Mainly because already finish the novel, didn’t feel like watching the drama but also partly because of the cauldron. It look kinda weird, especially during the 1st Alchemist Tournament. Feel it quite laughable and I couldn’t take it serious when they concoct pill in that tiny room with those “ding”.
Although logically those small cauldron does make sense.
The Animation version look quite fun though, I watched Episode 1, sadly couldn’t find any other eps that is translated.
the manga/manhua version is good, u can try read it, already reach around chapter 1200+ in novel
A little tempted by the 2019 HSDS. Any recommendations? Or maybe I shouldn’t try it?
Loved the Handsome Siblings on Netflix, labeled as Netflix original! If available in your respective regions, definitely watch it. The recent Heavenly Sword and Dragon Saber on Amazon Prime Video was less desirable…I suppose I’m an old fuddie dud who favors the original version with Adam Cheng, Lisa Wang and Angie Chiu.
I highly recommend “The Untamed.” It was hot, hot, hot in 2019, and when aired in Japan it literally caught fire, LOL. Fell in love with the two main characters and the actors who embodied them. Strong chemistry between the two male leads pulled me in completely. They are just so captivating and adorable together. This drama is based on the hit novel “Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation,” by BL author Mo Xiang Tong Xiu. So at the core, it’s a BL story but watered down due to censorship. However, they portrayed the love bond of these two characters quite subtly and effectively. The rest of the cast and characters not only give support to but are all wonderful in their own rights to round out this stirring drama. The actor who portrayed the “ultimate villain and mastermind” behind the plot deserves his own shout-out…his acting was at once convincing yet heartrending! The emotions in which his portrayal evoked literally gave me a vertigo spin. Few serial shows leave me breathless (Ashes of Love is the other one), and I’ve watched a lot of wuxia, xianxia, you name it, for more years than I can count. You can find it on YouTube and Netflix, N. America.
“BL story”?
“Boy’s Love”
thank you.
I bought Books 1 and 2 of Legend of Condor Heroes earlier this year, I am now working through book 3. I also watched the 2017 adaptation, as well as the 2019 Heavenly Sword and Dragon Saber. Over the summer I went through a bunch of Shaw Brothers adaptions of JY novels.
My dad died 6 years ago and was a huge wuxia fan, he would take me all the time to see movies in the theater back in the 80’s and 90’s. I found an old CD of his lying around and I put it on not too soon after I put on the 2017 Condor Heroes. One of the songs was the original theme from the 1983 TVB series, and I remembered hearing this song all the time in my childhood and it brought back a flurry of memories. So this was all very much inspired by that.
Watching 2006 RTCH.
It’s awesome to have someone so passionate sharing the love for the genre! Lucky you!
Normally, I don’t watch much TV series. I prefer reading where my brain could generate the images of the story the way I want.
A few months ago, a friend gave me a list, she highly recommended it. So every evening, I started watching them.
The first one was Word of Honor. Looking at the synopsis, it was interesting, so I started watching it. However, 4 episodes later, I lost interest. The story line up to that point was very boring, the dialogs were annoyingly repetitive, the QingGong looked so fake. I stopped watching it.
I went on the 2nd one on the list, Ever Night. The first few episodes were interesting, very beautiful desert scenes. However, the martial art was weird, it felt like voodoo and I was getting bored again.
However, I tried not to give up like the first one, so I kept skipping through episode quickly by watching only even number episodes until it got to the part where Miss Mountain owner whose name had two mountains, Mo ShanShan appeared on the scenes, she was cute, so I kept watching on. Then Miss Red fish, Yi HongYu showed up, she was also cute, so that gave me a reason to continue watching.
However after that, it didn’t matter how cute Miss Mo ShanShan and Miss Yi HongYu were, I got so bored with the story line and the rendition of the scenes. I stopped watching again. The character FuZi annoyed me so much that I could not continue on. Though I like the actor, but if and only if he played Chu Liuxiang[^CHUL].
I heard, there is a what they called Season 2 of this drama but with different actors and actresses. I am not really sure what it means.
When I read the plot of this one, I was hooked, because it was the part of the long history of the Central Plains which I am interested in. I really like this kind of story which used the incident in recorded history as a plot to add imaginative characters surrounding the cloudy history of the long past.
The plot evolved around the Xuanwu Gate Incident (玄武門之變)[^XGI] in the year 626CE in early Tang Dynasty. In short, the incident at Xuanwu Gate saw Li Shimin who murdered his older and younger brother, Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji before Li Shimin continued on to become the 2nd emperor[^TTZ] of the Great Tang. Though, the incident did not tarnish his name and reputation, he has been used as an example of how a ruler should be like.
