#cdramas — Public Fediverse posts

The Epoch of Miyu (CDrama review)

Miyu was once the picture-perfect rich man’s ewife—devoted, loyal and utterly consumed by her marriage. Then, she finds out about her husband’s affair.

But the betrayal didn’t stop there. She divorces him after finding out the mistress, Lu Zhen Zhen, is pregnant, but Nie Yucheng hid his money from her so that she gets nothing after the divorce. Broke, heavily in debt and utterly humiliated, Miyu is forced to take a job as a housekeeper at a luxury hotel just to keep her head above water.

When working in Purong hotel, she discovers that Ji Feng, the hotel manager who had initially hid evidence of her husband’s affair from her, is an important hotel guest there. And to twist the knife even deeper, Lu Zhen Zhen—now Nie’s new wife—is also working at the same hotel as a manager.

Miyu had to endure cleaning rooms and serving her ex’s social circle, putting up with the gossip from her new colleagues, who saw her as nothing more than a fallen socialite.

But here’s the thing about Miyu: after a lifetime of putting others first to her own detriment, she wasn’t about to let pride or the past stop her. She was determined to rebuild her life, even if it meant facing Ji Feng and her husband’s new wife every single day.

Characters

Xu Mi Yu (played by Zhu Zhu): A former wife housewife to a wealthy man, she loses everything after her husband’s betrayal. She is determined to rebuild her life and become a skilled hotel manager.

Ji Feng (played by Wallace Chung): The capable and stern general manager of Purong Hotel who becomes a central figure in Miyu’s professional and personal life.

Nie Yu Cheng (played by Jing Chao): Miyu’s ex-husband and a wealthy businessman. He had an affair, got his mistress pregnant and left Miyu penniless.

Lu Zhen Zhen (played by Li Meng): Nie Yucheng’s mistress-turned-new-wife. She is an ambitious corporate and social climber.

Li Qiao Qi (played by Cristy Guo): Miyu’s best friend and the acting head chef at the hotel.

Xue Rui (played by Na Jia Wei): Ji Feng’s assistant who often interacts with Miyu.

Duan Jr. (played by Xu Hai Qiao): A troublesome figure who causes chaos, he’s the son of a wealthy investor and rival of Purong hotel.

Tan Ji Zhou (played by Ren Bin): A wealthy and persistent admirer of Miyu.

What I liked

The acting: This may be a soap, but Wallace Chung and Zhu Zhu’s acting was top tier, and the character development was rich.

The makjang factor: I keep telling people this – if we wanted realism, we’d watch a documentary! The Epoch of Miyu is like those K-dramas with ridiculous plots but we watch because the actors carry the crazy emotional twists so well.

I enjoyed Miyu’s pursuit for independence and her dream of becoming a skilled hotel manager. She didn’t turn into a tough boss lady; she retained her kindness while enforcing clear boundaries. I like her refreshing leadership style; how she leads with heart.

I love the brutally honest communication style between Miyu and Ji Feng. It would seem that they are so comfortable with each other that they’re able to really say what’s on their mind to each other or be at their “ugliest” emotionally.

Ji Feng’s character: I appreciated Ji Feng’s harshness and the fact that he didn’t always rescue Miyu. He acted more like a tough manager than a simp.

The hotel’s political drama was fun—like a palace drama, but in suits! I loved watching Ji Feng take down the Nepotistic Quartet (the lousy managers that were running down the hotel).

Our couple’s slow-burn romance? Delicious. Wallace Chung and Zhu Zhu brought a maturity to their scenes that made it feel real. And when Ji Feng finally got vulnerable and half-mad because of her, it was hot.

What I didn’t like

I know a soap doesn’t have to be realistic, but there are limits: Some plot developments were just too over-the-top; Miyu’s ascendance in a year was godlike, and her development can be Mary Sue-ish.

One-dimensional villains: Lu Zhen Zhen was just so one-dimensional and villainous. I get that she’s the antagonist, but a little depth wouldn’t hurt.

Thoughts about the ending

When I first watched the last episode, I wasn’t very satisfied. I thought, “What? After all that, Ji Feng gets left alone for one and a half years?”

But after a second, more focused rewatch I appreciated it a lot more, especially the endings each character got.

Miyu’s biggest dream was to become a skilled hotel manager, and getting into a premier school in Switzerland will make her ultimate goal come true.

Traditionally, dramas like this would end with her pregnant and married. Instead, they chose a different and braver route: celebrating her independence and her dreams. I appreciated the writers for honouring her journey and not derailing it for “love” (as they often do).

I celebrate the fact that she prioritized herself over Ji Feng, even though my heart breaks for him. The last shot of him staring at the Shanghai skyline and the fact that he often does this when he’s melancholic, was a bit heartbreaking. But hey, maybe seeing that he’s looking at it during the day time means that at least this time, while sad, he’s looking on with hope?

One and a half years is a short time. He can fly over to visit her anytime he wants; he’s rich, right? They can have Zoom calls and all. It will be hard, but as he promised, if she doesn’t come back, he’ll be there as the “velcro boyfriend.”

I loved how the drama celebrated themes of independence, ambition, and justice. Miyu’s journey was all about reclaiming her life and proving her worth, not just about a man that will her one true love.

The way the story tied up the loose ends for the other characters was so satisfying. Lu Zhen Zhen finally got what she deserved—fired and arrested, pitifully carrying her box out of the building. Poetic justice for all the pain she caused.

And Nie? Riddled with cancer, divorced, cuckolded. His downfall was pitiful and I almost feel sorry for him.

And I enjoyed the contrast between Miyu and Lu Zhen Zhen—two women shaped by difficult pasts, but who chose completely different paths.

Miyu’s mom and Lu Zhen Zhen’s mom both thought men were their salvation and Miyu and Lu Zhen Zhen grew up neglected as a result. However, Miyu chose kindness, while Lu Zhen Zhen became vicious, believing life was a survival game where you don’t win by being nice.

Conclusion

The Epoch of Miyu was a true dark horse, defying expectations and climbing the ratings charts to hit its peak at 35% on Yunhe.

Who would have thought a drama about hotel management could be this addictive? (Okay, fine, it’s also about CEO-like character falling in love with a housekeeper.)

Women on XiaoHongShu were posting photos of their boyfriends and husbands glued to the screen, with one poster sharing how her boyfriend insisted there was no romance—only hotel business. Turns out, even the most unlikely viewers couldn’t resist the soapy, high-stakes world of Purong Hotel.

Final rating: 3.5 out of 5

Not the most logical of dramas, but hey we’re not watching this one for realism!

A modern-day slacker ends up in a xianxia world. Arthur Chen’s magnetic charm and Wang Yilu’s comedy chops made this drama fun, even if it's not my cup of tea.

#CDrama #CDramas #Xianxia #TV #ArthurChen #WangYilu #WhenDestinyBringstheDemon

https://dramatea88.wordpress.com/2026/05/07/when-destiny-meets-a-demon-review-dropped/

When Destiny Meets a Demon review (Dropped)

Let me start by saying this: I do not like transmigration dramas. It’s one genre I avoid like the plague. Alongside youth dramas, they sit firmly on my personal “I can’t watch this” list.

That said, I did give another transmigration drama by Wang Yilu a try once: Yummy, Yummy, Yummy.

It had potential because the idea of a comedy about a transmigrated family appealed to me, but things went sideways and I ended up dropping it, just like so many transmigration dramas before it.

So, when I decided to try When Destiny Brings the Demon for this month’s challenge, my expectations were not high. I told myself I’d watch two episodes, write a quick report, and move on with my life.

I’ve always found Wang Yilu, really funny. I first discovered her in I Am Nobody, so I already knew she had great comedic timing. Even though her previous transmigration drama lost me midway, the comedic moments before that were genuinely enjoyable and this show leans into that. At least in the first four episodes I watched.

Now, Arthur Chen: I knew nothing about him before this, but consider me educated. I have to admit this man is magnetic. I can absolutely see why people tune in just for him.

The first two episodes were pretty typical for the genre. What kept me going was Wang Yilu’s performance as a self-proclaimed salted fish (a lazy slacker). Watching her try to slack off but only to end up working hard for a scary Grandmaster anyway was comedy gold.

And the modernisms she brings to the ancient world was hilarious, calling Sima Jiao “boss,” asking about employee benefits, even mentioning KPIs. (Girl, I relate to your pain.)

I have to say, besides Arthur Chen being, er, hot, I found his character interesting. Maybe I just like powerful characters who are sealed for hundreds of years away by evil sect leaders (Yuan Zhong, is that you??)

I’ll admit this one goes down easier because of the pairing of Arthur Chen and Wang Yilu, and I mostly find it cute. Also, special mention to Sima Jiao’s black snake ! The most adorable aide ever.

When I started the drama, my interest level was about 60%; not a full-blown obsession, maybe slightly below “kinda interested” but enough to keep me watching.

However, life got busy, I got distracted by other dramas … and I just never went back.

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the show per se. Fans of the drama said that the hugs and kisses between our leads were really sweet to watch, but I honestly wasn’t terribly invested in their relationship. They had chemistry, I suppose, but the show’s predictable xianxia transmigration plot didn’t have that extra spark that would make look forward to it at the end of a work day, let alone binge it.

Maybe I’ll watch it between intense shows, but the motivation is super low.

I think Destiny is a great pick when you’re in the mood for something light, funny, and easy to watch without overthinking.

Sharing again: "Michael's Thoughts: Veil of Shadows"

This is the most complicated Chinese drama I've ever watched.

#cdrama #cdramas #jujingyi #tianjiarui #josephzeng #veilofshadows #edwardguo #chenduling

https://forums.sf-fandom.com/thread-38704.html

Okay, #cdrama fans, I have posted my thoughts on "Veil of Shadows" at the SF-Fandom forums.

#cdrama #cdramas #jujingyi #tianjiarui #josephzeng #veilofshadows #edwardguo #chenduling

https://forums.sf-fandom.com/thread-38704.html

Have been watching #veilofshadows this week and all I can say so far is that it's WEIRD.

#cdrama #cdramas

Sharing again. I posted my review of "Pursuit of Jade" last night on the SF-Fandom Forums.

#tianxiwei #zhanglinghe #zengqingjie #cdrama #cdramas #entertainment #fantasy

https://forums.sf-fandom.com/thread-38691.html

And I've finally uploaded my review of "Pursuit of Jade" to the SF-Fandom Forums.

#scifi #fantasy #cdrama #cdramas #pursuitofjade #tianxiwei #zhanglinghe #zengqingjie

https://forums.sf-fandom.com/thread-38691.html

I've posted my review of the 2024 #cdrama "Blossom" on the SF-Fandom Forums.

https://forums.sf-fandom.com/thread-38686.html

#blossom #mengziyi #liyunrui #cdramas #wuxia #fantasy #historical

It's stunning, beautiful, addictive, a reverse harem CDrama which attempts to comment on patriarchy and the powder dynamics of ancient China, but let's not think too deeply about this, shall we? It's a drama about pretty people and tea.

#CDrama #Glory #HouMingHao #CDramas #TV #Entertainment

https://dramatea88.wordpress.com/2026/04/16/glory-2026-review/

Glory (2026) review

When Magistrate Lu Jianglai is assigned to solve a controversial case, he is targeted; he escapes but ends up falling off a cliff, his life hanging by a thread. Fortunately, he is rescued by Rong Shanbao, the eldest daughter and heir of the powerful matriarchal Rong family. He wakes up with no memory, and Shanbao, who knows his real identity, demotes him to a stable boy.

He becomes entangled in the Rong family’s high-stakes search for a son-in-law. Amid power plays and hidden agendas, he and Shanbao engage in a battle of wits that slowly turns into something deeper.

Characters

The Rong Sisters

The Rong “sisters” are not all biological sisters. Some are cousins. In the Rong family, the women are the ones that inherit the business, and all the women must have matrilocal husbands or be expelled from the family.

• Rong Shanbao (played by Gulnazar): The heiress of the Rong family.
• Rong Yunxi (played by Cheng Xiao): The second young lady of the Rong family; she is elegant on the outside but a ruthless schemer on the inside.
• Rong Yun’e (Third Sister) – A relatively quiet character who often sides with the more ‘powerful’ sister.
• Rong Yunyin (Fourth Sister/Mean Rong) – Spoiled, bratty, biological sister to Shanbao and Yunwan.
• Rong Yunshu (Fifth Sister/Scary Sis/Blind Sister) – Blind and often bullied by the others.
• Rong Yunwan (Sixth Sister/Wan Wan) – Mentally disabled sister of Shanbao and Yunyin.
• Xiangling (Cousin, referred to as “Chatty Cousin”) – Stands up to Grandmama.

The Suitors

• Lu Jianglai (played by Hou Minghao): The newly appointed magistrate of Chun’an County.
• Bai Yingsheng (played by Chen Ruoxuan): A penniless young scholar who catches the eye of one of the Rong sisters.
• Yan Bailou (played by Zhao Yiqin): The Rong family’s scion; though born into a prestigious family, he originally intended to become a monk, but was sent by the family to participate in the selection process.
• He Xingming – Obsessed villain who has an agenda against Shanbao.
• Yang Dingchen – Arrogant, mean suitor who will use dirty tactics to “win” Shanbao.
• Wen Can – Shanbao’s “cousin” who is infatuated with her.

What I Liked

I enjoyed some of the character dynamics and relationships. For example, I thought Shanbao and Jianglai’s inverted power dynamics amusing to watch. Jianglai’s shameless antics were a hoot and I liked that our leads are equally intelligent and cunning.

The reverse-harem drama trope: I liked how the in-fighting between women, so tiresome in so many harem dramas, gets a little twist in this one.

The gender role reversal elements (Jianglai as “concubine”, for example) are a fun way to explore how patriarchy impacts relationship dynamics. For example, seeing how the men fight and scheme to get Shanbao’s favour is hilarious and strangely eye-opening.

The schemes within schemes plot structure – you just don’t know what mad turn the plot will take.

Unexpected arcs for the characters – I won’t say much but I really enjoyed the way some of the characters grew.

What I Didn’t Like

Shanbao can be cold and undemonstrative, which makes me sometimes think that Jianglai is the one with the most emotional investment in the relationship. I totally understand why she is the way she is—but I wish she’d break her habit of emotional restraint with Jianglai.

Due to Shanbao’s undemonstrativeness and distance, sometimes the romance feels one-sided.

Shanbao’s and Jianglai’s plans working too perfectly: Simply put, they’re unrealistic. So many things could go wrong. But never mind, in this universe everything works perfectly – how convenient!

The last arc of the drama felt rushed; there was not much groundwork or setup about Jianglai’s background, which made the plot come out of nowhere.

The jade deus ex machina: Probably the laziest plot device ever – a piece of jade that seemed to solve all problems! It’s far too convenient, and I wish Shanbao relied more on her wits than flashing that “ancestral” jade to solve all her problems.

The villains were shallow, including He Xingming, the Duke, and others.

Conclusion

I generally enjoyed Glory’s interesting commentary on patriarchy and the role of women. Some of the character have interesting arcs too. I also enjoyed how the show subverts expectations while maintaining coherent storytelling, which is so rare these days.

However, I wished there was more emotional depth between Shanbao and Jianglai’s relationship. The actors have chemistry, but I just don’t get the same “tingle”.

A beautiful CDrama, for certain, but the plot contrivances can test your patience. The twists and turns do delight, but they defy logic and is far too convenient.

Ultimately, it is a fluffy, gorgeous, fun drama but forgettable.

Final rating: 3 out of 5

Pursuit of Jade is an exquisite viewing experience, even if the story is a little shaky towards the end.

#PursuitOfJade #ZhangLinghe #TianXiWei #CDrama #CDramas

https://dramatea88.wordpress.com/2026/04/09/pursuit-of-jade-2026-review/

Pursuit of Jade (2026) review

After he is seriously injured in a battle, the Marquis of Wu’an is found by Fan Changyu, a butcher from the village of Li’an. As he hides from his enemies in the village, he grows closer to Changyu and they eventually get into a marriage of convenience so that she can keep her house.

Meanwhile, schemes are afoot when a mysterious “merchant”, Qi Min, makes an appearance in their idyllic village.

Characters

Xie Zheng (played by Zhang Linghe): The Marquis of Wu’an, and famous general, he was ambushed and severely injured, forcing him to hide in a village.

Fan Changyu (played by Tian Xiwei): A simple lady who grew up in a family of butchers in Lin’an Town. Her parents died tragically at the hands of bandits. Born with immense physical strength, she is fiery, resilient, and tough.

Li Huaian (played by Ren Hao): Born into a prestigious family, he is accomplished in both literary and martial arts. He is ordered by his master to travel south to Lin’an.

Yu Qianqian (played by Kong Xueer): Manager of the Yixiang Lou restaurant and best friend Changyu. She has a dark past she wants to forget.

Qi Min (played by Deng Kai): A mysterious merchant with a cruel bent. He has a history with Qianqian.

What I Like About the Drama

The director’s craftsmanship makes this drama an exquisite experience. His camera work is absolutely gorgeous; every scene is framed like a piece of art. He knows how to bring out the best in his actors. I had seen both leads in previous works, but they were never as impressive as they are here.

The story’s bones is strong … mostly. Although I feel that the director spent a bit too long in the village, I understand the logic. He wanted establish Changyu and Xie Zheng’s motivations later. Consequently, the first half set in the village was excellent, even if slightly dragged out before the court politics kicked in.

Zhang Linghe performs well here. He hadn’t impressed me before, even in the much lauded Story of Kunning Palace much less Princess Royale. However, he did very well here. I feel that the director knew how to direct him, and he thrived under that direction.

Like I said, the director has a deft hand at bringing the best out of the actors and building up the characters, so they came to life, even the side characters.

I loved the slow-burn romance between the main couple.

The female lead’s “strong woman” trope was handled well.

A surprise discovery: Deng Kai, the second lead. He is usually unremarkable in other shows—not bad, just not notable. But here, he gets a humongous glow-up. He is not only gorgeous here (that grey wig worked hard!); his character literally stole the show, and he has since blown up in popularity. (He’s now one of Shiseido’s brand ambassadors. Talk about fast rise!) I expect him to secure more prominent, perhaps, leading roles in the future.

What I Didn’t Like

The court politics were vague. Bits and pieces of the story should’ve been sprinkled throughout the arc, but too much of it remained a mystery until the last arc. This left viewers clueless for most of the series.

We are left wondering: Who is who? Why are factions rebelling? Who are the scheming ministers? Because these elements lack foundation, the second half feels rootless and somewhat boring, despite dominating the runtime. The first half, though occasionally draggy, offered enjoyable character interactions. The second half, however, felt hollow and rushed—a typical rushed ending.

