Well, I am very pleased to say that my first initial reaction was wrong and this was a series that was well acted, and thoroughly enjoyable to watch. Before the series even ended, it even managed to get me to shed a few tears, which really shows how much the storyline and acting made me care about these characters.
Also, for a bl adaptation, I was honestly very surprised at the ... blatancy of the whole thing and how much they actually managed to get past censorship. The two male leads had great chemistry together, and the acting was pretty top notch and at the very least, fairly decent, for every one of the characters.
My main minor gripes were maybe some production choices for some scenes (I'm distinctly remembering this one unintentionally hilarious scene in the later episodes where WKX looked like a bobblehead) and the ending OST, which I'm ngl, kind of took me out of some serious scenes because the singing was just... not great (though points for trying!) and it was all I could hear and focus on.
But all in all, I highly recommend giving this a watch!
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It’s been a while since I have watched a true wuxia drama and Word of Honor delivered on all fronts. A bold BL adaptation, both leads Zhang Zehan and Gong Jun portrayed their roles convincingly, not selling this production as a “bromance” but rather a true love story as I was captivated by two gray characters who found redemption in each other. I was surprisingly shocked that this drama was not hindered by major Chinese censorship as viewers got ample amounts of flirting, affectionate hugs and uttered words of being soulmates from our two leading male protagonists. Embracing the romance was the usual wuxia elements of all sects and political factions coveting an armory of martial arts and medical knowledge as a presumed guarantee to sit atop the martial arts world. The drama unfolded slowly in connecting the sect players and their pursuit and the history of the five broken glazed shards and a key to unlocking the armory’s secrets. Besides the not so typical romance, both leads were also not your typical wuxia heroes. Zhang Zehan’s Zhou Zi Shu was introduced as a man who slaughtered a political family and innocents on the instructions of Prince Jin (later disclosed as his cousin) to further the prince’s political agenda. With regrets and the desire to leave the faction, he was granted release but became a dead man walking with few years to live. What I admired about this character was that he did not live life based on the generally accepted moral code but on his own convictions. I really loved Zhang Zehan’s performance, appreciated his subtle expressions and the quiet demeanor he exhibited. He was always calm except in Wen Kexing’s presence; the “wooing” process was wonderful to witness, at first he was exasperated with his provocative manner but was still curious and drawn to Wen Kexing. I could not help but ponder how difficult it would be to depict this character and felt Zhang Zehan gave the character the right amount of restraint and touch to perfectly complement the lively and complicated Wen Kexing.
Gong Jun was equally praiseworthy as Wen Kexing, a grinning and flirtatious man that hid a painful and mysterious past. In fact, viewers were left guessing for a good part of the drama his true identity and his connection to Zhou Zi Shu. As bits and pieces of his background unveiled, viewers saw his struggle to live for Zhou Zi Shu - fearful of his leadership of the notorious Ghost Valley being disclosed yet tortured by the past in trying to right the wrongs he and his family suffered. Gong Jun was wonderful in his interpretation; he was so emotive with his eyes in demonstrating the many sides of his character and striking the perfect balance of jauntiness and vulnerability onscreen.
A great drama was not possible without an impressive supporting cast. Gu Xiang was delightful as a spunky, mischievous servant/sister to Wen Kexing and I enjoyed her romance with Cao Weining. The girl was outspoken and the man was noble and shy and they just fit wonderfully. Their last scenes were so epic and Gu Xiang’s rage was beyond my expectations! Must see episode! And my baby, Zhang Chengling! I just wanted to hug this innocent boy and nurture him. Absolutely adored the family dynamics of Zhou Zi Shu, Wen Kexing and Zhang Chengling and loved all their parts together. Ye Bai Yi was another notable character. His arrogant personality and unyielding attitude frequently collided with Wen Kexing but when push came to shove, they had the same goal. Last but not least, special mention to the Scorpion King. The character was a complete scene stealer; my eyes couldn’t help but follow him even if he shared the stage with the main antagonist. I was also slightly uncomfortable with the disturbing dynamic with his godfather but despite the creep factor, my eyes could not look away when he appeared. Superb performances all around from the supporting team!
If I were to name faults with this production, I did feel that it started slowly. I did step away a couple of times before continuing with my viewing experience. Although I enjoyed the courting and flirty development of the male leads at the start but I felt the drama was overloaded with many types of sects that did not necessary move the plot along. In fact I was overwhelmed by the sect names at the beginning, thinking they might have major roles later on in the drama but did not. The drama did not grab my full attention until episode 20 where the pace picked up tremendously and the storyline was gripping from that point forward. The fighting choreography was also very well done for the most part, though I felt that they were too many still, posing shots for my liking but this is at best a very minor criticism.
Fans of the drama urged me to watch episode 37 (an 11-minute epilogue) to Zhou Zi Shu and Wen Kexing’s story and I did. To be honest, I felt episode 37 was not necessary because I was perfectly satisfied with the ending in episode 36. Fate is cruel and yes, my eyes were brimming with tears at their outcome but I was left feeling their immense love for one another. There were sacrifices, a willingness to forsake their lives for one another and their continuous support of each other despite opposition from the martial arts world. Their love is truly admirable and the one last act at the end is so in line with both characters’ personalities and I personally found it very beautiful that their love is so enduring and that this kind of love is able to be shown in its full glory on screen. I’m not sure what the BL drama landscape will be in the foreseeable future with the recent crackdowns on this genre but I hope Word of Honor is the footprint for all future BL drama because love is love and as a viewer, I just want to be moved by the story regardless of gender. Bravo to the Word of Honor team! A very well deserved 9.0 out of 10.0!
