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Gritty and epic
This version, out of the numerous adaptations of the same Jin Yong saga, the “Legend of the Condor Heroes”, was the least popular amongst those made in the last 30 years.However, this review was written with the hope that this version will receive more positive attention, as it was certainly deserving of it, being an earnestly and beautifully produced, directed and performed show which did the fantastic saga justice.
Plot:
Story-wise, this was one of the most faithful to the saga in the novels. It was also relatively well-executed. Hence, the plot, story and execution were the strengths of this adaptation. However, it was not without flaws as the show focused on certain parts of the story more than others, resulting in an imbalance (as per the story in the novels). If one was not too nit-picky, that was still one shortcoming which can be overlooked.
Particularly worthy of note was the period while the story was based in Mongolia. There was more emphasis on this phase of Guo Jing’s journey in this version than there were in the others, and the care taken were admirable. If there was an absolute I dare assert with regard to the adaptations, it was that the 2003 version had the best Mongolia-based-phase out of all existing adaptations, no ifs-or-buts about it. It was truly fantastic, even with the inevitable flaws.
Cast/Acting:
There were many criticisms and controversy with regard to the casting, especially for the main leads. However, while everybody had their own preferences for actors/actresses and their interpretations of the characters, personally, I found the acting and interpretations to be solidly competent and robustly interesting. I love the Huang Rong and Guo Jing here. Both the portrayals by Zhou Xun and Li Ya Peng were impressionable and highly memorable. They left their own marks on these classic characters.
The only main issue I had was with Yang Kang and his actor, whom I thought overacted most times. Still, he did well, just not really my cup-of-yes. The rest of the cast also did excellently and left a deep impression. I particularly appreciated the presence and gravitas some of the more veteran actors and actresses brought to the secondary characters, especially the more major characters of the wuxia masters.
Action sequences/CGI:
While there were some annoying overuse of CGI, overall, I thought the usage was appropriate for the scenes they were employed in, and did not unnecessarily overshadow the more traditional kungfu moves during the same action sequences.
Cinematography:
The cinematography here was simply breathtaking, with shooting locations spanning the breadth of China from the north to the south, giving a sense of deep realism to this version that moved me. In tandem with that touch of realism, the framing used also brought out the ethereal aesthetic of a black and white ink painting in many scenes, lending many scenes a sense of immersive beauty.
This version used a palette of muted and darker colours for its scenes, lending a dirtier, grittier and more epic feel to the whole show, which really matched the wuxia genre, I thought. Not only that, it lent a tinge of tragedy and bittersweetness throughout. While the story was a somewhat positive exposition on the journey of a patriot-hero, it was also a story littered with deaths and tragedies, and I applauded the show for not shying away from this sense of sadness through its visual presentation.
Costumes:
The costumes and set pieces utilised here could be considered simple and drab, but were actually custom made for the show based on historical records and the novels, and here too, the effort to be true to its source material and historical background was clearly shown.
Music:
While the tracks used here would have their work cut out for them in topping the nostalgic impact of the TVB adaptations’ theme songs, I never once thought it paled in comparison. The opening theme song, “Heaven and Earth Are in My Heart” was a marvelously epic encapsulation of the whole ‘hero’ journey, and the ending song, “True Love is Beautiful” was a lovely sentimental ballad which could well ensnare your audio senses. The musical score employed throughout the show was also suitably impressive - compositions which were predominantly classical Chinese instrumentals - elevating the impact of many scenes.
Conclusion:
This was the least pretty adaptation so far, with an intensity and realism that made it a more plodding viewing compared to other versions. However, it was the one which I thought captured most concisely the essence of the saga as written in the novels - from story, acting, backdrop, feels, props to cinematography - which was essentially a distillation of the idealisation of Confucian and patriotic values through the epic journey of Guo Jing. Hence, this version resonated deeply with me, and has remained my favourite out of all the ones I have had the pleasure to watch. It was truly a masterpiece worthy of its source material.
