First off, would I recommend the drama? Yes. Rewatch? Potentially, after some time has passed, though personally I'm not one to rewatch many dramas, no matter how great of an impression it left. Did I like it? Of course, and I was hooked like nothing else mattered, which led me to binge all 61 episodes in less than 4 days.
Now, onto the details:
I watched this series on TV at first, then on Youtube, both of which had no English subtitles. It took me a while to decide to continue watching because the first three episodes start very slow, and they're mostly there to set up the main characters' positions. From what I saw in the comments on every episode, every watcher seemed to greatly dislike the female MC, Xu Bi Cheng, to the point where they blamed her (as a character) for every mishap in the story, or claimed she ruined the drama. I have to admit, I didn't particularly like her either at the beginning, nor in the first twenty or so episodes that followed, because she was pretty clumsy (especially considering her job as an agent) and tended to cause trouble for the other MCs, which wouldn't be so bad if she would actually learn from enduring all the dire consequences that others have to suffer from as a result of her own recklessness and selfishness. Throughout the drama, she continues to have other clean up her messes and never loses that vexing everyone-will-take-care-of-me perception - until one certain event becomes her turning point. Thus, this is a bit of a let-down as she IS the female MC so we automatically set up high expectations for her performance and role from the beginning; however, it could also be down to the actress selection, since Zhou Dong Yu, though feminine and petite and perhaps fitting a Shanghainese beauty ideal in that period, has an expression that makes her look 10 years younger and perpetually petrified like a deer caught in headlights (i.e anything but mature, sophisticated, and steady in mind). But worry not, because in the last arc of the drama where things get to their climax, we do see her finally think more rationally about her actions before carrying them out, and manages to play a part in saving others, including the MC: Chen Shen.
Chen Shen and Xu Bi Cheng's relationship? I liked it. I think it was simple, straightforward, and pure. Considering all the manipulating, strategizing, and assassinating that occurred constantly around them, I think their love was refreshing and heart-warming from when it started to the end, regardless of how XBC herself was as a character for the most part. With such complicated plots like the one in this drama, the relationship drama should be toned down to keep it balanced, which imo this drama did perfectly well.
Plot twists: this drama was full of them, and while some were fairy predictable from the beginning (like who "Sparrow' really was), many did catch me by surprise, and I thoroughly enjoyed the guessing/watching process. The drama was also never short of touching moments, where some did trigger some tears, especially towards the end, which you'd expect from the overall vibe of the drama and its intro song.
Music was used beautifully at just the right moments, and the quality of filming is definitely not to be worried about.
The antagonists were truly masterpieces of the drama, for it was a struggle between hating/wanting them dead and loving/wanting them to survive with the MCs the whole way. The relationship between the MC Chen Shen and his closest friend Bi Zhong Liang was unique among all the MC-Antagonist relations I've come across in the dramas I've watched. Just this focal relationship alone should make many people want to watch this drama.
Finally, the ending. The ending is always a huge deciding factor as to whether or not a drama will become a favourite, or an absolutely terrible experience you wish you hadn't set foot upon: because what happens in the end can either ruin everything that has happened till then, or make it all worthwhile. For dramas like these, set in the revolutionary period of Shanghai, I always feel dread towards the end because tragedies have become so common, even as a plot twist in happy-go-lucky dramas, never mind in such a suspenseful, intense drama like this one. I can say that the ending was fitting and well-rounded, and I am satisfied, though I won't say it wasn't bittersweet or that it didn't leave a slight pang in my heart, which was to be expected from the beginning.
A masterful piece that is worth your time; even if suspense/mystery isn't your usual genre, please give it a try.
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1Everyone is responsible for the Result of their own actions and decisions.
