crackling chemistry

I'm a big softy for the classic enemies-to friends- to lovers trope. It's just so easy and fun when it's done right, and the chemistry from an enemy-turned lover is delicious.

I love the physical comedy and the initial misunderstanding that occurs with them living across from each other. I think the height difference between Pran and Pat is cute. The faces they pull at each other crack me up, and the montage when we're first introduced to them and their families had me rolling. I'm personally more attracted to Pat's visuals. I think he's supppppppper attractive (bright smile, beautiful eyes) and I really like his athletic stature. I'm not used to seeing more stereotypically masculine men in BL roles, so it's a refreshing and more modern change IMO.

I like the source of conflict in the series. I came into it not knowing what the plot was and assumed it was a buddy-cop series. It was surprising for me to watch a BL with a compelling and thought-out plot. Having to bear the brunt of your parent's conflicts isn't unusual for many of us, and the ramifications of your parent's pasts can haunt the steps you take as you grow up until you learn to break away from their toxic cycles. To add to the confusion between their feelings, they're also at opposing ends of conflict within their school faction in-fighting, and these issues are deep and not easily resolved. It's endearing that Pat has been Pran's secret crush for years, and we're able to watch Pat slowly understand and evolve in his feelings toward Pran. It's adorable, sometimes heartbreaking, and it's a refreshing break away from a lot of the BLs I'm used to seeing (and I LOVE that they even made fun of the "standard BL" industry!!! "I'm straight but Pran is the only guy I like." LOL.

Their chemistry is sizzling. The elevator scene with Pat's charming smirk and the way Pran looks at him up close made my breath catch. Pat's subtle (and cute) guidance toward the bus stop brainstorm was also adorable; I love that he's always willing to go the extra step to help Pran, even while doing it in ways that aren't obvious or loud (like begging the professor to let them re-enter the competition or cleverly convincing his team to assist in the rebuild etc). It's genuine and not boast-goading, and the way he looks at Pran when he's unaware gives me butterflies. We stan for a man confident in his sexuality ("I don't mind genders, I like them all."). Yasss.

Pat is a wily suitor who'll travel across the country to get an answer from Pran, whilst having the patience and understanding to do it in a way that makes sense to them ("wooing war", competitiveness, silent communication, etc). He's willing to be an underdog surrounded by enemies just to prove to Pran that the rooftop wasn't a momentary lapse in judgment and he'll wait for Pran to take his walls back down. I find it all incredibly romantic, and I would have been swept away long before Pran (although I'm sure he's internally screaming). The heavier moments are handled gracefully and with the emotional gravity of veteran actors. I was particularly impressed with the last couple of episodes when the conflict with their families came to a head. There were beautiful moments, many very subtle or nuanced in facial expressions and body language, and I couldn't help but rewatch those scenes over and over, particularly Pat with Pran on the rooftop, in the bus, and with their parents.

OST - Refreshingly well edited. Mostly clean seams between songs and scene tonal changes, and the music itself is pretty good.

Cons: During moments of physical comedy, the sound effects are overplayed. They use a lot of the same noises and it gets a little irksome.

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it'll change your standard for xianxia/xuanhuan's forever: a delicious fever dream fairytale

The easiest way to describe Cang Lan Jue is as if someone plucked all of my favorite tropes from my 15-year-old brain and added loads of Renaissance and art nouveau imagery, gorgeous hair, fiery chemistry (both on screen and BTS), and a healthy dollop of physical and emotional whump.

- The writing:
It's one of the tightest, cleanest (narratively speaking) scripts I've ever seen in a cdrama. There are no superfluous storylines, the pace is engaging and well-thought-out, and there are deliciously written tie-ins and callbacks to seemingly simple gestures and actions written within the drama that consistently add layers of meaning to every little thing. Traditional tropes are written in but are often completely subverted or altered with nuance and creative flair. Those who would traditionally be evil can very well be the golden-hearted heroes. The heroes we're manipulated into believing (even the story at the very beginning of this drama lies to us and misrepresents the facts) can easily be the true face of villainy.

