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Bloody mess
If you have watched some classic Takashi Miike films, you probably know what to expect. If you haven’t, I recommend you to check the tags and see for yourself if it is something that you can stomach or not.What I liked:
- Opening credits: a gorgeously made animated intro.
- Cinematography and directing: nice camera angles, great color grading, some beautiful shots and well choreographed action scenes. Certainly a pleasure to the eye.
- CGI and gore: The CGI looks realistic enough and the gore scenes seem like they came out from a video game or a webtoon. As a result not only you can feel the influence from the source material, but at the same time the gory scenes are as bloody as they should be to not disturb the viewer. The gore and disturbing scenes are actually pretty mild comparing to some of his work (Audition, I am looking at you).
- Duration of the episodes: each episode lasts from around 37 minutes to 50, something that greatly helps with the pacing.
- Female lead: we finally have a strong morally grey female character.
- Easy and fun to watch: again, if you are not into violent and gory series, you will probably hate this, but if you like watching these type of shows, you will be entertained enough.
- Jung Hae In looking like an anime character: self explanatory. I am shallow, I know.
What I disliked:
- Lack of suspense: even though it is a fun ride, as a viewer I didn’t feel like I had to watch the next episode immediately.
- Plot holes and nonsensical scenes: unfortunately there are way too much nonsensical stuff (plainly speaking the characters' actions are dumb).
- One of the characters that appeared in the last episodes: I found that particular character very unrealistic (I know this is a sci-fi drama but still).
- Comedic relief: I felt like they added some elements as comedic relief and even though they didn’t focus on them, I found them unnecessary for a live action.
- Unnecessary actions between our two main characters.
What I found mediocre:
- ML’s character: this is just a personal thing, but I found the male lead to be a bit underwhelming at times. He is definitely not your typical hero, but his foolish actions and the fact that he could barely fight made some of the scenes a bit boring to watch.
- Plot: even though there were a lot of plot holes and nonsensical stuff happening, like I previously mentioned, the plot had potential and the concept was pretty good. I definitely had fun watching it, as I knew I had to think illogically to enjoy it.
- Acting: definitely more on the positive side, but certainly it didn’t have the great performances that I expected.
All in all, it was fun and easy watch that you can only enjoy if you know beforehand that you need to throw your brain out of the window.
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A sparking marble in the grass
The first couple of episodes, while charming, had me fearing mediocrity. But over time, I grew to see a surprising level of quiet depth and maturity in the leads. These young men have been hurt and are still dealing with hurt. One is more naive and hopeful, though, while the other is disillusioned with reality and terrified.Takara's fight to not fall into the same depths as his mother and fear of himself the moment he mirrors her behaviors, even slightly, in particular, stood out to me.
"If I want something, I must have it."
What it must be like to fear your own wants and feel the need to push your desires aside in case you just might take a treasure into your hands, keep it from the world, and unwillingly crush it.
I would like others to see what I did, but I understand if you don't. Regardless, I found this a precious watch that I almost want to keep to myself. My own "treasure."
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Amazing concept
I will keep it very brief. This show is a rare concept in korean dramas, but should be much more common. With a story set in 1980s touching a important issue in a very comedical way. I couldn't get enough of it and wished there were atleast 9 more seasons. The awsome comedic style combined with the 1980s feeling made me wish it would never end. The casted actors are amazing and they lifted the show with their acting. You do not want to miss this, if you want a feel good show with some plot this show is perfect.Was this review helpful to you?
A different perspective
Overall, the premise was interesting, cast and acting was outstanding. The unique musical taste added a memorable flair to the entire drama. I truly enjoyed the entire ride, though there were some major flaws which did not sit well with me. I'll focus on mainly the negative points as most of the other reviews here are positive.- I don't watch too many action movies as I'm not a big fan of fight scenes, and this drama really reinforced that in me. The main character, Doki, just seemed invincible to the point where there was no conflict during any fights. You were not rooting for him anymore because you just knew he would survive. Too many times he would go 1 vs 15... and win... Even at one point getting whacked by a baseball bat over 20 times, then escaping and going 1 vs 15... TWICE, and winning. Another time getting stabbed in the shoulder and taking down an entire legion of men with baseball bats, solo. Not humanly possible, no matter what level of military experience.
- Judging from the title, you'd expect more involvement of the taxi or the taxi driver. I loved the style of the first two revenge cases - the factory and school violence cases - picking up the client in the taxi and hearing their stories. From the data centre case onwards, it just became so convoluted. The agency picked up cases where they had no stakes in, and it felt like the drama shifted more to focusing on the content of the cases rather than the agency's role in protecting the victims.
- Potential spoiler ahead! The last episode left a sour taste in my mouth. I interpreted the last scene as the gang getting back together, DESPITE already agreeing to part ways just 20 minutes before (1 year in the timeline). So what was the purpose, then, of building up the whole 'Revenge begets revenge' narrative? I felt like it was a clear money grab at securing a second season, and, speaking of money grabs, the product placement was a little over the top that that was all that stuck in my mind after watching the finale.
