Cha Seung Won and Gong Hyo Jin's chemistry was palpable. I loved the hilariously charming arrogance of Dokko Jin, and that Gu Ae Jung was a secure female lead. I felt my heart flutter, and break with them throughout. I guess there is nothing really new about their relationship scenario, but it still felt fresh, and was exciting to watch.
I also have to say that Yoon Kye Sang, was one of my favorite second leads ever. He was so great as Yoon Pil Joo (aka "Mr. Perfect"), that I felt myself starting to root for him [team pil-line!]. My only complaint is that Dr. Perfect started to seem a little too repetitive towards the end. It seemed like the hong sisters just didn't know what to do with him after a while.
Speaking of the Hong Sisters, I think they did a great job making this drama fun. The music played a large role in setting the mood, and the cast was great, but it's the script that played the biggest role in what worked (and what didn't). Even though I knew how things would generally turn out, there were many rewatchable moments, moments that made me swoon, moments that caught me off guard, moments that brought unexpected tears, and moments that made me laugh out loud.
I also have to mention little "Ding Dong" who was so cute. The bromance between him & Dokko Jin were some of my favorite moments.
I'll admit I didn't have much interest in the girl group backstory, though I do think It was funny watching them mask the fact that Gong Hyo Jin is not the greatest singer. The fact that such small things could cause such huge scandals for Hallyu stars felt exaggerated to me, so It was hard for me to get too invested in that part of the drama. I think that has a lot to do with my cultural differences than anything at fault with the drama itself. It still swayed my overall opinion of this drama, and made me lean more towards 8 than 9.
Although it sometimes reminded me of other dramas (and not just because of the shiny tracksuits), I think "The Greatest Love" still holds it's own. I can easily see why it is high on so many people's favorites list, and I certainly never expected to love "The Greatest Love" as much as I did. Add me to the bunch of people who highly recommend this Rom-Com. If the romance in this one doesn't get to you at all, you might want to check to see if you still have a pulse.
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I’ve watched so many romance dramas, and I will not lie when I say that they made me have some tad bit of hope in love. But this show hit me differently. I don’t exactly know why, but I think it is because it’s realistic and based off the author’s life experience that I’m compelled to see such beauty in it, that if such a love story exists, then there’s some hope in this world. This show didn’t only change my perspective on what romance is, but also made me appreciate the relationships with my family and friends. Without them, I think life would be much harder than it already is.
I want to bring the attention to our main couple’s relationship. Some may think it’s long and draggy and that the push and pull between the leads is frustrating, but I personally felt that it was the angst and the long period of not being able to be together that made the relationship so strong in the end. I would have have long condemned this if it were real life, I would have sniggered at someone’s inability to let go of the one they like and I would have laughed, because I would have believed it was mere foolery. Truthfully, there were only three reasons why I started on the show. One is because I am a sucker for push and pull relationships - for the right reasons, not the toxic ones. The second is because of the OST ‘我只喜欢你 (I Only Like You)’ by Hu Xia - I have been listening to it non-stop for months and even sang it at every single karaoke session I’ve gone for. The third is because I thought Zhang Yujian (Yan Mo) was cute.
But so many reasons - I don’t know where to start - made me finish the show in 3 short days. I particularly really loved our female lead Qiaoyi’s character. In her, I saw youth and naivety, but I also saw strength in forgiving and letting go. She is different from her brother Guanchao. He is a big flirt who is filled with the confidence that Qiaoyi lacks, but he also struggles with holding grudges from a traumatised childhood. While he is what she isn’t, she is also what he isn’t. Both brother and sister seek to bring out the best in each other, by being their strength in hard times. And this is something that truly touches me.
Yan Mo, our male lead, is cold, aloof, and doesn’t get along with anyone. He is independent, and has great confidence in his abilities and is strict in discipline. What I particularly liked seeing is that while Qiaoyi is the complete opposite of Yan Mo, she doesn’t exactly change his personality. Yes, he begins to become affectionate towards her, and cares for her all the time, but she doesn’t take away the traits of him that makes Yan Mo who he is. He still primarily remains strict and aloof, and I think that is what makes him charming. Qiaoyi doesn’t change Yan Mo, but she brings out the warmth in him, and becomes a beacon of support in crucial times. I hope I made sense here.
