Friday, April 29, 2011

Demi Gods & Semi Devils 2003

# Episodes: 40
# Broadcast network: CCTV
Also known as: Heaven Dragon, The Eighth Episode
Cast :

# Hu Jun as Qiao Feng / Xiao Feng
# Jimmy Lin as Duan Yu
# Gao Hu as Xu Zhu
# Liu Yi Fei as Wang Yu Yan
# Liu Tao as A Zhu
# Chen Hao as A Zi
# Xiu Qing as Murong Fu
Plot :
adaption of a Jin Yong novel of the same name. The epic centers around the Beggar Leader Qiao Feng, the Dali Prince Duan Yu and the Shaolin Monk Xu Zhu. Each of their stories are interweaved throughout the show and finally clash and join at the climax of the story.

Qiao Feng's story is his quest to find his real identity and the mystery surrounding an event that occured 30 years prior that left him as an orphan. Duan Yu's story covers his meetings with many of his half sisters that he did not know he had (thanks to his adventurous dad during his young days) and the battle with Duan Yuan Qing as the rightful ruler of Dali. Xu Zhu is a lowly Shaolin Monk who gets caught in the middle of an internal struggle of the Care Free Sect, one of the most powerful and secretative sects around. Their stories take place during the Northern Song Dynasty and across warring kingdoms of Song, Liao, Dali, and Western Xia.
Review :
Hu Jun did a good job in this series. He looked the part and had the build and stature for Xiao Feng. Jimmy Lin's portrayal of Duan Yu was not terrible, but close to it. It was limited to a few cute expressions and he did not really develop the character.All the women in the series were incredibly good-looking including Duan Zheng Chun's wives.The four Evils were portrayed well except for Nan Hai E Shen, who was too much of a joke. Overall, the supporting cast was good. As with most mainland productions, the scenery and setting were very beautiful. This series is worth watching , though for me 1982 version was much better then this.

The Sword Stained with Royal Blood 2007


# Broadcast network: CTV
Cast

* Dou Zhi Kong as Yuan Cheng Zhi
* Eva Huang as Wen Qing Qing
* Sun Fei Fei as A Jiu / Princess Chang Ping
Plot :
Sword Stained with Royal Blood is a wuxia novel by Jin Yong. Set in the late Ming Dynasty, the plot centers on Yuan Chengzhi, the son of Yuan Chonghuan, a patriotic military leader who was wrongly put to death by the Chongzhen Emperor. As an orphan, Yuan Chengzhi is sent to Mount Hua, where he is tutored in martial arts by Mu Renqing. He grows up to become a fine young swordsman and leaves Mount Hua in search of adventure. Serendipitous incidents lead him to discover the Golden Serpent Sword and a martial arts manual, which once belonged to Xia Xueyi, a long-dead enigmatic swordsman. Yuan inherits Xia's possessions and skills and becomes a formidable pugilist.
Subsequently, Yuan wanders around the land and meets Wen Qingqing, a young maiden from a family of brigands. Wen is actually Xia Xueyi's daughter and she follows Yuan after being expelled from her family. Initially, Yuan wanted to seek redress for his father, but decides to join Li Zicheng's rebel force in overthrowing the corrupt Ming Dynasty. He helps the rebels retrieve the gold robbed by the Wen family, sabotages a battery of cannons supplied to the imperial army by foreigners, and finances the rebellion with part of the treasure he discovered in Nanjing. Yuan also befriends several pugilists, who pledge allegiance to him after learning that he is the son of Yuan Chonghuan. Yuan reorganizes his followers to form an army and they pledge to serve and defend China from the Manchu invaders in the north.

Review :
This is my very very favorite show, its story is just amazing and the locations and kungfu fights of this show are unbelievable. Dou Zi Kong as Yuan Chengzi looked awesome ,his looks are quite similar to Jet Li. He really did the kungfu actions very well.. Eva Huang as Wen Qingqing stole my heart , she's too pretty and cute and her mischievious nature was amazing. The show is 30 episode long and i thought it should have been 40 eps bcoz the story is just so good. How the life of the deceased Golden Serpent Swordsman Xia Xueyi and the avenger Yuang Chengzi life meets. His pure determination to overthrow the ming dynasty, conflicts with martial world specially 5 poison sect.. There is not one moment where you will feel its draggy.. continuos adventure , action..not much of a love story though. Yuan Chengzi always puts his country first. This is the only adaption of Sword Stained with Royal Blood that i have seen and i don't think any other version made so far can beat this. A must watch for all Wuxia fans..

Lofty Waters Verdant Bow



Cast
# Raymond Lam as Jin Shiyi
# Michelle Yip as Lai Shing Nam
# Rain Lee as Kuk Chi Wah
# Mimi Lo as Lee Sum Mui
# Power Chan as Kong Nam
# Eddie Ko as Mang San Tung
# Felix Lok as Duk Long Juen Tse
# Fiona Yuen as Cho Min Yee

Plot:
Raymond Lam was poisoned in the beginning of the story, that's why he came to seek for Rain Li's master's help. As his journey begins, he gets caught in the affairs in the martial world and meets the two women who loved him most deeply.

