My gripes towards the Da Mo Yao novel-to-drama adaptation and casting may seem quite fervent, but in truth its really just small fry. Tangren may make a lackluster DMY drama, but its nothing compared to the insanity Yu Zheng is cooking up for his drama adaptation of Smiling Proud Wanderer (also known as Laughing in the Wind, State of Divinity). In what is my favorite Louis Cha novel (nothing else comes close), which has now gone over a decade since the last drama adaptation, I was praying the latest iteration would be as stunning as the story deserved. Hearing Yumama got the rights, I already weeped tears of blood, but then came the casting.
I’ve known about this cast for over a month now, but Yumama just weibo’d his concept vision of the character stylings, so it’s time to share with everyone. Wallace Huo declined playing Jiu Ye in DMY to play Linghu Chong (such a no brainer choice, c’mon, it’s the best male lead EVER in wuxia-verse), Han Dong will be our resident pervert Tian Bo Guang, Yuan Shan Shan gets the coveted role of Ren Ying Ying, and in the most headdesking casting and sure-to-be-plot butchering, Chen Qiao En has been cast as Dong Fang Bu Bai. Yes, you all heard that right. And she’s the first female (male?) lead over Ren Ying Ying. I need to go lay down now.
The concept pictures show me that Yumama is going for his usual visual eye candy over anything remotely resembling authenticity. I can see Wallace rocking either the look on top, or the one right above. I prefer his character without the Taoist looking hat. C’mon, Linghu Chong is the eldest disciple of a swordsman sect. He needs to look more dashing and less the period version of suit and tie. This second look above is much better, though his bottom does look like a skort.
My super soft spot for Chen Qiao En has gradually been eroding over the years as she takes bad project after bad project and also never shows any acting growth since her Prince Turned into Frog days. For her to play Dong Fang Bu Bai is just ludicrous, for her career and for the story. If Yumama throws in anything even hinting at a love line between Linghu Chong and Dong Fang Bu Bai, I guarantee an entire fandom will be spitting up blood. And no, Swordsman II doesn’t count, that was just Bridgette Lin fan servicing going on with zero semblance to the story.
As for the rightful female lead character, I can’t stand Yuan Shan Shan, who to me is that deadly combination of can’t act and not pretty. She’s like Crystal Liu except without the looks. I could deal with Yuan Shan Shan playing Yue Ling Shan, but as Ren Ying Ying imma going to say NO. But then again, this means Yuan Shan Shan can’t be Yun Ge in the upcoming Yumama adaptation of Yun Zhong Ge. Such a Solomon’s choice for me, really.
Hang Dong is going to be wasted here, but he’s got charisma to pull it off. I’m kinda digging the look he’s going to be saddled with, the updated version of the sleazy hobo. I’m sure following along with this drama production will be a barrel full of laughs. If only I didn’t love the novel so much, then it wouldn’t hurt as bad. Le sigh.
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The concept looks good. Are the girls gonna be that bad? Is this another butchering? Should Wallace regret his decision because costume wise, the other one was really stunning.
And since there is a female as DFBB, my feeling is there is going to be some romantic line.
The only thing good about this series is Wallace playing my favorite character ever, LHC! So not digging that RYY though. And DFBB, he's got to be joking right? Even though DFBB didn't get a lot of screen time in the novel, he's nonetheless a fearsome figure. To have a lady play this role is just wrong!!
Unless that lady is Briggette Lin. She was fantabulous in Swordsman.
I'm actually not that big a fan of LHZ character because he's so wishy washy with his xiao shi mei . Urgh. But his devil may care swordsman attitude was great....esp once he starts falling for RYY.
lol that i totally did a double take at d weirdest casting for DFBB & RYY ever...
i seriously think even d singapore version was casted better xp
What hurt me the most is seeing a selca of LC and CQE happily bonding over dinner or whatnots as if this, ALL of it is FINE a while ago. It is exactly the moment the shiz settled in my mind this horror is undeniably happening, not YMM being more delusional. LC, whyyyyyy this whoring of ur baby....and ur soul?!!
I know my screams r unheard, and I suspect every time I swear or scream coz of YMM it'll probably be doing an involuntary demonic chuckle in its parallel universe.
I couldn't tolerate Chen QiaoEn for a few years now. I didnt have your Prince Frog love to cushion it, I find her shockingly smug as a person in every interview I saw her in and as an actress crazily overrated. And I had never find her tolerably pretty, which was fine for some of her roles, but when we have to come down fr Brigitte Lin to her face. I can't.
