Wonderland of Love (2023)

Very Good. Highly recommend

Xu Kai to me has been a very interesting case study. He went on a string of bad dramas which some might disagree and that's fine....
Falling into your Smile.... She and Her Perfect Husband.... Royal Feast.... Lost in Kunlun Mountains....

My opinion is you need to play actors of high profile to their strengths.... Perfect example now, Wang Hedi in 'Only for Love' not played to his strength and drama was total disaster....

Credit to Xu Kai's management lately for 3 things.... (1) getting him back to his strengths.... (2) finding good scripts to compliment his strengths & (3) finding excellent female leads to compliment the scripts & his strengths....
- Gulnezer in Snow Lord Eagle I felt was amazing alongside Xu Kai, really enjoyed their drama but didn't receive good reviews....

Jing Tian seriously exceptional alongside Xu Kai.... When I think of her I think of consistency and charm, I wonder why she is not of status of a Yang Mi or Yang Zi at times but glad both her management and Xu Kai management see her as a perfect match....

The support characters just ok, it's really something both leads excelled in this drama....

Do recommend as again we are seeing 2 leads at their best....

Lire davantage

Beautiful cinematography, lacklustre last quarter

Wonderland of Love was a show I started watching while waiting for SOKP’s new episodes. I did not expect much from WoL- the title suggested a focus on romance and I had little interest in picking up a Xu Kai show as I hadn’t enjoyed any of his last performances.

However, I would say that up till episode 32, this was a solid show. The characters are interesting, particularly Li Ni (Xu Kai), and the veteran actors particularly elevated this show. The show had some of the best cinematography I’ve seen this year - like this director’s other works (The Untamed and even Legends) there are lovely shots of characters standing on rocks. The scene with Ciu Lin and Li Ni in the grass was lovely.

When it started, Wonderland of Love was a story about doing what’s right over what one desires out of life. For Shiqi what he truly desired was to be free. Yet Ciu Lin pushed him to be the crown prince, and he was so determined not to tread this path that he even broke up with her for that. In a way theirs was a deep love that goes beyond separation and insignificant matters. They each stand for what they believe them and defend those beliefs even if it meant to separate from each other. Love should not demand the sacrifice of one’s true self, and despite their love for each other, I liked that they respected each other, even if different values guided them.

The best episodes on the show were definitely episode 30 and 31. 30 was heartbreaking- the camaraderie and affection between Shiqi and the other guys makes this episode both shocking as well as tragic. None of the deaths are just for shock value - the friends say their farewells to Shiqi in a dream sequence in episode 31 complemented by Chen Xueran’s beautiful song. This is the best I have seen of Xu Kai- his restrained grief was very well done, and his scene with Jing Tian as he recuperated was really heartbreaking, as was his memorial for his friends. The scene was beautiful - Xu Kai (Li Ni) spitting blood after taking a sip of the wine, and the bamboo grasshoppers falling from the sky.

The cinematography was spectacular, really. At least until episode 31.

I wouldn't say that the beginning episodes were perfect - they were plenty of choppy moments - the editing was simply off for a long time, but still one tried to piece everything together. It made sense to some extent. Then came the best episodes: 30 and 31. Then, the show went in another direction. There were unnecessary villains - very annoying, clingy characters that never get a hint. I started forwarding the remaining episodes.

Anyway I hung on till episode 40, which was actually better than the episodes preceding it. The moment between the father and son in episode 40 was touching, but it did not really allow Shiqi the opportunity to heal those childhood wounds from the lack of love he received from his father.

I think Xu Kai did the best he could with whatever he had - this role suited him well. Jing Tian was good too, although I did not enjoy her character's trajectory from a cool woman to crown princess/empress. Somewhere along the line I’m not sure what the show really was about.

Is it worth watching? I think so - particularly for the first 31 episodes, for the beautiful cinematography and for the performances overall. I enjoyed many of the supporting characters- Consort Xiao’s love story was lovely, and the bond between the imperial grandson and Han was touching too. There were certainly many solid moments. If only this script matched up to some of the cinematography then perhaps it would have made for a better show.

Lire davantage

Great drama amazing chemistry

It's honestly one of the best dramas I've watched this year, unfortunately towards the end it got a little draggy, though it could've been the fact that a lot of footage was supposedlycut off ( I rwad somewhere that10 episodes were cut off).

