A handsome ML and some satisfying PDA

OK - so the story was full of holes and didn't have much substance - but the chemistry between the actors was terrific, and I appreciated the little twists in the story along the way and at the end. The ML was worth every scene he was in especially because he's gorgeous - but the FL was irritating as hell. Maybe her sister would have been a more fitting FL.

The best part of this production for me was the PDA - real kisses, not those pressed lip fake kisses. Not overdone or shocking - but real and romantic, and that made the series for me and earned a 7.5 rating. That's why I look for ROMANTIC historical stories. If you're looking for something light to watch in between serious drama, this one will do! (And looking at the ML is worth it!)

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How Many Times Can You Stab the Hero and Not Kill Him?

Light watching when you need something in-between serious titles. The ML's character got stabbed by the FL's character so many times it became tedious. Her quest for revenge became tedious. One minute she would realize the truth of the situation, and then in the next breath go right back to her revenge quest. Not too smart, that one. And then there was the 'twin' fake-face twist that was just unnecessary after a while.

I like this ML and he was just playing the part he was given. I hope to see him in better and more worthy productions in the future.

It was very uncomfortable watching the torture scenes - stabbing and more stabbing. I think the writer and the director must have some kind of fetish.

Again, not to be taken too seriously - this one really is just for weekend watching of filling time.

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Silly, Short, and Sweet

The episodes are so short that if you blink, you miss most of it. The story is weak, but the characters are likeable. ML & FL have a fun time and are cute together. No real plot, but some silly, funny moments that had me laughing out loud. Lots of holes in the plot, but it doesn't really matter in the end, because there was little time to develop anything deeper.

For a little weekend watching, or just for something so light you can't take it seriously - this is good for a few laughs with a cute cast.

Downside, the sound quality was AWFUL. Dialogue cut out most of the time, and so did the subtitles. Then in the middle of one episode, that awful crappy music started playing over the dialogue. Really cheap production, and it showed.

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The awful subtitling spoiled this for me, but...

I was hooked on this story - not overly complicated, but with characters I liked and others that I deplored. If I could have followed the story much better and understood the plot more. The chemistry between the ML & FL was fantastic - and carried the whole series for me.

Nothing complicated about this story - just short and sweet - both seasons. A little more effort could have been made for the final episode, but I was happy with the way it ended, so no real complaints for a mini-series.

All that being said, I really do NOT like these mini-episode dramas. I prefer the regular format and longer durations so that the story can be developed (hopefully) and the audience can get invested in the characters and the story itself.

I would probably re-watch this if I could find it with decent subtitles - that would make all the difference in the world.

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Love Wins

I really wish this could have been a full-length drama and not a short-episode series.

I would have loved to see the back stories of our ML & FL - two flawed, broken people who come to know and accept love despite their past. I loved the chemistry between them. I loved that he was the weaker of the two, but he loved her enough to let her go. I loved how no matter how much she denied it at first, she finally let him love her till she was able to love him too.

Their love scenes were tender and sweet, even with the chaste kisses. The cinematography added to the unspoken romantic interactions of the lead couple and was quite appealing and effective.

Loved the interjection of the time traveler and her sweet (well-deserved) ending. Hilarious!

I will definitely watch this one over and over again.

*Update - I had to amend the rating I originally gave this drama because I have come back to rewatch so many times! I hope there will be a Season 2.

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A pleasant surprise!

I started watching to kill time in-between episode drops for my regular dramas. I'm glad I did.

Interesting story line, and pretty well-executed. No dragging or tropey scenes. The chemistry between the ML & FL was cute, and the other players were pretty good too. The story didn't have too many loose ends or holes, and everything wrapped up nicely in the end. I wish the villains had gotten a little more Karma, but even that was done with finesse.

Can we talk about the ML? I liked him a lot and look forward to seeing him in other dramas. He wasn't wooden or clumsy - looked calm and reserved when he needed to, but innocent when he had to be. Loved some of his expressions when the FL took the lead and romanced him.

I'm liking these detective-type storylines, and this was entertaining to see the characters work together to figure things out, look for clues, and let the situations play out.

Re-watch? A definite maybe when I'm looking for something to fill my time, because I didn't have to fast forward through any of it!

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Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse... it did!

The amnesia storyline is usually boring anyway, but in this drama, it was done and then done to death. Still, I persisted. In her own way, the FL's character was somewhat endearing despite her silliness. The ML's character was appealing, and he certainly was easy on the eyes. Their chemistry was just so-so. Still I persisted.

Then came the twist at the end, and hope sprung. Maybe we didn't waste the episodes after all and endured the crappy editing and choppy story-telling. And then came the biggest disappointment of all. That ending! The crappiest, most unsatisfying end to a drama as I have ever seen. It was pointlessly cruel and left me totally stunned. I searched for alternate ending; some explanation; a season 2 perhaps. But nothing.

