zen_zest

Another example of script writers ruining a great cast and a great story

I love Wang Ying Lu and Li Yun Rui separately and also together. They are adorable together and have hot chemistry. The main leads are the only thing I like about this drama and the only reason I didn't drop it despite many frustrations.

While I was waiting for new episodes, I checked out the source novel and found out that they made many (both necessary and unnecessary) changes in the drama adaption.

What went wrong:
1. The ancestor plot could have been epic if executed well. But the script writers bit off more than they can chew and tried to wrap it up with a lame excuse (that Pei Fei is the real ancestor of Shen family) unconvincingly.

2. The Shen family was too much and counterproductive for the comedy and enjoyment of the drama. In order to give the family more screentime and plot, they gave some of FL's original plots to others (eg., In episode 27, it should be FL who helped Lin Yan find the bad guys and the warehouse, not the stupid brother).

3. The novel FL is very intelligent and playful. I feel like they somewhat downplayed her role in the drama.
In the novel, the main leads have such flirty playful teasing interactions which would've been delightful to be played out by WYL& LYR. Instead, we're given unnecessary angst that dragged on for ~20 episodes.

4. It really bothers me when the production crew doesn't take care of the female lead actress appearance well. It was almost like they sabotaged her. Some of Ah-Ji's outfits are really unflattering! Around ep 23, her hair became so high with ugly accessories. The hair is just ridiculously big and ugly on Wang Yinglu's small and delicate face. And she runs restaurants; why would she have such big unpractical hair do!

5. They tried to pump up the male lead role with cliche plots and ended up with many plot holes.

6. They forgot that great food scenes should have been the center of the show (that's how they marketed the drama afterall). After the first few episodes, the focus on food just fizzled out unfortunately.

I'm giving this drama a 7 for Wang Ying Lu and Li Yun Rui. They are wonderful actors and deserve better than this mess.

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Enemies to Lovers...done right

Cast:
Firstly, before watching this drama, I didn't know Chen Zheyuan and didn't remember Li Qin (though I watched Princess Agents). I saw some short videos of the earlier episodes and intrigued by the leads whipping each other. I was initially worried that CZY's pretty visuals might work against the story, but he played the role perfectly (and I'm gonna keep an eye out for his future works). And I love Li Qin as Fu Yixiao. She's strong, elegant, and believable as a female general. As I started watching the drama, I was in awe of how gorgeous Fu Yixiao is.
I know the drama was mainly betting on CZY's popularity, but it would not work this well had he been paired with a less suitable actress.
Supporting characters are all generally good. If i have to pick one to critique, it'd be the SML. For the amount of screen time he gets, his character is flat, and he had the same face in the whole show. Acting-wise, the Jinxiu emperor actor, Qin Tian Yu, was a better actor in my opinion, and I wish he got a better ending.

Story and pacing:
Overall, it's nicely paced. The earlier episodes were exciting and I'd enjoy rewatching them. However, Jinxiu scenes in later part of the shows felt draggy and I had to fast forward them. The princess character development is also weak. They tried to make her sound like an independent woman with strong opinions, but she was a brat from start to finish. I think her screen time is even comparable to FYX if not more.

Comment on the source material:
While I was waiting for new episodes to come out, I decided to check out the original novel (which I tend to do if I get curious enough about the story). I have to say, this is one of those rare instances where the adaptation may be better the source. The plot in the novel is quite chaotic and the romance is less enjoyable. I dropped after skimming ~2 chapters.

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Stop comparing to S1!

So much criticism from comparison to S1. Seriously, both seasons are great for different reasons. S2 is the perfect closure and the progression of the S1 plot.

First of all, though I miss Jung So Min, Go Youn Jung is perfect as soul-shifted Jin Bu Yeon. I had to double check if it's the same actress who played Naksu in S1 because she really looks/acts like a different person as JBY (as she should be). She cannot be Mu Deok again because Mu Deok's memories and servant's identity are gone already. She cannot be sword-wielding Naksu again because she's no longer in the original Naksu's strong body. To me, the female lead character is the combination of Cho Yeong/Naksu/Mu Deok/Jin Bu Yeon. Wanting her to go back to the assassin Naksu phase is not fair to the original Jin Bu Yeon whose body and powers the female lead has 'inherited' (so to speak). Both in S1 and S2, Jang Uk loves... this combined essence of the female lead,... not separate Naksu nor Mu Deok. One nice subtlety is... though JBY also develops friendships with the crown prince and Seo Yul, this time it's more on equal footing.... compared to Mu Deok's friendships as a servant.

Also, why are people questioning Uk's loyalty. He admits to his feelings for JBY only in Ep 7. Before that, it's all angst (which I love for S2). If you accept that JBY is the natural progression of the female lead character, you'll more than welcome Uk and JBY relationship. Uk in S2 is no longer flamboyant; he is now kinda typical brooding hero with a massive chip on his shoulders.

I do agree that the moment Uk realized the truth about JBY was a bit underwhelming. But I understand the direction. At that point, he already loves that woman, his love is not gonna change, but this revelation will only hinder their future together. Hence, Uk would feel more conflicted than happy about the truth at the moment.

I do want to see more on the display of JBY's divine powers. She could call the rain after the defeat of the fire bird etc. All in all, I felt 10 episodes is too short. Acting 10/10! Chemistry 10/10! They could just fill it with more fluff, make it 16 episodes, and I'd happily watch.

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