too cheap.With all that said, Killer and Healer is still an enjoyable drama despite being butchered like that but if you want the full experience, please make sure to watch the cut/trimmed scenes and watch the second ending. You can find all of those clips on YouTube if you search "Killer and Healer highlight" and "Killer and Healer ending."
Killer and Healer is a Republican Era, cop/doctor action detective drama with the cop, Jiang Yuelou, trying to solve and get rid of opium in Jing City. By chance, he meets the doctor Chen Yuzhi and they form a cooperation and then an unbreakable friendship/relationship helping each other while trying to break through the cases and find out and stop the main villain of the drama. At the same time, Chen Yuzhi tries to help Jiang Yuelou with his PTSD and bipolar disorder which has begun to affect Jiang Yuelou's reactions/decisions in the field.
YES, THIS IS A SOULMATES DRAMA. Look, if you know anything about Chinese dramas by now, you know they censor LGBTQ+ content. That means that directors and scriptwriters etc. have to find a way around it and I think this drama did it wonderfully. The main leads, Jiang Yuelou and Chen Yuzhi, have an incredibly deep relationship with so much loyalty and trust, along with warm and tender exchanges and interactions. ESPECIALLY IF YOU WATCH THE CUT/TRIMMED SCENES, you can witness that even more. There is so much explicitly said AND implied, you have to know how to read between the scenes/lines. And I want to clarify that, though yes they have a female character here and she does catch feels for one of the main leads, she is never used to block the two guys nor is she ever an annoying character. She's so wonderful and I will fight anyone who hates on her. Her character was used in some way to downplay the LGBTQ+ vibes but you can always tell how important and critical Jiang Yuelou's and Chen Yuzhi's relationship is to each other.
Anyway, it's fairly fast-paced and yet also does very well with angsty and sad scenes that makes you cry. The OST is also really good too and truly makes you feel the emotions of the scene. There are some plot choices that I question, but overall, I still enjoyed this drama a lot.
Mao Zijun as Jiang Yuelou and Ian Yi as Chen Yuzhi were such a delight! I hadn't really seen them before in their previous dramas (and I believe Killer & Healer is their first real drama as leads), so watching them here was refreshing but also so enjoyable! Mao Zijun is my absolute favorite because he is able to balance looking cool and handsome and also painful scenes where he's hurting and is crying so much. I am seriously impressed with Mao Zijun as it can be difficult to pull off a character who can be aggressive but also sympathetic too. He's able to show off how Jiang Yuelou can be tough but also be so vulnerable. Such great acting and good character.
Ian Yi did a perfect job of being the gentle and caring doctor Chen Yuzhi. There are other supporting characters that are pretty great too, such as the female character Chu Ran, who wasn't annoying at all and was just so level-headed, calm, smart, and cute. I adore the supporting characters like Song Rong and Sun Yongren.
There's the second "couple" characters--Zhan Junbai and Yu Tangchun--who are so fascinating but sadly don't have as many scenes as the main leads. However, their relationship is intriguing still and quite heartbreaking. I adore both of the actors for these roles and enjoyed watching their interactions and relationship.
To summarize, you might like this drama if you like these things:
-Two complex and competent male leads who value and care for each other so much that it's practically romantic (but due to censorship, it's "bromance"). (Even kisskh tag this as "homoerotic subtext" and they're not wrong.)
-A competent and smart female character who is never made annoying or as a "block" to the main leads
-A complicated and intriguing relationship between the supporting "couple" characters
-Endearing supporting characters who serve as comedic relief and also as commentary to the two male leads' relationship
-HURT/COMFORT!!! This is one of the best things about this show. It's about the angst and hurt and being taken care of by the other!!
-UNWAVING FAITH AND LOYALTY of the main leads!!!!!
-Suggestive and flirting looks (what can I say, Mao Zijun just oozes such casual flirtatious style, okay.)
Things that you might not like or feel comfortable with
-Depiction of mental illnesses. Personally, I think they did a decent job with Jiang Yuelou's bipolar disorder and PTSD but I don't know too much about bipolar disorder. I know PTSD though and Jiang Yuelou definitely have a lot of that from his difficult background. However, I know some viewers may feel it difficult to watch when Jiang Yuelou is going through this.
-Deaths. This is a Republican Era drama, so typically, a lot of people will die, especially in this line of work as a cop/detective working to fight mob bosses.
Possible content warnings:
-depictions of addiction behavior and trauma-related behavior like aggression and violence
-depictions of domestic violence and abuse
-depiction of PTSD and bipolar disorder
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I enjoyed this drama! The beginning episodes were hard to get through at first (I'd say ep1-6) but after that, the main leads really start to latch onto me and their romance start to build a lot more. The female main lead did feel a little annoying at first, but--again--after the 6th episode, I really liked her. (The male main lead also felt a bit stiff to me at first but after the 6th episode, I liked him too.)
