Story of country bumpkin Lin Dong (Yang Yang) who starts out being looked down upon by other members of his clan. Driven by his desire to protect his father and younger sister, he strives to better his lot and ends up saving the world.
This drama involving talismans, heroes and yi-demons is intriguing and has the makings of an epic but is bogged down by a confusing script and not too good acting. Neither of the female leads has good chemistry with Lin Dong. Ling Qingzhu (Wang Likun) is bland, always frowning and a bit too old for him. Ying Huanhuan (Zhang Tian'ai) is gratingly noisy and bratty. In addition, Lin Dong's adopted sister, Lin Qingtan (Dong Qing), is too weepy for my taste. It doesn't help that she is not a believable crier. I kept wondering whether the cast got an order from the director to overact. Actually, I've noticed this kind of acting in other cdramas as well so I'm now wondering whether this is normal in China.
The acting becomes more polished in Season 2 (episodes 41 to 60). And perhaps because I'm now familiar with the characters and settings, I was able to follow the story better. The build-up to the end is suspenseful.
I like the emphasis on what makes a hero - it's not about garnering respect and admiration but doing what's best for the community.
This drama involving talismans, heroes and yi-demons is intriguing and has the makings of an epic but is bogged down by a confusing script and not too good acting. Neither of the female leads has good chemistry with Lin Dong. Ling Qingzhu (Wang Likun) is bland, always frowning and a bit too old for him. Ying Huanhuan (Zhang Tian'ai) is gratingly noisy and bratty. In addition, Lin Dong's adopted sister, Lin Qingtan (Dong Qing), is too weepy for my taste. It doesn't help that she is not a believable crier. I kept wondering whether the cast got an order from the director to overact. Actually, I've noticed this kind of acting in other cdramas as well so I'm now wondering whether this is normal in China.
The acting becomes more polished in Season 2 (episodes 41 to 60). And perhaps because I'm now familiar with the characters and settings, I was able to follow the story better. The build-up to the end is suspenseful.
I like the emphasis on what makes a hero - it's not about garnering respect and admiration but doing what's best for the community.