More of the same…

For me, I would say this drama is a little overrated. It’s more of the same type of Xianxia that many of us CDrama watchers have seen many times before. It does have some high points that many shows within this genre doesn’t have.

The Good

Production quality was definitely higher than a lot of Xianxias but by no means perfect. The CGI was more polished, the costumes looked pretty well. I can appreciate that ShenLi did not have a million dangly bits and fake jewels hanging from her. The OST was one of the highlights as the music was very nice. The overall acting was good which I typically expect from an older cast. If this would have been played out by a younger cast, the perception may have not been received well by older watchers due to many younger actors having limited experience in acting. Although this was a serious drama, the comedy was well balanced through out.

The Bad

The plot is typical and predictable. These CDrama Xianxias tend to go through the same cycles and not too many of these stories offer anything new. This story was a character driven plot which they tend to be very slow and at times, not much was happening in most of the episodes. I found myself starting to skip through it towards the end. There were a lot of throwaway episodes that could have shorten this show down to 24 episodes. Although I liked the overall production, the skin smoothing and whitening was overdone and sometimes made them look too unnatural and unrecognizable. I would have also liked to see the actors dub themselves. With more CDramas doing away with dubbing, it’s refreshing to see the actors display their real talent. The credit in this drama goes to the great voice actors who can pull off different emotions in their voices.

I am a fan of the genre and will keep hoping and waiting for a new thrill. This one was average and I likely wouldn’t rewatch it. If you are a fan of the cast, it’s worth checking out. Make your own judgement.

Leia Mais

Never seen a story like this one!

This has got to be one of my favorite CDramas that I have ever watched. I’ve never quite come across a story as captivating as this one! I didn’t read the summary before going in so I had no clue what it was about. It kept popping up on my recommended shows. The plot definitely did not follow the path of a typical CDrama. Although there were misunderstandings between the 2 MLs, they did not drag it out as we see with most CDramas. The story progression was amazing along with the progression of the characters. It was very well thought out as there wasn’t a ton of plot holes or unanswered questions.

Every actor perfectly fit the character that they were cast to play. Wei Wuxian/Wei Ying is definitely an unforgettable character. He is very relatable as being kind can sometimes make you the target of hatred. Also, I don’t think I’ve ever experienced as many emotions as I have watching this one. I found myself crying, laughing, angry, etc.

The soundtrack was also amazing and really nice to hear the two MLs singing on the OST. Even though some of the visuals were bad and you can tell it was a low budget show with some of the props and visuals looking too cheap and fake, it did not take away from the show. This is definitely a show that I can rewatch multiple times and never get tired of it.

Leia Mais

Went in with low expectations

I was surprised at this production. I didn’t read the book so I went in with low expectations but was moved by the high quality of the story, acting, visuals, and OST.

The bad

Not much really. The CGI isn’t the best I’ve seen not the worse but doesn’t take away from the rating at all. Overall the visuals are still beautiful.

The good

The story is very captivating. I’ve never come across a story as complex as this one and it’s to the point that I really have no clue what is going to happen next as I watch each scene unfold. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a show make me feel the full spectrum of emotions. The acting is done so well from each character. Even supporting characters are able to hold their own in the acting department. I also appreciate that each character is different and has different goals and ambitions. No character is good or bad and you almost forget that they are deities or creatures. They seem so human, unlike most non humans in xianxias. I also like how logical they are which gives them a sense of realism. Though this is a romance, it’s not all filled with romance and definitely leaves you pondering about the complexities of life and relationships. This story doesn’t have the CDrama tropes that most of us come to expect in these types of xuanhuan/xianxia shows. The OST is beautiful, each song is carefully tailored at the right moment to elevate each scene.

Though I understand this won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, I’d highly recommend you watch it for yourself and make your own choice.

Leia Mais

Entertaining Watch

This drama was entertaining. It had some predictability with other stories that have the same themes but overall was still fun. Not everyone will find the charm in this but make your own decision on whether to watch.

The Good

Hua Qingge was one of the most consistent characters throughout the series. I would say her acting was on par with the chosen character. We got to see the cheerful, witty, smart, cowardice and kind woman from a modern time period, live in a time that was cast with palace corruption and violence and still stay true to her overall self. Her common sense didn’t randomly fly out of the window when falling in love like we see in some CDramas. Although she had biases towards her written characters and their actions, as an author, she quickly learned to reshape her perceptions as the story changed without sacrificing her nature. The overall plot was well thought out and continually reminded the audience that this was a novel in which the author lost control to fill in any holes or gaps.

