Zhu Yan (2023)

Xiao Zhan’s Shi Ying

I love this character a lot.

When he’s introduced in the novel, he’s 20 years old. We meet a much younger Shi Ying in the drama, as a crown prince. He should be about 13 years old or younger. As expected of a crown prince, he’s mature from a very young age. His relationship with his father, the emperor, adds to his sensibility.
We meet Shi Ying again in Jiuyi Mountain. It’s been 5 years. He lives in seclusion in the mountain and does not concern himself with worldly affairs (aside from his mother).

Actor Xiao Zhan does a good job in humanizing Shi Ying. Based on the novel, Shi Ying can come out as cold and almost unfeeling but the drama’s Shi Ying is a gentle monster. He’s got a big heart and takes after his mother. Xiao Zhan is also good at nailing the micro expressions. You’ll know what I’m talking about in episodes 5.
What makes a project a success is the actor embodying the character. Xiao Zhan does this with all his characters. When I’m watching the Longest Promise, I don’t see Xiao Zhan, I see Shi Ying.
If I talk anymore then I’ll be spoiling it for those who haven’t watched the drama so please go watch and don’t be dissuaded by negative reviews. That’s just a basic lack of understanding on their part especially where Xiao Zhan is involved.
Happy watching!

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Xianxia (costume) drama that's based on a popular novel

Xianxia dramas are often mystical and magical. This drama is no exception and has all the right elements to make a fan of a costume drama to get hooked and fall for the superb casts, outstanding cinematography, breathtaking sceneries, solid storyline, and it has all the right combinations of romance, mystic, humour and angst. Watch Xiao Zhan the talented lead actor who plays ShiYing to sweep you off your feet with his visuals and top notch acting. A must watch indeed!
The OST is magical, and the plot stays true to the novel. It has all the blockbuster recipe of good vs evil and the casts are all talented and put on a very convincing portrayals of their character. A good and unforgettable xianxia dramas are rare indeed, but this one is a keeper. Just perfect!

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Xiao Zhan is beautiful as ShiYing

No doubt that Xiao Zhan is beautiful as ShiYing. So far i am loving the drama, the story line (i did not read the novel) . Xiao Zhan’s acting is great! Reminds me of Wei Wu Xian. The special effect is superb. I do noticed familiar shooting locations as Chen Qing Ling. My only reserve on this drama so far is the female lead. I will need to watch few more episodes to be able to evaluate the female lead again. I cannot feel the chemistry between Shi Ying and Zhu Yan yet. The other cast are OK. I like the relationship between Shi Ying and his companion Chong Ming. Cute like annoying didi

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I won’t lie, I am watching because of Xiao Zhan. However, after 8 eps in, I’m genuinely liking everything. This was one of the most anticipated works, as the trailers show a beautiful Xianxia drama and possibly a melancholy too. I was beyond excited when it was released. First ep, the CGI already caught my eye. As the plot is being set up and characters are being introduced, eps 1-4 are not very exciting. Although you should not expect emotional roller coasters during the first few eps, the important things that audience needs to know are delivered. For example, the strong bond between ShiYing (ML) and his mom, and the first encounter of ShiYing and ZhuYan (FL) and their fate. Beginning ep 5 the pace picks up and there is more that helps the audience understand why ShiYing would eventually fall in love with ZhuYan. It’s not the typical love at first sight or the I like you because you are my destiny type. ShiYing sees the warmth and stubbornness and energy that ZhuYan possesses, that energy ShiYing lacks because of his past. And I absolutely loved eps 7-8. The personality of ZhuYan comes out and the way ShiYing looks at her. Unfortunately ShiYing’s life is not full of happy memories, but I think ZhuYan will change that by adding more color and give him the love he desires. Now that I’ve talked about ZhuYan, let’s talk about ShiYing. Despite the hardships he encountered, I admire his endurance and his will to follow his mother’s words. He sees beyond just himself and he stays kind and simple. His world is small but it’s pure. He’s beautiful from the inside out. I can go on and on. I am super excited to see what’s next even if it will cost me lots of tears and heartbreaks.

