Wish Upon A Star

Ratings of Top 20 Dramas (Year-to-Year change for Top #1 Drama is 0.1-0.2 points)
o 2021-2022: 9.2-8.7
o 2020: 9.1-8.6
o 2019: 9.0-8.5
o 2018: 9.1-8.4
o 2017: 9.1-8.5
o 2016: 9.0-8.2
o 2015: 9.1-8.2
o 2014: 8.9-8.1
------------------------- Top #1 Drama dropped 0.3 points from 8.9 to 8.6
o 2013: 8.6-8.1
o 2012: 8.6-8.0
o 2011: 8.5-8.0
o 2010: 8.6-7.8

Is this the grand master of bromance cum beach/village healing dramas? Does anyone know where to watch this drama in English or Chinese subtitles?

Hi, can you let me know where i can watch this drama in English or Chinese subtitles? Enjoyed watching it more than a decade ago and hoping to rewatch this. Thanks.

i saw previously that Joy of Life 2 will be a prequel to Joy of life 1. so if it is indeed a prequel to 1, and thus i reckon likely to be on the encounters of FX's mother and her relationships with Qing Emperor, Chen Ping Ping, Xiao En and Ku He etc, then it is unlikely to have YBY in 2. fingers crossed 🤞

ah.. recalled, now that you mentioned - the deceased in one of the cleaning case was in a male-male relationship, highlighting general society stigma on, and pressure faced in, such relationships.

just googled, lots of news reporting differently for the past week. fingers crossed 🤞

Glad we share similar thoughts! And you are so right on noticing similarities as one watches more dramas of the same genre.. i was wondering if an objective rule of thumb is to try to watch as least 20% of a drama series before finally dropping it.. we can chat more at the discussion thread :)

i didnt watch the 20-episode special edition as i understand it focuses on the relationship between the two MLs. To me, the drama's core is not their relationship but the plot and the powerful messages on ugliness of society, good vs evil, weak vs strong. This drama has an ensemble cast, and the 50-episode edition develops the characters (including the key support characters) and explain the plot better.

Your posts come across to me, with expectations wrt the bl theme (and WOH), and wrt anime version. Btw, if it is not clear, I'm totally with you that this drama is over-hyped as bl, and frankly to me, this bl tag so undermines this drama, as the story, plot and messages are amazing. I still honour what I said that a review will always be subjective, and hard to be 100% impartial. So yea, my review is definitely not 100% impartial.

To be fair, I have not commented on the acting prior. I think the cast did great, touching me immensely with their stories, and making their characters iconic.

We obviously also hold different views on whether WY will risk whole family if he doesnt owe anything from wen siblings, and that's also okay.

i wont be commenting further on this thread.

not invalid, but wont it be good to see the growth of Xiao Zhan’s performance after these years, plus XZ’s chemistry with Zhang Ruo Yun’s Fan Xian and the veteran co-stars? hope XZ chooses his projects wisely

I have only watched the live action drama, so no novel, anime etc. Based on what are shown and what i understand from the drama, as how i hv done for my prior comment, WY will do the same for the Wen siblings just as how they have done for WY. He never looked down, nor branded them as evil, just because they were from the Wen Clan. WY didnt kill the Wen folks when Wen Chao turned them into puppets to go after him, LZ and NHS at the Dancing Goddess Temple.

If interpreting from novel, anime perspective, there will likely be different views, as from what i understand from reviews and comments that i saw, WY is GG (grey and gay LOL) in the novel, and other uncensored adaptations.

A review will always be subjective, and hard to be 100% impartial esp if one goes in with expectation(s).

As someone who doesnt want to miss a really good drama, but neither do i want to spend time watching a drama that i wont end up enjoying, i hv often wondered if there is an objective point to drop a drama. So much that i started a discussion thread. https://kisskh.at/discussions/general-asia-forum/70221-when-to-drop-or-hold-a-drama

From the brief discussion so far, it looks like most drop as soon as one doesnt enjoy the drama and it doesnt matter to most that this might mean missing a really good drama.. Is it because there are too many dramas around to choose from?

must be so, cos i also really like the cute happy halmeoni in Start-up!

thanks but arrghh... how could i have missed her!

👏👏👏 Wow! Happy for her cos i loved the halmeoni in HomeCha, but i missed her totally in Squid Game - what's her role in Squid Game? The film, with her, a meaningful theme on true meaning of family in today's society, and a star-studded director-team looks set to sparkle and be an award-winning film

If you are watching this drama due to the bl hype, then yeah, you will be truly disappointed. While it is adapted from a bl novel, the drama never meant to also adapt the bl parts. In fact, WQ was originally written as WWX's love interest, but axed due to the heated protests by the novel fans, and in respect of the original novel. I need to add that i'm happy with the censorship or i would have missed this drama entirely. Censorship has also transcended the bl novel into a critical production that focus on the intriguing plot and powerful messages on ugliness of society, good vs evil, weak vs strong.

