Tangren Announcement Throws Casting of Da Mo Yao into Confusion

Sorry guys, I’m so pissed off right now I’m actually shaking from anger. I might be putting my Da Mo Yao translations on temporary hiatus, despite the fact that the next few chapters are the most exhilarating things I’ve read in years and have had the pleasure of translating. I can’t think straight right now because Tangren has decided to play coy and mind screw with me and every single DMY fan out there. Despite the fact that for months now they have been leaking tidbits here and there that Hu Ge was confirmed as Huo Qu Bing, and everyone pretty much knew Liu Shi Shi would be Jin Yu, today’s official weibo release on the DMY official weibo channel almost made me spit up blood. They have confirmed Hu Ge and Liu Shi Shi pairing up for this drama, but refuse to divulge the name of the other male lead. What’s worse, they say that the characters the two male leads will be playing still remain under wraps. W!T!F! *giving TR the giant middle finger* Word from various rumors and leaks are that Eddie Peng is the other male lead, which is leaving everyone and their mother’s worried that Hu Ge will end up playing Jiu Ye and Eddie will be Huo Qu Bing.

See the DMY official weibo, and then the official weibo for that insanely lame upcoming Xuen Yuan Jian decided to one up it by saying the male lead is a super big idol movie star. Male lead? Tangren refusing to confirm Hu Ge is Huo Qu Bing in the first weibo announcement? Methinks Eddie is getting to pick which of the two characters he wants first. This is always the same crap Tangren pulls, and the person normally screwed over in the past is my loverboy Yuan Hong, but since he got sick of their bullshit and left the agency, who knows if TR is going to abuse their own precious leading man now.

Seriously? You’re adorable, Eddie, and a damn fine young actor. But I started reading Da Mo Yao because GeShi was going to play the leads, and I cannot handle you coming in and messing up my fantasies. I know there have been rumors in the past that Hu Ge actually wanted to play Jiu Ye (Buh? Baby, please don’t torture me like that), but honestly, he needs to play Huo Qu Bing at this point or I’ll give myself a hernia. So until the casting is finalized, I’m in no mood to translate anything. If the casting gets screwed up, I’ll probably break up with DMY rather than suffer through a trainwreck drama. I guess the only silver lining is that Hu Ge has NEVER EVER EVER played a second male lead in a TR drama. Or in pretty much any drama. I doubt TR will throw him under a bus at this stage in his career. Sigh, one can hope.

Hu Ge and Eddie (along were Peter Ho) were adorable as the Yang brothers. But hell no is Eddie playing Huo Qu Bing over Hu Ge. But then I can’t picture Eddie as Jiu Ye either. Ottoke, whatever shall happen with this drama adaptation? Sobs, I’m so so morose right now. Who knew a novel could get me this passionate about getting it done right as a drama. I need to curl up in a ball and hope this is just a really bad dream and the final casting comes out as GeShi as HuoYu and then all will be right in the dramaverse again.


Comments

Tangren Announcement Throws Casting of Da Mo Yao into Confusion — 144 Comments

  1. I’m fuming and pissed off and devastated right along with you! I REFUSE to accept Hu Ge as not HQB. W.T.F. Why do they keep torturing us like this?

    As least I always have your awesome posts to make me laugh, especially reaction comments like “spitting blood” and giving yourself a hernia.

    Let’s all hope Tangren will see sense and stop pissing off all the fans by screwing up the casting.

    • I don’t see Eddie as Huo Qu Bing either. I can definitely see He Ge as Huo Qu Bing though! (sigh)
      IF Huo Qu Bing isn’t gonna be the lead—Qu Bing, I’m not going to watch this drama when it comes out.

  2. Same here. 10 more days of waiting for the official cast list to come out. Fingers crossed for GeShiHuoYu. A very tedious job, to follow TangRen dramas. This is more stressful than following Bu Bu Jing Xin, since GeShi is involved this time.

  3. I have no ADSL in my new house (only crappy mobile broadband until next month) so no drama streaming for me. My only solace recently was reading your blog and daydreaming about Da Mo Yao and picturing the dream cast while reading it… *sobbing in the corner* Hopefully it would be ok in the end 🙁

  4. -_____________________________-
    I saw the news recently. I had the WTF face on the whole time. ^^””
    I’m not surprised though. It’s not the first time something like that comes up.
    and i LOVE LOVE Eddie to death. He was adorbs in SNYJJ and CP. but I doubt he’ll take over HG’s lead role. He’s pretty much always been 2nd lead w/ HG’s drama. The sun would really rise in the west if that is to be reversed.

      • I agree. In SNYJJ, he was mostly playful, but he had his moments of gravity, which he did rather very well. I cried the most during his qi lang storyline. But can he pull it off as HQB, with opposing partner LSS? I really don’t know.
        And I totally can’t see him as HY either. He would probably fit Li Gan best. But I doubt he would settle for THAT role.

      • @ v: I agree with you! LSS looks like a big sister opposite Eddie, whereas HG and LSS had crazy chemistry even when they were playing siblings in Chinese Paladin 3!

      • EXACTLY. Yu er is a female character to behold. BUT HQB is supposed to be a match for that, or even big a big character enough to subdue it. With the jie jie, didi vibe between the two… I’m not sure how they would portray the HQB-Yuer dynamics accurately. The only time I can recall the two being together is ssyjj and I dont remember any of their interactions.
        On the other hand, HG-LSS has been simmering since ages. That CP3 fauxcest thing was an example of that bursting potential. Aish.

      • @ v: Exactly as you say! The only time Eddie and LSS interacted in SNYJJ were as Big Sis/Lil Bro (LSS was Eddie’s sister in law). Even if we don’t count SNYJJ, they still don’t have the “strong man/strong woman” vibe that HQB/Jin Yu are all about…

      • LSS fits Yu er just right. She can be fierce more than delicate, and still retain that youthful fresh innocence and prettiness. As for HQB. Individually, I might be able to see Eddie play him. But as partner with LSS. It just can’t match up in my head. In a way, I still see him as “baby” Peng. ^^”” Especially opposite LSS, I find it hard to imagine him commanding authority over strong independently-willed Yu er.
        Just a few days before the announcement. TR better know what they are doing.

      • I agree. I think LSS will make a great Jin Yu too, especially having seen her in BBJX and Strange Hero Yi Zhi Mei. She played strong women in both those dramas and she did a wonderful job, so I was happy to hear that she will play Jin Yu.

        I think Hu Ge is an awesome actor and I really think he will make a great HQB, since he’s so good in all the “General” roles I’ve seen him play so far…

        Eddie is a great actor too, but IMHO he just doesn’t have that spark with LSS that Yuan Hong and Hu Ge has with her…

      • Lol. how did we end up replying to each other like this? ^^””

        I think LSS has proven that she’s more than just a pretty face and can actually display many kinds of charms and faces. She’s not perfect for all roles, but for JY, I think she’ll do great.

