Yes, I actually watched this during the time it was airing. Yet, once again, I got delayed with the review. So, how was it? I liked it for the most part. The cast was refreshing for me. Perhaps, because I haven’t watched much of mainland dramas until recently so it felt that way for me. This was another adapted work but it was all right, I wasn’t going to pick on that. It just became the trend. Not to mention, the legends were different in some ways although the theme had some similar formulas to it.
Main Cast:
- Yang Mi (杨幂) as Tu Shan Hong Hong (涂山红红). Chief of Tu Shan. Being the leader of a whole clan, she had to carry a lot on her shoulders. That was why she seemed so serious and strict to those around her, especially her sisters who also had important duties. However, a look into the past revealed that she was once an innocent and mischievous little fox spirit who interacted with humans through curiosity. It was revealed she accidentally wounded a human because of a misunderstanding and had been trying to make up for that past mistake since. As a leader, she always considered the wellness and safety of her clan first before taking actions. She might not know all the answers but she always weighed the consequences first. This was the third time Yang Mi portrayed a fox spirit. I thought she nailed her character. She was composed and showed great maturity and a sense of responsibility throughout. I’m going to get crucified for this, but I actually liked this character tenfold more than the Bai Qian one from Eternal Love. Yes, I did enjoy her character in the other one and how she portrayed it but I hated her cluelessness and inconsiderate nature at times. Even if she had some spunk to her yet she was unlikable. That was just talking about her character. Because if that character wasn’t portrayed by Yang Mi, I wouldn’t care. So, if those who were dragging her down by saying she didn’t fit that character and ruined their beloved character from their favorite novel, whatever really. To get back to this character though, I saw criticisms also about her being too old for the role, etc. Really? Her character was like a thousand years old or more already. What did you expect? I guess differences in opinions, but to say she was ugly or whatever was pushing it. Did I think some of the makeup concepts were weird? Yes, scroll down. But I felt hers was solid and enhanced her character even more. Was she aging in real life? Yes, but as a celebrity, she already maintained her appearance in top shape. Even if she showed traces of aging, so what? It’s what all of us go through. And it’s fine if you want to watch younger stars or gush over hotter people you prefer, but to continuously harp on her image is a waste of time. Not saying this just because she’s one of my favorites and I must protect her at all cost but this applies to all stars as well. Are there different stars I don’t like out there? Yes, but I moved away from that and watch people I actually like. I think it would benefit everyone greatly if they focus on their favorites too and not waste time on the ones they don’t like.
- He Yi Tian (何藝恬) as Little Tu Shan Hong Hong. She was a cute kid. Seeing her mischievous acts was one of the highlights of the series. Not to mention there was this serious side to her too. She was able to portray the protectiveness of an older sibling to her sister since young as well. That scene where she tried to shield her sister after they were caught was really touching.
- Gong Jun (龚俊) as Dong Fang Yue Chu (东方月初). An heir of the Divine Flame Manor. Since little, he and his parents lived a simple life–or was considered simple through his memories–until someone decided that his parents, specifically, his mom, had to go, his life turned for the worst. Being part of the Dong Fang bloodline was dangerous, both literally and figuratively. He lost both parents since little and had to rely on his little efforts to stay alive after having been rescued by Tu Shan Hong Hong. He had a kind heart and truly wanted peace between humans and spirits, even without that being part of making Hong Hong’s wishes come true. Having lived and even grew up with some spirits, he indeed enjoyed their company and didn’t understand the conflicts and all the power lust some people and spirits desired. He was initially upset with the Wang Quan family, especially Wang Quan Hong Ye. But he realized that he had to compromise and work with others before achieving a particular goal, instead of just seething silently. He was indeed smart and knew how to strategize but that decision also pushed him into a more complicated world, which led him to sympathize with Wang Quan Hong Ye more. That didn’t mean he was ready to give up or cave to letting things continue as they were. He changed tactics. He was very capable as a leader. But what mattered to him the most was fulfilling all of Hong Hong’s wishes. Even if that meant losing his life. Gong Jun’s portrayal brought out the character quite well and made his story even more touching. The journey his character went through and all his emotions. Regarding humor, he was already charming and funny on that front, so I thought it was easy for him.
