#zhang linghe the man that you are

[imitor]

houyi ..... i think i love all my bsd ocs on a degree that has me frightened

[sandushengshou]

happy birthday @gege!

[storge]

😂😂😂😂 He really can't be saved

Story of Kunning Palace (2023) 1.33

[ajaxbell]

Zhang Linghe tagged this being about spring's arrival, so I guess it's warm and wet where ever he is filming his new doctor drama.

[tomorrowsdrama]

Man, if the drama wanted us to believe that Su Rongqing was the finest gentleman in the capital, they shouldn’t have cast Zhang Linghe as the husband because his face is a wall that few can surpass. Seriously. Zhang Linghe is really, really, really, really good looking it’s almost distracting.

Also, I’m sure there are plot reasons/explanations as to why Li Rong would pine after Su Rongqing but really girl? You have THAT waiting for you at home but you chase after a eunuch instead?

[thegreymoon]

Yesterday, somebody on Reddit said Cheng Yi for Xie Lian and I can't unsee it! I was never down for the casing in that doomed Eternal Faith adaptation (I did like Zhang Linghe for Hua Cheng, though), and now that Cheng Yi has been brought to my attention, he is literally so perfect for the role for me! 😭

I mean!!

He couldn't be more of a Xie Lian if he tried!

Also, this is what this man looks like under those white, flowy robes, and you don't understand!! It's so important to me that Xie Lian is a martial god and absolutely fucking ripped (which only Hua Cheng gets to see, ofc) 😭😭

[romchat]

My Journey to You Ep. 1-2, 24 visuals: Portraits of power and masculinity

I'm doing a rewatch of My Journey to You and I just can't get over how well the show introduces its two male leads, Gong Ziyu and Gong Shangjue. In under two minutes, these two scenes brilliantly establish one of the show's core themes around masculinity and power without a word of dialogue.

Ok, so I gasped when the first glimpse we get of Ziyu's character, the protagonist of a wuxia drama, is a delicate shot of his bare feet. He's a nobleman's son in a sect that is revered by the rest of the martial arts world and yet look at what he's (not) wearing: no military regalia, weapons--just a thin robe and his bare feet.

He's also shown napping, sprawled across his seat like a Victorian woman on a fainting couch. And then when he wakes up, we see him staring longingly out of the brothel's window, his face gently cast in the morning light, like a fairy tale princess locked away in a tower.

Visually, the show immediately communicates to us that Ziyu represents a softer, more romantic image of masculinity, which is reinforced over and over again throughout the show with other feminine-coded symbols (e.g., Ziyu playing music, wearing a red couple bracelet, carrying a bunny lantern). He’s not meant to be seen as a strong son ready to lead his sect but as an overly sensitive playboy wasting his time away.

And then we're introduced to Shangjue.

The music thrums menacingly as Shangjue rides into the Gong residence, his uniformed men carrying spoils of war behind him. As he passes through the main gates, we see each guard bowing in respect. All of this fanfare and the solemn blackness of his riding gear signal the important political role he occupies within the Gong family.

(Side Note: Ryan Cheng's side-eye is magnificent and one of the sexiest things to hit Cdramaland in 2023.)

But what I love most about this scene is the use of high and low-angle shots and central framing. At 6'2’’, Zhang Linghe (the actor playing Ziyu) is a giant, and yet the high angle and surplus negative space around him makes his character look small, almost pitiful in comparison to Shangjue.

In contrast, the zoomed-in, low-angle shot for Shangjue communicates his intimidating persona. There’s something ruthless (even kind of malevolent) about his character, and the show tries to convince us of this first impression with repeated use of shadow and animalistic imagery in its early episodes. He embodies the type of masculinity a powerful sect like the Gongs would want representing them in campaigns with the outside world.

From the jump, Ziyu and Shangjue are set up as antagonists, both by how the characters dismiss one another in the script and also by the show's visual storytelling.

