I'll avoid spoilers since there's plenty in the thousands of comments :D.

I honestly believe that this drama will become an all-time classic and a story that will be adapted a few more times with spin-offs for different characters. The intricate story, amazing plot building, beautifully fitting music, unforgettable and complex characters, and relationships are among the many reasons I consider this one of the best dramas to come out of modern Asian literature.

****Short review****
This show is a gem - it flowed at a great pace and was so well executed, acted, and directed (mostly - you'll understand if you read the comments). Seriously, HUGE KUDOS to the entire team involved in this drama. From conception to completion, it was a power team that gave us the audience such a fantastic, addictive experience. Nothing was overlooked, and you can tell that a lot of attention and thought was given to the cinematography, the sets, the props, the costumes, the music and sound effects, and the dialogue. It had everything that made you feel so much - moments that were heart-tugging, weep-worthy, tense, suspenseful, annoying, romantic, joyous, jubilant, or just plain satisfying. Politics were involved but nothing were confusing and draggy. There was also romance, enhanced by crackling chemistry that pulls you right in, but it was never only about the love stories. This drama focused on the development of the main characters and their growth, exploration, and the outcomes of different journeys and choices.

I do recommend this show - this is one where many felt that 49 episodes were not enough!

****Long review****
Why this show is a 10 for me!

- Storyline and characters
So much of this show is poetic interpretation. The words, the gestures, the looks, the expressions, the songs, everything has multiple meanings. The show executed this so well, keeping me, the audience enthralled and engaged all the way. It is truly an intellectually and emotionally intelligent show, emphasizing loyalty, courage, kindness, healthy relationships, and self-discovery. The characters' life-changing circumstances and adversities make for dramatic adventures, keeping the show interesting, and their personal growth and development made me feel pride. The growth came from maturity, experience, awareness, and overcoming hardships.

Most of these characters are well-written, and no one was all good or all bad. Every good character had flaws, and every villain had a backstory that made them relatable and their actions justifiable. The series was well-balanced and smartly showed different aspects of a situation, and showed the different perspectives of the characters. You will come to understand what the characters went through, the reasons for their emotions, and their circumstances. I found myself connecting with the characters and rooting for them, especially the main couple. They earned my admiration - they both had reasons for revenge but gave up their opportunities for revenge, realizing that killing a person would not bring the ones they lost back. They showed real strength and wisdom, valuing the greater good over revenge and striving for more meaningful things in their lives. Also, it is incredibly satisfying when they kicked ass and brought the bad guys down either by strategy and ability to anticipate or by pure physical takedowns.

The story started strong with impressive choreography in the Cuju game, and it hit you from the get-go immediately with intrigue and events. I like the references to the Art of War and military strategies. Each episode kept up the pace, never lost the momentum, and just got better and better. I never felt tempted to skip, and many scenes were so impactful that I would rewatch them just so I could appreciate the gestures, micro-expressions and the words again.

I like the sismance, bromance, and the lack of tiresome third parties or love triangles. My favourite aspect of the show is the emphasis on wholesome masculinity and strong female characters. Both ladies and men shone in this show, and there was a lot of support and respect for one another.

- Cinematography
Visually, musically, aesthetically - The story pulled one in so deeply, using music, timing, rhythm, and even pregnant pauses to keep things engaging and emotional from the get-go. The cinematography was impressive, with close-up shots of details, gestures, and facial expressions that only enhanced the watching experience. The sets were nicely done, and they even recreated the grassland from scratch and filmed real outdoor scenes. The locations were beautiful. Then there were the gorgeous costumes - wait until you see Ashile Sun in his General uniform and ChangeGe in her Tang and Mobei princess outfits.

Some editing could be better, especially during the transitions between manhwa and reality, but I like the director mixing media. It keeps things different and captures certain moods more effectively through graphics than acting, especially the battle scenes where horses were hurt. It also paid homage to the manhwa artist.

- Choreography
The directing and acting for the game, archery scenes, and the close-up combats were done so superbly and were of such high quality. Using space and the right moments to deploy the slow-motion effect, the director heightened the scenes' anticipation and intensity. They reminded me of the highly stylized action sequences by John Woo. When paired with the most fitting sound and music as well as thoughtful camera angles, all I can say is WOW! I love seeing Leo Wu as A'Sun kick - so gratifying! And the others didn't pale in comparison either.