Family. Something that we have, but all too often we neglect and fail to appreciate. Qiaoyi and Guanchao’s mother and step-father are perhaps the cutest pair of parents I have ever seen. I especially loved the relationship that they had with their step-father. He is the most loving and supportive father that the twins can ever have, and he brings so much happiness to their mother. I think in that household, he is the shining light - so precious, so bright and so amazing. One of my favourite scenes was when their step-father told their mother that he wants to be the one to walk Qiaoyi down the aisle on her wedding day. Truly, it brought tears to my cold rotten self. Love that guy.
Okay I’m gonna stop here. I’m so overwhelmed writing this review. I feel like crying. Dammit just watch it. You will not regret it, I promise you.
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Best Healing show ever made
This is the best thing you will see in 2023. Its so comforting and healing and beautiful and soft that you will not want it to end. Its slow.. but not slow where you want to skip to other parts or you find it boring. No its slow in a very pleasing manner. When the characters find comfort and peace you will find it too. It honest about human emotions. The Characters are flawed and human and you love them.The love that builds up between the two is so pure and beautiful and the way they both want to sacrifice every single peace in their life to just give a little comfort to the other is sooo soothing and so pure. They will forever be my favourite.
If you have not started watching it because of any reason, stop thinking and start it. Just start and you will never want to stop watching
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besides the story, i believe the true treasure of this drama is the actors' ability to make their characters shine. this is the first drama i've seen of gakky and i don't think she was a "turn-off" at all.. she may lack superior talent, but she also isn't a horrible actress that brings everything down. okada masaki is one of my favorite actors so it may be that i carry a biased opinion of him, but he really did a great job in this one. i really felt that he let himself be "free".. his expressions were always on point and he knows how to create a mood. he can make you laugh, but he can also warm your heart.
the music was great. i'm not one that normally pays much attention to it, but it was nice and fit the drama well.
i'm also not one to rewatch dramas, but i think i would watch this again if i ever got the time.
overall, this is a good drama to watch when you need something light. i don't think it's a complete must, but i think it's a drama that will definitely make you feel something for awhile.
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"Always find myself looking back at memories"
Before I begin I just want to say I first watched this drama a year ago and the story has stayed in my heart and will remain in my heart. This drama is my favourite of all time. There are no flying leaps and swishy capes. Nor is there any magic and cheesy romance. This story is heartbreaking and I still constantly think about it.Story:
One word sum up: Mesmerizing
Explanation: For anyone that doesn't know, this drama is based on real history so those complaining about the ending are arguing with history lol. This is definitely a sad story with a sad ending. It's basically is 84 episodes of heartbreak, betrayal, and angst. It shows us a relationship once filled with love and passion crumble apart. It was a relief from happy ending dramas but it is also a drama that can not be compared with others and destroys you inside & out. It was an honest and painful look at love. A thing I loved about this show is that they showed multiple different types of love: sisterly love, motherly love, unrequited love, and of course romantic love. I do not recommend this drama to anyone with a weak heart. Its a harem drama and one based on real events so if you cant take harem you won't be able to take Ruyi. I've seen a lot of reviews saying they stopped when Ruyi became empress because they couldn't bare to see her in any more pain which is understandable but something I never could do. You feel every emotion this show conveys.
Cast:
One word sum up: Perfect
Explanation: I wouldn't change one cast member. They all played their parts perfectly. Zhou Xun and Wallace Huo did such an amazing job. Watching you could really believe they were the people they were betraying. Zhou Xun showed how strong Ruyis character is. She always showed the perfect emotional reaction for Ruyi with each situation that came up. Even her just gazing out of a window makes your heart cry. Wallace Huo made me hate him with a passion because of this drama even now watching dramas with him in it I think back to the person he was betraying in this drama. You feel every emotion they betray.
Music:
One word sum up: Beautiful
Explanation: The main songs and the wordless musical ones were all spectacular. Lei Jia did an amazing job with the main ost. Every time I hear it the show's images flash in my mind. And of course, Mao BuYi & Zhou Shen did a fantastic job as with every drama ost they do.