And Wallace is still giving me a very willowy vibe, even in Strange Hero Ijimae when he's trying very hard to stretch himself *patpatpat*, BUT when he went into angstville, instead of me wanting to cuddle him to sleep, in bed, I often wanna give him little slaps of stop being a wimp. I know it's more me, but it's there and it's totally wrong with a LHC who needs to be the inwardly tenacious, coolest, no fuzz not care a hoot and just a few Maotai away fr a sleazy hooligan.
I have an even lower tolerance for fuglyplasticfishfaces now and YuanSS is exactly that and more and absolutely no talent even if I'm fishing.
So this will be the very first ever SPW where we'll watch it for rapist Tian?!?!?!?! ha.Ha.HA! *tears* Somehow I'm ok with HanDong (I <3 him) being in all these crappy things, because he's talented and versatile. He's still breaking into the ranks and surprisingly he can stay afloat every time, I'm pretty sure, even in this.
Er.....LC has officially developed dementia is my story and I'm sticking with it. His and his wife's friendship with CQE baffles me. And if he wants her in his damn dramas so bad, make her RYY, I can stomach that (barely). Having her play DFBB is mindboggling.
Word on YSS. If there was an uglier and less talented C-actress, I have a time hard coming up with one.
They should have adapted this 7 years ago with Chen Kun as Linghu Chong, Zhou Xun as Ren Ying Ying, and Dong Jie as Yue Ling Shan.
Can you imagine the chemistry? A replay of the insane chemistry of CK and DJ from Noble Family. YY? And then the real life insane chemistry of CK and ZX bubbling forth, and ZX doing the world's most kick ass version of RYY with her hauteur and hidden vulnerability. Plus DJ's cuteness overflowing as she aegyos LHC. Oh god, I wants this so bad I can cry.
R we still counting? It'll be the nth time u know u r saying the exact same thoughts in my mind. I was afraid it'll be too much trauma if I mention the dreamcast of ChenKun+ZX+DJ, but u know how much I want it, I dont want to type in all caps but my inner typing voice is screaming and my throat feel raw fr imaginary wails.
I saw Noble Family in 2004 around the time I checked out all the ZJZ adapts out then, DemiGod (which is still my most palatable ZJZ LC adapt), LoCH03 (hate! ZX was like a HR who've smoked all her dad's meds before she ran away fr home exc ShuiLing as MNC) then his XiaoAo, after the fug that is his LoCH I was dazzled by the gorg, but LYP is so very wrong, he so lack the gravitas for the latter part, u can join the dots how bad I want CK in LiYaPeng's place at least. And really I may be 90% sure a CK can nail a LHC to my liking, I'm so damn sure XZ will be the perfect RYY nobody can touch forever and ever. She'll look the part, talk the part, walk the part, breath the part.
And tbh, IF these bona fide stars DO a movie of it, I still think it'll work, 7 yrs later now, or another 3. But still I don't want them to do a YMM, really I see no freaking way over my dead body will I ever watch this, EVER. Even if u gather ur cocktails and try this out and ring me this is ZOMG perfect MUST watch....
NOPEEEEE!
Noble Family!!! Rawr, I love CK-DJ so much in it.
Have some pretty memories:
Aren't they so cute you might get a toothache? YY?
They went on the best dates in Noble Family. Too bad Qing Qiu was such a cold fish like her name suggested, because I would be jumping the hotness that was her hubby all day long in NF.
I still can't figure out why Zhou Xun failed as Huang Rong. I can't take any ZJZ adaptation seriously ever since he starting casting based on his own favors rather than picking the right actor for the role.
Take Linghu Chong and Guo Jing - how could the same, pretty fugly and not very good actor, play both characters? That immediately tells me ZJZ is doling out favors.
TVB sometimes did this and it mostly failed. Tong Leung is THE iconic Wei Xiao Bao, but his Zhang Wu Ji in Dragon Sabre was so bad he probably wishes all the footage was burned. I thought Andy Lau did well as both Yang Guo and Emperor Kangxi, but both are straight arrows with some mischeviousness in them.
Same goes with casting Huang Xiaoming as Yang Guo and Wei Xiao Bao. WTF was that all about?!?! I still think Nie Yuan has every right to be bitter, he was screwed over by ZJZ, and I would have LOVED to see his version of non-crazy eyes Yang Guo.
ahhhhh this is sooo much better and prettier...
Did you really stop at the wedding night?!
It takes me a few years and a lot of pondering because for the longest time I can't pinpoint why there's sth soo insanely bugging me with ZJZ adapts and I felt such an oddball as if I'm not already one.