- The relationships and chemistry:
There are many relationships written within this drama that help drive the narrative and shed light on history's past. I fell in love with the people of Cangyan Sea, and those closest to DFQC. There isn't a single person who doesn't go through some type of hardship or self-discovery, and those we meet at the beginning of the drama have often changed several shades. Some platonic relationships are unexpected and some of the most engaging factors of joy, especially in the mortal realm arc. The love story between DFQC (fondly referred to as Moon from here on out) and Orchid is the greenest, most wholesome, and healthy relationship I've ever seen in a cdrama. Hands down (I'm lookin' at you, Cheng Yi dramas!) They fill the holes in places the other lacks, and their relationship is rooted in tacit understanding, mutual love, and an unyielding acceptance of each other's true, most bare colors. I became inexplicably attached to their journey. Their chemistry is palpable, both on screen and behind the scenes. Once their relationship is established, there is nary a scene when they're not hand-in-hand or kissing (and the kisses- oh my god!!! no fish kisses here). I particularly enjoyed the special attention to detail with hands and clothing in terms of a visual representation of their relationship and an outer reflection of their inner selves.

- The AESTHETICS *surpassed by no other cdrama I've ever seen*:
Every realm is uniquely detailed and fleshed out, from makeup to forms of magic used to costumes, interior design, architecture, and customs. I haven't been this impressed with world-building since I first watched The Lord of The Rings. A lot of money and thought has gone into this drama, it's blatantly evident within the first episode, and I couldn't stop myself from pausing scenes just to marvel at the live-action art (literally, there is a scene where two immortals are leisurely enjoying wine on a boat, from within an actual painting, and they've been reduced to brush strokes). Arbiter Hall and the forests within Shuiyuntian gave me a lot of Rivendell vibes, especially with the ethereal coloring and iridescent armor. Cangyan Sea (Moon's realm and home) has rich and sophisticated velvet textures, gilded detailing, and layers of deep colors that represent their people's storied history and Moon's enigmatic personality. I was particularly awe-struck by Moon's entire visual. From head to toe, he's a very carefully detailed and supremely handsome character. He's got the nicest hair in cdrama land (or anywhere), and costumes/armor pieces that are flattering and reflective of his inner self. I particularly love his black and gold ensemble, with the gilded gold flares on the sleeves. Devastatingly gorgeous. None of the artistic styles and set design concepts would have been able to properly live and breathe on screen without the equally masterful cinematography, makeup, and lighting. These departments knew exactly what they were doing.

-Acting and OST:
Beautiful OST. Handomsly lends to every scene, particularly scenes between our CP. I also love the atmospheric OST, especially the incredibly eerie track that played whenever an evil spirit or antagonist entered the scene. It always sent chills up my spine.

Favorite tracks:
1. The Other Side - Jing Long, Jing Di Er *every time this track came on, I was a heaving mess.
2. Remaining Love - Zhou Shen *He can never do wrong.
2. Goodbye Love- Faye

I'm particularly proud of Dylan Wang's performance through Cang Lan Jue. Although I've always been fond of him, he's come a long way since his highly criticized performance in Miss The Dragon. He's able to master his facial expressions with very natural and organic body language within each scene; he's particularly strong with his cutesy moments during the body swap hijinks and comes out *very* strong during demanding emotional scenes. His performance during the angst moments in this drama cannot be overstated. He embodies his role as Moon, and the pain that emanates is visceral, profound, and deep. I couldn't help but cry with and for him in those moments. The behind-the-scenes videos of these moments show how deeply he immersed himself in his role, unable to extricate himself easily after the director says "cut." Truly devastatingly gorgeous work. I hope this drama lands him many new rules; it's well deserved.

Orchid is a wonderfully written character that pairs beautifully with our dark and gloomy Moon supreme. I'm glad I didn't allow Esther Yu's higher-pitched voice to deter me from watching the drama. Her voice may turn off some from watching, but I found her endearing fairly quickly. Her character has a lot of growth and a huge heart; it's easy to find reasons to like her, and her voice does change quite a bit throughout the drama.

This isn't your standard cdrama xianxia/xuanhuan fantasy drama. It's not another Cheng Yi drama (although, lord, do I have a soft spot for our "King of Whump."). This drama is like a cleverly and cleanly written fantasy bedtime story, with whimsical demons and fairies and good and evil from the most unexpected places. It's worth every 10-star review it's received.

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Finally, a story driven BL - a new age for BLs as they just keep getting better and better.