Choices:
If dark, gritty and epic is your cup of tea, the 2003 version is highly recommended.
If a slightly revisionist-story, specific/well-known actors/actresses and general prettiness are your preference, the 2008 version might be a good choice.
If bright, pretty, romance-weighted and ‘idol-ish’ are your preferences, the latest 2017 version would be a fine choice. This is quite a marvelous adaptation and relatively a faithful to the source material.
If a good story, wonderful acting, memorable OST, nostalgia and simple curiosity (as to why they were such beloved classics), the early-1980s TVB/HK-versions are a must.
The 1994 remake from TVB would also be a solid choice. Good performances and overall fabulous drama. (This was the series where I first fell in love with the saga and characters, and a well made adaptation which did not veer off much from the source material. Sometimes, first love doesn’t always leave the most lasting impression, and I am glad for that).
The 2024 adaptation had superb Wuxia vibes and was a relatively turbo-charged version of the saga as a whole. While there were some clear issues, it was nevertheless a highly entertaining watch. What made this adaptation special for me, however, is Ci Sha and his portrayal of Guo Jing. The 2024 version has my favourite Guo Jing and JingRong to date, and I am a fan who love all the Guo Jing and Huang Rong (also JingRong) I have ever watched.
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"Bound By Sin" is as sexy as the title itself!!
"The Longing catches me off guard,To the Silent night, I surrender myself."
-OST of "Bound by Sin".
***
This drama had a dark melancholic feeling to it, a unexpected love-story carved inside threats of war. The soldier Fu Cheng is a man who strngly holds onto his principles and morals. Steadfast, devoted and fierce in his duty, the seductive and quite cynical heiress Ying Xian wants to break his will while hiring him as her bodyguard. She wants to see him lose the control he so carefully and stubbornly holds, but alas, they are fated. Instead of the passion she offers, he asks for her commitment in love. He loved her madly, but still refused to be a doormat for her to stomp on. That astounds her but made her respect him even more. They are a remarkable pair, both deadly in their own right and i am glad this drama was brought to my attention.
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The Temperature of Language: Our Nineteen
14 people found this review helpful
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I had seen Ao Rui Peng in 'blood of youth' drama, but the rest of the cast is new to me.
The acting is for the most parts okay. sometimes it's meh but it's not that bad.
The costumes are good.
I have minor complaints on hairstyles though Most of the casts styles looked decent! Some of them didn't really fit in there?! idk how to say it, you'll know when you see them.
I'm not a fan of listening to people's eating and chewing sounds so I couldn't stand FL's eating scenes and that other kid she knew (forgot his name).
The plot and everything is decent enough to me.
This is the first time ever that I'm not annoyed by a love triangle!
They had good chemistry. Be it FLxFu Hong or FLxMurong Chong, I wouldn't be sad. That being said, I prefer the later, Though the sibling pretense makes it awkward to root for it.
Here comes my real issue with this drama: The Ending! it was.... Ah bad? Lazy? idk what to call it.
I do get what they intended to do but this isn't how you do it! I've seen another drama having similar idea but executed very well! So, yes, in the end I am disappointed.
If it wasn't for the ending and the annoying eating sounds, I would've given it 7.5 or 8.
will I rewatch? I don't think so.
Anyways, if you want something to pass time, it's an okay watch.
My advice to those who want to watch this : Do Not watch the last 10 minutes of last episode.
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But this instalment of the INR franchise surprised me with its in-depth deconstruction of romances - what we do and expect from the person we love and how often we are torn between our feelings for two people and the mistakes we make. What a mature way to resolve a triangular love.
Hats off to the makers and I think I prefer this season over the first one.