Of course, as the show goes on, both characters gradually change their opinion of one another, and this change is mirrored once again in the visual storytelling. Their final scene in Episode 24 is a near reversal of what we saw in their intro scenes (many thanks to @kingsandbastardz for pointing out the costumes!):

Shangjue's hair is up in a ponytail, neck bare, his rich blue robes nipped in at the waist. He's no longer dressed in his villainous black robes and he doesn't look as physically imposing without his signature cloak. He is finally Ziyu's ally. And check out how the camera angle is also reversed, with Shangjue being shot from a high angle so he looks less dangerous--even fragile--while Ziyu is shot from a low angle to look more powerful.

Despite audience expectations about what type of man would make a strong leader, he has officially grown into the role of Sword Wielder.

[ikjun]

Any cdramas you'd recommend? I just finished watching love between fairy and devil and I enjoyed it

let me get my first and forever rec out of the way first because it has nothing to do with lbfad but is my favourite cdrama ever:

the king’s avatar (found family e-sports drama about a forcefully retired e-sport legend, played by yang yang, rebuilding his reputation with a new team. gorgeous cgi for the game parts, great acting ensemble, really heartfelt characters!)

okay besides this one i can recommend

snow fall (republican era drama with doomed vampire romance and tragedy, so if you loved the big feels of lbfad this might be your speed)

amidst a snow storm of love (i love a snow theme as you can see … modern slice of life sports romance where i really loved the main couple !!)

your name engraved herein (this is a film and one of the best ones i have ever watched. another one to emotionally destroy you)

who rules the world (probably the most like lbfad - it’s also a wuxia drama - with two really strong leads in a rivals-to-lovers prince and princess situation)

you are my glory (the third yang yang leading man drama on here but bear with me. this is a romance between a space engineer and an actress and i especially loved the male lead’s side story here as well as the very romantic part of the show once the leads got together)

meteor garden (the chinese remake of boys over flowers starring dylan wang. please just trust me on this extremely cooky rec)

some i am still watching so take them with a tentative recommend:

my journey to you (stars esther yu and zhang linghe of lbfad fame. esther yu plays a spy who infiltrates the household of a nobleman and, well, events ensue)

fangs of fortune (i am mostly watching this for yanan but it got tens across the board and is pretty epic, so i think this might be up your alley!)

meet yourself (a modern cdrama a bit in the vein of my liberation notes and when the weather was fine. i love the atmosphere of this and it’s pretty much why it takes me so long to watch it - i pick it up every once in a while and continue watching it.)

[randomingoftherandomness]

Your top 10 c-actors and top 10 c-actresses?

Oooo hm. I'll be honest with you and say that I don't actually watch as much Chinese dramas as people might think haha... It takes a very special premise to pull me in and even then, I usually don't end up liking 70% of whatever is on and abandoning it by the 3rd episode.

That said, I'm going to limit my picks to the top 5 off the top my head in each category. These are actors and actresses who, by virtue of their names being attached to a project, will get me interested in making it to episode 5 and of whom I have watched more than 2 projects that they've been a part of.

Actors

Leo Wu

Our family's Fei Liu 🥰 I know, I know. Didi is the furthest thing from Fei Liu these days, but in my mind, he'll forever be Fei Liu and there's a huge part of me that will always adore him for that. Throughout the years, his projects have been a hit or a miss with me. Either I'll like them or I won't. Which is what I like. I don't want to like everything my faves are part of.

Joseph Zeng

(Look at that happy baby hahaha)

I can't remember which project I first saw him in, or how he even pinged on my radar. But before I knew it, I'd watched three of his dramas and I was about to watch more.

Qin Hao

THIS. DUDE. He's such a powerhouse of an actor and I AM--

He chooses some of the most intense projects and I'm so, so here for them. There's this magnetic quality to the way he acts and every time I get to see him onscreen, I'm absolutely mesmerised. I also have to be honest and say that I haven't had a change to work through his body of work, but I think it's just a matter of time (and mental space) before I do.