I try to give a drama a decent rating because I believe the actors deserve credit for the roles they are given and strive to play. That is the only reason this drama got any rating at all. I hope never to encounter anything this writer does - and certainly won't watch it.

Absolutely NO rewatch value, and if you're looking for something to watch, stay clear of this one.

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What a good series, and honestly, Zhang Ling He!

I have to admit I had a little trouble following the story at first, but that's me. Once I got the characters down, I couldn't walk away. Despite some very unkind comments I have read, the ensemble cast gave wonderful performances and made me really like (or despise) the characters.

The couples were endearing and believable - and the chemistry between Bai Lu and Zhang Ling He was sizzling hot!! (He would have electricity with a stone, I tell you!) The villains!! What superb acting - I despised them intensely; proof of the great job they did bringing their evil characters to life. The characters that people thought were weak or unimportant, really had their purpose - and it took some care and attention to realize that. Even the character of Xie Wei - he was so broken, so lonely, a product of his past longing for the love he desperately needed to heal.

I especially liked the time and attention to the final episode, and that bonus episode was just the icing on the cake!!! Loved that for the most part, they tied up the loose ends nicely - meting out justice and Karma, but wrapping up the characters' stories. I would have liked to have seen a little more of the end story of Xie Wei's two loyal aides and Xue Ding Fei. But I absolutely loved the lead couple's ending the best. The scene with Xie Wei and his kids was hilarious!

Now... why did I not go for it and give this a perfect 10? You Fang Yin & Lu Xian. They deserved so much more - and a little of the happiness that everyone else received. That broke my heart, especially for Lu Xian. Sorry, writer & director - that one cost you a perfect rating.

I will definitely be re-watching this, probably time and time again.

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Much ado about ... not much.

Despite all the rave reviews about this drama, I was underwhelmed and disappointed in the lackluster job that the writers & director did. Certainly, there were moments of comedy and touching moments as well, but the story arcs were not as interesting or as intriguing as I had hoped. I hoped that they would tie up the 40 episodes nicely and neatly, to reward the viewers for their commitment to this series. Unfortunately, they did not deliver.

Can we talk about the actors in this series? They did a great job bringing their characters to life. You loved them, you hated them, you felt sorry for them, you despised them. You were happy with them, in love with them, sad with them, grieved for them. They all did a wonderful job of making their characters real - whether in the Heavenly Realm, The Beast Realm, The Mortal Realm, or (my favourite) the Void. I really can't single out one particular actor - they were all so good. They are the reason for any high rating!

To be honest, if I were to rewatch this drama, I would only be interested in the Void Realm. There were great possibilities there and those characters had depth and potential that sadly was not given enough screentime or attention. It will be interesting to see if there is a second season (the fans would definitely support it), but hopefully the writers/director will do a better job.

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This Director Does a Great Job!

This is not your garden variety CDrama. At first, I was a little dazed, but kept watching anyway, and it paid off. I loved the characters. Loved the chemistry. There are still a few holes and parts of this storyline that left me scratching my head and wondering if I missed something... but the truth is that I just liked the actors and the fact that we got a happy ending even after some moments of angst and emotion.

The ML is undoubtedly one of my favorites. He was so endearing, and I loved watching his gamut of emotions and his sincerity with his FL. She was a little simple in the beginning, but as a part of the storyline it made sense. Rain Lu plays dumb really well, but as she grows up in the part, she is also endearing. Loved the second couple, and even though I despised the SML at first, I really liked how he thawed and became a better person to match that sweet SFL.

Definitely the most kudos must go to this Director and the writers. Their series of short dramas are all favorites of mine, and I plan to watch everything they collaborate on or have a part in.

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Only Lukewarm

I don't have any rave reviews for this one. The storyline was weak, the plot was full of holes and loose ends; characters who served little or no purpose to the main story and did very little to develop the characters or the overall drama.

The actors did a fair job portraying their characters, and for the most part the chemistry was ok. Just ok. Everyone was believable as friends, but I didn't feel much heat in any of the couples (what couples there were besides the main couple). I loved Chilan's character the most and am sorry her 'pairing' was a non-starter. I'm still trying to figure out the CP/Mu Yan twist. Wen Jun deserved his own happy ending, but I suppose he was born to be noble. The side characters too - Key Yun Cha - so underdeveloped and underutilized. Liu Fu - loyal and protective. Uncle Hu - a potentially loveable character, again, wasted. And what was the real story with Su Jiuer's father!? There wasn't even a hint of a real connection between him and her mother. It just seemed like pieces of a puzzle, thrown together on a big table, but not all of the pieces fit or were even put together.

