Princesa Changge (2021)

One of the best Ancient drama for me! Chang Ge and Sun, I miss you!

I never thought that 49 episodes is not enough for an ancient drama, I always try my best to stay away from Chinese Ancient dramas as they're too long, tedious, traumatic and sometimes boring. But who would've thought that I enjoyed, loved and appreciated all of the 49 episodes of this series. Not an episode did I skipped nor fast forwarded as I find it tedious nor boring! Every episode is interesting, breathtaking, will leave you off edge and wanting for more! I laugh, cry, got scared for them, angry and frustrated and just simply amazed and excited for this series. It's my 2nd time watching Reba's drama (from YMG to this) and 1st time watching Leo! Such a powerful couple and fitted with their respective roles. They both give their characters depth, life and just simply amazing skills in acting. I loved all their scenes together, their conversation/interactions and just mainly everything. How I appreciated all the actors in this drama, their characters, from the main cast to the supporting roles, to the villains and to the production team.


You'll find Chang Ge's character at first frustrating and just wanted to smack her at times, but you'll learned to understand and appreciate where she's coming from. In the long run, she'll learn to grow and realized what's more important for her.

I love Sun, everything about him is such a dream come true. Leo gave his all in performing this character and for this, I will be a new fan of him.

I love the executions of fight scenes, it's breathtaking and exciting! It's sooo good and looks real! My gosh! Will definitely watch this again! Until then, will be missing Chang Ge and Sun.

Leia Mais

Best Chinese Drama. Totally awesome.

I totally enjoyed this drama. Did a marathon of 49 episodes. I have never been addicted or rewatched any Chinese dramas but I did for The Long Ballad. All the pros and cons have been written on other reviews so Im not going to write them again. But there weren't any cons for me because I totally love it. I totally love the animation part too. It is something different and I think it is a wise choice too since we are in the middle of pandemic. Although there were no hot or sweet kiss scenes from both leads but I actually love the chemistry between both leads. They way they look at each other, the love, the trust, the faith, the understanding, loyalty they have for each other make all the lovey dovey scenes insignificant because they are already on another level where they trust each other with their lives.
I recommended this drama to my mother in law and she totally loved it. She is now asking for a drama similar and as enjoyable as The Long Ballad. She did a marathon of 49episodes as well. After watching this, other dramas seem mediocre to me now.
Those who haven't watch The Long Ballad, it is a MUST Watch. Thanks to all the cast and team involved in this drama. I initially watch this for Dilraba but totally fell for Wu Lei's acting despite his young age. He is one talented actor.

Leia Mais

A beautiful journey!

I really felt taken in by this story. Loss and hardship countered by the resilience of the human heart when it is met with support and care. I found it entirely relatable and so wonderfully woven through all the story lines that were unfolding.

The entire cast deserves a BIG shout out for expressing the myriad of challenges involved in growing up, slowly gaining grace and wisdom and ultimately how to let go of past grievances. I didn't feel is was overly heavy handed in getting those messages across. For me it was just the right amount of seriousness, tension and intrigue. Normally I do enjoy lots of the lovey dovey moments in the shows I choose but this one was completely okay with me being just how it was. The love and affection was inherent through their actions and did not require it to be in the spotlight. It all just came together so well and I loved the overall story as well as all the complimentary characters with their own challenges.

The soundtrack was spectacular and spot on. I'm listening to it as I write this review and I can say for me they absolutely NAILED the tone and vibe of ALL the moods and moments. It just flowed and supported the story so perfectly.

Overall the outfits were great and I tell you Ashile Sun in his full Eagle tribe regalia was stunning. Well done young man! You won my heart in Nirvana In Fire and I am SO happy to see you've come into your own in such a complex and courageous role. Of course Li Changge was equally lovely but it was even better to see her as a fierce, spirited and wounded soul who found her way through despite all the difficulties from within and around her. I loved seeing her grow and learn because then her physical beauty was matched by her glorious heart and spirit. I have to confess that I entirely fell in love with Hao Du's rather difficult and confusing path. I have another actor to keep an eye on which is always lovely to come away with because ending my time spent with these characters is rough. I wanted to keep watching them all live their good lives. Alas...

