The Story of Mystics (2024)

An almost cathartic masterpiece packed with punches that fell short

Cinematography
The stunning visual style is pivotal in the series, and the bar has already been set with the cinematography alone.

The CGI is of high-quality, and the camera work is very intentional: I have observed the use of motivated camera movements and shot lengths, which were very effective and highly compelling in setting a scene.

They also played with color gradings and lightings that enhanced the visual experience, with many scenes looking like an artwork—clearly, the exceptional cinematography is the strong suit of the series.


Editing
One thing I noticed is that the transition from one scene to the next is not always seamless and the cuts of some scenes are not smooth.

Another thing to note is that while the OST is perfect, the background score is sometimes misplaced.

While these are not entirely major issues, these have affected the mood and the tone of some scenes.


Story
The thing with the genre of fantasy and wuxia is that their realm is so vast, that there are plenty of elements to play with to make a story compelling, cliche or not.

The series started strong; however, I find that something is amiss in the writing, making it and the pacing inconsistent all throughout the show.

The characters are both relatable and likeable, but I feel like they could have been written more with depth.

Case in point: Wen Xiao being identified by the characters as "kind" and "selfless". However, as a viewer, there was no opportunity to establish this because her character was not properly explored. With this, I only associate Wen Xiao to being "kind" because it was what the characters have taught me, and not something that I have determined myself as an audience.

I was only able to identify the characters' traits and understand their motivations because it was what the writers were spoon-feeding me.

A good (or even mid) writing would have explored the characters' backstory so the viewers themselves can see and establish how the characters' actions and decisions are shaped.

On the other hand, I found good quotable quotes in the characters' dialogues so it's not that entirely bad.

I can also detect the presence of some queer undertones in the story. This is especially evident in the relationship and interactions of Zhao Yuan Zhou and Zhuo Yi Chen, making the romance aspect with Wen Xiao secondary to almost non-existent.



Acting/Cast
The entire cast has chemistry, and it shows.

Two actors who stood out for me were Neo Hou and Tian Jia Rui.

Neo is an excellent actor who uses his body language and micro expressions to portray a character. Some expressions are very subtle, making it look so natural.

Tian Jia Rui is very charismatic and has good emotion and energy control when portraying a character. I know that he is destined for big things, and I look forward to his upcoming projects.

Music
The best! The OSTs are a narrative on their own and yet they greatly enhance the mood and emotions of the scenes.

The excellent cinematography of FoF paired with its great OSTs definitely create an immersive experience for the audience.

Overall
This is definitely one of the best series to come out this year. A masterpiece in terms of cinematography and soundtrack.

While the series fell short in writing, the cast did a good performance in character portrayal, making the watch a fairly good experience.

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─ ‍the small city traps the small us. // i will never forget the way back to home.

Fangs of Fortune was one of the dramas I was most excited about this year, especially given the director's reputation for stunning cinematography, costumes, and a dark, atmospheric color palette. With a familiar cast, including several actors I’ve enjoyed watching in previous works by the director, I was optimistic — but also cautious. The director has a tendency to stretch out the story in certain parts and leave major twists for the end, sometimes making the final act feel rushed. While the writing and story delivery weren’t bad, the pacing and flow needed some adjustments. This was, for me, the main flaw that impacted the drama.

Some characters and key moments lacked the development needed to fully invest in their emotional growth. While there were several unexpected twists that kept us on our toes, the repetitiveness of certain plot devices ( such as revealing that characters already knew crucial information ) eventually undermined the suspense. At times, it became easy to predict that something was amiss, which reduced the tension.

Another aspect that I struggled with were the emotional scenes. While I have no issue with characters expressing emotion through tears, the excessive focus on making the crying scenes visually "beautiful" sometimes detracted from the raw emotion of the moment, preventing the audience from fully connecting.

That said, the ending was tragically beautiful. Though it was somewhat predictable, the execution still managed to leave a lasting impact.

Despite its flaws, the show had plenty of strengths. One of the highlights was how the main characters were given enough screen time to develop, allowing us to appreciate each of their roles in the story. The evolving family dynamics were particularly compelling, as it wasn’t just about characters trusting each other after one shared experience. Given their complex backgrounds, trust was built gradually, which added depth to their relationships. I also enjoyed the connection of side characters that built the story.

The show also managed to balance intense drama with moments of comedy, which provided some welcome relief. I appreciated how the story used symbolism, mythology, and even indirect biblical references to convey deeper meanings. The characters’ growth — both mental and physical — was portrayed beautifully, and it was refreshing to see a story that focused on the many forms of love, from friendship to family, rather than just romantic love.

Some of the lines were incredibly well-written and delivered, which I really appreciated. The acting, especially the chemistry between the characters, was another standout element.

The OST was one of the best of the year, with songs that perfectly reflected the story’s themes. It’s hard to choose a favorite, as each track was so thoughtfully integrated.