- Xiao Li Zhen Zhen (萧李臻瑱) as Little Dong Fang Yue Chu (小东方月初). The kid was so cute! Fun fact: He portrayed the kid version of Wen Ke Xing in Word of Honor. He appeared briefly at the beginning and somewhat here and there during flashbacks yet contributed nicely to the series as an overall.
- Guo Xiao Ting (郭曉婷) as Tu Shan Ya Ya (涂山雅雅). The second chief of Tu Shan and the second sister among the three leaders. At first, I liked her sassy personality and her outspoken nature. However, she lost me when she snapped at Ah Lai’s handmade gift for her and forced him to come up with a better gift. I would have expected that from Rong Rong, being practical and all. Yet her? I thought she would appreciate his effort and deem it to be sweet. But the criticism and dismissal of his gift completely made her so vain that whatever happened afterward no longer interested me. Yes, I still appreciated somewhat of her supportive nature regarding Tu Shan’s and its citizens and her loyalty to her sisters. But other than that, that was it for me.
- Wei Zhe Ming (魏哲鳴) as Ah Lai (阿來) / Ao Lai’s Third Master (傲来国三少). This was the first time I watched him although I knew who he was before and knew of his popularity. Perhaps, I was more overwhelmed by his popularity and didn’t want to pay attention more than necessary because I felt the ones with major exposure were often overrated and didn’t meet expectations after finally seeing them perform. This has happened before so I had my reasons to be worried. However, I was glad to be wrong this time around because he showed both charm and abilities along with his looks in this role. His character was very mysterious yet also was quite down to earth. That was a strange combination but somehow it worked. Perhaps, it was because of the legends that had turned his identity into some god-like figure. But when he appeared, he was just himself.
- Hu Lian Xin (胡连馨) as Tu Shan Rong Rong (涂山容容). The third in command at Tu Shan and the third sister among the three leaders. She was very realistic and along relied on money, which was said to not betray you in any way. Although being the youngest siblings, she seemed to show more maturity and attentiveness than her second sister. This wasn’t a jab at Ya Ya because that was how it was presented in the storyline. At various times, the two sisters made it their duties to keep Ya Ya as innocent and carefree as possible. As seeing she’d been through enough with the war a long time ago. So yes, Rong Rong became a confidante for Hong Hong more than Ya Ya at times. Rong Rong seemed determined in focusing on the practical means to keep Tu Shan running yet at times showed a softer side that others thought wasn’t possible. She did care about Yue Chu at times and attempted to help her disciple in clearing his name. I knew that focus on the story didn’t allow for it but I wished they had extended a bit more about her character. I actually preferred the focus on her versus some of the cases in here. Yes, I wanted a little more. It didn’t have to be some romance, just some more scenes, that was all.
- Wen Zheng Rong (溫崢嶸) as Shi Ji (石姬). Chief of Tu Shan ages ago but was overthrown by Tu Shan Hong Hong and others because of her lust for power and extension of the war between humans and spirits that had caused massive lost and suffering for both sides. She claimed to have the spirits’ best interest in mind yet it was just a coverup for her own agenda and using them for her master plan. She didn’t hesitate to use them at every chance and dispose of them as she pleased to ensure her plans were moving along. That was how one of the spirits decided to risk his life in going against her and actually succeeded in delivering the message about her to others. Unlike some characters in here who had their reasons for hating humans or spirits, she had none of the redeeming quality. She was just like Jin Ren Feng in a way, only caring for herself and trying to garner even more power.