The Bad

Production value was on the lower end but doesn’t necessarily deter from the show. Where they fell a little short was Hua Qingge’s clothing being too oversized and being able to see the lace front on the wigs at the guys hairlines. Also the fight scenes wasn’t too great either. Not everyone’s acting was of equal level, with some main characters like Ji Chu doing pretty bad at the crying scenes. Lastly, the ending seemed a little lazy or unfinished which took away from the final climax.

Leia Mais

Amazing show!

Everything about the Joy of Life was done very well! By far one of my favorite CDramas.

The plot is very interesting and hooked me from the very first episode. I love that it’s a story within a story and that it mixes ancient and modern themes. There were so many twists within the plot and subplots and always had you guessing.

The acting was amazing. Every character had so much depth and so much offer to the story that it made you want to know more about each. There were so many things going on with each character but it was all related to the main story and main ML.

Normally, I hate to see cliffhangers at the end of shows but this one had me so anxious. That’s what you call good writing. I very excited for season 2!

Leia Mais

A suspense drama that has some unrealistic parts.

This was the first mini CDrama that I’ve watched and I was pleasantly surprised. The plot was very intriguing as it turned out to be unexpected with how it played out.

I think all of the actors did a really good job playing the characters they were given. The first half of the show kept me engaged as I was genuinely interested to see how it would play out.

Towards the end, there were things happening that seemed really unrealistic and not very logical. For instance, the FL left the house for the day when she was supposed to be in her vegetative state. Seems like a risky move that most logical thinkers wouldn’t take. Also, at the very end, if you knew your husband and his mistress murdered your mother, why would you go back to the house to confront them instead of just going straight to the police… that’s the quickest way to get murdered yourself. Who confronts killers!?

Leia Mais

Had Potential to be Greater

This movie was a decent watch but seemed to only scratch the surface of what could have been a really great love story. The casting choice was good. The acting was strong and kept me engaged and the plot setup was interesting but I found trouble connecting with the story. I felt as if the details of this story was missing. There were a lot of time jumps, reminiscing and bits of situations being presented but not much was being shown about their relationship except for some of the ugly moments. We didn’t see much of the build up or connection being built between the two so it left a lot to be desired. I did enjoy the literary references as it attempted to provide a deeper connection with their love story.

Leia Mais

A nice gem especially if you are new to CDramas.

I almost gave up on this story. I initially only watched a couple of episodes and I wasn’t sure how I felt about it in the direction it was going, but I decided to come back to it. I’m so glad that I did as this was a very well told story between the FL and two brothers.

I watched this show when I was just getting into CDramas so I wasn’t familiar with the pacing and story arcs of Xanxias. As I’ve watched more, I can definitely see similar themes across Xanxias and this does follow that typical path that Xanxias go.

All of the actors did a really good job and were very well fit for the characters they were given. I also really enjoyed the OST as I’ve added a couple of songs to my playlist. I’ve definitely become a fan of all of the main actors.

Leia Mais

So many good things about this drama!

I’ll keep it brief.

This was a very great story, very strong. The plot was well thought out. The visuals were well done and I appreciate the natural coloring of the sets as well as the actors not having overdone make up. I enjoyed the plot and all of the ups and downs that they went through. The plot maintained consistency, as I didn’t find many holes or unanswered questions. The acting was amazing. Everyone did a really good job in their role. I definitely enjoyed the romance in this story as it seemed more real and the two leads had very strong chemistry.

Leia Mais

Not the best but not the worse

Not too much positive to say about this drama. Pretty basic story, recycled plot, a lot of exaggerated angst created just to create a heightened story but no real depth. This story does not have much story building, it’s just a bunch of random things happening to the FL each episode to draw out the angst of their relationship; no real substance. On the positive end, the acting wasn’t bad but not the greatest. Costumes and sets weren’t the worse but pretty mediocre. OST was decent enough. This is definitely a one a time watch and wouldn’t necessarily recommend but can serve as an in between angsty drama while you’re waiting on your anticipated dramas.

