A gripping action-thriller that deserves more recognition!
If you’re one of those people that wants to find logic in every fictional drama or you’re a nitpicker, then I suggest you to skip this. However, if you’re someone who just enjoys the ride, likes to watch gripping and entertaining dramas with an amazing cast and well-written story, without searching for every little flaw in every episode, you should definitely check this one out!Thankfully I’m in the latter category, that’s probably the reason why I could enjoy it to the fullest and became one of my favourite shows of all time. This drama has everything: action, suspense, crime, investigation, mystery, humour, teamwork, romance and is very informative, you can learn a thing or two. Everything is nicely balanced. What else could a viewer possibly wish for?
Acting:
The acting here is one of the best I’ve seen this year alongside with Reborn Rich. The definition of perfect casting, all characters have great chemistry with each other and everyone embodies their character smoothly, it just feels so natural. But I have to give an extra applause to Kim Rae Won as he plays this crazy mutt detective role so well, making him stand out from the rest of the cast. Not to mention he has this indescribable charm to him.
Story:
The story is fast-paced and intriguing. They’re showcasing different emergency codes with different cases in every episode, while there’s 1 main case slowly unfolding in the background, so the viewer doesn’t even have time to feel bored. Some cases might be very sad, but the comedic elements are present to balance out the mood. I was hooked from the beginning, every episode was an exciting watch and all the cases were interesting and unique. One of the reasons I absolutely adore this show, is the teamwork, how the fire crew and detectives work together to save people and solve cases. The first episode started off strong and remained like that for the rest of the season, the last episode ended with a cliffhanger, but we get a second season and I’m so excited for that!
Relationships:
The relationship between the main leads develop naturally and for the best throughout the series, the different cases and life threatening situations make them form a strong bond by the last episode. There’s also a little love triangle, but I wouldn’t even call it like that, because it is very obvious what’s one-sided and what’s mutual. The romance part isn’t forced, it’s depicted genuinely and developed slowly. No need to worry if you’re not into romance because, although there is a romantic undertone, it doesn’t overshadows the main plot.
The music is catchy and very nice, matching well with the scenes, paints a picture of the drama every time you listen to it, it’s not overused nor placed in scenes where it’s not needed.
Overall, it is an above average, great watch I would recommend to my fellow action-thriller lovers. I do wish to see more bromance moments between Hogae and Dojin after they sort things out, and my ship sailing in the next part.
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Once upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain
42 people found this review helpful
*Story*
I'm gonna be honest. When I first watched it, the whole time I was like WTF is this? The plot is lame, the jokes are lame, the acting is really exaggerating and... Wait a minute, am I watching the right drama?! I remember a lot of people being very confused about the genre of the drama. The two female leads call each other wifey, the two male leads has... Like THE most romantic moments EVER! Reading the summery again, I would swear that it's not a gay drama. A lot of people call it Queerbaiting but I actually disagree. It kind of suits the style of the drama and the synopsis clearly states that the male lead will end up with the female lead. The whole drama is just one big comedy with some serious plot in it that will slowly uncover as time passes by. The jokes are so bad in a way that's hilarious. The male lead is someone of modern time who rebirth to the world of this drama and I just love how the lead is also dissing the script so much. To put it short, you need to get through a few episodes to get used to the weird concept, but the moment you do, it becomes so good XD. However... the arcs never really ends... well. There are so many times when I'm like "Uhm, writer? Do you still remember that love line?" But yeah... unless they make a season 2, I felt the plot quite unfinished after finishing the show.
*Characters*
I've not read the original novel so I can't really say if they were similar to the novel or not. However, it did feel a bit exaggerated at first. Especially the female lead. Whether it was her personality or look, I felt like she took the wrong role. Not that she was a bad actor, but it simply didn't suit her. However, as time passed by, I actually started to like her a lot. I guess I had to get used to a foreigner (or at least a mixed race) playing an ancient role. I found her really pretty later and began to love her as well. I guess you have to keep in mind that it is meant to be a comedy so some exaggeration is completely normal. You just gotta get used to it. Generally speaking, none of the actors were really bad. Maybe a bit awkward here and there but not to the point of bad. Generally speaking, it was quite alright.