The romantic intensity didn’t reach the heights of Fated Hearts, which felt perfect with off-the-charts chemistry. Whilst I appreciated the romance in Pursuit of Jade, it didn’t feel “hot” enough for me. Ironically, the second couple was hotter and ultimately stole the show.

What I Thought About the Ending

The second half, however, felt hollow and rushed—a typical rushed ending.

Oddly, I had to force myself to watch the ending, which was happy, fortunately. There was a cute alternate ending where we explore what happened if the fire hadn’t happened. I felt sad for Qi Min. He would’ve been a noble crown prince

Final Thoughts

Interestingly, the drama faced significant controversy during its airing. I felt sorry for the director, as this was his first large-scale project since Blossom.

I’m unsure if the attention helped or hurt him, but any publicity is arguably good. Zhang Linghe faced scrutiny, coinciding with an NRTA report urging the industry to prioritise scriptwriting over “traffic stars.” Whilst the report wasn’t specifically about Pursuit of Jade, the timing was uncanny. There was much discussion about Zhang Linghe looking “too pretty” to be a general.

Admittedly, the director shoots in a way that actors seem to look ten times better than usual, and Zhang Linghe, whom I hadn’t previously considered handsome, was actually stunning here. This weirdly led to scandals labelling him the “Foundation General” due to heavy makeup. Odd because the “foundation generals” have been a thing for years, and somehow Zhang Linghe became the mascot for the issue somehow.

Overall, Pursuit of Jade is a really good show, one of those rare dramas that grabs you by the throat. However, unlike Fated Hearts, which wowed me from start to finish and remains endlessly rewatchable, I would likely only rewatch the first half of Pursuit of Jade. I didn’t enjoy the court politics enough to sit through the second half again.

Final rating: 3.5 out of 5

I am not as deeply involved with #cdrama fandom as I have been with American #scifi fandom for several decades. So I admit I don't understand all the controversies that arise around #CDramas

Actually - some of the American SciFi fan drama escapes my reasoning, too - but I digress.

Anyway, in an industry where the (Cdrama) actors' faces have been routinely "cleaned up" with Computer Generated Imagery for YEARS, why on Earth would fans get upset with #zhanglinghe for wearing #makeup in a television show?

I'm not sure I want to know the answer to that but I appreciated the way the actors looked in #pursuitofjade - I couldn't see any indication that their faces had been smoothed with computer tech.

Okay, he was wearing makeup. Big deal. At least it wasn't caked on like they used to do in the ancient 1950s and 1960s black-and-white shows and movies.

Raymond Burr (played Perry Mason and Ironside on American TV) once told a TV audience that the makeup they wore for those black-and-white shows was green.

So lighten up, Cdrama fans - at least he wasn't green.

How did the Chinese adaptation of South Korea's My Mister fare?

#CDramas #CDrama #MarkChao #LovingStrangers

https://dramatea88.wordpress.com/2026/03/26/loving-strangers-2026-review/

How did the Chinese adaptation of South Korea's My Mister fare?

#CDramas #CDrama #MarkChao #LovingStrangers

https://dramatea88.wordpress.com/2026/03/26/loving-strangers-2026-review/

How did the Chinese adaptation of South Korea's My Mister fare?

#CDramas #CDrama #MarkChao #LovingStrangers

https://dramatea88.wordpress.com/2026/03/26/loving-strangers-2026-review/

How did the Chinese adaptation of South Korea's My Mister fare?

#CDramas #CDrama #MarkChao #LovingStrangers

https://dramatea88.wordpress.com/2026/03/26/loving-strangers-2026-review/

How did the Chinese adaptation of South Korea's My Mister fare?

#CDramas #CDrama #MarkChao #LovingStrangers

https://dramatea88.wordpress.com/2026/03/26/loving-strangers-2026-review/

Loving Strangers (2026) review

I had always wanted to watch My Mister, but I never seemed to find the time to do it. Then, Lee Sun-kyun sadly passed away. The drama is already heavy to begin with, and the tragic way the actor passed away … seeing him play a depressed character just felt like I’m watching Lee Sun-kyun suffering for real. So, that’s why I kept putting it off again and again.

When I heard that Loving Strangers was being made, I thought it was really daring that they were even trying to adapt it. Because, how do you top Lee Sun-kyun’s award-winning performance? But I thought if anyone can at least match Lee Sun-kyun, it’ll be Mark Chao.

The Story

This is a tale of two people so worn down by life, they just exist. The first few episodes won’t appeal immediately to people — everything is grey. Our characters wear black and grey clothes, no colour in their wardrobe or surroundings. They don’t smile. Basically, they’re very gloomy and depressed.

The drama could have been incredibly depressing, if not for the fact that they added some thriller elements to it. I find that rather refreshing.

Yu’an is a fascinating character. She may be down and out, but she’s incredibly, incredibly smart — like, so smart she should be working for the intelligence agency of China or something, because she knows how to spy on and manipulate people! She would be quite a villainess if she plied her skills towards evil, but like Jiaqi says to her at one point, “You’re a good person.”

The cold exterior is just years of calluses grown over years of abuse — both from a loan shark, from society’s shunning of her, and also from self-flagellation for something that happened when she was a child.

And then we have the dour and gloomy Jiaqi. His work life sucks; he’s actively being undermined by his corrupt boss, Gu Chen. His family life sucks just as badly — the fire has not only gone out of his marriage, it’s ice-cold. By all measures, Jiaqi is the husband any woman would love: responsible, level-headed, calm, cool-headed. He is stability and comfort. Yet, that is not enough for his wife.

Somehow, these two people at the very bottom of their lives find each other.

What begins as mutual suspicion evolves into something more complex and unexpected.

The Characters

Zhou Yu’an: She juggles multiple gigs to care for her ailing grandmother.

Jiang Jiaqi (Mark Chao): A principled but exhausted mid-level pharma manager exhausted by life.

Gu Chen: Jiaqi’s corrupt boss and the central villain.

Yi Jun is Jiaqi’s wife. Yi Jun is an alpha woman feeling confined in an “average” marriage. She has an affair with Gu Chen.

Pang Jian is Jiaqi’s only champion at the company.

What I Liked

The most satisfying thing about this show is seeing Jiaqi grow from a quiet, doormat-ish man in his marriage and workplace, to someone assertive. Like, super assertive. This probably happened because he finally realised that being withdrawn and agreeable isn’t the answer to his problems.

I also love that we’re seeing Yu’an’s more human side.

I like that they didn’t force a romantic story between Jiaqi and Yu’an. That would’ve ruined the story, massively.

What I Didn’t Like

The only thing I don’t like about this drama is the fact that sometimes it segues to the story of Jiaqi’s uncle and his brother. Both are also down and out, but unlike Jiaqi, they are far more cheerful and more hopeful. Even though they bring necessary comic relief and lightness to the drama — or else it would be incredibly heavy and too depressing — I get impatient when the drama switches to their story. I wouldn’t mind them cutting them out completely.

The drama isn’t perfect, of course. It was excruciatingly draggy at some parts and I honestly wished they had trimmed down the show further.

Was Jialu and Uncle’s story necessary? I don’t know. Sure, they exist to show the kind of family Jiaqi wanted and couldn’t achieve with Yi Jun. But beyond that — too much air time was given to them, and I never understood how their storylines benefited the main one.

Thoughts about the ending

What a lovely ending. Jiaqi and Yu’an’s friendship and unique connection is beyond romance, in my opinion.

It’s the understanding of two mutual souls who had been in very desperate situations.

They saved each other — Jiaqi, with his empathy and kindness; Yu’an with her sleuthing, intelligence, and yes, kindness. Two souls that had started out suspicious and wary of each other formed a connection that transcends romantic love — that’s how I see it.

On the whole, I really loved Loving Strangers. A quiet, moving drama with solid performances from our leads.

Final Thoughts

If you’re hesitating to watch this drama because it won’t top My Mister — it probably won’t — I encourage you to still watch it. I can understand why you hesitate, because it’s a very tall order for Loving Strangers to even match it.

Watching this Chinese adaptation is actually a good idea, especially if you have not watched the K-Drama. Treat it like its own show, and you may enjoy it.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Loving Strangers (2026) review

I had always wanted to watch My Mister, but I never seemed to find the time to do it. Then, Lee Sun-kyun sadly passed away. The drama is already heavy to begin with, and the tragic way the actor passed away … seeing him play a depressed character just felt like I’m watching Lee Sun-kyun suffering for real. So, that’s why I kept putting it off again and again.

When I heard that Loving Strangers was being made, I thought it was really daring that they were even trying to adapt it. Because, how do you top Lee Sun-kyun’s award-winning performance? But I thought if anyone can at least match Lee Sun-kyun, it’ll be Mark Chao.

The Story

This is a tale of two people so worn down by life, they just exist. The first few episodes won’t appeal immediately to people — everything is grey. Our characters wear black and grey clothes, no colour in their wardrobe or surroundings. They don’t smile. Basically, they’re very gloomy and depressed.

The drama could have been incredibly depressing, if not for the fact that they added some thriller elements to it. I find that rather refreshing.

Yu’an is a fascinating character. She may be down and out, but she’s incredibly, incredibly smart — like, so smart she should be working for the intelligence agency of China or something, because she knows how to spy on and manipulate people! She would be quite a villainess if she plied her skills towards evil, but like Jiaqi says to her at one point, “You’re a good person.”

The cold exterior is just years of calluses grown over years of abuse — both from a loan shark, from society’s shunning of her, and also from self-flagellation for something that happened when she was a child.

And then we have the dour and gloomy Jiaqi. His work life sucks; he’s actively being undermined by his corrupt boss, Gu Chen. His family life sucks just as badly — the fire has not only gone out of his marriage, it’s ice-cold. By all measures, Jiaqi is the husband any woman would love: responsible, level-headed, calm, cool-headed. He is stability and comfort. Yet, that is not enough for his wife.

Somehow, these two people at the very bottom of their lives find each other.

What begins as mutual suspicion evolves into something more complex and unexpected.

The Characters

Zhou Yu’an: She juggles multiple gigs to care for her ailing grandmother.

Jiang Jiaqi (Mark Chao): A principled but exhausted mid-level pharma manager exhausted by life.

Gu Chen: Jiaqi’s corrupt boss and the central villain.

Yi Jun is Jiaqi’s wife. Yi Jun is an alpha woman feeling confined in an “average” marriage. She has an affair with Gu Chen.

Pang Jian is Jiaqi’s only champion at the company.

What I Liked

The most satisfying thing about this show is seeing Jiaqi grow from a quiet, doormat-ish man in his marriage and workplace, to someone assertive. Like, super assertive. This probably happened because he finally realised that being withdrawn and agreeable isn’t the answer to his problems.

I also love that we’re seeing Yu’an’s more human side.

I like that they didn’t force a romantic story between Jiaqi and Yu’an. That would’ve ruined the story, massively.

What I Didn’t Like

The only thing I don’t like about this drama is the fact that sometimes it segues to the story of Jiaqi’s uncle and his brother. Both are also down and out, but unlike Jiaqi, they are far more cheerful and more hopeful. Even though they bring necessary comic relief and lightness to the drama — or else it would be incredibly heavy and too depressing — I get impatient when the drama switches to their story. I wouldn’t mind them cutting them out completely.

The drama isn’t perfect, of course. It was excruciatingly draggy at some parts and I honestly wished they had trimmed down the show further.

Was Jialu and Uncle’s story necessary? I don’t know. Sure, they exist to show the kind of family Jiaqi wanted and couldn’t achieve with Yi Jun. But beyond that — too much air time was given to them, and I never understood how their storylines benefited the main one.

Thoughts about the ending

What a lovely ending. Jiaqi and Yu’an’s friendship and unique connection is beyond romance, in my opinion.

It’s the understanding of two mutual souls who had been in very desperate situations.

They saved each other — Jiaqi, with his empathy and kindness; Yu’an with her sleuthing, intelligence, and yes, kindness. Two souls that had started out suspicious and wary of each other formed a connection that transcends romantic love — that’s how I see it.

On the whole, I really loved Loving Strangers. A quiet, moving drama with solid performances from our leads.

Final Thoughts

If you’re hesitating to watch this drama because it won’t top My Mister — it probably won’t — I encourage you to still watch it. I can understand why you hesitate, because it’s a very tall order for Loving Strangers to even match it.

Watching this Chinese adaptation is actually a good idea, especially if you have not watched the K-Drama. Treat it like its own show, and you may enjoy it.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Loving Strangers (2026) review

I had always wanted to watch My Mister, but I never seemed to find the time to do it. Then, Lee Sun-kyun sadly passed away. The drama is already heavy to begin with, and the tragic way the actor passed away … seeing him play a depressed character just felt like I’m watching Lee Sun-kyun suffering for real. So, that’s why I kept putting it off again and again.

When I heard that Loving Strangers was being made, I thought it was really daring that they were even trying to adapt it. Because, how do you top Lee Sun-kyun’s award-winning performance? But I thought if anyone can at least match Lee Sun-kyun, it’ll be Mark Chao.

The Story

This is a tale of two people so worn down by life, they just exist. The first few episodes won’t appeal immediately to people — everything is grey. Our characters wear black and grey clothes, no colour in their wardrobe or surroundings. They don’t smile. Basically, they’re very gloomy and depressed.

The drama could have been incredibly depressing, if not for the fact that they added some thriller elements to it. I find that rather refreshing.

Yu’an is a fascinating character. She may be down and out, but she’s incredibly, incredibly smart — like, so smart she should be working for the intelligence agency of China or something, because she knows how to spy on and manipulate people! She would be quite a villainess if she plied her skills towards evil, but like Jiaqi says to her at one point, “You’re a good person.”

The cold exterior is just years of calluses grown over years of abuse — both from a loan shark, from society’s shunning of her, and also from self-flagellation for something that happened when she was a child.

And then we have the dour and gloomy Jiaqi. His work life sucks; he’s actively being undermined by his corrupt boss, Gu Chen. His family life sucks just as badly — the fire has not only gone out of his marriage, it’s ice-cold. By all measures, Jiaqi is the husband any woman would love: responsible, level-headed, calm, cool-headed. He is stability and comfort. Yet, that is not enough for his wife.

Somehow, these two people at the very bottom of their lives find each other.

What begins as mutual suspicion evolves into something more complex and unexpected.

The Characters

Zhou Yu’an: She juggles multiple gigs to care for her ailing grandmother.

Jiang Jiaqi (Mark Chao): A principled but exhausted mid-level pharma manager exhausted by life.

Gu Chen: Jiaqi’s corrupt boss and the central villain.

Yi Jun is Jiaqi’s wife. Yi Jun is an alpha woman feeling confined in an “average” marriage. She has an affair with Gu Chen.

Pang Jian is Jiaqi’s only champion at the company.

What I Liked

The most satisfying thing about this show is seeing Jiaqi grow from a quiet, doormat-ish man in his marriage and workplace, to someone assertive. Like, super assertive. This probably happened because he finally realised that being withdrawn and agreeable isn’t the answer to his problems.

I also love that we’re seeing Yu’an’s more human side.

I like that they didn’t force a romantic story between Jiaqi and Yu’an. That would’ve ruined the story, massively.

What I Didn’t Like

The only thing I don’t like about this drama is the fact that sometimes it segues to the story of Jiaqi’s uncle and his brother. Both are also down and out, but unlike Jiaqi, they are far more cheerful and more hopeful. Even though they bring necessary comic relief and lightness to the drama — or else it would be incredibly heavy and too depressing — I get impatient when the drama switches to their story. I wouldn’t mind them cutting them out completely.

The drama isn’t perfect, of course. It was excruciatingly draggy at some parts and I honestly wished they had trimmed down the show further.

Was Jialu and Uncle’s story necessary? I don’t know. Sure, they exist to show the kind of family Jiaqi wanted and couldn’t achieve with Yi Jun. But beyond that — too much air time was given to them, and I never understood how their storylines benefited the main one.

Thoughts about the ending

What a lovely ending. Jiaqi and Yu’an’s friendship and unique connection is beyond romance, in my opinion.

It’s the understanding of two mutual souls who had been in very desperate situations.

They saved each other — Jiaqi, with his empathy and kindness; Yu’an with her sleuthing, intelligence, and yes, kindness. Two souls that had started out suspicious and wary of each other formed a connection that transcends romantic love — that’s how I see it.

On the whole, I really loved Loving Strangers. A quiet, moving drama with solid performances from our leads.

Final Thoughts

If you’re hesitating to watch this drama because it won’t top My Mister — it probably won’t — I encourage you to still watch it. I can understand why you hesitate, because it’s a very tall order for Loving Strangers to even match it.

Watching this Chinese adaptation is actually a good idea, especially if you have not watched the K-Drama. Treat it like its own show, and you may enjoy it.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Loving Strangers (2026) review

I had always wanted to watch My Mister, but I never seemed to find the time to do it. Then, Lee Sun-kyun sadly passed away. The drama is already heavy to begin with, and the tragic way the actor passed away … seeing him play a depressed character just felt like I’m watching Lee Sun-kyun suffering for real. So, that’s why I kept putting it off again and again.

When I heard that Loving Strangers was being made, I thought it was really daring that they were even trying to adapt it. Because, how do you top Lee Sun-kyun’s award-winning performance? But I thought if anyone can at least match Lee Sun-kyun, it’ll be Mark Chao.

The Story

This is a tale of two people so worn down by life, they just exist. The first few episodes won’t appeal immediately to people — everything is grey. Our characters wear black and grey clothes, no colour in their wardrobe or surroundings. They don’t smile. Basically, they’re very gloomy and depressed.

The drama could have been incredibly depressing, if not for the fact that they added some thriller elements to it. I find that rather refreshing.

Yu’an is a fascinating character. She may be down and out, but she’s incredibly, incredibly smart — like, so smart she should be working for the intelligence agency of China or something, because she knows how to spy on and manipulate people! She would be quite a villainess if she plied her skills towards evil, but like Jiaqi says to her at one point, “You’re a good person.”

The cold exterior is just years of calluses grown over years of abuse — both from a loan shark, from society’s shunning of her, and also from self-flagellation for something that happened when she was a child.

And then we have the dour and gloomy Jiaqi. His work life sucks; he’s actively being undermined by his corrupt boss, Gu Chen. His family life sucks just as badly — the fire has not only gone out of his marriage, it’s ice-cold. By all measures, Jiaqi is the husband any woman would love: responsible, level-headed, calm, cool-headed. He is stability and comfort. Yet, that is not enough for his wife.

