Reunions stemming from fond memories are the best. Even though people have aged, with it comes an appreciation for the moment in time long ago as well as the current state. Of Louis Cha‘s famous Condors trilogy, which is really two novels and then a third one loosely connected with the first two, my least favorite is the final book Heavenly Sword and Dragon Sabre. Yet for some reason this novel’s drama adaptation is one where I have religiously watched each version. I can safely say the best one is hands down the 2002 version with Alec Su as Zhang Wu Ji, Alyssa Chia as Zhao Min, and Gao Yuan Yuan as Zhou Zi Ruo. I have my reasons for not liking this story in general – the hero being so wishy-washy and brainy but totally socially stupid, the fact that he’s surrounded by four girls who all love him and he kinda strings them all along (nicely, of course), and the overall tenor of the narrative where I felt like the good guys were always getting shafted. Nevertheless, the drama adaptations have by and large been decent and entertaining, especially the 2002 version which cast the leads perfectly. They also had amazing chemistry and for a wuxia period drama this one was quite romantic.
So its with excitement and nostalgia to see that Director Lai got his three stars from HSDS to reunite for a cameo appearance in the upcoming Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils adaptation he is directing. Talk about having friends in high places who will still do you a super cool favor. Since this is a cameo, their roles are minor ones in the novel but rather crucial as setting up the previous generations conflicts which helped shape what happens to the younger generation. Alec is Wu Ya Zi, Alyssa is Li Qiu Sui, and Gao Yuan Yuan is Sister Goddess (or the younger sister of Li Qiu Sui who was the supposed inspiration for the statute Wu Ya Zi carved). In the novel, years later Duan Yu found the statute in the cave and was fascinated by it and when he met Wang Yu Yan he thought she looked like the goddess statute come to life. Which makes sense since the daughter of Wu Ya Zi and Li Qiu Sui was the mother of Wang Yu Yan. So Alyssa and Yuan Yuan play a pair of beautiful sisters and has a love triangle with Alec. My head is already swirling with the deja vu and I can’t wait to see it!
Look at them now! Look at them from over a decade ago! Still so pretty, especially Gao Yuan Yuan who seemed to have found the fountain of youth. It’s nice to see Alyssa back onscreen after she stopped acting for a few years. And Alec definitely aged well, much more manly and his acting has similarly improved tremendously.
The stars snapping a picture memory with Director Lai. Check out more pictures from their cameo appearance.
…what! I still vividly remember watching the three of them on tv when HSDS was airing. The comparison pictures really hit me hard. Has it really been a decade since? Oh no I’m growing old… π
I! Am so excited! Like you, I loved that adaptation of Heavenly Sword Dragon Sabre the most. I thought the chemistry that Alec Su had with his leading ladies was sweeping and sizzling in its quiet intensity, particularly with Alyssa Chia. So though the effects were cheesy and very telling of the times, I still enjoyed the show, especially the scenes of Zhang Wuji and Zhao Min.
I’d always dreamed that they could reunite in another production, but so much time went by that I no longer dared to hope. So I will definitely be catching Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils just for this part of the story! Though I’m not such a big fan of the novel π
OMG!!! No way!!! How fantastic is that. Thank you Capt K – you always have something super happy to report π Anyhow – watched this when it first came out and loved it so much that I bought the DVD set and watched it so many times more. There were so many cheesy parts but I thought WJ and ZM were just super cute together. ZM had this cute side to her – I loved Alyssa in it. I can’t say I loved WJ all that much cause I really could not stand his wishy-washiness, but I know how the story goes. They are my favorite wu xia OTP even after all these years – beating out even HG and his many costars.
Super stoked to see to see the 3 reunited. π
I remember watching HSDS’02 2 years ago when I was in the middle of my Alec Su crush phase and I thought WJ was the dumbest person on earth until he redeemed himself at the end. I was actually shipping him and the servant girl who went to another country to be queen, I forgot what her name was actually. If it wasn’t for Zhao Min’s initiative, I don’t think he would have had the courage to speak up and stop the wedding. I have to say Gao Yao Yao was absolutely stunning in the show.
the servant girl was Xiao Zhao π
I also loved HSDS 2002, having only watched it 2 years ago. All three leads are super gorgeous and charismatic. Lucky Alec Su to be paired with such good looking ladies again. I can’t decide who I like more – Alyssa or GYY. They look like δ»ε₯³δΈε‘ in the white costumes. I’m only going to watch their parts in DGSD.
Whatβs the long term of DGSG
I still have a CRUSH on Alec !!! ^β’^
yup.. definitely watching their story, can’t wait actually. omg, this is such good news!
With all years and technology coming up, the drama production is getting better and the pictures look so beautiful. But I’m still liking Tony Leung’s 1984 version. If you compare this with the 84’s version no doubt it’s very huge gap. Having seen few episodes of all version, I think Tony Leung’s Zhang Wu Ji is the best. No wonder he’s such a fine actor right now. And “Heavenly Sword and Dragon Sabre” over” is my 2nd fave after “The Legend of the Condor Heroes”. My least fave is “The Return of the Condor Heroes” (η₯ι΅°δΏ δΎΆ). I just can’t stand Yang Guo’s love for his older master no matter how pretty she is and his living at underground cave and then revenge to all people.
I’m not clear about relationship of Wang Yu Yan’s mother and Li Qiu Sui. If Wang Yu Yan’s mother were Li Qiu Sui’s daughter, what is Li Qiu Shi’s relationship with Mu Rong family? Wang Yu Yan calls Mu Rong Fu as brother-in-law. And why she change her name “Li” to “Wang”?
Mu Rong Fu is not her brother in law but her cousin, the son of her father’s sister. She does not change her surname from Li to Wang; Wang is her father’s surname, so she uses her father’s surname.