This isn't a show that's jam-packed with drama, plot twists, etc., thus, why I called it a "low-key" drama. It's fun to watch and nice to watch when you have time or are just looking for a drama that's not going to pull any weird/strange twists. (In fact, I think it gets quite intriguing in the middle of the series! I binge-watched a lot of those eps.)
I also enjoyed the soundtrack a lot! I've one back to listened to it several times and can hum a couple of the tunes. It was pretty catchy and the scenes it played over was memorable.
My biggest letdowns from this show were just 2 things:
1) the secondary pairing's relationship is super cute but towards the end of the series, they don't get a lot of screen time. It's a shame as I enjoyed them very much & would've loved a whole lot more of them, especially from the girl.
2) some characters' endings felt a bit...too easy (as if the plot didn't know what to do with them, so the characters were dealt with in a kind of cheap way, I'd say. But again, I liked the low-keyness of the drama and am glad the overall series wasn't too short nor too long.)
Overall, the drama was enjoyable! Not the greatest, not the worst, just a fun drama to watch. The OST is really good and I've found myself listening to it a lot.
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making the most out of a mob boss x police trope!
First, I made a kisskh account literally just so I could write a review and join the comments for this series. I love it THAT much. I've rewatched it a couple times while waiting for the new episodes to air.The actors for Tang Yi and Shao Fei--Chris and Jake, respectively--have SO MUCH CHEMISTRY together and portray their characters with such great expressions. Shao Fei have great comedic expressions whereas Tang Yi can go from cold and ruthless to vulnerable and worried with just subtle shifts in his face. They are really strong actors and perfect for this kind of enemies-to-lovers romantic trope.
On that note about romance, I can't say enough about the romantic moments in this show. Because this show is built on the enemies-to-lovers trope, there are a few predictable plots or moments that allow the main characters to grow and trust each other, but honestly, these parts still feel refreshing and endearing because of the actors, the characters' personalities, and the comedy. I won't spoil anything, but there were definitely romantic moments where I was like, "Wow, this is PEAK romance--I don't know where else will I find such tender and soft scenes." I have a soft spot for Tang Yi, especially, as I love characters who slowly let their defenses down to the person they love. Watching him go from having to always be the boss and tough one to being vulnerable to Shao Fei was so heartwarming.
On the comedy, we are really blessed to have Jake's portrayal of Shao Fei with his funny expressions and perfectly delivered lines. We have the second couple on the show--Li An and Jack--who are often the comedic, but endearing pairing on this show, especially Li An who is super cute.
When compared to all the previous series in HIStory's lineup, this one is definitely on top next to "Crossing the Line."
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The unedited version gave us a lot to show their love, especially Zhao Yao Hua towards Liu Yu Sheng. Again, they never do anything explicit due to censorship, but I guarantee you that this series will give you a lot to be happy and smiling about. Also, the ending is good too. So, while watching the series, don't expect anything explicit, but do expect many dialogue that will tug at your heart as well as many actions done by Yao Hua to Yu Sheng that will grip your heart. :')
Also, the secondary characters (the other couple, pretty much) also get a couple chances to shine, so that was adorable. They don't get anything as intense as Yao Hua & Yu Sheng, but it was still cute.
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The best and worst of cdramas; incredible characters but, unsurprisingly, a lukewarm conclusion
[Note: I'm rating this season lower than I rated the first season because it really was a lot worse, sadly. For this season 2 alone, I rate it a 7. For the entire drama, an 8/10. On a personal level, because I love the characters so much, it's a 10/10 for me, despite how it ended. ][Copy and pasted from my review of season 1]
This drama is not very action-focused or fast-paced as it's very much character driven. What happens when traumatized children grow up? How do they heal or regress? Who are the people in our lives who were important chapters in our lives but may not stay with us forever? What's more important: my duty or my love? This drama is full of interesting and flawed characters and their relationship & dynamic to one another, especially with the female lead to the male leads. NOTE RIGHT NOW: If you dislike female leads having "romantic" moments with multiple men (or dislike the men being "disloyal" by marrying other women), then this drama is NOT for you. This drama does a fine job in showing her potential future with different men, especially how each men are important to her and how they fulfill different parts. I personally didn't have any conflict over this because it's well written and makes logical sense, considering what each character has gone through.
Also, great acting from all the characters, especially yang zi, zhang wanyi, tan jianci, and deng wei. The amount I've cried from watching yang zi crying? The way yang zi and zhang wanyi have such an electric and tragic tone underneath every conversation they have? It's no wonder that this season 1 (and some of the actors) won plenty of awards in 2023.