*Music*
I liked it. Have nothing else to say about it
*Rewatch value*
Did I enjoy it? Absolutely. Would I watch it again.... Probably not. One time is enough, but some lame parts/scenes are definitely worth to be put on repeat
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This review may contain spoilers
The Princess’s Gumboot more like…
NB. Unlike the majority of my reviews this one contains mild spoilers.To be honest, this drama suffered even more from the comparison to Nirvana in Fire which I’ve just finished watching. I described that as “sophisticated and intelligent” but unfortunately this one is lame, painful and naive. In reality it is a romance in the enemies to lovers trope wrapped up in an intrigue/mystery plot that has about as much twist and tension as a scrunchy. Because whatever happens, you know beforehand that it won’t cause much of a problem to our dashing, devilish hero who will emerge shining bright like a TRESemmé ad with his wig still immaculate.
How do I know that? Because a good plot is one where the odds have real bite and there is both winning and losing, so that the audience is left insecure. But when death is the only stake from the get go, two things become obvious: firstly there will be no gradual increasing of tension and anticipation, only more of the same; and secondly, the hero/heroine can never lose, whatever the circumstances; come hell fire, explosions, high water, incompetent assassins, miracle survivals, impossible escapes and of course, the compulsory memory loss.
Another consequence is a stupid, one dimensional villain, who has to mess it up every time. The character of Prince Wu You was bafflingly extreme and contradictory but not to worry, he was just the aperitif and was soon replaced by another one. Unfortunately, Prince Wu Yin was cut from the same cookie dough but had an added creepily erotic nanny fetish over the linchpin villain of the piece, whose most notable feature was her absence from the majority of the drama. The loss of the only credible villain, Meng Hui Jin about a third of the way through was a sad day for the plot. One wonders if having an opponent equal to the task was something the writer was not skilled enough to handle.
I wasn’t convinced by the love story either. In fact the writer’s level of emotional literacy throughout, especially in the characters of the villains, hovered around zero. If on first encountering someone they try to kill you, just believe me when I say, you really are never going to trust that person again. Then heap on top of that a huge number of dodgy scenarios and a great deal of warranted mistrust and you have an unredeemable situation. So to think that these psychological obstacles could in some way be cast aside (however much two people lust after each other) is totally naive and snuggled-up-safe-in-bed fantasy-land imagining. And there you have it, I suppose I’m just too old and grounded in reality to appreciate this style of storytelling. I assume that this is a known fact to people who choose to read my reviews (and I’m genuinely grateful to you for being one of them), so no surprises here, lol.
This wasn’t a low budget love story. There was a cast of thousands, a big costuming budget and all the trimmings which were on constant display (they’d got them, so they might as well use them type of attitude). Which might go some way to explaining why our intrepid heroine felt it necessary to still wear a barnet full of ornaments and a silk gown whilst rough travelling hundreds of miles on horseback to rescue her brother. But despite all that jingling finery, the drama still didn’t make the cut because the script and the plot was sooo bad.
It began with a perfectly acceptable high stakes drama (if I was generous, a 7.5) and then, almost purposefully, slid down the long slippery slope to end in the farce that was the coronation scene (now plummeted to a 5) before falling apart completely (which is how we arrived at 4). There were too many threads that were hanging loose and not bound together into a cohesive narrative. The last three episodes felt like having to clean up after a party—washing up the characters, vacuuming out the various plot rooms and polishing off the last dregs in the wine bottle just so you can keep going.
As for the dialogue, it was superficial, explainy and lacked any sort of subtlety or emotional intelligence. When characters start explaining their backstory to people who lived it with them, then you know the writer was chucking an all-nighter to get the scene finished before the dawn shoot and patch the holes made by the scenes that got cut earlier on. This happened throughout, but most cringeworthy was Empress Lv in Episode 34.
