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1The Art of Strategic Retreat
Immortal Ascension is the long-awaited live-action adaptation of the hit xianxia web-novel A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality by Wang Yu (忘语), a defining work of the "mortal cultivation" sub-genre. While the novel chronicles protagonist Han Li's thousand-year journey over a sprawling 2,400 chapters, this ambitious adaptation condenses the first 200 years into 30 episodes. It is set in a brutal, realistic immortal world where might makes right. The Heavenly Dao (天道) is indifferent to concepts of "good" or "evil"; the path to immortality isn't about grand morality or predestined genius, but about raw power and survival. Here, cunning, alchemy, and artifacts can trump sheer talent.Three borrowed bowls of flour for flatbread. That is why an ordinary village boy, Han Li, stumbles on to a thousand year path to immortality. It isn't a profound or carefully considered decision or even a conscious choice on his part —just survival instinct, pure and simple. It begins in Shenshou Valley, a place that opens his eyes to a world beyond his wildest imagination and offers his first chilling glimpse into the callous utilitarianism and transactional nature of cultivation relationships. He picks up the underappreciated skill of gardening and chances upon his most invaluable artifact. From his first mentor, Physician Mo, Han Li learns the core secret to immortality: live to fight another day. He is the master of the art of strategic retreat—my lips would twitch every time he began stealthily backing away at the slightest hint of hostility.
Han Li is an unconventional protagonist. He isn't motivated by naive heroism and chooses a path that is ultimately selfish and solitary. Often underestimated, he prevails through cautious pragmatism and resourcefulness, relying on methodical long-term planning, deception, and fleeing unwinnable conflicts. Despite the running gag that Han Li is very plain, Yang Yang is perfectly cast. His immaculate appearance and radiant, ageless glow convey the aura of a character who is ultimately unattainable. I've never been a fan of his acting, but this is by far his best role. His portrayal is exquisite: the careful circumspection in his movements, the nuanced flicker in his eyes, the micro-expressions that signal he is always watchful and calculating; that fraught stillness when sensing danger; and the intense, cold-blooded ruthlessness in combat. Yang Yang's power, grace, and natural athleticism are on full display. Instead of just standing around uselessly waving a fan (Who Rules the World), he delivers multiple thrilling, intense, and brilliantly choreographed action sequences that showcase Han Li's ability to think on his feet, using his cunning and resources to level the playing field. The visual effects, however, are a bit dated and at times overwhelm the impressive stunt work, detracting from how flawlessly Yang Yang executes difficult mid-air acrobatics while staying completely in character.
I love the decision to shoot mostly on location—it vividly reinforces the vastness, timelessness, and solitude of Han Li's journey. It may have made lighting and framing more difficult to control, but it's far superior to the typical fake, over-lit, and stagnant xianxia set. The plot feels condensed, and the pacing is uneven, alternating rapidly between character introductions, heavy world-building via dialogue, and high-octane action. Some important characters—Physician Mo, Mo Caihuan, and a few of Han Li's Yellow Maple Valley mentors—are fleshed out, but too many others zip by cursorily. While Wang Duo plays the villain with great relish and humor, Wang Chan's character is a cardboard cutout, because Han Li's greatest antagonist is truly the indifferent universe—and Han Li himself, and the humanity he must leave behind.
At times, this feels like a video game, but it is actually a quite sad and profound story. The narrative tone doesn't indulge in sadness; Han Li's moments of temptation and regret are subtle and transient: a pause, a concealed glance behind lowered eyelids, the slightest hesitation, the moment he gives in to a brief hug. It's all in the subtext, in how he regularly shouts out to Li Feiyu, recalling his last mortal friend. Han Li is not a relatable protagonist; it's hard to feel sorry for him, as he does not feel sorry for himself or for the people he coldly leaves behind.
Fittingly, at the end of this first phase, we come full circle to a precious piece of flatbread that Nangong Wan casually snatches from him. Ms. Mo would never have done that. It's why she is not the endgame; she isn't ruthless or selfish enough to accompany him on his journey. While this is not a romantic story, the character who moved me most was Ms. Mo. It is with his first love and final obsession that Han Li almost allows himself to be mortal.
I don't know how to feel about this kind of story or Han Li's path. It is inspiring as a tale of how an ordinary person can become extraordinary. And a sobering lesson about at what price. It is a story that has stayed with me. I have to rate it 9/10.
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... Because a drama educating adolescens on love and loneliness in high school, can't score higher.
7/10 is not a bad rating and I did not dislike this drama. Honestly it was very entertaining to watch and it was very well made. The actors did an incredible job despite being so young and I have great respect for them, since they pulled off the "Mature" tag without making it seem trashy or unrealistic.
Before watching this drama you should prepare for:
sexual scenes (Underwear, over the bra touching, covered up sex scenes, making out, and other mature content.)
A lot of inside dialogue
Lesbian love
High schoolers making countless mistakes and being generally butter brained.
