Overall 9.5
This review may contain spoilers
A beautiful Xianxia that is worth watching! [Haven't seen one this captivating in a long time now]!
The last time I rated a drama 10/10 was Ten Miles Peach Blossom, this is the second drama that I fell in love with that wants to give full rating to, but sadly after watching the ending, I have mark it down and give the story 9/10 instead, but I will mark the overall 9.5/10 because I am still in love with this series in the overall, just can't give it 10/10 - Story becomes 9/10 because the ending is what sums up the entire story to me, my feeling of the ending? Well, I will tell you at the end of this review... Omg.
Ok, I admit that I am one of those people who thinks Zhou Dong Yu is average looking, and I wasn't quite used to her when I first started, because I wanted a prettier actress, BUT don't let that put you off from watching this drama, because beauty is not determined through the physical look right? her acting really convinced me that she was made for this role, and I am glad that I gave this drama a chance and stuck to it, because it became one of my favourites! I love seeing the process of Shang Gu's character development from the beginning to the end, I love how she comes to take her responsibilities as a Chief God seriously, because you see that growth in her, although the destiny of a Chief God, is just too cruel IMO T_T. But these types of angst is needed for these types of dramas. IMO, Zhou Dong Yu played her character well, where in the emotional department she was excellent, and this brings me to....
Xu Kai, this was the first drama I watched him in, and then while this drama was airing, I found out that he also acted in 'The Legends', so I also jumped to watching 'The Legends' on my end at the same time, to save myself the agony from waiting for the episodes to be uploaded. While I love Xu Kai's character in The Legends, I personally love his character more as Bai Jue, because with each role he was given, he really played his part well. I can see the love he has for Shang Gu/Hou Chi, and I can FEEL the love he has for her, that he will go through great (sacrificial) lengths to be willing to do all this for her. His love for her really touched me, he is referred to 'Ice Cube', despite his original being/element is fire hahaha, but this whole 'Ice Cube' is referencing to his personality being cold, where he keeps everyone at a distance, and is more of a loner type, so his personality really connects with Shang Gu's personality, which shows they have great chemistry, because they complements each other, and you can see that Shang Gu, really thawed the ice/barrier Bai Jue have set up on his end, which is very nice to see. And I understood why Bai Jue did all that, so for me, I can never hate Bai Jue, I love him, and he really have suffered so much, but to me, these are great sacrificial love, I just felt like giving him a hug at the end because he deserves it.
To me, what is sad about this is, this fandom (as like many other fandoms) tends to see things on the Female perspectives, and doesn't understand the pain/great love the Male (in this case, Bai Jue) have for Shang Gu, so for me, I decided to do up a thread in here, to shed some light to his perspective: https://mydramalist.com/discussions/the-legend-of-gu-and-jue/63779-to-shed-some-light-in-bai-jue-s-drama-perspective
^If you're interested, you can check it out
Qing Mu is a very loveable character to me, and I will always have a soft spot for him, but to me, I don't separate him from Bai Jue, since he is still Bai Jue to me. Qing Mu condition is the same as Hou Chi if you look at it, because Qing Mu is Bai Jue, and Hou Chi is Shang Gu, just without their memories of their past. Their love is an extension to Bai Jue and Shang Gu, just like what Gu Jun said in episode 33 "Your love with Hou Chi kind of makes up for their regret", because the short time they had as Qing Mu and Hou Chi is an extension to the love Bai Jue and Shang Gu want to have with each other, but they never got the chance to due to the tragedy that happen. If it didn't happen, and if they weren't tied to their responsibilities back then, they would have been able to get that kind of love. Remember how Shang Gu said, when she spent that one day with Bai Jue (before she sacrificed herself), Shang Gu asked Bai Jue why he is so sweet to her(the last day they both shared with each other), and Bai Jue said that it's not impossible, showing that if they have time, without the tragedy happening, Bai Jue can show that kind of love to Shang Gu back then. So, this is why when Bai Jue returns with complete memories, despite he is breaking off these emotional connection to those he cared about, he still cherish the time he (as Qing Mu) have with Hou Chi and why when Hou Chi asked him to divorce her, it hurted him so much and he was reluctant at first, but in the end, it just have to be, because he's determined to go through with his plan. In addition to this, Bai Jue have already shown me he can be sweet when it comes to his love for Shang Gu, so for me, I don't separate Qing Mu and Hou Chi from Bai Jue and Shang Gu. To, me they are the same, just under different identity when they love each other as Qing Mu and Hou Chi. As Bai Jue and Shang Gu, their love is not inferior to their love as Qing Mu and Hou Chi in my opinion, because, they've been through a lot to be together, and to see the sacrifice and pain Bai Jue did all that, it made me love them even more, because their love provided me the angst, and a sense of touching love story, which I love.