This drama (season 1) will break your heart. It's angst, hurt/comfort, tender, sweet, and heartbreaking. (The title is "Lost You Forever," you know?) Absolutely 10/10, no notes.
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-------------------------slight spoilers for season 2------------------------------------
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On season 2 and how it damaged this drama: I rated this drama 8/10--still high--because I enjoyed season 1 and parts of season 2 very much. But season 2's ending did irreparable ruin to the storyline and so this is really closer to a 7/10 for that unsatisfying ending. It was so lukewarm that it's laughable and so I don't even consider it a real ending.
NOTE: What caused the drastic changes? Lots of speculation: drama behind the production, actor favoritism, China censorship (which includes "hero-washing" the actions of flawed characters). Season 2 of the drama also got trimmed a lot from like 30 episodes to 23 episodes. So, it's clear at several spots that there are huge jumps in times and supporting characters who are suddenly brought forth to the main storyline...
The biggest betrayal of the storyline was that it ruined the character development of several of the main characters and thus was completely frustrating and unsatisfying. It happened in the final 4 episodes. Thus, I have personally elected to ignore most of what happened in the final 4 episodes, especially the "twist"--because it would not make sense.
If you're someone who can separate the two seasons like I have and consider that the good outweigh the bad, then you'll probably enjoy a lot of what this drama have to give. But if you're someone who considers the overall drama and considers the ending as an important part to conclude the entire drama, then this drama will hurt you. This drama was so highly rated in 2023 because of its interesting characters and dynamics. But season 2, especially the ending, did not follow through with some of them. So it's incredibly disappointing.
But I supposed this drama is like the final nail in the coffin, serving as a caution for Chinese dramas watchers: If even this incredible drama was reduced by its ending, can we trust Chinese dramas to give us satisfying endings from now on?
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Enjoyable romcom with light angst and drama
I have to admit: typically, I don't prefer premises like this where the whole show (the whole historical aspect) is just part of a game/virtual reality, but there were many great things about this show that allowed me to disregard that fact! I'm so glad I watched this show because I was moved by the love story, the comedy, and the strong cast & just enjoyed it very much! This show is a perfect mix of romance, comedy, small doses of angst and suspense, and overall--just an uplifting drama about loving/caring for your significant other. (It's a bonus that the game is set in a historical setting so we get to see the great costumes and etiquette.)LOVE STORY: The game and Tu Si Yi & Lin Zheng Zheng's journey is essentially about remembering what you loved about your significant other. The show did a good job in showing parallels between their strained relationship in the real world and their relationship in the game. Their love story and the way they find their way back to each other is just so well done. I thought I would get annoyed at seeing an established couple struggle and fight (because I'm used to dramas of boy/girl meets for the first time & fall in love & are shy around each other, etc.) but because Tu Si Yi & Lin Zheng Zheng are already a married couple in the game, they get to show their love for each other through kisses and dates. I cared about their relationship because I can see how much they love each other but are facing a difficult patch. Watching them overcome difficulties and relearn to trust and communicate was just so heartwarming and tender. They were not over-the-top with their jealousies. They were immature with each other at times, but it was never dragged out to the point of annoyance. The pacing of their love story (and overall story) was well done.
The two characters themselves too are relatable and understandable. Lin Zheng Zheng has insecurities because, well, her boyfriend is an idol and so she has a bad temper and throw fits sometimes because of always being in the shadows, being unable to be with the beloved fully. I never disliked her for this because it made sense and so she's presented in a sympathetic light. Same goes for Tu Si Yi. He's indecisive and his hesitancy has caused issues, but he grows from this and becomes a very good/strong character.
COMEDY: because it's a game, some hilarious stuff occurs between characters or characters 'invent' something throughout the show but it's not considered weird because, well, it's a game! NPCs are pretty accepting of whatever that's happening, which makes the whole thing even funnier. Also, all the characters are endearing and hilarious, such as the side couple of princess Siya and Cui Xun. Their fun bickering dynamic is enjoyable. Tu Si Yi & Lin Zheng Zheng's fights are also hilarious. There are some satirical things that made me laugh so hard. Also, even our villain prince is just so much fun and is hilarious.
SIDE CHARACTERS: they're great! The villain prince is hilarious and cute even though he's the villain. Princess Siya is a martial arts-loving girl who wears men's clothings and doesn't do too much girly stuff as she only cares about fighting--I love her. She's true to herself. Cui Xun seems unreliable at first, but he's actually really strong. He's a weirdo who's a bit oblivious, but he's a good man. Siya & Cui Xuns' dynamic is a delight because their dynamic is great. Shen Dai Fu was a cool character even though he's regarded as 'weird' for his doctor/herablist ways. Murong Qianyue was an interesting character and I loved/hated her.
SOUNDTRACK: It's all right. If you ask me to hum one of the songs, I could only hum the main theme one. Other than that, the overall soundtrack was just okay; didn't really make any lasting impact.