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was the plot concrete? hmm nah not really
does it get confusing? yes
bUT do I have masochistic tendencies? no doubt about it
despite some characters popping in only to be cardboard characters afterwards and the potential kinda not really there, this is the type of drama where i got sucked in by the chemistry of the main leads
if this was twillight, bella left the room for jacob and edward to happen. i said what i said. i'm not taking it back.
the appeal is there. i mean c'mon we've got the flirting, revenge plot, the angst and the yearning. the story is quite interesting at first glance and a lot of potential for some parts to get that extra flavor. so, the downside is how the story loses its grip to create much more impact. the buildup is there but then the climax is not that satisfactory.
if the special episode was added to the ending, it wouldn't have felt underwhelming. regardless, i have a soft spot for wen kexing and zhou shu which is why i enjoyed this drama more than i should have. perhaps, this is going under my guilty pleasure list.
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This is a hidden Gem!
This is such a hidden Gem! I first encountered this drama through YouTube, as it was on one of the recommendation in my dashboard, and I was like "Word of Honour", the name sounded familiar, and then I remembered I've seen this name through an online site where I was looking at MDZS / CQL merchandize haha. So I decided to check out this drama on my end, knowing it came from a BL novel.This, I would have to say exceeded my expectations because there are scenes indeed, I wonder "How did this drama passed censorship", considering this is the second BL drama I've seen, after Chen Qing Ling (The Untamed), I would have to say both these adaptations are loveable in it's own way, and you can feel the love between the main leads in their respective stories, that while I will say that The Untamed (CQL) touch on the subtle side of their love, although some parts aren't quite subtle about it, 'Word of Honour' actually surpasses that to another level, that you don't see them as 'brothers', but them as 'Soulmates/lovers'. Which yeah, I agree with the fans, "how did this pass censorship", but I am not complaining LOL, since I love the chemistry between the main leads Wen Ke Xing and Zhou Zi Shu.
My favourite character in this story, I got to say Wen Ke Xing, because he's so charismatic to me, I love how he's adorable/sweet/protective when it comes to Zhou Zi Shu (MC), but he is ruthless/shows no mercy to those who deserves it or hurts Zhou Zi Shu. In terms of ending, I am talking about the 'uncensored' version, I am quite amaze with that ending, especially the part when Wen Ke Xing actually said "love you" to Zhou Zi Shu, waaaah *surprise surprise!!* although he couldn't hear him, but waaaaah, that's BOLD!!! Kudos to the production Team here, and the script writer, too bad when it comes to the dubbing and the revising of the drama, they toned it down, but since I watched the final episode uncensored, I got the happy ending, and the confession that I wanted. Although I am sad that Wen Ke Xing hair is white in the end T___T but he is now an immortal like Zhou Zi Shu, and we saw how happy both of them were, so I am content. In terms of ending, in the adaptation side of things, I love what I was given in Word of Honour (where I see them side by side happily like this) better than CQL, because the moment when Lan Zhan suggested to walk separate paths, he's sadly, no longer the canon Lan Zhan to me, because Canon Lan Zhan wouldn't suggest that, ever, I still wish that scene was done differently in CQL, and it always hurts me to go back and watch that scene since it was a slap every time, when I watch it urgggghhh.
I am sad when Gu Xiang and Wei Ning died T___T and such tragic deaths too!!!! I HATE that character (not spoiling) who killed them URGH!!! But anyways, I personally really love, enjoyed this drama, I love the OST's in this drama too, and I love Wen Ke Xing and Zhou Zi Shu chemistry!! Wen Ke Xing is such a flirt hahahaha, but he's only like that when it comes to Zhou Zi Shu so he's forgiven XDD I am so tempted to read the novel now that I finished the drama, stayed up late every night just to marathon this on my end!!
So do I recommend this drama? Hell yes!!! If you are open for BL, you can watch it!! Although they are considered 'Bromance', but to me, they are a couple, with how they are portrayed that way!! And I am glad!! Kudos to the script writer and production team, and yes, the actors too!! I love this drama on my end and will definitely rewatch this again! <3
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Bordering on a Masterpiece
I started this drama immediately after finishing watching The Untamed, which many viewers commented was a masterpiece. However, after watching Word of Honor, between the two, it is the true masterpiece. Oftentimes when it comes to Chinese dramas, I find them to be far too long with too many filler episodes or repeats of similar events; it gets tedious and boring. This drama is exceedingly rare in that I wouldn't have minded in the slightest if it was slightly longer. The last five or so episodes seemed rushed and the ending felt abrupt, not to mention depressing. With that, be sure to watch Episode 37 (its not on Netflix if that's where you're watching) as it gives a far more positive conclusion. Overall though, I didn't feel like there were really any completely pointless episodes. There were a few scenes were the dialogue dragged a bit, but not horribly so.The story is solid. It flows well and really only leaves one unanswered question that immediately comes to mind, which is pretty good all things considered. The dialogue overall feels realistic and not forced or awkward other than at a few points. The story telling with flashbacks also worked well I felt. My only complaint in that regard was how many characters or younger versions of characters were introduced at once. It got a little confusing trying to pair names with faces and what their importance was. I also liked that the villains all got the endings that they deserved. Dramas like to have these absolutely abhorrent characters who commit unspeakable crimes and then they get off easy, either being allowed to commit suicide or dying from an illness or something equally lame. That did not happen here which I liked. The characters are nuanced and flawed and realistic, or as realistic as they can be. No character is perfect, they all have their faults with some realizing those faults and striving to overcome them, others who realize those faults and don't care, and still others who are completely oblivious. There's a good mix. Another aspect I really appreciated is that the villain wasn't immediately given away. I hate when dramas have a character smirking evilly in the background and then act like its a big shock when its confirmed. Here I was unsure of who was the true villain for a decent while. I had my ideas, but they did such a good job of keeping me on my toes and second guessing myself. I really enjoyed that.