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Both the main characters are really likeable and the plot is quite simple but I wasn't bored at all watching it. The main character is a high school boy used to being adored by everyone who gets a bit of a reality check when the main girl doesn't agree to go out with him immediately. This is a common plot that I've always found a bit annoying because even if the guy eventually falls for her personality, for the majority of the time he was still a jerk. In this movie however, except for their first encounter, the main guy pursues her because he genuinely likes her and knows it too (it's not for his "hottest-guy-in-school-pride", which shows cause he just throws dignity out the window lol). The male lead is actually very selfless and kind and really good person. This later comes to his disadvantage, actually. Also, watching him become super awkward and more "uncool" as none of his confessions work is really funny and cute.
This is a short super cute show with a really nice ost, pretty cinematography, friendship feels and a really nice little love story. If you want to watch it I suggest watching the really short drama with the same name that acts as a prequel to this. You'll understand the plot better and get to see how much the main guy loves his friends and how he always helps them out as well as seeing his friend's own love stories, which are equally cute.
I totally recommend this if you want to watch something fluffy and sweet and feel-good. A movie with lots of heart. honestly.
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The love stories were cute, but not as good as they were in the first season. The love triangle was weak too. So, there were few twists when it came to the romance part. Plus, the main Hana of the first season was pushed aside and her love story was just a mess.
At least the conclusion was bitter sweet and it feated a drama about teens and their lives.
So, five out of ten.
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Best Modern Drama of 2020!
I normally don't watch modern dramas. Nor have I ever watched esport drama. In the case of Cross Fire, I made an exception: time travel, good CG between games and reality, and two good-looking youngsters as main characters. Who can resist?Let's see how this drama do according to my criteria:
1. "Sleepness Night": 5/5 ★★★★★
I binged watched this drama from the very first episode to the end.
Cross Fire gives you the right kick for sure. It blends the right degree of suspense, drama with humor and romance. It's not only a esport drama but it is all the personal drama that makes this drama irresistible.
Especially, the 2008 timeline is one of the best-written storylines I have ever seen in C-drama land. 2008 is a year when playing the video game is being condemned as child play, a waste of time, worst, an evil addiction. Our ML Xiao Feng and his teammates overcame all kinds of difficulties and fight their way to the top of the first official competition in China. We have the honor to witness this struggle as if it is our own: fight for a dream only you, but no one else believes in. The endeavor is real, mixed with tears, sweat, and blood. No way, you can look away.
2. Emotional Rollercoaster: 5/5 ★★★★★
For me, both the MLs Xiao Feng and Xiao Bei have done a fantastic job in terms of acting. Their acting feels natural and never over the top. I did not know both of them when I started watching the drama; now I cannot wait for future works from these two.
In terms of romance both MLs have their own love lines, plus another one between two supporting characters Su Jia Yi and Wang Kai. All of them are depicted uniquely different, so there is a couple for every kind of taste.
Personally, there is this only one romantic kiss scene in this drama (not going to spoil which couple), is THE BEST kiss scene I have ever seen in a Chinese drama, and I am not kidding!
3. Natural and Intelligent Story Telling: 3/5 ★★★☆☆
On this criterium, I am quite torn. I love the 2008 storyline. The 2019 storyline has certain gaps which could have been improved, but overall still convincing.
However, the biggest gap of all is probably the logicality of time travel. There are two types of time travel: one type at which you can do anything in the past, which does not affect your own present, i.e. your own past remain as well as your memory of your past. The other type is whatever you do in the past could also affect your own present, i.e. your own history is changed at the same time and you lose all memories of the previous past. Cross Fire clearly depicts the second type. But there are countless scenes at which the viewer is confused whether we are at type 1 or type 2; or more like something between. The writer jumps between both types as he pleases to create drama. One notices that it is clearly not the makers' focus to make the story logical from a time travel perspective. In my opinion, this did not affect the drama's overall quality negatively.
4. "Loveable supporting Role": 5/5 ★★★★★
One reason why I rate this drama this high is because of the great characters in this show. Both playing team of 2008 and 2019 bring their unique characters who are portraited by great actors. I would be sitting here until tomorrow if I let loose talking about what I love about each of them. Cheng Hao, Chang Sha, Qi Ling, and An Lan are my favorite supporting characters. Especially, the character growth of Qi Ling and An Lan between 2008 and 2019 is extremely convincing.
