A different kind of review...
I will be focusing on the look and feel of the set + visual concept and voice actors. I will lightly touch on plot + actors. Oh, and of course, the music.
Oh, before I start, this drama grabs you from episode 1. It might very well be the only drama I will finish for 2025. It's good.
Costume design:
The designer is the same person who has done many recent fantasy/historical dramas. You can easily recognize her handiwork in other dramas (Love Between Fairy and Devil, The Princess and the Werewolf, Coroner's Diary, Moonlight Mystique, among many others...). What I like is her attention to detail and the amazing embroidery! The colors are vibrant. Visual impact is amazing, truly a feast for the eyes.
Regarding makeup...there are times I look at Chen Zhe Yuan's eye makeup and it just screams Dylan Wang from Love Between Fairy and Devil. The eyeliner and eye shadow does something all together different to the eyes. Makeup alone makes these male leads complex, haha. Definitely not the "clean boy next door" type.
When this costume designer (Yi Xiao Ya) is involved, you know the expectations and quality of the drama are high.
Art direction:
The art director (Liu Shi Yun) works well with the costume designer. They've collaborated on a two dramas, and both are rated about 8.5. Again, visually amazing. I especially like the use of flowers in the palaces. Many times when I watch the historical dramas, there are a lot of silk screens, hanging silk fabrics, panels, but not a lot of flowers. In some of the shots, there are flowers everywhere! It really adds to the visual impact of the scenes. Again, all the dramas with this art director are well rated (8.1 or higher).
Voice actors:
While some people might look down on dubbing, in Chinese dramas, it is practically a necessity. Most filming takes place in cities that were built to be movie and drama sets. Building an entire set for one drama is not cost effective. Filming on site at historical palaces is not cost effect. Therefore, several dramas are filming literally side by side. It is a city of sets, and these sets are reused. Sometimes they're used at the same time, just in different corners.
There is way too much noise NOT to dub. Thus, actors even dub themselves, like Chen Zhe Yuan. The FL is dubbed by someone else. I heard the FL's original voice. It is a bit to high in pitch. Rest assured, she memorized and said all her lines well! That's why it could then be dubbed well. It is clear what she is saying, so then the voice actor can match her easily.
WU TAO. Wu Tao is one of my favorite voice actors. In the radio drama community, he's better known as Unlucky Death. He plays Gu Fei in Sa Ye, Yu Fan in Wait For Me After School, Gu Jiu Si in the audio drama version of Destined, and so many other characters. Wu Tao dubs for Chen He Yi (Xia Jing Shi)!!! I kept finding myself drawn toward this character, knowing he's one of the antagonists. Why? Why??? Why????? So I looked at the complete list of cast and crew and realized his voice was drawing me in. I'm a bit of a voice con, heh heh heh. Anyway, so now whenever Xia Jing Shi has lines, I find myself closing my eyes just to listen to the voice alone. Sad, cuz Chen He Yi is quite handsome, haha. But, Wu Tao's voice needs no visuals.
Here's a plug for other voice actors that I like: Wen Sen (seriously, listening to him talk is pure ASMR), Yuan Ming Zhe (and this guy has an amazing singing voice too!!!!!! *whimper*), Ling Fei (he has the most amazing deep voice! The timbre is just...sigh. Paired with a good BGM, my mind drifts into fantasy land), Ma Zheng Yang (this guy is so prolific! He has this clarity to his voice that commands attention)
Drama vs. the book:
The drama and the book are at best remotely related, lol. Okay, I'm on chapter 17 of the book and so far, other than names being the same, practically everything is different. Everything. The book feels like it's going down the route of Taming of the Shrew. There is practically nothing to like about Fu Yi Xiao for the first 17 chapters. And where's the amnesia???? It is so central to the plot of the drama but completely absent from the book, lol. I read almost 30 chapters and then dropped it. Not worth my time, would not recommend it.
Actors/characters:
Chen Zhe Yuan. Yeah, I wish I could be his godmother or something.
Chen He Yi is good looking in the drama.
Ding Jia Wen. I just want to pinch his cheeks, he's so cute!
The Princess of Susha is particularly annoying. She's actually more like Fu Yi Xiao in the book. Scary thought. Like I said, Fu Yi Xiao in the first 17 chapters of the book is super annoying. The princess, on the other hand, seems to have a better head on her shoulders.
Ling Xue Ying isn't even a doctor in the book. Lol! Her character in the drama is also much better than the book counterpart.
Music:
AMAZING!!! Lars Huang sings one of the songs (Surging Waves) and it's my new favorite song for now.