The scenery was spectacular, smooth transitions through the various areas. The pace felt just right...not too fast and didn't drag. I enjoyed the fighting scenes and the way the battles were depicted, very new and fresh to me.

I really am glad I watched this series and I think everyone involved did an excellent job of putting together a really good quality experience!

Leia Mais

A Solid Female-centric Historical Piece

The main reason I started on this show was for Reba & Lusi because they both are pretty good when it comes to acting. I have seen Leo in some of his past works, mostly as child counterpart, so I was curious to see how his transition would be here as well. For Yuning, I had never watched any of his works. I had only followed his songs closely as he is one of the household names when it comes to OST. Hence, it was a pleasant surprise watch him act.

Story
I guess most of the reviews had gave a summary of the entire story. I came in with not much knowledge about the history, but from the portrayal, it was evident that Li Shi Min was a great King. The story revolves around Changge's ambitions for revenge at the start when her family was killed in the Xuan Wu Men troupe. Li Shi Min then ascended the throne and while he adored Changge as one of his own, his people are concerned of Changge's existence as a potential threat to the Tang Dynasty. We can see how Changge grew through her adventures from her ordeals in the different states and how she comes to a conclusion herself that her so-called revenge isn't the best option. While she did not fully reconciled with Li Shi Min, she acknowledged his abilities as a King and eventually gave up on her assassination for the greater good of Tang. Her pairing with Leo was cute, but I was hoping there was more deeper scenes between their interactions. I do understand this is a female centric drama revolving around history and fighting for a peaceful era, hence there were lesser background development for some of the male leads in this drama I feel. Overall, the main lead portrayed their roles really well, I will just think that it's the lack of episodes that is limiting their romantic development (though they of course ended up with e/o in the end).

I personally felt the most wholesome developed character will be Leyan. From an innocent and timid Sheriff, to Tang's Princess overnight. I really enjoyed her scenes with Changge and their sisterly bond really touched me. I am glad they didn't let their family fued get in the way of their relationship in the end. Leyan was timid but brave and her transition was evident from the experiences and ordeals she faced as a refugee. She came to realize the importance of her title and vowed to become a great princess for the people of Tang. I personally felt her loveline was the most wholesome and complete one out of the 3 CPs in this drama. She started of having a crush for Shuyu and ended up realizing the one she truly love was Haodou. I guess it's the contrast in their personalities that made them such a good couple despite their limited screentime in the series. Haodou also had his growth from an emotionless, unopinionated imperial guard to someone who can make decisions for himself and eventually able to be with the one he loves. His inferior complex and of course Shuyu had gotten in the way of his feelings for Leyan, otherwise I believed they would have ended up earlier together. Overall, i think Yuning acted out his role on point despite being relatively new in this industry and I really enjoyed his scenes with his father & Leyan. Having watch a few of Lusi's drama, I enjoyed her character portrayal as I have never seen her in a character like this. I really liked Leyan's character as she was an extra character that wasn't included in the novel, but enjoyed the one of the most wholeseome development from all aspects.

Probably the only awkward part I felt for the show will be the use of animations. I fully understand that the rational behind this was to pay tribute to the manhwa author and of course because filming took place during trying times. but i felt, they could have lessen these as it was pretty anti-climatic. Also, i did felt a tad awkward for the 3rd CP whom was the only one that had a "real" kiss scene. somehow i am thankful that the other 2 CP had not had a "real" kiss scene since the 3rd CP ended up being the only one with bad ending lol.

Overall, I would say it's a good watch. It is really a classic female centric story and all the characters are written for a purpose for Changge's growth and development. I personally hope the 2 main couples will have another chance for collaboration in a less historically heavy series because their chemistry is simply over the roof!

Leia Mais

A very compelling storyline with a great cast

***SPOILER ALERT, PROCEED READING AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION***

I didn't have any expectations for The Long Ballad because I stumbled across the drama without knowing anything about it; however, the storyline really blew me away. This drama took many unexpected turns and it really kept me on my toes the entire time. At first, the assassination of Li Changge's family and her struggle to survive for revenge drew me in. As the story progresses, we witness the growth of Changge as she realizes the consequences of pursuing her revenge plot. This is one reason why I enjoyed watching this drama so much, there are many lessons to be learned and someone has to bear the consequences of every action. It's not only a story of great victories but also of great loss.