With all that being said, it was definitely an enjoyable ride as, after all, it's just entertainment. In terms of Kdrama quality, this was undoubtedly an extremely well-produced drama, with a memorable plot as well. I wouldn't call this my favourite crime/thriller, but I'd give it bonus points for going beyond just the mundane cat and mouse plots typically found in police dramas.
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This review may contain spoilers
raw, emotional and with a cliffhanger....
While some episodes where not as interesting as others and had some "logic holes", the outstanding feature of this show are the characters and the actors playing them. Even the action scenes were, for a thai BL, quite good (in contrast to Jack & Joker). It's rare for any thai BLs to leave "badies on the field" after the final episode, something we have not seen yet. But the bitter pill we also have to swallow is an open end, which means they are gearing for a season 2.This show is not for everyone. While there is eye candy and sensual scenes, this show is mostly raw and brutal. That begins in the prison with all the abuse you may associate with it and ends in the finale which is one action sequences after another ending in a blood bath. Also the thai/korean co-production did not feel akward compared to other shows, even when the K-Dad was not really Korean at all, but we will forgive that.
Overall it was something fresh for a thai BL, something different and something not seen yet and for that courage alone we should praise this show. Of course, it was not perfect, the storyline could have been better, but some twist were also well thought out and not as predicable compared to many other shows.
So, if you can stomach the raw and brutal scenes or don't like the overly fluffy stuff, it's a show worth watching.
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This review may contain spoilers
Mixed Reviews? Just watch it.
Im going to give my opinion on the complaints i see, whilst trying to remain unbiased because Pit babe (1+2) are easily in my top 10.1. "There wasn't enough recap from the first season, I was confused!"
That’s entirely on you. I know my memory’s trash too, so you know what I did when season two dropped? I rewatched season one. Simple as that. You can’t fault a show for not spoon-feeding you a 30-minute recap just because you didn’t bother catching up.
It’s just common sense if a sequel comes out years after the original, whether it’s a series or a movie, you go back and refresh your memory. That’s your job as a viewer. Expecting the story to pause and re-explain everything just because you forgot is wild.
2. "Where are the authorities?"
Our main antagonist isn’t just some random thug he’s a very well-connected billionaire (or at least extremely wealthy) with ties to businessmen, politicians, and all sorts of shady elites. He’s also full of pride and ego. Involving the police would risk exposing himself and be an admission that he couldn’t handle things on his own that he had to rely on “low-level pawns” to do the dirty work for him. That’s not his style.
And from the protagonists’ side, calling the cops would be pretty much useless. With the kind of power Tony holds, the second law enforcement got involved, he’d be tipped off instantly. The whole thing would backfire, fast. In short: the cops aren’t missing they’re just irrelevant in a world where money, influence, and abilities speak louder.
3. "How the hell is Tony back? Lazy screenwriting."
(Skip this part if you're avoiding spoilers.)
People keep acting like this came out of nowhere, but it’s literally been explained since season one—this whole series is built around people with special abilities. That’s not a new thing. Tony’s ability is that he can bring himself back to life if he swallows his own blood at the time of death. It’s not some random plot twist; it’s tied directly to the rules of the world they’ve set up.
The downside? His body still needs time to recover and he has to be closely monitored after. He’s not some untouchable immortal, and the show doesn’t treat him like one. It’s not lazy writing it's actually one of the more consistent things in the story. We were given clear answers to the what, how, and why. Just because you missed it, doesn’t mean the writing failed.
4. "The acting was terrible."
This one’s super subjective. Personally, I thought the acting was solid line delivery, emotion, all of it felt on point. There were plenty of scenes where you could clearly see what the characters were feeling or thinking without them having to say a word. That’s real acting. It’s not just about speaking lines it’s about expressing, embodying, feeling the role. And in Pit Babe 2, I felt that.
To me, “bad acting” is when someone’s just reciting words with no depth, no connection to the character or the emotion behind it. I never got that vibe here. If anything, it felt like the cast really got their roles and committed to them.
5. "The plot was bad/not present."
(Heavy spoilers, read after watching.)
This is hands down the worst opinion I’ve seen in the reviews.
We’re continuing from season one where Tony was running a human trafficking facility for superhuman babies. That was the whole climax, and in the end, his plan was exposed and he was presumed dead. Season two picks up from that exact mess, and people are acting like the plot disappeared?
The main crew is trying to make sure something like that never happens again. That’s where the serum comes in. They’re developing one that can remove special abilities. The point is to protect people who don’t want their powers or can’t control them. Jeff is a great example of this. His ability is unstable and dangerously strong. If he doesn’t get rid of it, it could seriously hurt him or others.