I've been so impressed with the latest BLs coming out recently. They're more story-driven, with well-rounded casts, great acting, wonderful editing, and even good OSTs. First, it was I Told Sunset About You (and its sequel), then Bad Buddy, then Semantic Error (Korea), and now this. I'm ecstatic with what I'm seeing, especially with the inclusivity in Not Me. The writers manage to touch upon so many important topics, like LGBTQ rights, advocacy for those with disabilities, wealth inequality, political corruption, etc.

The cast are all very great actors, but I'm of course especially impressed by Off and Gun and the other main actor pairings. Gun's acting stunned me out of the gate. His scene in the restaurant during the first episode impressed me. I could feel myself getting suffocated just watching his struggle, he looked genuinely in pain and afraid. His eyes are very expressive. His chemistry with Off is immediate and electrifying. I can understand why theirs a ship for them. Also a huge fan of the height difference. Off is also mesmerizing on-screen, and my heart breaks and rejoices with every microexpression.

[[[Ep 3 Update:]]]
Continuously completely blown away by the commentary. The writing for this series is really wonderful.

[[[Ep. 7 Update:]]
The night-time scene at the rally moved me to tears. Beautifully shot. The community representation. The cinematography. The song. The moment when Sean first saw White at the rally, and when he meets him underneath the flag. That whole scene, with Sean and White underneath the flag, gave me SO MANY GOOSEBUMPS. Full body chills, honestly. Especially when Sean grabbed his hand. UGH. I'm loving this series so much. T_T I'd also like to add that I'm *completely* invested in the secondary love line so far, with Yok and Dan.

[[Ep. 9 Update:]]
The goosebumps never left me. If you haven't started this series by now, you're really missing out. I want to re-watch everything for the first time again.

[[Ep.10 Update:]]
If Gun doesn't get an award for this series, I'mma throw hands.

[[Ep.14 Update]]
Tears. This series was not *just* a series. It was a movement. It was a feeling. It was release.

I can't recommend it enough and I can't wait to see what else OffGun and GMMTV come out with.

PS. The OST for this series is A M A Z I N G. It completely adds to every scene. GMMTV really outdid themselves.

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soapy melodrama that doesn't reinvent any wheels. if you like this genre, you'll like this drama.

TLDR: mixed feelings all around. It's soapy. It's cheesy. Nothing new. If you're going into it as a fan of this specific subgenre (military/medical patriotic drama w/melodrama romance), you'll be fine. It was too cheese and unrealistic for me.

- The music is tonally heavy-handed, which I guess is expected for this genre (military/medical melodrama). The main OST for our CP: You Are My Everything - by Gummy is unbearably corny and overbearing. I hate it with a fiery passion. It cheapens every scene our CP is in and comes in loud and over the top every time. I like the song that plays between Dae Young and Myung Joo. It's uber pretty and reflects the yearning they feel for each other. That song is called "Once Again" - by Mad Clown & Kim Na Young.

- Chemistry between Shi-jin and Dae Young is more fun to watch than that between Shin Jin with Mo Yeon.

- I was invested in the relationship between Dae Young and Myung Joo from the very first moment. Talk about sizzling chemistry, yearning, and a n g s t.

- Foreign dramas constantly hiring non-American/poor English speaking actors to play "dumb Americans" always gives me the b i g g e s t eye roll. Beyond cringe. More cringe points for hiring awful F-list foreign actors for all of the American and Arab English-speaking parts. It's hard to watch; thank god for fast-forward.

- Despite the cringe English speaking portions and the Superhero music whenever Song Joon Ki blinks, I've been warming up to the drama more and more. Her dumping him (she had a valid reason that neither I nor Joon-Ki's character could fault her for) and the time skip helped greatly.

- Ep 6 note: Why TF would a doctor travel to a solar plant site collapse post-Earthquake in heels? Only to make a dramatic show of smacking those heels on a metal structure, so they fall off. D R A m A. *eye roll*
How many goodbyes and slow-walking away scenes will we need to watch? For the umpteenth time. Loses its effect.

-Ep 14: Hi, when you're shot MULTIPLE times and just suffered cardiac arrest, you're not strong enough to SIT UP and WALK moments later. Come on.