Somehow, these two people at the very bottom of their lives find each other.

What begins as mutual suspicion evolves into something more complex and unexpected.

The Characters

Zhou Yu’an: She juggles multiple gigs to care for her ailing grandmother.

Jiang Jiaqi (Mark Chao): A principled but exhausted mid-level pharma manager exhausted by life.

Gu Chen: Jiaqi’s corrupt boss and the central villain.

Yi Jun is Jiaqi’s wife. Yi Jun is an alpha woman feeling confined in an “average” marriage. She has an affair with Gu Chen.

Pang Jian is Jiaqi’s only champion at the company.

What I Liked

The most satisfying thing about this show is seeing Jiaqi grow from a quiet, doormat-ish man in his marriage and workplace, to someone assertive. Like, super assertive. This probably happened because he finally realised that being withdrawn and agreeable isn’t the answer to his problems.

I also love that we’re seeing Yu’an’s more human side.

I like that they didn’t force a romantic story between Jiaqi and Yu’an. That would’ve ruined the story, massively.

What I Didn’t Like

The only thing I don’t like about this drama is the fact that sometimes it segues to the story of Jiaqi’s uncle and his brother. Both are also down and out, but unlike Jiaqi, they are far more cheerful and more hopeful. Even though they bring necessary comic relief and lightness to the drama — or else it would be incredibly heavy and too depressing — I get impatient when the drama switches to their story. I wouldn’t mind them cutting them out completely.

The drama isn’t perfect, of course. It was excruciatingly draggy at some parts and I honestly wished they had trimmed down the show further.

Was Jialu and Uncle’s story necessary? I don’t know. Sure, they exist to show the kind of family Jiaqi wanted and couldn’t achieve with Yi Jun. But beyond that — too much air time was given to them, and I never understood how their storylines benefited the main one.

Thoughts about the ending

What a lovely ending. Jiaqi and Yu’an’s friendship and unique connection is beyond romance, in my opinion.

It’s the understanding of two mutual souls who had been in very desperate situations.

They saved each other — Jiaqi, with his empathy and kindness; Yu’an with her sleuthing, intelligence, and yes, kindness. Two souls that had started out suspicious and wary of each other formed a connection that transcends romantic love — that’s how I see it.

On the whole, I really loved Loving Strangers. A quiet, moving drama with solid performances from our leads.

Final Thoughts

If you’re hesitating to watch this drama because it won’t top My Mister — it probably won’t — I encourage you to still watch it. I can understand why you hesitate, because it’s a very tall order for Loving Strangers to even match it.

Watching this Chinese adaptation is actually a good idea, especially if you have not watched the K-Drama. Treat it like its own show, and you may enjoy it.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Loving Strangers (2026) review

I had always wanted to watch My Mister, but I never seemed to find the time to do it. Then, Lee Sun-kyun sadly passed away. The drama is already heavy to begin with, and the tragic way the actor passed away … seeing him play a depressed character just felt like I’m watching Lee Sun-kyun suffering for real. So, that’s why I kept putting it off again and again.

When I heard that Loving Strangers was being made, I thought it was really daring that they were even trying to adapt it. Because, how do you top Lee Sun-kyun’s award-winning performance? But I thought if anyone can at least match Lee Sun-kyun, it’ll be Mark Chao.

The Story

This is a tale of two people so worn down by life, they just exist. The first few episodes won’t appeal immediately to people — everything is grey. Our characters wear black and grey clothes, no colour in their wardrobe or surroundings. They don’t smile. Basically, they’re very gloomy and depressed.

The drama could have been incredibly depressing, if not for the fact that they added some thriller elements to it. I find that rather refreshing.

Yu’an is a fascinating character. She may be down and out, but she’s incredibly, incredibly smart — like, so smart she should be working for the intelligence agency of China or something, because she knows how to spy on and manipulate people! She would be quite a villainess if she plied her skills towards evil, but like Jiaqi says to her at one point, “You’re a good person.”

The cold exterior is just years of calluses grown over years of abuse — both from a loan shark, from society’s shunning of her, and also from self-flagellation for something that happened when she was a child.

And then we have the dour and gloomy Jiaqi. His work life sucks; he’s actively being undermined by his corrupt boss, Gu Chen. His family life sucks just as badly — the fire has not only gone out of his marriage, it’s ice-cold. By all measures, Jiaqi is the husband any woman would love: responsible, level-headed, calm, cool-headed. He is stability and comfort. Yet, that is not enough for his wife.

Somehow, these two people at the very bottom of their lives find each other.

What begins as mutual suspicion evolves into something more complex and unexpected.

The Characters

Zhou Yu’an: She juggles multiple gigs to care for her ailing grandmother.

Jiang Jiaqi (Mark Chao): A principled but exhausted mid-level pharma manager exhausted by life.

Gu Chen: Jiaqi’s corrupt boss and the central villain.

Yi Jun is Jiaqi’s wife. Yi Jun is an alpha woman feeling confined in an “average” marriage. She has an affair with Gu Chen.

Pang Jian is Jiaqi’s only champion at the company.

What I Liked

The most satisfying thing about this show is seeing Jiaqi grow from a quiet, doormat-ish man in his marriage and workplace, to someone assertive. Like, super assertive. This probably happened because he finally realised that being withdrawn and agreeable isn’t the answer to his problems.

I also love that we’re seeing Yu’an’s more human side.

I like that they didn’t force a romantic story between Jiaqi and Yu’an. That would’ve ruined the story, massively.

What I Didn’t Like

The only thing I don’t like about this drama is the fact that sometimes it segues to the story of Jiaqi’s uncle and his brother. Both are also down and out, but unlike Jiaqi, they are far more cheerful and more hopeful. Even though they bring necessary comic relief and lightness to the drama — or else it would be incredibly heavy and too depressing — I get impatient when the drama switches to their story. I wouldn’t mind them cutting them out completely.

The drama isn’t perfect, of course. It was excruciatingly draggy at some parts and I honestly wished they had trimmed down the show further.

Was Jialu and Uncle’s story necessary? I don’t know. Sure, they exist to show the kind of family Jiaqi wanted and couldn’t achieve with Yi Jun. But beyond that — too much air time was given to them, and I never understood how their storylines benefited the main one.

Thoughts about the ending

What a lovely ending. Jiaqi and Yu’an’s friendship and unique connection is beyond romance, in my opinion.

It’s the understanding of two mutual souls who had been in very desperate situations.

They saved each other — Jiaqi, with his empathy and kindness; Yu’an with her sleuthing, intelligence, and yes, kindness. Two souls that had started out suspicious and wary of each other formed a connection that transcends romantic love — that’s how I see it.

On the whole, I really loved Loving Strangers. A quiet, moving drama with solid performances from our leads.

Final Thoughts

If you’re hesitating to watch this drama because it won’t top My Mister — it probably won’t — I encourage you to still watch it. I can understand why you hesitate, because it’s a very tall order for Loving Strangers to even match it.

Watching this Chinese adaptation is actually a good idea, especially if you have not watched the K-Drama. Treat it like its own show, and you may enjoy it.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Spill the DramaTea #3: Pursuit of Jade, Swords into Plowshares, How Dare You?! and more!

February brought Chinese New Year, which always means chaos for me, so I wasn’t able to write last month’s newsletter. But I’m back, and in March I find myself inundated with so many good Chinese dramas that I’m having decision paralysis deciding what drama to watch first.

If you have a wide range of tastes like I do, watching everything from idol dramas to super serious ones, you face a difficult time deciding what to watch. And that is my situation right now.

What I’m watching

“Pursuit of Jade” is definitely the hit drama of the season, and probably the most controversial.

Starring Zhang Linghe and Tian Xiwei, it’s about Changyu, a village woman who finds a badly injured man in the snow one day; she brings him back home, and one thing leads to another—they end up married. However, she doesn’t know that Xie Zheng actually a powerful, controversial general and nobleman.

A very typical idol drama, to be honest. But what’s winning about this drama is the director, Zeng Qing Jie. He was the director of “Blossom” and came out of short dramas. Qing Jie’s short dramas were the ones that made everybody suddenly interested in Chinese short dramas, but unlike those who came after him, he knows how to tell a story well.

His work never feels choppy or badly edited; it’s always beautifully filmed and complex. He is a master at using a limited budget to weave a beautiful story. Now that he’s been given more resources and two major idol stars, this drama is simply beautiful and very well told. He doesn’t just film things well; he knows how to light scenes, compose shots like paintings, and make the actors look extra gorgeous.

But what I appreciate most is that he knows how to bring out the best in actors—directing them so their characters feel authentic and move like their roles. So this drama is definitely a win for me, and I honestly think I’ll enjoy it to the end.

Unfortunately, this drama has also attracted controversy. Zhang Linghe apparently said something racist about Southeast Asians. Chinese humor isn’t always politically correct, and casual racism is, unfortunately, a thing.

This took many Western audiences by surprise, although we Southeast Asians are like, “Yeah, we know.”

And if that isn’t bad enough, the drama is also caught in a ratings controversy—people are questioning its high ratings. To be honest, I think it deserves high ratings, but maybe not that high, since the numbers put it on par with dramas that sparked national conversation.

Data manipulation is a persistent issue in Chinese fandom; it’s annoying, used as bragging rights by fandoms and to show investors their money paid off. Still, I feel it’s unfortunate because Pursuit of Jade is honestly a very good drama, and these controversies shouldn’t diminish the director’s skill or the actors’ abilities. So I say: go for this drama. It’s really worth it.

“Sword into Plowshares” is a rare historical drama—the kind that comes once in a few years.

Many idol dramas are set in fictional historical times and aren’t faithful to the period, but this one is really faithful, with Merchant Ivory–level quality.

It’s about the little-known Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period—a tumultuous time lasting about 70 to 80 years after the fall of the Tang Dynasty.

Imagine: the Tang Dynasty was probably China’s most prosperous, cosmopolitan, culturally rich era, but when it fell, it fell apart hard, fracturing into vassal kingdoms with one dynasty after another rising and falling in quick succession in decades.

It was a chaotic period and a rarely explored part of Chinese history, so I’m learning so much through this drama.

The story centers on Qian Hongchu, a prince from the more prosperous, relatively peaceful Wuyue kingdom. In a sea of chaos, Wuyue was a rare oasis of peace and prosperity, but up north, war is brewing, and eventually Hongchu has to leave his sheltered life to step into the battleground.

If you have time, try to watch it. These historical dramas don’t come often. It’s worth watching, even though the subject is heavy.

I do find it difficult to watch after work when I’m tired; the last thing I want is death and despair, and there’s a lot of it here. (But I promise, it’s absolutely worth it and I intend to complete it even if it takes me a year.)

To balance things out, I tried something fluffy: “Seeds of Scarlet Longing.” It’s a fun, trashy short drama; every episode is about 20 minutes. Short dramas are very profitable these days, so I’m not surprised the actor took the role. It was fun to watch, with lots of steamy scenes, but stitching those together doesn’t create genuine chemistry between the couple, which I felt was missing.

The worst part? Our female lead is one of those pixie-happy types, feeling very one-dimensional. I never fully bought into their romance; the enemies-to-lovers transition felt sudden and underdeveloped.

The premise: our male lead is a prince hunting jade demons; the female lead is a demon who needs to have sex with a man to survive every full moon (they call it “dual cultivation” hehe). With a premise like that, you’d think you’d feel invested but honestly, it was disappointing. I had some fun, but didn’t enjoy it towards the end because I just didn’t buy their romance.

“How Dare You” really caught me. I don’t usually like transmigration dramas, but I gave this a chance because I like the actor, Cheng Lei. What surprised me: this drama had surprising depth. The plot was coherent and tightly told—no fluff or filler dragging the story. Every episode was thrilling, character writing was super good, and the story wrapped up neatly (no big question mark, like most transmigration dramas).

Yu Wanyin travels into a novel where she’s the villain—but here’s the twist: the villain of the novel, Xiahou Dan, is also a transmigrator!

They find each other and try to survive the bloody twist and turns of the plot together. It’s a pretty good drama with surprising depth and I thirsted for new episodes daily.

“Generation to Generation” is a rare wuxia tale—though wuxia-lite, not quite Jin Yong–level yet.

Cai Zhao, who just want a happy life free of the jianghu, is forced to join the revered Qingque Sect, where she meets the withdrawn Chang Ning, a survivor of a family massacre. One thing leads to another and Cai Zhao and Chang Ning gets dragged into the affairs of the previous generation of heroes, left unresolved for decades.

The only thing that may deter people about this drama: if you dislike repetitive cycles or misunderstandings between the couple, you may not enjoy it as much. But if you’re okay with that, it can be quite fulfilling.

I haven’t finished yet, but I plan to take my time because I like the two main actors—they’re very good, and I’m enjoying their performances.

The dramas that I hope to watch

Ah, Ingenious One, a true blue wuxia that I’ve told myself multiple times to watch but never seem to be able to. I kept putting it off, hoping to watch it right before season 2 of the drama airs, but the next thing I knew, season 2 is here, and I’ve still not watched it! Ack.

I’m sad I can’t catch it live, but I’m also happy to watch both seasons back to back, slowly savouring it.

I’m behind reviews, but they’re coming!

Loving Strangers, Glory and more. (I’m super behind my reviews. There’s just been so many CDramas and I’ve been so super busy!)

So there you have it: what I’ve been watching the last two months. See you next month!

Empires rise, empires fall. But when the veneer of civilization cracks, how do we hold onto our humanity?

Watching Swords into Plowshares feels less like entertainment and more like a warning. We seem trapped in the same historical loops, hoping this time the chaos resolves faster.

The characters in Swords into Plowshares whisper for Tài Píng Nián—"Peaceful Years." It's a wish that echoes loudly today.

https://elizabethtai.substack.com/p/what-a-chinese-epic-taught-me-about

#CDramas #China #History #Geopolitics #Chinese #Culture #Substack #AmWatching #Blogging

I haven't been able to write a full review of a Cdrama for several months, but I posted my thoughts on all the recent Cdramas I've watched since late last year in the SF-Fandom forums.

#cdrama #cdramas #wuxia #xianxia

https://forums.sf-fandom.com/thread-38648.html

Celebrating the Flower Gods (贺花神) – Spring Gala Festival 2026

Admittedly, this isn’t a typical Chinese drama post (but it has CDrama actors!), but I was so wowed by the Spring Gala Festival 5-minute performance, 贺花神, that I had to share it with everyone.

This is the kind of performance that you need lots of context and knowledge to truly appreciate. Most Chinese audiences would’ve had basic Chinese history and literature lessons, but not most of the world. So I’m here to provide some context to this magnificent performance.

First, watch the performance below:

https://youtu.be/CELpUCjLzp8?si=piMkJt6qs8Iwygr8

The inspiration for this performance is The White Jade Monthly Cycle Set (白玉月令组佩), a Qing Dynasty artifact with twelve petal-shaped jade pendants. Each “petal” represented a month, carved with the representative flower of that specific month.
Source: Sina

The Flower Deities:

1. January: Lin Bu (Northern Song Dynasty)
2. February: Lu You (Southern Song Dynasty)
3. March: Lady Xi (Spring and Autumn period)
4. April: Yang Guifei (Tang Dynasty)
5. May: Zhang Qian (Han Dynasty)
6. June: Zhou Dunyi (Song Dynasty)
7. July: Xu Wei (Ming Dynasty)
8. August: Li Qingzhao (Southern Song Dynasty)
9. September: Tao Yuanming (Eastern Jin Dynasty)
10. October: Wang Zhaojun (Western Han Dynasty)
11. November: Bai Juyi (Tang Dynasty)
12. December: Goddess of the Luo River

January: Lin Bu (Northern Song Dynasty)

Plum blossoms
Played by Ning Li

“Thin branches cast slanting shadows on the shallow, clear water,
Subtle fragrance drifts in the twilight of the moonlit hour.”

The poet, Lin Bu, hailed from the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). He is a hermit of sorts, famous for considering plum trees and cranes as his only companions.

Most memorably, Ning Li played Song Chen in Ripe Town. He has appeared in Joy of Life season 2 and The Long Night and The Bad Kids.

February: Lu You (Southern Song Dynasty)

Apricot blossoms
Played by Liu Jun

The poet Lu You (1125–1210) lived through the fall of the Northern Song dynasty. When the Jin dynasty conquered the capital of the Northen Song dynasty, his family fled south. A poet, historian, and government official, he wrote over 9,000-10,000 poems in his lifetime, making him one of the most prolific Chinese poets ever. Lu You wrote poems describing apricot blossoms and their beauty.

Liu Jun has appeared in dramas such as Romance in the Alley, Guardians of the Dafeng (Emperor Jing) and The Tale of Rose.

March: Lady Xi (Spring and Autumn period)

Peach Blossom
Played by Qin Lan.

“The peach tree is young and tender, brilliant and bright are its flowers.”

Lady Xi (also known as 息妫, Xi Gui), one of China’s Four Great Beauties, was a princess from the State of Chen during the Spring and Autumn period (around 684-680 BCE). Forcibly taken by King Wen to the palace after he killed her husband and kingdom, she refused to speak a single word for three years.

Her life has been honoured in countless poems.

Qin Lan starred in The Ingenious One, Story of Yanxi Palace, among many others.

April: Yang Guifei (Tang Dynasty)

Peony
Played by Tang Shiyi

Yang Yuhuan (719-756), better known as Yang Guifei*, was one of China’s Four Great Beauties and the beloved imperial consort of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. She is associated with the peony flower, which was extremely popular during the Tang Dynasty and symbolized wealth, honor, and feminine beauty – qualities that Yang Guifei herself embodied.

Tang Shiyi is the principal dancer of the China Song and Dance Opera House. I adored her “Once Upon a Time in Luoyang” dance where she played the controversial Princess Anle of the Tang Dynasty.

* Guifei is her title.

May: Zhang Qian (Han Dynasty)

Pomegranate Flower
Played by Hu Bing

The famous Han Dynasty explorer and diplomat Zhang Qian is historically credited with introducing pomegranates to China from Central Asia along the Silk Road.

June: Zhou Dunyi (Song Dynasty)

Lotus
Played by Wang Yang

“I alone love the lotus that emerges from the mud yet remains unstained.” A famous quote from his essay, “Love of the Lotus”, he praises the lotus flower as a symbol of purity and nobility, representing a gentleman who remains virtuous despite being in a corrupt environment.