The feels.
This drama will not make you cry but since it is a Jdrama, don't expect things to go the way you want them. This is basically a drama showing how people grow with time and experience. YOU WILL FEEL FRUSTRATION
It was very well made, so if you have nothing against the things listed above, I think you should take your time to watch this. It will be a nice memory and each episode is only about 23 minutes long. Nothing to lose and it will surely be an experience.
ENJOY!
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“Why do you Run?”
This drama is about two adults who met in the oddest way, but at the perfect time - one who is an orphan and has been living only for herself, and one who has been living for others to the point that he's left with nothing for himself. And no, they did not need each other nor did they need saving, but they grew as their own person when their worlds collided. This drama follows their journey of self discovery and self love. This drama does not have your usual tropes, angst, and fluff (at least at the beginning- wait for it!), it doesn't have a major conflict, but it just shows the characters' day-to-day lives. It shows a mature and realistic take on relationships. It shows that we are simply the protagonists of our own lives. Moreover, It shows the importance of finding yourself and loving yourself first before you are able to give yourself to others. The cherry on top? Their chemistry. The main leads' chemistry is THROUGH THE ROOF so be prepared to fall in love with them.As the title might suggest - this isn't a sports drama, but a slice-of-life romcom. It's funny, endearing, impactful, and heartwarming. It carries so many life lessons and touches on many sensitive issues like sexuality. As the FL is a movie translator, this also includes a lot of classic movie references/ parodies that enthusiasts may like. It may be slow at the beginning but it's because of the many layers and depth that will be unveiled as the drama progresses. This is also full of parallelism and symbolism that might require reflecting before you fully understand because that's how rich and detailed the writing is. This is a dialogue and character driven drama, which might not be for everyone, but it's as good as it gets. This drama's charms are the raw, rich, refreshing, and excruciatingly honest dialogues, the witty jabs (trust me the humor is very, very well written), and how the story circles back to its title - Run On. Run On, move forward - even if it life gets difficult, you can always slow down, just don't give up. Despite your traumas, life must go on.
This drama is so healthy, real, and good for the soul - no toxic relationships or toxic masculinity. The men: the male lead is a character we haven't seen before - he's odd, awkward, but in every way charming. He is always ready to lend a helping hand to others. He has a hard time communicating and expressing himself but eventually the female lead broke his ice (isn't it fitting that the FL just happened to be literally, a translator?) The 2nd male lead is equally charming, a bit emotional and sensitive, but knows what he wants. He's quite the character. The women? Damn. The women are strong and brilliant. The female lead is the epitome of self love without any selfishness. Despite her tough past, she grew up well. The 2nd female lead is a chaebol (not your ordinary one) - a strong, independent woman, but puts up walls and boundaries. It's beautiful to see all of them grow and come together, with a bit of cute bickering on the side. The characters are very unique - roles/jobs that aren't usually shown in dramas (a translator, retired athlete, movie distributor, artist, and so) so this is quite refreshing. I also loved how all the characters have a relationship with each other (not just the leads) - bromance, sismance, even the male lead and 2nd female lead and vice versa. The friendship that developed among the leads and supporting cast is just phenomenal. The writer also managed to let the 2nd couple shine and not just make them a mere filler even until the last episodes. Even the smallest roles were given recognition. Cannot praise the writer enough for this.
If you are looking for a comforting and healing drama, this is for you. If you are at a bad place or if you are feeling lost, this is for you. Honestly it has been a while since i've been this attached to a drama. I assure that you will fall in love with the characters, the insanely beautiful cinematography, the OST, and the impeccable writing. It is in every way sensible and authentic. It is full of so, so many life lessons if you'll just go beyond the surface.
[Edit after completing] Well, it's still as beautiful as when it started. It's great from start to end, cried a lot in the last episode. The ending has to be the best i've seen in kdramas. I love how everyone was given their own happy endings. I also love how the ending shows that life just goes on for everyone - you don't need a big, grand, happy ending to find meaning in our day to day lives. Again as the title suggests, Run On. Amazing, amazing work by the writer!
It's a long review but in conclusion: YOU NEED TO WATCH THIS NOW!!! This is a rare masterpiece!
My favorite quote: “When you run, you don’t think about what’s behind you. The only thing that matters is what’s right in front of you. Normally, it’s the finish line. But today, it was you.”
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A BL You Can’t Miss
This is everything a BL fan can only dream of: just the right mix of a good plot, super-high-intense chemistry and cinematography that is seriously mind-blowing. From the first episode, you can already feel the magic brewing between Great and Tyme. Their acting is so good, they are one of those pairings that just make you hold your breath in anticipation every time they share a scene.What makes it even more special is seeing Bible take on this role in a unique way. His performance as a character who is flustered and caught off guard by Tyme’s presence is both cute and surprisingly meaningful. Watching him struggle with his emotions is very endearing and makes their interactions even more heartwarming. It’s nice to see this kind of vulnerability, especially in a BL series where those tender moments can feel very real.