I also appreciate that although the plot follows Changge, we are introduced to a lot of incredibly virtuous and charming characters. Each of these characters have their own struggles and as we witness their sacrifices, we learn the depth of one's love for their family, for their lover, or for their country. Later, Changge understands that her love for her country is greater than her resentment and this holds her back from taking catastrophic actions before finding out the truth about her family's murder. It's developments like these that really keep me engrossed and we witness many among the characters throughout drama. The only tiny change I would want for the story is in the main couple's love story. Having been through thick and thin, I would have liked to see more physical affection. In my opinion, it would be more realistic for two people who are madly in love with each other to take it further than hugs and one questionable kiss.

That aside, the music was top notch. I liked many of the songs and I have to say my favorite is the one sung by Zhou Shen. His voice is majestic and I think good dramas follow him because every drama I've watched with him singing the ost was good. I also watched a bts video about the music production and the producer was very meticulous in making music that fit the drama's theme and I believe his hard work paid off because he gave us several unforgettable songs that tug at our heartstrings.

Last but not least, all of the actors did an incredible job portraying their characters. At first, I couldn't get into Rosy Zhao's character, Princess Yongan/Leyan. This is not because Rosy falls short as an actress, rather I have watched several of her dramas and bts videos in which she is nothing like the quiet, docile Leyan whom she portrays here. However, as I continued watching, her character grew on me and I was reminded again what an incredible actress she is (at such a young age too). My favorite scene of Leyan was when she reminded Hao Du of all of Changge's sacrifices for Tang dynasty. I was very impressed with Rosy's acting in that scene. I was also introduced to Leo Wu, who plays Ashile Sun, in this drama and was surprised when I found out his age (21). Likewise, he did a great job portraying his character. These two actors are a reminder that talent comes in all ages.

Needless to say, I highly recommend this drama if you're looking for an action-packed, original war story involving poverty, resentment, sacrifice, and devotion.

Leia Mais

I have watched a lot of historical dramas but only some have such a satisfying storyline. From episode 1, you know you are in for the best stuff. Li Chang Ge's entry and Ashile Sun's dominating vibe....such amazing actors. Leo's acting in this drama was really really good. He acted out every scene perfectly. His character didn't have major changes personality wise. He liked Li Chang Ge from the very beginning therefore he did everything for. His way was just the way he thought was best. But I have to say that the fact he is willing to change and leave so much behind for her was very touching. He made her his slave but then he became her guard. He went searching for her after episode 26 and then she went to rescue him at the end. The balance in their relationship was very equal. They hurt each other unintentionally but made up for all the bad and even the good. I loved Sun's expressions, his jealousy and specially his soft side for his love.
Li Chang Ge's character had big changes. The free and outgoing princess changed to a revengeful, strong-minded warrior. There were some parts where she made mistakes but in my opinion they were needed for her to realise that revenge won't get her anywhere. Even though the emperor didn't kill her mother, she let go of her revenge without knowing this. Whatever happened because of her at the Ashile camp was a turning point for her. She became so mature since then. Then we ended up with a Chang Ge who only cared about her loved ones and thought things through before taking action.
I always felt bad for Hao Du but honestly they couldn't have given him a better storyline than to let him and Leyan get married.
I'm glad they didn't show the main leads living a life in the countryside like they were going to because both the ML and the FL are good at what they do. They are totally capable to be the leaders they are and still live a peaceful life together.
I can carry on and on forever but I'll stop here.

Leia Mais

Historical Genre at its Finest

The Long Ballad is easily one of the best historical dramas. Loosely based on Li Shimin’s rise to power, the story follows fictional Princess Li Changge’s banishment from the capital. After the Xuanwu Gate incident (real historical event), she loses her parents and regality. To avenge her family and reclaim power, she embarks on an arduous journey. Along the way, she encounters issues that threaten the welfare of her people. She plunges into an endless series of military operations and political maneuvers. In the show, Changge remarks that “by saving others, I am saving myself”.

Li Changge’s development is what makes the show so valuable to watch. Through her decision-making skills and profound leadership, she becomes an extraordinarily endearing main character. Changge is played by Dilraba Dilmurat, who perfectly portrays the exiled princess. Additionally, the male lead Wu Lei makes a lasting impression as ASun, the steadfast Tegin. Other amazing characters include Sher, Hao Du, Li Shimin, Du Ruhui, and Princess Yicheng.