On Wen siblings who showed kindness and righteousness first, just to point out that WWX has been kind to WN when they first met at Cloud Recesses and WWX taught WN how to shoot arrows better, and more importantly WWX went first to save the possessed WN during the Water Abyss incident (Episode 5), and it is the pouch that WWX passed to WQ to give to WN to protect him knowing WN has a tendency to attract spirits (Episode 5-6) that prevented WN from being fully possessed by the evil spirits when WN was tortured by the Jin Clan (~Episode 27, WN was seen on the ground with a flag stuck to him, and clutching tightly to a pouch).

As for JC, he was too affected and traumatised by his own GC experience that he was oblivious to all that happened then. So JC is not as aware as WWX to the extent the Wen siblings has gone through to help the Jiang family.

On WWX shooting arrows at the Wen people blind-folded, at first i also thought it was cruel of him, like you. But then when i rethink again as WWX isnt that kind of person, and he was ready to fight back when JGY described the opening archery event, but held back because of JC. I think he really want to put a stop once and for all to this cruel event, by really shining notches above and firmly put down the Jin Clan's supremacy. There is a risk of the archery event continuing with another shoot from JZX or by other clans that may really harm the Wen targets, if WWX only won a notch above JZX.

And i do think WWX would still defend the Wen siblings even if they have not helped him. At the seige at the Burial Mounds planned by JGY to wipe out the clans, WWX had used himself as the bait to draw the puppets towards him so that the clans who were led there could escape. These clans were the ones that had wanted him dead 16 years ago and even at the Burial Mound seige, right before the Su She revelation part just before they made their escape.

WWX stays true to his pure heart and wish to fight evil, protect the weak and to always maintain a clear conscience, no matter how hard or lonely the path is.

I didnt read the book, and wont be reading the book - the book's bl content will be too much for me to handle. In fact, i'm happy with the censorship or i would have missed this drama entirely. Censorship has also transcended the bl novel into a critical production that focus on the intriguing plot and powerful messages on ugliness of society, good vs evil, weak vs strong,

i just re-read my points - all are actually shown in the drama, except why JZX despised his arranged marriage with WWX’s sis, which i assumed then he just wants to marry the one he loves vs the one arranged by his mom, which is also not wrong, given his arrogant, dignified nature. Well, WWX nicknamed him as "Peacock", and feels that his kind and gentle sister deserves better.

As the story telling style is investigative and with little filler parts (if any), watching too fast and skipping episodes will mean missing pieces of the plot. Then again, some details could just be staring in our faces, but missed out. For example, i only realised the person who orchestrated WWX's return is actually blatantly shown a few times before our eyes in Episode 1 itself after i rewatched!

And yeah, there will never be a single drama that appeal to everyone.

1) WWX's comeback after fall into the abyss. WWX threw himself into the abyss out of (i) despair that those he loved and protected fervently died (i.e. his sister, Wen remnants and Jiang Feng Mian) and (ii) disgust of this hypocritical world (the so called noble righteous clans are just coveting over the Yin Tiger Tally that he has created, from witnessing the intense fighting and killing among the noble righteous clans at the Nightless City right before his eyes. (Episode 32-33). He left this world with no care left and utterly disillusioned, and thus never want to come back. But he was unwillingly brought back by NHS to investigate his brother’s (NMJ) death. Back again, he never want to reunite with whom he knows and was just wandering around with his donkey. But because he was brought back for a purpose, he was led to reunite with the people he know at Dafan mountain, in particular, LWJ and WN (Episode 1-2).

2) WWX and his nephew. When WWX saw his nephew for the first time, he seriously didn’t know that person is his nephew, and thus blurted out that his mother didn't teach him well, from witnessing JL’s arrogant and overbearing behaviour. Only when JL mentioned JC is his uncle that he realised that JL is his nephew and utterly regretted saying that to him (Episode 2). WWX even directly apologised to JL when they met later at the Koi Tower (around ep 40).

3) Wen Sect Leader. Wen Ruohan is already the chief cultivator, but he knows his Wen Clan wont be able to hold on this position with his two incapable sons and his hand started to experience spasms (side effects from refining the Yin metal shard) (Episode 15) Thus he starts the aggression to use the Yin metal shards to lord over the other noble clans. He is probably the only villain with a less justified reason. Villains like JGY, XY and even Su She are not evil for evil sake - they are born underprivileged and thus bullied by most people. This is one ugliness of the society that the series is pointing to.

4) Yin metal and Water Abyss. Since the first piece of the Yin metal shard in the Dancing Goddess Statue was discovered and taken away by WRH, the peaceful suppression of the Yin metal shards was disturbed, causing the other Yin metal shards to start to be aroused. The Yin metal contains negative/evil energy, thus the arousal of the shards cause evil spirits like the Water Abyss to manifest (Episode 5). The Yin metal shard that was suppressed by the female Lan Clan leader’s spiritual cognition deep in the pond also started reacting, coupled with the weakening of this Lan Clan leader’s spiritual cognition after suppressing the shard for decades, led to strange water phenomenon that sucked the duo who were just standing in the pond deep in to where that one metal shard was suppressed. Only LXC and LQR knew about the existence of the Yin metal shards and they started investigating. The duo’s encounter with the female Lan Clan leader confirmed their suspicion of the arousal of the Yin metal shards (Episode 6-7).