And the ending! What was that? Where did the villain go? How did Chilan end up fighting in the competition? How did Wen Jun become the Crown Prince? I figured out why Han Zheng lost his powers, but there was no explanation to come to a conclusion. Are we to just guess and figure out a rationale? I'd say that's pretty sloppy work after investing in 36 episodes. But, as I said, the story was sloppily told, and a lot of time was wasted on solving side-story crimes with characters who really never added to the main story - just took up screen time.

OST was pleasant thanks to Liu Yunning. Sadly, no rewatch value for me.

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Cliffhanger Hell

I searched long and hard to find episodes after episode 8 - and with English subtitles. I was really into the story up to that point. I liked the interaction between the characters, their friendships and their loyalty. The chemistry between the ML & FL was cute and believable.

And then I got to episode 18 and got a cliffhanger! Oh no! Is there going to be a Season 2?! Can't find information anywhere, and now I'm left with this gaping void of unanswered questions and 'what happens next'?

I have to mention the great acting that Duan Xing Yu (Cha Zi (Purple)/Fei Yan) did. She was a treat to watch - her quirky side switching from personality to personality, and her tragic side in the end.

Can't wait to see Season 2. Could we be warned next time there's a cliffhanger?!

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You will have to try to stick with it

It was not easy to stick with this story to its conclusion. To make matters worse, the subtitles in the last three episodes were utter garbage. Word salad that made NO sense whatsoever; you couldn't even get the gist of what people were saying. Good thing the main storyline had pretty much wrapped up, and you could glean from the actors what was happening. Unfortunately, the FL was the most irritating - her character was pretty dumb and clueless. The ML wasn't too far behind. The Crown Prince and Concubine WU had the most chemistry - loved them! The villains were pretty evil but I wish they had gotten more comeuppance. All in all, the story could have been better told, and although I watched all the episodes (even those last awfully subtitled three), it took a lot of commitment on my part. I definitely wouldn't rewatch it.
On an entirely different note, watching these dramas makes me want to run out and learn embroidery!

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Worth every minute!

I enjoyed this series very much. The story was well-told, and the pace was pretty good. I didn't fast forward once. I particularly liked that there was none of the usual fanatical sinister plot, the lies and subterfuge, and most of all, the female characters were not portrayed as empty-headed and obsessed with a man. However, I would have liked the relationship between Shang Guan & Lin Qi to have been a little less combative, as many perceive her treatment of him as abusive. I personally did not - taking into consideration where her character was from - a state of warriors, so naturally, she was aggressive. Every couple had their story arc, and all the sub-plots wrapped up nicely. Karma was served graciously, and even the villains got decent comeuppance.

The entire cast performed superbly. Some say there was no chemistry between the ML & FL, but I beg to differ. They were so sweet - and their relationship grew and blossomed into love for each other. At first, she was a little annoying, but there was no doubt she loved her Prince. The other couples were well-matched too - and all of the characters interacted well in their respective roles, making them a very believable and relatable family. Li Wei's maids were a hoot - I liked that they were smart and unafraid to speak their minds. But my favourite character of all was Su Shen. I laughed with him, I cried with him. He was the perfect interjection of humor and wit and sentimentality. The most touching scene for me was between Lin Qi and his father when Lin Qi comes to see his father when he is sick. This epitomizes what I think the heart of this drama is about. Family. All the different elements of this family and how its members co-exist and relate to each other. It is a touching story beautifully told.

I will certainly put this on my list of shows to rewatch.

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Finally! A Story with Substance.

I admit, I choose dramas with hot eye candy leads and a whole lot of romance. I have only recently started watching modern day dramas, preferring the historical costume dramas instead. All the Way to the Sun made me happy I have crossed over.

It was very satisfying to see characters with such depth. It was even more satisfying to see female characters who were not silly, petulant, helpless ninnies swooning and fighting over men. Landy Li and Naomi Wang were superb in their roles of Li Mu Jia and Tian Rong. Very worthy of mention was Yuan Ran's performance as the lady boss. What a strong, classy woman! Wang Yang was swoonworthy as the older, wiser, more reserved leading man. Loved his expressions and the way they showed his emotions even when there was no dialog to go with it. Xu Shao Ying's portrayal of Wan Bing was so down-to-earth and sincere too.

The writer did a wonderful job bringing this story to the screen, and the director guided the actors to make the characters real and relatable. The OST was very appropriate and beautiful, enhancing the scenes and situations. All around, this production was so well done. I hope to watch more dramas by all of these players.

Dramas like these touch on so many relevant themes - family, culture, human flaws and weaknesses, relationships, romance (I would have loved a little more of that). These stories draw us in and make us feel like we know the characters or perhaps even have experienced some of these situations ourselves. I really enjoyed watching this, and did relatively very little fast-forwarding and anticipated every episode.

I will very likely rewatch some time when I want something that is not only satisfying, but doesn't rely on silly tropes and a lot of overdone dramatics.

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