Hu Xin (2023)

侠 (“Xia”) in essence - protecting what matters

Back from the Brink (BFTB) has a simple story plot - a handicapped dragon in search of his missing parts due to an ex betrayal.

This simplicity is its strength. Within 10 mins of the show, BFTB has told us what we need to know about the background context, Yan Hui’s (YH) personality, and how she is interlinked with Tian Yao (TY) in his quest. Straightforward with no filters. (Yes, those cute little loyal genies aren’t filters.) Their meet cute were hilarious and logical - a rare combination in many stories these days.

The best part of this light hearted series is Yan Hui’s character. I love how YH is kind, but isn’t a Mary Sue. She trusts people yet will not allow others manipulate her. She has a protective instinct towards those being bullied, but rightfully, affirms her priorities and will say No to requests that she doesn’t want to do. She is decisive and quick witted. What a healthy role model! I also particularly love how direct and expressive YH is. While a lot of credit is due to the screenwriter, I got to applaud the actress, Zhou Ye, who managed to strike that right balance for YH’s character. Her portrayal of YH adds a lot of points to made this character so likeable.

TY’s character is also done with care. Although he was betrayed by his ex in such a cruel way, and had to experience a lot of pain for losing his body parts, I love how he didn’t project his hurt to others. Sure, he was reserved and cautious with strangers, and was a handful to deal with. Beneath the reserved exterior, I can see his kindness, strength and wilfulness, befitting of the only Millennium Dragon in the story. His journey of redemption was slow, painful and can be frustrating at times to watch - but hey, isn’t the struggle and growth the whole point of a great character.

Main characters aside, I love the representation of each story arcs and the key characters in them as YH and TY journeyed to gather the latter’s missing parts. I love Xiange’s determination and stance in protecting what she believes in. I admire Lu Mu Sheng’s loyalty towards his wife, even if they did not expound on it. I respect Qing Qiu’s key characters’ belief and protection towards peace. While it is a stretch to understand Su Ying’s and her sister’s respective obsession (I suppose that’s why they are family), I can accept that there are characters like these and feel pain for them. And of course, how can one not love the little genies and children at dragon valley - how innocent and cute.

Most importantly of all, there were timely injects of humors and heartfelt moments throughout BFTB, making this xian xia my favorite of this year.

OST wise, it took me awhile to like them. The cute CGI style could be a make or break for some audience. And while I personally like the story plot is simple, it may be too light of a taste for those who are looking for brilliant plot twists or dramatic moments in stories.

At the core of it, BFTB makes us think harder about our prejudices (if any) towards people who are of different class, differentiating between love and obsession, the implications of choices and trade-offs (i.e. What it means sacrificing one life to save the world), how to embody the value, 侠 (“Xia”) chivalry, and what protecting truly means.

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This cdrama is the best one ive come across ao far.
The storyline line is at good normal pace and not too draggy at all..although i sometimes dont understand some lines here and there might be lost through translations.

The ML and FL are really good looking so its a bonus. They convey some of the emotions very well especially the comedy part.

Music and ost are just special it conveys their feelings perfectly.

Dont want to give too much spoilers but its worth a watch. I dont like going back and rewatch stories but this one i can go back and rewatch over and over without losing interest. I understand some people dropped this due to releasing time but its really worth a watch..you will not regret watching the ML his character is very well done and admirable not too obsessed over the FL. The FL is one of the most kind and understandable you'll ever find so this review deserves more than enough from me

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Friendship to lovers

This xianxia drama is one of a kind. The best one so far for me.

The good side:

Storyline:
good pacing not too draggy, although some may find it going by too fast.
They stay on the original plot and some side stories and side characters add to the original plotline which is great.
The main leads relationships are the healthiest ive ever seen in xianxia so far. They wrap their misunderstanding pretty quickly and not toxic at all.

The FL is pretty powerful, she saved the ML so many times during the story and vice versa. They initially hated and distrust each other but their love for each other grew slowly and not forced.

Acting:
Neo Hou and Zhou Ye are really pretty and pleasing to the eye which is a bonus. Their acting are not cringey at all especially the ML acting as a baby ?.

Song:
Great choices of songs the main lead himself sang one of the ost. Zhou Shen as well which ia really good.

Down side:
I try not to be biased as i possibly can because i really like this drama.

This is a low budget drama so the CGI is not the very best but it also adds to the storyline which i find it funny

Initially, i thought the ML acting wasnt the best but towards the end of the story i can understand his emotions really well, so just a matter of patients and understanding what they are trying to convey.

Anyways if you dont like the drama then you wouldnt like it...but hoping for a HE ?