Then conflict hits fast. With Kim leaving, the team is weaker. They try to patch that by bringing in North as a new racer. That’s already a big shift in dynamics, but then enters Willy. New racer, new energy, and he's openly interested in P’Babe. For the first time ever, Babe comes in second place, which throws everything off. The team feels it. Babe feels it. It rattles him hard and starts pulling at his relationship with Charlie.
Charlie, on the other hand, is stressed and pouring everything into the serum. He’s not trying to be distant on purpose—he just wants them to be safe. He wants a future where Babe isn’t hunted or used for his ability, ever again. So he temporarily steps away from racing to finish the serum, but that only creates more space between him and Babe.
Then Dean returns. That alone brings more tension. He’s promoted to racer to help support the team while Charlie’s away, but let’s be honest, Dean’s presence always comes with drama.
And just when they’re trying to hold it together, guess who comes back? Tony. Not in the loud, obvious way people expected, but silently through Willy. Tony’s no longer chasing the boys himself. He’s watching from the shadows, playing the long game. His new goal is creating a serum that gives special abilities. Imagine how much money that could bring in—selling powers to the highest bidder, especially in military or elite circles.
So while the team is trying to eliminate the danger of abilities, Tony’s building the exact opposite. And while that’s happening, Babe’s shaken confidence, Charlie’s distance, Dean’s reappearance, and the team reshuffling all add more layers to the actual plot.
There was a plot. And not just a basic one. It was detailed, emotional, and connected all the way back to season one. Pit Babe is the only Thai BL series that’s even touched this kind of storyline. Calling it unoriginal, bad, non-existent, or lazy just because it isn’t your cup of tea is just a lazy and shallow take.
((Its like saying Vanilla ice cream is terrible just because you don't like it, its not disgusting it's just not something you personally enjoy; therefore you have no right to deter others away from it.)**)
Now on the complaints i expect to see.
1. "Alan was hellbent on protecting everyone, why is he so selfish now?"
At first, it didn’t make sense to me either. Alan has always been the caretaker the rock of the team. He’s the oldest, the boss, the mentor. Everyone leans on him. But season two reveals his old spinal injury from racing hasn't healed and it’s come back and worsened. His condition is chronic, affecting his nerves and mobility, its not just old age and something he can get rid of. He can’t race, he can’t pushd his body like he used to, he cant properly protect the team. Altogether it shoves him into feeling useless, he knows he can't protect anyone; and if he goes through surgery to get rid of these spinal issues he'd be even more limited on how he could help because he'd be recovering.
That helplessness is what pushes him into bargaining with Tony. He believes going to Tony might make him stronger and give him a way to protect Dean and Kenta. He’s never dealt with Tony directly, he isn't truly aware about how underhanded Tony can be and he genuinely thinks he can negotiate his way into being useful again and maybe even outsmart Tony.
Then it all blows up. Instead of saving anyone, Alan ends up betraying trust and landing himself in danger. He knows exactly what he’s done. ( when Jeff confronts him, Alan doesn’t argue. He knows he broke his own rules. He knows he lied, and worse, he endangered his people. That silence that acceptance that’s not selfishness. It’s accountability after bad judgment, born from desperation. )
I'll always have the opinion that if you didn't like a series because you refused to pay attention, or it wasn't the genre you liked, or the plotline wasn't your preference, or you've watched less then 3 episodes. You cannot give a valid review nor should you try. A series isn't bad just because you specifically didn't like it.
(will add more to this review later)
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Simply one of the best...
So good, so good, soo good... This drama may be about people sleeping, but is sure to keep you wide a wake and on your toes as you binge it... The first episodes are packed with humour as well as heart heartfluttering flirting, fun and twists of fate, twist of umbrellas, twists of the arm... Showing all from exploding busses (ok 1), to domestic abuse and hubby love. Watching glimpses of your future when you sleep may not only save your life but will also shorten the runway in to love... or make you run scared... heck why not both?As the show progresses the darker and deeper tit gets, the suspense and issues rise... (not that there weren't any in the beginning) and though the plot has lots of side stories they all come together, mixing genres without making a mess! Impressive right?
The show has an overall good and valuable message, about learning from ones mistakes. The characters are not only gorgeous for the eye... they are lovable interesting and not the least bit flat, as each story and character is properly dealt with and shown from several angels, ok not all but most of them. ..
Watching this for the first time will definitely surprise you and probably have you guessing, watching it for the second time you will probably notice a lot of details you thought were insignificant the first time around, and watching it a third time will probably just make your hart flutter, but this is just me guessing since I have actually only seen it twice.
In numbers:
Bingeabilaty: 10
Annoying elamnts: a few but they can be overlooked
Fluff: 10
Visuals: 10
Acting: 10
Side characters: 9
Fun: 10
So if you have yet to have seen this masterpiece go watch it, if you have seen it before go rewatch it...