Supporting:
Yu Yao Kingdom (御妖国情缘)
- Bambi Zhu (祝绪丹) as Bu Tai (布泰). Princess of Yu Yao. She was really innocent at first, just wanting to seek approval for her love because it was considered forbidden, especially the practice in her kingdom. However, after her father’s death, she was forced to take on all the responsibilities and deal with a sudden war breaking out. She also learned to pay more attention around her surroundings and realizing that what her ancestors did were wrong with enslaving the spirits. She took a brave step forward to try and heal the pain her ancestors had inflicted on the spirits by freeing them all thus gaining the majority of the spirits’ trust afterward. The character was interesting in some sense yet the acting was just so and so. I thought that she was still stuck in her Zhu Zhi Ruo personality or something. Because she still projected that feeling for me and wasn’t able to convince me regarding to this character. Yes, it was hard to sympathize with her at times although I understood the various conflicts her character went through. It just seemed like she was always up to something with her expression, like up to no good (lol). The makeup wasn’t doing her any justice either with the yellow-ish powder and the blue mark alongside it. Then there was the reddish-orange smudges all around her eyes at other times. However, I must admit, she did really well near the end where she was able to walk freely among the crowd and enjoy some delicacies or appreciating the flowers, etc. She seemed more natural. Then somewhat the slow-mo scene made me worried and I was right that she was attacked. It seemed too good to be true that they passed the obstacle like that. In a way, they did and will reunite again one day. However, it seemed too easy. The Grief Tree really earned its name (lol). That ending scene with her apologizing to Shi Kuan for breaking her promise and telling him to take care of the people of their kingdom was equally touching.
- Yang Shi Ze (楊仕澤) as Shi Kuan (石宽). Bu Tai’s personal guard. He was one of the luckier ones who was chosen to be the princess’ guard. At first, he also had a simple mind and goal about matters. Yet when he interacted with various spirits, he realized he needed to take a more active role to fight for their freedom. Even if that meant being in disagreement with the princess, who he not only respected but also had fallen in love with. It wasn’t like he didn’t care for his fellow spirits before but his mind simplified the situation at one point, thinking they could solve easily or try to get along. There were too many factors or other people presenting difficulty to achieve their goals. Because of those factors, he was forced to choose. He knew he still had to protect the princess yet had to find a way to help his fellow spirits too. I thought he handled it well, still keeping a good heart, not resorting to other means–even if it seemed tempting at times. After all, the spirits had suffered too long. When he thought everything was over and they could begin to heal, they were presented with more obstacles and he was forced to take on the responsibility of the whole kingdom. Yet he didn’t disappoint, managing to keep the peace among humans and spirits (as much as he possibly could).
- Song Zong Xuan (宋宗轩) as Emperor of the Yu Yao Kingdom (御妖国国王). Bu Tai’s father. He was poisoned and killed by Xu Yi. Very brief appearance but his death triggered some chaos and a brief war between humans and the spirits of the kingdom.
- Chen Chu Dong (陈楚东) as Xu Yi (徐逸). An elder of the Yu Yao Kingdom who turned out to be a mole planted by Shi ji to overthrow the kingdom.
- Guo Chang (郭昶) as Gu Jin (古今). He was misled by Shi Ji and later found out by that Shi Ji had lied to them and was just using them to fight a war for her. He almost got killed by Shi Ji and was able to escape to warn Shi Kuan before passing away. It was hard to blame him initially because he, like the other spirits, were enslaved and wanted to fight back, gaining their freedom again. At least, he redeemed himself by passing on some crucial information, instead of continuing to side with Shi Ji and allowing his kind to be used by Shi Ji. He didn’t want to be used anymore, because that would defeat the purpose of wanting to gain his and the others’ freedom.
Qian Yan (千颜情缘)
- Sebrina Chen (陳瑤) as Lu Jian Wen (律笺文). Head guard of the maximum security prison for spirits. She was very talented and capable. She had always kept to the codes and enforced the laws, regardless of the situation. Even if some trials had allowed her to change her views and opened her eyes, she still believed that those who committed wrongs should be punished and serve out the terms. What I admired about her was her determination and stubbornness. Those were her driven forces to continue on her path. It didn’t matter if she got kicked out for some technicality, she still believed it was her duty to keep those around her safe. So, when time called for it, she was there at the end, all ready for the battle.