The main question presented in the series is, Should one support lesser evil to achieve greater good?This series is adapted from the Dutch author Robert van Gulik’s novel of the same name. However in my opinion it is loosely based rather than adapted as the original stories are changed quite a lot. Youku gives a disclaimer in the beginning of each episode, "It is a work of fiction. Any resemblance (to real historical figures) is purely coincidental". Judge Dee (also known as Ti Jen-chieh or Di Renjie), the hero of Robert van Gulik’s 'Judge Dee' mystery series, is purportedly based on the historical Di Renjie (630–700), chancellor of Empress Wu Zetian during the Tang Dynasty, who earlier in his career served as a district magistrate.
This series includes a total of 9 cases solved by Judge Di Renjie. Each case is resolved within the span of around 3 to 4 episodes. In the beginning of the series, Di Renjie( Zhou Yi Wei) is portrayed as a disillusioned person, uninterested in joining the court. Without a doubt, he is a brilliant person having forward thoughts, suitable to help shape a dynasty. On the other hand Empress Wu Zetian (Zhong Chu Xi) is Introducing many 'new' reforms in the country benefitting the common people. However she is facing massive opposition from the majority of courtiers who believe a woman should not be given too much authority.
Empress Wu Zetian is impressed by Di Renjie but she thinks he needs more experience before he can be of any help to her. So after passing the imperial examination, Di Renjie is appointed as a magistrate of Penglai county, a remote frontier. At the end of the 4th episode Di Renjie appoints Hong Liang (You Yong) as his inspector, Ma Rong (Zi Ling) and Qiao Tai(Ji Ta) as his attendants. This ragtag group goes to the Penglai county to start their journey. In Penglai county Di Renjie meets Cao An (Wang Li Kun) who becomes Do Renjie's confidant and lover, becoming a soundboard for Di Renjie's inner thoughts and conflicts. Throughout the series the Empress Wu transfers Di Renjie to different places where he encounters different problems, faces varied situations and resolves the plight of local people. Empress Wu wants Di Renjie to gain experience so that later he could serve as her advisor in the court.
Di Renjie is warned by Grand Secretariat Wei Wuji - "you think all the new is good and right. But the 'new' means changes, chaos, severed heads and bloodshed and saber rattling and fight. "
Di Renjie is of the opinion, "A reform means replacing the old with the new. We should examine it's purpose and means. Now, new policies have been enacted. The new laws benefited the people, allowing them to live in peace."
In ancient China, a judge's role was that of a father figure in the society. He was a link between the rulers and the common people. Di Renjie proves to be an exemplary judge because besides his great observational skill, deduction ability, attention to detail and lightning fast reflexes, he also has compassion for people and a strong drive to uncover the truth while serving justice. Even when presented with bizarre cases, he finds a rational explanation. He disbelieves in coincidence and fate and is convinced that everything is planned, dictated by logic.
There are three story arcs to the series, the major arc is the change in the system due to Empress Wu's reforms and its implications faced by officials as well as Di Renjie gaining experience in order to later aid Empress Wu in court politics. The second arc is to discover Di Renjie's father's past, to understand what circumstances led him to commit suicide. Somehow Cao An and Heiyan are connected to his father's past. The third arc consists of all the short cases that Di Renjie solves.
I feel that somehow the method of solving the cases in the beginning didn't allow room for the audiences' deductions because only after Judge Di reaches a conclusion, the audience become aware of the importance of the clue. Hence the audience becomes mere spectators to the brilliance of Di Renjie and not active participants in the case solving. The later cases were quite simple as they were mere means to drive the story of Emotions VERSUS Law forward (greed, anger, ignorance, dislike, love, desire, hatred). To be a good judge, it is a prerequisite to be sagacious and impartial in upholding law, irrespective of the people involved. This becomes the underlying theme in later part of the cases.
