Wulin Heroes (2023) - Final Review

Final review/rating:  Wulin Heroes (2023) - What's an amnesiac ginseng fairy to do when she meets all the boys she's loved before?*

* Or the boys she thought she loved and who claim to love her but betrayed her and/or will betray her; or the boys who truly loved her and lost her; or most importantly, the boy who is her one true love?  

This is 7/10 stars ✮✮✮✮✮✮✮ from Pandafan🐼

Overall rating:         7 Stars Plot:                       6 Stars Acting/cast:            7 Stars Couple chemistry:   7 stars Music:                    6 Stars Re-watch value:      7 Stars Enjoyment factor:   7 Stars

Despite its title, Wulin Heroes (2023) has precious little to do with wulin and the martial arts world.  It is probably generous to class this as wuxia. Think of it instead as a romcom with a large side of amnesia: What's an amnesiac ginseng fairy to do when she meets all the boys she's loved before?*

The trick to enjoying this drama is not to go in with unrealistic expectations. If you are expecting true blue wuxia like Li Hong Yi's recent The Blood of Youth (2022) you will be disappointed.  On the other hand, if you are wanting a somewhat chaotic, cheap and cheerful (and in my view rather charming) romcom with eye candy galore, this one is for you. 

SPOILERS AHEADS

  

Wulin Heroes (2023) - Synopsis

Drama info:

Title:  Wulin Heroes

Chinese title: 武林有侠气 (Eng translation: "Wulin has heroism") 

Episodes: 22

Genre: Romance, comedy, wuxia, historical

Original network: Youku

Release date:        29 Jan 2023

Airing schedule:    29 Jan - 15 Feb 2023

Synopsis:

When ginseng fairy Ye Xi uses part of her essence to save the divine physician and swordsman Bai Yue, she unintentionally binds their fates together.

As the idealistic Ye Xi travels through jianghu hoping to do good, she finds herself embroiled in various fiascos as she meets, in various lifetimes, men who seek to exploit her martial arts prowess and/or her feelings for their own ends as well as those who truly love her.  Ye Xi's reputation is tarnished as she becomes known as a demoness siren. Time and time again, she is betrayed and 'dies', yet each time, it is Bai Yue who helps her pick up the pieces, 'burying' her in soil so that her ginseng spirit can regenerate. 

  

The Legendary Life of Queen Lau (2022) - Final Review

Final review/rating: The Legendary Life of Queen Lau (2022) - Laugh out loud comedy with a Queen of Hearts 

This is 8/10 stars ✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮ from Pandafan🐼

Overall rating:         8 Stars Plot:                       7 Stars Acting/cast:            8 Stars Couple chemistry:   7 stars Music:                    9 Stars Re-watch value:      8 Stars Enjoyment factor:   9 Stars

The Legendary Life of Queen Lau (2022) is a palace-slice-of-life drama, that will have you in stitches of laughter.  An absolute joy to watch, helmed by the very funny Li Jia Qi/Lamu Yangzi as Queen Liu Jin Feng, this drama combines hilarity with plenty of heart and a wonderful OST with tunes so catchy they will have you dancing along with the cast! 🕺💃😊

 SPOILERS AHEADS

  

The Legendary Life of Queen Lau (2022) - Synopsis

Drama info:

Title:  The Legendary Life of Queen Lau

Chinese title:  我叫劉金鳳 / 我叫刘金凤 (Eng translation: "My name is Liu Jin Feng")

Episodes:  36 episodes

Genre: Romcom, historical, palace

Original network: Youku

Release date:      24 June 2022 

Airing schedule:  24 June 2022 - 6 July 2022

Synopsis:

When village girl Liu Jin Feng marries Emperor Duan Yuan Zhang in a comedy of errors, it becomes the running joke of the country.  After all, the chubby and unconventional Liu Jin Feng is nothing like the slender and refined beauties that would normally be crowned Queen, while the Emperor is famous for his good looks.  

Because Liu Jin Feng's erstwhile absentee father is the Chancellor (and de facto regent), Emperor Duan Yuan Zhang is suspicions of Liu Jin Feng's motives and tries to test her loyalties at every turn.  This leads to a state of constant and comical chaos in the palace.  With Liu Jin Feng around, palace life is anything but boring! 

Throw in a love rival or two in the form of Yu Zhang Ya, (Liu Jin Feng's devoted swain and childhood friend with ulterior motives) and older sister and famed beauty Liu Bai Yu (who thinks she would make a better queen), as well as a political crisis or two, and it is chaos indeed.

  

Heart of Loyalty (2021) - Final Review

Final review/rating: Heart of Loyalty (2021) - Detective work takes a backseat to romance in this watchable but bland take on Kaifeng

This is 6/10 stars ✮✮✮✮✮✮ from Pandafan🐼

Overall rating:         6 Stars Plot:                       6 Stars Acting/cast:            6 Stars Couple chemistry:   6 stars Music:                    7 Stars Re-watch value:      6 Stars Enjoyment factor:   6 Stars

Heart of Loyalty (2021) has a promising premise - the Kaifeng court under Justice Bao and the iconic "Southern Hero" Zhan Zhao are part of a Chinese literary tradition that is well known and well loved.  However, the execution is somewhat lack luster in that detecting takes a backseat to the somewhat trite romance storyline.  It's watchable, if a little bland.    

SPOILERS AHEADS

  

Heart of Loyalty (2021) - Synopsis

 

Drama info:

Title:  Heart of Loyalty 

Chinese title: 一片冰心在玉壶 / 一片冰心在玉壺  (Translation: "A piece of ice in a jade pot") 

Episodes:  24

Genre: Historical, romance, mystery, wuxia

Original network: Youku

Release date: 29 November 2021

Airing schedule: 29 Nov 2021 - 20 Dec 2021

Synopsis:

Having recently entered the martial world/jianghu, Mo Yan aspires to be the number 1 heroine bandit around.  When her 5th martial brother is imprisoned by the Kaifeng court, she ventures there to prove his innocence.  

Because Justice Bao admires Mo Yan's investigative talents, he gives her a post as a constable at Kaifeng court.  There she meets the famous "Southern Hero" Zhan Zhao, who serves as Justice Bao's bodyguard and an officer of his court, and whose incredible martial arts is acknowledged by the Emperor himself with an imperially bestowed nickname of "Royal Cat".  Mo Yan soon styles herself as the "Heavenly Dog".