Half of Us (2023)

Characters Needed Work

I had to drop this drama, after many attempts at picking it back up. Mainly because I couldn't bring myself to care about the characters enough to try to properly identify the different clans and their kin.

Maybe I don't have what it takes to be a Wuxia watcher. Maybe you need to care about the Martial Arts World to watch Martial Arts centered dramas. I couldn't believe that the FL was played by the same dough-faced actress I hated so much in "Love Between Fairy and Demon". Could her role have been played better by a much better actress? Absolutely. But, she wasn't bad. She just doesn't have depth to her, naturally. She looked absolutely ridiculous in her wig, which was too large for her head. In scenes where she was supposed to outshine the other potential brides, she looked remarkably plain in comparison. Now, I am a huge fan of the moral story of a prince that chooses not the most beautiful, but the most innocent bride as his, but true goodness of character has to be expressed by the bride for us to fall in love with her.

The SFL is one that I fell in love with. They showed her vulnerability in flashbacks. They really fleshed her out. Not to mention that her beauty outshone the FL many times over.

The FL kept being saved by the SFL, the ML, and others, and without beauty, or character (like the SFL), I needed a reason to root for her, yet I found myself unable to come up with any except that she was the FL. I hated seeing the other female characters being harmed. I cared for them more than the FL, even though I knew less about them than I did about her. Without being able to care what happens to the FL, there was no tention left for me to care what happens next.

The cinematography was above and beyond the standard. It was big-budget cinematography, and bursts of colours were used sparingly and to good effect in high-drama moments.

It's not a boring drama, exactly. Just.... you have to really care about the main characters to keep your interest, as their lives are the "stake" of the entire drama. Without the two main characters, there wouldn't be a story, so if you can't care about the main characters, then you're really out of luck.

Leia Mais

Excellent series❤️❤️ with roller-coaster of emotions.

SPOILER ALERT



I would have given a 10 rating if it wasn't open ended, even if it were to be a sad ending. It doesn't appear that there will be follow-up according to the news articles (as at 21 September 2023) which is unimaginable.....

Draw back..... The last 4 minutes of the final episode. Open ending which ended with Zi Yu waiting for Yan to return and at the final seconds of the episode hearing the doors opening....

Back to what I think of the series:
Story 9 (taking into account the open ending) a great plot with lots of twists which kept the viewer engaged and also gave very subtle hints on certain things. At times I didn't want to watch the next episode because I will then finish it too quickly. Roller-coaster of emotions and routed for the main couple as well as Jin Fan and Zhi Shang. Cried with deaths of family members of the Gong Family as well Han Ya Si and Yun's 'sister'.

Acting: 9 in my opinion for all Main actors as well Jolin Jin (loved her so much), Tian Jia Rui (he did a great job of portraying Yuan Zhi) and of course Sun Chen Jun.

Production and Visual FX : 10 loved all the costumes and different sets / backdrops - everything was beautiful

OST: 10 Beautiful songs and Sound effects were great.

Will definitely Rewatch. I'll just make up my own ending!

Leia Mais

Superior drama!

I was not going to write a review but I started jotting down some notes and here we are. I just finished the drama so my thoughts are not well organized but here is my reflection on this drama. I will try not to rehash the same things most people have already said.

First off, the actors blew my mind away. I came for Zhang Ling He and Yu Shu Xin but by the end, I fell in love with Cheng Lei and Tian Jia Rui just stole my heart with his childish antics. All the actors without exception did a fantastic job. I wasn't a fan of the actress playing Shang Guan Qian and I was not rooting for their romance because, in the end, she broke my dude's heart. However, I can admit that, for a moment, she had me fooled when it looked like she had turned against Wufeng.

