I didn’t really care for this one at first although I did want to watch Li Yi Tong. When I saw some of the costumes, I was curious. Then the trailers came out and people were criticizing the overdramatic scene of the three main leads stabbing one another. Yet I realized that it was just one scene so I decided to wait instead of jumping to conclusions. Considering how trailers were at times misleading. I was right and when it came out, I did jump in, even if I wasn’t too sure about the main couple’s chemistry. How was it? The ending made it awesome. Yes, sometimes that was all it took. And it indeed explained a lot of things. So, I thought it was worth it, despite its many flaws throughout.
Main Cast:
- Li Yi Tong (李一桐) as Song Xiao Yu (宋小魚) / Song Yi Meng (宋一夢). Song Xiao Yu was a rising actress but with no backing so she was advised to perform well on the new script so she could secure her spot within the industry. Somehow, she got transferred into the script and ended up having to survive through limited information she remembered while reading the script. The fact that her character was too naive and encountered a tragedy at the end didn’t help with her wanting to read more about some plot details. So, she had to deduce some of the script’s fixed points and try to work with the rest of the limited knowledge to survive till the end. Li Yi Tong was very charming and funny in the role. Unlike the majority, I loved her regardless. Was she seen too cruel at times regarding to various characters? She thought that the others were fictional characters so she didn’t care too much about them except trying to navigate her way around the plot in order to survive and go home. That was the beginning but she learned much more from them. Her stubbornness? It was her driving force throughout. The longer she was in that fictional world, however, she had a change of heart. Yet, she didn’t want to completely give in to some of the feelings either. Because she was afraid of losing that fictional family, even if it was all made-up. It was later explained that her parents died in a fire and she somehow blamed herself for it, so she didn’t want to be responsible for this fictional family’s death too. That made a lot of sense and explained a reason for her stubbornness as well. The big reveal at the end that she was also a fictional character? Brilliant! It also explained how she also acting on the personality that was set for her. So, how much of her behavior was because of the writer’s manipulation and how much was her own doing because she tried to break past her own biases to fight for a different ending? Li Yi Tong was the sole reason I started this series and she delivered.
- Liu Yu Ning as (刘宇宁) as Nan Feng (南楓) / Nan Heng (南珩) / Li Shi Liu (離十六). Nan Feng was the main actor of the so-called production. He was very famous so his agent negotiated highly in his favor regarding terms and conditions for the upcoming collaboration. He only appeared at the beginning a bit and at the end. Nan Heng was the seventh prince of Da Jing and the main character of the script. Li Shi Liu was Nan Heng’s alias, whom was the leader of a big clan called Cang Jiang Yue. Having two identities aided his background nicely and gave him plenty of space for his acting. Did he deliver? Yes, he pumped in a lot of humanity for the character and made it his own, allowing us to see the journey Nan Heng went through. But there was just something missing. I didn’t say he was terrible. He showed a lot of emotions during various scenes and allowed us to sympathize with Nan Heng. Yet there was just something missing. It was just me, really.
- Wang You Shuo (王佑硕) as Chu Gui Hong (楚歸鴻). Song Yi Meng’s fiancé. He was introduced as a heroic figure and possibly the nice guy of the series. However, as it always turned out, he was the false nice guy. It was inevitable and I think the majority saw it coming. It wasn’t his fault that some things happened around him, forcing him to grow up and make some tough decisions. What was his fault was when he gained consciousness and realized he could change the ending, he took it to the extreme and manipulated all those around him to achieve to his goal. His hypocritical nature was already coming out before he realized he was a character in a script. The knowledge of it made it even worse. Did it suck to learn of his true ending? Yes, but he could try to mend things or understand the underlying issue. Instead, he chose to ignore all things in front of him and went with his own versions of the truth. Even Nan Rui finally had a change of heart and tried to mend the relationships and even showed great concern for him, trying to steer him around. Yet he unleashed on the guy for finally understanding the situation? Also, coming from Song of the Moon, I felt he was unlucky to encounter another false nice guy role. Even if the other one, he was manipulated into some situations. Maybe I just didn’t watch the right series, lol. Or in the future he could choose a different type of role.