Special attention is paid to details in the Script in order to recreate the culture, customs and traditions of ancient China. The lavish sets gives a feeling of grandiose. Detailed ornate costumes provides authenticity to the characters. The colour grading gives more cinematic aesthetics, the series is suited to be watched on the big screen to truly appreciate the picturisation. Cinematography is fantastic, comparable to any high budget cinema work. Breathtaking visuals of locations accompanied by strategic upbeat background music during key moments transports the viewers to the era of splendour. I feel a resemblance of the opening score and background score to the sound track of the movie 'Dune'. The intensity and tempo are a little different but the same kind of instrumental score accompanied by similar vocal is included in this series. Especially when the background music is played during strategic points of the case, it gives a hair raising subliminal effect.
The icing on the cake is the stellar Main Cast at the helm of the project. The series has also managed to rope in some popular as well as veteran actors for the Support Cast. All the actors perform their roles zealously making it possible for the viewers to experience the splendor of the era.
Overall: It is a good series, it is like a gourmet meal to be savoured slowly because there are lots of subtle dialogues, the whodunit is not as important as experiencing the culture of the period. Those looking for quick gratification and thrill of case solving may find it a little slow paced.
I have compiled notes on Detective Dee, Dutch author Robert Van Gulik, Empress Wu Zetian. I have also written summary of each cases in the discussion section of the drama page. Don't forget to read it for more information and details of this series.
Leaving links below for the notes.
1. Basic information
https://kisskh.at/discussions/judge-dees-mystery/122837-basic-information-about-the-cases-and-judge-dee?pid=2949011&page=1#p2949011
2. All Nine case summaries, starting from case 1.
https://kisskh.at/discussions/judge-dees-mystery/122837-basic-information-about-the-cases-and-judge-dee?pid=2957009&page=1#p2957009
I will also leave Clickable links of the above mentioned discussion section as a comment to this review.
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If you are looking for a simple love story or a plain science fiction, this one is not for you. This is like a brain game. Every single detail shouldn't be missed, well, of course, there are some scenes and dialogues that are so cheezy and quite long, but that's the downside of the story.
The writer was not able to justify bringing the two lovers in one world, but that's the exact reality of what might happen if there is really a parallel world. I love the story.
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Seeing Song Hye Kyo as such a mature and straight-faced character felt awkward at first. She's come a long way from "Full House", one of the first dramas I've ever seen, and though this is not the first time I've seen her serious, it is the first time seeing her as a cold and at times emotionless character. There is also such a significant age gap between her and Park Bo Gum, that they initially just seemed wrong together. The early scenes in Cuba are particularly awkward at times, but there was just enough spark to keep me curious and interested enough to keep watching. Eventually, I sensed more of a chemistry between them, not exciting chemistry, but more comfortable and sweet chemistry. Bo Gum's smiles started to feel less forced. Seeing her loosen up to the possibility, made me loosen up to the possibility as well. Next thing you know I was rooting for them with no hesitation. So maybe that means the casting was genius after all.
There's not much to the story honestly, so I couldn't give it high marks. There are a few points in the story about family & business drama, but it really is about two people figuring out if they can make a relationship work. The pace is also very slow, but I was never bored watching because I think the pace matched the drama's mood well. I'd compare this drama to sipping wine rather than drinking soda (for the record I love both!). The wine has to be to your taste in order to enjoy sipping it, and sucking it up fast with a straw would just seem odd. It isn't the most original or exciting premise either, but there's one thing that makes this drama stand out, the visuals!
This drama is completely gorgeous to watch, and not just the scenes overseas. There are moments that are cinematic, moments where a strategically placed painting makes a huge statement, and animated moments before and after each episode that gives the story a whimsical fairytale feel. The soundtrack is also beautiful and matches that mood well. I think the star of this drama is definitely the director, and since one of the main characters is a photographer, the focus on viuals never seemed out of place. I think it raised the bar for this drama, which never would have been as interesting with a more traditional look.
Would I watch it again? Not likely, but it depends on my mood. There weren't enough things that I loved to want to see it all over again. I also liked but didn't fall in love with the lead couple, or the supporting cast. They were all great, but I didn't feel like I would miss seeing any of them once the show ended.