The acting was fantastic. Again, this drama is a rarity in that I didn't feel that any one actor was truly lacking. The chemistry between Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu was flawless and their relationship was lovely to watch develop. As a side note, I was both surprised but also enjoyed their obvious romance. In The Untamed, the two lead's relationship is only hinted at, I assumed due to Chinese censorship, but in Word of Honor there was absolutely no denying that those two were a couple. Anyway, I also really loved the chemistry between Kexing, Zishu, and Chengling. Their relationship grew so much over the course of the drama and their little family was just perfect. I could go on and on about how much I enjoyed everyone's performance, but I'll leave it there.
Costuming as with most Chinese dramas was gorgeous. I appreciated the way their costumes reflected which face they were showing to the world. For example, Wen Kexing tended to wear more pastel colors when in the human world with Zhou Zishu and red when acting as ghost chief. Scorpion King wore black and leather when acting as Scorpion King but lighter colored, flowing robes when he was acting as the dutiful son. I also liked that Gu Xiang's clothing was made to be practical but also flattering. My favorite costume of hers is what amounts to a short layered dress with pants underneath; practical and feminine. The wigs, as always, looked terribly fake from certain angles, but I've gotten to a point where I'm not particularly fazed by that anymore since its so common.
The OST was gorgeous, I loved both the opening and closing songs and everything in between. The music was woven in flawlessly and really helped to enhance scenes and set the mood.
I will conclude by simply saying that this a very strong, well done drama and I highly, highly recommend watching it. It is one that I will absolutely re-watch in the future.
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It is a relatively good Chinese Wuxia film in recent years, and the scene design is very good.
The production of this TV series is very good, lines, costumes are very good, the favorite is the actor Zhang Zhehan's acting, very delicate, like Zhou Zishu from ancient times, gentle and powerful. Whether he is a dirty beggar or a clean and beautiful Zhou Zishu after changing his face, he is very charming and exudes a temperament that people can't stop. If there is such a friend in life how perfect: he can protect himself with superb martial arts, and he has served as an official in the court, understands the darkness in the officialdom, and abandons all the shackles, he can live very unrestrained, for the people who want to save, he does not accept at first, and then he is convinced step by step. Zhang Zhehan gives a rich performance, which has different levels in different periods, and brings the audience into the play. It's very attractive. I'm looking forward to his next work.Esta resenha foi útil para você?
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A refreshing watch
Word of Honor is a breath of fresh air within the highly saturated Chinese drama market. I can finally watch a drama where most of the cast's intelligence is intact, and most of the plot makes sense. A lot of people think that the first few episodes are boring. I beg to disagree. The 1st episode is extremely important to the plot as a whole; if you skip the 1st episode, you might not be able to understand the story. If you are expecting a highly grandiose story or plotline, then I don't think this is for you. The Wuxia elements and storytelling is average, but it makes sense. I have watched many Chinese dramas, and you would be surprised at how many of them fail to even tell a basic story. I was actually surprised at how many details and foreshadowing the screenwriter put into the dialogues when watching it for a second time. The characters' interactions are also interesting, and the growth/change is very clear. The side characters have their purpose and all of them have interesting plotlines.Honestly, this drama is nothing extraordinary compared to the hundreds of other dramas in mydramalist. Still, it stands out within the Chinese drama market because of its complete storyline, good acting, and just the overall dedication to the drama. When the market is saturated with terrible plotlines, terrible actors, and thoughtless production crews, SHL's staff and production crew surprised me at how far they were willing to go for the audiences. They re-edited scenes in different episodes due to fans' requests, and they got the voice actor to redub episode 14. They edited out an ost and then re-edited it in again for the fans. They did their very best with a 4.3 million budget, the lowest BL budget this year. They actually had to cut out 9 episodes by the end because they ran out of funds. The ending after ep 30 was rushed and the plot started going off the rails during ep 31-32. Was a pity? Yes. Could they have done better? Yes. But I was not angry at the outcome of this drama. Overall, this was a drama that has exceeded my expectations.
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A ghost never looked this good - Wen KeXing is bae❤️
WoH stole my heart and is my favorite cdrama
What I love most abt WoH is how both leads are damaged people, I mean, they are good and kind, but for their own reasons they were evil. For someone or many they represent hell, so imperfect and at the same time so perfect for each other - I loved them. There are so many details and hidden messages in the acting and actions that I indulged myself in how clever and beautiful it was.
✨️Story/Production
The water from the Five Lakes gather around the world
Who else deserves supremacy in the martial arts world?
The iridescent clouds are scattered and the glaze is shattered
Who will cry with the Ghosts on Mount Qingya?
Children of Yue, Nursery rhymes that doesn’t rhyme as gossip
WoH is based on the novel Faraway Wanderers and although some things were changed, the adaptation is very well done. The beginning of the story, when the leads are getting to know each other and interact like cat and mouse is so good, one of the best starts for a relationship, be it romantic or friendship, I've ever seen!