- Mao Zi Jun (茅子俊) as Yan Ru Shan (颜如山). Tu Shan Rong Rong’s disciple. I haven’t watched anything of his since The Four. He definitely looked different in this, which made sense since it has been awhile since the other series, lol. I was actually impressed with his performance. Not that he was terrible in the other one. I still felt he was robbed in the other one because his individual story arch was hi-jacked by other characters. This character proved his acting abilities and how he was able to portray this mischievous character. There were more serious matters later on, but the initial parts made it somewhat humorous in a sense. His justifications regarding some matters didn’t absolve him of what he did in the past hence the sentence.
- Zhang Kai (張凱) as Nan Gong Shi (南宮昰). Head of the Nan Gong family.
Wei Sheng (尾生情缘)
- Chen Du Ling (陈都灵) as Yue Ti Xia (月啼暇). Daughter of the head of the Tree Spirit Clan. She was still young and naive in some ways. She was also quite hopeful and confident that she could help her mother to fulfill the mission with retrieving what was stolen from them. However, complications came up when she pretended to fall in love with the so-called enemy yet ended up falling for him for real. Second time watching her. I think she did better in Mysterious Lotus Casebook. Because I felt the cutesy role wasn’t really her thing. Tragic scenes seemed better for her because near the end, I felt a bit for her character more than the beginning. Still not my favorite character but I had to admit she was better in a more serious role or more tragic scenes.
- Zhang Ling He (張凌赫) as Hu Wei Sheng (胡尾生). A disciple of Si Men Sect. He was just in the sect for a better life and food (because he loved food). Then he learned that he got himself into a more complicated situation than that so he had to flee for his life. He heard of Dong Fang Yue Chu and actually believed that Yue Chu would help solve his problems yet was misled by Yue Ti Xia at first and ended up in a much more complicated situation later. He got killed by the dark fox because he just happened to be at the Grief Tree, hoping to be blessed by it. This was the first time watching him although I have heard of him before. Like Chen Du Ling, I felt he was overrated according to rumors. Yes, it might sound harsh but I expected much more from him just like her when I first watched her. I guessed it was because of compelling updates from various sites so it led to me wanting nothing but beyond awesome performance. This was average and I felt he was a bit awkward in his role. Perhaps, this wasn’t one of his better ones. Because it was just a side story.
- Zhou Xiao Fei (周小飞) as Yue Ti Chun (月啼春). Yue Ti Xia’s mother and the chief of the Tree Spirit Clan. She was fierce and rash at times yet she was also quite protective toward her people. It was later revealed that she was Tu Shan Bu Zui’s lover once upon a time but they had a fall out.
- Li Bo (李博) as Si Men Li (西门隶). The leader of the Si Men Sect. He was possessed by the dark fox and schemed against the Tree Spirit Clan at one point.
- Chen Zhong Fu (陈众孚) as Si Men Gong (西门攻). A disciple of Si Men Sect. He was killed by the possessed Tu Shan Bu Zui later.
Others:
- Li Yu Hao (李宇皓) as Guo Guo (過過). At first, I wanted to be understanding and patient with him. Especially, after learning how he was captured and tortured and all. He had a reason to hold grudges against humans. The majority of the spirits in here did, which was justified after almost all of them lost so much during the war between humans and spirits ages ago. I thought he would eventually come to understand not everyone was the same and would take a leap of faith, like how Liu Shang did with Yue Chu. However, he lost me when he killed Bu Tai. His justification was that she only freed some slaves and that there were many who had suffered and died previously. He failed to acknowledge that she took a leap, something her ancestors didn’t do. She took a step forward and wanted to undo the damages. She actually took actions to allow the current spirits who were alive to start a new life peacefully. He rather take Shi Ji’s side to stir up even more chaos and causing even more suffering later instead? I know he was too infused by hatred to understand. But Bu Tai was innocent–and possibly his best chance at having a normal life. Yet he had to kill her because he wanted to be right, wanting to be the hero, not allowing her and the others a chance to rebuild the trust. So, sorry, but I didn’t sympathize with him at all going forward. He was always full of excuses for his actions yet never wanted to give others a chance.
- Wang Xin Zhong (王新忠) as Tiger Immortal (虎仙).
- Zhang Jing Da (张竞达) as Crane Immortal (鹤仙).