Overall, Fangs of Fortune was an enjoyable watch with a tale-like quality. Despite its flaws, it left an impression, and I can see myself returning to rewatch some of the scenes.

Link to edits : https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxplWeBw3y5hL26ocu_hNx4eucxlss3Q9&si=dFBHTOLZZLIaZCwp

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Fangs of Fortune é um drama de fantasia que conta a história de um grupo formado por seis pessoas bem diversas (humanos, demônio, deuses, seres meio-deuses, meio-demônios), que se unem para salvar o Da Huang (o mundo dos demônios) e por consequência o mundo dos humanos.

Desde o início do drama somos apresentados ao que pode ser o final da história, mas mesmo assim nos apegamos na esperança de não se concretizar. Quase uma profecia que a gente vai se perguntando junto com os personagens se precisa mesmo acontecer porque quando menos esperamos já estamos totalmente apegados a todos os personagens da história.

Mas confesso que achei o início de bem arrastado, pra ser mais precisa os episódios do caso do demônio dos bonecos e da peste. Porém, percebo que esses episódios mais pautados no diálogo serviram para o desenvolvimento das personagens. Pois graças a isso terminei gostando de todos eles, sem exceção. Mas minha favorita é a Pei Sijing, arqueira reclusa, mas fiel. Mesmo quando o roteiro quer te enganar, tenha fé na Pei Sijing! Aliás, a história dos irmãos Pei é muito emocionante. Eles são personagens que deixam uma impressão duradora.

E sobre desenvolvimento de personagens, Zhuo Yichen cresceu muito! No início eu não podia me importar menos com o "pretty boy". Terminei indo as lágrimas com ele quando ele passa ali por um processo de transformação, não apenas "fisicamente", mas também de suas crenças. É uma evolução de personagem muito bacana de acompanhar.

Sei que o foco do drama não é o romance, mas a amizade. Ainda assim senti falta de um beijo. Só UM beijo entre Zhao Yuanzhou e Wen Xiao e eu me daria por satisfeita.

Em resumo é um drama com visual belíssimo, OST maravilhosa, personagens carismáticos. Porém, o ritmo narrativo tem umas oscilações e também tem umas questões de edição que gritavam. Alguns cortes abruptos e sem sentido. Mas, no geral, um bom drama.

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Muito interessante

Tenho muitos elogios para este drama, que logo no primeiro episódio eu já era fã de tão cativada que estava, e meu interesse só foi aumento a cada episódio que se passava.

A trilha sonora era linda demais, canções maravilhosas ,lindas e tristes ao mesmo tempo; os efeitos especias me trasnportava para dentro da cena em questão , parecia uma produção de filme, o que ajudaram a dar mais fantasia ainda nas cenas de luta, senti que minha televisão virou uma tela de cinamema.

Gostei dos atores eles estavam ok para mim, mas tenho que enaltecer especialmente o protagonista masculino o "demonio` , para mim ele foi o grande destaque da serie, muito perfeito. Gostei muito das histórias dos demonios no decorrer da série.

Sei que nem tudo neste show foi flores teve sim algumas coisas que não gostei como a protagonista feminina apesar de ser boazinha era completamente inutil só sabia chorar no chão, estava sempre esperendo que alguem fizesse algo por ela , isso realmente me chateou. Outra coisa que aconteceu que apesar de gostar muito deste drama , foi chegando no final eu já estava um pouco cansada, podiam ter colocado menos episódios e ir direto ao ponto em determinadas situações;mas essa enrolação é bem tipica da maioria dos dramas.

Porém mesmo tendo situações que me chatearam com certeza não tirou o brilho deste drama tão bom, eu ainda sim tive uma ótima experiencia em assisti-lo.

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Fangs of Fortune: A Surprising Hit with Stunning Cast and Intense Villains

I was originally really apprehensive about watching Fangs of Fortune, but I'm really glad I did, as it turned out to be quite a good drama. The entire cast is full of really good-looking people, so there’s eye candy in almost every episode. I really liked how the villains weren’t push-overs and definitely put up a decent fight against the main team. They brought many tactics and well-thought-out plans to the table, and I'm glad the leads didn’t just defeat them in one move. ZYZ and ZYC had a really interesting relationship to me, kind of a borderline love-hate dynamic, but they both need each other for their own interests and benefits. The male leads had really great acting, and so did WX, but when it comes to PSJ, portrayed by Cheng Xiao, it felt a little too stiff. I understand the character isn’t the most expressive, but it seemed like a bit of an overkill with the straight face. The cinematography is absolutely phenomenal, and I really enjoyed the OST for this drama. It matches well and sets the mood, especially during the fight scenes. LL is, unsurprisingly, my favorite character. I actually didn’t realize it was Yan An until I read something about it; he certainly has better acting skills than most K-pop artists transitioning into acting. Overall, this is one of the best shows released this year, and I definitely recommend watching it. I’d rate it 7.5/10!

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Hermoso OST!!