        I have a weak spot for Hu Ge so I can’t be objective on his acting. I think what he has that stands out is cheer appeal rather than just good acting. But then again, when he played guo jing, he proved that he has more than just charm as well. I have yet to see him play a role that requires as much aura as HQB but I think he can do it. As to why he would want to play meng9. WHY?

        Eddie is one of my favourite tw actors actually. He has that thing that touches you when he acts. But DMY relies on the electrifying chemistry between HuoYu especially. And that’s the problem here..

    • But that was before Eddie hit it huge on the big screen. LOVE, Hear Me, Lover’s Discourse, and let’s not forget getting nominated for a Golden Horse Best Actor for Jump Aishin!

      I can’t see Hu Ge taking the second male lead UNLESS he personally wants to play Jiu Ye. Either way, this is fucking with my mind big time. I need the final casting revealed ASAP.

      The worst thing is that Hu Ge is actually a very very suitable actor to play Jiu Ye. In all honesty, he might be better suited for Jiu Ye than even Huo Qu Bing. But I refuse to accept that. T____T

      • the only reason i would accept HuGe as JiuYe is if HQB ends up in YuanHong’s hands… but since that would be impossible… noooooooo….. Eddie is awesome.. but dear lord no… HQB he is not…

      • Call me stubborn, but even with all those reasons I will be heartbroken and devastated if Hu Ge ends up as 9Ye and not HQB… *SOB*

      • Sigh. You’re right. Eddie IS big now, with successive movies. Frankly, it was about time. Can’t remember the last time he did a drama. Think it was that Concerto thingy way back then. For him to consider going back to dramas… he must probably get the lead role. But him as HQB instead of HG?? ANDWAE!!!
        After thinking all this time we’ll get a LSS x HG finally… and you’re right. Tbh, I can’t imagine a perfect HQB. I can imagine HG and several others playing JY. But still, in my head for so long, HQB = HG now. T_T
        TR needs to stop messing with us. It’s chaos in the forums right now.

      • AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! I WAS SO SET that Huge is going to play Huo Qu Bing!!!! NOoooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS! As much as I think eddie is adorable, I cant see him in da mo yao. I think its a huge mistake to bring him into this drama. Hes just not a jiu ye or huo qu bing!!!!

      • Haha, every single related forum has gone insane. Which is rather amusing, but oh so painful to see. GeShi, DMY drama, and of course, HuGe’s own Peppers have vowed to destroy Ladyboss if she throws him under a bus to land Eddie.

        I’ve heard the weibo posts for the official confirmation have been a slew of GeShi as HuoYu demands.

      • Hu Ge’s “Hu” is the same character in the word Pepper (Hu Jiao) so his fans call themselves the Peppers. Liu Shi Shi’s fans are the Little Lions (Xiao Shi Zhi), and Yuan Hong fans are the Red Beans (Hong Dou).

      • Everyone is trying to figure what’s going on now and are all in the ups.
        Hopefully, IF they were even considering a switch of roles, the reaction will make them consider it back. Haha. I saw the Peppers’ threads. You don’t mess around with them.

        I’ve logged in to my weibo for the first time in a long time and yes… it’s flooded with geshi advocates. I think eddie being thrown in was so random everybody pretty much are going WTH right now.

      • Maybe TR’s just doing all this to stir things up among fans and forums… I mean, if this is the reaction before the drama’s even started filming, can you imagine what it’ll be like once the show hits the road?

      • Hu Ge’s “Hu” is the same character in the word Pepper (Hu Jiao) so his fans call themselves the Peppers. Liu Shi Shi’s fans are the Little Lions (Xiao Shi Zhi), and Yuan Hong fans are the Red Beans (Hong Dou).

        Wow, that’s really clever (and cute)! Thanks for explaining it to me! 😀

      • I always see Hu Ge as Jiu Ye.. but after i saw your pictures with your translation.. then i think that he could be HQB… i am not familiar with EP and I have my mind set on HG to be HQB.. so i might be disappointed if HG is not… but then again if HG ending up to be JY and nail it.. isn’t it a good thing too as long as the role is memorable… 2nd lead might not be a bad thing…

        funny to see Peter Ho in this post.. i always think who will be cast as Yi Zhi Xie.. and I thought Peter makes a good YZX… but it might be too small of role for Peter to take it… just thinking out laud…

        at this point… i think i should not think about any casting until the casting list come out… i have been waiting for it.

    • Hahaha LOL you said exactly what I was thinking about the chemistry being the biggest problem (we must be replying to each other at the same time because I just said this in replying to your comment further down the page). Even if the actors are great by themselves, they need to have good chemistry together to do HQB/Jin Yu’s story justice, and the romance is the biggest part of the DMY story.

      I find Hu Ge to be naturally charming and wonderful to watch on screen. He’s very good at the carefree and cheerful good guy roles, but the first time I actually saw him was as the “villain” in the Butterfly Lovers 2008 movie (before I saw any of his dramas), so when I saw him in the good guy roles later, I was really surprised by how different he was…

      Eddie is just so adorable I can’t help but like him too! The biggest problem I have with Eddie being HQB is that I don’t think he has enough chemistry with LSS (who’s confirmed as Jin Yu), which can potentially spoil the DMY drama for me…

      • lol. are you a peter ho fan? you seem to be watching his works. Ironically, the very first thing that comes up to my mind for Peter ho is not is his more recent works, but his crouching tiger, hidden dragon drama. I can still hum the theme song even after all these years. ^^” That drama was stayed in my memory for a long time for some reason. The chemistry was insane in that… If TR DMY manages to come close to that in terms of chemistry, I would be one happy girl. CTHD is also the drama I remember the female lead by although she later played Mu nian ci in a LOCH ZJZ adaptation.

        Yes. Hu Ge plays the playful charmer best. ^^ But like you said, he can pull off other roles too, like upright slow guo jing or in TWFX (both with ariel <3), or the villain, like you said. He can play serious too.

        Sigh. I really REALLY don't want DMY to be ruined. And TR most of the time are good with casting. I hope they are this time as well.

        And I've got to go now. Already stayed longer than I should. Lovely talking to you. 🙂

      • Yes I’m a Peter Ho fan too! He’s an awesome actor and he sings beautifully! I saw him in various dramas but I think he really shone in SNYJJ, Butterfly Lovers (series), and Three Kingdoms. Which is why I’m really looking forward to Legend of Chu-Han too!

        TWFX is one of the old favorites! Hu Ge and Ariel Lin are wonderful actors and their chemistry is amazing! Which is why I really liked Condor Heroes 2008 (even with all the Yang Kang story changes). They were brilliant as Guo Jing and Huang Rong. Oh and Yuan Hong and LSS were in that series too so it was great! Ouyang Ke totally stole the show in that one too…

        Yeah I’m really shocked about this DMY casting news too. Because I thought TR casted well in the past too. Let’s hope it’ll all work out well in the end… I’m hoping that TR is just trying to stir things up with fans to create buzz for the DMY drama…

        It’s wonderful to talk to you too! Good night! 😀

  5. *hugs Koala* Ah…I’m so sorry. This is indeed craziness and I don’t even know Eddie Peng but I’m already against him messing up my mental image of ShiGe as HQB and Yu Er. Just nooooo.