The acting wasn’t anything to write home about either. But then it’s difficult to excel with banal lines and wooden direction. It’s hard to pick a winner but I’ll back Lui Ling Zi’s performance as probably the best of a very average bunch.
And the soundtrack? Was there one? I’ve forgotten…
However, to end with, there are one or two things that attracted a favourable response from me. I really like the sets for this drama. Particularly the gambling den, with its rich colouring and ambitious costumes. Also the cinematography followed through on that theme, with some dramatic lighting that provided an interesting visual feast (which saved it from a 3.5).
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Typical romcom
I started watching this looking at the positive reviews & hype. But its not that good as I expected. Male lead's acting was good. FL umm idk. Sound production was pretty good but not best. 2-3 scenes are rewatchable. Chemistry 5/10. Overall I think Male lead carried the show. The visuals of leads are good. Direction aint that bad. But the drama isnt as good as its hyped. I think there are better dramas out there. Sometimes typical dramas also become great because of lead's chemistry & good sound productions. But somehow i felt this drama lacked it.Was this review helpful to you?
Wow, is all I can say.
Thriller/Mystery drama's are not something I watch often, but when I do, it takes a lot for me to commit and do it and when I do; I hope that it's worth it. It's been a while since I've watched a mind blowing K-Drama to be honest and I can say that I didn't know what I was getting into when I started Flower of Evil, but I saw a clip and immediately I was sucked in to something I will never regret watching in my entire life.The synopsis in itself is already a rollercoaster, even though this is similar to a lot of other mystery/thriller/crime dramas; you don't really know you'll be invested into something even more mind blowing and emotionally tolling. You have a man that's the perfect husband, father, worker. You have a woman that's the perfect wife, mother and partner in general. They are both hard working, they met randomly by fate one day and the rest is history, their love is absolutely mind blowing and just plain...impeccable. But the male lead has a past, an unknown one. And unfortunately sometimes, you can't run away forever, especially when your demons are not only haunting you mentally, but then they start doing so physically. So you're going to go through what it's like to love someone but want to protect them no matter what happens, you're going to see that some people will go to the end to protect their own even though it's putting themselves on the line, you're going to see what it's like to be abandon by those who love you most and what it's like to be looked at like a monster. There' s so many ups and downs in this show but it's one of the best journey's I've completely been on. The love they had was wonderful, the characters that helped, the officer team, everything was just a nice flow of things.
Let me tell you, this is one of the best acting I've seen in such a long time. I love the raw emotions you got to witness between every single character; but you're taking so many veteran actors and actresses and putting them into something that they made just pure genius. The emotion and control that Lee Jong Gi has is amazing, the strong, bold character that Moon Chae Won played and the CHEMISTRY the two had, is absolutely everything. There was a prefect balance of their love and the show. The daughter was a fantastic aspect. The bad characters were so good at being bad. The reporter was a nice spice; the sister being added into the twist. The way the detective team carried themselves; if this show doesn't win rewards for the story, the ACTING will for sure win something.
The music was wonderful, I loved the timing that they had. I'm obsessed with the OST that Shin Yong Jae put together for this; everything about it is beautiful, raw and emotional all in one and that's how this show will leave you feeling.
Overall, this show was amazing. It's worth watching and rewatching within seconds. I actually binged this show and woke up just to rewatch the last 2 episodes because I couldn't get enough. The ending was quite bittersweet but I felt the craziest thing while watching it and I've never watched a show where I was so satisfied with the 2nd to last episode that I couldn't stopped there. I was literally so satisfied how this show played out and where it went that I'm absolutely mind blown at this beautiful master piece. My heart ached with the emotions of the characters, I cried and was angry all in one. And that's what a good drama is. One that you cannot stop thinking of and that was this for me. This really made me realize how much I love watching Asian Dramas in general. This was so good.
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Story: it was great. It never make me stop watching or bored. When i thought story is over, It always make me shocked by its turn overs. It has everything spies,revenge and cold-blooded,handsome man:D
Cast: Lee Jun Ki ( This was the first drama that i saw him) , Nam Sang Mi, Jung Kyong Ho ultimate trio:) the atmosphere between them is so good that you can't stop watching. Especially Lee Jun ki's acting make you bewildered,it likes in one drama he has many characters.