We follow the story of Zou ZiShu ZZS, a man with his days numbered due to his past but with incredible martial skills and sense of justice, who happens to save a noble orphan and get involved with Wen KeXing WKX, a man of great wit. WKX is a ghost in disguise trying to seek revenge for his family and destroy the world/society they live in. They become friends, they care for each other and together take care and ‘adopt’ the boy. They become a family in no time. Tragedy befalls them many times, like when very dear characters die (I write this and get teary eyed) or a sacrifice must be made to save his soulmate.
Towards the end some things do feel rushed and some plots like the Window of Heaven x Prince Jin and even the Scorpion sect x Glazed armor feel a bit incomplete, but still everything goes well.
The story is addictive and so elegantly told that I couldn’t take my eyes off of them. The word choices and lines were carefully made and gave the flirty ZZS and WKX’s relationship a very unique poetic tone. It was clear how much WKX was interested in ZZS, and it was great to see ZZS through his passionate eyes. I’m still amazed by all the poem references and details they put in the lines. Perfection! Some scenes are among my favorites of all time, such as WKX’s sacrifice in the end to save ZZS when they both say ‘Ai ni’. Fascinating!
Even with a low budget the script was so good and the interactions between Zhou ZiShou and Wen KeXing were so good it makes my heart overflow with love, like watching true soulmates.
✨️Favorite quotes
WKX: “Who knew that I would spend my entire life living in the wrong moment?" This line is one of the many that touched my heart, because I can relate to it. Hopefully now in my life I’m living the right moment.
ZZS: “Lao Wen, I always knew what you wanted. I had hoped you'd change. Who would have thought it would be me who would ultimately change?” I love this quote too, because it shows how well ZZS read WKX.
✨️Acting/Cast
The casting work in this series is a gift, every single character had great presence and played their part very well. I loved Gong Jun from the moment I heard his beautiful voice, it was like he put me under a spell. His WKX was always so elegant and poised, even when he said the harshest things. His eyes were so expressive no words were necessary to know exactly what he was thinking. Kudos.
Zhang Zhehan is also a monster, his work here was great, his character was troubled, kind and he spoke with his eyes even in the silence; Gu Xian and Weining who also stole my heart, they were like rays of warm sunshine and Chenliang who was such a cutie.
❤️✨️Wen KeXing✨️❤️
Wen KeXing's chaotic good persona and story really moved me here. He has bewitched me. I loved how he brought chaos to the martial world, using the poem and his intelligence. I love his brains! Of course the deaths saddened me, but at the same time that made me root for his revenge, made me curious about who he was, made me question his kindness and most of all made me cry when he cried. He is so smart and powerful. From the characterization, with the fan to the color red that I love and his make up - I adored him. His reasoning was always a delight to watch. Flawed characters like WKX are the reason why I love reading and watching series so much, they are never boring. Although they always plot something, they often suffer the most… My heart breaks for his losses.
✨️Music
I love the main song sung by the leads, it is very romantic and sad at the same time.
✨️Rewatch value
This series has one of the highest values for me, there are so many details and the story is so rich with top notch acting that a second watch is more than advisable, it is a must. If you are asking yourself if you should watch this, don't hesitate. I came here to share a little bit of my love. I am sad by the reality of the actors and scandals, and I will support them as much as I can. If I could I would rate it a 1000.
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Soulmates done right with its astounding storytelling performances
Bestowed by the beauty of this extraordinary show: The prosperous production quality, creativity of the story, outstanding acting performances, realness of props and settings, admirably blend of genres, unpredicted plot twists, attachment to the characters, powerful execution of fight scenes, and the effective conveyance of impact to the audience. This, without doubt, is one of the best Chinese series I’ve ever seen.Martial Arts, as the source of power and skills of the individuals in this story, is cleverly written and gracefully fits well into the traditional set-up along with its magical-fantasy clashes of sects and clans. The several factions that they introduced were my favorite thing about this. It began to click my interest the moment they started bringing those different groups of tribes such as the Ten Devils of the Ghost Valley, Five Lakes Alliance, Four Scorpions, Window of Heaven, Four Seasons Manor, Four Sages of Anji, Beggar Gangs, and the list goes on. They also gave them a unique naming with a meaning connected to either their beliefs or their contribution to the world.
The chemistry between the main leads is powerful and entertaining. It’s an inventive pairing as both of them are just like the two sides of the same coin; Zhou Zi Shu, the leader of the prominent Window of Heaven, and Wen Ke Xing the leader of the hated wicked Ghosts. Their personalities also differ, with one being all flirty and vengeful while the other one is a man of virtue who seeks only the goodness in humanity.
Aside from them, the rest of the cast also left memorable roles that feel like they're in one big family. Chen Ling is the couple’s son and acts as the bridge of reconciliation whenever the two need one. Ah Xiang is the daughter who is showering with a ray of sunshine around her. Wei Ning is their son-in-law who is very loyal to the one he loves. Ye Bai Yi is WKX’s mother-in-law who behaves like he hates the existence of him but in fact, he loves teasing him. Liu Qian Qiao and Xi Sang Gui are the trusted and ever-supportive aunts. And the rest of the cast are either their ally or enemy. The only antagonist from the show that I feel more sympathy for than hatred, is the Scorpion King who only wanted to feel genuinely appreciated by his foster father. It’s also a good bonus that he is cute despite having a dark characterization.
Personally, the Longyuan Cabinet Journey is my top pick of episodes from the show. The number of traps, mysteries, and the uses of mechanical arts was stunning. It somehow reminds me of Percy Jackson’s Battle in the Labyrinth, in which they found out that the minor-god Pan, is already dying while secluded inside. The same scenario was with the head of the Longyuan Cabinet who was brutally injured by his son. This is also the time when I hold a firm grip on the whole plot and past of the stories. There’s nothing more satisfying when you finally understand what’s going on. The feeling is amazing to be driven by the creative flow of the story.