    Well, unless Yuan Hong is HQB and Hu Ge will play Jie Yu..I can probs live with that. Haha! *silly grin*

  6. omg ms. koala i am totally with you on this. ive been nonstop reading ur dmy posts and i love them. please dont be discouraged!! i love these chapter translations so much and so do most of your fans. Hu Ge has to be the lead or else i will cry with you!! that first picture <3 they are so beautiful together. i wish my chinese reading skills were better so that if u do stop translating i could read it for myself. #desperate!!

  7. Man…i know how you feel. !! i dont know much about Taiwanese actors but having seen that adorable guy as Huo Qu Bing on your posts, i really cant imagine anyone else being him either. Well…one can only hope that the face i have come to associate Huo Qu Bing with stays as HQB. Else….i’ll need to burn my braincells. The thought of watching DMY crossed my mind whilst reading your posts but if they change the actors, i will bid them fare-thee-well too.

    Hang in there, girl. I will pray for Huo Qu Bing to be THE Huo Qu Bing we have all come to love and spazz about on your posts! Sticks and stones will break my bones, but i will never let them touch my Xiao Huo Express!! Hwaitaeng, Koala~chan!

  8. seriously… WTF… how could they?! even though i never followed the BBJX casting debacle live like this, i’ve heard enough to be seriously worried about this last minute shitzz from TR again..

    i was loafing around weibo last night and even though rumours were floating around about EddiePeng, the word or rather vibe that i got was that, nah, HG was alr confirmed to be HQB and Eddie, since he would totally be miscast as JiuYe (hello baby-face chubs with buns of steel, JiuYe you are not), would probably be another of the other characters like LiGan with TR beefing up that character like they did with 13th’s in BBJX…but now THIS sounds serious… please please please TR, pls don’t eff this up! i havent fallen so fast and hard for a novel in years that this… THIS has to be done right.

    Let’s all hold hands and sit in a circle and hope to the high heavens that they don’t mess with LSS and HG as Yu-er and HuoQuBing… goshhh.. from initially doubting that HuGe will fit the HQB character, to totally having faith in him to do justice with the role.. and then relishing the chance to see him and SS turn on the chemistry even though i’m totally on the HongShi ship…. noooooo youuu can’tttt doooo thissss to meee nowwwwww….

  9. Please don’t stop translating Da Mo yao , huhuhuhu !!!!!! We can still imagine Liu Shi shi and Huge as Yu Jin and HQB in the novel for the time-being , can’t we ? onegaishimasu!!! chaebal !!!!

  10. Oh hell, more mind screwing coming up. The official weibo for the Hendian Entertainment channel has HG playing HQB (along with what we all know, Wallace Huo declining DMY to toddle off and be Yumama’s revisionist Linghu Chong). This better be true, Hendian Entertainment Channel, or else imma have words with you!

  11. Omg I was always waiting for geshi shipping are they freaking serious?! Feel better ms koala I think they won’t do that to hu ge! And I heard the Karen is a supporter of geshi. Im going to pray now. It’s torture…

    • I would totally participate I been imagining hu ge as huo qu bing the entire time he fits perfectly and I was so looking forward to geshi sighs….

  12. YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    that’s to both Hu Ge not being confirmed and possible won’t be HQB and also to you not translating any more chapters!! TToTT

  13. hey.. have anyone though maybe maybe it will bet Peter Ho??????
    he would make a good Jiu Ye…. I don’t think that Eddie will be in it.. but somehow I think that Peter Ho will be in it…
    BTW… MsKoala.. please please do not stop your translation of DMY… you going to kill a lots of your follower if you do that…. do you know that refresh your web site second just waiting for you to update your translation.. if you stop you will kill us…
    so please… please do not kill us fan…..

    • Er….. no. Peter’s currently filming the epic Chu-Han Contention playing Xiang Yu with incomparable Chen Dao Ming as Liu Bang. Plus Eddie’s been leaked left and right for the last few days for DMY. It’s him. It’s just which guy is playing which character.

      • Yeah that’s what I thought. Legend of Chu-Han looks totally awesome 🙂

        Fingers crossed that HG will still be playing HQB!!!

  14. I’m really worried that Hu Ge actually wants to play t9ye because Hu Ge wanting to play 9ye is the only scenario I can think of in which Tangren would let Hu Ge to take on a 2nd male lead role.
    9ye is a good character and I can see his appeal, but the only C-actor I can imagine as HQB is Hu Ge!!

    • If I remember correctly, HuGe’s character in XYS was supposedly the second lead but TangRen placed it as main lead because it’s, well, Hu Ge… So I’m crossing my fingers, Hu Ge will still be the main lead… 🙂

      • My intuition tells me they (TangRen) will clear things up in 10 days time… not anytime soon though. After all, Da Mo Yao has been getting a lot of attention because of this confusion.

  15. NOOOOOOOO….

    i dun want Eddie Peng as HQB.
    He’s not fit in that role.

    I have been imagined Hu Ge as HQB and Wallace as Jiu Ye.
    I cant imagined anyone else if i read this translation, bcz i already have them in my mind and they play their roles…

  16. WTH. Now HongShi shippers are butting in and clamoring for a HongShi reunion as HuoYu. Say what?
    I think I need to get out of here or my head is starting to be a big mess. 😮

      • Yes… Exactly why I said “say what?” lol.
        But a few HongShi fans are zealous and overexcited. ^^””

    • Oh boy. I’m outta that mess. NOW people are starting to fight on who’s better with LSS. It’s no longer about who suits HQB. It’s getting personal about the actors now. -_-

      • I think Yuan Hong is a great actor and has wonderful chemistry with LSS. But I really doubt he’d be in DMY because of the filming schedules, so I agree with you. 🙂

      • Haha. Me too. Sticking to Ms. Koala playground. Feels like coming home after marching through battle. ^^”””
        I might have to butcher up some translations for my friend though. She never read any asian books before even though I tried to get her into it until I sent her emails of Ms. Koala’s translations and got her hooked. So being so addicted to this is a first to her. And now that she hears that Ms. Koala is no longer translating, she’s been bugging ME to do the translations. ^^””” as if I was qualified. Oh hell. TR and it’s internal drama…
        and yes, YuanHong is awesome. I can totally see him play HQB. But like you said, he’s out.

      • Well if you do translate the rest of the chapters you have my support for it too! 😀 Translation is so much hard work. I have so much respect for people who take it on! 🙂

        Yuan Hong was brilliant as General Yelu Xie in SNYJJ. And he has awesome chemistry with LSS. If it were YH (HQB)/HG (9Ye)/LSS (Jin Yu), I’d still be OK with it. But YH isn’t in DMY so that combination is out.

      • Haha. Well if I translate, it probably won’t be the rest of the chapters.. Just until Ms. Koala comes back. Hopefully, I won’t have to translate at all. One, I don’t master chinese at all. If anything, I understand Japanese more. ^^”” and second, my english is nowhere as masterful and vivid as Ms. Koala.