Overall, I ask you give this a chance! If you're looking for a good romantic comedy without a lot of heavy angst, heavy plot, heavy drama, then this is a good drama to watch. :)
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Great main couple and worldbuilding, but fails secondary couples/characters
If you only watched the first couple of episodes, then you're missing so much good that comes later. The first couple of episodes are fairly uninspiring due to the basic production and CGI. Everyone, visually, looks kind of just okay. But if you watch all the way to episode 6 and beyond, it becomes so fun and interesting.One of the most unique xianxia dramas in terms of the worldbuilding. The human realm is unique. Because of goddess Wushuang, who was an engineer and innovated a lot of things for the human realm, the world has a steampunk vibe. The culture and clothes are still traditional, but there are some unique items or modes of transportation due to the advanced mechanical inventions. Magic and technology co-exist. (This worldbuilding isn't just for show. It plays into the plot later!)
Another absolutely favorite part of this drama--which really carries the whole show--is the main couple.
The male lead, Yuan Zhong, is a beautiful and detached man. After everything he's been through--which you learn quite quickly in the first 10 episodes--you'll understand why he is the way he is. It makes his actions very logical and understandable. He's a skeptic, especially suspicious of the female lead, Ji Tanyin, and it makes their dynamic so funny.
Ji Tanyin is actually the goddess Wushuang and came down to the mortal realm to retrieve an item that is in the hands of Yuan Zhong. For a couple of reasons, Ji Tanyin chooses to stay by his side until his death. She is committed to her goal. She is mature, logical, and has a strong sense of justice and morality. And it's these traits that really will affect Yuan Zhong, whose heart is cold.
Their relationship is great. Ji Tanyin is teaching him to warm up to the world again. Yuan Zhong is teaching her about the realities of life, having philosophical discussions with her. They are just so interesting, as individuals and as a couple. And their growth and arc, especially on Yuan Zhong's side, is fantastic.
A third favorite thing is the OST. The background music fits really well as well as the original songs. It fits well with every scene.
Unfortunately, that's about as good as it gets. There are some supporting characters who come and go and do outstanding jobs. Sadly, the reoccurring supporting characters don't have interesting arcs--and so then, by the end, they become characters that are just going through the motions, and you don't feel their motivations.
The characters of Zhi Dai and Tanghua, specifically, were meant to be this second couple that we could root for. And, in the beginning, when you learn who Zhi Dai is and how she knew Tanghua, it built this complex history between them and was really fascinating when she left it all behind. But then they reunite again for plot reasons and they just never had an interesting chemistry or dynamic since then. It was so disappointing because the wasted potential.
And then the character of Qian Lin! I'm so annoyed how his character just...stopped having things to do. He exploded onto the screen as this desperate, determined character who had a very specific goal. He was quite interesting! And then, somewhere along the way, he became a very mild character. It's too bad.
Even the villain and their scenes aren't well paced throughout the story...
Overall, you can enjoy this for the strong performances by Liu Xueyi and Tiffany Tang as Yuan Zhong and Ji Tanyin and interesting world and philosophical questions. You might enjoy some of the supporting characters too, but don't expect too much growth or interesting thread for them.
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This review may contain spoilers
A strong beginning and middle with a weaker ending. Overall, still enjoyable
*My review only has a small spoiler! Still mainly spoiler-free.*As an enjoyer of short dramas, I can declare that this story was solid. The premise and beginning were interesting, with a similar vibe to the short drama "The Killer Is Also Romantic" (2022). A thief is forced to take on the job to steal an important booklet because his life is on the line. While on the job, he comes across a situation where he has no choice but to take on a fake identity so he can complete his goal. The female lead is part of a martial arts sect who is also seeking that same booklet. They meet by chance because of their same goal.
The cinematography isn't particularly beautiful, but it's competent, with the director attempting interesting shots throughout. It's not at the level of director Zeng Qing Jie, who did the full-length, popular drama Blossom (2024-2025) and the short drama A Familiar Stranger (2022) (and also directed "The Killer Is Also Romantic"!), but the visual storytelling still worked for this length and this story.
The main actors, I would say, are the biggest draw to this drama. I've never seen them before, so it was refreshing to see their visuals and their chemistry together. Their characters are competent and smart. Though their professions force them to kill if necessary, they have a kinder side to them. They're likeable and cute. The fighting scenes aren't very realistic, but that's OK.
It's a shame that the story doesn't feel as profound. I liked it enough, but I think it struggled to balance the main leads' romance while setting a more serious plot about the power struggle. It was all quite simplistic and straightforward. The bad guys are who you think they are. The good guys are who you think they are. It's not very angsty.