Overall, this is strictly for romance fans. The love was heavy-handed at times, but there were enough moments that felt authentic, realistic, and relatable as well. I felt calm watching, even during more upsetting moments, so I would categorize this drama under "Kdrama & Chill". Just like the title suggests, this was an unexpectedly enjoyable drama that I'm glad I came across, and decided to give a chance.
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Fluff, fluffier, fluffiest! !
This was just a huge dose of fluff and is probably the sweetest fluffiest drama out there at the moment, Everybody is just so cute, not only as characters, but together too. The story is both interesting, sweet and of course not completely without drama, but even the drama is cute and resolved in a sweet manner making your (my) heart flutter over and over again of ooooh that is just so cute!While many other shows may have some unnecessary drama that may frustrate you, the drama here is different, it shows some struggles (without letting it take over the cute), some well known prejudice one may face or be afraid to face, but that too is handled really well.
The grownups here do not make me want to scream, or ashamed of being part of the grown up community. There is actually a teacher who is shown to be kind, supportive and honest, who knew that was possible?
The mother here is just soooo sweet, I just wanted to hug her!
The different types of friends here are also, yes you guessed it, Sweet, supportive, super cute!
Even the love triangle (yes real triangle) is just sweet and cutely done....
To top it off we get a bickering couple, and adorable dog, a lovely visit of the see thru umbrella and opposites attract...
Yes even the misunderstandings in this are.... CUTE...
Did I mention it is cute? So for you in need of a shot of some highly bingeable cuteness and fluff, this is it!
A small warning: I will however just mention that I was a bit bothered by the leads way of over acting with big comedic gestures that I normally hate, but they grew on me and I ended up finding it, yes you probably guessed it: CUTE
Also this probably is the drama, with the highest ratio smiles per minute I have ever seen...
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I really enjoyed this, I hope you do to.
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Hope is not a strategy.
The Hope is the Chinese adaptation of a Japanese manga Dragon Zakura about an unconventional teacher who takes on a class of underachieving students. While I haven't watched the Japanese television version, this Chinese adaptation has clearly been heavily localized even though it retains a manga-like flavor in certain characterizations and comedic sequences. This drama critically examines the Chinese education system and its strong emphasis on the all-important Gāokǎo/高考 nationwide college entrance exam which takes 9 hours over two or three days. In a nation of largely single-child families, nothing is more important than getting their only child into the college of their dreams. With over 10mm taking the Gāokǎo each year, the competition is intense. Even though the pass rate is very high (85-90 percent), a minimum score of 600 (out of 750) is needed to gain acceptance to the most elite universities. Less than 7pct of students are accepted at these top universities and the acceptance rate at Qingbei (Tsinghua University and Peking University) where the crème de la crème matriculate is less than 0.1pct.After a series of entrepreneurial setbacks, star lecturer Lei Ming returns to teaching. He teams up with Sang Xia, a psychology teacher on an experimental program to turn around students that are not living up to their potential. His handpicks five students for his experimental Class 11; an orphan Li Ran, a math whizz Cheng Yushan, an aspiring rapper Jiang Qinglang, gossip girl Bian Xiaoxiao and the browbeaten Yu Yang. With Gāokǎo just a year away, his lofty boast of getting all five of them into Qingbei is widely ridiculed. His biggest skeptics are the students themselves and Sang Xia. His methods though unconventional are hardly trailblazing; much of it involves tried and tested methods used by successful students including time management, minimising distractions, identifying focus areas and being tactical about selecting courses. The drama makes it clear that hope is not a strategy and that while there are smarter, better ways to study, there is just no way around putting in the hours.
This is an exceptional drama that makes a poignant and compassionate case for students who have fallen behind. It exposes how they are failed by an indifferent sink or swim kind of education system. Each of the young actors does a fantastic job portraying their hardships, self-doubt and how they discover their best selves in their struggle against overwhelming odds. I don't have a favorite among them because they all have their own special talents, their own crosses to bear and blossom in their own ways as they learn to take ownership over their own destines rather than just being victims of circumstances they can only change at the margin. Lei Ming and Sang Xia are like fairy god parents who can help but can't make their lives perfect. Rather, they impart upon them the invaluable gift of learning how to cope and the ability to feel compassion for others. This is seen in how the understanding they show poor little rich boy Shen Yao and Lei Ming himself when he lets them down. In saving them, in many ways Lei Ming saves himself.