        Yuan Hong stole the show in snyjj. Even though I was a yang jia supporter all the way, and wanted the liao defeated, i ended up supporting him over wu lang by the end of the drama. lol. and his chemistry with lss no longer needs to be proven.

        The thing is Eddie is actually older than LSS. At least if I remember right from my days stanning him. lol. But he has such a boy’s face, a bit like how jimmy lin is always young, that it doesn’t really matter. lol. If he had to pair with anyone, pairing him with the actress who played qi niang again would have been perfect. lol. Anw. the whole issue here is we have been made to visualise LSS with HG the whole time so why creating doubt now? lol. Even the people on dramawiki were hasty and edited HG and LSS as the leads. ^^””

      • Wow Eddie is actually older than LSS??? OMG I totally didn’t know until you said. But yes, Eddie has baby face like Jimmy Lin does (who amazes me with how young he looks even now … what wonderful genes he has).

        I was totally shipping Yelu Xie with Guan Hong the whole time in SNYJJ. Yuan Hong totally stole the show in that one! 😀

        My Chinese is really elementary. It’s often frustrating because there’s so much stuff I want to read but I’m limited by my lack of skills. 🙁 Dramas are wonderful because when they show the story onscreen I can follow it much more easily than trying to read the book. Thank God for Ms Koala’s and anyone else’s translations! 😀

      • I’ve just checked on what I said and yes. I remembered right. LSS is an 87’er like Liu Yi Fei (that’s how I remember it. lol), and Eddie is an 82’er.

        Damn those baby faces. Forever killing me. I used to have this huge HUGE crush on jimmy lin back when he was still singing. lol. His role as duan yu was awesome too.

        My Chinese is elementary too. I actually haven’t read any chinese for a long long time until DMY so i forgot a lot too. Going through both DMY books was just done due to pure love of the novel. And my oral chinese is even worse than my writing (or many not anymore, I dont know) but like you, I’d much rather have translations and subs when I have the choice.

        ^^ I’ve gotta go.

  17. I’m gettin’ addicted by DMY because of you ms koala, and start imagine about Huge as HQB and LSS as YJ everytime i read your translation. So..can we make a petition for this. Tangren seriously burn my imagination.
    Vote Huge for HQB!!..

  18. Am I the only one who would love to see Eddie as HQB? I last saw Eddie In the movie Love Love You and I can totally see him channeling HQB! I mean those pics above are when he was younger, now he has gotten older and tanner so looks-wise I think he would look more compatible with LSS. HG in my opinion looks older/wiser and paler so he would suits the role JY more… I would still watch it regardless of who the male lead is as long as LSS is in it lol

    • I actually think like you that Eddie could pull off HQB. And looks-wise… maybe, maybe not he would match up with LSS. But chemistry-wise, I’m really doubtful to be honest.

      • I think you make good points. 🙂

        Considering much of DMY centers on the relationship between HQB/Jin Yu, even if the actors can pull off the role by themselves, if they don’t have chemistry between them then it’s a bit hard to do the story justice in the drama adaptation…

    • I think we’re in the minority here, because as much as I like HuGe, I could see Eddie’s potential in playing HQB. I think he could pull off the “cold” aura, and at the same time be very sweet and teasingly with JinYu.
      In fact, I’ve been quite iffy with the casting of HuGe as HQB. Instead, I feel that HuGe’s more suitable for Jiu Ye. I could see him being the sweet, noble idiot character.

      On the other hand, it would be such a pity if Ms. Koala stops translating… think of all the things we will miss in the novel that won’t be translated onto the drama. 🙁

  19. I’m torn! I love Eddie but I haven’t been able to picture him as HQB or Jiu Ye! But he’s seriously hot in the movie world and way more popular than HG, plus this is going to be his first TV drama in a long time. So I can’t see him as anything other than Guy1 or equivalent.

    • I concur. I like Eddie a lot, but can’t see him as either. But then again, why would he return to dramas as a second lead when he’s so huge?

  20. Sigh, turns out translating actually calms me down so I’ll keep going because I love this novel so, but this lurchy feeling in my belly makes me sad. 🙁

    • Awww… I’m sad about this casting news too! 🙁

      I’m really happy to hear that you’ll keep translating for us. 🙂 Thanks always for the translations and the DMY news! 😀

    • Yay!!! BANZAI!!!

      I don’t hug koalas everyday but I’ll make an exception today. ^^

      And don’t be too sad. I believe everything will end up right. It’s out of our hands right now. Think of the good things. Like that LSS is already set as casting. And that both candidates know how to act. And that Hu Ge will more likely than not be the lead.

    • awww…don’t be sad. i am confident that it will turn out great in the end. a story this good will attract positive vibes and passionate responses from everyone.

      ganbatte kudasai, koala! aja aja! 😀

    • Thank you for continuing!!! I was about to faint!!!

      But why are they doing this??… this is pure torture! I have never followed c/tw dramas. So I didn’t know HuGe or LSS, but they ARE HQB & JY for me! They look like they have sizzling chemistry even in the pictures you post up!

      This is horrible. 🙁 I am so in love with this novel especially through your amazing translations. I hate the production team for doing this.

      • THIS.

        I’m totally invested in Koala’s vision of the leads that my first reaction after reading this news was confusion and heart ache.

    • Ohhhh, THANK YOU.

      Does HAPPY dance because she can finish reading this wonderful novel!!!!!!

      Psst, try some antacid for the tummy. 🙂

    • Ms. Koala, I’m SO relieved to hear you say you’ll keep translating the rest of DMY! As another reader said, it makes the casting news easier to swallow. I didn’t want to bug you, because you need to translate because you want to, not because of us. Thank you!

    • Dear Ms. Koala,

      I just started to read these chapters (and of course ended up devouring it in a marathon). I can only imagine the frustration of this… “news” (kinda comparable with Skip Beat… they were dragging it sooo much that i have lost my interest for that one for long, good thing they came up with luring casting to recapture many’s attention). I am not familiar with these Chinese actors, but i’m hoping that the final casting will turn out for the better (and that it will not end up without Hu Ge or Liu Shi Shi, you have been raving about…. or adding bad casts who ruins awesome scenes like in MoonSun…. sigh TT-TT)

      At this point, I am really REALLY grateful that you decided to continue the translation. I simply cannot leave this one behind without knowing how this story is going to continue… it’s been soooo GOOD so far~! Otherwise i will have to regret not listening to my parents enough when they told me to learn Chinese… since it’s very unlikely that i’ll be able to read and understand these chapters in its original language… -____-

      anywho, hope that lurchy feeling in your belly will go away… and again: yeaaay and thnQ thnQ for continuing to post chapters \(¤^o^¤)/

  21. ok now that i’ve calmed down abit, let me try and put this in perspective…

    eddie would make a decent HQB if his recent roles are anything to go by… HuGe would be great too…. the crux of this matter is not who can play HQB better individually.. but who has better chemistry with our female lead LSS… and eddie and LSS are just untested while HuGe and LSS already have an army of fans anticipating their coupling on screen for yearssss..

    it is true that eddie has been getting accolades for his movie work lately and he IS an actor with immense charisma.. but ahhhhh…. TR why make us hopeful than crash us down to earth again.. I cannot imagine Eddie as JiuYe that’s for sure, unless he wants to try an entirely diff type of role that involves lots of internal angst… and i’ve got my heart set on HG as HQB.. so does it mean i can only hope that this is but a rumour?

    sighh. it looks bleak indeed for ShiGe hopes if past TR political manouevres are taken into account…. now that Lao-Yuan is out of TR, they’ve decided that they can mess around with HG too?!