The side characters are also loveable, and I noticed that there's two side actors in this one that also starred in Falling into your Smile lol (I think I am getting good at recognizing familiar faces XD), and the second side couple is nice between Feng Ran and Jing Jian.
And Zhi Yang >>>>>>>> Mu Guang for me, I don't like Mu Guang on my end. So this is why between the God Realm and Heaven Realm, I much prefer the God Realm back then when Zhi Yang was in charge. I don't like what the heaven realm has become 60,000 years later.
What makes this story interesting and captivating is it starts of with the back story for the 'building you into the story' department, you get to see what the characters was like 60,000 years ago, and as you are watching it, it's like a journey you are also experiencing with these characters, so it's captivating in that sense. You see how the characters grow, change, take up their responsibilities, and I do love the female lead (Shang Gu) in this one, sure she may have started off slacking off, and does nothing but just lazed off, and play and don't take her role as the Chief God seriously, but that all changed for her when she became a disciple to Bai Jue, and I personally find it endearing how she calls him 'Shizun', it's much better than 'Shifu' lol. I have to admit that I am starting to have a thing for Shizun x Disciple relationship XDDD. I mean, well, that's not the main part, the main part is, the story itself have depth and is engaging me in every part of it, not just the romance department, but I also love the bromance too, I love the trio, Bai Jue, Tian Qi and Zhi Yang, they are like close friends, Xiong-Di, so I love seeing them, and LOL, Zhi Yang sure paid the price for lying to Bai Jue saying that Shang Gu is hardworking, submissive, smart and never makes trouble, but turned out it was biggest lie, because he wants Bai Jue to teach her so she can take up her responsibility as a Chief God seriously XDD.
Music: I actually love the OST's in this one, some are very memorable, and my very favourite is "Gǎnyìng" (感应) by Liu Yuning, that song always reminds me of Bai Jue/Qing Mu and Shang Gu/Hou Chi moments, so touching (T^T), and don't even get me started with the lyrics *sniffs* (T^T). And I have Tencent to blame for uploading this beautiful MV lol: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ok9DTHDLYw8
Another one I really like is: "Perseverance" (执生念) by Ye Xuanqing also made me cry each time I listened to it, when I listened to that song, it reminded me to all the sacrificed Bai Jue have done for Shang Gu/Hou Chi. And it shows the strong/deep love they have for each other. They both will wait for each other forever.
And another one: "Years" (年岁) by Máo Bùyì (毛不易), for these three music, they are on my replay list on my phone where I will listen to this on repeat.
Ending: I will wait until I watch that scene in full to judge that ending. I already knew it's a happy ending before I saw that clip on twitter/Weibo, but how that happy ending played out is determined if they will give us something more than that scene, because I want a more fulfilling/happy ending to show their family life, and interactions before the credit rolls, so I am keeping an open mind for now before I watch the ending. So I will come back and edit this review when I have seen the ending. To be honest, I really hope it is a fulfilling ending, since they really have been through so much to be together in the end, I wanted to see some extended scenes to it to make up for all the heart-ache and pain they've been through. Honestly, Sometimes I wish that I don’t have such high expectations for an ending because it really does hurt when it doesn’t deliver(┬┬﹏┬┬). But it remains a fact that I will always love this drama on my end, why I wanted an extended ending because Bai Jue and Shang Gu deserves an extended happy ending after all they’ve been through, instead of ending at that scene. But I will always love ALP on my end, and yes, I am also not ready to depart from this/their story (┬┬﹏┬┬).
EDIT - As I said, I will come back to rate the ending after I watched it, note, I even woke up at 4am due to the time difference, because I couldn't sleep to watch the remaining 3 episodes 47-49. You can bet I was left with so many feelings in the end (┬┬﹏┬┬).