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Story: Storyline is the strength of this lakorn - hands down. Perhaps this has to do with how the lakorn is based on a best selling novel; so it does come with twists and turns, plots and sub-plots and a love story between a high school girl with an IQ of a genius and a cold and calculative mafia boss. There are many shootings, killings and people running and hiding in this lakorn. The props are poorly done like in a low budget film/drama but if you can look past that, the story is quite addictive. I will not elaborate more on the story without giving it away. It's the sort that makes you stay up just to find out what is going to happen next despite the poor acting, directing and props! Serious!
Acting/Cast: The best actor in here is the main female lead - the high school girl! I find the main male lead too stiff in his acting to appeal to my taste. Sure, his role is that of a cold and calculating mafia boss, but that does not mean his body language should come across awkward as well! Add to that the fact that I have to fast forward too many unneccessary scenes where ppl pretty much just stare at each other for long periods of time, the acting and directing of this lakorn is really its downfall. The use of poor "Chinese" props and customs (such as the fist to palm greeting that no modern Chinese alive will be caught using!) and a few other boo-hoos provide either comical relief or a frown of annoyance.
Music: Obviously they did not invest much on the OSTs. Nothing worth mentioning here.
Rewatch value: This is one of those lakorns where once you had watched it and know the twists, you will not want to watch it again... at least not in the near future! The value of this lakorn lies on its interesting and addictive storyline but once that storyline is known, all the other weaknesses of this lakorn puts you off re-watching it again.
Overall: I give it a 7.5/10 thanks to the saving grace of its rather unique and addictive storyline. I can see why the novel sells well. What I would like to see is either Taiwan or China adopting this into a T or C Drama. The storyline is certainly worth investing in. Put to it the better filming technologies, use of props and funding in Taiwan and China, this story may be given the essential life for it to be a highly rated drama since most of the characters in this story are supposed to be Chinese! I would also like to see Korea adapt this storyline to apply to Korean gangsters and filmed in Korean contexts. In summary, I feel that some Chinese, Taiwanese or Korean director or producer out there should be alerted to this novel and the potential it can bring if produced properly!
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Story: In order to catch "bad guys" former detective Oh Gu Tak forms a team of "bad guys" to rid the city of the other "bad guys" < This was one of the things that attracted me to this drama ;)
Cast: Lee Jung Moon (Park Hae Jin) *My personal favorite* (and the reason I started this drama), a genius "psychopath" they have labeled him but is that really what he is? His character had a childlikeness to him that I loved - he was vulnerable and honest. Park Woong Cheol (Ma Dong Seok) a gangster with a warm heart - I loved the bromance between him & Jung Moon <3 Jung Tae Soo (Jo Dong Hyeok) a contract killer who turned himself in. Oh Gu Tak (Kim Sang Joon) a former detective who is kicked out after his daughter dies b/c of being overly violent; He brings Jung Moon, Woong Cheol & Tae Soo together & forms the "bad guy" team (but are his intentions pure?) We see these guys build friendships with each other and learn how to care for other people - can bad people become good people?
Music: The intense ost was right on par with every scene.
Re-watch Value: 10/10 - I loved every second of this drama so I will definitely re-watch this <3
A couple of my favorite quotes: "Violence is the law of beasts. Non-violence is the law of people." - Gu Hyeon - "To sin is a human business, but to justify sins is a devilish business." - Jung Moon quoting 'Tolstoy'
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1This review may contain spoilers
A very Chinese-flavour drama with eastern phylosophical ideas
WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS -This post is part of a trilogy where I analyse only the cultural and historical artistic aspects, as well as two Eastern philosophical perspectives with strong presence in the drama, without tackling other elements such as wuxia themes, Confucianism, sci-fi inspiration, and so on. The links to the complete three-acts review with images are in the comments.
By accident when adding this part, I erased the previous review :
NOTE: Although the story is remarkable, the execution and direction has flaws that impact the overall result, so the final score is a balance between the outstanding aspects of the drama rarely seen in any kind of drama or serie (that gives the extra points to reach the 8) with its flaws. Luo Yun Xi and Jeremy Tsu - outstanding.acting
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As we enter this THIRD and last ACT about Buddhism, the framework that gives structure to the whole story, it felt fitting to bring the classical theatre resource where a character steps in at the beginning to set the scene and offer context. Honouring that tradition, I’ll quote the answer that Mo’at gives to Jake Sully in the movie Avatar when he asks the Na’vi people to teach him their worldview and wisdom: “It is hard to fill a cup that is already full.”
This phrase didn’t just pop into my mind by chance. Buddhism is a philosophy and religion completely different from Western conceptions and beliefs, and since it sits at the heart of Shui Long Yin’s narrative, I tried my best to do justice to its principles. Although I kept things as concise as I could, this time you’ll need to be extra forgiving with me.
As actor Luo Yun Xi said himself (see ACT 2), Tang Li Ci seeks enlightenment. Let’s embark together on that search and see whether he attained what he was looking for, or if , at the very least, the journey was worthy.
Buddhism, the general framework
“All things are impermanent; they arise and they pass away.”
