rubysary

I just finished watching the Chinese drama Legend of Zang Hai and honestly, I didn’t expect to like it this much. I started it right after binge-watching The Untamed, and since Xiao Zhan is in this one too, I thought, why not give it a try? Turned out to be a great decision.

Of course, I watched it mainly for Xiao Zhan, but his acting really blew me away. I didn’t expect to love the character of Zang Hai this much. He’s smart, strategic, and has such a calm yet powerful presence. I was genuinely impressed with how well Xiao Zhan brought Zang Hai to life.

Zhang Jing Yi also stars as Antu, Zang Hai’s partner. At first, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about her in this role because I absolutely adored her in Lighter and Princess, and now I can’t help but call him “princess” every time she appears on screen. Funny enough, she still kind of plays a “princess” here too, but in a cool way, she runs an entertainment venue and is super skilled in martial arts. Unexpectedly badass.

What I love most about this drama is the storyline. It’s centered on revenge, which is a pretty common theme, but the way they executed it made it feel fresh. The early episodes where Zang Hai was buried alive were so intense and well-done, especially the part where he managed to escape. That scene had me holding my breath.

Zang Hai isn’t good at martial arts, but he wins with his brain. He always has a clever plan, always one step ahead of his enemies. It made every episode feel like a chess game, and I was always curious what move he’d make next.

One of the most emotional parts for me was Zang Hai’s relationship with Zhuang Luyin. Zhuang Luyin was supposed to be his enemy, but Zang Hai managed to gain his full trust, almost like a father and son bond. So when Zhuang Luyin died, it really hit hard. It was sad knowing we wouldn’t get more of their scenes together.

There were a few things I felt a bit iffy about though. In the beginning, I liked the subtle romance vibe between Zang Hai and Antu, but later on, it started to feel a bit... complicated. Also, Zang Hai’s mentor, Gao Ming, I loved him so much. I was really hoping he’d be there till the end. Their conversations were always deep and touching, and it broke my heart when he died. I’m still not over it.

Thanks to this drama, I’m now even more obsessed with Xiao Zhan and definitely planning to check out more of his works. Legend of Zang Hai is seriously one of the best, even though I’m still low-key grieving over Shifu Gao Ming.