TLDR: People who like this genre will likely eat it up. I think I had higher hopes for it because of the high rating and because I'm a Song Joon Ki fan, but it was too sappy and unrealistic to appreciate. I liked the secondary couple storyline and the camaraderie between the soldiers more than the CP, by a long shot. There's nothing special about this drama; I feel my time could have been better spent elsewhere.

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Huge fan of IU and Yeo Jin-goo. They're both powerhouses in everything they do, so I knew the show would have strong legs to stand on, regardless of the genre.

The OST and Moonlight Sonata were all gorgeous, they really pulled the scenes together and drew you into their world. I really loved the side storylines with the hotel guests and learning about their grudges and what pulls them away from release. I also thought the side characters were all really wonderful and had great chemistry, so I didn't have issues when an episode was side-character-centric. I sensed more chemistry between IU and Jin-goo while they were just friends, but I never felt like they didn't adore each other through the end. I was a sobbing mess at the end.

The visual FX was pretty meh. It's okay that it's not great - I understand visual FX is expensive- but sometimes it was worse than cheap Halloween makeup and very amateur. I got over it after a few episodes though and tried to enjoy the show/scenes for their story and character chemistry. My only real "issue" is that I really wish there was a special episode to show the epilogue. I really wanted to know more about what happened after the end episode.

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There's a lot to unpack with this series.

I'm always very vested in series that handle serial-murder cases because I find the chase and the forensic psychology behind it very fascinating. Some of my favorite Asian shows, like Beyond Evil (Korea), Memorist (Korea), Through The Darkness (Korea), Watcher (Korea), and Flower of Evil (Korea) are all rooted in lurking in the depths of a serial killer's mind to find a path toward catching him and the lengths in which they're willing to go to find them while trying to keep hold of their own humanity. I was drawn toward this show because it's my first Chinese production within this genre, and I was also really curious to see how they'd handle a MALE victim for once.

The show began on a promising footing with the reclusive and brilliant, but socially inept, Professor Bo (Wallace Huo) and his assistant, Jian Yao (played by Ma Si Chun). I like Ma Si Chun. I've seen her in a few shows, and I really liked her in You Are My Hero. They have cute chemistry, at first, and I like their dynamic as she learns his quirks and empathetically works around them. Later, after his cringe confession at the hotel (I had so much 2nd hand embarrassment from that whole scene), the chemistry between them quickly fizzles and definitely felt more natural when it was just platonic. The romantic vein between them was really forced and always awkward.

The show began quickly losing me about halfway through when it became more than apparent that I would be subjected to a ridiculous and offensive typecasting of barely D-rated American actors playing the role of the American FBI and, later on, the villains. It was so cringey and so poorly acted, I don't know how many times I counted Tommy's horrific "southern accent" (if you really want to call it that) or why the male nurse had to look so suspiciously like Superman while committing vile acts. It felt very targeted Anti-American the whole time, and I felt uncomfortable as an American viewer. I fast-forwarded through the last 15 or so episodes just because I wanted to see how it ended and I was still just immensely annoyed for the wasted time. SKIP.

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This was my first introduction to Gong Yoo and I can easily understand why he's so loved. He's gorgeous, emotive, and captivating in his scenes.

This series easily had one of the strongest openings I've ever watched. The first few episodes hooked me in with its OST, masterful cinematography, special effects, and script. I loved the backstory and how it explained the Goblin's origin in a way that made me think of old bedtime stories, or even a Guillermo del Toro opener. I was curious and enamored by Goblin right away.

The show isn't perfect. I wouldn't say it's "over-hyped" like some of the other reviews say, but I do feel like the show had some issues that even made me skip through a bit with the last couple of episodes.

The pacing was a huge issue. It became very obvious by episode 7 or 8 that the show lacked its main antagonist. That could have easily been remedied by introducing the evil spirit a lot sooner (and with less Halloween-y makeup) and less meandering with the "will she or won't she" pull the sword out. I also had an issue with the age gap. I had the same issue in My Roommate is a Gumiho. Why must the writers use a minor to captivate the heart of our 900+year-old protagonist? Ick, guys. Even making her college-age at their intro would have been a whole lot better (maybe mid-20s?). Her maturity level and the school uniform constantly gave me the creeps whenever he looked at her in a romantic way (although, I'll give the series credit that they waited until she was technically legal until he made any physical move on her...but still, ick! 900 vs just-legal. What is this, a Pornhub storyline?)

