It’s weird to use such a bland description as “good” or “decent” to describe something without it sounding like an insult but for C-drama Wonderland of Love within the context of the period C-dramas this is a genuine compliment. I watched this drama starring Xu Kai and Jing Tian for the last 3 weeks without any desire to drop it and managed to not FF as much as I usually do. It’s adapted from a Fei Wo Si Cun novel and not at all angsty or cray cray like Sealed with a Kiss or Goodbye My Princess, the story actually has two emotionally healthy, mutually communicative, and very expressive with all the flirting and making out OTP. It leaves the crazy to the two second leads and oh lord are they awful human beings and awfully entertaining to watch as each plots inane to dumbass plots to separate the OTP and get with their respective obsessively in love with main leads. The directly is smooth and no nonsensical edits to the story that I can tells, so watch away without fear haha and keep your expectations low for a very solid period drama.
Some dramas are like that, the moment I start watching, I just continue. It is not super great but it is not bad too. I see no reason to stop since I started. Keeping expectation low is a good advise.
6.5 is no great but it is steady.
I call 6.5 good for a duoban ratings, imo. Keeping expectations low, is what we all need to put at the back if our head with every show, considering the amount of TV seriess and shows we the audience have watched, nothing becomes new for us any more, we watched all kinds of stories n they r being recycled in a different way lol. If along line we found so new n different, then that great lol. All am saying is entertainment is everywhere, n we consume so much as audiences, keeping expectations low, is actually a good thing .
I always felt over 7 was good for Duoban…but to honest, is it really a honest rating. I really do not know, I dont know how China rates their programs.
I too agree keeping expectations low is a good practise for some entertainment. But I really enjoy the heat rush, rapid heartbeat and execitment I get towards trusted productions. But very rare from current trendy China dramas.
I was wondering if you finished it. This was a surprisingly good drama. Nothing ground breaking or excellent but pretty watchable.
The pace was frenetic whenever they had to move the plot along through the various battles and the wonderland set was comically CGI’ed but the cast, both the leads and side characters made the show really enjoyable. I loved Jing Tian in it, spunky and charismatic. Xu Kai is like Rowoon for me, inconsistent across projects, but temper your expectations and with the right roles, he can be very charming.
I watched a video of them talking about the making of the production and they said that they actually built wonderland on a set, that it took them over 100 people to help them build it.
I saw comments elsewhere that the the leads were not riding real horses. They did. I saw in an interview Jing Tian mentioned Xu Kai fell off and they were worried and Xu Kai said, the horses were imported.
i heard that they were supposed to film wonderland in a offsite location but due to covid, they had to move it indoors
This is the kind of honest, non-hyperbolic review I wanted to hear! I thought this looked promising and all the reviews seem to agree it’s good and consistent even if it isn’t groundbreaking so will definitely give it a watch.
WoL is a beautiful piece of technical and artistic work. The overall production is so solid that it’s really hard for anyone to dispute. However, it is the type of movie that is not shocking or so dramatic or compelling that everyone will say it was outstanding. If it’s not outstanding, it’s because it was intended to be light-hearted, sweet, funny, fun, lovely, romantic, and even comical but with a few scenes of heavy dose of bitterness that leaves you crying, just when you think there isn’t. Normally, movies like that won’t make anyone feel the movie was great, but it is so solid and flows so smooth and so easy to digest and watch that it is very entertaining. To me, it was a brilliant and creative piece of work, a movie that many scenes can be rewatched to enjoy the beauty, humor, music and for sentimental value. I really hope that this movie will get the credit it deserves because it was produced with high precison and quality.
Who cares about Douban ratings if one has got good time killed? There’re many dramas hyped by Douban ratings but not watchable for me personally. For example, the Knockout and Mysterious Lotus Casebook. For me, these two dramas are overrated. LOL
The plot of Wonderland of Love is well written and smooth to follow from the get-go. I did not find many useless fillers at least up to ep. 5 where I am now. I paused to check other interesting dramas discussed in the blogs but have saved WoL on my plate to watch, yet to finish it. One strength of this drama is lack of annoying heroine played by annoying actresses so prevalent in currently popular C costume dramas. LMAO. Jin Tian can act, has decent visuals and VOICE!
WoL is so solid that I really believe it will stand on its own merits despite not getting higher ratings. Reviews are subjective and some are biased. Reading comments, I find that everyone watches the movie differently. Some people only scratch the surface while others have a deeper understanding. That will sway ratings because not everyone is viewing the movie the same way.
I agree with you on Jing Tian. Be sure to watch WoL all the way to the end.
People episode 30 they cry and then it gets even better.
Sure. I’ll come back to pick up the drama again. Just need time to do so during this busiest season at work. I’m always fond of Jing Tian, not so much of Xu Kai in the past though. But I found Xu Kai’s acting pretty relaxed and lively this time, perhaps to do with his character? Anyhow, I’ve dropped too many C dramas to the point I almost gave up looking for anything. I have my own taste and standards of what’s good or just serviceable or bad. So far (up to ep 5), this drama is on the good side, pretty solid.
The dramas I’ve watched with Jing Tian have all been good regardless of ML, but not one is spectacular…like a B student, have not achieved A.
Thanks for the review. This is next on my watchlist :).
I finished WoL a few days ago and I like it a lot! The story is good overall, and there is such great chemistry between Xu Kai and Jing Tian. I especially like episodes 30 to 40. And the ending is great! It was not rushed, but a nice wrap-up for the drama :). I’m glad I watched this :).
I enjoy watching Xu Kai series, but he seems to be aim8ng for a high female body count making series with numerous different female leads! Don’t get me wrong, I am just starting to watch WOL, but this is just something I recently noticed. I envy him a lot for starring with so many top rated Chinese actresses!
I enjoy watching Xu Kai series, but he seems to be aiming for a high female body count making series with numerous different female leads! Don’t get me wrong, I am just starting to watch WOL, but this is just something I recently noticed. I envy him a lot for starring with so many top rated Chinese actresses!