The way their story develops requires your full attention because, although it may seem quick on the surface, when you really get into it, you'll see how intricate and deep their relationship is. Each look, each conversation, carries a lot of meaning. It's like uncovering layers to find their emotions, and trust me, it's worth the time to fully understand.
Visually? Oh. My. Gosh. Every frame looks like it was crafted with so much care and the cinematography just takes your breath away. The use of color and lighting doesn’t just make things look pretty (though it does), it adds meanings to the story. The way certain hues are used to highlight emotions or underline the tension between characters is just… chef’s kiss. It’s the kind of show where every detail counts and those tiny touches in the visual storytelling make the whole experience richer.
And this cast, wow, they really hit the mark. Every actor adds something special, making their characters feel so real that you almost forget you're watching a TV show. The connection between the main characters is fantastic, and it's not just the romantic parts that work well - it's all the emotions they show. They've created characters that feel complex and easy to relate to, which is what really draws you into their story.
Episode 8 EXTRA REVIEW
The ending wasn’t perfect but I'm not mad at it. Could the main leads have had more time to bloom and more space to grow? Absolutely. Yet in the end, what I got was closure and sometimes that’s all the heart craves.
Spoilers unfold from here, so tread carefully.
Great and Tyme -- oh my greatness, what an odyssey they traveled. Their love wasn’t confined to just one world or one life but stretched across time itself. Three lives, three timelines and in each one, they found each other. They fell for each other, not once but three times over, each time a little deeper, a little more profound. And the miracle? They remember. Every glance, every touch, every fall from every world, they carry it all.
Can you imagine? The same soul, found again and again in different universes, until your heart can barely contain it?
And the way they change each other… it’s more than growth, it’s transformation. Tyme breathes life into Great’s fractured soul. He makes him better, stronger, softer. He leads him to his truth, until Great is standing at the crossroads of his life and chooses redemption. He turns himself in and takes responsibility for his past. And it’s Tyme who gave him that strength to face the fire.
But Great - he pulls Tyme from the abyss. He’s Tyme’s peace, the reason he lets go of his vengeance. Tyme who was drowning in darkness, in rage, he could’ve taken his revenge, ended his enemy, but he chose a different path. A softer one. He chose Great. He chose love. The healing between them is sacred like they are stitching the pieces of themselves together, thread by fragile thread, each one held by the other.
And in the end, they choose the real world - the messy, bruised, beautiful reality where their love can thrive, no matter how many scars it bears.
But then there’s Tonkla and Korn - and oh, how different their story is. I’m sorry to the Win and Tonkla shippers, but there was always something… unsettling in that dynamic. Win’s connection to Tonkla was surface-level at best, a shallow crush built on fleeting moments. But Korn? His love for Tonkla was deep, forged in years of devotion, even if it was twisted and tangled in darkness. Some might say Korn didn’t truly love Tonkla but I disagree. He started that whole dangerous business because he wanted a future, one where they could be together, where they didn’t have to hide. But power consumed him. He lost himself in the journey.
And in the last episode, when Korn lost everything, his power, his control, it didn’t matter. Because in his mind, he still had Tonkla. That was all that kept him going. But then he lost his baby, his one last tether to hope. And in that moment, the weight of the world crushed him. He couldn’t bear the thought of living without Tonkla. So, with a heart already shattered, he chose to escape. A bullet, a split-second decision and he surrendered to the dream. A world where reality couldn’t touch them, where they could be together forever in an untouchable fantasy. In that dream, they are safe, preserved in a perfect, tragic eternity.
And this is where the contrast shines. Great and Tyme chose the bitter reality, the world that hurts and heals, the world where love has to fight to survive but where it’s real, where it’s alive. Meanwhile, Tonkla and Korn, they chose the dream, the fantasy where nothing could break them, but nothing could grow either. They chose a love that was frozen in time, safe from the world but suffocated by it too.
Great and Tyme, chose the sun, the warmth of something real, the promise of a future where they can grow and change and live. It’s painful, it’s imperfect but it’s theirs. Tonkla and Korn, they chose the moon, a cold, distant dream, beautiful in its stillness but untouched by the life that burns outside it.
And that’s the beauty of it all. Love doesn’t just live in happy endings; it lives in the choices we make. It lives in the worlds we choose to build or abandon. ✨ And for Great and Tyme, their love is something that can stand in the light, scarred but whole. Meanwhile, for Tonkla and Korn, their love is a shadow, beautiful, but fleeting, forever lost in a world that never truly existed.
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This review may contain spoilers
Clichés? We don't know what that is
What makes this drama so special? For me personally, it was the lack of cliches. Our female lead can stand her ground, she isn't a damsel in distress who needs saving every time. She also knows what she wants. Our male lead, although younger he has proven just how mature he can be and how much he cares for her. As he said, "she can worry about beauty, I'll worry about her health". They are both willing to comprise.When an issue presented itself instead of breaking up they dealt with it. I've seen many dramas that when an issue arises the first thought is always to break up because they think that's what's best for the other person. Like Lin Yang said, "I won't hurt him and I won't hurt myself". This drama presented a realistic view of a relationship.
