For me personally it's the drama of the year. When Wu Jinyan is cast in a period drama she nails it. The very first Chinese drama I watched was The Story of Yanxi Palace and through it my love of the genre was born. I love this actress. This show had me hooked in the first 5 minutes. If she doesn't win any awards for this role then that will be sad.
Although I’m not Chinese, we grew up watching Chinese films, the cinematic mainstream ones that were most popular in our home was The last Emperor, Rise the Red Latern, Joy Luck Club, Crouching Tiger, hidden dragon I just started getting into the these kind costumes dramas within the last few years. I l watched Ruyi love palace and was traumatized and about to give up on these dramas until I watched Yanxi palace and was blown away. This has been the first C drama sense then that has blown me away again
apart from the iconic rain scene in ep 17, one memorable moment for me is in episode 17 or 18 when XFF is in the bathtub fantasysing about XH and in the meanwhile he is under the rain training. That scene is great way to show the viewers sexual accounter between the leads through symbolisms - water, sword, bloomed red roses, half nakedness etc... yeah I saw what you did director 😌
Great call out about the episode 18 bathtub/sword scene. It's very memorable. The use of red in that scene (her rose petals, his pants) really helps connect the 2 visuals.
I enjoyed listeninng to your comments. The reason I think the ending is not a dream is because the camera zooms in on the pendant as he rides back. I think that was to tell the audience he is going back.
Thank you so much for your kind words! Glad you enjoyed listening to us. And yes, Elle told Juniper that that was exactly what she thought, that the pendant told the audience he was returning home.
Thank you so much for reviewing this wonderful drama! I think it’s by far the best of this year, apart from Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty 2, which is still ongoing. My thoughts about the original end (not the bonus episode): Beware of spoilers!!!!! If not, read on … Although the battle scenes in the end, the two young officers dying felt a bit rushed to me after that satisfying showdown, it was so beautiful and visually stunning! Gosh he looked so good with that hair open and the pendant in his mouth. I also really loved the way they ended the ex husband when he fell in his white/blue robe while she was walking away, not even looking back. Also loved the shot of him watching her in his final moments smiling because he truly loved her, how beautiful was that? It was like an opera. Just perfect. Although it was a bit of an open ending to please viewers who; of course, want a happy ending; I think he actually died. He was the last man standing on the battlefield, and proof for me was the scene when she sees what I think was his ghost/soul right after dying visiting her and combing her hair. The rider at the very end is him, of course, but either his memory in her mind or his soul that’s always with her. He’s returning in red which was the traditional color for weddings, so he’s actually returning in his groom’s clothing (this was also why his mother died wearing red). The shot, the music, loved all of it! Even if it’s sad, it was a great and perfect finale to a drama that was some kind of dark right from the start, almost Poe-esque. Special kudos to the actor who played Shen Yurong for his outstanding and ambivalent portrayal of the villain who wasn’t just evil but a good man turned bad by the wrong motives and his upbringing. I hope we’ll see him in more dramas in the future! The actors were great all over, strong good storytelling, a visual feast. I‘d only would have liked a few more love scenes with kisses, but it was also wonderful when he simply took her hand in the carriage and they smiled at each other. xxx Deborah
Thank you for enjoying our discussion and sharing your sentiments about the way the show wrapped up. We enjoyed talking about the show very much. That ending definitely deserves endless discussion. Have you watched the bonus episode/epilogue? It definitely falls on the happy ending side.
@@JuniperandElleYes I‘ve watched it and it was lovely. I also wish that they have a happy ending ❤ But it was probably made to please fans of the drama ❤
I sometimes watch the last episode after watching a few episodes of a drama. If it is an unhappy ending i give up on the drama. It is so upsetting to watch a 40 episode drama with all the struggles and suffering and then main character dies. Ugh. No. Loved the double and felt the same as you two about the ending.
Juniper also loves to jump to the ending first because she likes to know how things end, as that’s all a part of the entire drama experience. Elle prefers zero spoilers and to watch the story unfold; she doesn't even watch trailers.
