Much as I enjoyed returning to this universe and some of the characters that I grew to adore in TMOPB, I didn’t end up feeling quite the same magic here. TMOPB felt like it had a full cast of well-rounded characters, but ELOD feels like it’s really only Dong Hua’s and Bai Feng Jiu’s story, and everyone else is just an extra. Some characters we spend a significant amount of time with only for them to be abruptly killed off-screen. Others seem really interesting (like the Lord of the Underworld), but we never learn much about them and they‘re just sort of there for plot convenience. And as stressful as TMOPB could be, the antagonists at least get what they deserve, whereas in ELOD, characters like Zhi He and Ji Heng (and her punk lion!) just sort of skate by without any real consequences.
I still had a lot of fun with this (Yan Chi Wu was literally the biggest goober and I loved him), but it didn’t have the same lasting impact for me as the original. (Still, major props to the leads, whom I also loved, and especially Vengo Gao who convincingly pulled off three separate roles, each with their own distinct personality and mannerisms!)
Is it really that bad? I am so used to watching stiff faces in a lot of cdramas by now. Whenever the script says…
It's really that bad. I loved Yu Menglong in TMOPB and Go Go Princess, but I had to put this drama on hold because his acting is so below-average here. There were a few rare moments where you can see glimpses of emotion, but the rest of the time it's just pure deadpan.
Since I'm not VIP, up to date, I only watched 6 episodes with engsub. Up until now, I can only say that although…
Absolutely agree! I’m not the biggest fan of Republican era dramas either, but I find the story and characters to be really intriguing so far. Yin Zheng perfectly embodies his role, and there’s a fun little spark between the two leads whenever they’re on-screen together. I was a little worried after reading some of the director’s comments, but the actors have done a really great job of acting between/beyond the lines. I’m definitely excited to see where things go from here!
I think it's because drama was planned for 60 eps and then they had to cut to 56... so rushed ending to edit it…
What happened to Ji Heng at the end of the novel, if you don't mind my asking? Because the happy ending she gets in the drama feels really forced without any natural/believable development, so I wondered if that was one of the changes they threw in for the actress's sake.
they basically didn't end up together in the end. sad
It's one of those situations where they both like each other, and they both know that they like each other, but they would rather remain friends than risk ruining their relationship by taking things further.
For the most part. My only minor complaint is that the last episode is a little disjointed since they apparently cut a few episodes and had to rework the ending, but otherwise I was happy with it. :)
Finally finished this and I'll miss it, but I'm also glad it's over. It was just... A Lot. Definitely one of the heavier dramas I've watched, but the acting, cinematography, and story were all so phenomenal that I nearly sped through it. I also find it kind of funny (and sad) that the original author didn't like the way the Emperor was portrayed because aside from being exceptionally brought to life by Huang Zhi Zhong's fantastic acting, his relationship with the crown prince was at times more compelling than the relationship between the main leads.
This was a cute little fantasy romance if you have two hours to spare and don't want anything too grim/complicated. It's also one of the rare instances where I ended up liking the second part more than the first. :D
This was a really intriguing story/concept that got a little lost in the editing. I think we're probably supposed to feel as disoriented as Tsuruga, but even a simple filter would've worked wonders here.
As with any Chinese historical, it took me a while to get into the story. Honestly didn't feel fully invested/…
The relationship between Chen Kun and Zhao Li Xin's characters was definitely a highlight for me too! I really looked forward to their scenes together. (Especially for some much-needed levity when things got rough!!)
My heart broke when things ended between them the way they did. I kept trying to prepare myself for Zi Yan's death, which I thought was inevitable, but the way their story ended was somehow worse.
So I stopped at episode 19-20 (10) should I continue or should I drop and why?
If you’re watching solely for the plot, you might be better off just dropping it. While it did get slightly better for me around the midway point, it was still really repetitive and predictable, and I ultimately found myself not really caring about anything but the two main leads. (And even they were starting to lose my interest by the end.)
So if you’re invested in their story and how it turns out, maybe go ahead and finish it? Otherwise you can probably guess how it ends.
I still had a lot of fun with this (Yan Chi Wu was literally the biggest goober and I loved him), but it didn’t have the same lasting impact for me as the original. (Still, major props to the leads, whom I also loved, and especially Vengo Gao who convincingly pulled off three separate roles, each with their own distinct personality and mannerisms!)
My heart broke when things ended between them the way they did. I kept trying to prepare myself for Zi Yan's death, which I thought was inevitable, but the way their story ended was somehow worse.
So if you’re invested in their story and how it turns out, maybe go ahead and finish it? Otherwise you can probably guess how it ends.