Excellent Web drama!

I am usually not fond of Web dramas partly because they are oftentimes warped in melodrama and the plot can drag too long.

This however was a rare gem in the making! It was nicely paced and each episode would really keep me on my toes and looking forward to the next episode. The novelist and screenwriter(s) did an exceptional job and you never think that daily tragedies in our lives all affect various people in various ways with similar fates and we wish sometimes we could turn back the time. The plot was so moving that it really hit me hard that life is short. Way too short and I will always be reminded to pick the phone calls from my loved ones...

The male and female leads were also superbly represented in their roles with so much depth in their characters that were extrinsically real. I loved that they ended up well and together in the end. So happy for them.

With 2022 CNY starting out, this was a very good drama to reset all that he world has had to suffer this past 2 years and hopefully we can really start afresh with living the new norm more meaningfully. 'Tis a drama anyone should catch if searching for one that is worth your time.
Blessed New Year to all...

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A truly enigmatic and engaging story!

This drama really caught me by surprise. It was highly recommended by my husband so I decided to give it go even though I was not quite keen on chasing dramas. However this story really changed my perspective of life as a youth and I could even recommend this drama to my students.

The characters were alive and really great even in their younger years and when they were older. The sad scenes were so touching and I really wished that his soulmate would not have to leave into the unknown...

I look forward to a part 2 or similar such dramas in the future.

A good story with a good team is all it takes to engage the audience. Well done!

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Grips you with each episode

Such a moving story of 2 true blood brothers and their beliefs / ideals about how their country and government should be like.

It was indeed 49 episodes but never felt like they were that many.
Weaved in was a very apt and sufficiently sweet romance between the younger brother and his wife whom he loved more and more only after marriage.

Story: 9.5
The spying within enemy lines simply kept me going . It was so intense and suspenseful that I couldn't help but to stay up late into the night to watch more episodes. It was very painful and heart-wrenching to see each of the communist individuals sacrifice themselves (most of the time via suicide) just to keep their comrades' identities and the mission(s) they had to accomplish, safe from the enemy/authorities. I ask myself often, why would the Chinese keep killing their own people as the torture scenes resemble so much like those of the Japanese . What was humanity like in the past ? This drama has caused me to back to my history textbooks on the worldwide RISE of COMMUNISM by Carl Marx. The only thing that I am pretty upset about such a storyline is that almost all of the key characters had to die at the end. Shen Fang's entire family (including his wife, his father in law and his house servant Uncle Hu) except for his elder brother Shen Lin, all had to die so tragically, some even did so sacrificially. How I wish there were more that survived.

Acting/Cast: 10
Each character was intricately weaved in and their emotions were clearly evident and full of realism from the 1st to the last episode. I cannot give anything better than a perfect score.

Music: 10
The lyrics of the OST are very appropriate
Music was also grim and relevant for the storyline throughout.

Re-watch Value: 9
Any spy story will always have a high re-watch value by me...This one is no exception because of the suspense that will keep you looking forward. Only thing was the torture and gruesome parts that might not be so comfortable for some viewers.

If you love spy dramas, this is another one highly recommended for you. At least it keeps your mind moving unlike those daily 'lovey-dovey' dramas which most times are pretty impossible to believe in reality.

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Totally blown away

This was one of the few dramas that I read every single word to understand the plot.... Amazing how it unfolds. I really liked the action that was packed in it and the plot kept me in suspense.

One of the earliest dramas I watched that sparked my interest in subsequent 谍战dramas. And I have uncovered my strong interest in these types of dramas much more so than those modern day sweet love dramas....

Huang XUAN is a great actor and there was so much love-hate / respect between him and his past buddy. What I truly 3njoyed was how the snipping theme was incorporated into the political and military struggle set in a time of the Japanese occupation.

Don't know why this was so underrated and would totally recommend this. A similar story was also found in - ARROWS ON BOWSTRING drama. Instead of bullets the 3 siblings used arrows. But so give this a go for anyone who enjoys suspense, war, military and just pure good acting.

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Such a moving story!

I've not cried in a drama for a long while already. This was one where I was emotionally moved. Maybe the hard work of schooling, doing well in my grades and all the agonies of work and life in generally, it's something I can relate to. (By the way, Singapore is a nation whose people has the least hours of sleep - i.e. the most sleep deprived people are here).

Then there is the grief of losing a loved one... Leo did an excellent job in his role as a handicapped youth with a painful past of losing his brother whom he looks up to a lot. Despite the struggles of overcoming his past, he had to think about trying to also accomplish his brother's personal dreams and aspiration. The OST lyrics are also equally moving and real. I was searching high and low for the episode with the band performing in 2009...finally found it and shared it with my loved ones...hope they take inspiration from there.