Talking about our main couple, I love ZLH and YSX but I didn't feel the chemistry between them at all. I didn't care about this couple's story one bit. I'm not sure if the reason for that was her lack of emotions. Don't get me wrong, her acting was fitting for the role of a spy, but not so much for that of a new bride who is supposed to fool her husband/ lover and endear herself to him. She got lucky that Gong Zi Yu fell first because she made zero effort to entice either Zi Yu or Shang Jue to give her a second glance during the bride selection, unlike Qian. Maybe I'm being too hard on her because this is the character YSX was given but this took away from my enjoyment of their relationship. It was so much of him being infatuated and her "being stoic as long as it fulfilled her agenda" until she fell too in the later parts.

That being said on the subject of love, I feel like everyone was treated equally. By the end of the show (with the info we're left with at least) there is only one happy pair (Jin Fang and Zi Shang). I wish we'd seen more of them.
The drama wasn't about romance which is why I overlooked that and still rated it pretty high. The qualities of this drama lie in everything else that it did. I particularly love how the things that seemed like plotholes or were not making sense in the earlier episodes, were all tied together at the end.

For me though, aside from the intrigue and the story itself, I found the emphasis on the Gong family's relationships so touching. I don't usually care about family ties and lessons in dramas. Here though... man! They made me bawl my eyes out in those last episodes...
The brothers' relationships with each other and as a whole (minus Huan Yu)... all different but similarly loving and supportive.
The parents' love and support for their kids in hidden ways... (minus Zi Shang's asshole father)
The love that the Gong family has for their members and the people they love is so deep.
From an outsider's perspective, all those things may seem cruel, isolating, and harsh but once you're in, it's an unbreakable bond that a lot would envy.

The ending seems to suggest a second season, but it could also mean that the writers are letting us interpret it the way we want. All I can deduce from Zhang Ling He's face is that whatever was behind that door was not good news or not what he was waiting for.

It's not satisfying but I'm not upset by it. In my mind, she died and I hope Zi Yu recovers soon but would it be this drama if it was that simple? Too many things are still left unanswered. They defeated the Wang warriors of Wufeng but not the Wufeng as a whole. What if the Liang warriors exist? What about his brother? Has he truly given up and been defeated? Could the whole martial world unite against Wufeng with the Gong family? Could the Gong family eventually become more open to outsiders if the former point happens? So many questions and that's why I love this drama, regardless of whether we will get an answer to them or not.

As you can tell, My Journey To You has impressed me beyond words with all its twists and turns.

If I can end this long review with a small quibble (aka what I referred to above as plotholes), I wish the story had been told more linearly. There were a lot of flashbacks and retelling of stuff that the audience had no way of knowing. It worked the way in a lot of moments but for example, when I wonder where Shang Guan Qian was amidst all the final Wufeng chaos, it feels like there is a disconnect between scenes. She only reappears during the Huan Yu showdown. It seems like it's not all happening at the same time. This did not deter me from enjoying the show, however, if there was another season, I wish there'd be less of that style of storytelling.

Leia Mais

A very mature and original wuxia drama....

I don't know what else to add as previous reviews have already beaten me to it....but I will say that I enjoyed the depth and development of the characters in this drama - this even applies to secondary and tertiary characters'good' and 'bad'.
I am quite new to Cdramas ( switched to them only in 2023 after 4 years of kdramas....😂) and this is the most 'mature' chinese fantasy wuxia drama I have watched yet - even most of the scenes and shots have a dark blue or cool hue to them adding to that realism and maturity.

Both the ML and FL already worked together on 'love between Fairy and Demon' 2022 with Dylan Wang, and from their past performances, I am very glad to see them act again, upgrading their choice of characters, showcasing their talent and versatility.

There is also an unexpected plot twist that even more savvy cdrama fans might not pick up on or maybe, but it definitely reflects the age old 'truth' that sometimes the most dangerous and unlikely enemies are much closer to us than we think, causing more harm than we can ever imagine!