Liu Yuning

I believe some moots on this hellsite have had front row seats to my thirsting of this tall, thin, sassy da ge and I won't apologise for any of it. 100//10 would climb him in a heartbeat.

I fell for his voice first before I even knew his face (花开早 天知晓 天莫笑 天亦老~~!!!) and then I saw his face and BAM. Goner. Goodbye ovaries. You might be thinking, oh Gab you're just horny on main for him, to which I will say, yes, yes I am. Isn't that reason enough for me to have gone watch the variety show he was on WITHOUT SUBS. My banana ass went through a lot for this man ok? That's love.

Zhang Linghe

HIM. Saw him in Maiden Holmes. Watched how he acts with his eyes. Okay. Sold. Over the last couple of years, the one drama I really wanted to see him in was the TGCF live action adaptation, which as we all will know, won't be seeing the light of day any time soon. He was actually on my fancast list for Hua Cheng and I was pretty gratified when they announced that he was taking on the role.

He's been doing well for himself and I've liked him the dramas that have caught my eye, and I look forward to what he will bring to the table next. Even if he had been, unfairly in my opinion, saddled with this perception that his dramas have a difficult time getting to air.

Actress

Zhao Liying

Zhao Liying is someone with a face that is so sweet that you'd go into her projects thinking that she's going to portray one type of character then getting body slammed into a spiral of a drama length like The Story of Minglan.

Zhao Lusi

This woman is on track to being the best actress of her generation. Period. You can't fight me on this because you know I'm right.

She's an absolute powerhouse and there's this sense about her that she isn't afraid to get ugly, go roll in the mud and get dirty just to portray a character. I love that about her. There's just this sense of joy to watch her act because she's not just embodying the character, she IS the character. I wouldn't be surprised if her international audience reach is really big because it's what a Queen like her deserves.

Tian Xiwei

Now, she is someone that I never thought I would be into. But I think the dimples should have been a good indication that I was gonna get suckered into her projects and for that, I'm glad. I've only seen bits and bobs of three of her projects, but if the way that I am actually intrigued by the projects she takes on is any clue, I think I'll be sufficiently entertained.

Liu Mintao

Every time I see her, I wanna just be on my knees and call her Mother.

She is absolutely fantastic in every role she takes on. The gentle but steely Consort Jing in Nirvana in Fire? The nurturing and protective Ming Jing in The Disguiser? Check and Check. Love her. I low key think she's a chameleon. Her body of work speaks to the quality of her acting.

Esther Yu

(listen. LISTEN. I HAD TO INCLUDE ONE OF THE HOTTEST KISS SCENES IN CDRAMALAND THAT ISN'T A DEAD FISH LIPS SITUATION OK)

The first time she ever pinged on my radar, it was because of her antics with Lisa from Blackpink during her Produce days. Found her cute and endearing, but that was it. And then came Love Between Fairy and Devil. Without knowing, I fell in love with her charms. She is another actress I think isn't afraid to own being neck deep in the nitty and gritty and not looking perfect. I'm very interested to see what sort of projects she takes on, and judging by her Yun Weishan in My Journey to You, I think there'll be much to anticipate.

[dilirebas]

My review of Story of Kunning Palace / 宁安如梦

I loved the premise of this drama. The wicked empress who meets her downfall but is reborn as her past self, so she gets a chance to redeem herself and change the fates of her loved ones.

They handled the past life very well, showing just enough to keep you on your toes without overloading on flashbacks. We know Jiang Xuening's original ending but not how she got there. So as she makes new choices, we also learn what went wrong in her previous life.

I honestly think the drama peaks near the middle. The effort to save Yan Lin is a great story arc because Jiang Xuening's relationship with him is developed so well and the stakes are so high. Both the writing and acting of Yan Lin were phenomenal. At the same time, we finally learn who Xie Wei really is and what motivates him, and this is some of Zhang Linghe's best acting in the whole drama. We're also finally being introduced to the mysterious figure of Zhang Zhe, the almost-perfect man who was Jiang Xuening's first love.