Music: It has a range from rap to classics and none of them unnecessary for drama.
Rewatch value: definitely i will watch tihs over and over again.It is certain that i will find many other things while rewatching:)
If you like action and revenge you must watch this drama. You will never regret:)
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Women hold up half the sky.
Song of Youth is a historical Chinese soap opera that pays tribute to 红楼梦 Hongloumeng (Dream of the Red Chamber), widely regarded as China's greatest novel. Fans of the novel will immediately recognize that the backstory of an aristocratic family in decline and the multiple character blueprints that are based on this vernacular classic. Uniquely, this narrative plucks out the all-consuming, angsty, tragically epic love triangle that forms the core of the novel and focuses instead on broader, often less appreciated themes. The love triangle is still there but it is been muted to the extent that it is only peeks out towards the end.Lin Shaochun, a talented actress from a performing troupe marries Sun Yulou, the youngest scion of the noble Sun family. With her innate resourcefulness and the support of her husband, she becomes indispensable to his initially disapproving family by ably resolving all their internal and external conflicts and challenges. Bai Lu as always delivers a very enjoyable performance as the supportive and loving wife of Sun Yulou and the clever, thoughtful and femininely authoritative Sun family fixer. Even though I think Wang Yizhe has a lot of potential as an actor, he struggled to get into character and I didn't see much spark between him and Bai Lu. But it doesn't matter because albeit with some challenges, their arc is short and it is ultimately a rather pedestrian love match. After that the narrative explores more complicated and more poignant relationships where the couples have limited ability to make their own choices. Very much like Court Lady, Lin Shaochun is just a tour guide through the social structures, culture, relationships, vanities and daily life details of feudal 18th century China. Thankfully unlike Court Lady, Bai Lu's portrayal of the role as occasionally ruthless and not overly preachy and righteous makes Lin Shaochun very likeable if too infallible to be that interesting.
What stands out about this drama is that very much like Hongloumeng, it celebrates the contribution of women to society - Mao Zedong was far from the first to acknowledge that women hold up half the sky. True to the novel, the drama is very female centric - Lin Shaochun is the main protagonist and in a fitting role reversal the ML Sun Yulou is just a prop; an attractive, decorative vase. Even the best antagonists are formidable and devious women. In fact, most of the male characters in the drama are rather weak and not that intelligent - Sun Yulou only pulls himself together to be worthy of Lin Shaochun, his oldest brother is a foolish gold digger's wet dream, his second brother is the most capable of the lot and his third brother is a henpecked wastrel. All of them become better, more successful men thanks to their smart, determined and capable wives. I find both the eldest and (especially) the second brothers' stories to be far more interesting than that of the main CP. Unfortunately the second brother's story fizzles out in the middle and ends in a slightly disappointing way. Nonetheless, Yao Dizu is by far the most multi-faceted and refreshing character in the drama, more so than Lin Shaochun. She is also the only character that gets to be the author of her own story. If Lin Shaochun were written to be more of a bystander and less of the person who always saves the day, this would be a much better drama. She always wins by the same modus operandi so by the second or third arc, I was on to her and the "twists" become predictable.
The other problem with this drama is that it doesn't seem to be written in one voice or tone and thus gives the impression that it doesn't know what it wants to be. I think it is intended to be a satire or parody of bourgeois upper society during Ming Dynasty. Unfortunately in parts the humor is quite slapstick when it comes to Lamu Yangzi and some of Jin Chen's scenes because that matches the kind of humor they do best. Bai Lu and the rest of the cast however, are better suited towards more subtle, satirical humor and when the writing tries for something in between, it comes across as forced and half the time it misses the mark. That said, there are some really good laugh out loud moments but overall the wit and humor is hit or miss. The rhythm of the screenplay is particularly awkward at the beginning but more enjoyable from the middle episodes. After the four brothers' stories, the recycling of themes around the fallout from arranged marriages gets old and the final arcs flatline - I saw the final end twist a mile away so the end was predictable and anti-climatic.
