First Look: Disguiser

I started Disguiser 伪装者 after experiencing bouts of withdrawals from Nirvana in Fire and the feels from seeing the cast again is pretty awesome. That said, comparisons between the two are practically a given but in a good way. 

Episode 1 begins with a sharp-suited Wang Man Cun (Wang Ou) who is alluring yet ruthless as she leads the torture and decimation of an entire unit that harbored spies against the Japanese regime. 

A cryptic telegraph flashes onscreen about a faulty machine and the urgent need to send in new mechanics to repair.

Back in Hong Kong, Kuomintang operatives assassinate a Japanese official while the happy-go-lucky university student Ming Tai (Hu Ge) inadvertently saves a high-ranking Kuomintang agent from his own assassination. Spy thrillers thrive on suspense so with as little information as possible, I end my episode 1 introduction.

First Impressions: I was half asleep when I started watching but Wang Man Cun (Wang Ou) shooting people in cold blood like it's nothing was an instant awakener.

The Republican era is a time of change and warfare not only troubled by clashes in internal politics but also fraught with the terrors of foreign invasion. It is a dangerous time indeed and often portrayed on TV through graphic torture scenes. I worry for the protagonists because of the pivotal roles that they will come to play, yet it's only the beginning, a very promising one at that.

On a lighter note, it's as if Hu Ge has gone a complete transformation from the sickly Mei Changsu to become the chipper and dapper Ming Tai, though retaining the former's unrivaled intelligence. I must admit, Mei Changsu was such an extraordinary character but I like the non doom-and-gloom version of Ming Tai.

There is also a slight shift in bromance now that Hu Ge and Jin Dong play real brothers whereas Wang Kai gets downgraded from royalty to household servant. Not complaining though because he seems to treated more like family than anything else. The more I watch the more I go, "He's here too?"

For synopsis, cast and ratings, see 2015 c-drama listing.

Nirvana in Fire

Nirvana in Fire 琅琊榜 is the best historical c-drama in 2015, in recent years, maybe ever and that's saying a lot considering dramas are a dime a dozen nowadays. 

It is based on a popular novel but despite the existing fanbase, NIF premiered to a lackluster response. Nevertheless, its success came slowly but surely, providing an interesting parallel to the story's quiet pacing where protagonist Mei Changsu's (Hu Ge) intentions went from subtle nuances to a full blown revenge. 

In the simplest sense, NIF is about a man who goes through great lengths to exact vengeance, systematically planning every step against all odds. However, put the story in a historical setting inside the palace and we have the makings of an engaging political plot. 

NIF is the guy-centric answer to more successful Chinese palace dramas and it works, offering a fresh take on the usual palace conspiracies that tend to revolve around women. I run the risk of sounding like a chauvinist but I welcomed the change since women in the palace are often relegated to a fate of fighting over a man to gain power, which is so good when done right, but it can get catty alright.

Gone are the days when Hu Ge was fresh meat 小鲜肉 because his performance in NIF along with the cast in its entirety is on another league, catapulting many names such as Wang Kai, Jin Dong and Wu Lei into mainstream popularity. Liu Tao wasn't my favorite actress but she is admittedly the best choice to play a warrior, truly embodying a female hero.

Apparently, there is a Nirvana in Fire tour catering to Korean fans where tourists get to visit places such as Heng Dian (a gigantic land where pretty much most historical dramas are shot) and they also make a pitstop at Hu Ge's restaurant in Shanghai. If it's real, I kind of wanna go.

For synopsis, cast and other ratings, see 2015 historical c-drama recommendations.

Source: Bz55

Disguiser

Disguiser 伪装者 is Nirvana in Fire's lesser known cousin. It's subjective, I know, especially considering Disguiser aired first and ranked a consistent #1 during its run while Nirvana in Fire did not. Nevertheless, I daresay that NIF has grown exponentially in fame to warrant such a statement, at least outside China. 

However, less popular certainly doesn't mean that Disguiser is any less in visual opulence and grandeur because both dramas are spectacular in their own right. Brought to us by the creators of NIF, Disguiser boasts an all too familiar cast that's undoubtedly a welcome sight for many fans with Wang Kai, Jin Dong and Wang Ou to name a few.

Hu Ge headlines as the lead effectively solidifying his status as a serious actor. Not that I did not enjoy his performance in Chinese Paladin 1 because I did, tremendously, but Hu Ge's roles as of late have given him an avenue to showcase his versatility and he clearly stands up to the challenge. 