I cannot put to words how much I loved the main leads. Their chemistry is simply magnificent. I really wish to see them in more projects starring together in the future. Everything felt really natural between them. Plus I feel like they complimented each other's acting. There wasn't any over the top acting (like extreme unrealistic and overly animated reactions from them). Both of their portrayals were REALLY natural and I love how they had their performances perfected down to their micro expressions (which was absolutely needed for their roles as they both acted as very intelligent and multidimensional characters).

I absolutely adore how smart and strong the female lead is, we really need more FLs like her. Not only can she fight but she's also really intelligent and can match the main lead perfectly, instead of leaching off of him and waiting for him to save her every time. Some dramas say that the fl is "smart" but then she goes ahead and does the most stupid thing. This does not happen here, she's legitimately intelligent, strategic, powerful, knows her shortcomings and doesn't fear to be cunning when she needs to win (which obviously suits her character as she is a woman general in the ancient times). All that without losing her funny and humane side. Also she does not come off overly cold or arrogant. She seems just the right amount of imposing. Overall kudos to Jing Tian for her excellent portrayal.

Just like Jing Tian, Xu Kai did AMAZING in his role. To be completely honest I felt like he improved even more in his acting and seemed like the perfect King Qin. I love how intelligent and powerful, but at the same time playful, honest and loyal his character was. Moreover his character was also quite shrew at times and knew when to retreat and when to advance, even if he put emotion above logic at times.
I also really liked the cast's costumes. Obviously both main leads looked absolutely STUNNING, gosh I really wish to see them in drama together again soon.

Although the main leads had their ups and downs, they never stopped loving each other. I find their story really beautiful. Maybe the story didn't need that many episodes and could have ended earlier, as it gets a bit draggy towards the end, but tbh watching both Xu Kai and Jing Tian on screen, as a fan of both is a delight. All in all it still is a great watch because of the chemistry of the main leads, their acting and the quality of the production, which seemed good (not necessarily excellent but good).

Lire davantage

"Production house did justice to xukai "

Chemistry, acting ,ost ,visuals- perfect
Fight scenes - not that great ..
Plot- family feud,treason,love interest square
So to be frank it had everthing for a period drama,
If you ask me the main leads had too much Chemistry.. i haven't seen this much of a chemistry for a period drama in recent times. The opening and ending osts were great. Acting was great from both the leads , so being a drama were both the leads are capable on the field and of the field 👏.. that was actually great... The chess game between the main leads were awesome..so overall its a quality drama with great chemistry and story line.. but not much of great fight scenes.. you know what i mean right.. it's surely better than his previous 3 dramas.. so go for it...

Lire davantage

Brace yourselves

This has to be one of the most heart breaking episodes. All his close friends and nanny GONE. And to face the fact that his brothers were not anything but garbage. This is what he wanted to avoid and escape far away from court palace. The loyalty of his friends to protect him and the way his brother was seeking his distruction, the rain and gray day, it all sums up to a very sad long scene. Great performances, a lot of sadness indeed.

Here we can see how the king is really just a clown. He is so darn scared, in the end he only cared about himself. Uncapable of being a good father for all his children, he now just shows what a big coward he is. Comming episodes will start closing this story, but this episode is truly sad among many other shows.

Lire davantage

Excellent romance, great production, completely let down by mediocre plot . . .

Frustratingly, the political plot is full of flaws: tedious, goes around in circles, cartoon villains, and full of nonsensical story. Just lots of evil, greedy one note characters that pop up again and again. But, the romance plot is so good, that I finished this drama anyways. In some ways, the political plot is so clearly bad that it's easy to skip through the political parts and just watch the romantic scenes.

This has everything you could want in a romance: a Romeo and Juliet forbidden romance, a man head over heals for a woman who is his equal, tons of rescuing and protectiveness, and putting each other first. It will go down as one of my favorite romantic couples, and this drama reminded me of Xu Kai's excellent acting and romance in Story of Yanxi Palace.

The production values and direction are also extremely good. The costumes are very original and beautifully designed. There's a lot of excellent choices with camera angles, and music. The action scenes are thrilling and don't use much CGI.

This drama is so uneven it's hard to recommend. But, I must say I was deeply touched, and the romance will stick with me. It may be worth a try to see if this love story sticks with you.

Lire davantage

A must watch cdrama!

Adding a 40 episodes long cdrama to my cw list wasn’t on my plans, but the promos of Wonderland of Love seemed really interesting. I also fully blame XuKai and his undeniable charm. I am glad I watched this drama because it's definitely a must if you enjoy historical romances interconnected with war and court politics.