I was able to suspend disbelief a little bit ONLY because I knew the RL actress was actually 26 (to Gong's 38 - which is still a bit much, but still totally acceptable and not 19yr old vs 900+).

Kim Byung Chul bothered me a lot. His character, Park Joong Hun, was ultra campy in both appearance and behavior as an evil spirit. I assumed it was due to poor writing (which came as a surprise because the writing was excellent up until then). He was a lot more sinister in his introduction as he whispers into the king's ear. He seemed formidable and insidious.

I loved the bromance and the humor that the show inserted to give moments levity. I didn't really like the Cinderella syndrome our FL had with her constant need to summon Goblin to solve her problems instead of fight back and out of her own dilemmas (even though it was always fun watching him come to her rescue or show up disoriented and caught off guard).

The ending was bittersweet for me with respect to Goblin's fate, but knowing he's no longer existing purely because of his punishment tells me he'll leave with her once she's lived through her 4th life, so in that respect it was beautifully written.

Despite its issues, I was sad to finish the show. I'm having a hard time finding something else to watch that matches even close.

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Easily one of *the best* kdramas I've ever seen, and it's always one of the first I recommend to any friends who are starting out with Korean shows.

Mr. Queen has some of the funniest physical comedy I've ever seen. The story has layers of romance, heartbreak, political power plays, friendship, humor, adventure, LGBTQ connotations, and a bit of a supernatural element with bodyswap/time travel. I really enjoyed every episode (no skips). Had some minor issues with how the time travel was resolved at the end but it didn't ruin my rating. Also, LOVE the OST. Honestly- I could write paragraphs upon paragraphs about how great this series is, but I'd rather recommend you just watch it for yourself. It'll instantly grab you from the very first episode.

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missed opportunities lost in prolonged eye contact and soapiness.

I liked both main actors but I had a hard time staying engaged in the story as it went on. I think the long lingering looks and the melodrama kind of took over when certain aspects of the show should have been given more room to breathe. I really wanted the scenes between father and (adult) son to be less anti-climatic, especially with the build-up. I wanted more out of that. Maybe more action? Less about the FL, and more about the son. So much of the series gave her trauma front and center attention with her anxiety and PTSD and I wanted to see his a bit more. I also overall loved that trauma took center stage for a large portion of the show, but the flashbacks took up unnecessary space after they'd been shown for the millionth time.

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Messy plot w/weird editing, staging, and pacing. Enjoyable for Cheng Yi.

* This is my first Cheng Yi drama. I clearly see why he's so popular. Phewwwww boy. *heart eyes* for SURE.

* I don't see the fuss with Zhang Yu Xi as Cheng Ruo Yu. She acts just fine.

* Cheng Ruo Yu's character here at the beginning is insolent, stubborn, naive, and pig-headed. By episode 4, she's already invaded the Emporer's personal space, directly defied him multiple times, refuses to offer a greeting/parting bow, gives him attitude, and even TEARS HIS SHIRT SLEEVE OFF before throwing it on the floor and defiantly stalking off with an attitude. GIRRRRL WHAT. I've watched enough palace CDRAMAS (lol) to know that any of those would have been enough to execute her. Her hard-headedness astounds me. Naivety is one thing, but completely passing off all decorum is suicide in that type of world. At the same time, it seems like that's already their rapport - the physical closeness and bluntness. They've gotten fairly comfortable with each other in a short period of time and they've already established a bit of chemistry and had more skinship in 4 episodes than I've seen in most CDRAMAS put together. Totally not mad about it from the perspective that it usually takes like 35 episodes for 1 handhold in these types of dramas, lol.

*I'm looking forward to seeing how this drama unfolds, especially the dynamic between Duke Qiu and Qi Yan. I'm admittedly a big whump lover and can already sniff out the conflicted tortured soul vibes from our pretty Emporer. He's done a lot of terrible things as shown in his flashbacks, and I'm hoping for solid explanations or proper atonement.

* Holy bananas, Qi Yan with his hair loose and in his red robe. I can watch that all day. A__A

* I've seen some remarks from other commentators about the plot not making much sense- not seeing the fuss. I'm following it just fine. It's really not complicated and it's held my interest very well, so far.