As for Zhang Ruoyun, he once again shows his uncanny ability to pick fantastic scripts. As always, he leaves so much runway for his young co-stars to shine and lets this story really be about them without defaulting into simply being a plot device. Because his Lei Ming is far from perfect; he is cynical and beneath his confident facade, deeply damaged by his resentment of his father, the great teacher Lei. In helping Class 11 in their struggles with Gāokǎo and their personal devils, he gains perspective on his own journey many years ago and gains some understanding of his father. My heart was in my throat watching Zhang Ruoyun portraying this role so movingly in light of his own difficult relationship with his father. Probably largely due to Zhang Ruoyun's powerful charisma, I found Sang Xia's constant baiting and argumentativeness to be pompous and super annoying initially. But she grew on me and I came to appreciate how their relationship actually thrives on calling each other out and challenging each other to do better.
This drama for all intents and purposes ends at episode 29 and it is fine to just stop there. The episode 30 "twelve years later" epilogue replaces the young actors with older vague lookalikes. That broke my connection with the young actors that I grew to love so much. I didn't mind the sober tone of the epilogue. It delivers the right message that there are no absolutes in life; that even Qingbei is no guarantee that all's well that ends well. The biggest lesson learned, the one that stands the test of time beyond all the academics is about coping with life's ups and downs. And they are still young enough that the whole world still lies ahead of them so their journey continues. My biggest issue with it is I had hoped for better for Lei Ming. But I guess that is what makes this drama so special; this ability of to be so incredibly inspiring yet so unbearably realistic at the same time. If you wish to skip the realism, then call it a day at episode 29. It still falls short of a fairytale but at least there is an abundance of hope.
This is a highly recommended and very memorable watch that I enthusiastically rate 8.5/10.0.
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Once the adults age and the children grow, however, the pacing adopts an uneven groove which alternates between satisfying speed and sleepy doddering. Some plot points evolve merely as long chains of people finding out secrets (or not). Several subplots, related to the main story in passing, are explored over time; these often fizzle quickly without much impact, but the characters introduced in them tend to stick around after the fact. Because of the intense focus on the kidnapping and its fallout, these become frustrating due to lack of development. The "romance" between the main couple suffers from this issue as well; their interactions are numerous, but feel hollow and unnecessary. Each secondary couple, some of which are surprising and strangely built, have twice the chemistry and a fourth of the airtime.
However, punch remains to be found. When something big happens, despite being padded down by the aforementioned fodder, it's like an explosion. Crisp cinematography works together beautifully with the wild turnarounds and shifts in dynamic. This drama knows how to swing emotional weight in spades. There are just too many episodes, with too little oomph to distribute over its course.
Of the numerous actors and actresses featured in Scandal, Jo Jae Hyeon offers the most laudable performance. Whatever the role of Ha Myeon Geun called for, he delivered without question. What struck me most was the veracity of emotion and striking normalcy this character exuded. Because of this powerful performance, my sympathies wrapped around this character in spite of his crime. Ki Tae Young also has a fantastic go as second lead, the "other" Eun Joong. His feelings were openly displayed in his eyes and face without exaggeration, a true mark of talent. As for the "primary" Eun Joong, my first experience with Kim Jae Won was a good one. Despite landing a slightly boring character, he elevates the part with good choices and natural charisma.
Park Sang Min confused me, as I have often heard him described as a talent. As Jang Tae Ha, despite an instance or two of strength, he overacted noticeably. Add to this misfortune the desperate attempts to make him look old enough for the role (stuffing him into "grandpa" clothes, dying his hair a new shade every episode). There are also several wasted characters, such as the one performed by Jo Yoon He. Her Wu Ami starts somewhat irritating, steadily improves, then drops in importance as a character separate from the loveline.