Many said it's the open ending as many can perceive whatever. I'm more agreeing to the reality ending, which is Xiao Feng died in the battle. 1. He said he would come back in triumph but never said come back alive 2. The director accidentally focus shot the pendant only 3. When Xue Fangfei combed her hair, she could feel her husband. I'm a Chinese descendant so our beloved would visit us one last time but in fragment 4. Xiao Feng was left alone while the enemies were still there 5. The sudden marriage. Before Xiao Feng departed for the war. I think both Xiao & Xue know so it's a hope for Xiao would like to go home knowing Xue is waiting for him. Even Father Jiang asked her and she replied she was alright being a widow But then I saw a picture of Xiao Xue with their daughter. I could accept if Xue was pregnant since they married. At least Xue wouldn't live in famine with 4 families supporting her while she was competent enough to live enough with her daughter. So for me, the novel maybe have a happy ending while the drama is a reality ending. Tbh, I'm a bit bumped with the ending but I think it's a very clever for the directors to give an open ending so we would rewatch it again. If we got the happy ending, they wrapped it just like that, I finished watching a good drama. Just like that
That ending definitely gives everyone food for thought and generates discussion. You bring up some interesting points we didn't think of. Thank you for sharing!
I see your point about the Chen Xing Xu and Wang Xing Yue comparison. What, for me, doesn't work in CXX favour is that his aura and look better fit 00's to mid 10's cdrama era. When you look at CXX you know he would have shined as an actor when the likes of Lu Yi, Hu Ge, Yuan Hong ect.. were still in their prime. Now we are in the era where the idol cdrama hero is dominating. In the meanwhile Wang Xing Yue got the type of look and aura that is transgenerational. I said it before Wang Xing Yue got an uncanny ressemblance with golden-age hollywood legend Gregrory Peck where both have that right mixture of manliness and softness. Therefore WXY charm, even with that maturity and prominent facial bone structure, manages to be appealing in today's idol era. But I agree CXX so far appears the more solid actor especially on facial expressions - his are less rocky than WXY's. On voice acting from what I got from Cnetz WXY tends to fare a lil better than CXX cause of his clearer more elegant voice tone. Both got deep manly voice but CXX's sounds too breathy. This is most probably the reason why WXY blew up so much in China recently : his voice acting which puts him above 99% of the popular Liulangs we have now and he is a 22 baby. Both got charisma and presence.
WXY definitely has more mainstream appeal from both the looks and voice department. We think just hearing his deep, radio DJ-like voice is a treat and probably helps a lot in driving his popularity. Even his choice of projects is probably more appealing to mainstream audiences. CXX may be almost too exotic looking (he is not as Han Chinese looking as WXY, which may not appeal to mainland audiences), and he tends to pick more different, fringe type projects to act in, because he has said he wants to do very different things and not get pegged in one thing. Of course, that just means we get more variety of actors and projects we like to look forward to!
@@JuniperandElle NO, absolutely not. A culmination of the tension, action and intrigue should have been reflected in the finale. Those emotions and beauty. That tacked on "epilogue" did not match the tone, and interplay and complexity between the two main characters. I don't want an eight years later with a child, who has zero emotions (not being mean, but no personality). The child did not fit into a scene with them. (The child actor who played Duke Su was great.) They are sitting placidly devoid of all the feelings and passion we have seen grow and blossom. The set was boringly dull. The finale should have been a big climax!! No questions about whether he died or not or is it a dream!!! It could have been so beautiful... it was all set up to be... and then.... confusing, and an episode that does not fit in with the whole production. So obvious it was just tacked on without much thought.... unlike the whole series. Poorly handled.
I read it as the Duke was overwhelmed and killed in battle. She waited for him for years (the passage of time indicated by the growth of the tree - it would take many years for the tree to grow to that height). He never returned. His appearance on the horse represents their meeting after she also dies. BTW, where can I watch the epilogue that I’ve heard so much about?
Unfortunately, the bonus or epilogue is only available in China on the Chinese Youku platform, for $. You could try searching for it or even try using the Chinese search term 墨雨云间番外 to look for BTS of it to see if there's anything else out there. Good luck!
For me personally it's the drama of the year. When Wu Jinyan is cast in a period drama she nails it. The very first Chinese drama I watched was The Story of Yanxi Palace and through it my love of the genre was born. I love this actress. This show had me hooked in the first 5 minutes. If she doesn't win any awards for this role then that will be sad.
WJY really got our attention and we're defo excited to check out her other dramas.
