Reviews

Xiao Zhan's portrayal is a highlight enhancing the drama's overall impact.

Xiao Zhan's performance in The Legend of Zang Hai has garnered widespread acclaim, marking a significant milestone in his acting career. Portraying the titular character, Zang Hai, Xiao Zhan delivers a nuanced and compelling performance that captures both the strength and vulnerability of his role. His clear enunciation and smooth delivery have been highlighted by viewers, with some considering this his best performance to date.

The Legend of Zang Hai stands as a testament to the evolving landscape of Chinese television dramas, offering a rich tapestry of storytelling, character development, and production excellence. For viewers seeking a blend of historical intrigue and emotional resonance, this series is a must-watch.

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amazing romance, must watch

Honestly kind of crazy that this was released given how strict censorship can be for CDramas and this is just so unmistakably gay. I give the story 7/10 because I honestly thought the whole armory plot was kind of boring and I think the final 2 episodes turn unnecessarily tragic so I felt like the ending was fumbled, but WenZhou is EVERYTHING and I love their little family unit with Chengling, like those are his dads 🥹🥹🥹🥹. Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu have been through The Horrors™️and still remain kind and just... the way they are devoted to each other. I am so unwell if I think about them for too long. The character arcs are incredibly satisfying and moving, watching WKX and ZZS discover love and find things worth fighting for and rediscover their passion for being alive. Also Gong Jun is just so so so so so good as Wen Kexing like I am so obsessed with him, easily near the top of my favorite characters list.

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okay if you want to turn your brain off I guess

Xu Kai is really great in this and I adored Wang Lu (most of the time). Wang Wu, his shifu, is by far the most insufferable FL I've seen in a CDrama and the show likes to play her abusive behavior for laughs 🙄 Some of the humor was so good (I loved all the meta jokes and references to other popular media) and some of it was unbelievably horrendous (abuse played for laughs, contempt for fat people, contempt for people the writers deem "stupid"). And there is just sooooo much abuse apologia and attempts to retroactively defend abuse - ranging from Wang Wu's incessant mistreatment of Wang Lu and her beating him up to the point of breaking his bones being "for his own good" and to "help" him with his cultivation, a sex pest who has sexually assaulted multiple women being referred to as a good guy and befriending our heroes, and a man who murdered his children revealed to having done so to protect his citizens from a demonic entity... yeah, it's maddening.

My favorite character was Ling'er and I absolutely adored her plotline (for the most part) when she left Lingjian Mountain. Her and Boren 🫶. Also my favorite dynamic was Wang Lu and Hai Yunfan, but there is also A LOT of queerbaiting wrt their relationship and they're both shoved into awful romances with women. 😕

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This series redefines "binge-worthy."

This production has impressed me for the quality of direction, photography, set design, costumes, historical and cultural accuracy (many museums and cultural institutions in China already came out with articles and comments about the artistic and cultural accuracy and value in Legend of Zanghai), and of course because of the cast, as numerous as it is highly professional.
Not just Xiao Zhan as the ML that gives his great performance all over but other roles have their times to shine as well. The costumes, props, buildings, sceneries, background musics - we can feel the high quality of this drama, on par with some big budgeted movies.
The plot is superb and delivered exquisitely. Already in episode one you feel for the main character and you will also want to take part in the revenge. The series follows the journey of Zang Hai (played brilliantly by Xiao Zhan), a noble yet wronged military commander whose family is destroyed by corruption within the empire. Xiao Zhan delivers his career-defining role, with micro-expressions through a glance, facial expressions or even vocal control, making every strategy session electrifying.
There are no absolute heroes or villains here-only individuals trapped in the tides of history, each carrying the weight of legacy, betrayal, and redemption.
The female character truly shine as well-they carry secrets, possess martial skills, intelligence, and beauty.

A must watch for anyone who values storytelling at its finest.