This drama knows what it’s doing. Half of it was about defeating the throne usurper. The next 10 episodes about court chess play to decide who will be the next Crown Prince and Princess. The final 10 episodes are all about trying to gain political stability and finishing off old enemies.

The development of each arc, with its respective main conflict, was amazing. I am content with how they handled every storyline. There are no victories without risks and some loses. Both leads’s journey is really well done, cohesive, grounded and coherent to their respective personalities and wishes. Even a bigger bathtub... iyyk.

On this note, I have to thank whoever decided to cast Xu Kai and Jing Tian together because their chemistry is electrifying. There was never a doubt of my mind that their characters were meant for each other and would get their way. I also love to see a happy and affectionate couple that’s not shy to show their love… or how hot they are for each other!

This is how I like my leads: two equals working together and communicating properly in order to achieve a common goal, while also learning from each other and growing as people together. They are also badass military savants, masters of the art of war, fearless and kind leaders. They have my loyalty and respect.

The secondary characters were equally endearing and interesting. I particularly appreciate the nuance of the former Crown Princess, forever torn between duty and what her heart wants. A wonderful performance by Zeng Li. The comedic timing and cool presence of performances from Jiang Kai, He Feng Tian and Zhu Hong Jia were a breath of fresh air.

I truly enjoyed this drama from beginning to end. I can't recommend it enough.

Lire davantage

Great drama but went downhill in the last 9 episodes (the final conflict)

The drama tells the love story of a General and Lady Lieutenant who, despite being part of different armies, fall in love. Both of them have hidden identities, him being the Emperor’s grandson and her being the daughter of the commander. Though walking on different paths, their goal of restoring peace in the court is the same.

The love story (which for me is the best part of the drama) is the main focus and the war is a subplot. The romance is Mr. & Mrs. Smith merged with Romeo & Juliette vibes.

WHAT WENT WRONG FOR ME:
I enjoyed the drama very much until the last 9 episodes. Episode 30 is the most intense and impressive episode in the whole drama (and generally in cdramas) so I feel it should have been the final conflict in order to make the drama more impactful for me. The writers could have put 1-2 episodes afterwards to wrap up the story like they did in episode 40. However instead of that the plot was dragged with unnecessary and pointless drama that added absolutely nothing to the story. Boring villains that nobody cared about were introduced and the actual final fight scene was extremely underwhelming (like watching a child’s play in comparison to episode 30 fight scene). I never felt like the stakes were high in the final conflict thus had no emotional reaction when the bad guys were defeated.

POSITIVE:
- Hot chemistry between the main leads!!! Their chemistry felt natural and organic, like the actors were indeed a couple in real life.
- Xu Kai (male lead) is brilliant. Seriously, even just for him it’s worth watching this.
- Feels like a high budget production. Cinematography is movie-like with beautiful visuals.
- Fantastic cast. I loved all the actors and their performances, especially the main leads.
- Realistic war/fight scenes that were done really well.
- Smart and cunning female lead.
- The whole final episode is seeing the main leads happy together which was super satisfying to watch especially as it’s rare in cdramas these days who love their open endings or 2 second reunions.

NEGATIVE:
- Annoying second male lead and second female lead with the cliche and extremely overused unrequited, obsessive love plotline that needs to be banned in cdramas for real. It added nothing to the story.
- A lot of back and forth and repetition in terms of plot. The female lead was always getting kidnapped, someone was always getting poisoned or there was always an ambush.
- Filler episodes. Throughout the drama, there would always be 1-2 episodes that literally felt like fillers in between great episodes.
- As mentioned above, the last 9 episodes (final conflict) were extremely pointless and underwhelming to watch.

OVERALL:
Watch this if you love a couple who tries to kill each other one moment but the next are passionately kissing.

Lire davantage

Not my Wonderland

Wonderland was too fake for me to buy into their heart-to-heart talks there. And unfortunately, the tear jerker scene there just didn’t do it for me - firstly because the whole wonderland setting looked so artificial and secondly because there were too many flashback scenes. The last few episodes were too draggy.

This drama was really generous with the kissing scenes but unfortunately, some of them felt forced and out of place. Sometimes, all it takes is a hug or a loving peck on the forehead to have a more impactful, romantic atmosphere.

Parts of the story just didn’t sit well with me. A good guy turned bad just because he saw the FL in a romantic moment with the ML and he even tried to kill the man who raised him just to force the FL to be with him. Was he driven insane by his desire for the FL?