Wang Yang starred in War of Faith, Joy of Life (he was Fan Xian’s beloved bodyguard) and Under the Microscope

July: Xu Wei (Ming Dynasty)

Hollyhock
Played by Zu Feng

Xu Wei (1521-1593) was a legendary Ming Dynasty painter, calligrapher, poet, and literatus. He was the founder of the bold, expressive ink wash painting style, as portrayed in this performance. Xu Wei painted and wrote poems about hollyhocks

Zu Feng has appeared in dramas like Welcome to Milele Village, Minning Town and Faith Makes Great.

August: Li Qingzhao (Southern Song Dynasty)

Osmanthus
Played by Li Qin

Li Qingzhao is celebrated as one of China’s most distinguished poets and is considered one of the greatest poets in Chinese history.

Her first marriage was deeply harmonious as her husband is a lover of poetry. After the fall of the Northern Song capital, she fled south, and her husband passed away shortly after. Her second marriage was not as harmonious as he mistreated her, and she divorced him, a courageous act for a woman then.

Li Qin recently appeared in Fated Hearts, which I adored.

September: Tao Yuanming (Eastern Jin Dynasty)

Chrysanthemum
Played by Yu Ailei

Tao Yuanming (365-427), also known as Tao Qian, was a famous Chinese poet from the Eastern Jin Dynasty who is particularly associated with chrysanthemums. He famously loved these flowers and often wrote about them in his poetry, especially celebrating their symbolism of integrity, resilience, and noble character blooming in autumn when other flowers fade. He is considered one of China’s greatest pastoral poets.

Appearing in Joy of Life (season 2), Hunting and Silent Honour.

October: Wang Zhaojun (Western Han Dynasty)

Hibiscus / Cotton Rose
Played by Wang Churan

Wang Zhaojun (c. 50-15 BCE) was one of China’s Four Great Beauties and a famous court lady of the Western Han Dynasty. She was sent to marry a Xiongnu chieftain as part of a peace treaty, leaving the Han court to live among the northern nomads. In one of the legends about her, it is said that on her journey northward, it was said that she was overcome with sadness and began to play her pipa in sorrow. A flock of geese, overcome by the music, forgot to flap their wings and fell to the ground.

Wang Churan has starred in How Dare You?!, Are you the One, Joy of Life season 2

November: Bai Juyi (Tang Dynasty)

Camelia
Played by Liu Xueyi

Bai Juyi (772-846) was one of the most famous poets of the Tang Dynasty, known for his accessible and socially conscious poetry — he often criticized government corruption and the suffering of common people. “The Song of Everlasting Sorrow” (长恨歌) is about the tragic love of Emperor Xuanzong and Yang Guifei. It is among his most famous narrative poems. Many of Bai’s poems are quoted in the Japanese classic The Tale of Genji.

Incidentally, Liu Xueyi also played a flower God in Love Never Fails, except that his true form is a Peony flower.

December: Goddess of the Luo River

Narcissus
Played by Li Yunxiao

Goddess of the Luo River is a famous figure from Chinese mythology, originally from a poem by Cao Zhi during the Three Kingdoms period. She is associated with the narcissus flower, which blooms in winter and is considered a symbol of good fortune and prosperity during the Chinese New Year season.

Li Yunxiao is a Chinese actress and Yue opera actress. You can hear her performing this in her sequence.

I still remember this part of Revenged Love 🌈

#revengedLove #BL #cdrama #cdramas #cpop #Ziyu #TianXuning #chinese #series #gay @board

Chinese BLs are the best ever and promos are so stunning

#RevengedLove #TianXuning #ZiYu #cdrama #cpop #cdramas #BL #boyslove #gay #lgbtq #series @board

Tian Xuning every time is making himself to be astonishing
#TianXuning #cpop #cdrama #cdramas #tian #chinese @board

I adore #PengXiaoRan as an actress but the reviews of #LoveAndCrown on MyDramaList (not to mention the average rating of 6.5) lead me to not want to watch the show. Of the reviews I've read, everyone seems to almost universally blame the writer.

Of the period/costume dramas she's done, the only other one I'm not interested in is #GoodbyeMyPrincess. While the show got an average 8.2 rating on MyDramaList, I've read the spoilers and I just hate sad endings (so, yeah, I've spoiled it for you - but the title kind of gives it away).

#cdrama #cdramas #killingtime

Lmao I am on a roll. Tickled pink that Liu Yuning, Zhou Shen and various Chinese musicians are speaking Hokkien in this clip.

Btw the dude with the hat is speaking my type of Hokkien! Kaki lang!

王琳凯教刘宇宁闽南语一个敢学一个敢教 #刘宇宁小鬼一... http://xhslink.com/o/9G5ikLc1mxa

#Cdrama #Cdramas #Hokkien #China #Chinese #Languages

OMG
#ZiYu #TianXuNing #RevengedLove #cdrama #cdramas #cpop @board

Watching this arc for the bazzilionth time because I can't get over it 🥲

#FatedHearts #cdrama #Cdramas

Drama Loves Ambition starring Zhao Lusi William Chan becomes the FIRST drama in 2025 to break 60M average views per episode during its hot broadcast period, as per Yunhe.
#ZhaoLusi #WilliamChan #cdrama #cdramas
@board

I tried really hard to resist rewatching Fated Hearts but my heart can't let go 🥲. I rarely ever rewatch dramas. If I do it's because I really adored it or found it very satisfying. I only did this for A Moment But Forever, Are You the One and Blood of Youth.

#Cdrama #Cdramas #FatedHearts

A prince is turned into a "shadow puppet" who will bond with the first person who gives him blood. That turns out to be the female general from an enemy kingdom.

Sometimes, a drama can be bad, yet highly enjoyable at the same time. Shadow Love is such a drama; it's not a great drama, but it's a fun thirst trap carried by Cheng Lei's shirtless scenes.

#ShadowLove #CDrama #CDramas #ChengLei

https://dramatea88.wordpress.com/2025/10/21/shadow-love-cdrama-review/

Hehehe I can understand why the sub's nickname for him is Daddy Aodeng 😆

#Cdrama #ShadowLove #Cdramas #ChengLei

This has got to be the longest fade to black wedding night scene ever 😆😆😆😁😁😁

Also, wait did the disciples at Wuling Mountain take a break from their duties to decorate the honeymoon cave? Enquiring minds need to know

#ShadowLove #Cdramas #Cdrama #TV

What a Wonderful World (在人间) Chinese drama review

The only light in Xu Tian’s (Yin Fang) life is Jia Xiao Duo (Zhao Li Ying), a regular customer he picks up in his “job” as a rideshare driver. As he drives her from destination to destination, he is dragged into her odd adventures. Xiao Duo keeps him from thinking about his bleak and lonely life. She’s the only spark in his life; something he looks forward to besides the daily grind.

But then, mysterious events start happening around him, all seemingly tied to Xiao Duo…

Thoughts

When I tried to write the drama’s synopsis, I found myself at a loss. It’s that kind of drama where even a hint of the plot could spoil the viewer, but a bland synopsis would not do justice to this drama’s mind-bending premise.

But I’ll tell you this straight away: This was not an easy drama to watch or even digest.

The first episode will leave you clueless.

The second episode will leave you with more questions.

The third episode will leave you even more discombobulated.

By the fourth episode, you’re exasperated and wonder if you can continue.

And if you decide not to, this drama is not for you.

And I don’t mean this in a derogatory, “you’re not smart enough” way. It’s understandable that you can’t continue on. Because this drama takes a lot of work and patience.

I’m not saying that only smart people can appreciate the drama. Modern storytelling (across all media) has trained many of us (myself included!) to expect quicker pacing and definite story beats.

In fact, I nearly gave up on this drama in the fifth episode. However, the twist at the end kept me going.

More than meets the eye

This CDrama is not a slice of life, nor is it a romance. It’s kinda sci-fi-ish. Or maybe not. That much I can tell you. (If you’re impatient, you can skip to the spoilery review below. I think some people need to know what this drama is really about to truly keep going.)

In many ways this drama reminds me of Three-Body. You need to be the type to love experimental storytelling to appreciate this drama.

You need to be the type to patient enough to wait for the clarity that will come after the vagueness and confusion. You need to be comfortable not having a clue and not understanding what’s happening in the first few episodes.

Because the plot isn’t linear at all. Don’t expect the type of plots/filming method or storytelling style of a typical drama.

Yes, technically speaking, the script is weak at the start. It tried too hard to be mysterious, but only left viewers confused. The less patient and those with limited time to sit through a highly possible whacky/bad drama would bail.

So, why didn’t I?

I happened to be free, and was doing stuff around the house and watched the drama in the background. I was in also in a mood to be teased and to try something new.

If you’re not in this frame of mind, I don’t blame you at all for ditching it. I probably would’ve if I was not in a good mood that day and wanted something easy to digest.

But if you’re in a mood for some experimental TV, What a Wonderful World could just be the drama for you.

Spoilery review

(Please don’t read on if you don’t want to be spoiled)

The reasons why I said it’s understandable that many won’t appreciate this drama is because the director made a commercial drama with zero consideration for the audience’s needs. It’s as if he wrote a fanfic for himself, so to speak.

Could it have told the story better and become more mainstream as a result? Yes. I think the storytelling is rough. Experimental it may be, but it could use a bit more coherence. But I liked how discombobulated I felt. It helped me step into the shoes of our main character.

That’s why I call this an “experiential” drama. It’s the kind of drama that will let you experience the mind and world view of our character, a man suffering from dissociative identity disorder.

In that sense, this drama is beautiful in the way it conveys the disorder.

There’s also another problem: We don’t know anything about our characters: There’s no backstory, no arc, no nothing.

To me, I think this is a good narrative choice. (Your mileage may vary.) It makes us feel disassociated, disconnected from the characters. If our characters don’t know WHO they are most of the time, denying us the God-level view is in, essence, helping us see things from their point of view. That’s my opinion, anyway.

That confusion you feel as a viewer, not knowing what’s real or not? Who’s an NPC or not?

Imagine being Xu Tian, not knowing whether YOU are real. Heck, you’re not even sure which character is really the real you?

Phew, imagine living this day by day. Which is why episode 5 is great, because our main character realises that the world they had been living, the woman/man they’d interacted with may not be real. That disorientation was painful, even for the viewer.

Sometimes it’s better to believe you’re not real. That you’re an NPC.

Because when our main character walks back to their real lives, seeing them scarf down a cold sandwich, lie in their cold beds in their equally bleak apartments … you’d prefer to be an NPC too.

Thoughts about the ending (spoilers)

At the end of the drama, I am left pondering about the meaning of life. I’m not even kidding. Our two leads’ ending has made me wonder: What kind of life is worth living?

Sure, the world says that you need to live life a certain way to be deemed successful or even be happy, but is it necessarily true for everyone?

The Easter egg scene at the end of the drama left me in a philosophical mood.

By normal people’s standards, their lives may be disturbing, but to them it is beautiful. And I think so too. (But the fact that I think it’s beautiful is also disturbing!)

Conclusion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-OSexHooOs

So, what do I think about the drama on a whole?

It’s a trip! hahaha. Literally, an acid-fuelled trip.

It’s an “experience”; it reminds me of art house movies that care more for experimentation than commercial norms.

Do I love it? Probably not in the same way I love crowd-pleasing dramas like A Moment But Forever or Feud.

But I adore that this CDrama exists because it gives me a lot of hope that there are some parts of C-entertainment that are trying to be different, to tell a story for the love of storytelling, not just for money.

Because surely the makers realise this drama is not the type to attract eyeballs or sponsors, but they made it anyway. We need this spirit to be nourished in Cdramaland.

CDramaland is often dominated by fast food storytelling that largely caters to audiences with particular tastes and aesthetics.

For example: the rising dominance of vertical dramas, it’s all about fast, steamy, wtf plots. And long dramas are starting to emulate their pacing and shock value.

And that’s why I am glad that A Wonderful World exists because it means that there are some parts of Cdramaland who dare to be experimental, to tell stories that are not conventional and most importantly, there are some people who are letting them! That gives me hope that C-entertainment can take some risks and not just fall back to safe but tired formulas.

Rating: 3.5

#35Stars #CDrama #CDramas #China #ChineseDrama #TV #ZhaoLiying

Feud ( 临江仙) review

Li Qingyue, an insignificant disciple of the Jingyun sect, finds herself in a unique position when she gains the attention of the mighty immortal deity Bai Jiusi who “agrees” to marry her.

However, Bai Jiusi hasn’t fallen head over heels for her. Instead, he believes that she’s playing a game with him. This belief lies in a centuries-old feud he has with Hua Ruyue, a powerful goddess and someone he loved and hated.

Characters

Bai Jiusi (Joseph Zeng Shunxi): A deith whose element is ice. Hua Ruyue’s husband. As they were birthed from Hongmeng and made from the same source, they’ve been entangled in each other’s existence since the dawn of time.

Li Qingyue (Bai Lu): An unremarkable junior disciple of the Jingyun sect.

Hua Ruyue (Bai Lu): The fiery goddess and Bai Jiusi’s former flame. She has a deep grudge against Bai Jiusi.

Fan Ling’er (He Ruixian): A 200-year-old immortal with great craftsman skills.

Zhang Suan (Chen Xinhai): Li Qingyue’s senior at the sect. He secretly likes her.

Xiao Jingsan (Hong Yao): An immortal with shady motives.

What I liked

• Well-developed characters with solid arcs of their own. Excellent character writing!
• It’s beautiful. I like that it broke the trend that divine realms and everyone in it had to be in white, pastels or gold. Instead, the sets and costumes are colourful and seem to get a lot of inspiration from Dunhuang art.
• The complex exploration and depiction of love, especially between a married couple. It dared to go to plot places that more generic xianxias would not dare explore.
• The acting of the main leads is great! They sold me with their performances.
• It’s an original script! We need to celebrate these.

What I didn’t like

• The show took way too long to get to the meat of the story. It painted itself too hard as a tropey, cookie-cutter xianxia (presumably to get a bigger ‘gotcha’ reaction when the real plot is finally revealed). Impatient viewers would have abandoned the drama before it got to the good parts. In fact, I nearly did! Out of curiosity, I decided to spoil myself and discovered that the drama was more than it seems.
• The writing quality is uneven and felt as if it was a case of “too many cooks spoil the broth”. The writer, Zhao Na, who also wrote the mostly-wonderfully-written A Moment But Forever is credited as the first draft screenwriter, but Ren Yanan is credited as the final screenwriter, so we can imagine what changes happened to the script on the way to the screen.
• Some plots were left unexplained.
• Some plots didn’t make sense. (For this, look at the spoilery section below)

Spoilery thoughts about the drama

They tried a little too hard to be mysterious in this drama. Some dramas explain too much. This drama, explained a little too sparsely. This made for entertaining discussions online. People’s speculations about the plots were more entertaining than the actual plot!

Most of my problems with the script were in episodes 1-10, or Ruyue pretending to be the naive, innocent human Li Qingyue. It didn’t make sense that Qingyue would behave the way she did in private if she was Ruyue in disguise. For example, at one point Ling’er spoke threateningly to Qingyue in private, and I wondered if they were putting on a show for the secret cameras in the room or something.

Then there was the main villain’s plot. Just … what was it for? If Jingsan wanted to bring his family back, and he realised the only way was to use the Time Dial that he invented, and it required his sacrifice, why go through all that trouble manipulating Bai Jiusi and Hua Ruyue? Why divide them like this and ruin their lives? If it was to erase a name on the Infinite Steele, the monument that holds back the demon realms, wasn’t there a simpler way to do this?

Far too many questions, and they could do a little bit more explaining with this one!

Thoughts about the ending

It was a most philosophical ending, leaving viewers with a lot to chew on: The role of the divine, forgiveness after unforgivable acts, and rising above hatred and regaining love that was lost.

In the end, Hua Ruyue discovers that while she cannot change her present, she could gift the people in the past a different future, creating a parallel timeline in the present.

I respect the writers for not using that convenient time device to change the future and wiping out our couple’s tribulation in the process. As the deity of time said, you can’t change the past, but I guess you can spin off another existence.

I really did want Bai Jiusi and Hua Ruyue to get their son, Shi An, back. Badly. And I was disappointed that it didn’t happen. But I acknowledge that a “reset button” would’ve cheapened their suffering and would’ve rendered one of the drama’s biggest themes meaningless: Actions have consequences.

Also, I’m also moved that the writers chose to honour such a realistic path for a married couple. Because in real life, so many couples never survived the death of their child. If a convenient reset button had been pressed, it would send the message that a couple’s love can only survive if the child is alive. But by retaining Shi An’s death for our main timeline couple, it sends a hopeful message that love can survive even such disasters, and that even gods cannot conveniently reset the consequences of their actions.

In the end they finally passed their love tribulation, but oh wow, this has to be the most traumatic and difficult love tribulation I’ve ever seen!

Still, even though I am satisfied with our couple’s ending, the last four episodes left me oddly hollow.

For one, there are unexplained plot holes. For example, they never explained that resurrection formation Xiao Jingsan made Ruyue cast. Why would Jingsan help her to resurrect her child if it didn’t help his cause? How would it help him in his quest to blot out the name? Was that even his true motivation?

I think if anything, the plot holes made the discussions about the drama more intense, and for once, for the right reasons. Often, writers and producers of a show would shoot a frustratingly open-ended ending, inciting viewers to generate lots of social media chatter, only the chatter is mostly viewers screaming at the producers for producing such a vile ending.

This time, it isn’t so. Viewers are genuinely debating the villain’s motivations, our couple’s decisions and the parallel worlds. Now, that’s how you generate after-drama chatter on social media! And you don’t need a vague, open ending for this!

I’m glad at least that Bai Jiusi didn’t end up with the dreaded reborn without memories thing, but retained all his memories. That somehow, despite the bitterness of their love tribulation they were still able to ascend beyond that. And that’s, well, godlike!

In the current timeline and the new ones that Ruyue created, Bai Jiusi and Ruyue will be happy, and no longer will they be parted by the schemes of others. Their love has literally survived the cruellest of love tribulations.

And at the risk of sounding blaise and crass, our version will have another child one day, and that’s a kind of hope.

Conclusion

Story: The writing is choppy, with a 10-episode delay into getting into the real meat of the plot. This could drive less patient viewers away. Some plots seem to end nowhere and some themes don’t seem consistently executed. But the character writing is stellar, even for side characters.

Acting: Bai Lu has been accused of “phoning it in” by playing the same characters over and over again. I don’t watch enough Bai Lu dramas to be a good judge of this. To me, the most important question is this: Does the actor fit the role?

Here, Bai Lu fits it and then some, and so does Joseph Zeng.