The other 3 songs are also very good and fitting. They add so much to the drama.
Okay, done!
Oh, before I start, this drama grabs you from episode 1. It might very well be the only drama I will finish for 2025. It's good.
Costume design:
The designer is the same person who has done many recent fantasy/historical dramas. You can easily recognize her handiwork in other dramas (Love Between Fairy and Devil, The Princess and the Werewolf, Coroner's Diary, Moonlight Mystique, among many others...). What I like is her attention to detail and the amazing embroidery! The colors are vibrant. Visual impact is amazing, truly a feast for the eyes.
Regarding makeup...there are times I look at Chen Zhe Yuan's eye makeup and it just screams Dylan Wang from Love Between Fairy and Devil. The eyeliner and eye shadow does something all together different to the eyes. Makeup alone makes these male leads complex, haha. Definitely not the "clean boy next door" type.
When this costume designer (Yi Xiao Ya) is involved, you know the expectations and quality of the drama are high.
Art direction:
The art director (Liu Shi Yun) works well with the costume designer. They've collaborated on a two dramas, and both are rated about 8.5. Again, visually amazing. I especially like the use of flowers in the palaces. Many times when I watch the historical dramas, there are a lot of silk screens, hanging silk fabrics, panels, but not a lot of flowers. In some of the shots, there are flowers everywhere! It really adds to the visual impact of the scenes. Again, all the dramas with this art director are well rated (8.1 or higher).
Voice actors:
While some people might look down on dubbing, in Chinese dramas, it is practically a necessity. Most filming takes place in cities that were built to be movie and drama sets. Building an entire set for one drama is not cost effective. Filming on site at historical palaces is not cost effect. Therefore, several dramas are filming literally side by side. It is a city of sets, and these sets are reused. Sometimes they're used at the same time, just in different corners.
There is way too much noise NOT to dub. Thus, actors even dub themselves, like Chen Zhe Yuan. The FL is dubbed by someone else. I heard the FL's original voice. It is a bit to high in pitch. Rest assured, she memorized and said all her lines well! That's why it could then be dubbed well. It is clear what she is saying, so then the voice actor can match her easily.
WU TAO. Wu Tao is one of my favorite voice actors. In the radio drama community, he's better known as Unlucky Death. He plays Gu Fei in Sa Ye, Yu Fan in Wait For Me After School, Gu Jiu Si in the audio drama version of Destined, and so many other characters. Wu Tao dubs for Chen He Yi (Xia Jing Shi)!!! I kept finding myself drawn toward this character, knowing he's one of the antagonists. Why? Why??? Why????? So I looked at the complete list of cast and crew and realized his voice was drawing me in. I'm a bit of a voice con, heh heh heh. Anyway, so now whenever Xia Jing Shi has lines, I find myself closing my eyes just to listen to the voice alone. Sad, cuz Chen He Yi is quite handsome, haha. But, Wu Tao's voice needs no visuals.
Here's a plug for other voice actors that I like: Wen Sen (seriously, listening to him talk is pure ASMR), Yuan Ming Zhe (and this guy has an amazing singing voice too!!!!!! *whimper*), Ling Fei (he has the most amazing deep voice! The timbre is just...sigh. Paired with a good BGM, my mind drifts into fantasy land), Ma Zheng Yang (this guy is so prolific! He has this clarity to his voice that commands attention)
Drama vs. the book:
The drama and the book are at best remotely related, lol. Okay, I'm on chapter 17 of the book and so far, other than names being the same, practically everything is different. Everything. The book feels like it's going down the route of Taming of the Shrew. There is practically nothing to like about Fu Yi Xiao for the first 17 chapters. And where's the amnesia???? It is so central to the plot of the drama but completely absent from the book, lol. I read almost 30 chapters and then dropped it. Not worth my time, would not recommend it.
Actors/characters:
Chen Zhe Yuan. Yeah, I wish I could be his godmother or something.
Chen He Yi is good looking in the drama.
Ding Jia Wen. I just want to pinch his cheeks, he's so cute!
The Princess of Susha is particularly annoying. She's actually more like Fu Yi Xiao in the book. Scary thought. Like I said, Fu Yi Xiao in the first 17 chapters of the book is super annoying. The princess, on the other hand, seems to have a better head on her shoulders.
Ling Xue Ying isn't even a doctor in the book. Lol! Her character in the drama is also much better than the book counterpart.
Music:
AMAZING!!! Lars Huang sings one of the songs (Surging Waves) and it's my new favorite song for now.
The other 3 songs are also very good and fitting. They add so much to the drama.
Okay, done!
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