This drama likes making people go insane so it also made the FL’s father go mad and his hair turned grey overnight. And how the ML found someone who could do “magic” to cure the FL’s father took this drama away from reality.

And just when you thought the insanity cards were all played out, another character was written to go insane as well.

What I did like were their costumes and fighting scenes. The beginning storyline was interesting as well to see how the FL and ML strategised and tried to one-up the other person. Thankfully, there was a happy ending.

Random note: Is there a product placement advertising in the drama for Tang Confectionery? The way they kept talking about it and all the dried fruit and nut made it look like it was an advertisement…

Lire davantage

A Must Watch Drama!

Classy Scenes:
1. First Fight between Cui Lin & Li Ni (Underwater fight and Backyard fight)
2. Li Ni hitting fire arrows with Style
3. Li Ni's Sword Dance
4. Li Ni and Cui Lin's Post-Wedding Fight

Emotion-Filled Scene: Episodes 29-30 depicted an intense scene involving Old Bao, Bandits like Zhao Youde, You Yi, and others deeply moved me. Witnessing their sacrifice to save Li Ni and the emotional weight of the moment brought tears to my eyes.

As everybody talked about the Plot, I wanted to share more about the scenes, impressions, and characters.

First Impression: Li Ni - His character: Down to Earth, Charismatic, Skilled, and Peace-Keeper. You will understand his character in the first few episodes. I loved his interaction with Bao, Chang Er, and Pei Yuan the most.

You won't be bored at all. Each episode unfolds with a distinctive challenge as Li Ni journeys through various cities en route to the capital, striving to restore their kingdom.

Overall, I loved IT!

Lire davantage

An amazing military/palace story told through the journey of a general and a Lieutenant

Okay, I just finished watching all four episodes and I gotta say, the story so far is really good. The storytelling is quite amazing. The pacing from scene to scene flows really well and makes the characters interaction natural. Everything is seamless so far. So props to the writers and director.

I really love Xu kai portrayal of this role. His character is quite believable and fun to watch. After his last role in Snow Eagle Lord, he's finally have a FL that can match him wit for wit, scheme for scheme, and It's exciting to watch him and the FL interact trying to see who will one up the other. Jing Tian is really holding her own. They complement eachother well. Their fight scenes (when they fight each other) reminds of of Yang Mi and Ethan Juan in Legend of Fuyao. The fughts feel like they are making love.

I have so many favorite scenes already. But one I want to mention is when ML and FL were on the mountain with the bandits and they were all walking outside singing and dancing and being happy. I love that whole sequence. lol I really love our mountain bandits. Also when they were in the tent and FL was tied up and her and ML were fighting with the soldiers, that scene was amazing. The whole thing with the old couple... omg...

The story reminds me a little bit of WRTW, but this is told more properly and the writing seems to be better than WRTW. I am excited to see how all this plays out and what's in store for them. Can't wait for the next episodes! If you are thinking of watching this, definetely give it a go!!!

I will update as the story progess

Lire davantage

when a bad character ruins it all

To be honest I had high expectations for this drama! started out strong and then went flat really fast. I like the parts of the fighting but not the politics and all the scheming.

Male lead is the third son, not highly looked at due to his mother being a lowly servant. He is a general and has his own clan/army. He fights and try to establish/regain cities. He meets the female lead who is a bad ass assistant general to the Cui Army. She has the wits and the brain, her character definitely carried throughout the drama.

Its your typical drama about fighting and re-conquering the cities so that they are under control. There is also annoying royal palace schemes, like the brothers hating the male lead and trying to fight for the throne. Of course the king is stupid and useless, his character is a waste of time lol

One of the most annoying characters came from the Cui army. He was the god son, which the outside world knew as the Cui's son. The Cui army is very strong, they didnt want others to find out that they actually had a daughter so they used the godson to fake the Cui's having a son. The female lead is the daughter. But basically the fake son is obsess with the female lead and wants to marry her at all cost, even if it means to betray the Cui's. His part took so much time and so not needed.

Romance... what do i say... The leads dont have any chemistry. Sure they might be cute together but their kissing scenes lack a little chemistry. They actually have quite a few kissing scenes but not which gave me the tingle in my heart. Its mostly the female lead initiating the kiss lol

I felt like they could of stuck it at 30 episodes and it would of been decent... I prefer the drama with bailu, Kunning palace a lot better.

Lire davantage