It's also a shame that it had some questionable editing choices. For example: There was a moment where the female lead was thought to be lost down a cliff and the male lead was looking for her. The episode ends at a cliffhanger when she calls him but we don't see her yet--the camera freezes at his face and it goes to end credits. The next episode just starts with them returning to a safe house?? Which is baffling because I would've love to see their reunion after his desperation to search for her! So, what happened?? Genuinely confusing.
Overall, this is a short drama that can be watched if you want to want something straightforward and sweet and not too dark!
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Beautiful and tragic - watch this director's cut for full aesthetics and fulfillment
Everything about this show is just incredible. The cinematography, the acting, the realistic sets and props, the heartbreaking story--truly, even though I knew this would be a tragedy and I watched the MVs for this show to prepare myself, I am still so moved by the great OST and memorable scenes.If you're watching this show for the first time, PLEASE WATCH THIS VERSION. No doubt that the originally aired version is good too, but this version will help you understand Li Chengyin more and see where he's coming from. Furthermore, the sound effects/background music will be more effective as it'll be played more consistent with the correct characters/couples.
Other than that, the differences aren't too major (and you can read other's reviews about this show) but I truly recommend this director's cut for the full emotional experience.
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Inescapable love and hate! A Chinese historical "slap/kiss" drama
Note: If you're not a fan of this kind of romance story, then please don't watch. This kind of drama is not for you. This drama is for those who are entertained from the absolute chaos, messiness, and sheer ridiculousness from a dark twisted toxic relationship. This is for fans of the "slap/kiss" genre, which has a lot of physical forcefulness from male lead toward the female lead, angst, and twists!We've got a beautiful and cunning female lead who is trying to survive and be free.
We've got a pushy, overbearing male lead who gets jealous and crosses boundaries and is trying to trap the female lead.
The story follows Shen Qingtang's attempts to escape while Pei Congzhi tries to ruin her plans and keep her by his side. Meanwhile, there's a sweet second male lead who is loving to Shen Qingtang and a scheming and jealous second female lead engaged to Pei Congzhi.
There are several interesting plot points throughout, especially in the first 2/3 of the drama. It's especially well done at showing how Shen Qingtang is not some innocent and naive girl, but uses her image to her advantage. She's honestly the most interesting character in this drama because she's self-aware of her situation and how the male lead's kind of love is suffocating. You really root for her, especially with how many wrongs she endures from others and the male lead.
The male lead is consistently overbearing for most of the drama. He has a few rare soft moments. He has moments that he's actually truly misunderstood by the female lead. But, for the most part, he just does a lot of wrong things to trap female lead. His growth comes quite late in the story, unfortunately.
The last 1/3 of this drama is especially shaky toward the end. The scriptwriters seemed to have rushed the last few episodes by leaning into cliche tropes and confusing storylines that don't get tied up well.
So, this drama started pretty strong in terms of being intense and setting up the stakes. But the ending doesn't match the tone it set in the beginning. Ultimately, I couldn't give this drama a higher score due to the male lead's lack of growth and the rushed final episodes.
But, I think you may still enjoy this drama if you like this kind of genre, if you like the actors, and if you like the cinematography! It's a visually pretty drama.
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In fact, this spinoff made me enjoy this couple a lot more. In the original series, Prince Che was the one chasing Yin Cai Qian a lot and we saw a lot more of his perspective on how he felt about her. In this spinoff, we get to see Yin Cai Qian go through obstacles to fight for her love.
I enjoyed this premise a lot as well: entering the dream realm to help Che's 3 pains. In doing so, Cai Qian learns who Che is before he was in love with her and they go through obstacles to trust one another. Cai Qian and Che's dynamic and chemistry really carries this show. (Although I enjoy Ming Yan & Yuan Li in the original series, they are a bit stiffer in this spinoff and their scenes are not as romantic. It's unfortunate because they had a lot of potential to do more in this series.)
Cai Qian and Che's relationship has always been more lighthearted and I'm glad the spinoff took advantage of that and gave more comedy to them but also created powerful heartfelt moments between them.
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solid actors, production, w/ interesting story, but mediocre storytelling & missing key information
Disclaimer: I watched this on the Youtube channel and the subtitles were just okay. If I knew that there were better subtitles on other websites, I would've watched it there to get the full, emotional story.Love of thousand years (2020) is an 30-episode drama adaptation of the killing of three thousand crows by author shi si lang, featuring zheng yecheng and zhao lusi as main characters Fu Jiuyun and Qin Chuan, respectively. It is a xianxia romance about a princess who takes up revenge after the betrayal of an important official leads to an invasion from a neighboring kingdom–who is equipped with a demon army–and leads to the downfall of her kingdom. She hides her identity, taking on the face of her beloved maid, and goes to find the Spiritual Lamp that can rid of all demons in the world. This journey takes her to Qiangqu Mountain where immortals cultivate and where she meets Fu Jiuyun in person for the first time. Fu Jiuyun is a carefree and playful immortal who teases her plentiful and has his own reasons for bothering her…as their fates are tied together.