I might be 'old fashioned' but I appreciated how the use of 'magic' was minimal in comparison to other Chinese fantasy dramas - yes the characters have super martial arts skill and strength, but for example, when the ML is requested to pass the 3 trials, he uses his brain, wit and socio-emotional intelligence! And when 'magic' is 'identified' it is referred to as 'witchcraft' causing some of the characters to fall sick or become consumed into evil by it- which is what it is, and none of that faffing around!

**Spoiler Alert**
There is news of a pregnancy in the last episode between the main characters ( not who you might assume and I won't say who....) which actually made me hopeful that the creators of this drama produce a second season, or expand the world or universe the story is based in.


Pleeeaeeeeeasssse! 🙏🙏🙏

Leia Mais

yey or naurr???

First of all, I'd give this cdrama the credit for making me CRY A LOT, AND I SAY A LOT, this cdrama made me rethink for the ending (seriously) after a lot of thought I have decided to rate and give review because I just think that this drama deserves recognition in having a great storyline (although the ending made me REALLY MAD) I'd say that the story have given a lot of justice to each characters, given that I have time to rethink my thoughts about this wu xia, I would say that a lot of viewers would really think that this cdrama is a naur, but after some days I have realize that this was actually a yey although each leads didn't have their own happy ending I just think that it was just not the right time for the FL, and as per the rumour she might have already known about her twin sister and even if they won, she might have still be constantly finding the justice that she might felt she deserve after all those years of pain (emotionally, mentally, and physically) while she's still with wufeng) after all they haven't really killed all those who are the root cause of all the evilness. It was a good wu xia, but then again, the ending really made a big hole on the viewers heart and up until now a lot of viewers wants season 2, but I guess that would be in the future or not?? knowing the status of the director and the film itself, but I really wish that this cdrama would be given a chance to redeem itself.

Leia Mais

Dark and different

This is probably the first time I had a little difficulty to keep up with a cdrama,though how bad the execution maybe.
Firstly,the total atmosphere and sets of the Gong house is very dark which was not very eye appealing and pleasing for me.Somehow I couldn't accustom myself to the House of the Gong's and especially the back hill.
I didn't get why in the first place the back hill existed and why do they need to live so discreetly.Its whole and sole purpose was only the 3 trials and not much more,which I felt was to drag on the story for a longer time.
The male lead,Gong Ziyi, and his aide Jin Fan were the only characters which were a bit pleasant.Others never made me interested in them.The romantic tracks between the 2 couples never attaracted me throughout the drama.They either lacked intensity or were always filled with suspicions.The track between Shangguan Qian and Gong Shangjue was very boring for me.The main lead couple were a bit better than the second couple.
From the beginning,each and every scene was only written to either arouse suspicions or just put us in suspense,but a solid plot was never presented.Every frame was only to keep on making us guessing but nothing else.
The constant fighting between brothers of Gong family,even though they face threat from Wufeng organisation,did not make any sense to me at all.
The last episodes has too many twists to be revealed and too many questions were answered but everything was a bit confusing.
Though the start of the drama seemed interesting,somehow I could not adapt to the drama,but the costumes were good.
Maybe it's not my cup of tea or maybe I didn't understand,but the plot failed in execution though it has an excellent story.

Leia Mais

How is this not being renewed

Everything from the acting to unpredictable storyline to incredible fight scenes was mind blowing. I've never seen Esther Yu in a completely serious role and it was AMAZING. The casting was done so well I'm not sure if they could have picked anyone better. Also, the fight scenes were just mind blowing. I know the ML and FL had amazing chemistry and were the focal point but I think my favorite storyline was Cheng Lei and Lu Yuxiao. My only regret is that I can't watch this show for the first time again. That and the absolutely insanity that this is not getting more seasons.