The more I’ve watched the Word of Honor, the more I can feel the similarities it has to The Untamed, which I considered to be the best traditional-fantasy storytelling. Both shares the same genre, a bromance in drama (yet it doesn’t feel like a bromance at all since it is pretty obvious that they’re showcasing more than that) but a BL in the novel, a pilot episode that left you in awe of confusion, has an antagonist that can pass as the greatest pretender (Nie Huisang ranks first then followed by Zhao Jing), both most love hetero-couple died, and the two dramas explicit a rarity in providing top-class stories.
For the ending of Word of Honor, one should watch the special/epilogue episode to fully satisfy themselves by getting a happy ending since the last episode (36) looks like one of them or worst both of them died in the end. Nevertheless, it is pretty clear that they once again set the standard high for the next series you’ve ever planned to watch. I loved the overall impression that this series has given me. They’re indeed soulmates who are destined to survive all the odds in life. In addition to the story, it will never be as good as it is without the pleasing soundtracks that deliver clarity of emotion from each character.
Zhou Zi Shu and Wen Ke Xing acquired their happiness in the end and I’m grateful for it. Soulmates increase one’s hope to live longer and to be able to feel the warmth of affection from the other person for a long period. May we all hopefully lead to this kind of gratifying part of life in the future. Believe in the power of bliss that honors our whole existence in life, along with that one word, love.
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A second-rate drama
This show is below average in techincal department, the music was just “ok”, it lacks real and believable chemistry between the leads and the script is sloppy and most of the time boring and incosistent. A friend of mine told me they added all the past connection to the two leads and it’s such an abused and idiotic thing to do in an already confused plot. I didn’t pay to watch a drama in “majkang” style.The actors were way more incapable than most of the people say. If GOOD acting is all about waving your fan, reciting poems and eye rolls, well they did a good job… but acting is conveying emotions and noone in the cast did it fully. Their caricatural acting was anticlimatic because having a handsome face doesn’t mean you’re a good actor. Yeah, I’m talking about Gong Jun and Li Dai Kun: they’re extremely good looking guys but their performance weren’t THAT good or memorable.
In particular Zhang Zhe Han did an awful job portraying Zhou Zishu: he looks absent -minded most of the time or clearly changes his expression on demand. His worst performance was during the torture scene: he reminded me of “L'absinthe” by Edgar Degas. MAN, THEY’RE TORTURING YOU and you look like me when I have to wake up at 2 a.m. to work.
The chemistry between Wen Ke Xing and Zhou Zishu has no basis: the credibility of their relationship is based on words rather than gestures and on skinship instead of real feelings. There’s no deep comunication or romantic involvement.
It’s also misleading to let people think Tian Ya Ke is similar in ANY WAY to Chen Qing Ling.
The Untamed is an absolute masterpiece in acting, character development, script and music while Word of honor is cringey in acting, incoherent in character development, has a boring and incomprehensible script and music is forgettable.
Even the action sequences in Word of honor have always the same scheme, are boring and they last for few minutes while in The untamed we see many battle scenes that are convincing and Yibo's fights are one of the sexiest things on this planet. He's a marvelous vision in those moments.
It’s bothering that people constantly compares the two couples because Wei Wu Xian and Lan Wang Ji have one of the most beautiful, romantic, deep, meaningful, balanced relationship I’ve ever seen on screen, a connection based not only on words but also on non verbal communication, stares, caring gestures.
Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu on the other hand are a roller coaster of incomprehensions, arguments like five year old children who are unable to communicate.
The changes they did in The untamed’s adaptation were for the better while in Word of honor they unbalanced the relationship between Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu for fanservice sake.
The only similarity between the two series is the horryfing cg.
I decided to post my thoughts about the series because I’m sick of Word of honor community that brainwash people to verify their account only to rate this series 10/10, and I’m even more upset that people who tries to call out the flaws of this series are silenced and bullied by the same three or four fake accounts.
Please, everyone should be free to express their opinion without getting bullied.
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Tutto fumo e niente arrosto
COMMENTO CON SPOILER, PER CHI HA VISTO TUTTA LA SERIE.La prima cosa che voglio dire è che dal momento in cui sono venuta a conoscenza di questo drama, in me è nato subito un forte entusiasmo, che andava accrescendosi ogni giorno che passava. Infatti, nell’attesa che Viki lo finisse di subbare, ho passato settimane se non alcuni mesi a deliziarmi su Tumblr tra gif e fanart di questa serie (come io sia riuscita a non beccarmi nessuno spoiler importante rimane un miracolo). Ed ero davvero estasiata. Per vari motivi:
1) Questa serie è un fantasy xianxia e wuxia, un genere che a me piace molto.
2) La ship gay tra i due protagonisti.
3) Suddetti protagonisti che sembravano avere una chimica pazzesca dai modi in cui si guardavano.
4) Mi ricordava un sacco The Untamed, per ovvi motivi.
5) Sembrava una serie fatta davvero bene, quasi “epica”. Le scenografie, i costumi, i combattimenti... tutto sembrava promettere bene.
MA....
Qui lo dico, lo affermo e non mi vergogno: Word of honor mi ha grandemente delusa, penso che abbia un sacco di problemi e che non meriti assolutamente il voto che detiene qui su Mydramalist (8.6 al momento).
FATEMI CAUSA.