The relationships in this drama is best described as refreshing. Unlike other shows, there are no misunderstandings that drag on forever. Changge and ASun may not be the cliche “romantic” couple, but the mature dynamic matches their personalities. The scenes between parent-child and mentor-mentee are incredibly heartwarming. Some noteworthy examples are Changge and Li Shimin, ASun and Yanli, Sher and Yicheng, Hao Du and Du Ruhui. I even find the relationship between Changge and Yicheng to be very interesting as the two characters mirror one another.

While I have heavily enjoyed watching The Long Ballad, there are some flaws. I am not a fan of Mimi Guli and wish that her character could have less screentime. The manga drawings are okay but a bit comical at times. I appreciate the mature relationship between Changge and ASun but would prefer some more romantic scenes between the two. However, these issues are minor. I still give the show a high rating because of the life lessons learned from Changge’s pivotal adventure.

Lastly, I want to give a special shout-out to the amazing OST. The music team has produced an epically beautiful selection of songs. Zhang Bicheng’s “Direction of the Light” resembles a battle song but surprisingly can serve as a healing instrumental for some scenes. Liu Yuning’s “One Love as Always” nicely complements his scenes with Zhao Lusi. Zhou Shen’s Cocoon is my favorite ballad of this year. The song can represent Changge’s emotional turmoil, her unwavering love for ASun, or her hope for eternal peace.

Leia Mais

A Very Compelling Historical Drama

I mainly watch modern cdramas, so for a historical drama this long to actually stick is a rare event.

The Long Ballad was not perfect, but it was pretty close to it. Each character has an enormous and very evident arc throughout the story, each one very different from the last. That kept me hooked even when the focus was away from the main characters.

The romance was not really a part of the story, and it didn't need to be. After doing some research on why the leads never kissed, I was more lenient about the directors choice to leave that out. Even so, the subtle interactions between couples were so precious and really helped move the story.

The plot was also an amazing addition to the drama. The several elements incorporated into the story really helped move it along. It was fast paced, but not enough for the viewer to fall behind. No storyline was continued for too long, and most loose ends were tied. I also loved to see a strong female lead and the other female lead become super strong over the course of her story arc. The male lead also did an amazing job. I loved Wu Lei's acting. Additionally, Liu Yu Ning's character (Hao Du) had an excellent story arc, his arguably being the most surprising. It was so exciting to see his character grow to care about more beyond his role in the palace. The writers really didn't fail to keep things interesting at all times!

I was constantly looking forward to the next episode. The production was a tiny, tiny bit below what it should have been at times, but not enough to be noticeable. I did see some editing discontinuities from time to time, and a few music issues as well. Aside from that, it was flawless.

This historical is definitely going down as a top 2021 drama, and everyone should definitely give it a watch!

Leia Mais

A drama of adventure and many life lessons!

Honestly, I debated over writing a review because I’m a casual viewer of C-dramas but I have read so many positive comments of the Long Ballad that I felt compelled to watch and boy am I glad I did! Since I typically watch 4-5 dramas a year (40-50 episodes per drama is a long commitment for me) so I do narrow my list to the “best” dramas based on recommendations so do take my rating with a grain of salt.

To start off, this is not a perfect drama but it has so so many positives:

• LOVE the character, Li Changge! From the very beginning, I love her journey, as she tried to avenge her befallen family and surviving with her wits, determination and a good dose of help from those around her. As a viewer, we can understand her anguish, her motivations, her flaws, her self-reflection and finally her purpose in life. I just found her journey and character development so incredibly fulfilling at the end - from a revenge driven girl to a mature, forgiving person who considers the greater good of her people. Even when she was determined to exact revenge, she never allowed it to consume her to discard the Tang citizens well-being. Dilraba was simply amazing in this role! I have seen a few of her dramas before and honestly, this is her best role to date. There are so many memorable scenes that showcase the range of emotions in her performance. Some of my favorites are: (1) Scenes leading up to A’Dou’s death and the aftermath – the tears, the heartbreak, and her badass determination to avenge him. (2) When Governor Gongsun Heng committed suicide – she was completely broken by his choice to save the people. I cried buckets when he died because I absolutely love the governor and understood his sacrifice. (3) When she met Ashile Sun outside the gates of Shou State – the snow was falling and when Ashile Sun demanded that she became his slave. The look in her eyes as she was trying to contain her grief and anger. Simply love that iconic scene! (4) All her scenes with Li Shimin, particularly when she realizes the truth of her family's assassination and she can finally let go of her revenge. I love their relationship because Li Shimin truly loves her as his own so I was happy to see a good resolution.