    Koala-unnie! pls take all the time you need to calm down but don’t give up entirely on DMY translations please? if we’re all ever gonna get the HQB we love done justice, we can only depend on the power of the pen….

  22. NOOOOOO!
    Da*n! If TR really cast HG as 9Ye and Eddie as HQB, I’ll be really devastated I won’t watch the drama no matter how much I adore LSS..
    I’ve just finished reading (and listening) DMY, with GeShi’s face in my mind everytime I read about HuoYu.. So, seeing other people playing precious HQB is like a disaster.. T_T
    Fingers crossed that TR won’t ruined this book for me..

  23. dear lord!! I dont know anymore!
    I love Eddie, he’s adorable and got great acting chops, and honestly, I can pictured him as HQB.. sort of.. but he as HQB opposite LSS’s Yue’ er? its just sounds weird..
    I have a hard time to settle my heart at the fact HG will be HQB, not my lover boy Yuan Hong. I’m a avid YH-LSS fan, and honestly, couldn’t catch what so great about HG- until recently- and its because of HQB character that I manage to like HG.. becoz I thought HG as HQB is a set.
    now.. Eddie.. I simply couldn’t picture him as Jiu Ye. its just a no-no. OTOH, HG will be great as JY..
    ah, molla!! I dont care who’s who, just give me the damn cast already!!!

  24. He is adorable, and 5 years older than Liu Shi Shi, but…I don’t think he goes with Da Mo Yao at all, no matter as what character. Anyway, fingers crossed that everything will turn out all right!

    Thank you so much, Miss Koala! ^^

  25. Why am I not surprised to read this at all? Sigh…
    The C-forum fans have been grumbling for weeks abt TR’s delay in announcing the official lineup. With everyone on the edge, TR’s ladyboss has successfully drummed up enough interest for the upcoming DMY. Though IMO, pissing the fans off seem like a funny marketing ploy. Also, I hate to say this but another name has been mentioned by some sleuthing C-fans as a possibility of playing HQB: Chen Kun. No idea how much truth there is to it as nothing is confirmed yet but he seems like a better choice than Eddie to me..

    • Oh I LOVE Chen Kun. And I think he’d be perfect as HQB….actually I also feel that Huge is more suited to be 9ye….but all these days staring at Huge’s pictures made me think he might actually pull it off….Furthermore, Chen Kun is already a megastar….

      As for chemistry, I do think it’s too early to tell, but GeShi having solid chemistry can do no harm as JY and 9ye….I mean they do love each other as well in the book…and it would lend credence to a solid love triangle.

      I’ve been watching their old dramas lately…just completed Strange Hero Yi Zhi Mei (Vigilantes in mask) which convinces me that Shishi will be good as JY…just have to make sure she “howls” well….LOL. Now I’m watching LOCH for a dose of Huge…His new drama XYJ is not that appetizing…

  26. I’m glad that I haven’t read the novel yet.. so I’m not having a hard time here. I still remember back in the BBJX days, K-ba convinced everyone that Wallace Chung would be playing 8th. So fans went insane after the official announcement.. And the outcome tells us the truth.. I still have confidence in TR.

  27. I wanna mourn with you ms koala..huhuhu..
    and I wanna mourn even more knowing that you won’ t be doing the translation anymore.

    How am I going to motivate myself from living? :(((…I won’t be eating anymore..Hunger strike it is. Oh my God! I need to feed my cheekbones, everyone will wonder am no longer the chubby cheeks I’m used to be..waaaaaa…
    please reconsider…

  28. I didn’t quite finish reading all d comments – I was too afraid to comment but somewhere there I think I saw you admitting dat Hu Ge is very suitable to play Jiu Ye – dat precisely eat I had in mind – I mean I don’t know and haven’t watched any of his drama so i am solely judging based on photo expressions dat u posted – apart from 1 photo the rest of them tell me he IS jiu Ye – I am sooo sorry please don’t bash me – but the look on his eyes are mellow or rather sad and he has this calmness in his demeanor and soft side dat I can’t in all honesty picture him as xiao huo becos he isn’t playful enough, cheeky enough – he doesnt hv dat mischievous eyes …
    With dat Eddie guy – I haven’t seen him either but he does have the cheekiness n bratty expression – the problem is he’s too young for LSS …
    I hope mrs Koala won’t abandon this much love & addictive DMY – I am devastated … I am hoping HuShi gets together for the sake of the continuation of this much beloved novel … So Koala unnie, Mei Li de jie jie, hopefully you will recover from yr shock n anger soon … And continue to translate this beautiful art work ….
    Thks a million again ….

    • Eddie is definitely not too young for LSS. In fact, Eddie is older than both Yuan Hong and Hu Ge by months. Eddie’s born on 24 March 1982, Yuan Hong is born on 23 August 1982, and Hu Ge is born on 20 September 1982.

      LSS is born on 10 March 1987.

  29. i dont follow c-ent much but is it consider their normal tactic? why cant they just confirm the cast and start promotion with it rather than changing it all over the place and get fans upset. if this is consider typical buzz -maker strategy then it really is in bad taste

  30. I’m SO sorry I do not know any of the male C-stars to commisserate with you sis, BUT you seriously cannot stop translating this novel at this juncture. Get over this news and let’s keep this train chugging along. 🙂

  31. i refuse to watch this unless Hu Ge plays HQB! anyone else as HQB would just kill this for me, especially since i read the entire novel picturing Hu Ge as him…..sob sob**
    Does Tong Hua have any say in the casting? Don’t know why but i keep thinking Baron Chen or Dylan Kuo will make a good Jiu Ye @@”

  32. let’s DO something! start a petition? leave hundreds of comments somewhere? anything, as long as they’re tog & i dont have to type in chinese.. hell. i’d even do it if it comes to that -_-”’

  33. Comments from one of Huge’s fan from Baidu:
    首先 我和大部分人一样 都不希望 老胡 接大漠
    First of all, like the majority of people ( i assume his fans) I dont want Huge to take on the Da Mo Yao’s project.
    其次 老胡早前在某采访里 已经 爆料了 自己下部作品会参与 大漠
    However, Huge has earlier confirmed that his next project will be Da Mo Yao in an interview.
    那么 粉丝在说什么 不要接 反对什么的话 已经是浮云了
    So, it doesnt matter whether his fans object or cant accept it because he has already accepted it.
    既然他接了 我就关注关注这部戏剧 哪怕是主演或客串 之类的
    Because Huge is going to be in this drama, it will be under my radar even if hes going to be minor role in it.