Ora, da un punto di vista estetico e tecnico, non ho granché di cui lamentarmi. La colonna sonora è molto bella (Ask Heaven stupenda), le scenografie sono bellissime e suggestive, gli effetti speciali in confronto a quelli di TU sono oro colato, e la recitazione anche se non è nulla di straordinario è comunque molto buona in alcuni casi. I miei preferiti sono stati Simon Gong come Wen Kexing (sopratutto nei panni del Signore della Valle), e Li Dai Kun come Re degli Scorpioni.
Mi è piaciuta molto la recitazione dei due lead (anche se Zhang Zhe Han l’ho trovato poco coinvolgente), che hanno per davvero una bellissima chimica. Potrei tranquillamente riempire il mio profilo tumblr di gif set su loro due che si guardano, che si sorridono, che scherzano, che combattono insieme... e sembrerebbe una ship meravigliosa (come era sembrata a me nelle settimane precedenti).
Il problema è proprio questo: Word of honor SEMBRA una serie epica, la WenZhuo SEMBRA una bellissima e struggente storia d’amore.
Ma come dice il proverbio: l’apparenza inganna.
Cosa è andato storto?
1) LA MANCANZA DI CONTESTUALIZZAZIONE, SPIEGAZIONI INESISTENTI E CONFUSIONE GENERALE
Molte persone si lamentano dei primi episodi di The Untamed, dicendo che sono lenti e non succede niente. Il che può anche essere vero, ma io quelle prime puntate le ho sempre apprezzate moltissimo perché fungono da introduzione della trama e presentazione dei personaggi. Ad oggi mi rendo davvero conto dell’importanza e della profonda utilità di quegli episodi, in cui ci presentano i vari personaggi e delineano le relazioni tra di essi, ci presentano il mondo in cui è ambientata la serie, e gettano tutte le basi di quello che avviene in seguito, rendendo quindi tutto molto più fruibile e comprensibile.
In Word of honor invece c’è da mettersi le mani nei capelli. Ho perso il conto delle volte in cui mi sono persa nei dialoghi dei personaggi che parlavano di gente a me sconosciuta. Spesso le cose succedono in modo random, senza uno straccio di spiegazione, al che ci si perde i pezzi per strada. Durante la visione ho sentito tanto la mancanza di un “contesto” che mi aiutasse a capire cosa stava succedendo in scena, di chi si stava parlando, cosa aveva portato un determinato personaggio a dire quella cosa ecc...
Per fare un esempio lampante: come in TU, anche in questo mondo ci sono dei clan principali, ma a differenza di TU dove ogni clan era caratterizzato meravigliosamente e in modo singolare, qui le sette non è nemmeno chiaro quali siano, non hanno caratteristiche precise che le rende uniche e facilmente riconoscibili, e non è nemmeno chiaro dove la gente vive, e comunque le residenze sono tutte molto simili.
Mi ha dato inoltre molto fastidio quando le cose succedevano off screen. Alcuni eventi sono stati solo spiegati o anche semplicemente citati, e non mostrati. Come la morte del capo dei mendicanti, per fare un esempio. Io capisco che la serie avrà avuto un badget limitato, ma di certo non poteva essere più limitato di quello di The Untamed (cane brutto spelacchiato sempre nei nostri cuori), e se quest’ultima è riuscita comunque a dare vita ad una storia capace di travolgerti il cuore, allora poteva farlo anche WOH.
Lasciamo poi perdere tutto il discorso dell’armatura vitrea e dei pezzi moltiplicati da quel genio di Wen Kexing: grazie per avermi complicato la vita.
È stato come rivedere la storyline del Metallo Yin, ma avanzata di livello: un incubo.
2) I PERSONAGGI REAGISCONO IN MANIERA ASSURDA
Più volte mi è partito il WTF nel vedere come reagivano, o meglio, non reagivano i personaggi.
A cominciare da Chengling a cui viene sterminata la famiglia e distrutta la casa nel secondo episodio, e questo ragazzino sembra non rimanerne più di tanto traumatizzato. Non come il massacro al Pontile del Loto e la reazione devastata di Jiang Cheng, Wuxian e Shijie che angoscia levati. In tutta la serie non ho mai percepito il trauma di Chengling o il suo dolore per la perdita della famiglia, è come se la cosa non fosse mai successa.
La figlia del Gran Capo Gao che viene rapita dalla coppia di vecchietti (voglio sapere se qualcuno ha imparato i loro nomi), e nel momento in cui viene liberata si lascia andare ad un assurdo slancio di bontà, di difesa e di perdono.
Durante l’ultima assemblea Wen Kexing afferma di non essere lui il capo dei fantasmi... e tutti gli credono. E quando viene fuori la sua storia e di chi è davvero figlio, gli viene perdonato tutto perché “eh poverino, ha sofferto tanto”. Quindi, giustamente, chiudiamo tutti gli spettri nella Valle Fantasma lasciandoli morire, tranne Wen Kexing e Xiang perché sono il lead e la lead. (Io comunque non ho mai capito cosa facevano di male questi fantasmi, togliendo quelli che hanno appiccato fuoco alla residenza del ragazzino).
E che dire di Zhuo Zishu e di Cao Wei Ning? Loro sono la ciliegina sulla torta. Questi due si innamorano di due spettri, e quando scoprono la loro vera identità non rimangono minimamente sconvolti, arrabbiati o turbati. Wei Ning un pochino si sorprende, ma la cosa finisce lì. E qui mi collego al prossimo punto.
3) UN ANTICLIMAX IMBARAZZANTE
Quando Ye BaiYi riferisce a Zishu la vera identità di Kexing, viene fuori che lui lo aveva già capito e che non gli importa. Quando Wei Ning scopre di Xiang dopo una iniziale sorpresa la cosa si risolve nel giro di un minuto.