Another supporting character I have to talk about is Xu Wei, the anti-hero of the show. I don't think I have ever liked an anti-hero this much as how I like Xu Wei. The story of how Xu Wei slowly developed from Xiao Feng's best friend to the biggest antagonist of this show is probably the best "Hei Hua" (becoming bad) I have ever seen in any C-drama. Finally, there is a writer who managed to convince the audience why someone would turn from good to bad. I have shed so many tears for Xu Wei at the end of the drama because I sympathize with this character.
5. "Proper Pacing": 4/5 ★★★★☆
With 35 episodes, it is not a long drama, and after finishing it, I wished there are more episodes. However, certain scenes, especially in the 2019 plot, felt slow and draggy. Certain drama between team members seemed slightly artificial as they happened out of nowhere. Proportionally, I wish the author spent more time showing the 2008 storyline. There are many scenes in which the viewers are eager to find out what happened next in the 2008 story but suddenly got cut by the inferior 2019 plot. That wasn't very pleasant. But overall, it is still great pacing compared to many C-dramas I have seen.
6. Technicalities: 5/5 ★★★★★
Another great aspect of this drama is the realistic game sequence at which they use the actual actors and models of the gaming world to realize the battle scenes. The (head)shots, using the right amount of CG are both realistic and suspenseful. It makes me want to know about the actual Cross Fire championship, which is certainly what the makers wanted to achieve. Most action battle scenes in this show are very well shot, with the right amount of slow motions, special effects and sounds. I also really like the songs, a few sung by Lu Han (who plays Xiao Feng) himself.
7. Solid Finale: 4/5 ★★★★☆
I really enjoyed the final games. However, the personal drama bit felt a bit unnatural. And I had to roll my eyes when China had to play against Japan in the final game. What a surprise! There was also a lot of propaganda about China's strength in professional gaming compared to the rest of the world. If not because of, I woud have given the finale a 5/5.
My final verdict: this drama has won a solid 10/10 in my heart. But because of some more rational scores, I give it a 9.5/10. If you love Shonen Jump kind of manga/anime of which Deep Friendship, Give Effort and Winning are the main themes, you are at the right drama. Don't miss it!
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Kotori's drama review seven criteria definition:
After having watched many dramas and also written several reviews. I have detected that I rate dramas based on specific patterns. I formulated those into seven criteria.
1. "Sleepless Nights.": how much I have the urge to binge-watch this drama.
2. "Emotional Rollercoaster": the degree of how much my heart was moving from the acting, scenes, and story development (e.g., in pain, pounding, fluster etc.). The degree on how much I care about the fate of the main leads.
3. "Natural and intelligent Storytelling.": how logically the story was able to proceed and the roles are acting within their characters. I don't have a thousand question marks when watching the drama. The feeling that the makers take us viewers seriously and that we do not always think that this looks fake.
4. "Loveable supporting Roles.": how much I love and care about supporting characters. They are not merely tools to help the main characters but are 3-dimensional and have the proper motivation behind their actions.
5. "Proper Pacing.": how well the drama is pacing and not watered down to fill the number of episodes.
6. "Technicalities": professional camera works and shots, fight scenes, color grading, lighting, editing, music, sets, costumes, use of CGI etc. I try to grade this in relation to the drama budget, so a low-budget drama can equally get a high score when used at the right place
7. "Solid Finale": how properly the drama builds dramatic and finishes with a satisfactory ending. I have just watched too many dramas that start to lose their grip around half or 2/3rd of its way.
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Intensely stupid.
Intensely hilarious.
Intensely dramatic.
Intensely suspenseful.
Intensely heart wrenching.
Intensely heart warming, too!
Seriously one of the greatest, funniest, absolute best performances in a drama/film I have seen in a long while! It's not an easy story to follow, but it is. I mean... there is no way I guessed the plot line, story, or even the ending! I seriously, seriously, seriously recommend this to any and everyone! It's a fantastic show!