They are childhood friends, she has seen him since he was a baby. He fell in love with her when he was 15, and saw her go through many breakups yet he never gave up. He knew what he wanted and he charged forwards for it. He never hesitated in showing his love for her.
Love triangle? yes but it's so light that you barely feel it's there and it got resolved halfway through the drama.
Annoying second female lead? yes, but he always made it clear and drew a bright red line between them which left no room for misunderstandings. Our female lead also stood her ground. Although annoying li tian came around.
Supportive parents? Yes, it would be weird if they didn't support them considering they wanted their kids to marry even before they were conceived. Plus they treated each other's children as their own.
Supportive bestfriends? Yes, there is no backstabbing. They felt like that ride-or-die type of friend.
I would recommend this drama. It's light but it still manages to portray a good relationship between the leads.
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Amazing True Love from HlSTORICAL Time until MODERN Time (MUST WATCH ONE & ONLY FOR THE 1ST)
why I wrote you have to watch "ONE AND ONLY" first, because your feelings when watching will be very much different if you start this without watching the first season...maybe you think you will still understand the story line but emotions, feelings and moods when you watch it will be much different ... well ... so you are strongly advised to keep watching the first season first, although you may read that the first season ended sadly but I guarantee you will be satisfied with the story and after that you would give 10/10 point for this drama with 2 season...actually this is my first time to write a review before finishing a drama as a whole....but my love for this drama has pushed me to write it....
In short, this drama begins with their very deep encounter and love story between a warlord and king of Nancheng who is very loyal to the kingdom, Zhou ShengCheng which has a called "BEAUTIFUL BONES " by all the people (because of his loyalty to the kingdom who always struggles to overcome the people, not interested in power, wealth or beautiful women only CSY who has melted his hearts) with his very beautiful and intelligent student, CuiShiYi. in historical times they both could not be united by fate where ZSC was accused by a cursed prince who was jealous and wanted to marry CSY had rebelled so that he had to end tragically and because of her love and deep loyalty CSY followed her teacher by ending her life too...but before she dies, she makes a wish if they meet in another life...she hopes ZSC can marry her first...and...
FINALLY HER WISH CAME TRUE , THEIR LOVE IS MEET BACK IN MODERN TIME....(FOREVER AND EVER)
Their suffering in historical drama finally brought them to modern life.
I've never read a novel from this drama before, so I feel I don't need to nor will I compare the story or characters of the cast to the novel....
I really like the story line which is unique and has different characteristics from modern dramas in general, even though it tells the story about now but every time I see an ancient building or residence in this drama can indirectly bring me back to feeling warm when I watch OAO (this is also one reason why you should watch OAO first ) I also like writers to write about the differences in their characters from historical dramas to modern times, so I feel there is an interest for me to watch those differences.....
ZhouShengChen who is an innocent chemistry professor but super genius, responsible, mature sometimes a little shy feels sweet and makes me feel excited to see him especially when sees him in a relationship with ShiYi...he is full of warmth and concern for him, as if made me feel how comfortable it was to be his girlfriend...hahaha...he was reunited with the girl he loved so much in the past but couldn't be with him (because of the oath he made before he met CSY that he would never marry for the rest of his life made him felt guilty towards CSY at the end of his past life for not being able to return his love)
ShiYi as a voice actress who is graceful, beautiful and sometimes a shadow of the past can be seen in her mind makes her have a deep feeling for ZSC from the very beginning of their meeting. some things in the past that hurt her deeply are still a bad feeling in her and I'm sure all of that will be cured after she entered into a romantic relationship and married the person she loved very much from historical times to the present, ZhouShengChen.
and...i really like watching their developmental approach when dating...hahaha...their relationship is very sweet, adorable and mature as well as caring and warm...i really love it....
ALLEN REN and BAILU really are actors and actresses who are very potential and professional...two different characters in two periods of time have been presented by them very perfectly. the characters zhoushengchen and shiyi feel very alive in this drama...their acting is very good, beautiful and natural...as I said in the comments page, so natural that sometimes I forget I'm watching and this is just a drama...
I'm really hope that both of them and this drama both One and Only (season 1) and Forever and Ever (season 2) can get a lot of AWARDS for their really very good performance because they really deserve it...
I'm also very happy that they didn't omit all the soundtrack from historical dramas in this modern drama, and made us still can feel the environment that was brought to modern times...they were good at doing that...some songs added for modern times this also feels okay to me and is suitable for modern-day stories.