Ah, I haven’t even gotten to the music and CGI and the other characters. Haha, I’ll leave that up to you to check out?

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Loved it and waited for this ...

I so enjoyed this drama, mainly because of xiao, Xiao Zhan is an incredible talent. Xiao Zhan is a consummate actor, able to play any role and become that character.

The overall story is solid and the chemistry between all characters is excellent, it's not just 2D between ML and FL so that's another really strong point about this drama that many other dramas lack... The different relationships between all the characters and their character growth. Loved Gen Qing, Chong Ming, & Yuan. Moral, character, scenery, music, costumes, art , excellent CGI and top class acting of the leads - this series had them all at highest level.
Shi Ying you will be missed !

The Longest Promise isn't just a drama; it's an experience that will leave a lasting impression on your soul. It challenges you to reflect on the power of love, the importance of forgiveness, and the resilience of the human spirit. This unforgettable journey of love and redemption will stay with you long after you've seen it, a testament to its exceptional storytelling and heartfelt performances.

In conclusion, 'The Longest Promise' is a must-watch drama that sets a new standard for the genre. If you're a fan of emotionally charged storytelling, captivating performances, and an unforgettable narrative, this drama is tailor-made for you. Be prepared to embark on an extraordinary journey filled with tears, laughter, and ultimately, a profound sense of hope.

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Aside for Xiao Zhan does this drama really work?

I wanted to offer a different point of view from the diehard Xiao Zhan fans who will love him regardless. I found the opening storyline so ridiculous I decided to drop it. I found the character of the FL annoying-sure there have been reckless, daring FL but their bravado is based on achieving justice...but this gal just continuously ignores everyone and the rules because of what she wants. This is the case in point/spoiler: in the first few episodes, she repeatedly is advised that trespassing is not allowed and punishable by death yet she (and the other FL) both just go ahead and trespass for rather lame reasons. And then FL does it again (oh, because her memory was wiped). But she does it again. And of course, because this story makes no sense, she is saved by the ML--who says he'll never meet her again. And again. Sure, he may 'owe' her for being so loyal to him, but her loyalty is bent on reviving him from the dead--which of course, is a major no no--but what does she care? You could chalk it up to young naivete, but it is stretched in every plot point-she confronts the ancient bird and asks for his feathers, she says she wants to retrieve her friend's dress, but when it burns up she forgets that was the point of her trespassing and doesn't followup. And a little thing-she supposedly wears red as she is from the crimson clan but that seems to no longer apply after her first outfit.
That said the rest of the drivers of the story are questionable--she finds a flowerthat is totally different from all the others there-why would it grow by itself amidst all the others? Why does the consort resort to framing the prince resulting in her death when she is so arrogant pluss is pregnant with an heir? (Ok this may be revealed later in the drama). Why does his mentor focus on angry revenge when the purpose of their sect is to protect the world? Why is the Bird so darm annoying and committed to the lead and yet not as powerful as he supposedly should be for being an ancient being?
XZ is totally comfortable in this role no doubt, but the story is full of holes and the FL role is just too annoying.

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The longest Promise is a great story.

The Longest Promise is a great story. It has it all, romance, comedy, tragedy. Beautiful shots that take your breath away, some in natural settings. Great acting. The main actors are great, Xiao Zhan, Ren Min and others. The haters as I see them try to provoke and lower the recommendation. It will be of no use. The drama has already exploded, it has won the first place in the ratings. Let your star work just as hard, instead of reaching for such methods.
The scenes of confusion played by Xiao Zhan are outstanding, he is brilliant. Shi Ying's character is wonderfully rendered. Red Min delights in this film, she is a very good actress. The story is great, very romantic, it is not simple.