- Chen Tao (陈涛) as Tu Shan Liu Shang (涂山流觞). He was born and grew up in Tu Shan. His loyalty to Tu Shan was seen and proven time and time again. His distrust in human stemmed from the war of ages ago so he and the others had every right to be suspicious or skeptic of them. However, he wasn’t totally stubborn in his ways. After some initial rough start, he and Yue Chu actually got along quite well and he made an exception for Yue Chu since they both grew up together. When he learned Yue Chu was part of the clan that had to do with the major war of ages ago, he was upset and felt betrayed because of the exclusion of information. He did try to draw lines with Yue Chu and made it like they were enemies. Yet it was hard to keep up the pretense that he actually treated Yue Chu like a friend and wanted to make that exception for Yue Chu, knowing Yue Chu was good in general (aside from those side harmless mischief at times). He soon forgave Yue Chu for not telling him the truth about Yue Chu’s identity and their bond strengthened later on (as long as Yue Chu believed and wanted to protect Tu Shan like them). What was really tragic was his death near the end. That was completely unexpected because I thought he would be part of the innocent and hopeful side regardless of how bad things were at one point or another. Because I felt they needed to preserve that bit of hope with him. But was that a way to say even evil touched someone with such a pure heart like him and didn’t pick sides on who it wanted to harm? Nevertheless, it was really sad to witness his last moments. It was also really touching that he told Jiu Shuang to tell Yue Chu that he still believed spirits and humans could live in harmony one day, regardless of how he’d been brought down by a human. (Even if he didn’t know the real cause at that time and wondered why Fu Cheng was going on a crazy killing rampant.)
- Ning Jia (宁佳) as Jiu Shuang (九霜). A fox spirit who grew up in Tu Shan. She liked Liu Shang and the feeling was mutual. She was often seen with Liu Shang and the other fox spirits. She was also part of the innocent side of the clan who often roamed around and had fun. It wasn’t like she and the others were oblivious to things because they did care and love the place so much. Yet they weren’t involved in the main plot as much, only knowing to live and care for the place as much as possible. Liu Shang’s death was probably one of the parts where she had a major role in, scolding at Fu Cheng for harming Liu Shang and the kids. It was such a tragedy that she was separated from Liu Shang at the end. And I thought they were the safer couple because they weren’t blessed by the Grief Tree (which I call the Jinx Tree because everyone who prayed in front of it was dead or separated from their love ones).
- Liang Chao (梁超) as Tu Shan Bu Zui (涂山不醉). An elder of Tu Shan. He was very loyal to Tu Shan and wouldn’t accept anything otherwise. Having seen a lot, he was beyond skeptic of humans. He even attempted to kill Yue Chu several times to save the Grief Tree. He finally caved and came to appreciate Yue Chu later. His downfall was shocking in a sense but actually made sense because of the situation they were all in. I didn’t say I liked it because I was amused by learning of his past and his lover elsewhere, but felt it made sense to the plot because of the important role he played and his link to Tu Shan. His death was a great blow to both Tu Shan and Yue Chu.
- Jerry Huang (黃志瑋) as Jin Ren Feng (金人鳳). This was actually Jerry’s reunion with Yang Mi since Chinese Paladin. Funny how they were on opposite sides again. This time, tenfold more serious than last time. Since last time, they ended up on the same side near the end. This time? He was a power-lust human who collaborated with Shi Ji because they had the same goal. Not to mention how he relied on her power to stay alive–aside from feeding off of Fu Cheng’s energy. His downfall was kind of early but I guessed it made sense with Shi Ji’s impatience and cruelty. He was deemed useless to her so he had to go.