I can be sure I will repeat this drama because even before this drama ends I have used my free time waiting for the continuation of the new episode by re-watching this drama ... so for rewatch value, no need to ask again, I will definitely give full marks for it.
overall : 10/10 for this season 2
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1A touching drama criticizing society in the most beautiful way
This was an emotional ride with every singel emotion known ... I have probably cried every singel type of tear i know of.... so to say I was touched is an understatement.This drama combines important issues while celebrating peoples life and showing both respect and nuance to peoples death. Every episode has a message and while some kick you making you want to fight back, some will give you hope and others are just sad and that is okay too.
The main story is touching on its own with, trauma, violence, misunderstandings and a whole lot of regret truly has everything and more that one can expect and wish for from this type of drama. I Love the way this drama shows people of different ability as competent humans with emotions deserving respect but also in need of assistance. I also love how this drama tackels prejudice and controversial issues in today's society in an unapologetic yet beautiful way.
I was not annoyed at any one, never had the urge to pause, the humor in it hit just the right spot and all in all I loved it. Yes I did. This does not mean every second was perfect or that every singel actors acting was flawless it just means I liked the way it woke my emotions and made me feel so many different emotions in only 10 episodes.
What also made this drama great was that different episodes where kind of different generas so there was really not time to get bored. While some episodes where more emotional, other episodes kept me on my toes, some truly caught me of guard and supersized me and some even made me fall in love... but to be clear the romance truly is kept to a minimum.
This drama also taught me that even dead people communicate, we just have to listen and observe the objects they leave behind and that as long as some one is in your memory you will never be alone... kind of creepy but sweet and comforting.
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The characters play well off each other as their chemistry is greate and the actors are all well suited for their parts. And honestly, the guys are very cute :P
One notable thing about this drama is it gives you room to imagine in details yourself. For example, they don't necessarily give the full backstory of the characters. Instead they hint at many parts and let you create your own story for them in your mind.
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I Feel You Linger in the Air: Uncut Version
56 people found this review helpful
This series is perfect ?
I Love this series too much, I will definitely watch this again. Episode 6 gave me butterflies in my stomach. I was just smiling all through. The chemistry between the main leads is out of the world. I hope it gets more high ratings,o hope people get to watch this and it will be very popular not just in Thailand but also international. It’s been a while I got hooked with a Thai bl series. ooohh my favorite couples. Bright is very handsome and Jom smile is perfect. I can’t wait for episode 7 next week. Perfect Series for me.Was this review helpful to you?
The acting was absolutely superb in every sense of the word. I was completely and undeniably convinced they were who they said they were, and it's safe to say that it's rare for me to feel that way.
My only complaint is that I could've lived without the more inappropriate scenes...I felt they carried on for far too long when other more important things could've been happening.
Overall, this is definitely a movie worth seeing.
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I think we're still waiting for the documentary that shows such things as how a BL series comes together, how its impact and popularity are tracked and leveraged, and the whole concept of shipping, including how the shipping of BL actors in real life can impact those real lives.
I'm also curious how the actors who are part of a BL pairing are paired in the first place, how they're instructed to behave off camera, and whether the production companies go so far as to put stipulations in their contracts about it. For me this would show whether the people in charge wish to exploit the blurred perception of on-screen couples with the belief that they're actually dating.
This becomes an even bigger concern with underage actors. What do their parents have to say about how and why they got their boys involved in BL, and once production starts how are the interests of these young actors protected?
So, in short, given the documentary's provocative title I was hoping for a deeper dive that took some risks and spoke truth to power. What we got instead is a wade through the shallow end of the pool that will be more rewarding for beginner fans of BL.
If you'd already heard of this documentary then you probably know that Bright and Win are featured in one of the segments. For me they seem like an odd choice of actors to interview regarding how they approached their roles, since their '2gether' franchise is the subject of some debate over whether it's truly BL or actually a bromance. As actors they haven't (yet) been asked to kiss romantically on screen or even be shown cuddling shirtless in bed -- something that the documentary director's own films haven't shied away from. Why not talk to actors who actually *have* had to do such things on camera, and ask what their experiences were like? (And tell us what went on behind the scenes at '2gether' that resulted in all the guard rails being put up ....)
It makes me wonder if Bright and Win were the only actors available or were selected due to '2gether's' current popularity. (One thing for sure: their presence is being used to promote the film.) So many other BL couples would have been a better pick due to their longtime experience in the business: OffGun, KristSingto, TayNew, PeakBoom, or even the cast of '2 Moons 2', a series that the documentary director himself directed.
(I'm sure that Ohm Pawat and Toey Sittiwat would also have had some interesting things to say.)
So, this film is good enough for what it does but isn't quite the documentary the title promises it to be. I hope the director will consider making a 'Part 2'.
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1The Return of the King.