    入正题 胡歌自己也说过 喜欢尝试没演过的角色 想突破 不想重复以往的角色类型
    Back to the main point. Huge has mentioned before he would like to try roles he hasnt tried before. He wants a breakthrough for himself and not repeat his past roles.
    霍去病 对胡歌来说 没什么难度 没什么新鲜感 没挑战 对演技没帮助 只会重复
    HCB to Huge will not be a new challenge.
    想反 九爷 是胡歌没演过的类型 瘸子 坐轮椅 悲催型
    On the oppose, JY will be a role that Huge has not attempted before. A tragic, sad persona.
    最重要的是 我胡自爆喜欢演悲剧人物
    Most importantly, I love tragic characters

    不管胡歌演谁 反正不是 霍去病 等官方正式公布演员名单后 假如我说错的话 自我禁言3个月 6月份以前不在发言 以此帖为证
    It doesnt matter who Huge is going to play in DaMoYao, its definitely not going to be HCB. If Im wrong, Im going to ban myself from writing for 3 months.
    ————————————————————————————————————-

    o.k I have cool down alittle.. maybe Huge will be a good Jiuye. But I]d prefer Yuan hong heaps and beyond to be HCB opp LSS. i think its going to take me alot more time to accept Eddie playing that role……..
    I cant believe how emotionally invested I am in this. Da Mo Yao is the first complete chinese novel I have read in my life ( even though i have studied chinese for 12 years!!) It made me fall in love with everything chinese for the first time. The history, the beauty of the language, the culture. I cant draw myself away from the characters, the story. It is the best romantic literature I have read for at least more then a decade and is truely exhilarating as what koala said. Everything about it.

    Pls, pls dont let me down!!!

    • I agree with you. Even though playing the character of Jiu Ye is going to be like overcoming a challenge/playing something he’s never done, Hu Ge was BORN to play HQB! Why deny fate, Hu Ge? You have plenty of other chances to prove yourself!

      • Even though playing the character of Jiu Ye is going to be like overcoming a challenge/playing something he’s never done, Hu Ge was BORN to play HQB! Why deny fate, Hu Ge? You have plenty of other chances to prove yourself!

        THIS. A millions times THIS!!!

        Fate indeed!

    • HAVE YOU SEEN EDDIE PLAY HQB AND HU GE PLAY JIU YE? THESE TWO ARE EXTREMELY FITTED FOR THEIR ROLES OMG. THERE IS NO OTHER HQB BUT EDDIE PENG!!His passionate and intense eyes and adorable expressions are perfect for HQB in the drama!!!!

  34. Don’t you think the actors look a bit too young to have that gravitas of respectability and seriousness? And too thin? Shouldn’t older actors be considered for the sake of believability of in terms of being hard and harsh and that sort? I look at the proposed new actor and I see like a little kid.

    • The characters are young in the book. JinYu met HQB and JiuYe as a teenager, and HQB had great successes on the battlefield in his late teens and early 20s. According to Wikipedia, HQB died when he was 24. But yeah, EP is not how I envisioned HQB.

  35. *huggggggggggg*

    and *sighhhh* Eddie as Huo does make business sense though, I’m still holding out hope this is one freaking sick joke b8tchbaus is playing as usual. I’m most worried now that HG has dibs in TR, I think he’s perfectly fine with 9Ye, being a businessman before an inspired actor if they can lock a ‘bigger’ name for generating revenue. Afterall, majority of the little lions and the peppers will still watch it no matter what, but this opens new potential nonTRcentric pools of viewers. It’s too HUGE a stepback to go fr acclaimed movie lead actor to doing essentially a TR’s ‘thunderous’ idoldrama to the serious critics and I can’t see Eddie willing to bend so low being a guy2. He’s a worse fit as 9Ye than Huo. I will not give up hope he’s just cameo-ing. But then his name attached as a lead will give the drama a better selling price than Wallace, I think. They can claim all they want there r 2 male leads, but who r they kidding in DMY?! And for making $ out of it, they really need name recognition with the aunties, both HuGe and ShiShi r still not that well known outside CN, outside their fanbase. My aunties r still referring to BBJX as the Nicky/KC Cdrama, those r two shrewd and darn lucky BBJX casting.

    BUT I’m used to GeShi as HuoYu now. I’ll happily eat all the crows but no way they’ll knock my socks off with sexy chemistry, they’ll be decent, serviceable and I’ve made peace with it. I’m loyal to a fault and it’s still vivid in my mind when drama is not hyped up to this status in the TR pipeline, lightyears ago preBBJX, it had my forever DMY dreamcast. I can only see Loverboy as the perfect Huo and although I can see HG as Huo as well, I’ll compare in my head, and always be rightfully biased. It’s around that time HG was saying he wanted to be 9Ye the most, that stuck in my head and Shishi the sure bet as YuEr in a much littler harmless TR fanfic fare imo. It’ll be guaranteed cute and at least I’ll be totally entertained with it, along with cute huskies as wolvies, turdious CGs and all the usual TR flaws. I still can’t un-visualize the threesome eye-romancing every possible way. In other words, I’m not attached to the idea of HG must be HXB IF they can find a better fit. I’ve tried since reading the rumors, absolutely can’t see it physically with Eddie.

    • You know what pisses me off the most? That TR kept saying HG was HQB this entire time until after Wallace passed and they had to scramble for another lead. If HG has any care for his Peppers, he wouldn’t take 9Ye and make everyone suffer. I’m not even a Pepper and I’m already hurting with these shenanigans. Now I know how the Red Beans must’ve suffered for years. Ha, they would never let loverboy take DMY unless it was as HQB. If it was a Tangren three treasures cast of YH as HQB, LSS as JY and HG as 9Ye, I can totally get behind that. But I’ve been sold a crock of now bullshit that it would be HG as HQB (letting him sate his General lust in such a magnetic role), and now she’s pulling the rug out from under me? SO FUCKING NOT COOL.

      I can handle cute Huskies as wolves and turdious CGI and second rate costuming, the story itself would have been enough, but I seriously have a ulcer right now thinking about what happened yesterday. RAAAAAGGGGGEEEE.