Leia Mais

Hypervigilant household | Beautiful woman are the most dangerous

"Do you know what tool the lions use to hunt? Patience." - Gong Shangjue

My Journey to You is a complex yet addicting story that will make you buckle up to your seat for how exciting it gets each coming episodes. Definitely one of the best espionage drama I have ever seen for the last couple of years. The production was taken seriously and they did not hold back even one bit in executing suspenseful and exciting sequences till the very end. Although it ended on a cliffhanger which made me contemplate so much on how should I rate it but considering on how good it was constructed, I still ended up throwing all those dissatisfaction off of the window simple because I know that this drama deserves so much more in comparison to all the contradicting reviews it has gotten from its viewers who probably came watching it looking for some lovey-dovey clichė love story following the success of The love of Fairy and Devil.

One important factor of this show that I really wanna talk about is its balance. I love that they went all out with this drama in terms of providing thrilling and hilarious scenes by incorporating a lot of funny antics through Gong Zi Shang. She may seem weird and absurd at first for her slapstick personality but she of all the characters has made the greatest difference for me to enjoy this drama even more. She's like the comedian among the pack of wolves—silly, clumsy and delusional. The story has become more brighter and entertaining thanks to her huge presence all throughout the show.

I also wanna talk about the word plays and the atmosphere of the drama. The exchange of sarcasms and double edge proverbs has always fascinates me but the way they're delivered here felt even more lethal and sensational. Each character has this mysterious aura to them that will make you wonder how will they react to each situation every single time simply because of how unpredictable they all can be.

Another thing I found unique is their way of showing the flashbacks. I find it amusing and puzzling at first because of how melodramatic, emotional and long it can typical be but then I realized later on that it is their other way of story telling. I love how they efficiently utilized it to make sure that no mysteries are forgotten and unaddressed which is ingenious and innovative now that I finished the drama. I also just wanna mention how intricate and expressive they are in making all those flashbacks; because you can feel that they're perfectly put together not to simply show what has happened behind the scenes but to also express the emotions during those scenes. Brilliant and satisfying!

Lastly, the chemistry between the Main leads. I find it really frustrating how people are saying that Yu Shu Xin and Zhang Ling He (and their characters) got no chemistry at all. Like, are they blind? Those two has showed the most chemistry of all the pairings of this drama (not including Gong Shang Jue and Gong Yuan Zhi cause they're on a different tier list Lol) and I still feel the butterflies in my stomach whenever I reminisce through their cute and intimate scenes! So, what are they talking about? Maybe it was overshadowed by the plot and all the mess going on with the story but certainly both of them has good chemistry and synergy. Same level of chemitry I feel for Jin Fan and Gong Zi Shang.

P.S. Episode 19 is peak martial arts exhibition!! Insane camera works, amazing swords play and top class choreography! Definitely my most favorite episode of all.

Story - 10, It was intricately created and may seem complex at first but the more you dive into it, the more exciting and entertaining it gets. The show is highly concentrated on the plot and how it goes and not your typical drama where it focuses on the love story. Which is great because this is an espionage themed drama after all.

Acting/Cast - 10, I'm sold! This made me realize how good of an actress Yu Shu Xin is. Her expression and body movements are all on point, same goes with Zhang Ling He. Another actors/actresses I want to mention for portraying their characters flawlessly are Ryan Cheng, Tian Jia Rui, Lu Yu Xiao and most specially Jolin Jin. What an spectacular set of great actors!

Music - 10, Honestly, I was quite bothered by the use of music during the Sword Wielder's tribute flashback but as time goes on, I just naturally resonated and got moved by the emotions brought by the BGMs used. So, Good Job to the Music department for bring in your AAA+ game.

Rewatch Value - 10, This is one of those dramas I got no problem re-watching at all. I even think that we could have gotten more episodes. Not to mention each episode is mostly an hour long yet I still need more! And honestly, I find it more appealing and entertaining compared to those highly romanticize Idol dramas. So, don't even hesitate and just go watch it!

Overall - 10, Definitely the superior Yu Shu Xin and Zhang Ling He drama together. If you know what I'm saying. Hahaha! I like almost everything about this drama aside from that cliffhanger at the very end... but even with that, this drama's still a precious one for me. It executed and greatly delivered!

IF you find my review helpful please let me know.

Leia Mais