PAN-ASIAN POPULAR CULTURE

HK/Chinese

• We Are Family?: There Goes the Sisterhood in The Legend of Xiao Chuo - The Legend of Xiao Chuo is about our feisty protagonist Yanyan (Tiffany Tang), but central to its plot is her relationship with her sisters, Wuguli (Lu Shan) and Hunian (Charmaine Sheh). How do we go from sisters are doing it for themselves to two sisters out for themselves?  The disintegration of the sisterly bond is caused… Continue reading We Are Family?: There Goes the Sisterhood in The Legend of Xiao Chuo →
• Imperial Relationships: Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace - While everybody and their sister were watching Story of Yanxi Palace, I watched Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace. Ruyi is the heroine Chinese palace drama has been waiting for. While she didn’t ask to be put in this situation, she handled it her way. Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace is a lavish production,… Continue reading Imperial Relationships: Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace →
• Rise of the Phoenixes: Moving Forward and Giving Up Are Two Different Things - Rise of the Phoenixes (2018) seamlessly combines palace politics, humor, friendship, family, betrayal and triumph around Ning Yi (Chen Kun) and Zhi Wei (Ni Ni), creating one of the most compelling couples to appear in historical Chinese drama. I don’t add couples to my All-Time Favorite Asian Drama Couple List easily, but they are on it,… Continue reading Rise of the Phoenixes: Moving Forward and Giving Up Are Two Different Things →
• Stakes Are High: First Impressions of Secret of Three Kingdoms - Everything is at stake from the first episode of Secret of Three Kingdoms. The imperial family is on a mission and the odds are against them, meaning that all hands should be on deck. But are all hands really on deck? At any rate, I’m here for it! This drama had me at Three Kingdoms.… Continue reading Stakes Are High: First Impressions of Secret of Three Kingdoms →
• We Are Family: Nirvana in Fire 2 – The Wind Blows Through Chang Lin - Nirvana in Fire 2: The Wind Blows Through Chang Lin brings all of the royal drama of its predecessor but also shows that family bonds transcend all. I was very skeptical when word got out about the sequel to Nirvana in Fire. VERY. SKEPTICAL. Nirvana in Fire revolved around Hu Ge‘s Mei Changsu/Lin Shu, an unlikely … Continue reading We Are Family: Nirvana in Fire 2 – The Wind Blows Through Chang Lin →
• The Crazy Wonderful of Princess Agents - C-dramas can be uneven, given their length and complicated plots, but Princess Agents has achieved a paradox. Despite its absurdity, you are compelled to watch to the very crazy end. First, let’s start with the wonderful. The leads.  While the romantic triangle is not new, the trio of Chu Qiao (Zhao Li Ying), Yuwen Yue… Continue reading The Crazy Wonderful of Princess Agents →
• It Takes Two To Make A Thing Go Right: Unbalanced Romance in The General and I - The best romances are with people who are well-matched and help each other out.  In General and I, somebody’s not pulling their weight, and everybody’s losing out. A good couple in an Asian drama is when individuals are well-matched. In General and I, Chu Bei Jie (Wallace Chung) and Bai Ping Ting (Angelababy) are both… Continue reading It Takes Two To Make A Thing Go Right: Unbalanced Romance in The General and I →
• Chu Bei Jie. . . Is On My Mind! - I’m not going to lie. When I started General and I, I was not all that enthusiastic about the male lead character, Chu Bei Jie (Wallace Chung). Although I know he’s supposed to be our hero, he starts out doing some HIGHLY QUESTIONABLE things: his interaction with the Prince of Jing An’s family, the way he… Continue reading Chu Bei Jie. . . Is On My Mind! →
• Solid As A Rock: True Love in The Princess Weiyoung - While this C-drama revolves around the titular princess (Tiffany Tang), it’s really the relationships that drive the narrative. The relationship between Weiyoung and Tuoba Jun (Luo Jin) is unbreakable, while other couples fail miserably. One of the things that makes the Weiyoung and Tuoba Jun’s relationship so strong is that they are individuals in their… Continue reading Solid As A Rock: True Love in The Princess Weiyoung →
• Tuoba Jun. . . Is On My Mind! - Tuoba Jun (Luo Jin) is one of the male leads in the Chinese drama The Princess Weiyoung. He has quickly become one of my favorite characters of all time. Why? It’s not just because he’s attractive (in a C-drama, that’s a given). His character is very charming, unlike  other members of the power-hungry and scheming royal family… Continue reading Tuoba Jun. . . Is On My Mind! →

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