Although I’m not Chinese, we grew up watching Chinese films, the cinematic mainstream ones that were most popular in our home was The last Emperor, Rise the Red Latern, Joy Luck Club, Crouching Tiger, hidden dragon I just started getting into the these kind costumes dramas within the last few years. I l watched Ruyi love palace and was traumatized and about to give up on these dramas until I watched Yanxi palace and was blown away. This has been the first C drama sense then that has blown me away again
😮😢😮
apart from the iconic rain scene in ep 17, one memorable moment for me is in episode 17 or 18 when XFF is in the bathtub fantasysing about XH and in the meanwhile he is under the rain training. That scene is great way to show the viewers sexual accounter between the leads through symbolisms - water, sword, bloomed red roses, half nakedness etc... yeah I saw what you did director 😌
Great call out about the episode 18 bathtub/sword scene. It's very memorable. The use of red in that scene (her rose petals, his pants) really helps connect the 2 visuals.
I enjoyed listeninng to your comments.
The reason I think the ending is not a dream is because the camera zooms in on the pendant as he rides back.
I think that was to tell the audience he is going back.
Thank you so much for your kind words! Glad you enjoyed listening to us. And yes, Elle told Juniper that that was exactly what she thought, that the pendant told the audience he was returning home.
Thank you so much for reviewing this wonderful drama! I think it’s by far the best of this year, apart from Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty 2, which is still ongoing. My thoughts about the original end (not the bonus episode): Beware of spoilers!!!!! If not, read on …
Although the battle scenes in the end, the two young officers dying felt a bit rushed to me after that satisfying showdown, it was so beautiful and visually stunning! Gosh he looked so good with that hair open and the pendant in his mouth. I also really loved the way they ended the ex husband when he fell in his white/blue robe while she was walking away, not even looking back. Also loved the shot of him watching her in his final moments smiling because he truly loved her, how beautiful was that? It was like an opera. Just perfect.
Although it was a bit of an open ending to please viewers who; of course, want a happy ending; I think he actually died. He was the last man standing on the battlefield, and proof for me was the scene when she sees what I think was his ghost/soul right after dying visiting her and combing her hair. The rider at the very end is him, of course, but either his memory in her mind or his soul that’s always with her. He’s returning in red which was the traditional color for weddings, so he’s actually returning in his groom’s clothing (this was also why his mother died wearing red). The shot, the music, loved all of it! Even if it’s sad, it was a great and perfect finale to a drama that was some kind of dark right from the start, almost Poe-esque.
Special kudos to the actor who played Shen Yurong for his outstanding and ambivalent portrayal of the villain who wasn’t just evil but a good man turned bad by the wrong motives and his upbringing. I hope we’ll see him in more dramas in the future! The actors were great all over, strong good storytelling, a visual feast. I‘d only would have liked a few more love scenes with kisses, but it was also wonderful when he simply took her hand in the carriage and they smiled at each other.
xxx Deborah
Thank you for enjoying our discussion and sharing your sentiments about the way the show wrapped up. We enjoyed talking about the show very much. That ending definitely deserves endless discussion. Have you watched the bonus episode/epilogue? It definitely falls on the happy ending side.
@@JuniperandElleYes I‘ve watched it and it was lovely. I also wish that they have a happy ending ❤ But it was probably made to please fans of the drama ❤
I sometimes watch the last episode after watching a few episodes of a drama. If it is an unhappy ending i give up on the drama. It is so upsetting to watch a 40 episode drama with all the struggles and suffering and then main character dies. Ugh. No. Loved the double and felt the same as you two about the ending.
Juniper also loves to jump to the ending first because she likes to know how things end, as that’s all a part of the entire drama experience. Elle prefers zero spoilers and to watch the story unfold; she doesn't even watch trailers.
The OST of the show is good as well 😊
Though haven’t finish watching Buh I’m in love with Jiang li and duke su they kill it
Their chemistry is off the charts. It's a whole separate being on its own. 😁🥰
Many said it's the open ending as many can perceive whatever. I'm more agreeing to the reality ending, which is Xiao Feng died in the battle.
1. He said he would come back in triumph but never said come back alive
2. The director accidentally focus shot the pendant only
3. When Xue Fangfei combed her hair, she could feel her husband. I'm a Chinese descendant so our beloved would visit us one last time but in fragment
4. Xiao Feng was left alone while the enemies were still there
5. The sudden marriage. Before Xiao Feng departed for the war. I think both Xiao & Xue know so it's a hope for Xiao would like to go home knowing Xue is waiting for him. Even Father Jiang asked her and she replied she was alright being a widow
But then I saw a picture of Xiao Xue with their daughter. I could accept if Xue was pregnant since they married. At least Xue wouldn't live in famine with 4 families supporting her while she was competent enough to live enough with her daughter.