Scandal may count its atmospheric and masterfully utilized soundtrack among its strengths. Silences are strewn throughout scenes, allowing for the instrumentals (sometimes moving, others haunting), to shine when played. All of the vocals are memorable as well, with the best offered by Masyta Band ("I Am"), Kim Jin Seon ("Stay") and The Position ("Last Love of My Life").
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Wang Youshuo Looks Absolutely Stunning
"Dear Mr. Heavenly Fox" revolves around the legendary heavenly fox, Bichuan (played by Lu Xiaoyu, aka Rain Lu), who falls in love with Lingzi (Wang Youshuo), a spirit man destined for sacrifice to save the world. To prevent her beloved from being sacrificed, the fox crashes into the sacrificial mountain, sacrificing herself in the process. This act unleashes evil spirits, and Lingzi takes it upon himself to seal the lord of evil, sustaining fatal injuries and a broken heart in the process. He vows to be reborn as a fox in his next life and love her forever.In this life, Wang Youshuo's character, Zhang Yue, is born as a fox, while Lu Xiaoyu's character, Qi Yuanbao, is the Lingzi, a spirited child, carrying an evil spirit within her. The playful and mischievous Qi Yuanbao, along with her cousin brother Xue Hanyu (Zhou Zhaoyuan), engages in street fights and causes trouble. Many viewers are upset that Lu Xiaoyu is not pretty enough to play the role but I find her portrayal is truly convincing, and I think the casting directors made a great choice because in the story, Qi Yuanbao is said to have a common appearance, with someone even calling her ugly.
One day, Qi Yuanbao accidentally stumbles upon a forbidden place and encounters the heavenly fox Zhang Yue, who is cultivating there. By mistake, she consumes the spirit fruit that Zhang Yue is nurturing with his soul. To retrieve his soul, Zhang Yue follows Qi Yuanbao to the human world and becomes her teacher.
Zhang Yue's striking good looks and suave demeanor attract numerous admirers, including Qi Yuanbao, who falls deeply in love with him. Though initially embarrassed by her forwardness, Zhang Yue can't help but feel a connection with her and eventually falls for her. As the story unfolds, he becomes her protector and willingly sacrifices himself for her. Wang Youshuo delivers a heart-wrenching performance, truly nailing his role.
Amidst various villains seeking to harness the power of the evil spirit for their own gain, the entire cast portrays their characters convincingly. I was especially impressed with the story of the second couple, which is filled with bickering and explosive moments.
My Verdict
Although the drama has a cheesy title, the romance between the fox and the human is undeniably intriguing. However, there are some plot holes and instances of poor writing and editing, leading to confusing scenes that lack explanations. Characters facing life-threatening situations sometimes act nonchalantly, which seems illogical. Additionally, the dubbing doesn't always match the characters' mouth movements, creating a disconnect between audio and visuals.
The drama does end with a twist that results in the demise of beloved characters, followed by an abrupt resurrection scene, which feels somewhat bizarre. Perhaps to appease some viewers, a bonus episode with an alternative ending was added. Despite these shortcomings, "Dear Mr. Heavenly Fox" remains a highly enjoyable drama, especially thanks to the mesmerizing portrayal of the heavenly fox by Wang Youshuo. Overall, I would recommend giving it a watch!
Bravo!
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Better than you think
I've read some of the other reviews and I think some people don't enjoy this show because it's not relatable to them. The story is intricate and well written, a rare combination. And the acting and production do the writing justice. The story is concerned with themes of empathy (or lackthereof), revenge, and ethics. If these themes do not relate to you, you likely won't enjoy this show. If they do, you're in for a good time.The only complaints I have are: (1) the blatant product placements (it's not too annoying though) and (2) the explanations of the various plots of the characters are sometimes delayed to the detriment of the story. However, do not let this deter you from watching it, I still highly recommend it to anyone interested.