Negatives:
Like I said do not watch this if you can't do harem drama or expect a fluffy sweet romance. This is a soul-crushing story. You would think with 84 episodes there would be a lot of filler but honestly, there wasn't except on the last few episodes but that was because of the wild situation at the end. There is a lot of drama and when I mean a lot I mean a lot. Lots of murders and torture. Everyone dies.
Positives:
They really put a lot of effort into this show and it comes through. From the food, clothing and decorations as the seasons change to the speaking manner and positions and placements of the cast in a scene. I could take 10 random screen recordings of this show and I would have an official-looking background for an ost song cover. They put so much detail into this show. The hairpins, hairstyles, and clothing all change helping understand the changing of times as this show goes on. They beautifully showed time passing and I have yet to find a drama that matches up to it.
Final words:
This drama is engraved in my mind like some of my most important memories I would rewatch right now but I'm mentally getting ready for it as it is very depressing but such a masterpiece. If you decide to start your Ruyi journey I wish you luck and hope you appreciate and love this drama as much as I do.
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A fun show (if u look past technicalities)
Their ideas and schemes were fun to watch even though its not practical. Park Min Young as yu yirang was so fun , she was such a diva. I liked her backstory and overall connection to the main revenge plot. I feel like this could have been done without the other two of the trio since they aren't that important. The cameos were a nice addition too. They are definitely going to have a s2 and I know where that is going to go.Was this review helpful to you?
1
2A fun romance wrapped in a transmigration costume drama shell
Gemini is the gift that keeps on giving. I went in with typically low expectations for quality and high expectations for entertainment, as is my typical approach to costume mini-dramas. Gemini delivered on both fronts!— The romance —
I’m all kinds of happy with the development of the main couple, which hits many of my favorite tropes, including role reversal with a self-possessed, powerful, stabby heroine and a down-bad ML. It was a little too fast-burn for my tastes, because I typically tend to lose interest after the leads get together, but not here.
— Zhou Jun Wei as our hero —
What can I say? Zhou Jun Wei delivered. His expressions, his presence, his little side-smirks… ahhhh I just love him. He absolutely killed it. It’s a crime that he hasn’t been the lead in more dramas, especially full-length dramas.
His character is a classic Wuxia hero in many ways. Badass, devoted, determined, a beast in battle. When with the people he loves, he becomes playful, earnest, and genuinely funny in some moments.
The ML’s inability to feel physical pain, due to some MacGuffin he swallowed in his childhood, makes him into a fascinating character. First off, because it turns him into something like a rabid dog in battle, willing to take hit after hit and keep moving. The villain character comments at one point that, when his sect leader (the FL) is not there to keep him in check, he is little more than a madman. Second, his lack of physical pain makes him feel emotional pain all the more acutely. Consistently, he is a man driven by grief and love, making everything else in his life secondary.
Could the writers have dug deeper into the juiciest parts of his character? Absolutely. Though this is a mini-drama, there was enough space to explore, and they didn’t always capitalize on the time they had to do proper character growth.
— Zhu Li Lan as our heroine —
It was my first time seeing her in a drama. The first few episodes, I had trouble focusing on what her character was up to because, um, she is SO beautiful. I was too busy staring at her face 🤣
She begins as the clueless wife of a villainous prince and, in a sequence of transmigration loosely reminiscent of A Familiar Stranger, becomes a duplicitous and violent woman bent on revenge. ZLL plays both roles well but I very much preferred her in the “villainess” role.
— The plot —
The plot relies on well-worn tropes such as body-switching and revenge, but not so heavily that things get boring. Crucially, when things seemed to slow down, the writers threw in a wonderful twist regarding the villain which brought me right back to full investment in the story.
— Overall —
A gem. No filler, beautiful actors, fun twisty plot, doesn’t take itself seriously except when it counts.
— TROPES —
- ML falls first (a “loved you all along” kind of arrangement)
- badass anti-heroine
- master/disciple
- childhood friends to lovers
- reincarnation, body switching, revenge plot
- medium burn (?) with several instances of spice throughout
- arranged marriage, royal family politics
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I don't usually watch Chinese rom-coms but this one slipped away when I was watching too many romantic comedies.