Rain Li is the quiet, nice girl; Michelle is the cruel, selfish but very lovely character, because she loves Raymond so very much that she dies because of him. As for Raymond, he loves Rain Li at first, because she is the nice one. But, at the same time, he builds a great relationship with Michelle, but he did not realized he loves her until the moment she dies...
Review :
I have watched this show long time back, i even just remember one character's name that Raymond Lam , the main star.. his name was Jin Shiyi. A young kungfu master who has sort of poisning because of the martial arts he practises. He comes from a distant island to mainland china and meets with this beautiful assasin. This girl though very tough and brutal falls for JinShiyi. But jin shiyi likes this other girl who is very quite , calm and innocent. This love triangle is major story of the show , side by side three of them shares lots of adventures in puglistic world and makes lots of kungfu master their enemies. Jin shiyi becomes friends with the beggar sect and also becomes their leader , though he later passes on his leadership to find a peaceful life.. I liked this very much because it was short just 20 episodes.. story was not atall complex and there were not many strong characters in the story. Overall its a worth watching show..

Leathal Weapons of Love and Passion


Cast

* Raymond Lam as Fung Hung Lit
* Bosco Wong as Hon Pak
* Charmaine Sheh as Chun Mung Yiu
* Sonija Kwok as Gum Bing Wan
Plot
The story starts off where Fung Hung Lit was already married to Gun Bing Wun. She’s helping Pong Ban to recover Fung’s memory and to practice his dark martial arts. Afterwards, Pong Ban starts going after Fung and Fung ends up being saved by Hon Pak. The later become good friends.

In all of this, Fung meets Chun Mong Yiu and their relationship grows everyday. Meanwhile, Hon Pak meets many people that are willing to teach him martial arts so he becomes really good. Hon Pak and Ye Yuut also turn from lovers to siblings. When they find out she was adopted, Ye Yuut has to choose between Lord Yin and Hon Pak.

Pong Ban manages to restore Fung’s memory and they both think of plans to overturn the Ming Dynasty. Hon Pak also turns into Emperor Chu’s most trusted person and since Fung wants to restore the Yuan dynasty, they go from being friends to being enemies. They end up having a war against each other with many innocent lives being lost. In the end, they have a one-on-one fight. The one that loses has to back down and let the other win the war.

Review :
Lets start with the opening song , its a really good song liked it very much. This show is 40 episodes long and draggy at times. The story is set of the era where liao dynasty falls and ming dynasty starts. The mongolians are not treated well under ming rule. Raymond Lam as Hung Fung Lit has lost his memory and doesn't remember that he's one of mongolian royal blood line. Apart from this main story line , drama is filled with other things happening around Fung lit mainly his love with his wife bing wan and then Mung Yiu. The second main character is Hong Pak who bychance gets lots of internal energy from a kungfu master. He brings quite a lot of amusement in the show.. He and Fung lit become very good friends and hong pak admires him a lot. This show is pretty good, as i completed it without much of a break. Raymond lam's acting is really good, main star of the show. Overall worth watching.

Jumong - Prince of the legend





# Title (English): The Book of Three Han: The Chapter of Jumong
# Episodes: 81
# Genre: Historical
# Broadcast network: MBC
# Broadcast period: 2006-May-15 to 2007-Mar-06
Cast

* Song Il Gook as Jumong
* Han Hye Jin as So Seo No
* Kim Seung Soo as Prince Dae So
* Hu Joon Ho as Hae Mo Su

Plot
Jumong was the founder of Goguryeo in 37 BC. He was the son of General Hae Mo Su and Lady Yoo Hwa, and was raised by King Geum Wa who took him and his mother in when Hae Mo Su was believed to have been killed in an ambush by the Han Dynasty. So Seo No was a merchant's daughter who helped Jumong in realizing his dream to build a new country, and later became his second wife.

Review
This is not a wuxia genre drama , neither this is a chinese show. I am not into korean shows , just tried this one for a change and i am glad that i have seen this epic show. Jumong is a 81 episode epic saga of the legend of Emperor Jumong. The story is so unbelievably incredible that once you start it you would be hooked forever with it. The adventures of young prince Jumong , how he proved himself and his true love and passion for his people, country,mother,father,lover.. Jumong is a very inspiring show. This show has great excitement of whats gonna happen next .. on the other hand some scenes will make you cry ,, for why this is happening.. But you will never get bored.. I would suggest this show for everyone,, even if you are a hardcore wuxia fan..

A Step into the Past





# Also known as: The Chronicles of Finding Qin
# Genre: Historical fiction, adventure
# Episodes: 40
# Broadcast network: TVB
# Broadcast period: 2001-Oct-15 to 2001-Dec-07
# Theme song: Main theme (天命最高) by Louis Koo
Cast

* Louis Koo as Hong Siu Lung
* Raymond Lam as Chiu Poon/Ying Jing
* Sonija Kwok Sin Lei as Kam Ching
* Jessica Hsuan as Wu Ting Fong
More on casts

Plot :
This series is about a man, Hong Siu Long who is from 21st century-Hong Kong travels back into the past during Warring States Period in China. Unfortunately, the time machine comes into an error when he is being transfered into the past. As a result, Hong Siu Long comes to the period which is three years earlier than he is supposed to be and therefore, he can't go back to the future. In effort to go back to the future, he tries to keep the history goes as it is supposed to be.

Review :
I love this show, watched it 2 years back when it was uploaded in youtube in HQ. It starts a bit slow for me, when main hero in in the 21st century. But as he travells 2000 years back in past, the shows just becomes amazing. Lots of adventure, action , love in the show. Hong Siulong is a very clever person , he always amazes everyone with his abilities and tactics.. Louis Koo just amazed me with his acting abilities. There are 4 love interest for Hong Siu Long, each girl is unique and very beautiful in her own way. There's a lot you can learn about ancient china from this show.. Its one of my all time favorites.. Please check this out if you can.