Stories of romance sometimes revel in sentimentality a little too much but this one is an exception.
In the interest of brevity, I'll end my review with this: give it a shot.
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Acting/Cast: I didn't know most of the actors in this and only watched it for Emma.. love Gui Gui she's too adorable! But this drama really introduced me to a bunch of cuties XD Alen.. Leon.. Edwin.. I hope to see them in more dramas soon! It's great to see Zhang Han again but I really don't see what the fascination with this guy is.. why is he like everywhere?
Music: I'm not too sure what the songs are because the version I watched had the opening and ending cut off.. so I can't really comment much here.
Rewatch Value: I probably won't watch this again as re-watching will lack all the suspense and anticipation that it had as I already know the story now.
Overall: This was a fun ride. It was actually I think my first drama with magical powers that isn't a historial/fantasy drama so it was very interesting for me. I was quite impressed with the CGI effects, unlike in those fantasy dramas XD If you want to watch a pretty boy drama but sick of all those high school/college love dramas then totally give this a go! The romance and drama is still there but with the addition of a bit of excitement.. which let's be honest... most of those other dramas lack.
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A Gem Under the Radar
To me, a good drama doesn’t depend on the big names of the actors nor how esteemed the directors are, not even how complicated a story needs be. As long as the story is coherent, the logic makes sense, the actors immerse themselves in their roles, the costumes not garish nor gaudy, the main characters are lovable, and the overall struggles and conflicts of the characters capture my heart and my emotions, this is considered a good drama. The Letter from the Cloud is one such drama.I don’t know the relevancy of the title to the story, which to me is still a mystery after completing the drama. Nonetheless, this is a story about power struggle for the throne that involves a girl whose whole family was wrongly executed by the Emperor, and a royal prince who tries to find his missing mother. They meet and fall in love with each other even though the girl has just got married to one of the prince's cousins who turns out to be a girl disguises as a man from birth. I love all the relationships between the characters here, including the second couple. The villains are in the open from the start, and all evil schemes are planted by the antagonists from start to finish.
Qi Zhang (Xie Binbin) inherited the title Prince Jing upon the untimely demise of his father. He is stationed in the north-west country guarding the border. Intelligent and a great swordman, he is lonesome and distrustful, determined to find his missing mother, so he comes back to the capital to his maternal grandmother’s home to track news of her. Here, he falls in love with a girl whom he initially recruits to work as his spy in his grandmother’s household.
I have liked Xie Binbin since the first time I saw him in Qing Qing Zi Jin. He exudes a clean, innocent and yet authentic aura that attracts viewers. Here as the impeccable Prince Jing, Xie Binbin aces the role. His styling and demeanor are perfect and lovable. His uncertainty, dismay, jealousy, joy, determination and more, are all acted out very appropriately without overacting and yet can stir emotions within the viewers. Excellent acting here.
After the persecution of her whole family, Gu Yi (Wu Jiayi) was adopted by a “Jianghu” doctor and changed her name to Shen Yu. Because of her horrifying childhood experience, Shen Yu becomes obsessed with money and will do anything for a buck. For money, she marries into the Zhou household and crosses path with Qi Zhang and gets hired as a spy for him in finding secrets that concern him in the Zhou household. Shen Yu is intelligent, fast witted and streetwise. With her amazing skills in medicine which she puts to good use later in saving lives and in her investigations.
I really love the Shen Yu character here and Wu Jiayi has given an excellent performance. Her Shen Yu is authentic and human, cheeky and yet relatable, and not too proud to admit to her mistakes and to show her vulnerability to her trusted. How she continually gains an upper hand with Qi Zhang is funny and well executed, and how she makes him jealous is fun to watch. Wu Jiayi is very natural. With her watery large eyes, pouting lips, and extremely contagious smile, she captures hearts. Viewers can empathize with her zeal for finding justice for her family, and her resignation when justice is not being served. Wu Jiayi has carried out her role with full marks.