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'at dawn when the sky isn't fully bright, it's the only time night and day can merge'

he's the destined devil, she's the celestial destined to slay him in every life. love interrupts fate's plan
the editing, directing, acting, writing were not really good, 1 star. I skipped a lot.

but there was something about the drama that made me watch till the end idk. like the basic concept was good, and they were able to draw a complete circle with the story, that always pleases me. also by the end I was really rooting for the cp. and that ml actor has those big puffy eyes that are just so lovely and filled with emotion🥺, I really wanted to see him happy.

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Ew

I honestly don't remember anything about this series, but I watched all 30 episodes so.

//edit. I remember now. This was a really weird love story. They're both good gamers but for some reason, she gives up gaming to support him and becomes his like glorified sectary-wife while he's the company's CEO. The whole plot and the game's visuals were also very basic.
The kiss scene that I remember was sorta nonconsensual and looked forced; like he was really into it but she was frozen and didn't reciprocate but he kept going. And they tried to show that as a super romantic kiss. It was gross.

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[Another episode by episode review/reaction] [spoiler warning]

[Another episode by episode review/reaction] [spoiler warning]

ep1// So cute! I love the childhood friends-to-lovers trope and these two are so fun to watch together!

ep2// They're cute but I'm a little confused about the timeline. So they met as kids, and then started having crushes on each other in high school but never confessed/pursued anything and now they're falling in love again?

ep3// So he had a crush on her in HS but we don't know what she felt yet. I like they're rebuilding their friendship for the viewer first instead of immediately pushing for a romantic storyline. It makes it feel a lot more realistic/happier.

ep4// I love how they're all such close friends. I love seeing friendships like this on screen.
Awww they're so sweet together!! I hope this is a situation like "he fell first, but she fell harder"

ep5//The journalist guy is crop circle kid's dad, his mom helps take care of her, and her mom is out of the picture.
ML realized he still loves FL, now to see if/how he pursues it. And when she starts to like him back.

ep6// I'm glad they all act like adults even when they know they have competition. They're in their early/mid-30s in this series. I would be so irritated if they acted immaturely like how romance leads/characters usually do.
She's starting to realize he likes her! The cringe/secondhand embarrassment is getting to me a bit though. Also, why is he a tsundere?

ep7// Ok, the 2nd hand cringe is hurting my soul but it's ok.
The romance between the journalist and the paramedic is finally starting! They're also really cute.
The ex-fiancé came back but she's not taking him back. I'm glad this show doesn't do the whole 2nd ML trope and instead focuses on 2 different relationships to provide a varied dynamic.
ML's dad thinks mom is having an affair with her boss. I already saw this spoiler so I know the boss is gay and they're just friends.
ML finally confessed!!

ep8// ML is such a green flag now that he's gotten over the communication error!! The way when the FL was having an argument with her parents he didn't try to butt in and instead silently supported her and stopped her brother from talking over her. Normally MLs try to defend the FLs even when they can and should fight their own battles. But he recognized that it wasn't his place and respected her decisions.
FL used to have stomach cancer and that's why she took off from her job for a while 3 years ago. She didn't tell anyone so the only person in SK who knows is her ex. And that's why she pushed away the ML when they were going to the hospital, because she didn't want him to find out.

ep9// Weird situationship phase. He's also not really taking no for an answer.
They finally found out she had stomach cancer.

ep10// I feel kinda bad for her ex. They were a good couple and probably would have stayed together if she'd reached out to her family after she got cancer. He was taking care of her himself and got burnt out and that caused them to fall out, but they really did love each other. It's a realistic story. There is no bad guy. I hope he also finds someone nice again to fall in love with.