After closing Season 1 on a high note, the much anticipated Season 2 of Lost You Forever opens with an air of looming inevitability. The focus shifts from Xiaoyao to Cangxuan as the main plot is built around the return of the king who is meant to unite Dahuang. This also portends the end of the long stalemate between Xiyan and the Chenrong remnants. This kind of endgame puts all of the main characters at crossroads with difficult, heart wrenching choices to make.Season 2 has not been as well received as Season 1 and the bulk of the disappointment is around how unlike Season 1, Season 2 deviates from the novel on a few fronts. I didn't read the novel so I can only evaluate the drama on its own merits. From my perspective, the season's biggest weakness is that the plot arcs leave a rushed, condensed impression. This shouldn't be a surprise as topics involving conquering harmless neighbouring states and glorifying rebels don't fare well with Chinese censors. I also had to scoff at the idea of a war with no civilian casualties; if this were a plot driven story I would be quite disappointed.
But Lost You Forever is predominantly a character story and on that front, the character arcs deliver in spades. Even though many characters make choices that are not relatable, they are not meant to be. Novelist Tong Hua designed the characters for both the prequel novel Once Promised and Lost You Forever based of mythical creatures from Shānhǎijīng/山海经, The Classic of Mountains and Seas. This is an ancient Chinese geographic compilation of mythical monsters and magical creatures; kind of like Hogwart's Monster Book of Monsters. This story is set at the beginning of time, after Pangu and Nuwa created the world. Xiangliu is a mythical beast, a venomous nine-headed snake monster loyal to water deity Gonggong. Cangxuan and Xiaoyao's grandfather the Xiyan King is none other than Huangdi/黃帝, the legendary Yellow Emperor. They are early immortals, directly descended from primordial gods whose footprints can still be found in the shape of the mountains and seas. They live for an unfathomably long time; until their obsessions eventually get the better of them. This explains Cangxuan's darkening and Xiaoyao's overpowering fear of loneliness and abandonment.
Even though this story broke my heart, all of the important characters are true to themselves and fulfil their destiny. I did not always agree with or like their decisions but the storytelling is elevated by phenomenal acting that compelled me to understand their choices and accept that their decisions made sense for them. My only disappointment with the season is that plot-wise it sagged and is not strong enough for me to raise my rating for the drama overall to a 9.5/10.0. It is nonetheless an immersive, heart-rending and dark enchanted fairytale about flawed but unforgettable characters who are trapped by destiny. I rate both the second season and the adaptation in its entirety 9.0/10.0. Watch it but guard your heart and do not grieve too hard for them because their fates are to a large extent predestined.
SPOILER WARNING
The rest of this review does not avoid spoilers and is best read after you have finished watching this drama in its entirety.
I may be in the minority but even though I almost drowned myself in wine, I think the ending is perfect and fitting. Xiaoyao is a flawed and broken character that regresses as the narrative advances. Her strongest, happiest, moments were in Qingshui Town, when she lived among mortals as Wen Xiaoliu. The only thing she lacked was a companion. When Ye Shiqi, another lost immortal came along, her life was complete. Even though Tushan Jing is a weak character that let Xiaoyao down repeatedly, he is kind and when it mattered, he was willing to be Ye Shiqi again so that she could be Wen Xiaoliu again. He was the safe choice and the only choice Xiaoyao was capable of making. Even though I will never like it, I understand it and I can live with it. The best, most magical arc was always the Qingshui Town arc so the drama closes there, in a full circle.
Cangxuan is also a damaged and abandoned character whose his mother chose to die with his father over living for him. Thus Xiaoyao and Cangxuan share a deep and complex bond that goes beyond their childhood oath. From the get go, the way they deal with their shared trauma put them on forever opposite paths; he chose to be invincible while she chose to be invisible. Xiaoyao only reclaims her identity and returns to the perilous world that cost her everything because of her promise to Cangxuan. She faces her demons, relives the worst days of her life and puts herself in harm's way to be his pawn; the princess bride that paves his way to the throne. She never looks happy or carefree again after she becomes Xiaoyao.
The great irony in their story is that Cangxuan seeks power to protect Xiaoyao but once he attains power, he becomes the greatest threat to her. He is Xiaoyao's hero that lived long enough to see himself become a villain. Had Cangxuan given in to his worst instincts, it would have been unforgivable and it would have destroyed them both. I am relieved the drama only showed us what would have happened and then walked him back from the brink. Cangxuan did many regrettable things along the way, which he describes as 遗憾/yíhàn and not 后悔/hòuhuǐ. This means he did what he had to do; that he did not really have free will. The turning point in his character is when he admits there was one pivotal moment he regrets (后悔/hòuhuǐ); when he should have chosen Xiaoyao but he chose the throne instead. But even after he owns his choices, I feel a frisson of fear at his disarming smile that is belied by the dark longing expression in his eyes. Xiaoyao will never be truly safe from him so Xiling Jiuyao disappears among those who die collecting and documenting rare herbs throughout Dahuang.
A'Nian is the best character in this story. She is the spoiled but brave and true Haoling princess who grew up with the security of a loving family and her beloved Cangxuan gege. She is who Xiaoyao should have been and she is living Xiaoyao's best life. She dares to put herself out there, to take risk in love without needing to be loved in return. I hope one day Cangxuan understands that Xiaoyao did choose him; that her name is A'Nian.