I also want to applaud the whole cast including the actors who play the antagonists. The villains are being acted so realistically that viewers want to rip the villains' hearts out for the heinous crimes they commit. The cross-dressing is believable as actor Fu Jing (Zhou Yue) gives the viewers a sickly looking man with a raspy voice. A great performance here by all.
My Verdict
This series is said to have been adapted from a web novel. Upon my brief scan, I believe that the original novel involves a character with a name called 锦书 (Jin Shu), literally means “letter” in English. Though the script writing has been diverted from the original novel, the title has not, hence results in a confusing title here. I stand to be corrected.
Though with some details not further explained to clarify some confusions for viewers, the overall story here is rather intact with not that many plot holes. Some tropes, like falling off cliff, are used here and there which doesn’t seem distasteful. The ending is concluded appropriately with every character receiving its deserving ending, and without massive killing off the characters like many Chinese dramas fond to do. For the main couple, a three-year separation spurs their individual growth, and deepens their love and devotion for each other. The background music is cartoonish and helps in accentuating the funny moments and blunders the characters make.
Overall, a drama well done. I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and strongly recommend it to new viewers. Great watch! Don’t miss it.
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Highly addictive series..
I remember being enthralled with the 80’s version miniseries as a child, and I am happy to report that this one is even better.The whole show is a piece of art- from the stunning cinematography, gorgeous costuming, haunting music, amazing cast, and the well-paced storytelling..
The story portrayed here is of Japan’s feudal history and it is fascinating: illustrating their strategy, politics, samurai, ninja assassins, Lord’s and Ladies, war games, and even everyday life of its people- it’s enough to send you into a deep dive of Japan history, or at least make you curious enough to read the book inspired by these events.
I can’t believe how fast a one hour episode seems to fly by.. really top-notch in every way.. I wouldn’t be surprised to see several, well-deserved Emmy nominations for this series..
Highly recommend!
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very short and messy review
THEY SHOULD OF MADE THIS FUCKING LONGERok im upset i thought we were getting a 10 ep gl to only find out its 4eps long . i love both actors and they really did well with their role i like that they didnt shy away from the kissing i wasnt expecting it i thought they would just peck for like 10 seconds or something idk. its nice to actually see a good gl with good rep most gls have bad stereotypes and toxicity in it and sad endings. not only did we get a happy ending but a gl where the actors actually are convincing most gls seem like the girls dont even wanna be near eachother. they had great chemistry you could feel the tension
now what i didnt like
since this is a small low budget i wasnt going to pick out anything but their editing was messy and these mistakes could of easily been looked over but i couldnt help but notice a few frames had things missing or out of place or them leaving the bag dumb things but it doesnt affect you watching it unless u critique shows u would notice. it should of been longer and the ending didnt feel like a ending maybe there will be a season 2. i felt like this could of been a great gl if they extended it.
rewatch value is high its like 30mins long not even its a easy watch if your looking for a good gl.
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The casting was perfect 💯 Literally, everyone from the King and Queen down to the palace maids had a significant responsibility in the flow of the story. Hands down to Kim Junghyun and Shin Hyesun 🙇🏻♀️ They gave so much life to Cheoljong and Soyong/Sobong. We can't just ignore how powerful their chemistry are. Their scenes were so satisfying to watch!
Story-wise, it definitely had loopholes and questionable scenarios but it was a wonderful story to tell. I hope they were given more episodes because there's just so much potention over the stories that popped out between the King & Queen. What I didn't like was the build-up on some events and characters that they couldn't address anymore.
Over-all it was a wonderful kdrama. It had fierce confrontations, rated 🔞 remarks, comedy, love story, family, and Korean history all in one drama. I had fun during the weekends and it is something that I always looked forward because it intrigued me every after episode. I don't think I can move on from this drama hahaha it makes me sad and happy at the same time. 😊
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