This gorgeous production was clearly shot with meticulous attention to detail from the sets to the authenticity of the costumes, make up and the cultural details. The only lapse is perhaps the fact that the classic Cantonese opera Legend of the Purple Hairpin is sung in Mandarin and not in its original language (this was one of my grandma's favorite operas, she used to play the Liza Wang/Adam Cheng recording all the time). Overall a high quality production that is an enjoyable light watch even though it falls well short of Hongloumeng in terms of panoramic impression, breadth of social commentary and lasting impact. This is fun enough for me to rate this a 7.5.
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1This review may contain spoilers
DOMUNDI HAS FINALLY DONE IT!
The best Thai BL this year!Good things comes to those who wait, or to those who try and try until they succeed - thats how i feel about Domundi/Mandee. Yes, they produced quite a lot of BL shows over the years, some are just plain crap and some even almost veering to goodness but nothing they did before really reached the greatness level - until Khemjira came.
A perfect mix of good production value, good visual effects, the richness of Thai culture and a slew of cutie pie cast.
Its a slow-burn series - maybe not even slow-burn but just plain slow, but it does work on a show like this. Quick recap. Set in a rural Thailand setting, Master shaman Pheem was asked to help save a cursed Khem against an avenging ghost. While Pheem seemed initially reluctant to help, its evident that he cant just say no considering Khem is his wife from their former lives. Keng is just the perfect mysterious yet charming Pheem while Namping is the lovely damsel in distress. Tie and FirstOne( i love his uncanny resemblance to Mixx) are scene stealers as Chan and Jet. You also cant help but emphatize with the villain through the very effecting performance of Green as Ramphueng.
It should also be noted that its from the same team that worked in the also recently concluded The Next Prince. Both shows clearly got huge budget backing that enabled them to create great set pieces and exquiste costumes. While i dont understand why the fictional kingdom in The Next Prince was European inspired even though the country is clearly in Asia, this show, Khemjira, fully embraced the richness of Thai culture, beliefs and traditions. I even loved the songs and the occassional traditional Thai music.
What surprised most fans during the airing of this show is its varying runtime as some of the episodes are like full-length movies at almost 2 hours. The good thing is even the longer episodes doesnt feel like its dragging the story - it is evident thay they have carefully and successfully mapped out a storyline for the entire duration of the series that didnt loose track of what the focus should be so you will not feel like some episodes are there just for fillers. They have achieved a balance between the supernatural fantasy aspect and the things (and tropes) that BL fans love - plus i loved that Domundi has greatly lessened the clickbait sex scenes (hold your horses, there are still some to those looking for it).
I hope Korean BL production companies have watched this series and realize why 15minute 8-episode series just isnt enough .
And while the show is beautifully executed, it is not without faults. However, i loved loved loved that Domundi is clearly investing a lot in improving their contents. I just hope they can keep their next shows in this level (but truth be told im already underwhelmed with the curently airing Me and Who). Other companies (ahemmm GMMTV) should watch out because if they keep spewing the same old sh*ts all the time, clearly Domundi is ready to take their crown.
Will i recommend? Hell yes, the cast alone is enough to watch it. Will i rewatch? After watching almost all episodes twice i think i will give it a rest for now. Overall its a 9.5!
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Someone made this at gunpoint.
Putting production aside, which you have to if you're determined to watch this, I have to begin with the cast. All but the two leads are unmemorable and oft squealing. Folk as Bar is adequate and a committed actor. I think under better circumstances, his Bar could have been quite charming.I didn't expect when I looked up Win (Gun) that he might be any older than eighteen. This, possibly because of his struggle to fill Gun's bold shoes. There's nothing wrong with a romantic lead whose soft or less-than-stunning as long as they're written that way. There's no equivocating, Gun was written for someone charming, muscular, and worthy of fawning. Win's Gun (I'm sorry Win) is none of these things and we're meant to believe it because the other characters say so.