While Daoism is about finding harmony with the Dao, Buddhism is a path of understanding meant to transcend this world and the suffering inherent in it. It originated in India around the 5th century BC with Siddhartha Gautama who, after attaining enlightenment, became known as Buddha, or “the awakened one.”
The foundation rests on the Four Noble Truths:
1) Life contains suffering
2) Suffering has a cause (craving and attachment)
3) There is an end to suffering (nirvana and enlightment)
4) There is a path to end suffering
(NOTE 1 - Masters Puzhu and Fang Zhou // Although there is one “internal” path to end suffering, there are two “external” ways to walk that path. Puzhu represents the Buddhist archetype of the hermit who isolates himself from humanity and external distractions to walk the path. Fang Zhou represents the Buddhist archetype of the master who actively involves himself in worldly affairs with compassion.)
The ultimate goal is to wake up from the "dream" of cyclic existence, the Samsara, realising the true nature of reality. This is achieved by understanding and internalising several key principles:
Impermanence: All conditioned things are in a constant state of change.
Karma: The law of cause and effect, where intentional actions shape future experiences.
No-Self : The perception of a fixed, independent "I" is an illusion.
Nirvana: The unconditioned state, the cessation of suffering and the end of the cycle of rebirth, achieved by disolving all harmtful states of minds
So, let´s walk this path through Shui Long Yin together.
Impermanence: life as a dream or the stage of a play // “All phenomena are like dreams” - Heart Sutra
Some of the comments regarding the ending of Shui Long Yin revolve around the idea that everything Tang Li Ci did seems meaningless because no one remembers he existed. Even worse, not only are all the bad omens now living good lives, but TLC has never even existed. Was the whole drama, and all the time and emotions invested by viewers, pointless?
In the drama, Tang Li Ci voices a similar distressed question during his dream coma, and Fang Zhou’s answer guides not only him, but us, along the Buddhist path...and might add, the drama.
(NOTE 2 - Zhoudi Tower // In the dream, Tang Li Ci is disheartened and defeated because Yique YingYang is already back after ten years, and he feels that all the deaths and efforts back then were meaningless. Fang Zhou, a Buddhist teacher answers: “Even if YQYY is alive, are all the people who were able to live and enjoy life during those ten years not worthy of that?” … “In this world, not a second of effort is wasted.”)
By this point, we already know there are three stories: the original timeline, where Ye Mo kills Tang Li Ci only to realise that without emotions the Holy Son isn’t perfect and can’t achieve immortality; the second timeline, the one the drama actually follows; and the third one, the new life we glimpse at the end, where Tang Li Ci is no longer explicitly present nor ever existed.
So? Which one is real? The first one we never saw? The second one we grew attached to? The final one we only catch a glimpse of? Buddhism states that just as our dream experiences are mere appearances of the mind, so too are beings, their environments, their pleasures, and all other phenomena. The strong theatre-stage effect of the drama (ACT 1) seems to work like a visual metaphor of this.
(NOTE 3 - Tang Li Ci’s dream in Zhoudi Tower // From a Buddhist perspective, this dream and Tang Li Ci’s confusion about what was real bring up the topic of phenomena as mere appearances of the mind.
This doesn’t mean those phenomena don’t exist; it means they don’t exist on their own, only in relation to the mind. We believe the only “real” timeline in the drama is the one we just experienced because we formed a connection with it. The others feel unreal because we didn’t immerse ourselves in them, even though, at the back of our mind, we understand they existed too - but only from the moment we are introduced to them, not before.
We can see this idea represented in different moments and ways throughout the drama, through both cinematic and narrative resources: the contrast between chaos and fighting versus the calm, quiet tea scene in the Buddhist temple at the beginning; the reality in which Liu Yan lived all those years, where Tang Li Ci is a murderer and the most despicable being, versus Chi Yun believing the marks of Yique YingYang are beautiful and enhance Tang Li Ci’s attractiveness.
(NOTE 4 - All phenomena are like dreams // The quiet calm of a tea ritual and a baby sleeping at a lakeshore versus the chaos and action-packed fighting in the temple’s front yard.)
(NOTE 5 - Matrix (1999) – iconic sci-fi movie directed by the Wachowski sisters // The best way to explain it is this movie
2. Karma, suffering, and samsara: Even things aren´t “real”, we still suffer...Why? How? // “If you know your own mind and develop it, you will become a Buddha; do not seek Buddhahood outside yourself”
Every sentient being wants to be happy and avoid suffering. We tend to think that the causes of happiness or pain are external, but Buddhism states they actually lie within our own mind.
The mind isn’t a material object or a by-product of physical processes; it’s an immaterial and continuous entity, different from the body. Every action we take leaves an imprint or potential on our very subtle mind, and in time, its corresponding effect will arise. Virtuous actions bring happiness; harmful actions bring suffering. This is the law of karma, and it affects all lives, constantly.