Admittedly, I was a little sceptical about Joseph Zeng. I first saw him in Mysterious Lotus Casebook and later Snowy Night, TImeless Love. Thanks to his big eyes, people think he can only play playful and idealistic heroes. But a cold, divine lord? Even I had my doubts. But Zeng delivered and then some. He sold me the role, and that’s all that I care about.

In one pivotal scene, I actually found myself tearing up. In general, it’s very difficult for CDramas to make me cry, so this means that their performance has moved me emotionally.

Costumes and sets: I am absolutely enthralled that the divine realm is for once, looking close to how Chinese heaven looks like, full of colour and uniqueness. Gone are the white, pastels and muted golds at last!

Camerawork: Above average, but not what I call amazing.

Rewatchability: Some heart-wrenching moments may be difficult to watch, but there are bright spots of fun that I’ll probably watch again and again.

This drama is for those who love more philosophical xianxias in the same vein as A Moment But Forever. However, if you’re looking for a xianxia with strong “CP vibes”, or one that will have romantic sweet moments, this may not be for you, as romance is just a veneer in this drama. In Feud, the philosophical exploration of love, marriage, fate and divinity takes centre stage.

Final rating: 4 out of 5

#4Stars #baiLu #CDrama #CDramas #China #ChineseDrama #CostumedDrama #Fantasy #josephZeng #Xianxia #zengShunxi

Endless protection recap and analysis (currently watching)

Prosecutor Lin Zhi Tao and assistant prosecutor Bai En Yu are members of a special juvenile prosecution team that focuses on the judicial protection of minors. They come across crimes that test their emotional strength, but despite the horrifying cases, they have to fight for justice of one of society’s most vulnerable: The children.

ℹ️ This post is currently being updated as I watch the show. Do return to the page as I will be updating it.

1. Episodes 1-3: Bullies
2. Episodes 4-5: Thieves
3. Episodes 6-9: Boat Trip
4. Episodes 10-14: The past
5. Episodes 15-16: Hoodie girl

Episodes 1-3: Bullies

The crime

A young student is bullied so much that he jumps off a building to escape his tormentors.

We meet our justice warriors

In these episodes, we get to meet our main protagonists, Lin Zhi Tao, a no-nonsense prosecutor, and Bai En Yu, a corrections officer at a juvenile corrections facility.

Originally, I watched this without subs, and since my Chinese reading is shit, I couldn’t quite get most of Vengo’s dialogue. (I love ya, Vengo, but please remove those marbles from your mouth lol).
The crimes are so… difficult to watch (sobs).

But anyway, I really, really hurt when I see young people suffer in any way, even on TV, which is why after the ferocious bullying in the first few minutes of episode 1, I wondered if I could continue. It was heartbreaking, and I was actually quite surprised at how graphic the bullying was.

But I believe it served a purpose. The head bully was hardly remorseful, and when Lin passed a relatively light sentence, I was also as incensed as the mom.

However, the drama shifted to Bai’s perspective, where we see that while he’s tough on his young charges, he is also caring in his own way. He wants the head bully to be reformed—we can see that—but he’s proving to be a tough nut to crack.

Hilariously, Lin and Bai butt heads in episode 3, and since we know they’ll end up in that special Juvenile Crime division that Lin has been transferred to, this is going to be SO FUN.

I can understand Bai’s perspective. In his mind, Lin is just a pencil pusher who doesn’t get to see the young criminals daily. She only knows how to execute the law. While Lin can execute the law according to rigid parameters, Bai doesn’t have that luxury. Kids are already hard to deal with—delinquent kids?? It’ll be interesting to see both of them exasperate each other.

The limits of the law

I wonder if Lin regrets executing the law so rigidly in the bullying case. I can’t decide if what she did was right or wrong because I’m with the mom—8 years is a slap on the wrist for someone who caused another child to jump off a building in desperation to get away.

Lin’s childhood was not a cakewalk

While the cases are so tough to watch, at the start of episode 3, we see siblings who live under the tyranny of their abusive father. I believe that’s Lin, as we later see the child talk to Lin’s superior.

But I wonder if her actions were the reason why she was ostracized by her community—because she dared to sue her dad, and somehow… her mom still defended her dad despite it all… and chose to oust her daughter instead? Oof.

I really love the characters so far, and I especially like the gregarious Bai, who adores his wife. What a refreshing character to take on, and I’m glad Vengo Gao got a chance to play him. I’m so used to seeing him in idol dramas; I hope that he truly makes the leap to the “Uncle Circle” soon, though I’d miss his white-haired Emperors ;D. He’s so far from the usual suave characters he plays that I’m delighting in the chance.

I also like how multi-faceted the drama is. They don’t portray the juvenile delinquents as irredeemable but show that they’re probably the result of their environment. I find myself unexpectedly rooting for them. 🙂

Yes, even the head bully!

Episodes 4-5: Thieves

The crime

Children are being used to rob people. I definitely cried a little (inside, anyway) when I saw how they were “trained” and “punished.” And if that isn’t bad enough, they’re later stuffed in suitcases and sold. I really am wincing at the fact that these are based on real cases. The poor kids :((

Bai’s human touch

Poor Bai—his favourite charge, Lu Sheng, is back in detention. It appears that he’s been forced back into the criminal ring that uses children to steal, and he’s probably not telling the truth because he wants to protect his siblings, family, and the kids in that ring.

Bai has his heart in the right place: he not only cares for the kids but also knows how to read them and get them to reform. However, his hot-headed ways and rough, in-your-face interrogation methods do not work outside the detention centre, methinks. Still, he has street smarts and instincts that the prosecution team doesn’t have.

Like the director said later, she hopes Bai will give the team the “human touch.”

Lin’s methodical way of prying the truth out of criminals can really complement Bai’s out-of-the-box ways.

(I LOLed at Bai’s method to get into Lu Sheng’s family flat after Lin failed. He pretends to be on Lu Sheng’s dad’s side and drinks with him, which incenses Lin’s assistant, who thinks that he’s breaking the law and “drinking on the job.”)

Notes

• Don’t you think the opening sequence is creepy? The crimes that we’ll see in this drama are hinted at in a series of ‘playful’ dioramas. Cute on the surface, but upon closer look, they hint at darker stories.
• I love how Bai dotes on his wife! We all want a hubby like Bai.
• Lin’s request to revoke Lu Sheng’s father’s guardianship—is this another clue that the kid who wanted to sue her father was Lin? I wonder if she’ll succeed.
• Not gonna lie, I thought Lu Sheng would get a harsh sentence. Thank goodness he didn’t, or else I’d wonder what the hell is wrong with the prosecutors (like I wondered in the first ep).
• What in the world was Bai doing on that roof with the drum? Was he beating the drums to give Lu Sheng a soundtrack while he’s testifying before the prosecutors?? ;D

I noticed not only were they using cash but also those old “boring” hand phones! I wonder why I never noticed before, but this drama must’ve been set before 2010.

Looks like Lin’s troubles with the first case aren’t over??

Episodes 6-9: Boat Trip

The crime

A family boat trip ends in tragedy as a child is killed. The culprit appears to be a young girl, but our prosecutors are not that sure.

I kinda like the office

Our heroes have a rough start to the latest arc. First, Lin had to save the mother of the dead bullied kid from swan diving off the same ledge her son did. Then Bai realised his dream job is a dream – the kind you can only appreciate when you are asleep! He’s flabbergasted that the prestigious job he had fought so hard for has an office in a janitor’s store room. But at least it’s roomy and has an ensuite toilet!

The criminal isn’t as obvious as I thought

This arc got me thinking that some people just shouldn’t be allowed to procreate. Honestly, I really disliked the little girl bully so much that I was convinced the arc was all about how to convict a child psychopath and the ethics of doing so.

But it turned out that the true psychopath was the father of the kids, who made my skin crawl with his selfishness.

His mistress wasn’t any better, her having colluded and even pressured the father to kill the kids. Her begging to be let off from the death penalty towards the end made me shudder a little at her selfishness.

Unfortunately, I don’t think the little girl bully is going to grow up normal. Pretty sure she’s going to be a full-blown narcissist when she grows up and do something criminal.

And thus I go on a philosophical bent thinking how society’s ills often stem from shitty parents, and if only we had an AI for that to anticipate or predict bad/evil parenting …

Some other notable stuff

• I have to say this is such a creative way to interrogate kids.

• We get a clue what the diorama opening scenes are for! As the psychologist explains, it gives children a safe way to talk about the harrowing things they’ve gone through. As I mentioned in the last recap, each toy in the opening scene signifies a crime, and this time, it’s a boat and two empty life vests. (oof)
• We get confirmation that Lin is indeed that girl who sued her father and sent him to prison.
• We also find out that her family ain’t that grateful for her actions.
• So, in that sense, this case is really meaningful to Lin. That scene where she flinched at the sight of the wire coat hanger. Phew.
• Bai continues to demonstrate that his bad temper is not an asset in the interrogation room (I wonder if he’ll be dinged for that in future episodes). However, his out-of-the-box detective work, instincts and deft ability to handle young juvenile kids is definitely an asset to his more by-the-book teammates.
• Narcissists are often paired with Enablers and the father’s mother is an Enabler with a capital E. Lin and Bai got extremely frustrated by her not doing anything to prevent her grandkids from being abused. I got wanted to throw something at her when she said her son was a “good man, it’s just that he loses his temper”. Eurgh (screams into pillow). I think Lin is especially upset about this because, and I’m guessing, it reminds her too much of her mother who begged the police to release her husband.

Who is the mysterious kid in the hoodie?

By the way, there is this mysterious kid who spoke to the bullied kid’s mum, and I wondered if she somehow goaded her to jump off the building?

Even Lin remarked that the woman was probably being manipulated into doing so.

Are we dealing with a genius kid psychopath or something?

Episodes 10-14: The past

The crimes:

A teenager is about to be prosecuted … for running a porn distribution ring.

Teen biker gangs are causing havoc and Bai Enyu wants to solve this problem without the law stepping in.

Don’t do porn, ‘mkay?

These episodes are relatively placid and less intense than the earlie episodes. (You know what this means—intense, heart-wrenching cases are coming soon!)

I have to say, my main reaction to the porn ring story was, wait, omg you can go to jail for this in China? Half the world would be in prison if this was a law in their countries!

But the distinction to be made here is that prosecution only happens if you profit from it, and this teenager has been earning money from his chat porn distribution ring.

Meanwhile, we’re introduced to his rather unstable tiger mum who screams at him the moment he shows interest in a friend who happens to be a girl? Geez, no wonder he’s turning to porn, mum.

Anyway, our prosecutors are pleading for leniency from the government as he seems to be a good and smart kid. Prosecution could mean that his life is ruined forever, after all.

Our second case is a little more serious but not intense either. Instead the case offers an insight on Bai. Well, our cheerful detective/prosecutor was a delinquent himself!

However, he turned into a new leaf when, during one of his fights, a friend was killed and another was maimed. And it was kinda sweet that his wife was a part of the gang, which meant that she was his childhood sweetheart.

On the whole, I found the biker arc predictable, but it’s nice to see Bai talking to a modern, younger version of his teen self, and being able to stop him from ending up hurting someone (and possibly derail his life).

Bai tries to play therapist to Lin (spoiler alert: not working well)

We also find out that Prosecutor Lin has a problem with her brain. Like, a physical one, in case you’re wondering.

Bai also finds out that the shop he’s been patronising and where Lu Sheng, his reformed delinquent progete works – the owner is Prosecutor Lin’s brother.

This becomes a rather awkward moment for Prosecutor Lin when she comes face to face with a brother she’s been estranged from for 16 years. Little brother has a big heap of resentment against his sister for leaving the family.

These episodes were slow, and it took me a while to get through them. But I did like the character moments in episode 14, especially with Lin and her brother. Bai in his bull-headed way tries to force a reconciliation which goes as well as you can imagine.

I suspect that Lin feels immensely guilty for what happened after reporting her father and putting him in jail. It didn’t help, from what I can see, that the family didn’t support her decision but turned against her instead. It was the right thing, but it resulted in ostracisation from the community and the very people she tried to protect. After a betrayal like that, can you blame her for staying away?

My thoughts so far
This arc was rather boring, to be honest, but maybe it’s due to my short-attention span brain being distracted by prettier fare like Feud and The Princess’ Gambit.

Still, it’s again, delightful to watch Vengo Gao in such a good role. I’ve only seen him as an aloof heavily emperor, an aloof kinda-vampire and aloof swordsman – you get the idea. So, to see him just let loose as the brash, hot-tempered but good-hearted corrections officer is such a delight.

I’m also liking how each case isn’t predictable. I always think that I have pinned down the culprit, only to be surprised each time.

And after watching the chaos that is The Princess’ Gambit and other idol dramas, I really appreciate the plain ol, logical and good scriptwriting. You do wonder why idol dramas just can’t do this while dramas like these can?

Episodes 15-16: Hoodie girl

The crime
Prosecutor Lin is lured to the KTV lounge where she had caught the business hired under-aged girls. There, she ends up being trapped in a burning building.

No guesses who the culprit is: Hoodie girl, Ning Kaitong (Li Xi Yuan).

She’s young, not even of legal age, but frighteningly smart.

So smart, in fact, that her psychopathic, serial-killer-like behaviour is deeply concerning.

We’ve seen her from the very beginning of the series, appearing near people connected to Prosecutor Lin’s cases. She goads the victims into doing terrible things, even attempting to convince a woman to commit suicide. These actions are undeniably scary.

Yet, what I love about this show is that they could still make me care for a character like Kaitong.

She’s not acting this way purely because she’s psychotic, but because she’s extremely bitter.

Prosecutor Lin sent her mother to prison, and she blames Lin for destroying her family.

This resentment comes to a head in these episodes when she lures Prosecutor Lin to a KTV building and sets it on fire.

Lin nearly dies but is saved by his brother. The only silver lining is that this incident finally forces Lin and her brother to reconcile. (I found it hilarious that Bai’s earnest efforts through food and meet-ups failed but a burning building succeeded.)

Meanwhile, Kaitong’s malicious ability to frame others for murder and manipulate people into deadly situations is something our prosecutors cannot ignore.

I’ll admit it now, I’ve never hated a minor character so much. Kaitong shows no remorse, fully believing that Prosecutor Lin deserved it and smugly smiling when the rest interrogate her, revelling in the fact that her youth protects her from tougher actions.

She smirked when they were forced to let her go. And, honestly, I thought this was the route the drama would take – we would see her going through counselling and “education”, and by the end of her arc she’ll be remorseful and sorry. Urgh.

(Fortunately, the prosecutors were as hard-assed as I was and tried to find a way to rein her in. I mean, seriously, having a kid who nearly killed someone grow up to adulthood and become god knows what is a scary thought.)

At that moment, I thought, “This girl belongs behind bars. She’s a danger to society. And this whole arc is about tossing her in jail. Bring it on!”

But Show surprised me again by giving me a twist that made me feel sad for psycho hoodie girl.

Throughout the series, we get hints that Prosecutor Lin is keeping a secret for the girl’s mother—one that the girl probably should know.

However, the prosecutors eventually find a way to hold her accountable. They discover she’s not the biological child of her parents—she was adopted and is actually older than she appears. This means she can be prosecuted.

When she’s brought in, she’s still smug, believing that she’s already accomplished her primary goal of hurting Prosecutor Lin.

But then, the secret comes out: her mother had assisted her father in committing suicide to secure insurance money for her education. Her mother went to jail for this, and before dying, she urged her daughter to live a good life and asked Lin to keep her true intentions a secret.

The tragedy hits hard when the girl realizes she has wasted her parents’ sacrifice.

As she stood in the dock, hearing her sentence, she broke down, understanding that everything she did was for the wrong reasons.

Worse, her mother’s sacrifices and suffering were in vain. All her mother and father wanted was for her to have a good university education so that her smart brain could be used to build a better life. Instead, Kaitong used her intelligence to destroy the lives of others, and ultimately, her own. She wasted not just her life but her parents’ lives.

For Kaitong, there’s no worse punishment than realising that her actions rendered her mother’s suffering useless.

Will she get to be a productive member of society once she’s released? The stain of “attempted murder” isn’t something you can rub off easily, especially in a strict society like China’s. I doubt she can be a leader in the government, or even in corporations … what a waste of talent.

This storytelling is what I love about Endless Protection – it’s never straightforward. There are red herrings, surprises, and layers to every mystery.

This arc wasn’t violent, fortunately, nor was it action-packed, but the final scene at the courtroom delivered such a punch: Don’t waste your life. Don’t waste your intelligence on revenge and evil.

And can I say that I’m amazed by the young actress’ performance? In fact, all the young actors in this show were absolutely brilliant. If there’s one reason to watch Endless Protection (among many) it’ll be this.

#bookReview #CDrama #CDramas #China #ChineseDrama #ChineseDramas #Crime #entertainment #ModernCdrama #novel #Recaps #review #romance #VengoGao

A Moment But Forever (念无双) recaps and analysis

Note: This has all the spoilers and lots of details about A Moment But Forever episodes. If you just want a less spoilery overview and review, do read my A Moment But Forever review.

During the gods-demons war, the artifact “God’s Left Hand,” used by Heavenly God Taihe to seal demons, was severed and fell to the Mortal Realm, causing Taihe and the gods to fall into eternal slumber.

The Youhu fox clan seized the artifact, using it to defeat their enemies, the War Demons, and establish dominion over the world, becoming its new gods.

The goddess Wu Shuang is sent to reclaim the artifact, which would kill its host, Youhu Clan’s high priest Yuan Zhong. Disguised as maid Ji Tanyin, she infiltrates the clan but discovers Yuan Zhong is not the villain he’s believed to be.

1. Episodes 1-6
2. Episodes 7-10
3. Episodes 11 and 12
4. Episodes 13-15
5. Episodes 16-20 (The weapon spirits)
6. Episodes 16-20 (Yuan Zhong’s big plan)
7. Episodes 21-24
8. Episodes 25 and 26
9. Episodes 27-30
10. Episodes 31-33
11. Episodes 34 – Hanvu
12. Episodes 36 (Ending)

Episodes 1-6

Quick summary of plot: Our hero, Yuanzhong (Liu Xueyi) is both reviled and revered as the High Priest of the Fox clan (Youhu). Due to the disappearance of the gods, the Youhu are now the “gods” of the world, and he’s among the most powerful. Yuanzhou is reputed to be debauched, violent and basically not a nice demigod. (But of course he’s the opposite)

(So far, so Kill Me Love Me. Murong Jinghe, is this your new life?)

Anyway, Yuanzhong is powerful because of this artifact of the former deities, The Left Hand of the former god Taihe. The goddess Wushuang (Ji Tanyin) who made it, is sent to wrest it back from Yuanzhong.