Quando Kenxing scopre dei chiodi di Zishu, dopo un primo momento di disperazione (scena della pioggia), continua la sua vita come se nulla fosse. Non è in ansia. Non è angosciato. Non si mette alla disperata ricerca di una cura - come fece Wuxian per Jiang Cheng - per salvare quello che dice essere la sua anima gemella.
E ancora, Wen Kexing ha provocato la morte della famiglia di Chengling (non facciamo i buonisti: può anche non aver dato l’ordine, ma è quello che voleva e ha fatto di tutto per seminare odio e morte di persone innocenti), e quando il ragazzino lo scopre tutta la rabbia, la frustrazione e la delusione che si potevano creare si risolvono in un perdono totale (e comunque manco ne hanno parlato) in virtù di quello che il povero Wen Kexing ha passato.
Ora, perché non siete stati capaci di creare quella che si chiama angst? Perché, dopo aver creato TANTE occasioni che potevano davvero suscitare una buona dose di angoscia nello spettatore, non avete avuto la capacità di svilupparla come si deve e non avete avuto il coraggio di andare fino in fondo, preferendo invece strade più facili, buoniste e superficiali?
Word of honor aveva la possibilità di mettere su un’angst coi fiocchi, ma tutto si è sempre risolto con un NULLA DI FATTO.
4) UNA SUPERFICIALITA’ GENERALE
Lungo il corso della serie, ho sempre avuto la sensazione che ci fosse tanta carne al fuoco, ma che non sia stata cucinata fino in fondo. Word of honor è una bistecca al sangue. È una pasta al dente. Word of honor è la serie delle occasioni perse, dell’angoscia sprecata.
Word of honor si può riassumere perfettamente con il detto “tutto fumo e niente arrosto.”
Le Sette non sono caratterizzate, le evoluzioni dei personaggi sono praticamente inesistenti, fasulle o bipolari, le relazioni potevano essere un pozzo di profondità ma si sono sempre fermati alla superficie.
Un’altra cosa da cui sono rimasta molto delusa sono stati i Fantasmi. All’inizio mi piacevano un sacco, ma anche loro sono stati trascurati e/o dimenticati. A pochi di loro viene concesso il lusso di una storyline, e nessuna di queste ha saputo lasciare il segno. Non parliamo poi degli Scorpioni, che quasi non si sa chi siano.
Word of honor è una serie che pretende, ma che non dimostra di essersi impegnata abbastanza. Quello che ne risulta è una presa in giro.
5) ZHUO ZISHU E WEN KEXING COME I NUOVI “ROMEO E GIULIETTA”
So che rischio il linciaggio, ma io qui voglio davvero stendere un velo pietoso.
Sia se li prendo come personaggi singoli, sia se li prendo come coppia, li devo bocciare in entrambi i casi.
Wen Kexing è un finto villain, che vive nel bipolarismo tra il desiderio di vendetta e la vita idilliaca con Zishu e Chengling, e mentre passa metà del tempo a esprimersi attraverso versi di poesia e frasi filosofiche di cui non ho mai capito il senso, alla fine ottiene entrambe le cose senza aver mai preso una vera posizione.
Zhuo Zishu è un personaggio che di per sé potrei anche salvare, ma di problemi ne ha parecchi dal momento in cui entra in contatto con Kexing. Non si capisce perché accetta la sua presenza o perché da un episodio all’altro comincia a chiamarlo amico e a desiderare di condividere la sua vita con lui. All’inizio non sa nemmeno chi è, però vuole viaggiare il mondo assieme a lui: non è realistico.
La “storia d’amore” comincia in maniera semplicemente assurda, con Wen Kexing che definisce l’altro anima gemella alla bellezza dell’ottavo episodio, quando il livello di costruzione del loro rapporto è ancora minimo. Ma siccome si era intuito che si fossero già conosciuti nel passato, avevo pensato che avessero avuto un incontro precedente importante e degno di nota, per esempio Zishu che gli aveva salvato la vita, qualcosa di serio e profondo.
Circa a metà serie, si sono degnati di spiegarci le avventure passate di Kexing, e viene fuori che i due lead si sono conosciuti quando erano bambini (ho i brividi per l’inventiva), quando i genitori di Kexing hanno trovato rifugio presso il maestro di Zishu.
Ora...
Mi state dicendo che Wen Kexing ha definito Zishu anima gemella perché quando erano bambini hanno giocato insieme qualche giorno con il cane?
Sinceramente mi sento presa in giro.
Un altro grande problema è la loro comunicazione: superficiale e a volte inesistente.
Mi dispiace ma gli sguardi languidi e i giochetti non mi bastano. Ho bisogno di un fuoco che arde, non della fiammella di una candela.
Durante la prima metà della serie, prima di dare un giudizio definitivo, ho voluto essere speranzosa povera illusa. Mi sono detta: “non sono neanche a metà dai, hanno tutto il tempo per costruire un bel rapporto, per migliorare la comunicazione ecc...” E alla fine? Alla fine sviluppano una comunicazione talmente bella che Wen Kexing mette su un piano geniale senza farne parola con Zhuo Zishu, il quale lo crede morto e allora ripiega sul suicidio perché anche se ha Chengling e altri discepoli ritrovati di cui occuparsi e una possibile occasione di guarire, sia mai cercare di vivere una vita più che decente anche se la persona che ami è morta. Ma poi si scopre che quel simpaticone di Wen Kexing è ancora vivo, ma ormai è troppo tardi perché il danno è già stato fatto.