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A refreshingly fun xianxia about ordinary people that doesn't take itself too seriously

Don't let the modest budget fool you. This is a surprisingly decent xianxia. A breath of fresh air from the angst-glutted melodramas of most modern xianxias, Back from the Brink wisely keeps the storyline strong but simple- there are no gods or demons, no heavenly politics, no protagonists who are secretly gods/goddesses/princes/princesses/calamities that will bring about the end of the world (side-eyeing The Starry Love, The Legend of Chongzi, TTEOTM and the currently airing Beauty of Resilience and that's just from this year...) This is a story about a dragon boy and a human girl who meet and inevitably fall in love. We have Tianyao (Hou Minghao), our Millennium Spirit Dragon who comes with some serious emotional baggage - he was jilted at the altar and dismembered in the most gruesome way possible by his sociopathic ex keen on using his skin to make an immortality suit for her true loved one. To counter our broody, revenge-seeking dragon, we have the cheerful, glib-tongued Yan Hui (Zhou Ye), a cultivator who's kicked out of her sect for standing up for what's right. Through a twist of fate, Yan Hui inherits the Heart Protection Scale - the final and most critical piece of Tianyao's armor, making her existence simultaneously desired and tenuous as multiple parties - Tianyao included - want the scale for their own agendas.

Drama strengths: Excellent chemistry between the two leads. I was already familiar with Zhou Ye's work in Word of Honor and am pleased to see her take on the challenge of a main role. I was not impressed with Hou Minghao's past work (Psych-Hunter and Lost Tomb 2 were just ok to me) but this project has really improved his acting chops and his microexpressions have gotten much better. It was very satisfying to see both of their characters grow and mature to complement the other. The writing itself is also very solid and the internal logic overall is surprisingly sound. Nothing groundbreaking but themes of choice, transformation, kindness vs power, what does it mean to be good/evil are consistent. Except for a blip where the writers deviated from the novel and made some Choices from ep 16-22, most characters' motivations and actions make sense. This is also one of the few xianxias where supporting characters are actually thoughtfully fleshed out rather than as artlessly discarded plot devices (cough cough TTEOTM). I appreciated the variety in the couples explored, both for the young and also the widowed (or for one unfortunate character, Lu Musheng, who has the dubious honor of both). The OST is actually great. Costuming details and set designs were also decent, considering the budget that they had to work with. I liked the styling and make-up of the characters - it was very clean and natural and not overdone.

Drama weaknesses: Ok, the CGI ranges from laughably bad to okay at best but I would say the production team spent their money wisely. I'd rather sacrifice the visuals than the writing. The ending is also a little abrupt (the last episode is noticeably a solid 3 minutes shorter than the average episode duration) which leaves me wondering if they just ran out of money and leaves quite a few unanswered questions but rest assured that the ending itself is surprisingly a happy one.
Fans who are looking for more physically demonstrative signs of on-screen intimacy will likely found our main couple to be too chaste. I personally did not have a problem with this since I don't believe characters need to vigorously make out with each other to show intimacy but that's just my two cents.

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Stupendo! assolutamente da guardare!

Non mi aspettavo un drama cosi coinvolgente! In certe parti leggero e divertente, in altre passionale e carico di suspence. Una storia articolata e ben sviluppata. Molto bravi i gli attori sebbene siano molto giovani, Sia lei che lui sono bellissimi, adatti al ruolo, tutti gli altri attori di contorno sono stati altrettanto all'altezza. Un drama da guardare due volte per gustarselo tutto. Ha una base filosofica molto importante, è impostato sull'equilibrio di yin e yang, sulla luce e sulla oscurità, sul bene e sul male. Un drama che insegna l'abnegazione, ma con un risvolto positivo, per sè e per gli altri, Un drama che dà speranza laddove pare non ci sia via d'uscita.
Brava la produzione, la scrittrice del romanzo, e l'interpretazione di tutti gli attori.
Un grazie come sempre al team che si occupa dei sottotitoli.
p.s. Ma i cinesi belli, sono solo in Cina? In Italia sono bruttini eh

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Could have been so much better

This drama had a nice plotline but the execution and story telling really was disappointing. It lacked depth n intrigue, I wasn't much excited to watch it but I somehow watched it n completed becos i just had nothing more exciting to watch rn. Love story wise it was total disappointment, I didn't feel anything for them as couple, no chemistry too, acting wise evryone was jst okayish, but ml lacked proper expression n so most of the times I felt confused as to whether he is angry, sad, jealous, worried or what as he had only 2 expressions most of the times. But he did well as baby dragon though. I enjoyed him in that part . Riley Wang shined in his role n fl did well too. Idk as the show ended I didn't feel much attached or sad that it ended like i feel for few shows I loved n rewatched , so I don't think I will rewatch this one.