Ive also given this re-watch value a 10 because I have literally re-watched this without skipping any episode. Definitely worth it. Give this a go and you won't regret as the ending was truly satisfying - Xiao Feng was able to regain consciousness and awaken from his long sleep (all thanks to Xiaobei who did his best to bring him out of the game), furthermore, Xiao Feng eventually got together with An Lan who has been waiting so long for him. Together, Xiaobei and Xiao Feng defeat Xu Wei in the CF game that was nearly impossible to win! How nerve wrecking! But yes, he deserves his just reward - for killing someone in an accident he didn't wish admit and own up to, he himself died in a tragic accident - what an irony of fate. Like the saying goes, what goes around comes around.

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What a steal!

Great cast that packed a punch! It was so moving and real that I almost felt like I was in the story. I ran the episodes at 1.5x speed for all episodes though as I was too eager to get to the end....

The plot is amazing yet felt so unfortunate that so many people had to die. I really liked the inclusion about the use of the bow and arrow... Something I feel would have been hard to film given the complexity of its use and outcome on enemies. Overall, the storyline moved so quickly that I needed to finish all 42 episodes in a day.

The only let down was the last 5 - 7 episodes that I felt were rushed. It could have expanded to a 60 episode drama instead so we know how the CPC actually plotted, attacked and won the war. That 二十一 guy was a pain in the ass and I'm glad he got what he deserves. Silly of him to treat his task like a game.

Nevertheless, it was a good 2013 attempt to make this drama as real as it can be. 荣石 was a superb character! and we will truly miss some of these veterens in the filming industry!

Now to watch THE DISGUISER....

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Superb rendition of a historical drama!

I have never like Chinese historical dramas due to the plot oftentimes being pretty slow-burning and a lot of times there is little action and Alot of talking...

This drama has completely changed my views abt historical dramas. I chanced upon this drama because I have been following several Leo Wu's dramas. His latest - The Long Ballad is another classic hit.... Read my reviews there.

It turns out this drama got a 9.1 rating on Mydramalist hence I decided to put this up in my must watch list.

It has not disappointed me at all. I loved everything abt Mei Chang Shu /Lin Shu. He plots, schemes and is able to turn greatly unfavourable situations to his advantage, and in ways you never expect it.

I sacrificed 2 sleepless nights to finish watching this as it was such a mind-blowing story! Kudos to the author /novelist who first wrote this story... Double kudos to the entire production team and cast for the EXCELLENT & EPIC performance too! Only thing I did was to play the drama at 1.25x or sometimes 1.5x speed just so that I get to the end faster...?

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I'm embarrassed to write this ...honestly

Was this a 2020 film? did COVID hit the media industry so badly last year that this drama turned out equally bad too? What's more, its a drama with one of my fav actor - Leo Wu. I feel so so sorry for the cast as they can potentially do much more given their cslibre if not for the production n maybe also the storyline... ( have mot read the original story so can't quite fault the storyline)

Who are the 2 ( 1 mysterious man and a female lady demon) up up in the cold mountain? They seem to be plotting but don't know what.? When did the young emperor become a demon? How or why? I'm still quite puzzled there. Then the role of the ZHEN bird, what exactly is she meant to be? Is she also just a demon meant to die along the way just so the Baili brothers, the demon hunter and the Lang tribe King can increase their 'powers' to fight even tougher demons?

Then there is group of 8 'saints sitting down in a circle guarding smtg at the top. What was that? and What about them? How did they exist?

Hence I must say there are just too many undeveloped plots in this story. Just wished this was done better. Indeed, just like the other reviewer mentioned, i was indeed hoping and hoping that it would get better as the drama progressed but it didn't. What a disappointing drama.

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Another excellent rendition of a Spy Story

Totally loved this! Ending was much better than Arrows on a Bowstring. Characters and storyline were also similar and the schemes and plots really blew my mind off! Never expected all those twists.

The only thing I felt could have happened is that the production team could have dramatised all the planning and action of each of the assassination instead of just seeing the final action. I would really like to hear and see how they actually plan each assassination instead of giving it an after-thought preview (those of you that have watched this will understand what I mean). Nevertheless the story was well executed.

The cast was great and similar to 2013's Aarows on a Bowstring and also 2021's The Rebel. Ah Cheng's character was superbly weaved and the numerous roles he had to play were simple yet profoundly impactful. I'm looking forward to more of Wang Kai's dramas.

This drama series has had a very good balance of conversations and action, something that every good spy drama should have. On top of that, a satisfying Dram should also have a good ending and this drama did enough of it though I wouldn't say it's entirely satisfying.

I have always loved this genre and will always do. These types of dramas really have so much depth and meaning that it's really worth spending time to watch every single episode - this drama falls under one of such dramas. I will go on to watch more of these 战谍 drama and will write my reviews for each of them accordingly.

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