The plot of this show is negligible. Undoubtedly the short run of this show is in part to blame for the jumbled mess of the plot. There were seeds of events, such as competing love interests and a half-assed faculty competition, that suggested to me a once-complete story. The micro inclusion of these elements was more confusing and unmoving than it might have been had they cut them entirely or chosen to focus on decidedly less and written them to their full potential.
In all honesty, I sped through the last episode as I had had enough by the start of the third. I was never able to latch onto any characters and the conclusion of their relationship was unconvincing.
If all you ask for in a show is a happy ending, go for it I guess.
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Shining characters trapped in a drab plot line
Standout characters immediately grab your attention, and Do You Like Brahms? starts with one of the strongest first 4 episodes of 2020 premieres, second only to Flower of Evil. The two main leads, a burned out superstar and a struggling artist, seem cliché, but their foil is fully explored and surprisingly relatable. However, little substance is built on the foundation of their relationship. You better understand and relate with each character, with each episode, but the evolution of their relationship stagnates. Either DYLB? should have been told in fewer episodes or bigger dramatics were needed to stimulate a more engaging reaction.Story:
The contrast between the quality of characters vs plot is stark by the ending of Do You Like Brahms? From leads to supports, the characters have an incredible amount of depth. Even the motivations of the antagonists are mired in complexity. As a character drama, DYLB? excels by making the unique lives and challenges of musicians relatable to casual drama viewers.
As a thrilling romance or gripping melodrama, it falls short. The love triangle(s) that is crux to the plot of DYLB? is presented in the first couple episodes, and its potential outcome feels inevitable (i.e. miscommunication, confusion, heartbreak). The lack of suspense transforms into frustration as the middle segment of DYLB? trundles toward the finale following a subdued climax.
I want to include one last comment about time skips and flashbacks. They were not always crystal clear, but I appreciate that the director did not baby the audience with title cards like “1 year ago”, “1 month later”, etc. Overall, the plot is the main weakness in an otherwise well directed drama.
Acting:
The combination of character design and cast brings to life the fictional characters on screen. Park Eun Bin adds another excellent role after her underappreciated performance in Hot Stove League. Kim Min Jae has a long list of great roles for such a young actor, almost comparable to Yeo Jin Goo. Their interpretations of their characters just make sense. They act and behave like genuine human beings instead of characters.
The rest of the cast is equally decorated, but I will specifically praise Choi Dae Hoon and Baek Ji Won for creating characters that knew all the right buttons to push for maximum irritation. The way they frustrate the viewers and the main leads is the definition of entertainment, in stark contrast to my frustration with the flat plot.
Music:
More so than the characters and cast, the music within Do You Like Brahms? rises above First, the use of classical music is slightly cheesy and often used as a plot device, but it is refreshing to hear a different sound from the standard drama ballads. Second, the OST of DYLB? is anything but “standard”. The same musical producer from Hotel Del Luna worked on this drama, and the quality of the OST is unparalleled in 2020. It is hit after hit sung by some of the biggest names in Korean music, from Taeyeon to Heize. It is good enough to listen without even watching DYLB?
Rewatch Value:
The lack of dynamic plot and explosive confrontations make it hard to justify a rewatch. This weakness even bleeds into the strong character designs. The main female lead starts off as a relatable, struggling young adult, but she seems too perfect as the story drags on. Being untalented or soft-spoken is far from a real character flaw, and her immaculate actions wear her initial relatability thin. I may be overly critical since I started DYLB? with high hopes. Unfortunately, it falls short of the best drama of 2020 which currently belongs to Crash Landing on You (depends if you consider it a 2019 or 2020 drama) or Flower of Evil.
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It's a revenge story and while watching I really felt the angst of the characters and it was quite clear why they were holding on to their feelings and what motivation there was for their actions. This also showed how in life there is never a simple love or hate and how the human character is so complex you can never predict how a person is goinig to act on what he is presented with.
The acting was point on without anyone overacting. Everyone was so natural in portraying their characters. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters and getting involved in their lives.
The music was very good and was fit for the different scenarios.