I started this drama without any prior knowledge of the book nor really reading the drama’s summary (since cdrama summaries are notoriously known for being inaccurate or too spoilery). I saw the bad reviews for it and kept my expectations low, which is why, I think, I was not too disappointed by this drama.
I watched this drama because of zheng yecheng and zhao lusi but was surprised at the high production quality which can be seen from the physical locations, amount of extras and supporting characters, and the camerawork. Besides the revenge plot and my two favorite actors, I was drawn from the very first episode to the pretty cinematography and camerawork. The supporting cast, too, was good, especially Mao Fang Yuan as Er Meng (my absolute favorite supporting character) and Dai Yun Fan as Pang Yuan/crown prince. The OST was fine though the only memorable song for me was the opening theme. (The instrumental OST though is pretty great! Especially the peach blossom melody--the song that the princess dances to in the first episode.)
I am biased toward zheng yecheng but I truly think he can make any role work and he plays a seemingly carefree immortal just fine. He’s very versatile and able to switch from smiling to serious and heartbreaking. He is one of the highlights of this show. zhao lusi took me a moment to get used to because I had only seen her in the romance of tiger and rose, a historical romcom, and her character at first seemed almost carefree too–like she was falling back on that romcom type–but of course, how could she be? when zhao lusi conveyed the heavy emotions of a undercover princess, I was able to take her more seriously (this, though happened around I think ep5-6 for me). seeing her in this drama convinced me that she’ll be able to play a serious role in her upcoming main role in the drama the long ballad. I never had a problem with these two as the main characters nor their chemistry. I think their chemistry with their other co-stars from other productions is stronger, but them together in this drama works too. I think it’s because for me they are both kind of baby faces–both with cute type of faces–so it was a little hard for me to get into their dynamic at first, but they eventually got it to work.
I think you’ll be able to still enjoy this drama if you are interested in these things:
-zheng yecheng
-zhao lusi
-star-crossed lovers (in this case: mortal and immortal)
-teasing and playful ML who is actually a dedicated and devoted lover
-FL who dislikes & misunderstands the ML at first but grows to trust him
-FL who carries a heavy burden of being a princess of a destroyed nation
-revenge plots involving going undercover (the princess changes her face into someone else, so try not to get attached to the princess you see at the beginning!)
-focus and development of secondary characters, mostly the second couple
I was hooked for the first 20 episodes or so. Where it got rocky for me was toward the last third of the drama (from around ep. 20-30), especially toward the last like 4 episodes where it felt like the drama was trying too hard to heighten the tragic notion that it didn’t feel organic and instead felt a bit frustrating. At one point, I literally fast-forward a sad/tragic/serious scene because I was like “okay, I get it, let’s move along please.” It was being too extra on the tragedy.
Also, there were some plot moves toward the second half of the drama that I felt were either resolved too conveniently or were not logical. Some of the characterization too seemed to stop developing as we got near the end to the point where some conclusions of problems didn’t feel earned. Thus, the mediocre storytelling. It started great and then stopped short of the finish line, and so, the story itself and the characters suffered toward the end. But, it does end happy. Well, ambiguously happy. Is it a good ending? Debatable. Is it happy for our characters? Yes.
The confusion stemmed, I believe, from diverging from the original novel, where some key information was missing (or changed–maybe due to c*nsorsh*p?) for the drama. For example, in the drama’s description on kisskh says “A story about a forbidden romance that has weathered ten lifetimes and endured a thousand years of waiting.” I would disagree with this because that pertains more to the novel and not the drama. The drama did not make the weight of Fu Jiuyun’s interest in the princess heavy enough for the audience to truly understand. Thus, it comes across as pure curiosity, which isn’t as strong as a reason to suddenly change everything for one person.
Final thoughts: suspend your disbelief when the story starts to get a bit illogical. if you like the actors zheng yecheng and zhao lusi, I think you’ll still enjoy the story and witness some heartbreaking scenes and beautiful cinematography. but if you’re someone who needs an ending to be completely clear-cut about how it ends, then you’ll have a bit of trouble with this ending. Small note: the production had to us AI to generate a face for a minor character’s face–apparently the actress had done something really bad and so they didn’t want to use her face anymore, but couldn’t re-shoot, so they used AI. It will look really bad, fyi.
if you want to understand more about the ending and/or seek out the deeper reasons for Fu Jiuyun’s love for her, you can check it out at this soompi forum thread where translations have been provided for the epilogue, containing Fu Jiuyun’s POV, as well as the happy ending in the book.