* I've read that Cheng Yi is known for "spitting blood prettily" - 11 episodes in and I haven't been gifted with that sight yet, lol.

* Qi Yan was (and still is) a filial and loving brother to his older brother, the previous Emporer. That much is and has always been clear, but even more so with the few flashbacks, we've been seeing recently. I like the relatively morbid tokens he's kept from the people he's cared about and feels responsible for. That he keeps them close to his heart still, and talks to them as if they're in the room. He's a very lonely person.

*Duke Qiu really is an insidious bastard.

* Those oopsy-daisy trip & land in your arm moments crack me up since it's already been used like 3 or 4x. Still not mad about skinship, lol.

"Note it!" HAHA.

* I don't trust Qi Yan's uncle, Prince Guang, for some reason. Not at all. I worry for Qi Yan.

{{{ Episode 18 Update: }}}

*Still following the plot very easily. I like the moving pieces and the backstory that's unfolding for our main characters.
Lots of BIG moves in these latest episodes that are exciting.

*Only qualm so far is the OST is a little sloppy and its disjointedness can break an otherwise emotional or passionate scene. That's been a little frustrating here and there. Not that the songs in and of themselves are bad, but they ebb and flow in a jarring way sometimes, instead of using smooth or more organic transitions.

* I'm not a fan of Qi Yan's Eunuch Huai Zhi. It might be the dubbing, but I'm really bothered by his acting and his crocodile tears

*I like Qi Yan's fortitude, both mentally and physically. Even when injured, he tries not to show it and tries to push through instead of creating dramatics out of it.


{{{Episode 35 Update}}}

* Never mad about a Qi Yan scene with his hair loose. My goodness, gracious, is he beautiful.

* His cry face is gorgeous.

* Whump. Whump. Whump. Yum.

* Still hate Eunach Huai Zhi. I can't pinpoint if it's the over-dub, the facial expressions, the crying sounds, or a mixture of each (probably the latter). He really, really, takes away from the gravity of any scene he's in. He's horrendously cast and it's frustrating because he's often paired with Qi Yan in scenes, so I'm forced to bear through it.

* Still like Cheng Ruo Yu.

* Plot is still good, although I'll be honest, I've skipped through a bit (a lot...) here and there to get back to Qi Yan. These later episodes have so much exposition and plot movement, that the many players overload the screen and sometimes take away from what drew me in the first place (Cheng Yi). Despite skipping through, I'm still easily able to grasp the many machinations of the plot.

* The romance is cute, I like how in-tune they are with the other; although, they're not immune to miscommunication and crossed signals (the good ole "shes better off far away from me to keep her safe so let's say the opposite of how we're really feeling to push her away" trope came in a few times. There were also moments that were very clearly meant to be romantic but Ruo Yu misinterpreted the meaning - I don't know HOW but she somehow manages). Still, any miscommunication is typically quickly squashed so we're not having to deal with a ton of wasted time between the two pining for the other.

* OST is pretty. Still jarring at times in the way it is edited, but I like the OST between Qi Yan and Ruo Yu.

{{{Episode 42 update}}}

* I've grown pretty impatient of all of the continuously moving plot chess pieces throughout but I'm still mesmerized by scenes with Qi Yan and his awful godfather, Duke Qiu. There is a scene in Episode 42 that is especially profound in its intensity between the two. I think this scene is acted gorgeously with abuser vs victim being the main mentality that came to the forefront. You can see young Qi Yan here, afraid of Duke Qiu - a frightened boy in Emporers clothes. I really liked this scene and watched the physical intensity between them several times. The way he pulls at Duke Qiu's clothing desperately. It was all very heartbreaking to watch.

"You cannot let me suffer the pain of heartbreak alone."

{{{Episode 44}}}

* I don't even know what's going on anymore. LOL. Not because the plot is hard to follow, but because I lost interest in it and just skip through for Qi Yan's scenes. It really doesn't help that I was watching this simultaneously with The Rise of Phoenixes and literally every aspect of that show is better than this one. Production, story, acting, plot, cinematography, set design, etc. Literally everything. Still, I'm not mad about the whump with Qi Yan all the time- I live for that all by itself.