I am not sure whether I will be able to re-watch this at once because it was quite a tear jerker. However I know that in the future it is one I would not hesitate to watch again.
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Unlike most j-doramas, this drama concentrate with in depth with one character only, and most other characters are seen from his point of view. The story starts with our protagonist's first day at the university. He thinks he's destined for greatness, and everyone else is beneath his capabilities. Little did he know of the hardship and competition he'd need to face to reach anything close to greatness. As much as comedy is at the forefront of everything that is dealt with, it is undeniably a coming of age piece through and through. University time is a tricky time. It's a time where they need to leave their childhood behind and actually take hold of their future to accomplish their goals and fulfill their dreams, but the road is not only bumpy, but also not clear at all. It gets more obscure when you haven't set a specific goal and only dream of the reward. I think most of us go through this phase at one point in our life, but this dorama gives us an exposition of it in an extreme sense through the eyes of Moyuru Honoo.
I have to say, I cannot imagine what this show would've turned out with the hands of a lesser actor than Yugira Yuuya. He acted it out, with every inch of his body and soul. With all the things his character goes through, with all its craziness and patheticness, he still manages to be cute and makes an adorable grumpy face. I can't think of him as anything short of a genius. It isn't surprising that he's Canne's youngest prize winner back in 2004. That guy is to watch out for! Another role that stood out mostly thanks to its portrayal by the actor is Yasuda Ken's Hideaki Anno. He was flawless as the genius workaholic geek with no sense of awareness of what is going on around him. Anno is everything Honoo fails to become, for better or for worse. Another honorary mention is Muro Tsuyushi as Hiroyuki Yamaga, with his - my meal ticket- face he does. All the other characters were pretty normal people, and we don't really go in depth with their personality, but the cast still does a good job in portraying them.
The music perfectly sets the tone of the era, and adds more hilarity to the situation. The direction here had an image and knew exactly what to aim for.
This drama is a must watch for anyone who loves japanese comedies, specially over the top ones, also for anime fan. People not familiar with that type of don't like the over the top slap stick comedy may have trouble accepting it, but if you give it a chance, I'm pretty sure you'll find a gem here.
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A Kiddie Wuxia
To start and continue watching this drama, viewers need to remain patient. Many of the actions of the main characters are childish but by the middle of the drama, they become more responsible and mature. Nonetheless, the overall writing still comes across as immature and at times, nonsensical. By the end of the drama, I breathed a sigh of relief as I congratulate myself for enduring and completing it eventually.This drama started shooting with the pandemic hitting shortly after. It stopped shooting until the authority lifted the lockdown. I was really surprised that it managed to finish shooting and cutting, and released within the same year before the end of 2020, all done in a matter of a short few months.
Fierce fighting erupts among viewers on almost every discussion board. Wang Yi Bo’s fans are angry at Zhao Li Ying for playing the female lead as she is a lot older than him, and fans claim they don’t feel any chemistry between the pair. They also attack any viewers who criticize their idol. Zhao Li Ying’s fans come to her defense and attack Wang Yi Bo’s fans. Impartial viewers are also viciously attacked for their honest opinions which can be merciless towards the two main leads and the overall production, and are labeled as haters.
Accordingly, the drama is adapted from a very popular novel, You Fei, which literally means Bandits. However, for the drama, the word “Fei” (bandits) is changed to the word “Fei” (jade) as in the name of the female lead character Zhou “Fei” which means jade. From here, we can see the original story emphasizes on the “bandits” as the 48 Camps imply, but the adaptation has shifted the focus to Zhou Fei (Zhao Li Ying). Many readers claim the original work has been butchered. This is also confirmed by Zhao Li Ying herself when shooting started. According to readers, large sections of the original story were deleted and replaced with badly conceived plots and writings, rendering the whole story fragmented and ruined.
Zhao Li Ying is convincing with her styling as a very young girl who is strong and rebellious. Her makeup may look a bit cakey closeup, but she looks fine from afar. She looks tired and listless though. Wang Yi Bo is perhaps a bit out of his comfort zone but his character as a cocky and flamboyant Xie Yun is adorable and Wang Yi Bo’s acting is passable.
