This drama exceeds (almost) all my expectations. Of course, it's not without faults, but they are very trivial compared to all the good things this drama has to offer.
Story-wise, I have heard a lot of people say the beginning was very confusing. Honestly, I had this feeling when I first watched the anime and read the novel, too. It probably sounded weird, but I think this story was supposed to feel a little bit disorienting in the beginning. If you're hesitating because of this, don't worry; everyone I knows eventually understands and gets immersed into the plot by around ep 4. And if you re-watch it, you will notice more and more hidden clues from the beginning, in the little dialogues, settings, and so on. So, I would say the re-watch value for this is above the chart. If you have read the novel, you may be alarmed by the difference in the plot, but I assure you that every change is well thought-out for this adaptation. I can feel the production team's effort to stay true to the original work, and I really appreciate that.
Acting-wise, there are some actors whom I feel exaggerate too much with their acting, e.g. Jiang Cheng, Xue Yang, and Jin Guangyao. They make the scenes feel a bit comical. But this story is set in a fantasy world and there are exaggerated - but very pretty - CGI everywhere anyway. So, I wasn't as disturbed as I expected to be.
The main couple did a SUPERB job. Xiao Zhan is perfect as Wei Wuxian. He portrays the character's growth while keeping the core personality of Wei Wuxian very well. I can sympathize with this version of Wei Wuxian more than I did while reading the novel or watching the anime. Wang Yibo is also perfect as Lan Wangji, which is amazing, because this is one of my favorite fictional character of all time, and I once thought no human could portray him well enough. I was so glad to be proven wrong. In Lan Wangji's quietness, Wang Yibo's gaze speaks multitude. Also, he executes all action scenes very beautifully; It's very satisfying to watch.
Finally, the music in this drama is AMAZING. Music plays an important part in this story, as musical instruments are weapons in this fantasy world. The sound of traditional Chinese instruments is powerful here and suits the story, perfectly. The main theme of the story, Wu Ji, sung by the two main actors, is used repetitively, as it should be because its melody is very beautiful. And I love all character songs, too. Believe me, you will have many new great music to add to your playlist after watching this.
In short, just go and watch this drama; find out for yourself that 50 episodes is not nearly enough for this masterpiece.
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Best BL series of all time
This may sound exaggerated, but I’m serious. This is everything I’ve ever asked for and more.Story: Literally the Perfect Script
This series delivers one of the most well-developed romance plotline I've ever seen in any series. The relationship has the perfect pacing - no one moving their faces too close for no reason, no one kissing before it's clear how they feel about each other. Many people call it slow burn, but I think it's a very sensible pacing and should just become a new standard of romance dramas.
But there's so much more to the story than the romance plotline. There's the friendship plotline between the members of Mars. There are many nuances explorations of idol industry, both from the perspectives of the company and the fans, and it shows all the different ways these factors can affect the idols. But it doesn't stop there. This story expands to an introspection about what everyone - ordinary people or idols - wants out of life, where our self-worth lies, and how much our life is dictated by others' expectations and definition of success. What it does better than any idol-related stories I've seen is how it portrays these nationally famous idols as ordinary people and make their struggles so understandable and relatable. There are many deep discussion and heart-wrenching dialogues in this story that resonates so strongly with me. And every time I rewatch each episode, I discover more and more nuances between the lines.
So many of the conflicts in the story are rooted in the complex characterization, which makes everything so grounded and coherent. Everything flows logically, at least if you watch it closely enough. Discovering new things about each character - both the main and supporting cast - is one of the main joys when watching this story. So, I'm not going to say much about what each character is like, other than that, if you make up your mind about what any characters are like the first time you meet them, your conclusion is definitely wrong. They will reveal new information that backlights all your previous perspectives on any characters, again and again, which is another proof of how genius the script is.
Finally, regarding the story, I just want to say that this story is very gentle and kind. You won't get a revenge plot or villains getting slapped in the face. This story is about holding tight to love and finding peace in your life. If that's the vibe you're looking for, you will definitely love this series.
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Acting/Cast: The script waits for the cast and the cast waits for the script
LYKN members and Est are the perfect cast for the 6 main roles. Their acting goes above and beyond all my expectations. No matter what you expect from an idol group, acting for the first time, and a swimmer, who never had any main roles before, they will definitely surpass your imagination.
William and Est, in particular, have such an electric chemistry even in a scene where they just stand apart, having conversations. Their romantic scenes make my toes curl, squeal into my pillows, and do somersaults around my house. Their drama scenes are truly exceptional, and you can witness this for yourself from EP1. Their kiss/sex scenes are just phenomenal - one of the best I've ever seen in any BL series. If they don't have another series together, I will riot. They are perfect for their characters and as acting partners.
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Music: An unskippable album
As a series about an idol group, there are over 10 original songs in the series. They are all amazing. The songs for Mars are especially great in that they make so much sense for the group's story and characters. The connection between the story and the song makes you believe that these are really the songs that led the group to different highs and lows in their career. LYKN doesn't disappoint with their vocal and dance performance. William is especially reliable and attractive in any scenes where he has to sing and play guitar live. Est also holds his own with a great solo track. Other than this, I also love the other BGMs in the story, including the instrumentals and English songs, which capture the mood of each scene perfectly.
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Rewatch value: INFINITY
As I mentioned earlier, every time I rewatch each episode (while waiting for the next one to come out), I see new meanings in the script, new subtexts in the dialogues, new ways in which the acting and cinematography communicate the characterization and message of the story. It's always a novel experience, even if it's your 10th time watching.
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There isn't score for cinematography in the review, but if there's one, this series will get an 11/10. This series has, hands down, the best cinematography of any Thai series I've ever seen. It's ridiculously pretty - you can pause at any second, and it will look pretty - distracting you from the story and acting. I know I've already used the word "perfect" one too many time to describe this series, but the cinematography is also, quite literally, perfect.
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