      • *sigh* I wasn’t that bugged/excited with ANY TR casting anymore. You know I’m a bystanding red bean and have witnessed it since forever, she will write things for the world to read and totally deny its existence the second after with her brain eating amnesia. Had she also hinted on the orig TR trio in DMY?! How am I still allowed to have any rage in me?! to be surprised?!?! And what kind of moron will throw it out there just for tactless silly noise without a signed deal the CP3 reunion of HG/SS/Wallace and be shoved every word back the day after and all this following the other Wallace BBJX fiasco really not that long ago?!?! I have never taken ANY of her mouthfarts to heart since CtW. It’s almost to the predictability IF she ever uttered some shit be some sure bet, the earlier she pooped, the more likely it wont happen at hour 11:59. I was rolling my eyes ‘Oh crap here we go again’ totally expecting this level of WTFery fr her, nth ‘less’, with the Wallace thing and with HG and SS not saying one darn word confirming we can hear crickets chirping, even when rumormill is churning SS is no longer super sure in as YuEr. Will she drop SS first thing if she’s got a LYF?!?! betcha. She wanted to get the fandom Ragey, that’s her saving dimes in ad budget, or else why not shush the whole ‘mystery biggie movie idol leading man’ for another 10 days?!?! It makes business sense to have Eddie as HXB, but fr how predictable she’s ALWAYS, if he’s REALLY signed on dotted line, ink dried, she’ll be jumping up and down and opening her gob gushing sth so stupid every hour on the hour in an attempt to fake explain this is some most careful planning destined in her stars since Han and play the peppers like they r the retards in her head.

        I’ve lost respect and hope for HG since I’m seeing a JoeCheng in him. And he’s sadly regressed in anything I’ve seen him stretching out. 1911 is a lot of posing and nth much else. BUT I care about Eddie, and still hope he wont take it for his serious career’s sake. He’s crawled his way with tonnes of hard work and luck to get the serious accolades with that baby face of him and really u don’t go back to the drama business in a TR thingy if u have a place in movies in the C world. So different in the cases of Nicky/KC in their different stage of career and worth the risk for the payoff. I dun see how this will be a good move for Eddie in the long run even if he nails HXB/9Ye other than gaining several zeroes in bank acct. Look at all the followup great paying crap Nicky and KC r doing. Eddie has his fangirls, and he wont gain fan demography fr the core audience of DMY. And he’ll be stuck doing CN period crap he can’t refuse for a while after and wasting all these years of nudging into movies.

  36. Since I don’t know much about chinese/taiwanese actors other than the few I’ve watched in a drama here and there, I can’t argue with anyone about who would have chemistry with who, or who’s a good actor. My only wish for DMY is that it’s as well done as BBJX.. of course, that includes chemistry between the main actors, but I can’t judge until I watch it so I’m hanging back patiently…. and hoping you will continue translating DMY. ‘Cause there are many books I loved who have been screwed up on their movie/tv version but I still love them anyway.

  37. I agree… at this point, why don’t we put aside expectations and disappointments over who’s-going-to-play-what and just treasure the story, personalities and character as told and shared in the book? It’s a good piece nonetheless, regardless of how well or poor an adaptation it may turn out to be. Perhaps we can just be story-fans instead of drama-fans for now? … I empathise with the anguish and sentiments, okoala, I do… so I hope you’ll recover soon! 🙂

  38. Been a Hu Ge fan for about… 8 – 9 years now (I need to stop showing my age), and I have to say that to me, Hu Ge can pull off evil roles and good roles. For DMY, for the chapters I have read so far in English and Chinese, I think that he can actually pull off both roles pretty well. Jiu Ye will be the ‘Mr Nice Guy’, the typical 2nd male lead everyone loves but the main girl doesn’t get together with. He will be in the background and just being so perfect you wish you can have him to yourself (I always wanted Hu Ge to myself anyway *runs away*). As for HQB, he will be the one who captures your heart and just dazzle you to bits because he is manly, I adore it when Hu Ge dons the manly roles with huge male ego. It just makes him hot. So I guess, no matter what he plays, I may prefer him as HQB, but if he is Jiu Ye, he will still be equally love-able, just that I would hope that he gets the girl for maybe a few more times in series. Seriously, Hu Ge, how many times do you get the girl but it isn’t long lasting due to death or what ever? I have lost count…

    Eddie Peng… who has matured and grown manly, as HQB could actually work, even Peter Ho will work (the body is what will make it work darn well). But then, with Liu Shi Shi? The chemistry can be tested, but then, we didn’t all think LSS can be so darn sizzling with KC or Nicky Wu! That girl has the talent to be compatible with many of her co-stars 🙂 So maybe we shouldn’t loose too much hope just yet.

    But I still have issues with certain facial expressions of EP and PH which I won’t go into too much, it is just certain facial expressions are being very ‘them’ whilst not the character because it exists in many of their series. It is like as if they give you a glimpse of their past character when they use certain expression, but unlike Hu Ge (so biased) that you don’t see a hint of Li Xiao Yao in Xu Ran, especially when they act in opposite characters. Oh wells, I have to see… Have to see how things turn out. I do hope Hu Ge plays HQB, but if he doesn’t, then darn it and hope who ever is paired up with LSS will do a darn good job! But I guess Tang Ren hasn’t really let me down in their productions, the CGI gets me annoyed a LOT, but in terms of stories and everything and finding the characters to match well, it has done well so far. I can’t say good, I can say well.

    But then Hu Ge has his own ideas as to who he wants to play, what ever he plays, IF he chose to play it, then darn it I support him 🙂 I believe in Hu Ge’s choices, maybe not his fashion assistant but generally his choices and ideas are pretty good~ I am so awfully biased towards him, *sigh*

  39. dont get me wrong, i <3 eddie peng but but NOT as HQB please… my impression of him has always been the sad 2nd lead unfortunately so haaas.. can someone please enlighten us on how to voice our opinions on "weibo" or whats that even?

    plus, not that i want DMY's casting to be a second BBJX but comeon, KC & NW pretty much epitomised 8th & 4th prince so THATS all we're expecting right? a good fit for DMY's main characters at d very least.. LSS looks too darn much like EP noona -_-'''

    • Eddie Peng’s status is no longer “sad 2nd lead”. He is now a respected award-winning movie star after Jump Ashin and a very popular idol movie star after Love UU and LOVE. His star status is now way ahead of HG.

      Oops…sorry *sheepish grin* I’m now getting hyped for Eddie in DMY.

  40. Just joining the party about wanting Hu Ge as HQB.

    It’s going to be weird watching the drama with Hu Ge as not HQB, since I’ve been imagining his face as him ever since reading Ockoala’s chapter 1 (I know, HQB wasn’t even in chapter 1, but a drawing of him was).

  41. I am probably in the minority, but despite loving the notion of Hu Ge and LSS finally. Being paired up, I don’t mind if Eddie plays HQB. I adore him to bits. I, however, do not want Hu Ge playing second fiddle to anyone, and frankly cannot imagine him doing so at this stage in his career. Oh well, we shall see.

  42. I am a silent reader….and I have just been checking your website on a daily basis and I wanted to tell you A GREAT BIG THANKS FOR ALL THE RECAPS AND ESPECIALLY”DA MO YAO”…I’ve fallen in love with this book and I want to encourage you to keep it up!!! Its worth my time…checking this every single day!!!! THANKS .!!!! Hwaiting !!!!! 🙂 Whereas whether the leads will be casted or not…I’m all for HeShi ~!!!!!!

  43. Please continue your translation!!!!!!!!!! I’m crying right now because I have been waiting for the next chapter. I’m already invested with the couple. Why change now? Please, please, please 🙁

  44. Ms Koala, this is my first comment e.v.e.r on a blog! Just want to say a big thank you for all your posts and the beautiful translation of DMY. Without you I would never have the chance to read a Chinese novel. So please please continue to translate?