As the story continued, I would've liked better character development for the protagonists. The drama departs majorly from the source novel halfway through, but the screenwriters' takes on these characters was...just okay. The writing in the second half was also a bit careless and overly convenient, and the resolution of the final conflict just felt incredibly low-effort.

I think some problems in Jiang Xuening's character development stem from Bai Lu's acting choices in the final third. I do think she was up to standard for an idol historical, but I also think she can do better.

For example, Jiang Xuening's relationship with her sister changes significantly, which is clear in the plot but doesn't reflect clearly in her line delivery and tone. Maybe we could've also seen more intermediate stages in her attitude towards Xie Wei (or at least a bit less of the wide-eyed and shocked stage). These things would have made Jiang Xuening a more complex and charismatic figure.

This drama gets bonus points because the pacing was fast enough that I didn't need to watch on 1.5x speed lol

A note on the director, Zhu Ruibin: he gets a lot of criticism from c-netizens for "unflattering" or "weird" shots of actors, but I will always defend him for this. Good actors aren't afraid of looking ugly. Actors are hired to portray a character and tell a story. If a camera angle adds to the viewer's experience of the story, then it's the right call. So many cdrama directors churn out footage on factory default mode. Zhu Ruibin is one of the few who actually puts thought into delivering interesting shots and has his own vision for what dramas should look like.

It's not a perfect drama but I still enjoyed it a lot. I just wish the second half lived up to the first half.

[tytangfei]

Am I biased bec its zhang linghe or is the fls character pathetically mean and not very smart?

She hates him because she assumed he killed her (which he 100 percent did not even I can tell lmao)

But why is he still caring about her when she literally got him killed (gruesomely rip) when he did nothing wrong😭 man didn't kill her

They both went back in time and dude still trying to let her live a happy life lmao while she being petty as hell (threw dude into a lake forced him to eat citron when he allergic)

Why is he so nice when she got him killed😭

As of first two or three episodes lol

This was so much info in one ask, lmao. I didn't even know the plot of this drama until now.

But this sounds fun actually! She's a princess, right? So it would make sense that she holds grudges longer (the entitlement and all). It sounds like zhang linghe's character have a lot of secrets 👀 what is he compensating for??

Has it gotten better for you?

[dangermousie]

Ok last poll for the day I swear I am just so amused by all this fuckery (and pissed that after The Ingenuous One ends I have no cdrama in sight.)

[alittleillumination]

2023 Drama Round-Up!

I know no one asked for this, but I figured I’d post what I’ve watched this year and how I rank them in case anyone is looking for recommendations! I saw @dangermousie did this and stole this idea (hope that’s ok!)

14. Heartbeat: It was…fine? Didn’t really leave me with any lasting impression. Was hoping for more from a drama about a vampire. I need a good vampire drama. This wasn’t it.

13. Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo - So much potential, didn’t live up to the hype. Give me those BATB vibes any day normally, but in this case the FML was too Mary Sue for me.

12. Back from the Brink- Fun! Good side characters! ML bored me to tears. FML carried the drama. Will keep an eye out for her.

11. Moon in the Day: A solid story. Nice and neat. Definitely would watch the ML in other things. I’m always here for a reincarnation storyline.

10. My Journey to You - Esther Yu! Zhang Linghe! Other awesome characters! Vibes! Otherwise just OK, I wasn’t super invested in the story. Would watch a second season if they deign to make one.

9. The King: Eternal Monarch - Another one that had great potential and I ended up somewhat disappointed. The concept was fantastic. I really love a modern day story with a modern monarch who’s beloved. I’m a big fan of the two main actors so that bumped it up the list. Unfortunately their chemistry was only so-so.