So far:

✅ Upcoming massive misunderstanding

✅ Torture of male lead

✅ Evil “Good” Sect

✅ Flimsy excuse for a kiss

✅ But very logical excuses for undressing male lead a few times

✅ Bath scene(s)

Hilariously, A Moment But Forever trended on Weibo for Liu Xueyi’s bath scene (okay, his bare naked chest trended, and to quote one Weibo-er: “Better to trend for something than nothing”.)

First, don’t be fooled by the promos!

A Moment but Forever is one drama that I can 100% say that the promos did it dirty. Because when the first promo came out, I went: “Meh, another xianxia.” I barely even registered that Liu Xueyi was in it. And when it did, I went: “Tis a pity, I don’t think I can endure this factory-line xianxia for him.”

(Fortunately, I came across a random post ranting about how the promo didn’t do the script justice; I found out more about the story and was intrigued. And the rest was history.)

Anyway, the expectations for this drama were so abysmal that most people said it would be a failure. So, I was bracing myself for a tepid xianxia. Who knew that I ended up being surprised by:

• the coherent storytelling.
• how funny it was
• the couple’s unique dynamic
• the colour grading. The trailers made it look so washed out filtered to death that I’m glad it’s actually pleasing to the eye!
• the careful world-building
• the addictiveness of the episodes!

Hilariously, on xiaohongshu, most of the comments I saw were: “I didn’t intend to watch the drama, but I ended up binging all six episodes and now I’m going to office with panda eyes”.

Well, I almost did the same but I was on leave the next day, flying off to a tropical island, so that’s perfect!

My favourite highlights of episodes 1-6

You think your life sucks? Oh man, wait till you get tricked into putting on a heavy fugly gold necklace that seals your powers and then get shoved into a cave for 40 years, lose your mind, and start talking to your alternate selfs. (That said, dayum, another tour de force performance by Liu Xueyi. You really feel Yuanzhou’s agony, self-recrimination, regret and hatred in that scene.)

That moment when you realize that the Youhu clan, especially the sect leader, is using Yuanzhou as a blood bag and pharmacy. 💀

Liu Xueyi, I don’t know how you do it, not only can you look good in that wig *and* still look great when you’re half dead. That’s why you’re paid the big bucks.

Darling, I know you pride yourself for your impeccable logic but I think you’re a little off with this thesis🫠

Is there a reason for her to kiss him? Something to do with unsealing his gold chain? How? Does it matter? Many females around the world are now happy. Mission accomplished.

So far, my radar is picking up vibes that Tang Hua is UP TO SOMETHING and is probably behind the whole demon possessing thing. Did he orchestrate it to liberate his former bestie from the clutches Evil Youhu Sect Leader With the Eyebrows of Doom? Probably!

My big question is whether Yuanzhong is also in on it, knows Tang Hua is on his side or … really believes that his former best friend is his enemy like the rest of the sect?

Episodes 7-10

I’m dying. DYING. I just finished episode 10, and I’m like, NO DON’T END HERE. WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME??

At this point, I feel that this is going to be a drama that will keep me up at night; it’ll probably kill my sleep for a couple of weeks. Luckily I’m doing this on a tropical island. (I’m on vacation.)

It’s so rare for a Cdrama to do that to me. (But please god don’t break my heart at the end though.)

Anyway, on to some highlights from the episodes!

Tanyin’s Groundhog Day

Lawd I did not expect to laugh as hard as I did in episode 8 when Tanyin was repeatedly killed like some NPC in a video game! And then poor Yuan Zhong trying to bury/cremate/freeze her again and again each time she died!

Her explanation to Yuan Zhong about her resurrections though ;D

Tanyin, I think you better stick to science and leave the lying to politicians lol.

But poor Yuan Zhong, he thought he was getting a handmaiden, but he got a clingy stalker who could be a zombie instead.

War Demons – not so bad, not so good either

I really love that they showed the War Demons as a race that was made up of, well, normal people that joked, laughed and had families. But they have a really cruel social system that emphasizes increasing their numbers.

This forces families apart, and this is where we meet our new antagonist Qian Lian, a man eager to find the mother who was separated from him due to said system. He has now stolen a special dagger given to the tribe by a mysterious deity to kill Yuan Zhong so that he can be reunited with his mother.

Again, I really like that the writer has given the villains understandable motivations. For example, as evil as the Youhu elders were in sealing and imprisoning Yuan Zhong, they had a cold logic for it: How do you control someone as powerful as Yuan Zhong? How do you ensure he doesn’t enslave the clan?

Likewise, Qian Lian is rather likeable and has an earnest wish to reunite with his mother. A part of me wants him to succeed, but I like Yuan Zhong more, so …

The mysterious deity

I wonder if the War Demons were as nasty as they were supposed to be during that war and that they were nearly wiped out? And seeing how devilish the Elders of the Youhu clan are, I can really see them being the true devils of the war. Or maybe the deity had something to do with it.

But this drama has been surprising me with the unique paths it has taken, so I bet there’s a surprise waiting for us about the war.

Flying ships!

NGL, I felt like a little girl again when I saw that steampunk flying ship. I love that in this universe, the humans have their abilities. And their most defining strength is to invent machines.

We are no longer besties

I’m trying to decide if Yuan Zhong is talking about Tang Hua or Tanyin lol

As I suspected, Tang Hua had a hand in deceiving Yuan Zhong and eventually getting him imprisoned. It was amusing at first to see Yuan Zhong being all bitchy about Tang Hua, but later, after the attempted assassination, Yuan Zhong bluntly said, “We are no longer friends.”

And twisted the dagger by vividly describing the suffering he endured for 40 years. It was sad to see Tang Hua walk away dejectedly, but honestly, he deserved it. It’s going to take a lot more to mend their friendship … if it can even be mended because …

There’s something off about Yuan Zhong

Is he evil? Good? A bit of both? Or just crazy? It was something we, the viewers and Tanyin, were trying to figure out throughout the episodes.

Seeing Yuan Zhong just stare at a man being pecked to death by one of those Grudge Birds was chilling. Seeing him just casually walk away from people screaming around him was jaw-dropping. Oh noes, all this while we thought he was misunderstood! Maybe he’s just evil.

Like he told Tang Hua – after 60 years of suffering, nothing can reach his heart anymore, and our fox may not be “right in the head”.

Man, Liu Xueyi is just so good at playing morally grey characters I can’t tell what he is right now!

The attack

To be honest, I had a tiny bit of worry when the plot slowed down a tad in episode 9 when they boarded the ship and Tanyin and Yuan Zhong played this cat-and-mouse game with each other. Loved that Yuan Zhong realised almost immediately that Xue was Tanyin in disguise. I wondered if this he-knows-she-knows-he-knows game would be dragged out, but I shouldn’t have worried. Because Qian Lian stabs Yuan Zhong with the deity’s demon dagger, and then the ship was blown up by terrorists and—

And they left us there, just like that, wondering if Yuan Zhong is just going to watch everyone die. EURGH

Some other thoughts

I thought the criticisms against the special effects and styling were overblown. You young’uns try watching Cdramas during my time, where there were neon spandex hanfu and styrofoam demon spiders. A Moment But Forever’s special effects feel like award-winning special effects to me lol. (ok fine, not award-winning, but it doesn’t take me out of immersion.)

OMG Tanyin and that whip were amazing. Surely by now Yuan Zhong suspects that she is something powerful, you know, like a god??

Episodes 11 and 12

We get a lull of sorts (surprisingly!) after the intense flying ship fracas. Our little fox finally gets to fall in love at last. And it’s shown in such subtle ways.

What’s with Yuan Zhong’s expression on the ship?

Question: How do you interpret Yuan Zhong’s expression? It’s bugging me. Is he resentful? Just indifferent? Full of suspicion? A bit of everything? I can’t put a finger on it and it’s driving me nuts. What is your interpretation of his expression here?

Anyway, I’m glad that he ends up saving everyone, even if he didn’t seem very happy about it.

What followed that scene is more iciness from Yuanzhong as he continues to doubt her motives; he tries to shake her off as he goes to the mountain where one of his weapon spirits are sealed, but then that ice is thawed when she blocks a heavenly lightning strike for him.

See, girls, that’s what you need to do to win a guy’s heart – get struck by lightning.

Tang Yin dies. Again.

Look at that boy run

LMAO. Seriously, woman. Stop dying! I don’t think Yuan Zhong can take another round of this lol.

But Yuan Zhong’s reaction is so hilarious! (And how fox-like of him to try to smell to see if she has “gone off”.)

This, at the heels of such a serious moment on the boat, is amazing. It’s honestly fascinating how this drama knows how to balance super angsty moments with laugh out loud moments.

But on a more serious note, he is frankly confused, and like he told Mengshan, he can’t figure it out. Poor fox doesn’t understand why anyone wants to do anything good for him. Oh gawd the upcoming Misunderstanding is gonna hurt so bad, isn’t it?

Also, it’s nice to see Teng She again

To all you Love and Redemption fans, did you have a hoot watching Meishan annoying Yuan Zhong, because I did! (The actor for Meishan, Bai Shu, played Teng She, the sserpent god who constantly annoyed Bai Lin in Love and Redemption. There’s even this little scene where Yuan Zhong pushed Meishen down, a little callback to that scene between Hao Chen and Teng She.

Yuan Zhong falls hard

You were totally peeking, Yuan Zhong!

Our man completely falls for her in this scene, and it’s really wonderful to see Liu Xueyi just act this with his eyes. (It’s honestly wonderful to watch good acting. And er, beautiful men doing it.).

Seriously, that scene with Tang Yin and the crane was incredibly magical. And for the first time, in more ways than one, I feel as if I’m finally watching a classic xianxia.

The compassion and love shining from Tang Yin’s eyes for the crane, the crane dancing for the goddess… Immortals often ride heavenly cranes, so I’m pretty sure the crane knew who she was. It was just goose-bump inducing for me, as it reminded me of the xianxia of my childhood.

You see, in xianxias of old, it’s always emphasized that immortals are there to care for humanity and all creatures. After all, one needs to cultivate good virtues and values to become gods, after all.

So, usually, it’s the most virtuous that become gods, though in modern xianxias that’s often brushed aside and simplified into cultivating some kind of mystical spell/energy. Also, in far too many modern xianxias, human beings and creatures are not even a consideration, so it’s delightful to watch a goddess showing delight and love for a “lower” creature for once.

Tang Hua is the ultimate “did you do something with your hair” guy

Imagine spending all that time looking for a magical sword and sacrificing a bright future to be a handmaiden on a mountain full of immortals only to have the object of your affection not remember your time together. And the only memory you have of her is her cleaning your room.

Tang Hua, I get that you’re busy and all but are your eyes and brain cells only for Yuanzhong LMAO ?

Glad our girl decided to quit her obsession, but Tang Hua’s is just beginning bwahaha

Episodes 13-15

Yuan Zhong meets his father-in-law
I mean, despite what he thinks, Xie You is essentially that, even if he thinks that a 1,000-year-old man is his romantic competition (and even if Yuanzhong would rather die than admit he has the hots for Tanying lol.)

That said, it’s such a hoot to see both of Tanyin’s favourite men bitch at each other like a pair of teenage mean girls. I guess when it comes to her favourite men, Tanyin has a type.

I’m pretty sure if Tanyin knew that Yuan Zhong thought that she and her teacher had a romantic relationship, she would’ve died (again). And Xie You would’ve totally murdered him for real.

Pretty sure Xie You was bitchy to Yuan Zhong because not only was he ordering his disciple around like, well, a handmaiden, he doesn’t think he deserves her. Like any father!

How is Xie You 1,000 years old?
Some of you may wonder how Xie You managed to live a millennia if he’s a human. I don’t think it’s explained very clearly in the drama, but in the novel, a human’s obsession can be so great they can ascend to immortality. (That’s how Tanyin and Hannu became immortals – they were so obsessed with their craft that their godlike abilities made them gods.)

My theory: In Xie You’s case, while his obsession is great, he is unable to ascend to godhood because he never solved the last puzzle (which Tanyin solved). That obsession to solve the problem kept him alive; in a stasis of sorts.

In a way, it’s a miserable way to be; obsessed about a problem he cannot solve instead of the craft itself.

Once a master, always a master

You know, in a typical xianxia, Xie You would’ve tried to rob/kill Tanyin or something, but instead, he’s more obsessed over the fact that he couldn’t solve a problem his student did. He felt so unworthy of his craft that he abandoned it to take up another craft, but he couldn’t let go of his obsessive love for it no matter what he did.

I was super moved by the whole conversation Xie You and Tanyin had about their teacher-student relationship. Xie You believed that Tanyin should be his teacher now and bowed to her, but Tanyin said that he would always be her teacher, and bowed back to him.

If you’re not Chinese, you may not understand the deep reverence for teachers in Chinese culture. But this whole scene is the epitome of that value (and many Chinese netizens were moved by that scene).

I thought Xie You’s death was a great gift from Tanyin, even if it made her tearful to do it. Being stuck in stasis for so long was a miserable existence for her master, and it was time he was released from it.

Context: In Buddhism, obsession or attachments is said to be the cause of life’s suffering. Unresolved obsessions, especially.

Zhi Dai’s obsession

Zhi Dai’s obsession was more tragic than I thought. I had assumed that she had learned to preserve her youth through some magic she learned on the Youhu mountain, but it turned out that she actually grew old! This really drums in the tragedy that she wasted her entire life on a man who barely remembered her.

I’m glad she got a second chance, but who was the deity who returned her youth? I’m quite certain it’s Hannu, and I have a big feeling there’s no free lunch and she’s going to demand something in return soon.

Truth or dare
“I never approached anyone with ill intentions…”
And Yuan Zhong’s look of deep disappointment when Tanyin hesitated, and when she said, “what if it’s for the good of the world?”
Our fox is totally demanding to know what her true intentions were, and she kinda failed the test….
Then: “I never had a crush” -> Yuan Zhong, you’re totally lying and you’re fishing! lol And that little pout he gave her when he asked if she had, and then she asked what it feels like.
Yuan Zhong, how did you go from sad to cute in a few seconds??

There’s no time
Poor Yuan Zhong having to relive his worst moment and to be cruelly taunted by the image of his dead father rescuing him. That’s an ‘easy’ puzzle compared to the rest.

Never in a million years did I think I’d have to think about the theory of relativity in a xianxia, but there we go.

Okay, Theory of Relativity aside, I’m psyched that Yuan Zhong was the one who solved the time puzzle, but at the same time I was so sad: How many years must he have thought about the idea of time, stuck in that cave for decades?

To me, his “wisdom” about time was borne through that awful period, and I think he must’ve convinced himself that time was an illusion to keep himself sane during all those decades of imprisonment.

Hunt for the weapon spirits
I really like this little adventure Yuan Zhong is going on, seeing the world, freeing his weapon spirits. Kai Shan is such a cutie! He’s not the brightest bulb in the chandelier, but he seems to be the sweetest weapon (and hungriest) spirit.
I can’t wait to meet the other weapon spirits. I saw an image of all of them together, and they look so cool!

But of course readers of the book will agree >!that things will get very exciting once Yuan Zhong gets all his spirits together …!<

Tang Hua is … kinda forgiven?
It’s more like Yuan Zhong has decided to 50% forgive him rather than be best buds, I think. I was very delighted to find out that Tang Hua’s two men who were involved in the whole “pretending to be possessed by war demons” campaign are still alive!

So despite his deep hatred and anger for Tang Hua’s betrayal, there’s still a smidgen part of his heart that cares for Tang Hua.

This is especially confusing to me, who have read the novel, knowing what Yuan Zhong is planning!!

Episodes 16-20 (The weapon spirits)

(From left: Zhi Fei, Kai Shan, Lu Chen, Ling Yao and A Xiu)

The weapon spirits are 100% super cool. It’s like Yuan Zhong has his own band of Power Rangers.

I’m going to do something different. Because these episodes is essentially several long arcs in one, and instead overwhelming you with a girnomous essay, I’m going to cover the same episodes in different posts, but focusing on different arcs.

In this post I want to cover the arc of the weapon spirits.

Hunt for the weapon spirits
I really like this little adventure Yuan Zhong is going on, seeing the world, freeing his weapon spirits.

Speaking of character writing. I love how the writer has infused each weapon spirit with such distinct personalities. In fact,
what continues to amaze me is how the writer has fully fleshed out almost every character in this story, no matter how minor.

Zi Fei – ah loyal Zi Fei, we know him well, but I think he may not be the most powerful of the lot.

Kai Shan our foodie is such a cutie! He’s not the brightest bulb in the chandelier, but he seems to be the sweetest weapon (and hungriest) spirit.

Pei Jiu/Lu Chen is my favourite yet. And I think he may be the most powerful (and serious) of the lot.

Ling Yao – a female weapon spirit that Kai Shan and Zi Fei obviously has a crush with??

A San – a weapon spirit that likes to eat … gold? (according to the previews.) Man, he has expensive taste.

What do you think the weapon spirits represent?
Some say they represent the five sins. Some say each represent a finger of the Divine Hand. What do you think?

Pei Jiu/Lu Chen
I have to admire this actor. He is able to distinguish himself as Pei Jiu, the simple, happy-go-lucky constable, from the powerful, serious Lu Chen. I really enjoyed his performance and the story.

The whole arc of Yuan Zhong trying to take Pei Jiu as his disciple was hilarious! What tickled many Chinese viewers was that conversation Pei Jiu pooh poohing Yuan Zhong’s idea of a great life: That of a wandering swordsma His greatest ambition was to be a civil servant instead!

Knowing what we now know of the real Lu Chen’s personality, this must have been so infuriating to Yuan Zhong who took a special joy in trying to beat some sense into the man lol.

The innkeeper’s marriage

Ah, I really feel for Yunniang and Pei Jiu (Lu Chen). I’m pleased that she survived it all, but what surprised me was Lu Chen obviously does remember their time together.

I loved that Tanyin, Zi Fei and Kai Shan attended Pei Jiu’s pre-marriage dinner … even if they know that he’d probably never get married. That sad look Zi Fei threw Pei Jiu each time he mentioned the marriage was so sad.

Such a beautiful, painful arc for the unlucky innkeeper who once again loses her groom. When Yunniang started the fireworks in broad daylight, it’s probably her way to say goodbye to him. I like how un-hysterical she is about this painful loss, even if it obviously very painful.

Is there one tiny hope that Lu Chen will survive what’s coming and reunite with her one day?