    As for the male lead, ever since the chapter where HQB kissed JY’s ear lobe in chapter 14 the scene with Huang Xiao Ming in Summer’s Desire as Luo Xi popped up where he playfully bit on Barbie Hsu’s ear….

    But Eddie Peng…..I just cannot imagining him as HQB, sorry….

  45. hrmm… after reading some of the comments.. I can not read all it is crazy 117 comments… I am not going to spcnet.tv for a while.. It will be more crazy there right.. I am behind of my chinese/taiwanese dramas.. Therefore, aja aja Fighting Koala unni for DMY novel translation!!! I hope the best for you all Huge shippers, etc to get what you want for DMY dramas. I hope that make sense. Just keep the spirit up and stay positive of this drama. I hope TR will not let you down…=)

  46. Ohmygoodness i am freaking out at work and I will seriously burst a blood cell if HG doesn’t end up as HQB.like you koala, I read the novel with GeShi in mind and I totally would be disappointed if that pairing were not to be true!!
    What the hell are they thinkin, Eddie is too much of a pretty boy to play HQB. He just doesn’t have the aura and presence to play him whereas HG does.
    Mann I’m seriously gonna cry of they screw us all over by switching everything

    • Lol. I don’t think Eddie is a pretty boy, more like a funny-boy instead. Hu Ge used to be a pretty boy but he has now matured into a man. He will do well as HQB. Although he has the perfect built to be JY – rather delicate-looking, and full of angst like in Shangrila (I mean the angst part), he would also be ideal as HQB. Seriously, I didn’t give a damn if LSS wasn’t in the show, now that she is in, it’s good but if Hu Ge has to play second lead to Eddie as HQB, I would rather not watch the show. Now if it was HXM, it’s a different matter as he has the charisma to pull off HQB.

  47. Honestly, I can’t really see either of them as HQB. Perhaps it’s because of the roles they’ve played before, but both HG and Eddie only give off cute vibes for me. I love Eddie (much more so than HG) but I can’t picture him in this drama. HG…I think will make a better JY instead. I fear that he doesn’t have the charisma or looks to pull of HQB. I’ve never been a fan of him in any of the dramas he’s been in, but maybe he’ll change my mind this time around. I’ll have really high expectations though, I must say, since HQB is such an amazing character.

    Yuan Hong as HQB, on the other hand, would really be a friggin dream come true! He was absolutely wonderful as Yelu Xie in Young Warriors and I’m sure he can also pull off HQB’s humorous and sarcastic side. His chemistry with LSS is also undeniable! Much more intense and real than HG and LSS imo. *Sigh*…if only…but I guess I’ll be ok with this as long as they don’t switch out LSS as JY. I can’t imagine anyone else playing JY.

    • Yuan Hong is the perfect choice for HQB, but it will never happen since he left TR and the ladyboss there hates YH. Anyway, if the role was ever offer to YH, I’m sure he would accept it in a heartbeat. The chance to act as a couple again with his SS, I’m sure he doesn’t mind.

      Eddie is a good actor, but him as HQB is so wrong. He doesn’t have that manly vibe, at least with HG I can see it somewhat with his new rough image nowadays. But Eddie… I hope this is just TR playing with the public, though I can’t see Eddie playing a second fiddle either.

  48. More than Hu Ge I would like to see Takeshi Kaneshiro as HQB. Nowhere my wish would come true, I know that 🙁
    Well seeing Hu Ge’s pictures accompany Ms Koalas post I have actually come to like him. So I am happy with Hu Ge! But no way I want Eddie Peng as any of the two characters. He just does not fit in…
    Hu Ge, fight for us!!!

  49. Ok – I haven’t really become invested in this yet to have a reaction. I will say that business -sense often can overrule what makes artistic sense. I thought that HG showed a lot of promise when he was younger… but now, I’m like – eh… he’s only ok to me. Eddie – well, I’ve seen him from the nobody kind of days to wow – what happened? His star status shot up a lot – just like Ethan’s did (in my mind). I’m not as up to do nor do I have as wide of a spread of knowledge of c-ent world than I do of the tw – ent world… but count me as one of the folks who think that Eddie should not accept a 2nd lead role. And frankly imo, JE isn’t that awesome of a role that it would flex anyone’s acting skills.

    Is TR just trying to make some publicity splash here? If so, it’s working 🙂

  50. Yipes, I’ve been imagining HG as HQB for the longest time now (well, since reading your translations) and not having him as the lead is gonna totally screw up my fantasies. I hope this is just rumor and that HG is confirmed as HQB. At this point, I really can’t imagine anyone else playing HQB’s character 🙁

  51. WHAT?! Why would Hu Ge be a second lead in a Tangren’s drama!? Are you crazzy TangreN?! WTF?! OMG…I like Eddie, but I want my original pairing….<

  52. i can’t help but wish YuanHong was HQB and HuGe was Jiu Ye… ever since seeing him as Yangkang and Liu ShiShi as Nianci, I’ve been shipping them like crazy! Plus, YH and HG have the perfect build/appearance to play those characters, and personally I think YH and LSS have better chemistry though I’m pretty biased. However, HG and LSS are also cute together, so that cast would be perfect! Sadly, this’ll never happen… 🙁

  53. Dear Koala,
    Thank you for introducing DMY! I just finished reading book 2 (my first ever Chinese novel!!!) and I have doubts that all the cute, sexy fun times will be shown on screen.

    Would it be spoilerish if I said I cried at most of the JY parts? TT_TT

  54. Nice translations, I’m enjoying the novel since it gives another viewpoint as compared to the drama series.

    But really, I dunno what’s the problem with the castings. I actually felt that the director had done it right.

    Maybe it’s because I watched the Series first before I read the novel. And maybe, it’s because I’m not familiar with Hu Ge and Eddie Peng. I’m new to Chinese dramas so I didn’t favor any of these actors when I started watching the series.

    I have to say this though, Tangren did such an amazing job with the series (Except for the CGIs, which is downright crappy). It’s actually my favorite wuxia at the moment, beating the Return of The Condor Heroes 2003, which is saying something, coz I love that series.

    The director made the right choice, and yeah I might be bashed about this since you’re all Hu Ge fans, but Eddie Peng is simply the perfect Wei Wu Ji or Huo Qu Bing. On the other hand, Hu Ge is also the perfect Jiu Ye. Same, Liu Shi Shi is also the perfect Xiao Yu.

    Basically, for me, Tangren made the right decision, coz this series had the perfect cast.

    Again, this is only my opinion, coz I have watched the series first before reading the novel. And also, before reading the comments, lol! 😀

    Maybe you guys should try watching it first before commenting on how bad it would be even BEFORE watching it?

    Cliche as it is, but you really shouldn’t judge the book by its cover.

    Anyways, thanks Koala! I really love the translations. Is there a chance that you will also translate the Return of the Condor Heroes?

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