https://forums.soompi.com/topic/433583-mainland-chinese-webdrama-2020-the-killing-of-three-thousands-crows-%E4%B8%89%E5%8D%83%E9%B8%A6%E6%9D%80/page/9/
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A more interesting season but suffers from lack of main couple's scenes and strange ending
Note: Because there is no available English subs, I had to watch this via the Portuguese subs and just do Portuguese-to-English translations OR when there was no Portuguese subs, I had to just do Chinese-to-English translations and make educated guesses on what's happening. I believe I understood about 80-90% of what was happening in an episode, but I did have to skim some parts because of lack of good translations. (I endured all of this for Zhang Zhehan and Li Yitong!!)----------------------------------------------
Season 1 was like an origin story for Nie Qing Cheng and for the world-building/myth-building of Demons. It was also more focused on the love between Qing Cheng and Ming Xia (and the love triangle including You Tong), so overall, season 1 was more romantic soap opera with some context building. Though touted as only the first half and not the complete story, season 1 can almost pretty much stand by itself. It really feels like it's a whole season on its own VS just being the first half of a long season.
That's because season 2 has a bit of "Arsenal Military Academy" vibe and takes on a bit of a different tone, pacing, and has a whole variety of characters that were a lot more interesting. Most of the characters from season 1 are not in season 2. Besides what the summary of this drama says, season 2's main plot conflict is a rival demon group that wants to take out Nie Qing Cheng's group and Nie Qing Cheng having to find out who is this bad demon group's leaders and taking them out as they are harming a lot of innocents. Ming Xia is searching for the girl in his dream. He also joins the demon hunters because of a tragic accident that happens.
Season 2 tones down the romance between Nie Qing Cheng and Ming Xia and focuses on secondary characters--which is good and bad. I adore them and wanted more of them, but I also liked the supporting characters who added more interesting dynamic and logical conflicts. Because Ming Xia become a demon hunter, I enjoyed the bittersweet angst of Nie Qing Cheng and Ming Xia reuniting and Qing Cheng having the burden of keeping all the secrets while trying not to allow them to fall into the same fate as season 1.
Nie Qing Cheng becomes more capable by being able to fight and is more cunning. Ming Xia is still the righteous and true-hearted person he is from the first season, but as I mentioned in my review of the first season too, the writing for Ming Xia is always kind of stuck in the same place. Although he's the main character, half of the time, he's not doing the action but is responding to others. He gets manipulated and lied to and, frankly, suffers so much in a variety of ways. He is the most pitiful character for me. I love him dearly and feel bad for all the things he's gone through.
The supporting characters for season 2 are a lot more interesting. We have Yong Ye, demon boy who does espionage, and Duan Shao Qian, instructor of Demon-Hunting Academy. These two's relationship quickly became one of my favorite things about this show (and it gave off some serious BL vibes too). They are pretty fleshed out as characters, especially Duan Shao Qian who we see his backstory and why he becomes attached to Yong Ye.
There's Yao Bi Tao, who I didn't like very much because of her pushiness and her lies, but the actress did a great job of portraying this character and making her sympathetic.
Fu Xing Bang, who is a pretty good and complex antagonist. I loved to hate him because he was pretty cunning. Unlike the doctor antagonist from season 1 (who started out well but ended up being just really repetitive and annoying), Fu Xing Bang was pretty interesting throughout.
The directing is pretty fun this season, especially for the fight scenes that felt very cool and exciting.
The biggest fault of this show is the writing. Acting and soundtracks and all of that are pretty fine. It's just that the writing of this show can be lazy and mediocre even though it has so much potential.
There are some unnecessary angst/drama, random character introduction toward the middle half or later half of the drama, and then random important plot points added at the end. Truly, the writing slips a lot toward the end--similar to how it was in season 1. So, it was unsurprising and even made me laugh out because I'm just like "WTF."
Ultimately, I enjoyed it for Zhang Zhehan and Li Yitong who are both great actors and can make any scene emotional. I enjoyed the supporting characters' relationships and watching the truths unfold. I was more invested in this season too since it was more than what season 1 was (which was just a love triangle and a repetitive tiresome antagonist doing the same thing to our protagonists who keep falling for it).
The occasional bad writing did make me laugh. I wouldn't think too hard about this drama and any plot holes it presents. Just have fun with this drama. Although, I think I should warn folks now: the ending is ambiguous. So, keep that in mind before you start.
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Entertaining wild ride and one of the stronger short Republican era dramas
Two things to note about this drama:1) This is Republican era drama, which usually means there will be a lot of deaths, angst, and tragedy. Why? The Republican Era was a very unstable time in China between 1910s-1940s. It was after the last dynasty and before the Cultural Revolution. There were a lot of corruption, a lot of warlords fighting for territories, and a lot of social issues. So, dramas set in this time period usually have a tragic tone.