2) Storyline/Plot:
The general story isn't something special or new but the way everything was mixed together made the film's story interesting somehow.
Positive points:
*The film's introduction was a good intro for what will happen next.
*There were two well-written twits that you don't usually find in romantic comedies stories: that was a nice change.
*Leads mixture was really cool even though it wasn't that intense.
*Finally and most importantly, there were several hilarious moments to make the film lighter.
Negative points:
*Although there were a respectable amount of negative points but I will only mention that the revenge plot wasn't that great, it would have been much better if it was written otherwise.
Story: 7.5/10
3) Acting/Cast:
*Zhang Ziyi: It was a surprise to see her in a rom-com film since I only saw her in Wuxia productions before. I was convinced by her acting but I can't say the same about her character.
*Other actors were good too, they knew how to make it really enjoyablespecially Fan Bing Bing she grasped the evil role perfectly but So Ji Sub was a disappointement here (mainly because I rarely like Korean actors in Chinese or Taiwanese productions).
*The chemistry was believable but not that enjoyable.
Cast: 7/10
Acting: 7.5/10
4) The ending:
Although it could have been much better but script writers chose to make it expected. It wasn't bad overall.
The ending: 7/10.
5) My impression (How did affect me):
*Although it wasn't a special film, it was entertaining and I had fun while watching it.
*Considering the fact that I don't watch Chinese romantic comedies, this was pretty good.
My impression 7/10.
6) Overall:
*If you like romantic comedies then you would like this.
*Ifyou like revenge plots then don't expect much from this.
Overall: 7/10.
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The best thing to happen in a BL industry
If I could, I would give this show 10000 stars, but MDL only allows me to give it 10. It's worth much more. Beyond more, and nothing would be enough.I have to say, I started watching this show from the first episode just for fun, not expecting much. I expected a cute, enemies to lovers storyline, something to kill time. Instead, I got more - so, so much more. Maybe I'm still a little bit too overwhelmed to put all my feelings into words, and that is because this show is it for me. It does everything right, from head to toe. And just when you think it's going to fall under your typical BL tropes; it doesn't. Instead, it fights them, even subtly makes fun of them at some point, and it's just so, so wonderful to watch, from start to finish.
First off, the plot.
It might seem very basic at first. It might seem like you know exactly where it's going to go and where it's going to take you. But the thing with Bad Buddy is, it took a basic plot, and turned it upside down. The basic enemies to lovers trope suddenly became so much more, and oh, look! They aren't really enemies, they aren't really friends either. But they are something . Then we have their parents who absolutely despise each other. And again, we think we know the story here, thinking it's something cliché. We hate on Pran's mother, thinking she's just a crazy hysterical woman, when, in fact, there's so, so much more depth to that whole plot and her hatred towards Pat's father, it leaves you astonished. Now? I want to give that woman the world.
Second off, the characters. Because I can't write anything else without mentioning the superiority of the characters.
Pat and Pran. What a perfect, absolutely stunning match. You can say whatever you want, but those two are just a perfect couple, played by superb actors with the chemistry that's out of this world. These two... they have drama happening around them. So, so much drama, never having a moment of calmness. But them? No, they are complete opposite. They are a steady, sure thing, not letting the drama around them affect their relationship at all. If everything around them is chaos and drama, they are a calm breeze keeping everything at bay. Sure, there are times where they get shaken up a bit and their relationship goes through small trials, but they resolve it quickly, with COMMUNICATION, and understanding and care for one another.
But you know what they refuse to let it affect their relationship? It's the biggest trial - their parents, and everyone around them who don't want them to be together. Breaking up looks like a typical, logical thing to do, to make things easier for everyone. But do they do that though? No, they don't. Instead, they find a way to still be together, to ease up their parents to the idea, even when things didn't look so bright. This is exactly why I never doubted them and didn't for a second thing that they broke up. That preview was a bust and it was obvious. It wouldn't be Pat and Pran if that happened.