As for Xiangliu, he understood Xiaoyao best and loved her most selflessly. But by the time they met, he had long ago pledged all nine lives to his lost cause. After leading so many men to fight to the death, it is not clear Xiangliu could have just walked away even if Xiaoyao asked him to. It would have been a risky, reckless and consequential path for both of them; the story of Chi Chen and Xiling Heng could repeat itself. Xiangliu and Xiaoyao waited for each other to cross the line for a very long time; far longer than Xiaoyao waited for Tushan Jing. But the inescapable truth is after everything she went through, Xiaoyao is too broken. As the consequence of two people who loved recklessly; she could only choose to be loved. Xiangliu is himself not free either so he accepts this. For him their brief entanglement had to be enough. If Xiaoyao had been A'Nian, she would have dared to choose him except his path would have never crossed with that A'Nian, only Xiaoyao. They were just never meant to be. And so Xiangliu frees her from missing him forever and leaves her with someone to rely on and go home to. Even though she will never be burdened by knowing the full extent of everything he did for her, Xiaoyao grieved deeply for Xiangliu. To me, her silent, helpless adult tears were far worse than the way she child ugly cried for her parents. I do wish he had left her the real Chubby but I guess it was not possible since Chubby would have gobbled up Tushan Jiing and spat out his entrails.
Even though both Zhang Wanyi and Yang Zi deliver outstanding and compelling performances, Tan Jianci's portrayal of Xiang Liu is simply iconic. I can't remember when I was last so mesmerized by a character. Even though it shattered me, Xiangliu fulfils his destiny in an epic, climatic ending that is what legends are made of. According to Shānhǎijīng, Xiangliu left behind a patch of earth so toxic that nothing grew or lived there again. I know book readers are not satisfied with the ending but for me it is an incredibly sad but beautiful and fitting way to end a story about love that is not a love story. My only regret is I didn't get to see Xiaoyao shoot Xinyue in the heart. I mean to make time to read both the prequel and the novel so I won't spoil myself the book ending. But if it is at least this good, then I love it already.
X
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Rough around the edges, but super fun!
I had little to no expectations going into Fish Upon the Sky, as I found the trailer and concept pretty underwhelming and cliche. On top of that, it began airing a week after Tale of a Thousand Stars, which I absolutely loved, so the bar was set pretty high in my mind at that point. Now, after having completed the series, I can say with complete certainty that, although it does not surpass TOTS in the slightest, Fish Upon the Sky is one of GMMTV's stronger series over the past few years.I'd first like to go over what I loved about this series and then what I didn't love as much:
To start, and I'd say this is the main selling point that sets it apart from it's predecessors, Fish Upon the Sky is absolutely one of, if not, THE funniest GMMTV series I've seen. I find a lot of the delivery comedy wise in GMMTV series to be a little cringy and sometimes hard to find funny, but this series does not have that problem in the slightest. Although Pi and Mork have some really funny scenes, especially towards the beginning, the humor really shines in the "Story of a fifth-year student" scenes with Meen and Duen. Both of them have really perfect comedic timing, and the ridiculousness of their scenes are so fun to watch!
That actually leads me to my next point, which is that the side couple is so charming! I often find myself skipping side couple scenes in a lot of GMMTV series such as MilPhukong in 2gether (I'm sorry FrankDrake!!) which is, similarly to FUTS, based on a Jittirain novel. However, in FUTS, the side couple is so incredibly likable and fun to watch! Both Neo and Louis give really fun performances and have great chemistry both comedically and romantically. To be honest, and I'll touch on this later, I actually would sometimes find myself skipping scenes with the main couple just so I could get to their scenes! Their dynamic is just so refreshing and cute! Towards the beginning of the series, they reminded me a lot of PickRome from Senior Secret Love: Puppy Honey, but as the series went on, they proved to be a lot less toxic and a lot more lighthearted, which I absolutely loved. I believe Louis is a new face at GMM, and I absolutely hope that he has more roles in the future because he's packing so much talent (he can sing, dance, act, he's funny, and he's just so freaking adorable!! PLEASE I"M BEGGING YOU GIVE HIM MORE ATTENTION!!!)
I think the last stand out thing I really enjoyed about this series was Phuwin's role as Pi. I think Pi was a super unique BL protagonist. His struggles were super relatable, and his snarky attitude was really fun. I also liked that he wasn't afraid to stand up for himself when he was being harassed online Phuwin really really surprised me in this role, as I was only familiar with him from The Gifted Graduation, where I found his acting a little overdone and uncomfortable at times, but here, he felt super natural and authentic, like you could know him in real life! I know he's around my age, so it's super impressive to me that he's able to do so well as he did, and I hope to see him in more roles in the future!