At the beginning of Whispers of Fate, Tang Li Ci already has a partial understanding of these ideas taught by his master, Fang Zhou, and he reflects with the monk on intention and karma. When he decides to enter the jianghu, he is, without realising it, following Fang Zhou’s path to end suffering through the worldly-affairs way. At that point, his obsession and his merely intellectual grasp of these concepts and teachings prevent him from truly embracing them, as he still doesn’t fully understand what that way means or how it works.
(NOTE 6 - Tang Li Ci speaking with the Buddhist monk about intention, karma, and suffering. By entering the jianghu, he will come to learn and understand human emotions (hate, fear, love, obsession) and the deeper meaning of things, just as Fang Zhou told him many times.)
So, the world itself is the result of karma — the actions of the sentient beings who live in it. A pure world is the result of pure actions, and an impure world is the result of impure actions. Since all actions are created by the mind, all things, including the world, are created by the mind as well.
(NOTE 7 - Impermanence, karma, samsara // Every relationship and every character is shaped by karma and samsara. Hatred turns someone into an inherently bad person; attachment turns an object into something inherently pleasant and capable of making them truly happy. All mental afflictions work like this: they color reality with their own bias, and we end up responding not to what things truly are, but to the distorted version of them.)
While the body disappears at death, the mind - now called the very subtle mind, and without the memories of that life - continues to exist. Depending on the karma that grows, we reincarnate into a fortunate form (human or god) or an unfortunate one. We can’t choose; karma rules. This uninterrupted cycle of death and rebirth, without any freedom to choose, is called samsara.
3. The Path to Liberation from Suffering, and Enlightenment // “Samsara is like a wheel that turns through the force of contaminated actions performed by mental afflictions”
Mental afflictions such as attachment, hate, malice, jealousy, greed, and delusion are to the mind like clouds to the sky: bad habits that can be eradicated because they are not the sky itself. They are distorted perceptions that cling to things as if they had inherent or independent existence.
In the drama, this idea of clarity as the true nature of the mind is highlighted by Fang Zhou’s teaching: “Every person is born good” — which is also shared by Confucianism, by the way.
The strongest ignorance is the intuitive feeling that we possess a real and objective self that exists independently of other phenomena or things: the ignorance of self-grasping. Because we esteem ourselves so intensely, we feel attracted to objects and people that seem appealing, we desire to separate from those we dislike, and we feel indifference toward the rest. Therefore, attachment, hatred, and indifference arise. I’m sure you’ve already pictured countless examples from the drama while reading this.
Attention should focus on creating mental states that bring real happiness (love, patience, generosity) and also on letting go of mental afflictions completely by addressing their root: the mind’s tendency to cling to a fixed self. By tackling the causes of suffering within, external ones like illness or death lose their power to disturb us. This lasting freedom from mental afflictions and suffering is what Buddhism calls liberation, or nirvana. In other words, this is the path to truly freeing oneself from suffering.
There’s a sequence in Episode 2 that sums up everything above, so I’ll simply replay the dialogue, presented as a voice-over during the scene when Tang Li Ci is leaving the temple:
Tang Li Ci: “Masters and servants can turn on each other for money; brothers can betray and kill each other. In the end, the heart is the hardest to see through. Demons are everywhere.”
Monk: “Amitabha. Right and wrong, good and evil, they are just a thought apart. What you can’t let go is obsession. You’re very wise. You go through the sea of suffering by yourself. I believe you’ll eventually reach the other shore.”
** Some translation don't address the specific term "sea of suffering" but instead go for "salvation lies in your own hands". Although the essential meaning is the same, the second avoid the específico and direct reference to Buddhism - a bad take in my opinion as it's about Buddhist beliefs.
(NOTE 8) The path to liberation from suffering – The journey and the destination // From attachment to life, to the past, and to Fang Zhou, to loving new people and appreciating the human world and its beings, and ultimately managing to let go.
It’s worth noticing that, despite the different levels of wisdom each character had reached before the time reversal, almost all the villains’ endings carry a note of compassion. You might have thought “finally!”, but there certainly wasn’t a sense of “hate” or “I’ll wish you eons of suffering” left floating in the air.
Liberating only oneself from suffering isn’t the highest aim on the Buddhist path. Beyond wisdom, it’s kindness and love for others that form the true foundation for helping all beings reach the same state. Those who seek enlightenment do so guided by the mind of Bodhichitta: a mind that, moved by deep compassion, naturally wants to awaken in order to help all sentient beings directly.
The Buddhas are those beings that, having completely removed all traces of ignorance from their minds, have freed themselves from the dream of samsara and attained omniscient wisdom, along with the limitless ability to help others.
And with this understanding in mind, I hope you can find more meanings to the ones you´ve already found in Whispers of Fate. As for my part, the analysis of this trilogy has now come to an end.
** Epilogue (closing and ending notes) ** - I´ve link the three parts completed with images in the comments to a better review
Whispers of Fate is a drama about loss, grief, and attachments; but at its core, it’s a story that reflects on and questions what it means to be human from a very Chinese perspective, rooted in China’s history while staying in tune with its present. We see that search in every character, although I want to highlight three.
