After translating thirty-eight dense chapters and following the drama progress for over two years, I think I’m done writing about Da Mo Yao. At least done when it comes to having more opinions about the casting, struggle to get on air, and first peeks at the end product. The upcoming C-drama renamed Sound of the Desert is finally arriving on the small screen in a few days and I’ll be ready whether or not I feel like it. Two years ago I would actually be so excited this blog would be a series of posts on just this drama. The fervor has died down but the goodwill remains, not to mention leads Liu Shi Shi and Hu Ge are two of my favorite young C-actors. The two attended the official drama press conference this week with the other lead Eddie Peng sending a video from Taiwan where he’s currently busy on a project. Eddie has been mainly movies for the last few years so I’m sure his fans will appreciate his return to the small screen playing General Wei Wu Ji.
I’m watching for the reunion of Shi Shi as Xin Yue and Hu Ge as Jiu Ye in their umpteeth drama together but finally getting a straightforward love line. Those who have read the book know that their love one is the angsty one and during the press conference, Shi Shi playfully punched Hu Ge in the head to get him back for rejecting her so many times in the early parts of the drama and making her suffer. Oh sweetie, he’s going to suffer wayyyyyyy more than you’ll ever know just to make you happy. A furry Alaskan Mamalute bounded on the stage to join in the festivities, standing in for the drama’s Brother Wolf and all the doggies who played wolves for the filming. As much as this press conference was for the drama, for the life of me I cannot take my eyes off new and improved Hu Ge. Who knew facial hair can transform this man from leading man handsome to oh-my-god-can-I-carry-your-child-please gorgeous. He’s never allowed to shave that goatee off. EVER.
Even though Eddie couldn’t make the press conference in person, he delivered a major laugh for everyone present when he weighed in on the question of which guy Shi Shi should be with (since this drama relies on a major love triangle) by making a succinct and final proclamation of “Shi Shi belongs to 4th Prince!” Good one, Eddie.
OMG! I think my ovary just exploded..Huge is so sexxy with his goatee.
LOL, I read a comment from another forum with someone swearing with her Uterus, and laughed at it. Now I am reading one that uses Ovary. You have just started my morning with a good laugh. Thanks. Must be a fab now.
Wow. He has always been handsome, but seriously. NEVER SHAVE THE GOATEE!!!! My ovaries are too old to explode, but… Holy smokes.
omg third ovaries just exploded too! damn never knew he can grow some facial hair like that! damn gorgeous!
Hw does look amazing with the goatee…but the pants lol
i had to go back up again to look at the pants and then I LOLed like crazy. the goatee was all I could see the first time soooo manly and bam the pants look like a grade schooler’s complete with creases and all. He probably took man child a little too literally 🙂
Honestly he was always objectively good looking in a pretty way but thissss is something else I think I fell in crush with him 🙂
yeah face up, all so rts of handsome , knees down – not so much. not just the too short hem but also the lack of socks! with a suit??? no, just no
so i’ll just restrict my vision to his points above LOL!
Well that dress certainly won’t make the rumours that she’s pregnant die down.
There was a girl in the pictures? Didn’t notice.
Damn. He is sexy-handsome w/ that gorgeous goatee. 😀
So is LSS pregnant? Because that dress is one way to hide a pregnancy… In any case they’re both gorgeous and I can’t wait to watch the drama!! Hope it’ll be subbed really fast ^^
What the hell does she have on!? Looks like she’s hiding something alright.
Ah! Like the 4th prince answer. SIGH. Is she really carrying a new prince or princess?
Does he have that look in the show, too, or just the press con?
LOL love Eddie’s response! You can’t stop the Ruoxi/4th Prince OTP train.
Can’t wait for DMY to finally air <3 fingers crossed for English subs.
Sound of the Desert just started today (10/1) on Hunan tv. I am all of 30 seconds into episode 1. I will watch both episodes 1 and 2 tonight.
Dear Ms Koala,
Thank you for your blog esp on BBJX and DMY. I must have read DMY a million times.
I know you did not like the casting of Eddie Peng but I would like to encourage you to watch 风中奇缘 as it has really been an amazing show so far… The 3 leads are nailing the characters and the (unedited) show is a joy to watch. EP’s acting has much matured and he is very charismatic to watch as WWJ.
I have completed the series. It was one of the best I’ve watched. I am not much of a fan of Hu Ge. I have not watch his series in the past except for his series with Tiffany Tang in which I only watched because of her. I truly feel that EP is the best choice for his character. No one will ever play this role better than him. And I am noticing his acting from this series. Hu Ge’s role in this series also suits him well.
have you seen it yet?! please let me know what you think!!! i hope yu zheng didnt butch this adaptation of tong hua’s story!!!!!
I fell in love watching the drama series which lead me to your website. Reading ur translations to the DMY book. I found out my two favourite stories so far have both been written by tong hua!
Thank you for ur hard work and translations! Really makes me want to learn more Chinese so that I can read the books.
I also fell in love with Eddie! Eddie peng is so charismatic in this role. Xoxoxo love Eddie so much! I love Wei Wu Ji!!
I want to fall into a deep sleep and dream of him!! Lol
Hi, Koala, I discovered your blog after watching DMY drama and then came here and read your translations (thanks for that!). I had two thoughts after reading your translation:
1. I was surprised at how closely the drama followed the book — they kept most of the “steamy” scenes even though the book was even more sensual and physical between Xin Yue and Wei Wu Ji.
2. Did you end up watching the drama? What did you think of Eddie Peng’s portrayal? I guess because I watched the drama first, I can’t imagine Hu Ge as HQB. Reading your translations and those descriptions of that character, I see Eddie and not Hu Ge, who seems so much more refined than like “warrior god.” Then again, this is the first time I’ve watched something with Hu Ge too so maybe I would change my mind if I saw him in another role.
Just curious about your thoughts since I saw how badly you wanted Hu Ge to be the HQB character. I loved Eddie’s portrayal and thought it followed the spirit of the book (based on your translations — I can’t read Chinese). But I’m wondering if you saw something missing based on your reading of the novel in the original language.