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First Impressions

I highly recommend this drama because it has amazing cast and good story pacing.
Please see below my first impressions about this drama after watching 6 episodes

CGI: Based on the 6 episodes, I can say that the CGI for this drama is better compared to other xianxia dramas. The world building and the sceneries are all visually pleasing to the eye. The CGI for the sand dragon was my fave and Chong Ming as bird is my least fave because I feel that it could be better.

Story: The pacing of the story is just right imo and it was able to introduced the characters well without overwhelming the audience (especially those who did not read the novel or follow the series) with TMI.

Cast:

XZ as Shi Ying looking ethereal in those flowy almost white robes. This man is just so consistent in honing his acting skills and making everyone impressed with his improvements. I am particularly awed with his acting during crying scenes or when he is showing complicated emotions, he is really good at it. He has the ability to engulf audience to his emotions. As audience you can see and feel his character emotions and inner turmoil just by watching him.

RM as Zhu Yan. I am liking her acting and looks in this drama. I checked with my friends that read the novels and according to them, RM is doing a good job in making ZY character cute and adorable instead of being annoying clueless brat like how was she in the novel.

Li Ming De as Chong Ming. His comedic timing is good and can make you laugh in the middle of heavy scene because of his antics.

Other casts are visually pleasing as well and with decent acting skills.

Customes:

From the trailers, the robes and other customes for SY are gorgeous af! Elegant and flowy with intricate designs.

Makeup

Perfect. I like that the makeup for each character is just appropriate and not too much.

Filter

The filter applied on this drama is very light almost not noticeable unlike those heavily filtered xianxia dramas that whitewash the face of the characters.

Disclaimer: I did not read the novel or any of the novels in this series. I have zero idea about what will I expect. Although, I did watch too many xianxia dramas through the years but I mostly dropped them midway or just force myself to watch until the end because the story bored me, the CGI was bad and the main cast acting was too poor. Therefore, I am excited to see watch The Longest Promise.

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So much beauty

I am in love with this drama, the story is soul wrenching and the acting is so good , it looks like they descending from the novel
It is like a fairy tale , music and lanscape are so beautiful that they touch your soul
Xiao zhan is out of this world and ren min is just like in the novel and the rest of the crew is very talented
Don’t believe the antis, recent development of xiao zhan just made them deadly jealous
I am really happy if i will be able to see it on netflix because Vip policy of wetv is just annoying , as an international user you can not buy it or at least i didn’t manage

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amazing story pace and visuals

*the music, won't say much very beautiful .the artists dropped ????
*story well written, nice pace , feel like there are some easter eggs tobe found once you re-watch
actors ... great!!!
Xiao Zhan, Wang Churang stunning and charismatic as usual, Limingde...the best , Renmin very good for her first major work?....
*the angst?, not unnecessary for the story at all, everything is tied in ......one of the dramas where I genuinely teared up when the ML started weeping.
*Visuals and colour palette on point, not overly done , suits the story and plot.......after all it's not aupposed to be a high fantasy work.
*by the way Shi Ying's mother is the bosss?

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Off to a good start

Let me say right off the bat that it's been awhile since I've watched an asian drama, but this one looked so visually appealing that I thought I'd give it a chance.

So far visually for cinematography it's good. It has some good long shots, panorama, and a good sense of space. The filters I usually saw in these shows where there were so much blurring of details and making things just shiny is absent here. There is texture which makes it more comfortable to watch.

The CG starts off with a bang with a sand monster. Comparative wise with most cdrama CGs I've seen of these things, this should be at the top. I guess cdramas have progressed a lot in that field.

So far we're at the stage of the FL and ML getting to know each other and I look forward to how this relationship with end up. I feel the beginning episodes have laid a good groundwork for the logic and reason for why they like each other.

I don't know the replay value since it's just starting but there is a good dose of humor and some scenes with the character interactions are charming enough.

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