sekai

this is the series which i never skip the intro.

Both TLOTFG that i just finished and How Dare You that i've started watching recently, Cheng Lei really does have the longest eyelashes! Every time i see those long lashes of his, i pause and think, "Oh my god, how can this chinese man have such good genes?" He really is pure gold in every way!

I decided to start this series before "How Dare You" because I hadn't seen any of Cheng Lei's dramas before, and I wanted my first experience with his work to be one of his older series. However, I have to say, this show really didn't meet my expectations!
General Xiao Jue's character was incredibly strong, but I was hoping to see more smiles from him. The show was at a point where I could actually count his smiles, which is such a shame because a smile really suits his face. I absolutely loved his acting though. especially the scene where he's handing his wife over to someone else with both hands; that was so impactful that it made me cry. Even the earlier scenes, like when He Yan was searching for Xiao Jue among the corpses, screaming and crying, were heartbreaking, even though I knew he was alive.
Zhou Ye's character reminded me a lot of Gu Xiang in some ways. partly because they shared the same voice actor and partly because they both fought with whips. I initially thought that once again, she wouldn't have luck in her wedding dress, but thankfully, she did! However, I'm not too hopeful about the couple's future. I just pray that The Great Wei always remains at peace so that nothing separates them.
As for Chu Zhao, I never really understood his presence in the drama from start to finish. Just when I felt satisfied seeing the villains get their comeuppance, he suddenly went crazy and started chasing after someone else's wife! It felt so unnecessary. why did they have to ruin his character?
Overall, I couldn't grasp the purpose behind some of the events in the series. The battle sequences were absolutely amazing, but they went overboard with them, which ended up wasting the potential of the main couple, who had incredible chemistry. In the end, I didn't get a satisfying romantic payoff from them, and I genuinely feel that this couple was wasted potential.

COMEDY??? are you serious?? 😭 he yu??? the man who plays the most restrained, emotionally intense characters with just his eyes?? i literally cannot picture it. you're telling me this man has comedic timing?! okay, now i HAVE to watch his older dramas because i need to see this transformation with my own eyes. that’s actually insane range.
also, i saw that clip 😭 where he said “i’m not someone who laughs a lot” and then kept laughing?? that was so him-coded. i do the same thing “I don’t smile much” and then i’m giggling five seconds later. it was so endearing i actually rewatched it multiple times.
and YES, two-faced and sick characters are literally my favorite archetype. there’s something so compelling about characters who aren’t what they seem on the surface. so blossom of power is already on my radar and i’m counting down. honestly, i didn’t think i could be more excited but here we are 😭
and yes, i’ll definitely check out his older dramas when i have time. if he’s this good in serious roles and also great at comedy? that’s not acting, that’s witchcraft.

honestly yes, everything you said is spot on. it's actually kind of refreshing to see someone put into words what i’ve been feeling but couldn’t articulate. he yu doesn’t just act, he becomes the character in a way that feels almost invisible, and that’s exactly why it hits so hard. you don’t see the effort, you just feel jin zhao. that’s not easy to do, especially with a role that’s so restrained. it would’ve been so easy to overplay it or to fade into the background, but he made every second count without ever shouting for attention.
and same. i’m completely invested now too. it’s not about the usual stuff, it’s just... i genuinely want to see more of his work because he’s proven he’s that good. he’s already shot up to one of my favorite actors and i’m definitely going to check out his other dramas. this kind of talent doesn’t come around often.

completely agree! honestly, i can't even imagine anyone playing this role better than he yu. his acting was so natural and emotional. it really doesn't feel like the china scenes were filmed first. there was no need to shoot thailand first because he yu and esther already nailed it perfectly.

yes i heard about blossom of power! i’m definitely going to check it out. after this performance, i really want to see him in a different kind of role and see how he transforms again.

right?? it’s actually wild that some people tried to downplay his impact. JZ is such a subtle character that if you’re not paying attention, you might miss how much he’s doing with just his eyes and micro-expressions. but once you see it, you can’t unsee it. he yu added so much depth to the role without needing big dramatic lines.

hi sweetie, let’s be friends~

exactly!! that’s what i meant. it really feels like he can’t believe she’s actually there, like he’s been deprived of love for so long and now it’s finally in front of him. and because JZ is such a quiet character, all of that had to come through his eyes and small gestures. the way he looks at her, the hesitation, the softness… it’s so subtle but so intense at the same time. he yu really carried that with his body language. you can feel that hunger and disbelief without him even saying much.

and also jin zhao, once he falls in love, to me, is the perfect example of someone who’s been starved their whole life and finally gets to taste what they’ve been missing. the way he looks at her, the way he breathes, the way he wants her, the way he kisses her. honestly, i keep screaming, man, you are starving for this.

i didn’t know he yu before this series. and i don’t know why i didn’t know him? from the very first episode, his presence was breathtaking. and later, when we entered their adult years, how mature and manly he had become. you could really feel the contrast. i wasn’t satisfied with the dubbing or the editing, but the chemistry between the actors, their strong performances, and how perfectly they embodied their characters really saved the series and is what made it so popular.

sameeee

🤯

age gap [real life] tag? for what? they're only have 5 years age gap in real life!

it's so laggy sometimes i think my comments aren't even getting posted.

i really appreciate your thoughtful response. especially the second part about k-pop and how different songs can resonate with different people. that's a perfect analogy, and it's so true. it's a great reminder that art doesn't have to be universally perfect to be meaningful or loved, and that's actually what makes fandoms and discussions so interesting.
you're right, the world isn't black and white, and neither is our enjoyment of shows. i can critique aspects of me and thee while still finding elements i enjoy (like the side couples, or seeing actors i like in new roles). my criticisms come from a place of engagement, not hate. it's because i'm watching and thinking about it, not because i've dismissed it entirely.
and you make an excellent point about supporting pondphuwin. seeing them grow and succeed is definitely a positive, regardless of how one feels about every single project. i'll keep that in mind.
thanks for the civil and insightful discussion. it's refreshing to exchange perspectives without it turning into a fight. maybe i'll give those next episodes a closer look with your points in mind.

😭 thank you~

i appreciate how logical your responses are. when i read them, there's no arguing or hostility, just calm and reasonable replies to different opinions.
personally, i do like the part where thee learns, through peach, how to become a better version of himself. however, it feels like he only shows this growth around peach, while he still keeps a strong guard and displays inappropriate behavior toward others.
i really hope this gets handled better in the upcoming episodes and doesn't end up being justified simply as jealousy.

i don't really like the story or the directing. the story feels cringe to me, even though it could've been much better. the directing isn't strong either. there's no proper balance between scenes, and at least in the five episodes i've watched, there were a lot of things that could've been conveyed but weren't. some of the cinematography is also overly dramatic.
that said, i do like the actors and i've watched all of their previous works, so i don't really have the heart to drop the show, especially since it has a short episode count.