So for me, the novel maybe have a happy ending while the drama is a reality ending. Tbh, I'm a bit bumped with the ending but I think it's a very clever for the directors to give an open ending so we would rewatch it again. If we got the happy ending, they wrapped it just like that, I finished watching a good drama. Just like that
That ending definitely gives everyone food for thought and generates discussion. You bring up some interesting points we didn't think of. Thank you for sharing!
I know it's a happy ending already because they have a special episode and in that episode they enjoy your marriage and they have a daughter 😍
I see your point about the Chen Xing Xu and Wang Xing Yue comparison. What, for me, doesn't work in CXX favour is that his aura and look better fit 00's to mid 10's cdrama era. When you look at CXX you know he would have shined as an actor when the likes of Lu Yi, Hu Ge, Yuan Hong ect.. were still in their prime. Now we are in the era where the idol cdrama hero is dominating. In the meanwhile Wang Xing Yue got the type of look and aura that is transgenerational. I said it before Wang Xing Yue got an uncanny ressemblance with golden-age hollywood legend Gregrory Peck where both have that right mixture of manliness and softness. Therefore WXY charm, even with that maturity and prominent facial bone structure, manages to be appealing in today's idol era. But I agree CXX so far appears the more solid actor especially on facial expressions - his are less rocky than WXY's.
On voice acting from what I got from Cnetz WXY tends to fare a lil better than CXX cause of his clearer more elegant voice tone. Both got deep manly voice but CXX's sounds too breathy. This is most probably the reason why WXY blew up so much in China recently : his voice acting which puts him above 99% of the popular Liulangs we have now and he is a 22 baby.
Both got charisma and presence.
WXY definitely has more mainstream appeal from both the looks and voice department. We think just hearing his deep, radio DJ-like voice is a treat and probably helps a lot in driving his popularity. Even his choice of projects is probably more appealing to mainstream audiences. CXX may be almost too exotic looking (he is not as Han Chinese looking as WXY, which may not appeal to mainland audiences), and he tends to pick more different, fringe type projects to act in, because he has said he wants to do very different things and not get pegged in one thing. Of course, that just means we get more variety of actors and projects we like to look forward to!
I thought it was a dream.... and was very angry about the ending. I thought he died. (But I LOVED the show... actors and music.)
Did the epilogue/bonus episode help make you feel better? That was its purpose, and we (or at least Juniper) thought it did its job.
@@JuniperandElle NO, absolutely not. A culmination of the tension, action and intrigue should have been reflected in the finale. Those emotions and beauty. That tacked on "epilogue" did not match the tone, and interplay and complexity between the two main characters.
I don't want an
eight years later with a child, who has zero emotions (not being mean, but no personality). The child did not fit into a scene with them. (The child actor who played Duke Su was great.) They are sitting placidly devoid of all the feelings and passion we have seen grow and blossom. The set was boringly dull. The finale should have been a big climax!! No questions about whether he died or not or is it a dream!!! It could have been so beautiful... it was all set up to be... and then.... confusing, and an episode that does not fit in with the whole production. So obvious it was just tacked on without much thought.... unlike the whole series. Poorly handled.
I strongly recommend 长相思 (lost you forever).
We just released our thoughts on Lost You Forever. Hope you'll check it out. ruclips.net/video/oIgjy1_ALQg/видео.html
I read it as the Duke was overwhelmed and killed in battle. She waited for him for years (the passage of time indicated by the growth of the tree - it would take many years for the tree to grow to that height). He never returned. His appearance on the horse represents their meeting after she also dies. BTW, where can I watch the epilogue that I’ve heard so much about?
Unfortunately, the bonus or epilogue is only available in China on the Chinese Youku platform, for $. You could try searching for it or even try using the Chinese search term 墨雨云间番外 to look for BTS of it to see if there's anything else out there. Good luck!
@@JuniperandElle Thanks for the reply. I was afraid that would be the answer.
I kind of want to give up on this drama, it only shows to the episode 23
If you have Netflix in the US, the entire drama is fully available.
The double is an incomplete story.. it could have been a good drama.