5) Wen Clan Indoctrination Training. The other noble sects didn’t have a choice as the Wen Clan was very powerful then with the Yin metal shards, and Wen Clan had said that if the clans didnt have representatives attending, Wen Clan would send people to “invite” them to the training and wipe them out on charges of treason against the Chief Cultivator (WRH was the Chief Cultivator then) and causing harm to society. Thus you see Mdm Yu’s wrath that her son JC has no choice, knowing well that this is a hostage in disguise as a training (Episode 11).

6) Yi City and the villains XY and JGY. The “last villain” is JGY, right? I see the Yi City story as serving few purposes: (i) Uncovering of NMJ’s body that eventually led the duo to uncover the whole truth, (ii) Backstory and character development of XY and (iii) Showing how the 2 MLs could end up like XXC and SL due to mistrust, and LWJ's gratitude that WWX came back after 16 years. As i mentioned earlier, villains like Jin GY and Xue Yang are not evil for evil sake - they are born underprivileged and thus bullied by most people. This is one ugliness of the society that the series is pointing to. Both XY and JGY have been mistreated since young and the resentments kinda shaped their values, but they did show their compassionate sides to those who respect and care for them. Some said if XY as a kid had WWX's fortune to meet a caring adult like Jiang Fengmian instead of Chang, or had met Xiao Xingchen (the blind guy) earlier, XY might just be WWX #2. There is a detailed comment here on XY by clothcat which i agreed (https://kisskh.at/discussions/general-discussion/69213-antagonist-villain-appreciation-club?page=6). As for JGY, he was mistreated by the masses as he is a prostitute's son, and his blood father JGS also despised and never really acknowledged JGY by kicking him down Koi Tower when JGY first went to look for him, and even remarked to another prostitute later on not to mentioned JGY, despite JGY fervently following JGS’ commands to please him. So he killed his blood father, and did all the evil things to maintain his Chief Cultivator position (JGY took over as Chief Cultivator after the death of his father JGS and his brother JZX). To LXC who has never despised him and even helped him out when others are gossiping about his parentage during the Lan Clan lecture (Epsiode 4), JGY continues to be kind and helps LXC when Cloud Recesses is burnt down. He even deceived LXC to join him so that LXC wont go to Burial Mounds where he has planned a seige and massacre of all the noble clans, thus protecting LXC. Of course, JGY did also make use of LXC to achieve his motive. I can actually go on and on cos TU casts are so complex and multi-dimensional. But i will stop here to avoid typing out a thesis. LOL.

7) Expulsion of WWX. At its core, this drama depicts the ugliness of society, the struggles to uphold justice and the growing up journey of the key characters. It delivers powerful messages and quotable lines on society norms, the oppression one faced in going against society (leading to WWX's expulsion), how people often surface judge, how hypocritical nobles (JGS, JGY) manipulate society norms for selfish power hungry causes, good vs evil, weak vs strong.

8) Romance and JYL-JZX. I’m straight and not a bl fan too. To me, this drama is over-hyped as bl and undermined as an idol drama. As its core, there are powerful messages and quotable lines. Romance is not the focus for this drama. Jin Zi Xuan, was born privileged and thus arrogant, and he initially despised his arranged marriage with WWX’s sis JYL as she is not the best looking nor does she have high cultivation. But he slowly grows to like her. We see JYL defending WWX during the Hunt organised by the Jin Clan, and demanding Jin Zi Xun to apologise to WWX. Jin Zi Xuan while arrogant, is actually fair and righteous. He stood up for WWX during the Wen Clan Indoctrination Training (thus punished with WWX and LWJ to take care of the vegetable garden), and even convinced his dad JGS to go against the powerful Jin Clan to send people to save WWX and LWJ out of the cave. Seeing JGY doing so much for the Jin Clan and family, he also asked his dad to wholeheartedly accept JGY into the Jin Clan.

Perhaps you have went so fast that you missed parts of the drama that can help you better understand the plot and story better. Perhaps also i can understand Chinese and watched the drama without dubbing or subbing. The plot and story are very compelling with not many fillers, but the storytelling is of investigative style, where the pieces eventually stitch together. Hopefully the points below on the plot under spoiler tag will help you understand the drama better

arrghh i thought you have completed watching the drama by now! press on, the drama is pretty good, other that the irritating, draggy middle part when 2FL sowed discord between the couple

I thought the storytelling is compelling, with doubts/questions immediately addressed in the next scene, though yes, it means cutting of scenes in the midst of dialogues. It is to also show concurrent discussions on the same issue by different people at different places at the same time and perhaps alluding to some form of telepathy between the father and son

Possible for Zhao Kai to be used by his master to fulfil his master's own ambition to take over the throne?