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Do not be tricked, it is not labeled as comedy, but it is. Back from the Brink is so comical I don’t remember how many times I laughed and cried and went back to laughing again. I truly think in this series Zhou Ye as the lead won me over. I last saw her in Word of Honor. I remembered her character because of the sad ending of her love story and her bratty attitude. I really wasn’t expecting much from her in this series but she proved me wrong. Let's not forget Riley Wang, man I adore his character in here. I bet the both of them had a ball behind the scenes seeing how funny they were.

Back from the Brinks opens with a betrayal on a couple’s wedding night. Because of this, it captivated my attention at the beginning, and I had to continue with the series. His body parts and heart are torn and sealed away in different places. ML and FL later meet, with ML finding out FL has his heart. Their journey starts as they try to find the rest of his body parts leading to meeting funny, loving individuals and losing individuals they love.

What I love about this series:
The cinematography and the beautiful cgs.
The side characters. You can’t help but grow to love some of them. I still can’t believe Zuo Ye is in here!!!!
The storyline.
FL acting and her character
Riley’s character
Lot of scenes that will make you laugh and cry all within the same episode.

What I didn’t like:
Felt super long, I just finished Love you Seven time so I was expecting a pace similar to that but this one felt long and I skipped a lot.
Let's be honest, how many of us were ready to go head-to-head with Su Ying's character. Just had to put it out there :D

Neo acting. There were just some moments where I felt he could have done more but he kept himself in check a lot and thought about appearance more than acting. But that is just my personal thoughts.

Recommended if you are looking for the next wuxia to watch. Also, recommended if you are a fan of Neo and Zhou Ye or Riley. I think they come a long way

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Really good chemistry between TY and YH

I started watching this because of Neo and I didn't regreted it. They had such a good chemistry throught the drama.

The drama overall had a good storyline, wasn't boring and exciting. Loved the OST. Both main characters had a miserable life and I felt sad for both. I laughed so hard in this drama and it was a rom-com drama to watch after work. Loved BXS jokes and his matchmaking thorught the drama. Although he didn't get together with YH he was still happy. As for TY he got a bit sad ending when YH passed away but at the end she appears which means she didn't die. Loved the couples XG x FQS. HXY and ZL bickering thorught the drama but became a couple at the ending is just so cute. As for SY...she was annyoing for me all the time.
I was so happy that every couple got a happy ending.

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Typical & Nice Costume Drama

I enjoy Neo's work as an actor (especially in Hutong with Zhao Lusi) and there was a good hype for this series that I gave it a try even paying for a month subscription for it just to satisfy my curiosity.
This is a fantasy, costume series. As a typical costume series, it started from the very beginning with a poor, starving soul then came across the hero with unsettled heart that then healed by the poor soul.
Costume is magnificent in this series for everyone even the extras. Production is awesome. Beautifully crafted and done with obvious dedication showing in every small details.
The entire cast work harmoniously together but I will avoid saying that there's this magical chemistry. I am unable to see that even from the lead characters. The actor who was casted as the Dark Phantom didnt work for me either. Its lacking the face and look of the most powerful evil being.

The story evolved but mainly focused on the dragon's affairs affecting the lead female's life. Many side stories before it got to the highlight of the story.
I enjoyed it while watching but it wasnt one of those where I anticipated for the next episode or excited to see how it will turn out. It was ? ?
Worth watching, though as someone who paid subscription for this, I would suggest not to do that and find it to watch for free. Theses another series i paid for a subscription in another platform and that one I am very thankful I did because it is so worth the payment.

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A fun Xianxia adventure!

I started watching because I heard that there would be a dragon as a main character and I was curious to see what would the story be like. I can easily admit that I only watched a handful of Xianxia dramas in the past, so this review is only based on what I've learned to appreciate when watching dramas of several different genres, rather than watching other Xianxia stories.
I just finished watching the last episode and I can say that I enjoyed myself.