Disguiser is an enigmatic spy thriller surrounding the three Ming siblings during the Japanese occupation of China in 1939. It provides a riveting account of every man's struggle and the web of complexities intermingled with the times that they live in. Each member of the family is ultimately a chameleon, fighting for their own agenda.

For synopsis, cast and other ratings, see 2015 historical c-drama recommendations. 

Source: Duitang, EntTaiwan

A guide for wuxia newbies

Allow me to start with how I fell into the depths of period drama addiction. Growing up, my dad would relive his younger days of reading wuxia novels by marathoning adaptations of HK serials. As his trusty sidekick, I was amazed by this fascinating world of swordplay and martial arts and my childhood heroes easily became the iconic characters created from Jin Yong's imagination.

Back then, wuxia series were far from mainstream, yet my guilty pleasure grew far and wide, amassing a sizable collection of dramas that have become too many to count. Period dramas can be broadly classified into three categories even though most people usually lump everything historical under wuxia, myself included. 

Wuxia 武俠 is translated literally to martial hero with works of renowned authors Jin Yong and Gu Long almost synonymous to the genre, thereby sprouting an endless continuum of remakes and adaptations.

The genre is particularly appealing to me because it is not as far-fetched as xianxia but rather its characters are often well-versed in the art of fighting because of their practice of 'chi', a word that will surely ring a bell if you like Asian-infused action flicks. 'Chi' or 'qi' means air but it essentially signifies the life force that allows practitioners to perform all sorts of incredible feats, albeit amplified to an exaggerated extent. As a result, it is not uncommon to see kung fu manuals, fighting stances and then some inner energy transfer to save a life.

Chivalry is alive and kicking where people choose to live and die in the name of honor but I notice that this thinking is not restricted to wuxia but rather spans across most period dramas because apparently, people from the olden days are better versions of ourselves.

For my first pick, I recommend Lang Ling Wang (2013) 蘭陵王 starring Feng Shao Feng (Ice Fantasy), Ariel Lin, Daniel Chan, George Hu and many more. Lan Ling Wang is a beautifully-packaged romance drama with noticeable modern influences that also incorporates the charms of an wuxia.

Edited Mar. 2, 2016
I know that Lan Ling Wang is not exactly an wuxia in the truest sense and the comments against it are not unfounded, so I'm still in search for a newer better wuxia that could really serve as a nice introduction for anyone attempting the genre.

But for now, it doesn't hurt that the Lan Ling Wang cast is made up of popular c-drama actors and actresses and the story highly addictive so I wasn't surprised that it was widely-exported after its initial release. I apologize in advance though as Lan Ling Wang is not without its hair-pulling moments especially towards the middle of the series. Nevertheless, it makes for a very enjoyable watch and I hope you like it.

Xianxia 仙俠 is translated literally to immortal hero. It is a newer sub-genre that has been getting a lot of love mainly from younger fans. Since that's where you make the big bucks, production companies tend to make more and more such dramas that are also star-studded to boot.

Xianxia can encompass anything supernatural with the latest trend being adaptations of role-playing video games and the sky's the limit in terms of subject matter that can include monsters, demons, fairies, magical realms, elixirs and what not. If the characters appear to fly in an wuxia, they literally fly in a xianxia.

For my second pick, I recommend Chinese Paladin 1 (2005) 仙劍奇俠傳 starring Hu Ge, Crystal Liu, Ady An and Eddie Peng. It might be a bit older but it is the first of its kind and the best one in my opinion catapulting the up-and-coming newbies from yonder years to international fame. 

Until now, xianxia is not my preferred genre and I can't get over silly pet peeves like the characters being able to video chat via magical portals in a historical drama. However, I understand the innate appeal of an idol-cast so I continue to be hook, line and sinker'ed nonetheless, eagerly awaiting Chinese Paladin 5 like everyone else. 

Last but not the least is a made-up category that is just a catch-all for anything else. Off the top of my head are palace dramas, historical biopics and melodramas to name a few so for my third and final pick, I recommend Nirvana in Fire (2015) 瑯琊榜 starring Hu Ge and Liu Tao. 

I was torn between Scarlet Heart versus Nirvana in Fire despite the two being so different that they shouldn't even be compared. What holds true is that both are extremely successful dramas and even though the former is more mainstream, I ultimately decided to go with Nirvana in Fire because it is too good to miss out.

Nirvana in Fire is a massive 54-episode revenge drama that is a masterpiece of epic proportions so brilliantly written and thought-provoking. Lest I run out of adjectives, I will let the drama speak for itself so please, please check it out. 