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This drama hits different
All their acting skills were so good. I love how they paly their roles nicely. I also commend My first ever idol Lee Dong Wook. This drama gives me goosebumps everytime I watch it.All their role it's so hard to do it. My Crush in Kdrama Kim Go Eun is so cute here. All over it was good. It makes me laugh sometimes. It makes me sad Sometimes. Just watch it the plot the acting skills were so good . Love love love love to you all my Idols. 다들 너무 귀여웠어요. 당신은 Top 1에 들어갈 자격이 있습니다. 당신을 사랑합니다
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This review may contain spoilers
Get you a girl who looks at you the way Miyuki looks at Ai.
Give the girls a gold medal for facial expressions. My god the way they look each other deserve a 10/10. I rarely ever see actors look at each other the way that they do especially Ai. Ai will switch between looking at Miyuki like “this girl is so pure and genuine” to “I’m not supposed to like this girl”. It’s great, sweet and also kinda funny because Ai’s subconscience and body were always at least 10 steps ahead of her realizing her own feelings.With that said, I am dinging this 1.5 points. Cheating is so rampant in Asian GL dramas. I don’t know why that is, and I don’t think I will ever come to accept or understand it (sans only a few reasons) especially when the guy is nice and has done nothing to deserve it. If the guy was a girl, I don’t think anyone else in the GL crowd would either. But for some reason, when it’s a guy getting cheated on, that doesn’t seem to bother anyone.
1 point for the cheating and 0.5 points for intending to play with someone’s feelings, because they are dating your crush. I didn’t go off a full point and will attritube it to Ai still growing and maturing. Perhaps at her age, she’s still self-absorbed and not really thinking about others yet. But this is fiction, so I guess it makes for a good plot device and angle for character development? In real life, I hope no one justifies playing with other people’s feelings with age. Emotional scars, while unseen, can lasts a lifetime just like physical ones.
Big ups to Japan for coming back to the GL scene after so long. I wasn’t expecting much from Hiraite especially given the plot synopsis, but I’m pleasantly surprised. Wish they could have joined hands with Netflix or similar for more international exposure though. I’m sure many of us have been waiting for something like this from Japan for a while now. Almost on par with OG Transit Girls imho. They were really close. Looking forward to more from Japan.
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This review may contain spoilers
Absolutely great, but couldve been better
Khemjira is seriously one of my favourite thai bls of all time, it will forever hold a special spot in my heart and i will never stop reccomending it. Especially as it introduced my to tlefirstone (and ive been obsessed with them ever since)HOWEVER, as is the case with every series its not without its faults, ill try my best to keep this brief
1) for a horror, it wasnt scary pretty much at all and i even found the special effects a bit laughable at times
2) there is quite a few plotholes
3) the timeline doesnt really add up
4) rampheung deserved an apology !! Even a small one i felt so bad for her, her backstory is so sad
5) lastly, i saw this in another review and agreed so heavily with it, peem shouldve had a longer chasing arc. More of him proving himself to khem and trying to win his trust wouldve been nice if that makes sense
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This review may contain spoilers
Some spoiler-free comments:This is great fun, it’s very addictive, and once you get started, you kind of have to finish it.
Credit goes to the actors, specifically Darren Chen as Tang Fan, Fu Mengbo as Sui Zhou and Liu Yaoyuan as Wang Zhi. Tang Fan is just adorable and annoying enough to be believable, Sui Zhou seems cold and unfeeling until you realise how much of that is PTSD, and Wang Zhi is just so layered as a character it’s amazing if you think that Liu Yaoyuan is just starting out in the business.
Special mention goes to Huangyang Tiantian as Dong'er, great performance.
The set design, costumes and cinematography are also out of this world – money was spent on this and it shows. I didn’t think for a moment I was looking at some sets until I saw some behind the scenes footage, because I really believed in the city I saw on the screen.
Basically, it’s a lot of fun, and I’m definitely going to rewatch parts of it.