Nothing in this world is perfect, and neither is this drama. It’s a complex and ambitious project with a distinctive Chinese flavour that can look ordinary and simple on the surface, yet be slow and fast-paced, common and uncommon, all at once. And when we bring in our Western viewpoint, shaped by a Judeo-Christian background or even a modern secular mindset, we really do need to empty our cups first.
For me, the beauty of Whispers of Fate lies in its distinctive Chinese aesthetics, but also in the way it blends Eastern philosophies into its storytelling. In a way, the original title “Shui Long Yin” and its literal translation “Water Dragon Chant” is the most fitting, as the whole approach of the drama reminds me of those apparently simple tales and legends through which ancient cultures and societies explained the world, what it means to be human and why we are here.
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I mean that's hardly impossible. Usually, long dramas must contain few boring episodes. But this is an exception.
PPL WHILE WATCHING THIS DRAMA I WAS ALWAYS THINKING WHY DID NO ONE RECOMMEND THIS ONE TO ME?!
- The story is unique and addicting (will get you attracted from the very first episode to the very last). All the stories(including sub-stories) are interesting and never fails to entertain you. 133 episodes and you won't skip a minute.
- The acting is really good that whenever they cry, I do. Whenever they laugh,I laugh as well. The romance is so effin attracting that you can't get enough of it. Drama's love never touched my heart like this one did. I envied such a love.
- The music is catchy. Not the best but it really fits every scene.
- Even though a 133 episodes and I never rewatched a drama, I think that one day, I will re-watch this one.
- Overall I give it a 10 without a second thought. You hear me ppl, A FUCKING 10!
P.S anyone who misses it or ignore it because it's a 100+ drama, then you missed a MASTERPIECE.
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Precious Chinese History, Poor Editing
The Imperial Age is the story of Zhu Di (Emperor Yongle of Ming Dynasty, reigned 1402 to 1424) from his youth to his death at 64 years old. Compared with other Ming Dynasty dramas, this drama has fewer fictionalized events though some historical events have been watered down to make the characters more appealing, while others have been dramatized for dramatic effects. This version of the story is perhaps closest to the historical records.Zhu Di was the fourth son of Zhu Yuanzhang who was the founding Emperor of Ming Dynasty (reigned 1368 to 1398). His oldest brother, Zhu Biao was the crown prince designated for the throne. As Zhu Yuanzhang and his wife have humble origin as peasants (Zhu Yuanzhang was said to be a monk), the dynamics within the household are like any families of the commoners addressing each other informally. The Zhu household lives in harmony with loving parents and amicable children. Unlike most palace dramas, in this drama, it is very refreshing to watch the informality of parental and sibling relationships, with the Empress personally cooking in the kitchen for her family with no fanfare (there’s no wastage of food as in The Royal Feast, another drama set in Ming Dynasty). Palace life is simpler and happier.
Cheng Yi acts as the juvenile Zhu Di from episode 1 to episode 9. For once, Cheng Yi gets a happy and mischievous role as a prince who is well loved and pampered by his parents and siblings. His acting here is convincing as a 13-16 year old boy and rather funny as he gets paddled on the backside multiple times for his disobedience, and the actor’s bare back is even shown, fleetingly, when he’s being tendered for the wound.
Feng Shaofeng becomes the young 17 year old Zhu Di until his death at 64 as Emperor Yongle. Feng Shaofeng has a very affable demeanor, making the Zhu Di character very lovable, though he looks too mature for a 17 year old initially. Despite that, Feng Shaofeng looks very regal and authoritative, and has the charisma of an emperor. The drama lays out carefully all the events that have taken place prior to the uprising / civil war, and how Zhu Di comes to wrangle power from his nephew and become the Emperor. Ruthless and cruel as recorded in history books, the drama manages to show such cruelty is justifiable and the character is indeed a deserving respectable figure. Whatever it may be, I am not a historian and it’s not my place to judge the accuracy of such depiction. For me, the logic makes sense and ties in very well with the rest of the story and hence to call Zhu Di a great Emperor of his time.
My Verdict
The original version of the drama is said to be 80 episodes long. It is trimmed down to 45 episodes to fulfill the current government requirement. As such, one can imagine how the final product would become with a cut down of almost 50% of the work completed. There are many skipped scenes, making the story disjointed and can be confusing for non-Mandarin speakers. It’s at times like watching a jigsaw puzzle with the tail placed on the face, and the mouth on the rear side.