8. Tale of the Nine Tailed S1 - LEE YEON AND LEE RANG brother dynamic sobbbb

7. Doom at Your Service - Great leads with awesome chemistry! Sad! Story was simple and sweet.

6. Love is Sweet - OG Bai Lu/Luo Yunxi couple!! I loved them so much, I’m def watching this show again and again. Couldn’t stand the second couple, though, I skipped all of their scenes.

5. Alchemy of Souls S1 - This show has such a phenomenal concept, and a really well flushed out universe. The side characters are all great and three dimensional. I love the magic too. It’s lower on the list just because I’m not as emotionally connected to the leads as I am to those in other shows, but I really love this show.

4. Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938 - This show has it all: magic, romance, historical setting, fashion, time travel, politics, humor. As much as I love LDW/Lee Yeon, the show was really an ensemble triumph. The story, the action, the humor, everything was top notch. Excelled in surpassing the first season in quality which seems so unlikely but they really did it.

TIED FOR SECOND

Til The End of the Moon - What can I say about this show? It’s wump central. It’s serving misunderstanding trope but make it completely overdone and unbearable. The fake blood budget alone could have paid all of the actors’ salaries. The female lead got shafted in favor of the male lead.

And yet…

You’ll think about this show every day for the rest of your life. I know I do.

(Also credited for the beginning of my obsession with Luo Yunxi. He’s babygirl. Tantai Jin is the best character ever written.)

Goblin - Oh man, this show. THIS SHOW. Despite some controversy over the age difference between the main couple, i love them. I grew up on vampire romance, nothing can sway me there. I really bought into their romance and I was devastated when they went through it. I cried more in this show than I have in any other. I also completely loved and was invested in the second couple, which almost NEVER happens.

Despite the romance of the two couples being stellar, it was the friendship and the found family that really sold it for me. The Goblin and the Grim Reaper have the best friendship and wildly fun chemistry onscreen. I couldn’t get enough of them. I watched the bts of them so many times over.

And my favorite for 2023…

1. Love Between Fairy and Devil - My first Asian drama. My first love. Noting will surpass this. No couple will touch Dongfang Qingcang and Xiao Lan Hua. I’ve rewatched it twice already. It’s the clear winner.

I’m currently watching My Demon and so far it’s rly good. Might break top ten.

On the short list to watch in 2024:

- Alchemy of Souls S2 (I’m not ready for it to end but I NEED to see it)

- Ashes of Love (I’m forcing myself to finish this I HAVE TO FOR LY)

- Story of Kunning Palace

- Only for Love

[ajaxbell]

Maiden Holmes: the jianghu Scooby Gang is on the case!

I picked this cdrama up simply because of Zhang Linghe's face and because I saw a gifset of the kisses. But what an unexpected delight!

The premise is essentially a woman, Su Ci, disguised as a man to become a cop with a secret agenda to investigate the false charges that killed her family. While investigating a case she teams up with war traumatized Prince Qi who has his own problems at court. But in a mistaken identity romp she doesn't recognize him (while she's also carrying around comics of his adventures lol). They are joined by young woman doctor/poisoner/coroner/forensic pathologist, and by the world's greatest himbo. Together they form a jianghu Scooby Gang and solve a bunch of seemingly unrelated cases that start to connect to each other, and conveniently connect to both Su Ci's ultimate goal and Prince Qi's problems at court.

The villain is obvious and over the top. The plot is wobbly at best. But the cast really saves this show. Zhang Linghe is way better than he has any business being in his first drama, just fresh out of engineering college. He outshines all the more established actors in the cast. But over all the cast has chemistry and the story hits the right notes of found family, of a team of experts competently doing their respective jobs, and manages the comedy they are given well (the more dramatic and intense emotional beats are as wobbly as the plot).