- Bambi Zhu (祝绪丹) as Song Yi Ting (宋一汀). Song Yi Meng’s younger sister. I honestly think she did better when she was in the lead role or something. Or perhaps she tried harder? I don’t know. I didn’t mean to pick on her. Because I honestly liked her since her debut. But it had been a bit back and forth since. I wasn’t too sure either if it had to do with her dramas not airing in chronological order (as with most people since the dramas needed to be approved first before it could air). Because even if I found her character interesting at first with trying to break out from the typical mold and trying to establish her own path instead of listening to her parents regarding marriage arrangements, she soon disappointed me. Because she was equally vain as the majority yet was just in a different way. The fact that she looked down on the majority didn’t help either. I liked her boost of confidence and definitely enjoyed it when she slammed some of the mean girls down. However, I didn’t like it that she looked down at some who weren’t supposedly as literate or behaved according to the usual customs (aka high class stuff). I tried to take it easy because it was a halfway comedy, mocking the dramatization of the scripts after all. Yet what pushed past my patience and shoved her into the dislike category in the end was the whole tolerating her because she somehow had the piece of the puzzle with Nan Heng being Li Shi Liu. Yes, the part where she drugged him and took his clothes off to create a setup to get out of some arranged marriage. NOT going to slut shame her since that wasn’t the reason why I brought it up. I just meant if you flipped the situation and some guy did that and then turned around to still act like that they were so innocent and pure, what would one think? And you’re probably thinking men get away with lots of stuff anyway, so what was the big deal? That’s my point. If we get frustrated when those men get away with stuff like that, how could someone tolerate such a scheme from Yi Ting? Her actions didn’t justify the means or whatever else she accidentally discovered. She had no problem criticizing some people and how despicable or lowly some behave. Yet it was fine she did it? Yes, the hypocrisy and the despicable scheme got me. So to think others scolded Song Ying Meng for being stubborn or dumb or whatever else, she sure was let off with her scheme. Sure, I was glad they were able to change the details of the first version of the script and fought against fate, but still found it disturbing that many complimented her for being brave and daring AND not thinking that her schemes were despicable.
- Riley Wang (王以綸) as Shang Guan He (上官鶴). Can Jiang Yue’s second commander. He was a convicted robber who was rescued by Nan Heng and was placed in Can Jiang Yue to help Nan Heng manage Can Jiang Yue while Nan Heng was occupied with the royal court’s matters. He was one of the few who knew about Nan Heng’s double identity as Li Shi Liu. It was revealed later that the reason for his crimes was actually only criminal in name (because it was illegal to rob) but the underlying reason made his character a hero in the story. Because it was a typical Robin Hood story. He seemed laid-back and didn’t care about anything yet he was righteous in his own ways. So, I was upset when I felt many were picking on him for being lazy. I thought he deserved a peaceful life more than anything after all that he’d been through. Riley was very cute in the role and delivered well with this role as well. I actually watched him in Song of the Moon first (but haven’t finished it yet because of the frustration with some plot details so had to put it aside) but what I watched so far, he was indeed convincing in the cunning role as well. So, this one was a different one and proved he had range.
Supporting:
- Wang Cheng Si (王成思) as Fu Gui (富貴). Nan Heng’s right-hand man and a deputy general. He was very loyal to Nan Heng. Although he could be so dramatic at times. He was the other person who knew of Nan Heng’s other identity as Li Shi Liu.
- Chang Long (昌隆) as Nan Rui (南瑞). Nan Heng’s younger brother. I hated him in the beginning. It was ridiculous how spoiled he was and how out of touch he was. Then I realized I blamed his father more for enabling him. It was hard to take accountability for anything when he wasn’t taught that. Even if he was all grown up now. Yet, when he was allowed to see things for himself, he did learn. He was able to see the different sides of Nan Heng and his true nature, instead of allowing others to think for him. He wasn’t bad in general. But he was just one lost soul whose perception was tainted. After he realized his mistakes, he did try to make up for it. That was the difference with him versus some in here that got a pass so easily because they wanted to wrap it up on a happy note. The actor? He was in Filter and I liked him but too bad his screen time was little in there. So it was a shame to see him in an annoying character in here. I was glad he got the redemption arc. At least, it made sense and wasn’t forced.