Despite the horrendous editing, this drama is still very enjoyable for its authenticity to the actual events. Though a palace story, there are no usual harem cat fights, no rivalry and scheming among the princes, but with a lot of resignations, tears and heartaches of losses. Feng Shaofeng has wept multiple times here with a unique wail. There are also long scenes of both the Emperor Hongwu’s (Zhu Yuanzhang’s) and Emperor Yongle’s (Zhu Di’s) accomplishments in their land reform, establishment of secret police (Jinyiwei aka Embroidered Uniform Guard), purging and execution of officials and their families, wars with the north-east, new capital and foreign engagement, military, bureaucratic reform, Zheng He’s expeditions to the south seas (just by-passingly, not in great details) etc. These scenes can be boring for some viewers who are more interested in action packed story telling. Having said that, some details are very funny and humorous. I believe many of such delightful details have been deleted in order to retain the main events for a shorten version of the story.
Emperor Hongwu has 26 sons from his Empress and various concubines, but in the drama, he’s shown to be only with his Empress all the time displaying his devotion to her. Likewise for Emperor Yongle who is devoted only to his wife Empress Xu. Therefore, there are no cat-fights among the concubines, and no revelation of how many concubines perish with the Emperors when they die. All in all, this drama tries to emphasize on devotion among the men and women in the story which may not be a reality.
The battle scenes are very well made though certain scenes have been reused again and again for various different battles. The endings of most of the characters are similar to what have been recorded in history books, with a few exceptions to make them more palatable for the viewers.
The whole cast is commendable, and the official soundtracks are touching and beautiful. If you are a Chinese history fan, you’d love this drama. I have thoroughly enjoyed it despite some of the shortcomings due to the massive editing. The original version (80 episodes) must have been a masterpiece.
Recommended for history buffs. Great watch! Bravo!
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Ummm, it's okay if you don't watch this :3
Writing this review, I really have no idea what exactly I should talk about because the drama has almost negligible context. The low budget and the limited duration are not the problem and I get that, whatever they showed was the main plot only, but Idk what was that. But sure, this drama throws light upon few lessons in long-term relationship.The story is about Ha Song Yi, a botanical garden curator who is a happy-go-lucky, simple girl leading an average life and his boyfriend Park Do Kyum, the lead singer of an indie band and both equally love each other. With the beginning of the story they break up and the 4 episode drama is about the aftermath of the fall out of their 5 year long relationship. They had to go on a trip together even after breakup. Additionally Seo Ji Kang is another main character who is the tour guide of the team in Jeju-do who also gets involved with the two. The destination of the story is whom does the FL ends up with.
As I've already mentioned, there not much to the story, a small plot is decorated with an average screenplay with many lackings + drawbacks and though the storytelling method is kinda nice. It's visible that the writer debuted through this drama but they needed to study women a bit more because the FL is quite annoying and immature. However she being clingy is kinda realistic because in real it's not very easy to go back to your single life from a long-term relationship.
I think the drama even with such short duration and small plotline could have been better. One or two things felt illogical. The character arcs are not well-drawn. Sometimes it was frustrating also because few things are repetitive as well. Editing is fine though. Anyways, it didn't have much scope to begin with.
Regardless, the story successfully makes you think, rationalize and resonate about few things which are vital in a dating atmosphere. One of them is transparency, the most important thing of all in dating and especially when you've been in a long-term relationship. The story portrays how lies, even told for the better of your partner can ruin your relationship. Always be open & clear with your other-half and even if it's something difficult, ask them to endure that alongside you. It's better to go through the path together than letting them know once it's over because people often feel little of themselves when they get to know of how they were not even aware of the hardship their close and dear ones were going through. What the ML did here was very wrong and given that he shouldn't have been given further chances but anyways, there's no control over one's heart. Also the 2nd ML's storyline is like a filler that didn't quite fit into the story much for me.
Overally, it's good but can't say this is even worth the one time watch. So if you wanna kill time or got nothing to watch or wanna trash-watch, this is a sweet bitter snack for you.
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This review may contain spoilers
I enjoyed it!
So far I am seeing this series being separated by two types of viewers- those who hate it and those who like it. I am in the latter. And that's okay! Cause everyone has different personal preferences. It's up to the individual to form thier own opinions when they watch this series.Story-9/10
I was in the beginning giving this series an 8/10. However, the latter part of the series I actually liked as they touched on issues that I personally wasn't expecting them to touch. So for that, I raised my ratings to a nine (I still felt that it had something that I don't like, so I can't give it the full ten).
Acting-9/10
I actually liked everyone's acting. They were able to keep my attention and was able to get a chuckle or two sometimes out of me. I was very impressed by Choi Youngjae as this is his first acting gig as a ML.
Music-10/10
People are not going to change my mind! The music is a clear 10/10! Loved the OST and just hearing Youngjae singing so beautifully! I was so happy! I played the OST all the time for every episode. That's how in love I am of the song as well as Youngjae's voice.
Rewatch Valu-8/10
I give this an 8/10. Cause while I did enjoy it and don't mind rewatching it again, I just don't see myself watching it immediately- but I do see myself watching it sometime soon.
Overall-9/10
Overall, I enjoyed this series. Maybe I was the targeted audience (I highly doubt it). But what I do know is that yes, I would recommend this series to others.
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