ep11// Woo rollercoaster! ML's parents aren't getting divorced anymore and are finally talking about their feelings. But the mom might have a brain/memory issue.
FL finally realized she likes ML and confessed and they kissed! Did not think that would happen so quickly but I'm glad he dropped it after the "expiration" date and instead, she was the one to confess this time. They're a very cute couple. I did have to pause for like 5 mins once I realized she was confessing though; the cringe was killing me. But they're cute. I was sorta right before with the trope but it was more like "she fell first (and then forgot about it for a while), he fell harder".
Also, the paramedic got the job position at the south pole she'd been dreaming of! I wonder how/if her relationship with the journalist will continue; maybe a long-distance relationship for a while?

ep12// Paramedic confessed to journalist but was rejected and now they're awkward.
ML and FL are a very cute couple. I think the only conflicts left are the paramedic/journalist and what happens when the main couple's parents find out they're dating.

ep13// FL's brother ended up falling for a scam product. Wonder what his ending will be. Looks like they're setting up a relationship between him and the ML's employee who had a crush on the ML. Ok, so he's back to working at the gym, he's gonna get his trainer certification, and actually get a job now. Nice!
Paramedic had a friend/mentor who died saving kids from a fire.
Journalist's daughter isn't actually his bio kid?? My heart dropped when she said "Hi Dad" oh my god. She's actually his niece and her dad was his brother?? His entire family died in the car accident??
Thank god they didn't do the "one of them gets physically hurt while they're separated/fighting" trope. I would've rioted.

ep14// They haven't even told their parents they're dating yet and he wants to propose?? What?? I'm not surprised she said no, I'm more surprised he thought she'd say yes. Especially since it took her so long to agree to even date him.
I'm glad the employee got over her crush though. She's very mature.
The FL's parents are still having money problems and decided to close the food shop. I wonder how they're gonna get money now.
Lmaooo ML trying to get dating advice from the journalist. Blind leading the blind.
I'm glad the paramedic's mom finally supported her relationship with the journalist. Still confused why she said no in the first place. Was it cause he already had a kid? But she wanted a grandkid anyway?
And now the moms are fighting for petty reasons lol
Oh my god, the parents finally found out!! ...And I've caught up so I need to wait a few more days to see the next ep aww.
From the ep preview it looks like their parents (more like just the moms) will be against the relationship because of their current fight. I think this is the last bit of drama before it gets wrapped up. I can't think of anything else that's in conflict right now.

ep16//
Happy ending for everyone! Everyone got what they wanted and more and everyone's happy.

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If you've been traumatized by shows like Reborn Rich I'd recommend this show.

I thought this was gonna be a sort of comedy/action/revenge show but the emotional punch hit me in the gut.
If you've been traumatized by shows like Reborn Rich and I Belong to Your World, I'd recommend this show.

//violence, blood, bullying, child abuse (emotional abuse), substance abuse, gang violence, car accident, suicide, suicidal ideation, cussing, kidnapping, adultery

//major spoilers//
I did lowkey ship the MC (gangster) and his best friend (the prosecutor's son). ---- Lmao, I looked it up and turns out the original work is a BL but they changed it to a bromance for the adaptation. So the queer coded vibes were on purpose. Considering that, I do think they went weirdly far in the opposite direction: giving the MC 2 female love interests and having one of the last things he says include "wanna go meet some girls?". They could've kept it ambiguous and the straight love interests were not necessary. Those 2 had more chemistry than any of the potential het couples.
//********************************//
When the gang's chairman realized it was his adoptive son in the kid's body! When his old subordinate realized! And he actually told them the truth instead of what the MC did in Reborn Rich! I think this healed a lot of my wounds from Reborn Rich actually loll.
The plot twist at the end!!! The kid's soul moving on instead of the gangster's!! I sobbed when I realized!! I thought it was gonna have a similar ending to Reborn Rich or I Belong to Your World and I braced myself for that. Which means I was entirely unprepared when they reveal that he was going instead! I don't think I've cried that much to a drama in a while! And I'd somehow managed to not cry during this entire show and then the end got me!
I like the ending though, I'm glad he (the gangster) was able to continue living in the kid's body and I think the ending scene was them in college? So I'm happy everyone got their happy ending.

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