I can’t wait to meet the other weapon spirits and to see them get together. But of course readers of the book will agree that things will get very exciting once Yuan Zhong gets all his spirits together.

Episodes 16-20 (Yuan Zhong’s big plan)

Ever felt so disappointed in the world that you think the only solution is to burn everything down and start over on a clean canvas?

Okay, I hope you are not like that but well, that’s Yuan Zhong in a nutshell.

—
What do you think about Yuan Zhong’s ‘five sins’ plan??

Remember what I said about not being interested in this drama initially, and then I got sucked in by discussions online about how it’s actually a fantastic script? It was this clip that made me realise – oooh, another powerful performance by Liu Xueyi! That’s worth seeing at least!

This scene turned out to be so damn heartbreaking I can’t bear to see it again. Especially with that little basket of noodles and vegetables descended into his prison.

Seriously, Youhu clan! Is this how you repay the hero who not only saved your clan but made it one of the most powerful in the world??

Tanyin’s heartbreaking plea to Yuan Zhong to rest though … to imagine that this is really how his inner psyche is like, constantly turning over this theory of “five sins” over and over again …

I find Yuan Zhong’s “Thanos” turn very understandable. To him, it was the only way to keep sane, to have a light at the end of the tunnel, the only way to justify his imprisonment. It was all a grand experiment, to make him realise the “reality” of what is. He can fix it! He can still be a hero. He’s not a useless discard. The Five Sins is also his way of understanding why he was imprisoned: It’s some heroic quest to make him realise that he had to save the world by destroying it.

Well, he’s just well and truly mad.

Were you shocked by the reverse uno card?

At the end of episode 20, I love how they revealed how powerful and insane he was at the end, when he suddenly overpowered the demon effortlessly. And when the demon realised that Yuan Zhong was an even bigger demon that he was!

That scene made my jaw drop because I DID NOT EXPECT IT.

A standard xianxia would probably had Tanyin rescue him or something. Instead, Yuan Zhong kicked her out and burnt the demon alive. Gah!

And we the audience realised that Yuan Zhong was the real demon here.

To be honest, I’m not sure how I’ll see the funny cute scenes he’ll have with Tanyin now, knowing that he’s secretly planning the world’s death.

The Mute Lady
In episode 16, we learn about Xie You’s “other disciple”, the Mute Lady. We later discover that this was Ji Tanyin when she had just emerged from her long sleep. Because of her injuries, she couldn’t talk much but she left a mark everywhere she went, building schools, teaching the villagers science and turning bandits into good people. She ended up being worshipped till this day.

I’m also quite pleased that by end of episode 17, Yuan Zhong quickly figured out that Tanyin was the Mute Lady. His fury made a lot of sense, not just because he was tricked but because he really wanted to believe that she followed him because she liked him, and that he was special somehow. Instead, he’s just one of the many people she helped, because that’s her nature, and he’s not special at all.

On top of that, he believes that she has ulterior motives in approaching him.

Zi Feng said something very important to him: That she’s distracting him from his true plans, and that’s the real danger.

Episodes 21-24

Yuan Zhong’s gradual turn to the light

Again, I really love how the show doesn’t really spoonfeed us information, but shows rather than tells us things.

Probably the most significant development is Yuan Zhong’s gradual thawing. This scene is especially moving because here we see Yuan Zhong in his sea of consciousness, in dark robes, possibly on the way to becoming a demon, but as he remembers Tanyin’s words asking him to travel the world, he literally begins to see the light.

And right after that scene we see Taihe’s body disintegrating. It’s as if each time Yuan Zhong heads towards less dark places, Taihe suffers. Hmm! I wonder what’s up with that?

Oh yes, there’s this strange scene where Yuan Zhong is standing in the middle of town and he is surrounded by blue light. I didn’t understand that until I got on to Chinese social media, and those who have read the script said that it was Yuan Zhong extending his senses to feel/see the life in town. Feeling the joy of life for the first time in a long while, he ran back home to read Tanyin’s travelogue, suddenly eager to experience how it’s like to travel the world.

But just as Yuan Zhong starts to soften to Tanyin, she starts to get cold…

One can’t blame her really, because Qian Lian’s remark that “he’s becoming a demon” and what she saw in his sea of consciousness are making her really wary. Remember, her sole purpose for taking back the Divine Hand from Yuan Zhong was because he was considered evil, thus not worthy of the hand. If he has truly become evil, she would have no choice but to kill him.

And we know that Tanyin has started to love him in her own way, and she doesn’t want to do this at all.

The back and forth between them was riveting to watch and it’s going to get helluva more intense in the next episodes!

Is Yuan Zhong possessed or demonised?

I’ve seen discussions online – some say Yuan Zhong is getting possessed by a demon, some say he’s becoming a demon. There’s a distinction between the two, and I think it’s the latter.

What do you think?

Personally, I think it’ll cheapen Yuan Zhong’s journey if he was possessed by another entity. It makes more sense that his tortured decades had twisted him to darkness, and it’s more gratifying to see him fight his way out of that rather than be rescued from possession by Tanyin.

Fu Jiuyun

I’m sure fans of the charming, flirty nearly thousand-year-old immortal Fu Jiuyun from Love of Thousand Years are delighted to see him here.

At first, we think that he’s just here for comedic relief and to be Yuan Zhong’s love rival, but I think he’s here to prod (or tease) Yuan Zhong and Tanyin about their relationship.

Also, if you know about his origins, you’d realise that he was actually being very literal, but because of the way he said it, it came off as smutty double entendre! Hilarious!

There is a connection between Tanyin and Fu Jiuyun, as we’ll come to find out.

Qian Lian’s gift is to be knocked out every episode

… apparently. I couldn’t believe that he was once again knocked out in episode 20 lol

I’ve taken to call him Mr. Third Wheel. Not that he’s much competition to Yuan Zhong at all! I’m really not sure why he’s here, to be honest lol

To be honest, I found the War Demons arc mostly snoozeworthy. They seem not as well fleshed out as other races, just evil sidekicks right now. Besides Qian Lian, no one else seems to have a redeemable, 3-dimensional quality…. well, until the end of episode 20, when we find out that the War Demon that seemed semi-kind to Qian Lian was actually his half-brother.

And that’s about time, to show that War Demons are people too, like Tanyin said to Qian Lian when she rescued him from the slave traders.

I continue to be bored by Tang Hua

Tang Hua and Zhi Dai are doing something, and I’m really bored lol. Each time they come onscreen I have to fight the urge to push the fast-forward button. I’m sure their plot has something to do with Wushuang Society and I’m certain that Zhi Dai’s brother is involved with them, but at this point of the story I just want to focus on our main couple, is that too much to ask?

Raising a child is really expensive

As a fellow fire sign, my favourite weapon spirit has been replaced by A Xiu!

That said, I really love this little interlude between Yuan Zhong, Tanyin and A Xiu because it gave Yuan Zhong a taste of a life beyond the Grand Plan.

When Tanyin told him that he could travel the world once he freed the weapon spirits, it’s as if this thought had never occurred to him before.

You see a sense of wonder slowly descending on him, and a gradual reluctance to execute his Grand Plan. (Him not feeding A Xiu gold to hasten his growth is one big sign.)

As he starts to love life again, he begins to doubt his Grand Plan …

I really love this arc, that’s all I can say, and I wish they could stay like this forever, being pseudo-parents to the precious A Xiu, just worrying about raising an expensive kid …

Episodes 25 and 26

You know what I think? Nobody has the right to be this beautiful when destroying the world lol.

Anyhoo, this is going to be a short one because I just landed from my week-long vacation. (And I swear this is the best thing, being able to chase this drama on a beautiful tropical island.) Also, I feel that these episodes don’t need much exposition because we all know what happened here: Yuan Zhong and Tang Yan are suspicious of each other, and there are full of emotional scenes between the two of them.

Anyway, these episodes were Ah-mahzing! I keep rewatching the emotional scenes in these episodes because They. Are. So. Good!

This is mostly because I like to watch Liu Xueyi suffer I love Liu Xueyi’s Shakespearean scenes. It’s incredibly hard to do monologues in general, and he did two in these episodes.

If he wasn’t this good of an actor, those scenes would’ve been hammy and awkward, but he was able to imprint different emotions just through his voice, at times!

The one when Tanyin entered his sea of consciousness and he had this major blow out demanding, “Why should I forgive them?” I really felt his fury. And I wanted to go, you know what, don’t forgive them Yuan Zhong! They don’t deserve it. Burn them all!

And yet I understand Tanyin’s POV as well. There’s so much beauty in the world too, and she wanted him to emerge from this terrible darkness.

But my favourite scene has to be that pivotal moment when he was about to unleash hell on the world. He started out reverent, almost, as he talked to Wushuang. Then it slowly turned bitter, then menacing as wrathful. And then through a series of expressions, Liu Xueyi conveyed Yuan Zhong’s pain as he hesitated, remembering the beauty of this world. His simple declaration, “Never mind”, was like a bomb going off (emotionally speaking).

I love that he was the one who “saved” himself, and that he flinched for the first time when the orb showed him the terror that he was about to unleash. I like romance like the next person, but despite liking our couple very much I want Yuanzhong to be the one making the decision to turn away. I don’t want him to turn away because the heroine declared her love for him, or if she was in danger. I want him to come to the realisation that he didn’t need to destroy the world.

The scriptwriter is brilliant.

It makes their eventual embrace on the bridge so meaningful. Tanyin was relieved that Yuan Zhong chose not to destroy the world, and that he did this himself. And Yuan Zhong smiled and was relieved as well, because Tanyin didn’t turn away from him after seeing him at his darkest; a literal demon. Instead, she was running towards him.

Some folks online complained that they wished there was more love demonstrated between the two of them, that it took so long for them to even show any kind of affection towards each other, but I thought it was just perfect. This is how two people from very different, polarising positions, can fall in love. And I am happy they didn’t take the short cut by giving us skinship or accidental kisses and embraces (bleargh) so rife in xianxia, even if there was one kiss at episode 6, but that was for totally logical reasons!

So which emotional scene did you prefer? The one in the sea of consciousness or the tower when he was about to unleash hell?

Episodes 27-30

Seriously, the problem I have with express episodes is how do I balance discussions for those who have watched the express episodes and those who have not? So what I’ll be doing is to follow the current non-Express airing episodes and hope you guys are patient, I will be releasing the discussion on the finale at the end of the week. So, do be patient, Express viewers!

By the way, those who have seen the Express episodes: PLEASE PUT ON SPOILER TAGS WHEN YOU COMMENT ABOUT EPISODES BEYOND 30. Those who do not will get their comments removed. All right then, let’s go ahead with the discussion.

So, did you like the kissing scene? hehe

I want to say that watching Yuan Zhong and Tanyin being all sweet with each other, and THAT KISS OMG was the highlight of these episodes.

Of course we know that the writer is giving this sweet moments before drowning us in bittergourd juice, sigh.

Also OMG please make Liu Xueyi do more kissing scenes. Honestly, I just tolerate most kissing scenes in Cdramas, but with LXY, I literally savour them because they’re just so natural that you feel that you’re spying on a couple! The best kisser in CDramaland, that’s for sure.

BTW (some melon gossip) It’s said that he’ll be the male lead in a Ming dynasty costumed drama with Tan Songyun drama soon and omg my girl cannot reciprocate if you know mean. So, if it films, I wonder how the kissing scenes will look like (if there’s any lol).
Two ways to exist in the world

One of the themes that resonated with Chinese audiences about A Moment But Forever, but would probably make us international audiences blink, is that they see China’s geopolitical situation reflected in the drama.

I’m not going to much detail into this as I don’t want to turn this into a political post, but I can at least talk about how episodes 26-31 offer a glimpse at two ways to exist in the world:

a) At A-Xue’s house, did you notice that a deity, War Demon, Youhu fox spirit and a human being sat down together to have meals and watch fireworks together?

b) However, this idyll is shattered when, in a bid to help the Youhu clan, Yuan Zhong is brutally attacked by War Demons, the Youhu clan (seriously, if Yuan Zhong eventually cuts all ties and stop helping them they 100% deserve it), humans and yes, even deities (Hanvu)

These two sets of people exists at the same time in the world:

We can either treat each those alien to us as equals and have meals with them to forge friendships.

Or we can scheme and manipulates and destroy and kill instead.

I’m so proud that Yuan Zhong is of the first group now; it was really lovely to see his development after he gave up destroying the world.

Instead of isolating Qian Lian, he helps heal him and develop into a Perfect War Demon. Of course he couldn’t resist sliding in a few barbs and petty moments, but that Yuan Zhong for ya.

Despite seeing Dingxu spying on him, he lets him go. (Though I wouldn’t have mind if he made an exception, ya know?)

I also loved A Xue, how accepting and grounded she is despite having powerful people in her house!
The attack on Yuan Zhong was brutal to watch 😦

Oh gawd, seriously why is anyone in the Youhu clan still listening to Dingxu and the parasitic elder cohorts?? Please someone tell me why. The Youhu elders are a bunch of moronic, ungrateful, lazy bunch and seeing them literally betray Yuan Zhong, who came to help them is just …! (Seriously Tang Hua, I know it’s not your fault but you did drag Yuan Zhong from his peaceful life to this mess, ugh. Could you like, stop.)

This whole sequence was so distressing to watch. Imagine, after sparing the world destruction, everyone conspires to kill him. (It was gratifying to watch Qian Lian come to his rescue though! What a cool guy.)

Yet, despite using the Divine Hand, it wasn’t deadly enough to annihilate everyone – Yuan Zhong held back when he could’ve easily used it to level the city. And that scene when Tanyin swoops in and catches him, and two flowers land on his blood stained hands and he tells Tanyin that such beauty exists in this flithy place? (EUHGH)

He paid dearly for his kindness but this time, he did not destroy the world. This is a lot of growth because old Yuanzhong would’ve just unleashed hell on the world. (And I would’ve secretly cheered him on a little.)

Also loved Tanyin’s little trick of shrinking the city and flicking it thousands of miles away. Wait, does that mean Yandu is now at a different part of the world?? Did it move back later?? lol

All in all exciting episodes even if it was brutal to watch Yuan Zhong so seriously injured and Tanyin desperately trying to bring him to safety as they are chased by his enemies …

Episodes 31-33

Now that Yuan Zhong is safe, Tanyin has to leave to deal with Hanvu in the Divine Realm. Yuan Zhong takes desperate actions, triggering a cascade of events…

The Green Tea Fox

(PS: “Green tea” is slang for someone who pretends to be innocent, pure, and sweet on the outside but is actually manipulative and calculative.)

Tanyin had no choice but to leave physically this time because all access to the Divine Realm is barred to her now that she’s no longer a goddess, and Hanvu closed the ascension platform.

However, she discovers one more way: use Juanjuan’s spatial magic technique—but she needs to do it physically, not via spirit like before.

Never did I expect Yuan Zhong to pretend to be blind, frail, and worsen his injuries just to keep Tanyin around. But he’s a fox after all (specifically a green tea fox!). I love this, though.

I like that they didn’t outright show he was faking his injuries and blindness immediately. Instead, we get a clue at the start of Episode 32 when they’re stargazing: as Tanyin gently guides his hand to “see” the stars, he sneaks a glance at her. This cunning fox!

But we don’t know why he did it until much later.

By then, Yuan Zhong suspects she’s more than just the immortal Mute Lady—she’s a goddess. Fu Jiuyun’s words must echo in his head: that they’re mere passersby in her life, and her path lies beyond mortals like them.

I deeply empathize with Yuan Zhong when he asks Tanyin (paraphrased): “Do you know what it’s like to wait for someone without any clue where they’re going or when they’ll return?”

And when all tactics fail, he demands to marry her—his way of forcing proof that she truly loved him. Desperate actions, unfortunately. Not exactly my ideal proposal! Lmao.

Though these scenes were sweet, they felt “heavy”, steeped in doom. I couldn’t fully enjoy them knowing what was coming.

I’m Mad at Zhi Dai

Tanyin’s inability to confess her love (thanks, Heavens, and your stupid Three Oaths—ugh) leads to Yuan Zhong’s extreme reaction when Zhi Dai, under Hanvu’s orders, reveals that Tanyin is the goddess he’s worshipped for years.

Like, woman! I thought you’d gained brain cells after your second life, but you regressed the moment Tang Hua flashed a smile. Okay, fine, you were possessed by Hanvu—but you didn’t have to lead her to him!

I get her motivations, but I loathed her hesitance and selfishness. Surely she knew there’d be catastrophic consequences, especially after what happened with her brother.

Are You Annoyed at Yuan Zhong?

Many on Chinese social media were furious at Yuan Zhong’s actions in these episodes. They called him silly for being so insecure that he forced Tanyin to stay, fell for Hanvu’s schemes, and sparked a chain reaction…

Frankly, I see their point. I, too, groaned: “Yuan Zhong, must you? Couldn’t you just cherish your time with Tanyin, even if she had ulterior motives?”

But our fox isn’t mentally healthy. Turning away from world-destruction doesn’t mean instant recovery. Darkness still surrounds him—his clan, war demons, and even the gods want him dead. How much can one man take?

Though he chose to spare the world, Tanyin became his only light (especially after Yandu’s cruelty). That’s… not ideal.

Nightmare Wedding: Why Did Yuan Zhong Do It?

“I have never been this afraid in my life.” —Yuan Zhong

Did you dread the wedding as much as I did? With Tanyin’s nightmare vision of Yuan Zhong in red, how couldn’t we? Alas, her fear came true.

Why?

1. He wanted to be special to her. Not just one of many loved by a goddess.
2. He believed Tanyin stayed only for Taihe’s mission—no love involved. If his Divine Hand kept her from leaving, he’d rather give it to her and end the farce.
3. The Hand symbolized a lifetime of pain. This was the final straw.

Was it understandable? Yes. Maddening? Also yes.

Could Yuan Zhong have been “reasonable”? Maybe. But consider: a man imprisoned for 60 years by the clan he protected, who finally finds hope in a woman’s devotion—only to learn it’s conditional.

In his mind, their marriage was just a means for her to retrieve the Hand. Why endure that toxicity? With his limited understanding of her mission and his fractured mental state, he saw no other way out.

And she was leaving—perhaps forever. That’s why he said, “I let you go.”

Novel vs. Drama: A Key Difference

In the novel, Yuan Zhong only considered cutting off his hand:

“He imagined cutting off his left hand in a fit of rage… hoping to fill the void with her tears and regret.”

But drama Yuan Zhong actually did it!

While the novel’s pear-tree scene felt tepid (Tanyin’s reaction was oddly muted), the drama’s version made Yuan Zhong seem unstable—but it was earned. His mental decline was well-foreshadowed.