• Ashile Sun is the perfect male lead and Leo Wu was wonderful in his portrayal. I like that he loves and respects Changge but he will not betray his people for her (and vice versa for Changge). He sticks to his convictions and is straight-forward and not afraid to reveal his feelings. Actually, some of the funny parts of the drama are his reactions to the (budding) relationship with Changge and his jealousy even though he does not comprehend what his feelings might be at the time. I have only seen one other drama with Leo Wu which was Nirvana in Fire and am so happy to watch him slay such a mature role and proving doubters wrong that he was the perfect Ashile Sun.

• I adore the many different relationship dynamics in the drama. I HATE love triangles or dramas where every character falls in love with the FL or ML so I am thrilled that there is none of this nonsense in this drama! I know there is an age gap between Dilraba and Leo but honestly, I didn’t think about it when watching both actors on screen. The drama shows such a balanced relationship between the two characters and how they truly fit as a puzzle and are true partners as they share the same values – same passion for their people, both are loyal and trust each other unconditionally. It would have been nice if there was a kiss but the lack of one did not mar their romance at all. I thoroughly enjoy their individual growth and how they come together as a power couple. Other relationships of note are Changge and Leyan, Changge and Li Shimin, Changge and A’Dou, Little Yuan with anyone (she’s such a cutie!), Shiba and Xu Feng, Governor Gongsun Heng and his wife, Ashile Sun and She’er, Ashile Sun and Mu Jin and so many more!

• Great supporting cast! I love many of the characters and most roles were well acted (even those with minor roles) which contributed to my enjoyment of the drama.

• I love the costumes in the drama, both the Tang and grassland attire. Leo Wu, in particular, looked smashing in his grassland wear and looked very imposing as the leader of the Eagle division. The braids for the Ashile tribe men were also very cool and attractive.

• The amazing soundtracks to this drama. I love the opening and closing scores and do not ever fast-forward when I hear the amazing songs come through. And both songs are very fitting and aptly described the drama!

• The pacing of the drama is good overall, except for the Luoyang arc as described below under “negatives”.


The Not So Good Areas (Negatives):

• The Luoyang story arc really caused the show to lose momentum at one point. I understand Changge’s need for self reflection due to the (poor) choices she made in saving her father’s general in the grasslands but it took more episodes than needed for her to reflect and grow from it. This arc was also dragged down by having the focus on bratty Tang’s Crown Prince. At first, I did not understand why the show incorporated this character but after thinking about it, I believe it was to contrast the virtues of Leyan to the selfishness of the entitled brother of hers. However, in my opinion, it’s unnecessary to devote so much screen time to both Crown Prince’s brattiness and Leyan’s growth.

• I did not enjoy Leyan and Hao Du individually or their romance and prefer to have their characters more incorporated or rewritten to contribute to the main story arc, especially the side story of Leyan’s hardships was fast forward material for me. Both actors portrayed their roles adequately but I just do not find their characters interesting or their love story compelling. At the end of the day, I am invested in the character of Li Changge so I just find their scenes to be tedious.

• Another pet peeve of mine is the character of Hao Du. I honestly don’t see the appeal of this character. Yes, he became less stoic at the end but for most of the drama, he was arrogant prick (especially to Wei Shuyu who did not provoke him) and lack any forward thinking. His obsessive need to capture Changge was frustrating to watch, especially during the Shou State arc when Changge was needed to protect the city. He still wanted to kill her knowing she was trying to save the common people? He has capable kung-fu skills, why didn’t he offer his services to save the people in Shou State or at least try instead of folding his arms and doing nothing? In his foster father’s eyes, killing her means protecting the country and yet when the time to protect the country presents itself (with the stakes being so much higher as people’s lives were in jeopardy), he did nothing. He then gets credit (from Leyan) for letting Changge go at the Liuyun temple but it was ONLY due to his foster father’s instructions because Changge literally took a knife in the back to protect his father. If the father ordered him to kill her at that moment, he would certainly do it even though he knew of her contributions to the Tang country prior to that. So he gets no credit from me. I just wish his supposedly character growth stems from self-realization and that he actually stand up to his foster father, saying that NOT killing Changge is the right thing to do rather than a change of heart and orders from his father or a slap by Leyan to propel him to act differently. In the end, he is "redeemed" because he's one of the main characters but his earlier actions still left a bitter taste in my mouth.