- Su Meng Yun (苏梦芸) as Ying Qiu (映秋). Song Yi Meng’s maid.
- Wang Li Na (王丽娜) as Zhi Xia (知夏). Song Yi Meng’s maid.
- Li Qing (李卿) as Duan Shan Hu (斷山虎). Can Jiang Yue’s fourth commander. Funny guy, bordering on silly, but he was another loyal and righteous member. He looked like he was easy to move when it came to various situations yet he was equally loyal to Li Shi Liu and the others, not caving to temptations. Even if at times, he got into strange situations but he would back others up when the time called for it.
- Guo Xiao Tian (郭笑天) as Po Yun Long (破雲龍). Can Jiang Yue’s third commander. He was a great fighter and a very straightforward person. He often sabotaged his fellow Cang Jiang Yue members but it was because he didn’t like their ways at times. It was funny watching him in constant arguments with Duan Shan Hu but they were supposed to help one another. He did help when time called for it. But that didn’t mean he would tolerate their BS either. So, basically, he was loyal to his brothers in arms but would call them out for it if he saw something that didn’t sit well with him.
- Song Ji Yang (宋继扬) as Ji Xiang (吉祥). Nan Rui’s loyal guard. He was often seen with Nan Rui for obvious reasons but he would go against Fu Gui like it was their typical behavior with backing their bosses up, lol.
- Li Dong He (李东赫) as Rong Hua (榮華). Chu Gui Hong’s loyal guard.
Others:
- Lu Xing (吕行) as Song Yu De (宋聿德). Song Yi Meng and Song Yi Ting’s father. He was considered a man of principles among all the chaos. So, of course, he was against Song Yi Meng and Nan Heng’s relationship from the start. Yet he had a change of heart later because of how they managed to change the course of the story and proved that Nan Heng wasn’t the evil villain like the original story paved him out to be.
- Chen Zi Han (陈紫函) as Zhou Xue Yi (周雪怡). Song Yi Ting’s mother. Mixed feelings. I could only applause for her acting because it was a different type of role for her (with what I watched up to now). She wasn’t someone related the jianghu realm this time but was just some spoiled rich lady. So, it was different but she also delivered.
- Zhang Lei (張壘) as Nan Jing (南煦). Emperor of Da Jing, Nan Heng and Nan Rui’s father. His redemption arc was too easy but I guess whatever. Because everyone was done with his drama king scenes already. He acted like somehow the bias had to do with the misunderstanding of his favorite concubine’s death. No, he hated Nan Heng from the start and pretty much fueled the hate between the siblings to ensure that Nan Heng suffer even more. All the things that he did could never be erased. But they made it like he was also in the blind regarding the conspiracy. So yeah. I didn’t care anymore since the series was reaching the ending. So, once again, whatever.
- Victor Huang (黃維德) as Gao Chang Yin (高長隱). The prime minister of Da Jing, Nan Heng’s uncle. He was the sole reason why Nan Heng was misunderstood and hated by the others throughout. His manipulation of the situation and taking advantage of the chaos caused a lot of problems. I hated the character but was also laughing because Victor Huang finally got his deserved role. Mean, but I never really liked him. So, that was a good laugh for me.
- Rebecca Wang (王艳) as Gao Chang Rong (高長蓉) aka Consort Gao (高貴妃). Nan Heng’s mother. I almost didn’t recognize her. But her role was sure unlucky. She was chosen because of alternative reasons and had to suffer because the emperor’s scheming ways. I was glad she could see the light from the other side later on. She didn’t do anything to deserve such cruel treatment.