His adapts were SOOOO in craze in HK back then and everybody was sighing sighs of reliefs and hailing hallelujahs as if FINALLY LC got some proper respect after the years of HK cinema playing every spoof possible of it. But for each subsequent one, I hated it more...and of coz the apex of the venom is Royal Tramp shared w. RoCH06
And now u've cleared it up for me, it's not the technicality, he's not even adapting the novel into a drama, there's no thought on construing the text into a drama, he's just lifting pages at a time haphazardly of dialogues and scenes with no thought of proper drama storytelling. He's totally using the source to make a highend pirated/山寨 product that can almost fake it and would sell and make as much calculated ka'ching possible. So as long as he's got enough star power in the equation (I didnt know about Nie Yuan vs HXM!! DRATS! now I'm beyond pissed!) he'll wrap it up with enough mind-numbing pretty and 90% of the audience will be dazzled beyond belief, half of the babies wont bother with reading the novels to begin with and he's slyly thought of everything that can be trolled without too much damning as long as he can keep rolling them out and making $$$$$ and doing the favors.
I did stop Noble Family at the wedding night. I can't continue past that, because it would mean more Crystal Liu and heartbreak coming 90 mph. I want my Qing Qiu and Yan Xi to be perfect and happy and ZOMG so so so sweet together 4ever~
I'm okay with Wallace as LHC. I think he can do a good job at the angsty parts. I worry about his acting ability during light-hearted parts. He does not look natural in comedic parts or places where he has a devil-may-care attitude. Now that I've see some Office Girls. Roy Qiu would be my choice for LHC. Wallace is more Zhu Liu Xiang who is really good looking, suave and mostly serious.
I'm okay with CQE as DFBB. Mainly because CQE has always looked manly to me. Her features are not fine and her mannerisms are gender neutral. I think she can pull it off. However, I will revolt if they put any hint of romance between DFBB and LHC.
I have only seen YSS in Strange Hero. Based on that, I agree she is miscast.
I'm fine with RoyQ being LHC as well, all things considered. BUT one of the first thing YMM said of this was: DFBB will be the 'female' lead and I think we'll have to brace for lovey doveys btn a LHC/DFBB *excuse me while I barf my lunch and last nite's din* They were miserable in their last outing tog and I dun think Roy can function on screen at all if he hates his female coworker's guts.
Wallace will be very wrong for any GuLong womanizing heroes. There is no more suitable Chu LiuXiang than Kevin Cheng atvm. My eternal grip with Wallace is...he has no game, so to speak, I don't feel dangerous UST with him ever, maybe a tiny little bit in his movie Zou Tao. He's not nicked 'white tofu' for nth.
my 2 cents
White Tofu does nothing for me as well. Wallace is missing that thing called "melt your panties raw male sex appeal". He really is a perfect Jiu Ye. Heh. He's got no "game" is right on point. He would NEVER do a Gu Long hero, who does angsting and eye-sexing and innuendo tossing to new levels of slightly sleazy.
chen qiao en just looks odd in period pieces... period. like her Prince Turns into Frog co-star MingDao, these two should just stay far far away from hair pieces and flowing robes.
wallace huo does the tears pooling in eyes angst well.. *gets distracted by eyelashes* but LHC.... nada...
and didn't CQE have some scandal/relationship problem with wallace huo back in the day when they were still fresh faces in taiwan? isnt this gonna uber awkward? or maybe just helluva "good" free marketing....
imo because we have a certain look to abide by in paintings and such, there needs to be a very delicate refinement in their features to match in period clothes harmoniously. Take Crystal Liu, though she's sadly talentless, she is like a painting coming to life in her LC roles...but in RL, she's not as captivating. CQE's features r too loud and modern...same with Ady An. I did have to shake my head at her playing XiShi in an otherwise decent drama.
it also depends on which 'ethinicity' these actors are playing...
Crystal Liu has really delicate features so she's really pretty (acting skills notwithstanding) when playing one of those demure, quietly pretty Han ladies...
Ady An on the other hand, (I think she's gorgeous and I actually do like her in period dramas), while her features are somewhat 'louder', there's still some refinement to her features that suits period dramas.. if she's playing one of those brash swash-buckling characters from the plains or something akin to that.. .
CQE on the other hand, yes, her features are loud but i've never found her particularly pretty in period or modern garb, sorry. her acting also makes me cringe painfully. but anyways...the kind of charisma she exudes on screen is just so wrong for a period drama...
ady, despite her 'loud' features, has a restraint in her acting that suits period dramas, whilst CQE has not a subtle bone in her body and thus, will always stick out like a sore thumb in a period drama however good the styling is....
that's just my opinion though, but other than looks that fit period dramas, there is also that 'screen presence' that suits period pieces that not everyone posesses.. or has the skills to channel...
My favourite Jin Yong novel as well. In fact, perhaps one of my top novels of all-time ever, asian and western combined.
And that's the reason why I might very well not watch this drama live. Why the need to torture myself? I might give it a chance if I hear good things about it once the first episode airs.