It might seem like I'm going off on a tangent but many years ago, my dad decided to buy DVDs to the 2007 k-drama called Story of the First King's Four Gods aka Legend starring Bae Yong Joon and Lee Ji Ah. I won't go needlessly wordy on this but it's safe to say that like a happy kid who found a neighboring candy store, I started venturing into Korean period dramas aka sageuk 史劇 and never looked back. 

Also see 10 signs you're a wuxia fan.

First Look: Legend of the Qing Qiu Fox

Legend of the Qing Qiu Fox 青丘狐传说 is like the Monster Killer cast reunion sans Wu Xin. Separated into six arcs, the first part is called Ah Xiu starring Sabrina Chen Yao as Hua Yue.

Episode 1 begins with a Zelda-like sequence of lush greenery and upbeat music as a tribe of nine-tailed foxes sprint across the fields of Qing Qiu. Everyone has gathered for the once-in-500-year harvest and it is said that whoever consumes the sacred fruit can gain immortality. 

Suddenly, something or someone takes over Ying Ning's (Xiao Cai Qi in green dress) body compelling her to warn Hua Yue (Chen Yao in red) that they are under attack. As the tribe moves out in defense, a masked woman seizes the opportunity to steal the sacred fruit and a lone Fei Yue (Kiton in purple) runs after the thief to no avail.

Since the attack was just a ruse, Ying Ning and Hua Yue find themselves in a frustrating position of your word against mine while tribe leader Liu Chang Yan (Jiang Jin Fu in middle white) takes the task of finding the real culprit. A hot-headed Hua Yue cannot stand the accusatory eyes staring her down so she leaves her worries behind and heads back to the human world.

Turns out that Hua Yue is extremely popular, living out her dreams of passion and romance and breaking many men's hearts. 

In comes demon hunter Zhuo Yun gliding down from the sky to capture Hua Yue for all the lives that she has ruined. Seriously thought he was Hu Ge (Nirvana in Fire) at first glance, or at least his silhouette anyway. 

A fight ensues but Hua Yue narrowly escapes after she saves a girl named Ah Xiu. Despite seeing that Hua Yue is a nine-tailed fox, the kind-hearted Ah Xiu returns the favor by giving Hua Yue a place to stay and the two easily become friends.

First Impressions: The weird ears are trending and even upcoming cdrama Ice Fantasy sports the same pointed ears. It's interesting though that the show tries to make a distinction between the nine-tailed foxes when Hua Yue says that she is not a seductive demon nor an immortal fairy but somewhat in between called a fox spirit. 

Legend of Qing Qiu Fox goes out of its way to create a magical realm that's very pretty to look at but it runs the risk of being just that, a beautiful but empty casing. 

The opening scenes are fairly rudimentary with an all too simple plot causing an entire tribe of powerful beings to leave their sacred tree unguarded at the most critical moment. The fight scene that follows is hard to take seriously as well especially amidst all the fake lanterns and computer generated background. 

While I have my reservations, things gets more interesting towards the second half when the drama plays up the life aspect rather than the wuxia. Never mind that the concept has been done plenty and the story likely a cliche, yet what I think can make or break this drama would have to be the characters and so far, Hua Yue and Ah Xiu are really turning up the charm such that I want to see what will happen to the two friends once a common love interest comes along. But then again, it could be my heightened euphoria from a Monster Killer reunion that is clouding my judgment.

For synopsis, cast and ratings, see 2016 cdrama listing. 

Legend of Nine Tails Fox Stills

One of the many wuxias scheduled this February is Legend of the Nine Tails Fox 青丘狐传说. It is a Tangren production featuring its younger talents (born 1990s), namely Gu Li Na Zha (The Classic of Mountains and Seas), Gina Jin (Monster Killer), Chen Yao (Monster Killer) and Xiao Cai Qi, also collectively known as the four beauties of Tangren.

The series is adapted from a collection of stories in the Strange Tales of Liao Zhai, a classic written by Pu Song Ling way back during the Qing dynasty and it will depict the lives of these mythical creatures and how their fates interweave with the humans. I lost count of how many times I have seen a nine-tailed fox inspired story aka gumiho in Korean, but one thing it has taught me is the sad truth that humans and supernatural beings can never be.

Legend of Nine Tails Fox premieres Feb 8, 2016 on Hunan TV.

Song from the OST:
Don't Make Me Cry 别惹哭我 by Claire Kuo 郭静.

For 2016 Chinese drama recommendations, click here. 

Source: Yesky