Another wonderful fact about them is, they've been officially together from episode 7 till the end of the series, which is RARE. It's so rare to see a BL do that, and I am SO over the moon they did because it's the least they deserve. OhmNanon delivered their characters perfectly and I honestly cannot see anyone else doing it better than them. It's so refreshing to see how genuine they are and how it looks as if they seriously enjoy acting together and have a blast. It shows, it truly shows throughout the whole series.
Ink and Pa. What can I even say? I just want to thank the director for bringing such a nice, healthy, adorable GL relationship to a BL drama. It was such a nice surprise, I was doubting they were truly going to go with it till the very end, but I'm so glad they did. They also serve as a nice contrast to Pran and Pat, in a way where it's obvious that homophobia really isn't the main conflict as to why their parents don't want them together. It shows how their relationship could've been, if they weren't from the rivaled families. Even the dinner scene in the last episode, it's something Pran has imagined happening. Pat and Pran can't have that yet, while Ink and Pa can.
Hopefully, in the future, Pat's parents will call Pran their second son as well.
Korn and Wai. Listen. I am so glad, SO GLAD, we didn't get a typical "Oh, they are together as well!" Instead, they made them become good friends and colleagues, burying their old rivalry and deciding to do something together. It's nice. Even though I still didn't and don't forgive Wai for the way he outed Pat and Pran. That was a shitty and pathetic move and I'm glad he's become a better person since then, and I hope somewhere, behind the scenes, Pat and Pran got their much needed apology. However, he still didn't apologise in front of us, viewers, so I cannot really condone his actions. That being said, the complexity of his character plays a really important role in a better part of the series and I guess it's a good message. Each one of us makes some bad decisions, each on of us has prejudices that sometimes take over us. Not everyone is a good person. But everyone can change to a better, and do better. And I guess Wai kind of did that. Korn, though, Korn is a legend. Enough said.
Such tridimensional, well-written characters is what makes this BL what it is. If it weren't for that, it wouldn't be half as good. Characters make this story not basic, it makes it for what it is. God bless all of the characters, honestly.
Third off, music.
Goddammit, if I could sell my soul for Nanon's voice, I would. Bad Buddy incorporated music so, so well within the story, there is not one moment where it's awkward. I have three of my favourite scenes which are related to music. First is the one where Pat plays the xylophone, the second one is Pran singing Our Song in ep 11. Third one is in the last episode, where Pat and Pran are playing around, playing their songs, and their parents hearing them, and finally showing some kind of acceptance. Everything around them is related to music. Music plays such a huge part in their relationship. Music is what broke them, but it is also what mended them together. Even though Pran's mum took him away when he was playing music with Pat, years later she smiles and lets them have their music. Together.
There is so much more I could write about this wonderful series. I could talk about it for days and why I think it's as impactful and downright amazing as it is. I would strongly recommend everyone to watch it, although it did ruin other BLs for me and raised my standards even higher, but we're going to ignore that.
Thank you, Bad Buddy. Thank you, PatPran for making my fridays better. It was a wonderful journey.
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I don't think I disliked anything about this movie. It made me realise certain things, that you don't get anywhere if you don't try your hardest. I've always been someone who doesn't try their best, and I've always done the minimum possible when it comes to studying, that's why whilst watching this I could picture myself in a similar situation.
The story is in itself like a lesson everyone should learn, and I thoroughly enjoyed every single minute of this movie. I don't know how much I can say without spoiling anything. Basically if you think this movie is all about laughs and a straight road to success, you've got it so wrong. It's so much more than that on many levels, it shows you the life of a student which never tried at school. It shows you the hardships of studying, hardships of life itself. Everything from the brothers story to the family problems was what made the story even more worth watching. Don't expect to watch this without shedding a tear or two, because I did, and I never cry with movies to be honest. It might have been because I'm probably too emotional at the moment since I'm going through a hard patch myself.
The acting was on point. I literally felt everything from all characters, I felt like I was being sucked into their world and right on the spot, all the tears whether of sadness or joy were there. I related to some at times with hard choices to make concerning friendships and school.
If I were to summarise this into three words I would probably just say: Watch this movie
You won't regret it, you'll probably think about it for a while after its finished, you might find some motivation in it to do something you've always wanted to do because that's what this movie has done to me, taught me to never give up.