Leia Mais

Non distinctive Xianxia

Xianxia’s typically follow the same routes and this one is no exception. It’s a standalone sequel to Ancient Love Poetry but didn’t compare, in terms of execution, to ALP.

Plot

The story wasn’t uniquely theirs as it takes its queue from many other Xianxias and pieces it together within this story. Enemies to lovers, secrets, misunderstandings, self sacrifice, evil clans, reincarnations, etc. are all there. The typical makings of a Xianxia can be found in this show. Although it’s typical and has a sense of predictability, there are still moments that will make you smile.

Characters

If you are a fan of the cast then you may enjoy this one. I wouldn’t say this was some of the main cast’s best work but they performed to the best the role in this show can offer.

Although ALP wasn’t one my top Xianxias, it still has a higher rewatch value than this one. Visuals wasn’t high budget, nor was the production. Costumes were also typical. I enjoyed this for its simplicity and enjoy some bits of the OST but a one time watch is enough.

Leia Mais

Unconventional Love Story

I think the English Title is somewhat misleading because it makes you think this story is a romance drama. This is a melodrama first with very little romance. There is a mixed bag of reviews with some hating this and some loving but I quite enjoyed this story for what it was, as it displayed the downsides to relationship, showcasing that relationships aren’t fairytales, like what we see on tv.

The good

The highlight of this drama for me was on the meteorological aspect because it was a fresh idea that I hadn’t seen in a drama before. I actually found this part of the story to be very interesting. Not sure how accurate it was to the profession but it gave us a look at how stressful this profession could be and how it could have an impact on relationships, both romantically and familial. I also found enjoyment in seeing the relationships unfold because each story was different. Although it was quite odd that this drama focused heavily on the cheating couple, it still gave us a different perspective. Although I wasn’t as vested in that couples ending, there was a very real take on how their decisions led to the turmoil in the relationship and how they still impacted the main couple’s relationship. It was refreshing to see not so fluffy mature, realistic relationships.

The bad

I would say the acting overall met the high bar but did not exceed it. Each character brought a fresh take to the story but the level of good acting definitely did not add up among the characters which caused some people to be less interesting than others. I found the main couple's relationship problematic as this story didn’t showcase much of their time together as a couple. We got a few little side flashbacks of their time together that apparently occurred but wasn’t shown in realtime during the show. This actually made me feel less involved in their relationship and disconnected from their breakup towards the end.

This drama does not have a high rewatch value but if you like the lead actors, watch and make your own decision on how you would rate this. For me, it’s a one and done.

Leia Mais

Not Unique but Entertaining

This drama does not necessarily stand out from other modern dramas of the same category. It doesn’t have any unique aspects or issues but it was entertaining.

The Good

The characters were easy to connect with. They were your everyday average people whom weren’t over the top. They didn’t have extreme personalities or major childhood traumas that affected their daily life. It was your average run of the mill, guy and girl meet, then fall for each other. This show had pockets of comedy that kept it entertaining and even though the leads were inexperienced in love, neither did anything that compromised their integrity. Also, a strong plus was there weren’t any evil love triangles. The secondary couple was also quite interesting to watch since they were more experienced in relationships and faced a completely different issue than our main couple. I would definitely say this is a more mature/normal take on relationships. Lastly, the acting was decent all around.

The Bad

Number one thing is it doesn’t stand out from other modern dramas. The plot didn’t offer anything new and some may not find it interesting. Although I mentioned that it’s a more mature drama, there were some aspects that were a little immature such as the FL clothing style but it didn’t bother me much.

I’d recommend a watch if you are looking for a light Rom Com but don’t expect anything mind blowing.

Leia Mais

Very fun indeed!

As others have pointed out, the production is very low budget, random terrible acting, laughable CGI that looks like different webcam backgrounds, arcade game sound effects but none of that even matters. The story was very interesting and held my attention throughout the entire show. No throwaway episodes whatsoever. The one thing I would say that I didn't like was the portrayal of all of the women, besides his mom and Pavillion Master, were insane. Most were overacting but the immediate accusations thrown at him upon meeting him was a little strange. Other than that, the ML was very cool. I would love to see these types of characters in more shows. Glad this drama left out all the xianxia tropes including the hopeless, angsty romance that dooms the ML. Would be nice to have a season 2 for this drama.

Leia Mais