La loro comunicazione è talmente pessima che la cosa ha portato alla morte uno dei due.
Però sono anime gemelle.
Mi dà inoltre tremendamente fastidio il modo in cui la serie vuole passare per romantica con il messaggio: ha senso vivere solo con la tua anima gemella, se lei muore la vita perde di significato (questo vale anche per la coppietta etero finita male).
Questo NON è romantico. NON è bello. NON è sano.
Wen Kexing e Zhuo Zishu vogliono passare per tragicamente romantici: o viviamo tutti e due, o moriamo tutti e due. Ma io le storie d’amore così non le sopporto. Hanno fatto i nuovi Romeo e Giulietta, solo che loro li posso anche comprendere perché erano due tredicenni, mentre questi lead sono due uomini adulti che dovrebbero capire di dover andare avanti con la loro vita anche senza l’altro.
Voglio affrontare un altro discorso riguardante la ship.
Come ho detto prima, uno dei principali motivi per cui ero molto entusiasta nei confronti di questa serie, era per la ship gay.
Io so che è facile partire con l’entusiasmo quando si tratta di una storia BL, e non perché le ship gay siano speciali o più belle di quelle etero, ma perché in un mondo in cui le coppie gay non sono riconosciute come quelle etero e non hanno gli stessi diritti di queste ultime, è molto bello quando le coppie gay vengono rappresentate, quando vengono dati loro uno spazio e una voce.
Per una persona come me, totalmente supportiva della comunità LGBTQI, vedere queste persone rappresentate mi rende molto felice, soprattutto se si tratta di un drama asiatico, soprattutto se si tratta di un drama cinese!
Ma cominciando a vedere la serie, ho iniziato ben presto a scindere il mio entusiasmo personale da quello che stavo effettivamente vedendo. Io posso anche essere contenta che una serie cinese abbia deciso di rappresentare una storia gay, ma questo non significa che la relazione e la serie in sé siano state sviluppate in maniera adeguata, soddisfacente, emozionante ed ammirevole.
Wen Kexing e Zhuo Zishu scherzano, sorridono, si guardano, si prendono per mano, e tutto questo è bellissimo da vedere. Ma il problema è proprio questo: sono belli soltanto da guardare, come se fossero un bel quadretto.
Ma manca la vera angst, manca quella cosa che ti fa stringere il cuore per loro, manca quello struggimento che ti porta a shipparli, a tifare per loro e a desiderare di vederli insieme come se la tua felicità dipendesse da questo.
Non solo manca tutto questo, ma i due a una certa diventano addirittura noiosi, ripetitivi e ridicoli. Tanto che verso il finale non mi importava più nulla di loro, non mi importava se sarebbero riusciti a stare insieme o se Zishu sarebbe morto (tanto lo sapevo che avrebbero trovato una cura per quei chiodi maledetti: Ashes of love intensifritzzz), e addirittura ci sono stati dei momenti in cui ho sperato che morissero.
L’unica cosa buona di questa ship è quel “ai ni” pronunciato sul finale. Ho scoperto grazie alla mia compagna di visione che questa serie è famosa per aver passato la censura cinese, e ci credo. Oltre vari riferimenti palesemente gay lungo il corso della serie, l’elemento più eclatante è questo ti amo detto da Wen Kexing. Mettendo da parte le mie critiche, io sono felicissima di questo: un uomo che dice ti amo a un altro uomo, e il governo cinese lo ha passato! Cioè, PARLIAMONE.
Ora, voglio un attimo parlare del finale.
Qui lo dico e non lo nego: le serie asiatiche hanno un GROSSO problema con i finali. È qualcosa che ho notato fin dal mio primo amore Meteor Garden. Sono spesso poco chiari, confusionari, frettolosi, aperti, buonisti, paraculi e semplicistici.
Word of honor non fa eccezione:
1) Dopo aver esultato per le Nozze Rosse versione cinese, mi sono cascate le braccia nel vedere come il maestro di Wei Ning abbia agito per puro interesse dell’Armatura Vitrea, e non perché fosse un uomo di princìpi che voleva punire Wen Kexing per le sue malefatte. Sia mai rendere le cose interessanti e sfaccettate, meglio cadere nella banalità e scontatezza dilaganti che hanno pervaso questo drama fino all’ultimo.
2) L’Armeria bramata da tutti per tutto il drama che doveva contenere armi potenti si rivela essere un magazzino pieno di grano che possa sfamare le genti. E la manna che cade dal cielo, no?
3) Che vadano a cagare quei sette minuti A PAGAMENTO che compongono l’episodio 37, solo per vedere un riassunto della ship e i due lead che diventano immortali sulle montagne innevate.
4) Il rituale dei sei metodi di coltivazione che usano i due lead e che funziona, a quanto ho capito, solo con persone innamorate a livello romantico, è una cagata talmente immonda che mi vergogno io per la sceneggiatura.
5) A mio parere Xie'er è il personaggio migliore della serie. Non mi sarebbe dispiaciuto se gli avessero dato più spazio, e assolutamente MERITAVA DI MEGLIO SUL FINALE. Quella valanga di neve che travolge tutti senza degnarli di una decente scena di morte è qualcosa di imbarazzante.
Questa serie è stata una grossa delusione. A mio parere una pallida e brutta copia di The Untamed (e che sia chiaro: non critico WOH perché sono fan di TU e quindi tutti i BL mi fanno schifo di default, anzi, buona parte del mio hype iniziale era dovuto ai feels incredibili che questa serie mi dava di TU).
Esta resenha foi útil para você?