- Hong Xiao (洪潇) as Fu Cheng (付澄). A disciple of the Divine Flame Manor. At first, I really hated her for killing the spirits and then scheming against Tu Shan. Yet when I learned that she was a pawn and used by Jin Ren Feng, I felt bad for her. However, that wasn’t a good enough reason to side with her yet. She still had some choices. Yet the more the plot revealed, it seemed like she was in a terrible situation regardless so I was glad when Yue Chu finally won and expel Jin Ren Feng, so she was freed from all the cruelty. The fact that she began to see an ally in Yue Chu and tried to warn him ahead of time or try to scheme against Jin Ren Feng made her more redeemable than some in here. She wanted an out and saw an opportunity so she took it. I was also glad that she became a reliable character from there onward, not becoming another Jin Ren Feng because she had been by his side too long and could be corrupted by his influence like some characters in the past that were in the same situation. What became even more surprising was how she ended up falling for Yue Chu and even thinking of a possible future with him. Yet she wasn’t scheming either. She knew very well who he liked, so her brief hopefulness was soon extinguished and she chose to become like a family member to him instead. It seemed like a subtle side story but I welcomed it more than some subplots in here. In fact, she became my favorite character later because her journey in gaining her freedom and living a somewhat normal life made it more interesting to watch. I was so worried she would be killed off in the second case and breathed a sigh of relief when she was all right again. Yet, that was indeed short-lived because she ended up being used by the dark fox to destroy any chance of alliance between the humans and spirits thus choosing to take her own life to pay back for the ones she killed after being possessed. It was very tragic and equally frustrating as witnessing Liu Shang’s death.
- Han Dong (韓棟) as Wang Quan Hong Ye (王權弘業). The leader of the Wang Quan family. According to Dong Fang Yue Chu, he stood by like some of the others and did nothing for mankind in general, allowing Jin Ren Feng to take over the Divine Flame Manor thus causing the deaths and suffering of the Dong Fang families. Considering how his character was the main character of the second saga, it seemed like a bold move to push some of the hate toward him. Yet it wasn’t all for nothing because it highlighted Yue Chu’s reluctant to return to the Divide Flame Manor and participating in anything relating to the human side in general. However, as we learned later, he wasn’t that incompetent nor heartless. There were many things he already saw and went through that had led him to become more cautious and also caused him to land in a difficult situation. He wasn’t so stubborn that he wanted to go full out on targeting spirits either. If there was an alternate solution for peace to exist between the humans and spirits, he was willing to try. However, he was also very grounded, warning Yue Chu about the overall situation and reminding him that he now represented all humans, so he can’t side with just one side only. What puzzled me to no end was how they didn’t allow for Han Dong to portray the same role for the second installment of the saga. Was he already on his way down and not having enough pull within the industry? Because if he was to pair off with Liu Shi Shi, it would still make sense. Just un-age him (aka take off his beard and undo the highlights, lol) and it will be fine. But I guess whatever since what is done is already done and I don’t have any influence over that any way.
- Fan Ming (范明) as Butler Fei (费管家). The butler of Wang Quan Manor.
- An Yue Xi (安悦溪) as Dong Fang Qin Lan (東方秦兰). Dong Fang Yue Chu’s mother. She had a brief appearance at the beginning and then somewhat later in Yue Chu’s memories. She was shown as a normal person wanting to live a peaceful life with her family yet was pulled into conflicts between humans and spirits and worst of all, hunted down by Jin Ren Feng’s men so they could use her power–or more like her bloodline to forego their plans.
- Wang Zi Rui (王子睿) as Bai Lou (白樓). Dong Fang Yue Chu’s father. He appeared briefly alongside his wife and later in Yue Chu’s memory. He seemed like a regular human who just wanted to live a peaceful life with his family but was also pulled into the conflicts and also lost his life trying to protect his family (with whatever power he had). In Yue Chu’s memory, he was a kind and caring person.
Relationships (Friendships / Family / Romance, etc):
- Yang Mi / Tu Shan Hong Hong and Gong Jun / Dong Fang Yue Chu. Their chemistry was refreshing for me. I was happy when the news came out that they were collaborating. So, yes, this was one of my most anticipated dramas because of them. They didn’t disappoint with their chemistry and story. Because of the responsibilities both characters held, they had limited time for cute or innocent scenes. Yet when they were together, those moments were heartwarming, especially when they posed as normal individuals to investigate some matters. I was glad that they had a happy ending after so much happened. The modern version showed a different feeling (obviously) but still gave a very heartwarming feeling.