Alright now onto the stuff I didn't particularly enjoy:
This is definitely an unpopular opinion, but I really did not enjoy Mork for the majority of the series. I think a lot of fans were really charmed by his looks (Don't get me wrong, I was too, Pond is VERY pretty), but I think because of that, they overlooked a lot of the glaring flaws in his character. For one, he was super pushy with Pi. He kept insisting and insisting and insisting that Pi really liked him, and ignored when Pi asked him to leave him alone. Moreover, him egging on the MorkPi fanpage shippers was really not cool, especially after Pi made it VERY clear he was uncomfortable with it. I just found a lot his behavior to be reminiscent of the toxic archetypes commonly used in BL, and that just did not vibe with me, I'm sorry. I think he did have his good moments, for instance, the confession scene in episode 9, but overall, he was just way too aggressive and forward with Pi for my comfort levels. On top of that, and I really hate to say it because he seems like such a sweetheart, but I don't think Pond's acting skills were developed enough for this big of a role just yet. As far as I know, this is his second role ever after The Gifted Graduation, where he wasn't even in the actual show, but a narrative ad that played after the last few episodes, and it really shows. A lot of his line delivery fell flat to me, and his more emotional scenes didn't hit me at all like Phuwin's did. I think he has a lot of potential, and I'll definitely follow his work moving forward, but I don't think he was ready for this performance.
Another thing I didn't love was the story. Like I said, before going into FOTS, I set my expectations low because the plot was so cliche, and although I was impressed and surprised by other aspects of the show, which I touched on earlier, the plot was absolutely everything I expected, and not in a good way. The whole "ugly duckling" storyline is super played out, and paired with the original enemies to lovers dynamic MorkPi originally has, it just feels like nothing new or interesting. What's worse, in the Pi is perfectly good looking even before his whole "transformation"!! I feel like "My Dear Loser: Edge of 17" is a prime example of a well told ugly duckling story because you see the transition in both looks and personality, and how those affect the protagonist, whereas FOTS doesn't fully commit to this storyline, so it falls flat and feels unnecessary.
This is kind of similar to my last point, but this series is really hypocritical in its message, as it tries to both denounce a lot of common BL tropes while feeding into those same tropes at the same time! The whole storyline with the MorkPi shippers is a great example. Pi stands up to the shippers and defends his privacy, telling them how serious what they're doing actually is, which is fantastic, but right after, the show goes back to making the shippers seem goofy and lighthearted when, just as Pi said, what they're doing is really not a joke. The female characters, which in this show are far and few between, are either annoying, or used as a plot device to get one of the two couples closer together, which plays into the incredibly damaging BL trope of demonizing women. Bam was a really great character because she genuinely wanted Pi and Mork to get together, and then in the end out of no where, with literally ZERO foreshadowing, she sabotages them because she's apparently been secretly in love with Mork the whole time? Like wtf? There was no reason to do that with a perfectly good character just for the sake of causing drama in the last episode, especially when it was all resolved so quickly.
Finally, and this is SUPER nitpick-y, but the music in this show is so bad?? I'm not talking about the opening and ending songs which are both really beautiful and catchy, I'm talking abut the random English songs they use constantly that are laughably horrible and really distracting throughout. I know that's like not important at all, but I haven't seen anyone mentioning it so I just wanted to point it out lol.
Overall, although it's littered with overused tropes and sometimes uncomfortable acting, Fish Upon the Sky is a really fun series that deserves a lot of the love it's getting. I can't wait to see what these actors do next!
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storyline is a 10/10 for me
the storyline caught my attention, for me it's a uniquely well storyline, i like the casting as well and they act very well. i love the tension between the two characters all i can is that the actors who portray the characters is very good with the acting.
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Maybe some people compared it to Kill me, Heal me, and let me just say that I have watched and completed KMHM before watching this, and yes I loved it. But although both dramas have DID as a theme, they're totally different.
I loved how Hyde, Jekyll and Me had another perspective on the subject. It's deep and actually addresses issues that had not been central in KMHM. Some people thought it was boring or nothing happening. Well let me just tell you this, this drama is all about the internal stuff going on! It's all about the people and their feelings and although nothing major is actually going on, it's all about the little changes that make you go from the situation in episode 1 to the ending. Some people also said that it was too long and could have been just 16 episodes. I disagree, all the steps were necessary, all the dialogues were necessary. For once, I actually thought the characters had a way of approaching the story logically. I don't understand what people don't like about HaNa, just think for a second if you were to be in her shoes. I thought she acted rationally (or emotionally but it MADE SENSE).
The actors played well in my opinion, but I guess everyone has their opinion. But it just doesn't make sense to me when people go crazy about a lame drama like Sensory Couple (Omg... at least in this one the police doesn't seem as incompetent, but I digress...) and bash out at something as awesome as Hyde, Jekyll and Me.
So the only recommendation I have is that you give this a try yourself (and we all know giving a chance to a drama means 5 episodes at least) and don't take into account all the negativity surrounding the ratings, which honestly I still do not get.
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