Me gustaron muchas cosas de esta serie, como su vestuario y los detalles en ellos, desde los peinados hasta los accesorios en cada personaje, se sentían como que, con cada caracterización del vestuario en cada personaje estaba la intencionalidad de dejar una impronta de su personificación o características que lo hacía único a cada uno.
La escenografía de la Oficina de caza de Demonios un sueño, con mucho surrealismo. Como la ciudad bajo agua, en la fuente, quizás un detalle no muy relevante aunque se uso en varias escenas, pero realmente se tomaron el tiempo para contemplar la idea.
La actuación de los actores con esa dinámica de complicidad, sarcasmo y humor, elementos que creo, fueron realmente necesarios y útiles para que aliviaran la carga emocional de los distintos arcos de la historia, aunque no me gusto escuchar gritar a Bai Jiu jaja entiendo la intención...

Para mi un gran puntazo de esta serie fue la parte del sonido, es decir el OST, que iba al pie de la trama acompañándola para complementarla. Inclusive las partes de humor tenia su sonido característico indicando que se estaba de puertas a una broma. Creo no haber escuchado un OST similar desde la serie Evernight. Como suena instrumentalmente el OST de Fangs Of Fortune, realmente es una caricia al alma, que probablemente volveré a escuchar en algún otro momento.

Ahora en cuanto a la historia explicare el porque del 8.5, porque si bien me entretuvo por un montón de cosas el viaje de la serie, aun así siento que hubo ciertas cositas con inconsistencia que me dejaban un poquito desorientada o preguntándome que paso acá?:
- Como por ejemplo cortes abruptos de escena o pocos sutiles de un capitulo a otro, o que al menos yo percibí como si faltara una parte, quizás por una cuestión de tiempos muy probablemente. También recuerdo notar un actor de reparto secundario que aparece en el capitulo 1 y 2 y pareciera ser asistente del padre de Wen Xiao o de Wen Xiao, que luego no se lo ve mas en toda la serie....
- Otra cosa fue un poco, como construyeron en el guion al personaje de Wen Xiao porque se la ve bastante hábil cuando arranca la serie en el capitulo 1 en cuanto artes marciales, pero luego eso no se ve mas en el resto de la serie. Pues se va a todo lo contrario, aunque esta clara que su habilidad era la empatía y la voluntad ademas de un titulo que poco le servia, pero es que no entiendo porque si le dan esa introducción al personaje en el capitulo 1 luego hacen esto otro mmm..... cuando pasan estas cosas me pregunto porque?? Había necesidad de eso???....
- Algo que me pareció que estaba descarrilándose eran los últimos capítulos (con eso del doctor loco y las mutaciones).... el paso de poderes de unos a otros.... Algo raro que tenia esta serie que me causa hasta un poco de humor, es que todo tenia otra vuelta, los personajes cuando llegaban a una encrucijada siempre preguntaban hay otra manera? y siempre la había aunque el medio justificara o no el fin... Me gusta porque es distinto, pero que tenga sentido, para que se mantenga el argumento.

Para mi es una de las mejores series que vi en el 2024, ojala mucha gente disfrute viéndola, ya que fuera de algunas pequeñas cosas que se pueden compensar con otras, es una serie muy completa tanto en sonido, como actores, vestuario, escenografía, etc.

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Amazingly beautiful and very well directed

I waited a long long time for this drama to be out. OMG WOW! It was definitely worth the wait!

Everyone has played their roles very well and the little details in the acting and story was very well designed. All the intricate details were amazing. This drama is definitely different from the spoiled princess dramas out there and all the palace power struggles....all same story line. This drama is definitely different and it's a good different.

Neo Huo has played his role extremely well and the chemistry between all of them are in synchrony which makes puts the drama in a different class of its own.

Very well played 👍

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Great concept, poorly executed

This genre of dramas is one my favourites and I was super excited to watch Fangs of Fortune after seeing the trailer for but unfortunately this show just did not live up to what I had thought it was going to be. The first few episodes were great, meeting the characters, and getting into their first case - great right up my alley! But it all started going down hill for me from ep 5.
The storyline! It felt as though there were too many side stories that kept competing for the main story line where they just felt like a distraction / filler for the show. None of the stories meshed well together nor did they feel like they had any conclusion. It got boring for me and I started tuning out cos of all the side stories and distraction made me lose interest in what they were trying to achieve. Some of the episodes were drawn out by so much dialogue and flashbacks it felt really unnecessary. I found myself at times saying 'OK I get it can we move on from this now' so I had to skip alot of the scenes of talking.
The romance of the leads felt forced and was unecessary. I really enjoyed the friendship of the whole group and wish the writers had just left it as a friendship rather than throwing in a romantic relationship with the leads it wasnt needed.
I thoroughly enjoyed the visuals, costumes, acting, the comedy (the comedy was awesome), and the premise of demons I just felt the storyline let this down for me and the potential just decreased. A bit disappointing but thats OK will hopefully see more from these actors in future as they were great!

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