• The villain of the story can be more dynamic. The actress who plays Khatan is okay but I think a different actress can bring more layers to the character. The character suffered tremendously but it’s very hard for me to relate to her and her pain. I’m not sure if it was the acting or the writing. I do like the parallel of what might have been if Changge decided to pursue her revenge. Her outcome might mirror Khatan’s.

• I do not care for the animated manhua drawings, especially during the epic war scenes. It is a nice thought in giving tribute to the manhua artist but in my opinion, it does take away the overall viewing experience for me. I know there were COVID restrictions but I think the drama warrants at least one non animated epic war scene due to the political backdrop and the period the drama was set.

Overall, I highly recommend the drama! As I have stated at the beginning of my review, The Long Ballad is not a perfect drama but it is an entertaining one! At the end of the day, as a viewer, I just want to be entertained and this drama has accomplished that. Give it a try!!

Leia Mais

❗ONE OF THE MUST WATCH C-DRAMAS THIS YEAR❗

If you're one of those people who loves watching a drama with a smart and strong female lead but still hesitating to watch this drama (), then it's time for you to stop, and start watching it now. Just give it a try you'll probably wont regret watching 49 episodes — yeah it's a bit long but worth it.
The acting skills of the casts is good specially when it comes to a dramatic scene that needs tears. And I love seeing the action stunts though I'm kind of disappointed that there's not a lot of war/action scenes but overall it's still good and I enjoyed it.

P.S. always get ready with your tissue or handkerchief.

Leia Mais

WELL WORTH THE (WAIT) WATCH!

Literally, the long ballad! LoL Took me a few weeks to catch up to and finally finish watching it (only because I’ve had no time). Newest one added to my favorites list because I know I’ll be rewatching it. Like most of the other good ratings shared, I can also say it truly is a great production overall. Yes, it’s quite a long show but it doesn’t fail to keep it interesting from the very start of episode one. Political dismay that changes a young princess’s life forever, the tough journey just to survive, and the many obstacles she endures along the way. And of course, the storyline always calls for a fated meeting with the male lead character which makes it even more interesting and fun to watch on “how” exactly they meet. Of course, two of my favorite parts of a period show are the costumes and music. Oh yeah, and there was just something mesmerizing about the male lead and his long hair, that Leo Wu just looked soooo darn good with the braids and long locks, ha!

Leia Mais

Could've been better...

I'm surprised by how well this drama was received. I think it's a solid 7/10. However, I think it's mostly because of the beautiful people in this show that everyone is gushing over this. The story is decent, the acting mediocre to subpar in some instances (except for some of the older cast, honestly loved the Tang three stooges and the Emperor). This also speaks about the lack of good content being released for the past few years. The drama is decent, but is being heralded as a gem and I'm not surprised since there aren't that many good dramas these days with complex plots AND good acting.
This show is mainly being judged with rosy eyes and an overload of hormones. The cartoons in random segments of the show were annoying, especially as they were used to show large scale battle scenes (I'm sure to reduce the cost of production) or very crucial plot development and took me out of immersive experience.
I did like that the FL/ML had a healthy relationship and the character growth of the FL throughout the show was commendable. But I think the director made many bad calls, such as how FL NOT ONCE looked like a male, but we, as an audience, is supposed to believe that she can pull this off? There was even obvious makeup and lipstick on her in her 'male' scenes! This is an insult to the audience as well as the cast members.
Lastly, I just want to say that this is just my opinion, I wanted to like this show more, but every time I came across an idiosyncrasy I felt let down. I think this show could've been much better if it was directed with more sincerity to realism and relied less on the beauty of the actors to gloss over major inconsistencies.

Leia Mais