SPOILERS FOLLOW
The good: I’ve already mentioned the actors, and truly, the actors are everything.
You really believe the growing friendship between Tang Fan and Sui Zhou, and Wang Zhi is endlessly fascinating. Dong’er isn’t as annoying as such child roles frequently are, and there are scenes of hers which I found really moving.
I appreciated that the boys did not get love-interests to distract from the gay, with Duo’erla ending up being a friend, Sui Zhou’s arranged marriage coming to nothing, and Tang Fan, bless him, being oblivious even when he’s in a brothel being felt up by a prostitute. I would have liked more focus on their relationship, but I’ll get into that when I discuss the cons.
It’s a pretty engaging story, for the most part and I liked most of the storylines and the mysteries . . . kind of.
The bad:
I frequently mention the problem of pacing in dramas, especially when there’s hardly any. Things drag on for a while then they gallop to a finish. I remember complaining about a stretch of episodes in The Untamed which seemed to go on forever – this is even worse than that.
Then there’s episodes here which end while Wang Zhi has barely finished speaking – seriously, I had to go back and check because I was still reading the subtitle when we faded to credits!
The reason for things dragging is that we also have a lack of stakes in certain storylines. For example, Duo’erla gets shot with a poison arrow. Ok, I kind of care, but not much. Then some episodes later, I find out why this happened, but I still don’t care. In the middle of this whole “we have to find the antidote” storyline, Tang Fan poisons himself – why? Who knows. That gives me even less stakes, because I KNOW one of the two male leads isn’t going to die halfway through the series!
There’s so much stuff like this in the series, where I’m sure I missed something because I skipped over chunks of episodes. I mean, I almost missed this amazing set piece in the brothel, because I was so tired of the entire “We are dying REALLY SLOWLY” storyline which was obviously going nowhere – then later I realized it was for the Arras/Ding Man storyline, but as I barely cared about that, it was kind of a waste of time.
And then THAT storyline ended up driving Sui Zhou and Tang Fan apart for a pretty long stretch, and I was almost done. I had to spoil myself to make sure it ended with them reconciled. Also, one of the things that will hurt me upon rewatch is the number of times I will have to hear characters talk about the BULONG and where is the BULONG and who has the BULONGS, and enough already.
The Arras/Ding Man storyline is the one with the most plot holes, in my opinion. You would think that with an eunuch who spent three years really close to the Emperor, that someone would have checked if he was, you know. Really a eunuch. Also, he could have killed the Emperor at literally any time in the last three years – instead he arsed around until a villainous businessman and a needlessly complicated plot presented itself, which failed. Good job, dude.
I honestly don’t know if any of the above is in the novel, because I’ve only read up till chapter 7 (waiting on a good translation). So for now I’m gonna blame the screenwriters for the plot-holes, as well as Consort Wan’s army of teen girls and Qing Ge the building-jumping prostitute assassin (the massive explosion is not a plot-hole or something anyone made up – it really happened, albeit a century or so later, and historians still don’t agree on what caused it).
Conclusion
Look, I did ultimately enjoy it. On a shallow note, most of the men were extremely good-looking (I refuse to believe that the Chenghua Emperor was so hot in real life) and there were some badass and cool female characters. On a less shallow note, all scenes between Darren Chen and Fu Mengbo are gold – the animated bit where Tang Fan explains why he couldn’t have murdered anyone has to be seen to be believed – and when you add Liu Yaoyuan to the mix, it just gets better.
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I definitely recommend you all to watch this. You'll not regret because this drama is truly amazing.
Aja~
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It really is both romance and horror! I got chills down my spine with the ghost scenes and your are drawn to feel the pain and loneliness of the female main character.
The comic scenes are... how can i say this... the chery on top of the cake! It's brilliante, hilarius, sweet, spooky, dramatic and at the same time... addictive.
Great soundtrack, great choice of actors, outstanding preformances, the supporting cast is amazing... TOTALLY want to watch it again (with proper subs, when i find them! XD)
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