ChineseDramaFan

Wow! Thanks for your compliment. Most people I encounter here don't seem to like this drama very much and it reflects on its rating. It's such a pity because I truly think this is a beautiful drama, so realistic - perhaps that's the reason people don't like it. Anyway, I feel you should write your review to support the drama. You are one of the people who leaves reviews after each drama. What you've written here is a great review, easy for people who don't want to read a bunch of rants from long reviews like mine. Have fun.

Fans of The Untamed are also called Suibians universally :) Suibian is the name of Wei Ying's sword.

How's this series so far? Worth watching? 60 episodes - a big chunk of our lives.

Check these out:
1. Nirvana in Fire
2. The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty
3. Young Blood
4. Ancient Detective

Please do make your video and post the link here. I love Wang Zhi, or rather, the actor Liu Yao Yuan too.

Yes, it has a lot of politics. Both MLs are intelligent strategists. Ying Yi Ren (Mao Zi Jun) is a hidden dragon. Fantastic production. A lot of bitching around in the harem though.

Yeah, because the ML is like a block of wood.

It's a very well made drama. It's not a tragedy though there is quite a few tragic scenes. It's very heavy in plots and plots within plots. Sometimes it's so heavy with plots that you'd feel very tormented and have too much to digest. Overall, if you like power struggle, scheming type of dramas, this is for you.

If I remember correctly, the ending reveals who Xu Chang Nian really is. No indication of a next season.

Yes, a lot and very sweet.

Yes, tons of romance. Even before they start the romance, it's candy everywhere.

I love the ending. Their relationship is irreconcilable - too much damage has been done. But she still loves him deeply and he her as he has no idea what he has done and how he has hurt her before. She rather dies than goes back with him, and he is desperate to bring her back so threatens to have her mother kingdom decimated if she doesn't obey. Only death can bring her the relief, and give him the regrets he deserves.

I hope you have started the story. How do you find it so far?

Mine too, including the other two mentioned :)

Wish you had joined us earlier last summer. Most of the viewers here were like, eat, sleep and CQL. I bet many didn't even sleep as they binged watching this drama multiple times :D

hahaha! Likewise!

Once bitten twice shy, no, I'm going in with no expectation at all, just like when I started with CQL. This way, whatever it maybe, it should not be worse, if you get what I mean :)

Yes, I love discussions like this because it helps me understand why some people dislike/hate this drama whereas some, like me, love it.

I view the bedroom encounter very differently from you. I feel she has been longing for it (from the look in her eyes behind his back whenever he leaves). When it happens, she's surprised but not unwilling. I even feel, deep down inside, she's delighted because she feels she's still being desired by the Emperor. (At that time, she's not a young girl anymore and the Emperor has multiple very young concubines.) I know it's appalling to portray women this way, but let's face it, most of those emperors' women did think it's an honor to be slept by the emperors; they all knew and accepted their fate when they decided to marry the emperors.

I do see that at the beginning of the drama, it appears that it's a story about Cao Danshu and her relationship with the Emperor and his concubines, or rather a story about the Emperor and his relationship with Cao Danshu, and then 2/3 way through, the story totally changes direction and almost totally drops Cao Danshu's existence, and focuses more on the court of ministers and Huirou. It leaves the viewers high and dry, wondering what has happened to the Empress. Bad story writing or what I don't know, but I don't really have a strong sense of disarray because I'm viewing it as a chronicle with no one main character in particular.

Watch it multiple times and see if you still come to the same conclusion. After my first watch, I said the same thing as you're saying now. Repeated watching, then I realized everything was so subtle and hidden. You'd need to look at the symbolism, the lyrics to the music, etc to "see" the romance. Well, after multiple watches it (the romance) popped up right in front of me, loud and clear. Hope it does for you too.

Yay! Another Suibian! :)

Wow! Thanks for the recommendation. After the disappointment with The Living Dead, I wasn't going to rush into Fatal Journey until now. It's going to be my weekend treat (or sooner, who knows :))