* Cheng Yi and the bloody lip. Came in around a quarter of the way through, and never left. Yeaaaaa. :)

* I like the voice actor for Cheng Yi.

*At some point, probably around Ep. 41 or 42, I became less impressed with Ruo Yu. Her emotional scenes aren't as impactful or convincing. It honestly might just be the overdub or the editing. I don't think it's wholly the actress's fault.

{{{Episode 49}}}

* Tissues. Have them.

*Strange ending because it's a bit....open ended?

* I was pleasantly surprised by 1 or 2 major characters at the end. I was wrong about them and it was fun to catch myself in the mistake (even though I sorely lacked in knowing the full context of the plot after having skipped through the last quarter of the series, lol.

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Refreshingly Different!

I'm only 7 episodes in but my initial impressions have been nothing but great.
The storyline is intriguing and mysterious, the plot doesn't meander and keeps a steady pace, and the cast is stellar.
The chemistry between Si Teng & Qin Fang is thick, thick, thick. I love watching their energy bounce off the other, and I can't wait to see how their relationship develops. For now, they're still in a master/servant (more or less) type relationship and they're building trust and rapport. Qin Fang is beginning to see Si Teng's many layers, and Si Teng is slowly understanding that Qin Fang is different than other modern men.

This is the 2nd drama I've watched with Vin Zhang. The first was Eternal Love and I instantly fell in love with his broody role as the Ghost Realms 2nd prince, Li Jing. He spent the majority of the show nearly despondent, lovesick, and angry, and I ate every second of it. Watching his character, Qin Fang, in this series has been SO FUN. His expressions are so versatile and he's got great comedic timing and control over his facial expressions and physical body language. I look forward to every moment he is on screen, especially when interacting with Si Teng (who is equally as impressive).

So far, so good! Having a lot of fun with this drama.
Side note: OST and CGI are actually really great so far. I've been used to very bad CGI from my last few Chinese shows (Eternal Love, Ashes of Love, and The Untamed. All of which are fantastic shows but very poorly lacking in CGI).

Episode 10 update:
I loveeee the shift in their relationship that I am seeing.

Episode 11 update:
Yessss!! I'm SO happy Rattan didn't go the drawn-out misunderstanding route! When they were reunited after her incident in the cave, I was worried they'd throw in the misunderstanding between Si Teng and Qin Fang over her seeing him with Yin Deng. It started out that way and she very cruelly pushed him away (aw, she was hurt!), but he TURNED AROUND and went back to explain himself! I love it. Oh my gosh, was that a wonderfully mature breath of fresh air.

Episode 24 update:
I.....didn't like the scene where Qin Fang fell. I know it was essential to the story, but the choreography of that entire sequence was really unrealistic and....weirdly unemotional? From the moment I saw him dangling off the bridge (with a giant bundle of balloons somehow still in his hand?) I felt disconnected from the scene because of how much it pulled me out of my suspension of disbelief. He fell like 3 stories onto the concrete ground and yet was so cleanly and perfectly prone in his position on the ground with the tiniest bit of blood beneath his head. I don't think anything would have been wrong with showing a bit more gore (more blood, more damage to his body, more sprawled position). Everyone on the scene was too calm, no one ran to help him- they all just stood there in a weird wide circle around Qin Fang and Si Teng while she showed very unremarkable sadness. I wanted..more? Like, it wasn't visceral enough or sad enough and it all seemed like it was happening slowly underwater. Then, not even a full 24hrs later, he's discharged to his house without an on-call nurse or any life-saving equipment (like a breathing apparatus or an IV) when they've just mentioned he's going to die soon and suffers fractures throughout his entire body? Really, y'all? I can handle a woman who shoots rattans out of her fingertips, but please don't play me for a fool with simple physiology.

Episode 30 update:
I'm overall a huge fan of this series. The ending was bittersweet and beautiful.

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Queue Card Says, "this scene is sad! Be very sad now."

I dropped this like a sack of potatoes.

I'll only continue watching this god-awful drama by utilizing their overwrought, lazy reminder about the Di family's misfortune for a drinking game. My lord. The repetition of which writers felt it necessary to remind us about their tragedy as if we're drooling cows incapable of comprehension. I'm honestly surprised they didn't break into a slow-cadenced song for toddlers, explaining the plot and "why we should be sad" to us.