That said, drama Tanyin’s agony over his death sold their love better than the novel’s more detached portrayal.

Episodes 34 – Hanvu

One of the problems the show had toward the end, and when it truly stumbled, was explaining the motivations of its archvillain, the seemingly saintly Hanvu.

This is where the book did it better. In the book, every god goes through tribulations in the world, and it often revolves around Obsessions. Hanvu being trapped in her obsessive hatred for her sister was her tribulation. To “pass” her tribulation, she had to rise above it.

(Obviously, she couldn’t in the end. The book vividly portrayed her ‘stuckness’ when Tanyin saw her ‘true form’ – that of a woman still burning alive in that fire. I always remember her saying that Tanyin had been in that firepit for centuries, unable to move away. In that sense, Hanvu was suffering for centuries with that pain.)

It’s All About Obsessions

Personally, I don’t think the show explained the magic system of this world very well.

The Buddhist philosophy that obsessions lead to suffering gets a twist in the story.

In this universe, one’s obsession can result in great feats, immortality, and even divinity. But on the other side of the coin: it can also lead to great misery and demonization.

• Yuan Zhong was obsessed with judging the world based on the five sins.
• Hanvu was obsessed with the betrayal of her sister, which led to her violent death.

That’s why Yuan Zhong said: “Gods and demons are just a thought apart.”

What obsession makes you a god? What obsession makes you a demon?

Hanvu and Yuan Zhong were on the same journey, but they responded differently.

Hanvu’s hatred had no outlet

Like Yuan Zhong, Hanvu was deeply wronged when she was alive. Despite being a caring sister, she was framed by her sibling and ended up being burned alive by a mob.

Like Yuan Zhong, she had a guide to lead her to a better path: Taihe. However, unlike Yuan Zhong, Hanvu couldn’t absorb Taihe’s guidance. (This is partly due to Taihe’s lack of empathy—a result of his “ruthless path”—where he only taught her to suppress her desires.)

When her sister died, her opportunity for revenge slipped away from her because, as a goddess, she couldn’t interfere with the cycle of reincarnation or enter it like her sister.

She wasn’t able to let go of her grudge as a result, and as she said, “Where can my grudge go? Forgive? I cannot forgive!”

So, instead of feeling gratitude for Taihe, she ended up hating him. She poisoned Taihe by unleashing all the darkness he was suppressing, which turned into a literal demon. She blamed the world for her unjust death, and she used Taihe as her weapon, and later, Yuan Zhong.

A lot of people on social media couldn’t understand her motivations. It may seem lame—to destroy the world based on something you suffered thousands of years ago—but think of it as hatred morphing into something “alive.” In Hanvu, we see the destructive force behind an Obsession; because she couldn’t let go, she needed an outlet for her hatred. She chose a new target: the world.

Yuan Zhong could say, “Never Mind”

Like Hanvu, Yuan Zhong’s target was also the world. But unlike Hanvu, he learned to love his guide, Tanyin, who was gentle and empathetic and gave him love in return. Unlike Hanvu, he could let his grudge go and say, “Never mind.”

That’s why I loved that little scene so much. Just two words, and it said so much—Yuan Zhong was able to let go of his obsessive need to destroy the world and justify his suffering. Hanvu wasn’t.

(PS: That’s why some fan theories say he had already attained godhood then, because he passed his tribulation right there—but it’s complicated, haha, since he replaced this Obsession with Tanyin.)

Unfortunately, Hanvu used Yuan Zhong’s love (or rather, Obsession) for Tanyin against him, resulting in this:

The Problem Lay in the Direction and the Script

The director, Guo Hu, has a rather spotty track record. While he was responsible for The Mysterious Lotus Casebook, he was also responsible for the really poorly received Only for Love.

So, I was holding my breath for most of the drama. On the whole, while he may struggle with some camera angles, etc., I thought he executed the story very well. But then he started stumbling after Episode 31.

And when Hanvu agreed to give Tanyin a “presentation” about why she was doing what she was doing, I could only facepalm. Really, director? You decided to turn Hanvu into the “villain who monologues her plan”? Until then, the drama had been pretty strong in the “show, don’t tell” department.

Of course, not all the blame can be placed on the director. I’d say the scriptwriter shares a fair bit of it. And that puzzled me because the writing had been consistently strong until the last arc, which leads me to conclude that another scriptwriter probably took over (the style is just too different) or… there was interference from above.

Probably a combination of both. Producers and the studio (and this is an iQIYI production) are notorious for dictating story direction, and all I can say is: something happened to the last few episodes.

I also read that originally, Hanvu’s motivation was that she was jealous Tanyin had Taihe’s attention in the past. The director nixed that plot, and I’m glad he did!

However, if only he could’ve laid out more foreshadowing for Hanvu to hint at her Obsession, her world-destroying motivations would’ve been more understandable—just like Yuan Zhong’s.

By the way, if you want to discuss the finale next, head over to the finale thread, which was originally for express viewers.

I have one more post coming explaining my opinion about the ending, and why I think it’s actually a good ending, even one leading towards happy.

Episodes 36 (Ending)

Evil Taihe is cool, I guess?

A lot of people were impressed with Evil Taihe/Yuan Zhong combo but I thought it was not Liu Xueyi’s strongest performance in the drama. (I thought it was rather cheesy, forgive me.) But I was super impressed that he used a totally different voice for him!

Did Evil Taihe die too easily? Yeah, weirdly for such a much-feared demon! haha

Why did Hanvu self-destruct?

Hanvu’s death was very confusing. What prompted her to self-destruct into a tapestry again? Someone explain to me.

Zhi Dai and Tang Hua’s ending was appropriate

Honestly, I’m suprrised Tang Hua got to live, his anime and novel version – he didn’t survive lol. Anyhoo, that relationship was doomed from the begginning and tbh I didn’t feel anything for this ‘ship, so it’s fine to me ;P

Is Meishan dead?

I think he’s in the same state Tanyin was, his body dead, but unless his primordial spirit is irrevocably destroyed, he could return. But, unfortunately, we do not know for sure.

Why did Yuan Zhong inherit Taihe’s powers?

Personally, I think it’s because he finally passed his tribulation and was deemed worthy enough to become Taihe version 2. (In xianxia, gods ascend to a new level after much suffering, but they need to overcome them to do so.) But again, they didn’t quite explain.

So, will Yuan Zhong accept the deity’s invitation to cultivate the ruthless path and be Taihe version 2?

I swear, if he does, he has learned nothing from his 60 years of confinement by the Youhu and deserves a tight slap from Tanyin when she returns.

The entire conversation was way too similar to Dinxu’s appeal that “he can become a god”. He’d be an utter fool to be tricked again just so that he can see Tanyin. So, no I doubt it. Being a god is no longer appealing, all he wants is Tanyin and yes, it’s a dirty tactic that the deity used Tanyin as bait but I’m confident Yuan Zhong is wise and smart enough to know that the ruthless path will only prevent him from reunited with Tanyin (because he has to supress his emotions).

Also, surely he knows that Taihe’s path wasn’t as pristine and pure as they made it out to be. So I doubt Yuan Zhong will fall for this scheme.

But he smiled because he finally have hope (after years grieving for her loss) that Tanyin can return one day.

But won’t he die before Tanyin returns?

It’s said that the Youhu foxes only live up to 500 years (if I’m not mistaken). I doubt that’s Yuan Zhong’s lifespan, being a host to the Divine Hand. Remember, Dinxu used to drain Yuan Zhong to make elixers to prolong his life. With that blood in his body, I’m sure his life is extended by a lot, and now that he has “inherited” Taihe’s full powers, his already god-like. He just chose not to ascend officially and take his place in the Divine Realm. And I doubt he’d ever do that.

The final question: Will Tanyin return?

Yes, to me she will. Reasons below.

Dashed expectations … only if you are a modern xianxia viewer with ‘love conquers all’ expectations

I firmly believe A Moment But Forever ended happily—but this depends on how you interpret the drama’s central themes. Modern audiences, especially newcomers to xianxia, often expect fairy-tale romances where love conquers all.

However, classic xianxia (the one I grew up with) was never solely about romance. Instead, it explored philosophical themes— what is good? What’s evil? What is the true nature of a deity? The immortals in more classic xianxia were far more concerned with mortal welfare than their own love lives.

And if they have some romance, they will prioritise their mission to care for mortals and sacrifice their love lives. That’s the nature of gods, and that’s how they became gods in the first place. Well, at least in old xianxia. Not so, modern xianxia, unfortunately. (They’d rather wreck the world for love!)

Over the years, the xianxia genre came to be dominated by the idol factory, so young actors and romance-heavy plots have became its trademark, almost.

This shift explains why A Moment But Forever faced the ageist criticism in China as “middle-aged xianxia.”

Anyway, if you watch A Moment But Forever expecting a modern xianxia, alas your expectations will be sorely dashed.

But if you approach it as a classic xianxia tale—centred on moral redemption, the responsibilities of the divine for humans—the ending will be logical … albeit unsatisfactory.

But to me, the ending is not just good but happy

Okay, happy-ish.

The core narrative about the drama isn’t about Tanyin and Yuan Zhong’s love story. It’s about Yuan Zhong’s redemption—a man destined to seemingly commit great evil. It’s also the story of a benevolent deity (Taiyin), who acts as his guide to sway him from this dark path.

The story’s “mission” completes when he chooses light over darkness, and saves the world.

Tanyin’s sacrifice—breaking heavenly laws to save him (the ultimate sacrifice for a goddess)—earns her a reprieve from judgement and a chance to live again.

A bad ending would be Yuan Zhong going completely evil and Tanyin dead!

I also liked the fact that Yuan Zhong and Tanyin several years as husband and wife. Tang Hua mentioned that he spent a few years travelling the world, and then we see Yuan Zhong and Tanyin at the tail end of their six-month travels.

I like that Yuan Zhong got to have this time with Tanyin, really truly love each other and lived as husband and wife before they parted.

To quote a Weibo-er, “our fox is no longer a virgin in the world and is now a right and proper widower.”

So what does it mean that she’s in the world, in a blade of grass etc?

The drama hints strongly that Tanyin survives as sentient energy and is able to influence creatures around her or even reincarnate into them – butterflies, dragonflies. Think of it as a higher level of existence.

In the novel, all gods who “die” reunite with a ‘central hub’ of primordial energy. So gods who ‘die’ become this energy, but Tanyin didn’t reunite with this central hub because she was granted the reprieve, and got to be free to rejoin the world.

But it will take time.

I firmly believe she will eventually return, mirroring the novel’s resolution where she reforms in a new body after centuries.

Why I’m convinced Taiyin will return:

1. The Deity’s Revelation: The god at the end confirms Taiyin’s primordial spirit lingers between heaven and earth, and Yuan senses her presence.
2. 2. Foreshadowing:
   • The fortune teller’s prophecy: Yuan will have “joy with his descendants.”
   • Taiyin gave Yuan Zhong her divine energy in episode 6. In the novel this is the key to her return. Her body is remade with immortal lotus, her teacher gave Yuan Zhong the “lotus gift”. I feel that he probably wanted to protect her too, and I think this “lotus energy” will facilitate her body’s reformation.
3. Novel Parallels: In the source material, Taiyin returns after centuries, her energy merging with a lotus to recreate her body. The drama’s open ending implies the same outcome.

But I get why you want a kissy reunion

Let me ask you: Why should all “happy endings” be about a wedding and babies?

For a classic xianxia tale, a “happy ending” means evil was thwarted, and our heroes ascend their tribulations, ofter after great sacrifice.

I get it though. Modern xianxia viewers are so used to the idea of a romantic conclusion that they get furious when it’s thwarted, but classic xianxia prioritizes the themes I mentioned.

Yes, the frustration stems from mismatched genre expectations. But also, well, I get it. After the many tribulations we just want our couple to cuddle their babies and snog!

Why is it the ending ‘unsatisfying’ then?

Partly because we want to see Tanyin fulfill her promise that “she will definitely return, I promise you.” But didn’t get to see that (even if it’s heavily hinted).

Also, the drama was amazing up to episode 33. I felt that the drama jumped the shark after the Red Wedding (lmao). It’s as if they ran out of money or was told to hastily cut down lots of scenes.

That’s why it’s unsatisfactory to me – the drama was excellently plotted, the logic very solid until episode 33. Then after that it was a return to xianxia cliches. (I wasn’t super enthused with the demon lord arc.)

So many things were left lightly hinted at towards the end. For example, many people didn’t catch that the Weapon Spirits are still alive! Little A Xiu is back at the last episode.

A definite ending for many of our beloved characters would’ve made so many people happier.

Well, at least we understand why the Chinese title of the drama is 念无双 (Thinking/Longing for Wu Shuang). It sure lived up to it!

In the end, all of us know exactly how Yuan Zhong felt at the final scene. LOL

PS: Apparent the scriptwriter said an extra scene was filmed but never allowed to release. There’s some confusion about whether it’s filmed or not. But there was indeed a happy ending, either as an extra episode or a happy ending, but they decided to lop it off so that it has a more open ending instead. Make it make sense, c-ent!

So what are your theories?

#China #AMomentButForever #CDrama #CDramas #ChineseDrama #ChineseDramas #Fantasy #LiuXueYi #LiuXueyi #reviews #romance #TV #Xianxia

Is Perfect Match a bad match for women?
I watch the first two episodes to evaluate. Here's what I think.

#CDrama #CDramas #TV #PerfectMatch

https://dramatea88.wordpress.com/2025/01/31/perfect-match-is-it-as-bad-as-people-say/

Perfect Match – is it as bad as people say?

So, I watched the first two episodes of Perfect Match. I’m the sort of person who is more motivated to watch a drama if people talk badly about it—I’ll check it out just out of curiosity. Initially, I didn’t feel I’d be watching it because a drama primarily about romance isn’t my kind of thing, but after hearing all the hullabaloo on Reddit and xiaohongshu about it, I wanted to see for myself whether it was as misogynistic as people claim.

I actually like the drama’s concept: A gaggle of sisters arrive in town with their eccentric mother who is determined to marry them off to good husbands. Very Pride and Prejudice, which is my all-time favourite Jane Austen novel (besides Emma, that is.)

But in the first episode, I already have a problem with Chai An (Wang Xinyue) when he lectured his cousin’s wife, the second Li sister, about being a bad wife due to her “jealousy” and “hot temper”. They’re the kind of men women would warn their sisters about!

While I found the whole exchange sexist, I wasn’t entirely surprised by it or even offended because this was something a man would say during that time period (Song dynasty).

As I continued watching, I realized the main issue with Perfect Match isn’t entirely because of the misogyny or sexism (though it contributed quite a bit). For one, there are far worse dramas with more blatant and problematic misogyny that are popular and celebrated. (Readers of this blog will know that I have massive problems with Story of Kunning Palace for that reason.) Compared to those dramas, Perfect Match isn’t that bad.

See, the real problem with Perfect Match is that the male suitors are all very unlikable.

I presume that Perfect Match is a Chinese drama targeted at women. So, you’d think that the writers would make the story somewhat appealing to the demographic by making the male suitors of the sisters somewhat likable.

After all, the “reforming rakes into loving husbands” trope is one of the most popular romance plots there is, so the problem isn’t that they are not suitable husbands. The problem is that these rakes are just not the kind of suitors a woman would want.

Chai An giving his cousin’s wife a lecture on proper wifely behavior was arrogant and rude. Is he a senior or respected family member? Who was he to give her a lecture? An why shouldn’t the second Li sister be angry at her husband’s roving eye?

And then, I heard that in a future episode Chai An will be interfering with the livelihoods of five women who have no other means of support. That’s dishonorable. These women lacked male support, which meant that if their business failed, they could end up destitute.

Then there’s the ball-kicking incident. I didn’t mind the idea of the scene, but the execution was poor. If it had been framed as an accident, it might have worked better. Instead, it felt like he did it on purpose to hurt one of them, which left a bad impression.

To me, the main issue with the drama is the writing. We all love reformed rakes, and with five suitors, there is so much potential for a compelling narrative about their redemption.

However, the writers failed to make these men worth rooting for early on.

Modern viewers have short attention spans, after all, and you need to show that these men have redeemable qualities at least by the second episode.

If the men come across as outright unlikable or abusive from the start, why would any woman want to root for these men?

Women want to see dependable, responsible men with good hearts, not irredeemable jerks. You have to give viewers a reason to root for the characters early on and this drama failed to do it early.

So, to me, in the end, the drama’s primary problem wasn’t the sexism. It was the bad writing. They went a little too heavy on the “rake” and didn’t show that they had some decency beneath their rakishness.

I will probably give this drama a few more episodes to see if it gets better, but I think this drama is meant for those who are very patient and who won’t take the men’s shenanigans too seriously.

After all, it’s supposed to be a comedy.

I think.

#CDrama #CDramas #China #ChineseDrama #CostumedDrama #PerfectMatch

Ya know, I thought I wouldn't mind #PerfectMatch and thought that the complaints about the drama being misogynistic (from China viewers, mind you!) was just inflated.
Turns out they were right. LOL
The main lead (Wang Xinyue) was very unlikeable in the first 20 minutes of the show, lecturing his cousin's wife of being a bad wife for being "too jealous" because his husband was too flirty with women?
I don't know man, if this is how they introduce love interests.... lol

#CDrama #CDramas

https://mydramalist.com/article/c-drama-perfect-match-ranks-in-netflix-top-10-despite-receiving-negative-reviews-back-home

The benefit of knowing multiple languages is …. If the English subtitles are hopeless, you can try other languages to see if it's better. I suspect these Malay subs were made by an actual human while the English subs were made by a bot with a screw loose.

Fyi, yes I can actually watch these without subs, but as this is a costumed drama, sometimes they use archaic words that I don't understand 😅

I should be less lazy and watch it with Chinese subs but I am tired from an intense day of work, ok? 🤣

PS Drama is called “Towards the Truth”, which you can watch via the iQiyi app. It's actually quite good!

#Cdrama #Cdramas #Chinese #Malay #Languages

I don't know what to say, except that I hope things improve her from this point forward.

#zhaolusi #cdramas #mentalillness #abuse
https://mydramalist.com/article/zhao-lu-si-breaks-silence-on-suffering-from-depression-and-physical-abuse

#eydc2024
Day 14: An adaptation I watched

Hands down the most fascinating and cerebral sci Fi I have watched.

#ThreeBody #cixinliu #Cdrama #Cdramas #Scifi

https://dramatea88.wordpress.com/2024/01/21/three-body-chinese-tv-adaptation-a-review/