- Calvin Zheng (郑国霖) as Chu Li (楚蠡) aka Duke Qian Yu (千羽王). Chu Gui Hong’s father. He was believed to have died in the battle of years ago. However, he emerged again later and caused mishaps. It was strange but it was revealed that the scriptwriter had time-traveled into the story and ended up becoming him. He was the key to Chu Gui Hong figuring out that they were characters in a script. He was also the key to turning things around. They had to convince him to play along, so everyone could go back to their original timeline. Then, it was also him that made us realized later the layers of the stories. It was suspicious with how everyone was able to travel inside the script and then go back. So yeah, he was essential.
- An Yue Xi (安悦溪) as Xiang Huang (小黃). Song Xiao Yu’s agent.
- Momo Wu (吴莫愁) as Na Jie (娜姐). Nan Feng’s agent. Her protective nature of Nan Feng reminded me of Fu Gui, lol. I read somewhere that some people were joking if it was some sort of reincarnation thing going on and Nan Heng reincarnated to become Nan Feng, then Fu Gui must have reincarnated to become Na Jie, lol. It made sense though. Fu Gui was so protective of Nan Heng, regardless of the situation. Na Jie made all the demands for Nan Feng was beyond that of just doing her job of coming up top regarding the negotiation. It was like she took it personally. Whether it was for her own reputation or for Nan Feng, we weren’t sure because of lack of screen time (since that wasn’t the story’s main focus) but it sure showed some major energy just like Fu Gui.
Likes:
- The soundtrack. The majority were really nice and fitting for the drama. I especially like the song “Paper Person” (纸片人) sang by Liu Yu Ning. Let’s face it, his strength is still his singing, although I did acknowledge his acting up there.
- Comedy. Bordering on lameness sometimes. But I’ll allow it since the mockery of the overly-dramatic plot was there from the start.
- Costumes and makeup. It was nice enough they made each character different. Some might not like some of the outfits but I thought some of the major characters had enough of change of clothes that it evened out with not sticking out too much.
Dislikes:
- Yi Ting didn’t deserve Shang Guan He, NOT the other way around. Yes, I said it. I had enough of people hating on laid-back characters, thinking they had no ambition nor motivation so they’re useless. Technically, he was trying to appear harmless in front of others, not wanting to expose his identity. But the deeds he did in the past had already gained bazillions of points in people’s hearts. What did Ms. Goody-Two-Shoes over there do that was worth mentioning anyway? She was born into a good background? Yeah, I got it that most of their scenes and stories were meant for comedic purposes. But I just had enough with the others rubbing into his face that he needed to work harder and be worthy of her, etc. It was ridiculous.
Discussions:
- The names given to the various guards or allies to the major characters was on purpose, right? Because seriously, they were jibing with the usual lucky phrases used for harmonious occasions. Funny that they got such lucky and positive names yet their attitudes said otherwise at times, lol. Still fun to see the connections and the contrasts to the characters though.
- Nan Heng and Chu Gui Hong’s story arc–from friends to enemies. It seemed to be a wasted lead. I know they (the scriptwriters) just wanted a background into how the two started and how the misunderstanding tore them apart. Yet, there was so much more. The flashbacks and the first time “Paper Person” played was to highlight their background and friendships and how it turned out, it was worth the screen time yet they didn’t care to explore that more? It was a shame. Perhaps, Chu Gui Hong was too far gone by that point, so he couldn’t turn back, regardless of whether he learned the truth of them being fictional characters or not. Yet, it was weird not having to struggle at all, knowing their past friendship. Or perhaps, he was more focused on all the losses and how Song Yi Meng had turned against him that his ego couldn’t take it anymore? He was too blinded and far gone to care.
- The ending. Because of my severely lacking knowledge of those transmigration novels, I was blew away by that ending. It was indeed quite a twist. Who knew that Song Xiao Yu was also a fictional character from a novel, right? They presented it to us and started things from her point of view. So, it made sense to be invested with trying to see her on journey of finding a way to go back home.
Recommended? I think it depends on how much of a fan you are of the main leads and your endurance level regarding overly dramatic plots. In some ways, it was mocking the genre. But in other ways, it was frustrating regarding some plot details. It was worth it for me, especially the ending, since I mentioned it up there. But that was just me.