- Guo Xiao Ting (郭曉婷) / Tu Shan Ya Ya (涂山雅雅) and Wei Zhe Ming (魏哲鳴) / Ah Lai (阿來). At first, I liked them and can’t wait to see how their story develop, etc. Then, like I said above in her section, the writers ruined it by making her so vain. I understood that was meant to be a cute bickering moment between them. But it just looked so vain regardless. I’m not even focusing on his real identity either. But just being a person who cared for her deeply and wanted to use his effort to make something for her yet she treated it as a joke and made him get something better? What the hell? I thought handmade items were welcomed. Oh well, that was just me being naive. I was touched that she came to his rescue when it mattered and prioritize the situation at hand, not questioning him at the most crucial moment. But that was about it.
- Bambi Zhu (祝绪丹) / Bu Tai (布泰) and Yang Shi Ze (楊仕澤) / Shi Kuan (石宽). They were all right. They were cute in their own way where it was allowed. What was sad was that ending. I knew it was for the purpose of the plot and it pushed forward the other characters’ determination to get to the bottom of the mole situation yet it was still so tragic regarding her death. The modern version? It was funny. They deserved all the best after what happened in the past.
- Sebrina Chen (陳瑤) / Lu Jian Wen (律笺文) and Mao Zi Jun (茅子俊) / Yan Ru Shan (颜如山). They were funny for me at first and then it died down. Not because of the lack of drama or whatever. I actually thought they would be safer and to allow some variety to the theme, they would pass the trials much smoother. But that was wishful thinking on my part. What irked me was that he went and decided things for her, wanting her to forget him. So, I thought it was justified that she clung onto an alternative to allow her to wait for him, etc.
- Chen Du Ling (陈都灵) / Yue Ti Xia (月啼暇) and Zhang Ling He (張凌赫) / Hu Wei Sheng (胡尾生). They weren’t on top of my favorite list. They were just another couple for the side stories so I just watched them in connection to the main plot. Maybe people who looked forward to their collaboration would appreciate it but they weren’t for me.
- Zhou Xiao Fei (周小飞) as Yue Ti Chun (月啼春) and Liang Chao (梁超) / Tu Shan Bu Zui (涂山不醉). They were actually much more interesting than the couple that was supposed to be main for that side story, lol. Yes, they were tenfold more interesting for me because I wanted to learn more about their background and history of ages ago than just a few words here and there to disclose of their past relationship and conflicts. Too bad, I guess. Because some events had to happen for them to forge forward and deal with the dark forces once and for all.
Likes:
- Costumes. Interestingly, they got the various costumes right. Kind of colorful at times yet showed enough variety among different clans and tribes.
- Soundtrack. It took awhile for the songs to grow on me. But I came to appreciate its unique lyrics and tunes for the series itself.
- Modern version. In a way, I liked it. It was a nice twist and cute moment that was needed after all the heaviness that was pumped into the drama for the later parts. Yet in some ways, it was weird proposing at someone’s wedding as I said in the post on my Facebook page. I meant, the main couple of the event was fine with it and conspired to make the moment happen. But still, it was a bit weird.
Dislikes:
- Makeup. Okay, okay, I didn’t want to pick on it either but it was obvious. It was uneven at times and odd at others. I could see the thick layers of makeup on Gong Jun upfront and it was very hard to unsee it. Then there were various styles that was bordering on weird. Yeah, they were trying to establish unique looks for different clans and tribes but the humans were the easiest and they had to mess that up. At times, with the lighting, it helped some of the characters’ makeup blend in better but other times, it was too much.
Recommended? I wouldn’t know for fans of the origin works because they did change various details from the source, such as the relations of the sisters and their roles. So, it would be up to the fans to decide how faithful they wanted it to be. As for the cast, I think you have to be a major fan of the main couple or at least be tolerable of their collaboration to enjoy it. The storyline was indeed unique in its own way with the background and initial tales. I enjoyed it because I’m a fan of Yang Mi and Gong Jun individually, so when they collaborated, I was in favor of it so it was easier for me to endure whatever else the plot tossed in later. So, yes, it was half the cast and half the plot.