[^XGI]: (Xuanwu Gate Incident)[Xuanwu Gate Incident - Wikipedia]
[^TTZ]: Emperor Taizong of Tang
The main character of the drama was a daughter of the crown prince Li Jiancheng named Li Chang’Gr. While growing up, however, Li Chang’Gr was close to Li Shimin who had trained her in both martial art and the art of war since she was very young.
One day, Li Chang’Gr witnessed the incident where her whole family was murdered. After escaping from Chang’An, she vowed to returned with an army to take revenge for her family. However, many circumstances and her high moral integrity personality changed her mind in the end.
It took me more than three weeks to watch this one, the storyline captivated me til the end. I cried a little when I was watching a scene in ep40. The dialog was so touching which I have to dramatize with words below (I like reading more than watching).
—— ^｡ꞈ｡^ ——At a hall where Li Chang’Gr’s mother memorial tablet was kept.
While paying respect to her mother memorial tablet with her boy friend, Li Chang’Gr turned to see Li Shimin and his bodyguard were walking into the hall with Minister Wei.
When Li Shimin saw Li Chang’Gr, he paused a little before he stepped into the hall. He said, “Chang’Gr … Chang’Gr … When I last met you at River Wei …” His face showed reliving expression before he continued, " … I can be at ease now, you are safe."
Li Chang’Gr showed expressionless on her face, she said coldly, “I will survive … until I could kill the person who murdered my family.”
Li Shimin sighed, his face showed sad expression. He did not replied and started walking toward the memorial tablet of Lady Jin who was Li Chang’Gr’s mother.
“Stop …” Li Chang’Gr said angrily, “Stay away from my mother, … won’t you fear the heaven will strike you down?”
Li Shimin paused, he looked up toward the ceiling a little, then he continued walking toward the memorial tablet. He lit incense and paid respect to Lady Jin’s memorial tablet while Li Chang’Gr was looking at his every movements.
A short moment later, Li Chang’Gr said, “Don’t pretend …” Her tone hid with anger, but showed respectful toward Li Shimin. “You have no right to be here in front of my mother in heaven.” She paused a little and continued in a cold tone, “I will kill you sooner or later.”
“Chang’Gr …” Li Shimin turned to look at Li Chang’Gr right in the eyes, he said, " … if you really wanted to kill me, I would have been dead by your arrow at River Wei on that day. It was you who shot that arrow, wasn’t it?" His tone was full of confident. “It was you who tried to warn me of danger with the arrow that you shot. You’ve saved me!”
“I didn’t want to save you.” Li Chang’Gr replied coldly, “I wanted to save the innocent common people of the Great Tang.”
“very good!”, Li Shimin smiled. “you put Great Tang and its people first, above your personal enmity with me.” Then he laughed, his eyes were full of tear of joy. “You’ve grown … You’ve grown … with very high moral integrity.” Then he tuned to look at Lady Jin’s memorial tablet to hide the tear in his eyes.
“I will never forgive you!” Li Chang’Gr said coldly.
“I never want you or Jin to forgive me.” Li Shimin said in a sad tone.
“Don’t you call my mother name!” Li Chang’Gr shouted angrily and stepped forward toward Li Shimin.
Right at that moment, Li Shimin’s personal bodyguard was about to unsheathed his sword, but Li Shimin put his hand up, “Feng Yi, step back!” he gave an order to the bodyguard.
However, the bodyguard was reluctant to do so.
Minister Wei who had been standing quietly suddenly said, “Feng Yi … Princess Chang’Gr put our Great Tang first, she will never harm your highness.”
—— ^｡ꞈ｡^ ——Currently I am watching Joy of Life. I am at episode 10, it’s been very good so far. Miss Lin Wan’Er is really cute, I fall in love with her already.
Thanks for reading if you read this far.
Haven’t been watching much. Got into the Three Body Problem. That’s science fiction though.
I just picked that up. Pretty intriguing read. I started with the English translation and it is rather different from the original Chinese text.
I’ve heard of it but haven’t checked it out. Is it good?
Three Body Problem? Yeah it ’s good.
I had a look. It is interesting start so far, though I read somewhere that this isn’t the original opening.
Yeah, the author used a different sequence when the novel was serialised. The English translation uses the opening that the author intended. I’ve read both and I prefer the original opening over the English translation opening. I feel it builds up the suspense better than other one, even though the latter is what the author had in mind.
In what ways was it different?
I realise thats a very difficult question to answer. I know people whove read LOCH in Chinese and say the Enlish version is so different too. Translation is a very difficult art. Is it the translations of the physics, the scientific side, different, or the plot and characters? Would be interested to hear. I loved thd book for many reasons, not to mention the opening pages setting in Cultural Revolution Dongbei.