Despite not considering what is out-dated, it is still lacking
So even if I tried to overlook everything that is out-dated, this still falls short on some aspects.
First of all: The ending is disappointing. Especially since season 2 doesn't pick up right where this ended. I won't say anything more, but it feels like someone cut off the bungee cord as you were in free fall and just let you plummet.
Second: Some of the characters are rather weak and shows little development throughout.
Especially Yu Chu Yuan (played by Bai Jing Ting); I found this character very weak, to the point of being annoying, and he didn't seem to pick up on many clues or understand what kind of consequences his actions or in-actions led to. It is a bit funny to see him in this role as I have just finished The First Frost. I see some similarities in his interpretation of the characters, but his acting has also improved by leaps.
Qi Bai Cao, the FL played by Hu Bing Qing, is rather whiney. How old are these people supposed to be? I understand this might be partly cultural and partly due to the fact that it is 10 years since it came out, but still ...? I found her acting to be so-so ...it might be because I didn't really ever manage to connect properly or sympathize with her character.
The character I probably liked the most was Ruo Bai (Yang Yang), and I did also like Fang Ting Hao portrayed by Chen Xiang. He nailed this arrogant rich confident type.
Brief synopsis my POV:
Orphan girl Qi Bai Cao was taken in by a Yuan Wu Dao master, who lost his championship and was ostracized after supposedly taking stimulants. As she follows her master, she has not been trained properly, but wish to become a Yuan Wu Dao competitor. Things happen, she gets taken in by another Yuan Wu Dao school, and very quickly progresses based on her strong fundamental skills and strengths. No less than three different boys ends up falling in love with her, adding for some jealousy and rivalry. We follow Qi Bao Cao's journey towards a competition to gain recognition for her master.
Be prepared for long lingering shots and abundance of flashbacks.
So: Is it worth watching? Naaahh... hard to say, really. I didn't drop it, so the story has some kind of momentum to it. And I did start on season 2, first to see if it picked up where it ended (no), and second because I noticed Ji Chang Wook is the ML in it, and I do like his acting. I am curios to how this would be interpreted and improved if made today.
Also: The English subtitles on Viki are full of (small) mistakes and spelling errors, so much so that it was a bit annoying/distracting.
First of all: The ending is disappointing. Especially since season 2 doesn't pick up right where this ended. I won't say anything more, but it feels like someone cut off the bungee cord as you were in free fall and just let you plummet.
Second: Some of the characters are rather weak and shows little development throughout.
Especially Yu Chu Yuan (played by Bai Jing Ting); I found this character very weak, to the point of being annoying, and he didn't seem to pick up on many clues or understand what kind of consequences his actions or in-actions led to. It is a bit funny to see him in this role as I have just finished The First Frost. I see some similarities in his interpretation of the characters, but his acting has also improved by leaps.
Qi Bai Cao, the FL played by Hu Bing Qing, is rather whiney. How old are these people supposed to be? I understand this might be partly cultural and partly due to the fact that it is 10 years since it came out, but still ...? I found her acting to be so-so ...it might be because I didn't really ever manage to connect properly or sympathize with her character.
The character I probably liked the most was Ruo Bai (Yang Yang), and I did also like Fang Ting Hao portrayed by Chen Xiang. He nailed this arrogant rich confident type.
Brief synopsis my POV:
Orphan girl Qi Bai Cao was taken in by a Yuan Wu Dao master, who lost his championship and was ostracized after supposedly taking stimulants. As she follows her master, she has not been trained properly, but wish to become a Yuan Wu Dao competitor. Things happen, she gets taken in by another Yuan Wu Dao school, and very quickly progresses based on her strong fundamental skills and strengths. No less than three different boys ends up falling in love with her, adding for some jealousy and rivalry. We follow Qi Bao Cao's journey towards a competition to gain recognition for her master.
Be prepared for long lingering shots and abundance of flashbacks.
So: Is it worth watching? Naaahh... hard to say, really. I didn't drop it, so the story has some kind of momentum to it. And I did start on season 2, first to see if it picked up where it ended (no), and second because I noticed Ji Chang Wook is the ML in it, and I do like his acting. I am curios to how this would be interpreted and improved if made today.
Also: The English subtitles on Viki are full of (small) mistakes and spelling errors, so much so that it was a bit annoying/distracting.
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