- Romance
A slow burn for our main OTP, but it was such a satisfying journey to watch them. This couple paired so well, with both of them being such tsundere characters. Their conversations and unspoken thoughts, glances and stares, smiles and gestures - the closer they were drawn to each other, the bigger the rush of adrenaline for me. Their love was the kind that seeped into my heart, made it flutter, and it almost exploded when Sun started pursuing ChangGe more boldly. There's a hilarious scene of the moment he realized that ChangeGe was his 'beloved'. To quote @Dragnelia: Find yourself a man who would LOVE YOU so intensely without knowing what LOVE IS!

What I love the most though was not the chase and drama of ChangeGe finally opening up to Sun as much as their ability to bring out the best in each other. They complemented each other and reveled in each other's strengths and uniqueness. When conflict entered the plot that kept them apart, it was not a test of whether it will break them up but more of a testament that their relationship was healthy enough to adapt and overcome. They were partners through and through.

ChangGe is my favourite type of female lead. Incredibly intelligent yet youthfully naive, feminine yet strong, noble yet down to earth, and boy, did she have an extremely high pain tolerance! Charismatic Sun fascinated me. He was an excellent counterpart to ChangGe, matching her in wit, perceptiveness, and resourcefulness. The way Ashile Sun silently supported our FL and discerned the best way to motivate her added an extra level of swoon-worthiness. I like that the story had him discover early that ChangGe was a girl, and you could tell the moment he started caring for her. Sun could not believe that such an extraordinary girl could exist. From that first attraction, he has been looking out for her.

All other dramas should use these two as prototypes as they genuinely raised the standards for ideal male and female leads.

I also liked the secondary couple a lot - Hao Du and Le Yan. Even though their relationship was based on the "sweet soft princess and cold guard" trope, I was rooting for Hao Du all the way.

- Cast
The drama is a visual feast for the eyes; be it the main leads or supporting cast, it's good looks galore.

Lucky for us audience, this show got it right with the casting, and some pairings just work. Dilireba and Wu Lei have the "it" factor, and their chemistry is incredible on-screen and off-screen! I highly recommend watching the BTS clips; you'll understand why this OTP is so adored and why so many wanted Wu Lei's first on-screen kiss to be with Reba. Reba is one of my favourite Chinese actresses, and when compared to her last drama before 'The Long Ballad', I can say that her acting has improved yet again. She was never bad to me, but her ability to emote, especially during the crying scenes, became better. She is as beautiful as ever, and she really fits her character.

Leo emotes well with his facial expressions and eyes. He can pull off the cold and indifferent look but using just his eyes; he can convey worry and fear, care and love. He's seriously so hot as Ashile Sun that he should graduate from being the Nation's Little Brother to one of the Nation's Male Gods (Nan shen). His acting was excellent here, and he truly deserves awards for some of his scenes.

Zhao Lusi is another great actress, and when paired with Liu Yu Ning, they also lit up the screen. Liu Yu Ning did an amazing job portraying an anti-hero, so antagonistic, but his actions belied his seemingly cold manner. Lusi managed to make LeYan stand out and portrayed her character development so well.

As for Alen Fang's Wei Shu Yu, his character wasn't as admirable as his lead role in Love By Hypnotic, but he looked good no matter what. Plus, his acting has also become better.

The entire cast did so well, and there were such good chemistry and rapport among them. At one point, I was shipping LeYan and ChangGe together because their relationship was just on fire!

- OST and Sound Effects
The OSTs are on another level and are very fitting, with appropriate pieces underscoring the scenes; both starting and ending songs set the dramatic and emotional tone that was infused throughout the show. I also love that whenever there was a poignant scene between Hao Du and LeYan, the background song was the one sung by Liu Yu Ning. That man can sing, and I am a fan now of him and Zhou Shen. In addition to the music, the sound effect team must also be commended. They did a stellar job bringing the show to life so effectively.

Overall, "The Long Ballad" nailed it in every aspect for me. This is one series that I will rewatch in a heartbeat. I've already watched it multiple times. While I waited for the new subbed episodes to air, I watched the unsubbed version, and I will watch the entire series again completely subbed. That's how much I enjoyed it.