These characters are a group of kind, interested people who seem to do their best for the victims they encounter. But they also each go through their own emotional moments in realistic ways, shutting out their friends, and isolating. But every time the friends show up, offer true support, and receive apologies for not being initially trusted or let in. There's an ongoing theme of being both accepted for who you truly are and of being loved for it whether platonically or romantically. And this is really the core of what makes this show better than it should be.

There's something just very sweet and good-natured about their friendships and how they treat each other and everyone in need they encounter. It makes this show a joy to watch and honestly a bit uplifting. Like at the end of rough day sitting down to see these friends be nice and helpful and concerned just really felt like a balm. And while the rougher emotional points didn't always hit, a lot of them did, due entirely to this cast and how well they made me feel they were really friends. Most the comedy beats are right and truly funny, but also the comedy never hits a mean or punching down note either. Which for me ends up being part of what actually made this show great for me: it's actually really subversive.

Is it subversive on purpose or accidentally? I'll never know but it was really enjoyable. The first half watches like a good bl. Yes it's based on the misunderstanding of Prince Qi believing Su Ci is a man. But that does not stop Prince Qi from standing too close and looking sick with longing. It doesn't stop the classic cdrama underwater 'kiss' to share breath. Zhang Linghe plays this without any indication that it might be weird or uncomfortable for Prince Qi to be attracted to a man. While the show plays it for comedy, the comedy is Su Ci being really confused about what is happening, and in their friends' response to (perceived male) Su Ci and Prince Qi as a couple.

Even more subversive, while it's played (joyfully) for comedy, all the friends' responses are uniformly welcoming and supportive of these two 'men' becoming involved. Particularly the world's most delightful himbo character making an impassioned speech about his support of them. (Truly not just for this scene, but this himbo character is maybe one of my all time favorite TV characters? Just incredible work by the script and the actor.)

Eventually Su Ci's gender is revealed and Prince Qi takes it without blinking and goes to work to make this world more feminist and accepting so she can continue do her job as a detective for the court even after her gender is exposed. After this point in the show the script weakens a bit, sacrificing some character development to making people act the way the plots needs rather than totally true to the established characters. But throughout Prince Qi seems to not care about gender, or any outside perception of his relationship regardless of the gender of his partner. And it was just relief a to watch. What a good character he turns out to be. So supportive of anything his partner wants, in a way where he seems to truly enjoy anything she does, and just looks so pleased with how smart she is. He looks pleased for people to think he's in a gay relationship. He looks pleased when she does her job well. He looks pleased when she dresses up for him. And some of this has to be Zhang Linghe's acting work. Especially when he starts bring a level of smolder and longing that seems possibly (and I'm not complaining) overly steamy for the lightweight comedy level of this show.

Anyway I would absolutely call this show queer friendly and accepting in a way crossdressing deception plots often never achieve. That combined with these kind, good-natured friends, and the world's best himbo character really combined to make this a fun, sweet watch. So yes, I'd recommend, but don't go into expecting quality, or consistency, but it is sweet, light, and fun. Just a little treat to balance out the darker things in the world if you need distraction.

[tomorrowsdrama]

I love how Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan aren’t shy around each other physically. They were married for 20 years after all, even if they were essentially separated for a majority of that marriage.

===

Oh Li Chuan, your sister stayed out all night with a man and the thing you’re most worried about is a kiss?

===

Omg empress mother. Why are you so dumb?

===

Ooh Li Rong correcting herself and changing “mother” to “Your highness” was so pointed.

===

“Mother, you’re not cut out to be a politician.” Oh. My. God. I love her.

“All I need is for you to truly be my mother.” Omg.

“I just need for me and Chuan to be safe.” Biiiiiiiiitch, you do know you also have a daughter right? Awful stupid woman.

===

God Zhang Linghe has such perfect lips. It’s enough to make a girl jealous. Pretty boy indeed.

[gege]

seeing you s creaming about zhang linghe now that mysterious lotus casebook is over

I get this call out I really do but from one man hoarder to another please I need to stay fed! 😭