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A story of love and pain
The second season was as good as the first one. Kim Go Eun as Kim Yu Mi did a fantastic job of portraying the real-life struggles of a woman trying to find her happy ending. The time jumps made the story feel more realistic as nothing was too rushed. Jinyoung and Ahn Bo Hyun portrayed their roles very well. Do not expect any twists and turns but you will still be entertained.In the end, we also got a happy ending that was not as predictable for those who did not read the webtoon. I am really happy that Yu Mi did not get back together with either Ba Bi or Woong. It truly felt as if she got her own happy ending. The final episode wrapped the series nicely.
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The acting: It's beyond the perfection, i was so inmersed in the movie, they were perfect in their roles, all the cast was amazing, I hated the parents and it was a movie that I'll never forget (because it was perfect)
The music was fine, nothing that I'll remember forever
Rewatch value: I have seen this movie 3 times and I'm not a person who likes to rewatch dramas or movies.
Overall: if you have a good cast, little bizarre things that are typical in japanese movies, two leads with a dysfunctional family then JACKPOT! If you're looking for a good movie you must see it, you're not to wast your time
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First of all, while the series mainly revolves around comedy, it's also very heavy on drama. Most series have a hard time juggling between both aspects, but Take My Brother Away does so almost flawlessly. It's amazing how they managed to handle both genres in such a fluid manner.
Acting is easily the best thing this series has to offer after the main plot. Both the main leads do a great job. Joseph Zheng as Shi Fen is particularly outstanding. Sun Qian also does a good job as Shi Miao. Secondary actors are not too far behind. All of them do a great work portraying their respective characters and imbuing some depth to them.
What I like the most about this drama is the heavy focus on sibling / family relationships instead of romance. Both Joseph Zheng and Sun Qian successfully manage to portray a brother-sister relationship that feels natural (and definitely non-romantic. God bless). That's very hard to achieve. Similarly, Hu Yong Tao (Wan Sui) and Ma Bai Quan (Wan Xing) offer a different and more fantastical, yet still valid, sibling relationship. Compared to Shi Feb and Shi Miao's more down to earth relationship, the interactions between the Wan brothers are a breath of fresh air.
Of course, Take My Brother Away isn't without some problems. The most critical is the odd episode structure. Most episodes are very unfocused and mix various plots in weird ways. Some sub plots serve little to no purpose to the main one. Some episodes have 2 consecutive main plots that have no relation to each other. It feels weird sometimes.
Would I recommend this series? Yeah, definitely. It's sort of a hidden gem amongst Netflix's catalogue of Asian dramas. I haven't heard much discussion about it. Go ahead and watch it. You won't regret it.
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The OST was really the main reason I started this drama. I felt that if the drama had such a strong ost with songs like "Reset" and others by Baechigi and Younha, it was just not possible that the drama could be anything but (very) good.
Acting-wise there is nothing to complain about, especially with Kim So Hyun and Jo Soo Hyang nailing it. Nam Joo Hyuk's acting was maybe a bit stiff but nothing alarming and it's pretty promising knowing that's it's only the second drama he has played in.
The story was well-thought and pretty different from your usual teen dramas. Even if there were some (small) plotholes here and there and the two last episodes were somehow rushed, in the end the plotline was coherent, consistant and very enjoyable, which can be hard especially when you know that the issue about bullying was paramount in the drama. Nothing feels better than when everything nicely unfolds like it's the case here, so I feel pretty grateful to Who Are You School 2015 to have been worth my time from the beginning to the end.
Overall, this drama that I didn't feel interested in watching has revealed itself to be a little gem story/ost/acting/characters-wise. I promise it's worth your time..just don't let the ship wars ruin the drama for you.