What I Like:
• I like the wuxia elements here – justice and righteousness.
• I like the storyline – the kids mature, each learning their respective skills and take on more responsibilities and become the leaders for their sect. There’s a lurking conspiracy, a treasure hunt, and the fighting for time to save a life.
• I like the OSTs especially the tune played by Xie Yun on the recorder.
• I like the characters of the two main leads, Zhou Fei and Xie Yun, both strong and composed, though the Xie Yun character is also playful and cocky.
What I Don’t Like:
• Horrendous screen writing.
• Camerawork is everywhere and haphazard.
• Special effects are embarrassing.
• Immature script writing. YouTubers can write and shoot better.
• The dialogues can be funny but out of place most of the times.
• Dubbing is off at times, especially with the Xie Yun character as if he’s inhaled nitrogen gas.
• The characters are inconsistent. At times, they show leadership, at times they’re simply dumb. The kids lack the sense of priority and urgency. Everything sounds like fun to them even when they’re under hot pursuit by their enemies.
• The martial arts fighting scenes are inconsistent. Sometimes, they are passable. Sometimes, my cats fight better.
My Verdict
Do not hold high expectations for this drama just because it stars Zhao Li Ying and Wang Yi Bo. Overall, I don't hate this drama, but I don't particularly love it either. And yes, there are kissing scenes – one just for a fleeting moment, the other from afar, and quickly blurred. The chemistry for the main couple is not 100% but also not totally zero. This drama is basically like a rom-com in kiddie wuxia style. Watch it if there’s nothing better to watch.
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Watch It for the Supporting Couple
I don't know why Xanxia dramas always need a second couple to take the attention away from main leads, but I guess it's necessary to make a longer drama. I was really disappointed with this drama, first off, because there is just no chemistry between the main leads. Dylan is such a bad actor in this. He just does not look like he was enjoying himself. The one scene where he actually looked alive was with young Liuyang in the Kunlun mountain arc. Zhu XuDan is a wonderful actress and I have loved her since TMOPB, which was a great part for her as she is capable of quite a range of characters. Although, I am glad that she gets a lead here, it just wasn't as well written a part for her. I don't particularly care for Mary Sue's or grown women acting like 4 year olds and, with the exception of the lady general arc, I was mostly disappointed.This brings us to the secondary/supporting couple who are different as night and day to our main leads. Once again we have the serious guy opposite the flighty female. But, in contrast, they were better actors. Xue Qian Xun, brilliantly played by newcomer Deng Wei, may have been a cold fish, but he was ALIVE. The lights were definitely on in that pretty head of his and when QingQing was angry at him or sad about something, he was genuinely mortified. I loved watching their banter, the stolen glances, the loving looks. This was missing between our main leads, and that was the biggest shame. Because of this, they single-handedly stole the show from Dylan and XuDan. I looked forward to the episode that would finally reveal their story.
Some of the plot lines were annoyingly predictable. I felt like I was watching rehashes from previously better-written dramas. That kind of laziness is inexcusable.
The OST was the best part of this whole production. I could listen to it all day. It was perfect for the situations and gave scenes their appropriate weight. Background music was gorgeous, as was cinematography and costumes.
The ending was sad and disappointing. After all the reincarnations and tribulations I hoped for better for the main couple. If anyone can recommend better Xianxia dramas, please leave a post in the comments.
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The twist in the story isn't too hard to figure out, but the story is more than enjoyable regardless. You'll laugh, you'll cry, but you'll be sure to enjoy every second of it.
I was immediately drawn into the story and characters, already rooting for Haruo within the first few minutes of the story. I actually cried pretty hard at the end, too, which makes this the first drama I have ever cried over. (though in my case, that's only because it really hit home with me)
I really wish I had a better way to word just how beautiful this drama is, but I hope you'll take my word for it and give it a try. It will forever leave a bittersweet impression in your mind and is without a doubt one of the best dramas out there.
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