What I like:
- The battle against Wu Huan, how Bai Jue and Tian Qi to help Shang Gu fight against her, and I am so glad to see that Bai Jue actually faked his "death" to have Wu Huan put her guard down, that's my loveable Bai Jue for you!!! And the part when Bai Jue went to Tian Qi to revived him, was really nice, I really love their bromance moments <3 And that sad look Tian Qi gave Bai Jue when Bai Jue told him that, after Wu Huan is gone, he can finally go in peace/without worries. I love this subtle moment, to see how Tian Qi also cared for Bai Jue on his end <3
- Thank you! For giving me the Father-Son moment between Bai Jue and Yuan Qi, because I really did cried. How it started off that Yuan Qi didn't want to even see Bai Jue, really hurted him (┬┬﹏┬┬), and then later they had that talk, and then when Bai Jue took Yuan Qi to the human realm, this time, as his real self, and not disguised as Feng Ran, those were all sweet moments that I wanted to see before the finale, and you can also see that Yuan Qi probably guessed that it was actually his father (Bai Jue) who took him to play a day in the human realm as "Feng Ran" back then. The part when Bai Jue lets Yuan Qi win the game, was sweet <3 And at the end, before they said good bye, how Bai Jue hoped to hear Yuan Qi to call him "Father" at least once, before he goes, was so sad omg (┬┬﹏┬┬) At first when Yuan Qi showed that he can't say it, and while Bai Jue was sad about it, but he didn't force him to call him father, and when he leaving, and then Yuan Qi called him "Father", I literally shed tears in that scene (┬┬﹏┬┬)(┬┬﹏┬┬), he didn't call him "Father" once but several times!!!
- Hong Ri came back!!! And I'm glad to have him back!!!
- It is implied Gu Jun will come back later as well, because Bai Jue saved a piece of his spiritual/soul, so he will come back later, although this is left off-screen.
- Jing Jian is reborn so he's also back, however without his memories, so that's a bit of a shame.
- Glad to see Zhi Yang is back, although I somehow have mix feelings about it, since the part when he's drunk at first, and Tian Qi is like looking through the documents, I am like, did they switch roles? LOL
- I don't like Jin Yang, but in the end, he somewhat redeemed himself for me, for what he said to his mother (Wu Huan). Like it needed to be said. I like how he said that he doesn't want the throne, he only wants to be his father(Mu Guang) son, and Jing Jian's brother. And he even told Wu Huan, that he doesn't want to be her son(because of all the things she did that killed the family) Wu Huan didn't even regret, not even in the end, so I felt like what Jin Yang said is a slap to her face!
What I don't like about the ending:
- I can't believe that bitch Wu Huan didn't die... I wanted her dead so much, but her suffering eternally like that is better than nothing, death would be too easy for her. I wish Jing Zhao's punishment was heavier, in the end, she was just mute, but seeing her suffering to see her mother like that, I guess is her punishment, and she can't even say any words to her anymore. I hated Jing Zhao so much because she even have the audacity to curse Shang Gu like that, what the f*ck!
- Mu Guang, I don't care if you sacrifice yourself for the peace in the end, but what you did, even at the end, how you begged Shang Gu to not kill Wu Huan, I was literally face palm at that scene.... Seriously, after all this you can forgive her?! Shang Gu even in her way scolded him, about how and what he's doing now have disappointed Yuemi and how well she treated him back then.
- Now, what I don't like is after all the hardships, heart-breaks that Bai Jue and Shang Gu went through, they have it end in THAT SCENE?! (┬┬﹏┬┬). I just can't really accept it... I mean, it is a happy ending, and I am thankful that that is a bit better than the novel, where they got a hug and Bai Jue smiled at her, not to mention Bai Jue deserves a hug at the end of all this but honestly, all I wanted was an EXTENDED scene after that part where they have their talk, and not just hugging each other. Ok, that is at least better than nothing, but still.... I wanted to see Tian Qi and Zhi Yang also say something to Bai Jue like welcoming him back. But at least the part where Bai Jue said "Shang Gu, I am Bai Jue" is heaps better than in the novel, because in the novel, Bai Jue didn't smiled at her in that scene in the novel (not that I recall), then Shang Gu, in the novel, expresses her happiness, no hug, nothing, but just words to describe that in that moment, it is just perfect and, I am like "?????" in the novel, a feeling of unsatisfied, and lead me to question, that the novel ending, so does Bai Jue have his memories after he came back??? This is why in the Drama ending, it creates no confusion, Bai Jue is back, and with complete memories, because he smiled and said to her "Shang Gu, I am Bai Jue", and they got that hug, so it's a bit better than the novel, but this is not what I wanted to see, because I wanted something more. They separated for so long and we only got like 2 minutes (at most) for their reunion.... (┬┬﹏┬┬) You can't be serious right? I mean, thanks for giving me a happy ending, but I already knew it is a happy ending, still I cannot accept that THIS is how it ended!!! I was hoping to see more of a closure, of them talking, them having their sweet times, their bliss before it ended, but this kind of ending... While it is a happy ending but I am still somewhat disappointed... (┬┬﹏┬┬)
I guess hoping for a TMOPB ending is a bit too much to ask for...... (┬┬﹏┬┬)
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