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Out with the Ancient & In with the Modern
Finally this elf on a 2 year shelf saw the light of day. I watched this primarily because of LYN and his character as this was again a different role and character for him plus I believe this was his first real foray into martial arts characters. I also knew QJJ from a previous series and a few of the supporting characters. Ironically though they never had a scene together here LYN plays sworn brothers with ZME in Eternal Brotherhood and that was filmed back in 2021, while here the latter was Lucky's Shifu. In any case, I'm glad I watched this as it it was all about out with the ancient and in with the modern.Pros: They didn't skimp on the martial arts here. That was my number one favorite thing in this entire series. Every episode had at least one great fight be it long or short, the quality was fantastic. From camera angles to the fights themselves. Everyone went all out. Considering they used some actual history here (which I only knew through speaking with others), it looked pretty authentic and believable. From costumes to sets everything was very well done, even the accents of the different region's characters was a nice touch. Favorite OSTs were LYN's and his with JF who played HQ (his lady love). LYN has a very wide range in his vocals so to have someone who can not only match him in harmony, Melody, and power, was impressive to say the least. They made the song sound like something from a powerful western genre.
When it came to favorite characters, I liked MSD aka ML or QJJ the best though ZBF played by LYN came in right on his heels. I like how we didn't know exactly when MSD switched sides because he was always so private and secretive about it, even struggling with it a bit. ZBF was morally grey because of his ambition but a protagonist nonetheless. He was willing to give everything up to live a peaceful life at the end, it's a shame they never got a chance. MSD and ZBF though started out on opposite sides, still respected each other and towards the end there was even a bond between them that was obvious. When these two would lock swords, it was a feast for the eyes. I'd rewind a lot of their fights because that's how awesome they were. Other favorite characters were Gege, LL, Lucky, Getai, the monks, some of the members of ZBF's sect that died, even HQ though she started off whining, she never wavered from her support of ZBF even choosing to die with him.
The story was ever winding and moving, you never felt bored or like it was dragging anywhere. They only found the treasure at the end but the entire thing was about it though with other things too. The ever changing alliances between good and bad also kept things interesting. Not to mention the cheesy introduction that was placed as the opening credits in some of the episodes. When good characters perished, they were given a send off of small clips and a song of how they affected us as viewers or what they wish had happened as opposed to what did. Some really left you feeling the way they died was unfair although you knew the body count would be large. Those clips left you teary-eyed. The show overall was good.
Cons: At first I wanted to add WJL to the pros as he was an important part of the trio and finding the treasure, I really didn't like the way they wrote the character at the end. He was the most stubborn of the three but also the most gullible, naive, and ultimately just plain stupid. He never evolved, in fact he got worse. It was like yes he could recite laws and scriptures but he never knew what any of them of them represented or truly meant. He was dumber than a donkey and it caused him to kill people without even thinking. I hated the way he killed ZBF and HQ (who was technically innocent in his charges to begin with); he executed them by gunfire and a battalion of people; ZBF was severely injured and WJL didn't even fight him sword to sword like he did ZBF's juniors but ambushed him; it was an embarrassment. He went back on his promise to MSD and ZBF in regards to the seal. He literally became the very thing he supposedly despised. The writers really did his character dirty. I would have understood if he never understood why the revolution mattered and stuck to his ways but the fact that he never really understood the very things he learned and became the absolute worse of himself, was de-evolution. In the beginning, he seemed funny because he was like a cat with nine lives, but at the end he just became a repetitive monkey and I was very glad he off'd himself.
LAJ who played the spy aka "lady love" of WJL was probably the worst character in terms of over acting and being horribly unconvincing. If it had been anyone but WJL, she would have been dead long before the third to last episode. I think she was miscast, simple as that. You had all of these actors in both good and evil roles that were nailing it and then you had her and it just fell flat.
Felt like the ending was rushed because they really had to step up the body count; so it took off with YHJ the money whore taking his sect mates, & officially betraying ZBF by severely wounding and nearly killing him twice (second time they were saved by MSD and Lucky), followed by the annihilation of the sect and ZBF and HQ's murders at WJL's and army's hands, bald asswipe general's death, then Lucky, LL, the Japanese spies, and finally WJL himself. All in a span of 2 episodes. Way too much, plus they located the treasure and still had time to give all of the good characters their send offs. They could have spaced that out way better.
Would I recommend it? Despite the flaws as each drama has something; I really enjoyed this one very much. If you like a good storyline, with great martial arts, this is the story for you. Enjoy it.
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