I loved Gong Jun in Word of Honor. His facial expressions were animated and emoted hysteria, rage, flirtatiousness, and love with a sometimes exaggerated flair that added to his character's flamboyance in the most exhilarating way. He was a color of beige in this drama, and it's a real shame. Plus, how many times is he gonna be thrown off a cliff? This drama makes it, what, 5?

Dilraba's acting will never convince me. I don't know if she's ever experienced real-life trauma (or proper coaching) in a way that gives her gravitas for her heavier scenes; she just looks like she's Dilraba acting sad. Her grief never convinces me. The earlier episodes with her sassy flirtatiousness were more believable, and they were funny enough.

The dubbing didn't do Gong Jun or Dilraba any favors. In the BTS, Gong Jun's acting was more believable when hearing his real voice. I'd like to know if soon, he'll dub his roles. His real voice is not terrible at all. He's got a nice voice that needs work with his accent and enunciation. Undoubtedly that can be coached. Dilraba's dubber did a pretty okay job. I had a huge issue with how often the dubbing was mismatched from their lips. Mouths moving when no words were coming, or seeing the very obvious line changes. It was really distracting and I kept trying to watch the drama through different platforms to see if it was the drama itself, or the quality of my stream. Overall, I had many expectations that fell so very flat. The book will remain one of my all-time favorites, this drama was many shades of nope.

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Another drama made victim by MDL's stupid rating system; this underbudget drama has big heart

I had a lot of fun watching Chen Feiyu's impressive improvement in acting after watching him in Ever Night. It was obvious to me from the start that he's a natural-born actor, but his facial acting and emotional scenes needed work in Ever Night. He did his homework; all of the issues I had with his acting in Ever Night were completely eradicated in LoA. His emotional scenes were also beautifully done (I'm lookin' at you, Ep 16!). I'm glad I didn't allow the MDL rating to sway me; this was a great drama to watch, and I'll miss staring at Chen Feiyu's gorgeous face (period costumes and long hair look *so good* on him).

Pros:
- Chen Feiyu leveled up acting from Ever Night
- Chen Feiyu dubbing himself (he's got a fantastic voice, and he's one of the very few capable of carrying the same emotion in the post-production dubbing).
- His band of friends, his sister, and the 5th Court disciples.
- His shifus'
- W.H.U.M.P - lots of yummy loads of Chen Feiyu whump.
- OST was overall great
- Despite the comically low budget, every sect had distinct colors, set designs, and hairstyles which made any issues I may have had with my suspension of disbelief over cheaply made weapons or wigs, to be pretty evenly balanced out. Thankfully, Chen Feiyu's hair was nice (some of those wigs were synthetic monstrosities).
- Main characters didn't have plot armor; some people I liked were killed off (and some I was pretty thankful about >_>)
- Whump had continuity (for the most part). People didn't just magically get better in the next scene or episode.
- Satisfying ending

Cons:
- Plot pacing (it got pretty drawn out near the end)
- The FL is easily the worst actress I've ever seen, and I had to eventually FF her scenes
- Although it didn't hinder my ability to enjoy the drama, the weapons were cosmically cheap. Like, I could see the seams in the styrofoam swords, cheap.
- Some villains were too "classic-cartoon" evil with their diabolical cackling and over-the-top acting. I wouldn't say that's a storyline error more than the actor's issue.

Overall- worth a watch, especially if you're a lover of Chen Feiyu and his pretty face.

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FL aggravated me beyond words, but I adored Ji Chang Wook

It started out *really* strong and I loved the concept. It was especially fun whenever the actors broke the 4th wall to speak to the camera crew/production "filming" them. I became really frustrated with the FL after a while. She did too little too late in her attempt to avoid her past and circumvent taking any responsibility for the pain she needlessly inflicted on Jae-won. It was really upsetting, especially after the (beautifully acted, btw. ..Oh my heart, Ji Chang Wook!!!) bar scene when she did literally nothing to ease his pain during his confession or after fully knowing he was "dying a little inside" every day from the pain she caused. It got to a point that I was frustrated he kept forgiving her and chasing her. She needed to put the effort in and earn HIM. Not the other way around. Still, I enjoyed the series.

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