The story starts off as a quest to find Tianyao's missing body parts, with Yanhui as a fundamental part of the plan. The rhythm at the beginning of the story is lively and addictive, the setting also feels welcoming even when there are dangerous situations. The dynamic between characters, however, takes the crown for being the real show-stealer: Tianyao's cold and stubborn attitude seem to clash with Yanhui's just as stubborn and fiery character, but they immediately complement each other and they are quick to become reliable partners, even when there are no romantic feelings involved. The arrival of Bai Xiaosheng also contributes to make the story even more entertaining: he has to be one of the most charming characters in the entire drama!
I felt like the dynamics among characters got ruined around the middle of the story. I'm not saying that this was unjustified (there are valid plot reasons for that, I believe), but a big part of what made the show so compelling was reduced to almost nothing in the span of a couple of episodes. The arc in the middle was also not very interesting, so I'm not lying when I say that at that point I was just hoping for things to get better as soon as possible.
Luckily for me, things did get better later on. On the other hand, the worldbuilding started to look a little fragile, with powers and magical effects coming and going according to what the writers seemed to need at any given moment. While it was still fun and I felt like the story was saved toward its conclusion, I also couldn't help feeling a little unsatisfied for this reason.

As I said, the characters were definitely the best part. There's almost always some characters that I end up finding too annoying or boring, but that wasn't the case this time around: Tianyao, Yanhui, Xiaosheng, even antagonists such as Suying and Lingfei were all interesting and fascinating to see on the screen. Now that I watched all the episodes, I have the feeling that I'm going to miss them a lot.

The production was good enough. The special effects weren't very good, but I'm also not the kind of audience who is too picky about that.
The music was another great part of the drama. All the songs are amazing and touching, they give the story the right amount of dramatic and majestic energy it needs, making the important moments even better in terms of delivery.

This drama is definitely not perfect, but the story and the characters are all charming. They kept me looking forward to the next episode, which is the most important thing for me. I'm definitely recommending this series to whoever is looking for an epic fantasy adventure with themes revolving around trust, betrayal, obsession, and most importantly finding your own place and your own path in life.

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Endured watching for its in-between episodes that always save this drama from being dropped

Story: A common story about a battle of good and evil rooted in obsessive unrequited love among Taoists and spirits. It started when the millennium dragon, Tianyao in the human form, was betrayed by his bride, Suying, at their matrimonial ceremony by cutting off his body parts making him powerless but unsuccessful to retrieve his heart-protecting scale only to sustain her lover’s life. Using his last string of strength, Tianyao was able to save his protecting heart scale by throwing it out up in the air and unexpectedly fell on a baby girl, Yanhui, suffering from a weak heart. Possessing the heart-protecting scale both helps and endanger her life. When Tianyao finally met the grown-up baby girl, Yanhui, they embarked on the journey of recovering his lost body parts.

The story clearly showed the power of determination, sacrifice, and a cluster of efforts to defeat immortal wickedness.

This drama could have been a great one if not for the following:
1. Too many flashbacks that add to the boredom
2. Emotional scenes that were invaluable to affect the viewer’s emotion
3. Poor characterization of Tianyao known to be powerful of all but ended incapable in the story, and
4. Pushing the story long with unnecessary complexities.

Acting/Cast: Neo Hou as Tianyao pretty much did well and suits the role with that face. It was gratifying alone watching him on screen. The FL who I barely knew was not bad at all. Their acting complements each other. I blamed some of their dialogues and how the story was played that the whole cast’s performance was not appreciated strongly as it should be.

On the other hand, the best thing I loved about this drama was I had the pleasure of feasting my eyes with colors. It catered to one of the best fantasy aesthetics. I specifically praise the wedding of Tianyao and Yanhui which was very regal with that white cape flowing wedding costumes and headdress. There were more stunning to see that would somehow encourage you to care watching this drama if you haven’t yet.

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Not Top-Tier, But Still Worth Watching!

I think this series really stands out with its emotional depth and strong character development. Tianyao’s repeated stabbings of Yanhui, while frustrating, are understandable given his tragic past, but I feel the story could’ve explored a different approach to convey his inner turmoil without making his actions feel unnecessarily harsh. Yanhui, on the other hand, is such a relatable character. At first, she’s selfish, but as the story progresses, her growth into a selfless person who sacrifices for others is really moving. Her development, especially in learning to understand Tianyao’s pain, makes her journey so compelling.

The acting, particularly from the female lead, is a major highlight for me. She brings such authenticity to her role, and her emotional scenes—especially the ones where she’s crying—really draw you in. The chemistry between the leads and the strong performances from the whole cast make the story even more engaging.

While the series doesn’t have the flashy effects or high-budget cinematography you might find in some top-tier dramas, it has its own charm. The character-driven storytelling really makes it shine. The OST is also fantastic. It perfectly complements the emotional tone of the series, and I was impressed by how it enhanced the overall experience. This series is definitely worth watching, and I think it’s also worth rewatching to appreciate all the little details even more.

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