2) Male lead is a walking red flag--which is also typical for Republican era dramas, but this male lead really does a lot of things that are irredeemable. So, if you don't like male leads who are super flawed and horrible, then you should probably skip this drama. (If you enjoyed "Goodbye My Princess," you will probably like this one!)
Now, with that out of the way, this drama is one of my favorite Republican era dramas! I think this drama does the best of its genre when compared to other ones like "Maid's Revenge." I think the characterization and story for "Circle of Love" were more compelling story-wise with more complex characters, which was well acted by the main cast, especially the two leads. Truly, the main leads' acting and their chemistry were a huge part of why I enjoyed this show. The actors were able to portray such conflicting, intense emotions of love and hate. Incredible performances from the two leads!
The premise: Gu Meng loses her entire family during her wedding night because of her husband Xiao Hongye. Turns out, he wanted revenge this whole time because the Gu Family destroyed his own family. In a rage, Gu Meng tries to kill him but falls into a river and disappears. That was the end of their "first" life together. When she reappears two years later, she tries to kill Xiao Hongye but is captured. In that moment, her head accidentally hits a pillar and she loses her memory. Xiao Hongye doesn't believe her and forces her to become a servant of his mansion so he can keep an eye on her. Thus, begin their "second" life, in a sense, and their lives become more entangled as they become emotionally attached to one another. Can a relationship based on lies and deceit survive?
One of my favorite things about this show is that the male lead is undoubtedly bad and the female lead doesn't forget that (well, she has amnesia, but once she remembers, she doesn't forgive him so easily). Usually, in Chinese dramas, they try to make the male lead redeemable at the last second so that you feel better about having the male lead be with the female lead. However, Xiao Hongye is very bad in this drama. He does a lot of stuff that can't be reversed or forgiven!
Essentially, this is "Goodbye My Princess" speedrun Republican era version, lol. It's tragic, it's kind of funny because of how many times she loses/gains her memories, but also really sad because she's in this horrible cycle of love and hate with the man that she wishes she could love, but could never.
Highly recommend for those interested in tragedies and knows how to enjoy a show like this. (I've seen way too many people complaining about the toxicity of the show. That's the point?! This is a fictional TV show exploring complex situations like blood feuds and karma and love and hate.)
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Strong acting, soundtrack, visuals; an emotional drama revolving around family
I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought! I had already been spoiled a little bit about what happens in the lakorn, so I didn't think I would be THAT invested in the show, but I still found myself getting sucked into the lakorn and really paying attention to all the dramas and plots. I attribute that to the great acting from everyone, especially from the leads Boom (who plays Pol) and Pim (who plays Pan). They have great chemistry and their scenes--the romantic ones as well as the quarreling ones--pull you in like a vortex. You can't help but watch them.Boom is amazing as Pol, able to switch easily between angry and jealous to pitiful and sad. The way Boom is able to look so much like a child in the scenes with the father is incredible. I felt so sad and bad for Pol during those times.
Pim as Pan blows me away, especially during the painful angsty scenes. The way her voice trembles, her expression cracks as she's crying; I cried so much with her because I see and hear her pain so much. I also loved her as cold-hearted Pan who refuses to given in to Pol. She's got a glare that could kill! I'm so glad that, though she was soft at times where I wanted her to slap the mean people, she was tough at the end especially toward Pol (who deserved it.)
With every slap kiss lakorn, you get your typical character and plots, such as a conniving mother, a conniving female antagonist, an evil male antagonist, male side characters who are in love with the FL. There are some handling of characters that I thought was questionable (or too one-dimensional) or was too easily resolved, but that was to be expected for this genre of slap kiss.
What did surprise me, though, (and seemed progressive), was the brief parts about what makes a good healthy family versus a toxic family. I was glad to see that the lakorn recognizes how unhappy and quarreling parents can really affect their children and showed Pan as a strong-willed woman who saw things clearly and knew what she needed. It annoyed me that almost everyone around her kept trying to convince her to give in, but she didn't.
I also appreciated how the show didn't drag the part where he found out the truth and became bad toward her and she tolerated it. I thought that was going to go on for many episodes, but it happened and while Pol was bad, Pan resisted and talked back. I'm so glad that the bulk of the first half of the series was really building their love before all the angsty stuff happened for 3-4 episodes, and then the last couple of episodes was the repairing of the relationship.
The soundtrack is pretty good, but I was especially moved by the solemn and intense instrumentals (or the acapella tracks) during the angsty said scenes. It really elevated the scene and made it incredibly emotional.
Anyway, I'm so glad to see Boom and Pim in this drama as main leads, especially after "Karn La Krang Neung…Nai Hua Jai" where they had such good scenes. I really hope they have more lakorns in the future.
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