Wallace as Linghuchong fits really well imo. But everything else.... *closes eyes*
The 2000 ZJZ adaptation was okay, but far from perfect (plot changes, I'm talking to you...) and I was hoping for years now that somebody decides to make an improved version...
At least the casting in the 2000 version was well done (even though dong fang bu bai was also acted by a female... ).
SOMEBODY make a drama worthy of the novel for once damn it!
I think DFBB should always always be played by a very pretty man. Someone who gives off a pretty boy vibe. There is no believable way for that character to look exactly like a woman. My opinion, of course.
The 2000 adaptation was oooookay. Better than nothing, but far from perfect. The scene transitions were HORRENDOUS, and the beginning of my loathing for Zhang Ji Zhong's LC adaptations. He goes for cinematography over narrative flow each and every time. I even grew to like Li Ya Peng as Linghu Chong, but that Xiao Shi Mei was annoying as hell. RYY was decent if not ideal.
Honestly, there has never ever been a decent RYY in the history of any remake. ANY! How hard is it to cast this character, people! I only lurve the 1984 TVB version because Chow Yun Fat was as close to a good LHC as we've ever gotten, and his chemistry with Jamie Chik was *guh* perfect. In fact, Jamie Chik was the world's most perfect Xiao Shi Mei. Everyone else that role would be annoying, she made her adorable and pitiable.
Whom would you cast as RYY? She would have to be strong, independent, feisty, mature yet still young and shy. She will also have to convey her young lady of a powerful cult status.
I also think Jamie Chik was the best YLS. She was definitely very beautiful. This was the version where I wanted LHC to be with YLS.
In my mind, the best LHC to date has to be Jackie Lui in the 1996 version. The way he portrayed LHC was perfect. And this version was very close to the novel. I highly recommend it those who hasn't seen it.
Your opinion about DFBB casting... AGREED. It's not as if China is lacking in pretty men actors... And IF a woman was to be casted, WHY in the name of all that's sane, QCE out of everybody?
A facepalm is in good order.
The beginning of your loathing for zjz's LC adaptations? :) It was the first LC adaptation he made... LOL.
He has this incomprehensible taste for floating hair, and floating everything-that-which-can-float. Not to mention what you said, narrative flow. His jumps between two completely different scenes and settings always cracks me up.
To be honest, I liked Li Ya Peng much better as GJ than LHC. But he was decent enough to swallow.
As for annoying Xiao Shi Mei. Ha. I can't be objective there. I'm sorry but she is annoying to me in ALL versions, except maybe the 1984 one where I actually managed to understand why LHC was harping so much over the pretty girl (but then in that version, she was made much sweeter and nice... and like you said, CYF is CYF... but his chemistry with Rebecca was lacking honestly).
The thing is I'm wired to dislike xiao shi mei, except for about the first 1/10 of the novel, and until the very end. Her married life was miserable to say the least. It's funny, now that I think about it, some of Tong Hua's heroines remind me of young yue ling shan a bit... Except that in Tong Hua's case, I'm rooting for them.
RYY isn't even the most special of JY's female characters! You would think that after decades of adaptations, they would have done this right. The one novel of JY I want done right is the one they manage to disappoint time and time again. I'm still not giving up.
speaking of YSS.. I saw the trailer for jade palace 2... just no.
Hmmm, I am not familiar with the book and I like most of Yu Zheng's stuff minus Beauties of the Emperor (yes, I know, blasphemy to like his stuff, but there it is!) So I will definitely be checking it out. Though I cannot stand QCE so...hmmm...but Wallace...dilemmas!
Yuan Shan Shan.....nOoooooooo . That's actually quite a flattering photo of her compared to what I see of her screen.
I know. Most of her photos are so fugly it should be illegal for her to act onscreen. I try not to be mean to my readers.
I thought that was a pic of her looking like a human and pre-surgeries. I can't connect this and the same YSS trolling around atm.
Her surgeon basically cut out a chunk btn her nose and lips and used some construction grade silicon hapahazardly squirted on and call it a day. And I have to be reminded of it everytime she has to move her mouth in her lamest attempts of line reading.
MY poorrrr eyes!
Love all the male leads but I can't stand either of females. I don't like YSS or chen. I quess he loves Chen that is why he's casting her again. He always do that with people he likes. Giving them every series possibly if they are on his good list...cough..cough..mickey...
He has the power to pick any actress he wants. There are dozens of beautiful actresses he could pick from and yet...sigh...
Calling YSS ugly is a bit harsh, although I would agree her acting is not too good. This story has always been kind of comical to me with the whole transgender thing. I guess LC really values his manhood. I actually really liked the 1996 version, though RYY could have been better casted.