A Journey to Love 一念关山 [2023]

[Tofu]

A Journey to Love 一念关山

 

Chinese Title: 一念关山 / Yi Nian Guan Shan
English Title: A Journey to Love
Director: Zhou Yuan Zhou (Previous work: Guardian, Winner is King) and Zou Xi (Previous work: Ultimate Note)
Screenwriter: Zhang Wei (Previous work: Who Rules the World)
Episodes: 40
Broadcasting Network: iQIYI
Airing Date: November 28th, 2023

 

Synopsis:

Two top assassins from rival agencies and their six-member team with diverse backgrounds and unique skills embark on a journey filled with challenges and crisis. (Credit)

 

Official Websites:
Baidu | Weibo | Douban

 

[Tofu]

Cast.

Liu Shi Shi as Ren Ruyi / Ren Xin

Liu Yu Ning as Ning Yuanzhou

 

Fang Yi Lun as Yu Shisan

He Lan Dou as Yang Ying

Chen Hao Yu as Chu Yue

Chang Hua Sen as Li Tongguang

 

Spoiler

Chen You Wei as Yuan Lu

Wang Yi Zhe as Qian Zhao

Chen Du Ling as Xiao Yan

Chen Xiao Yun as Imperial Concubine Chu

Huang Meng Ying as Jin Mei Niang

Zhang Zhi Xi as Jia Ling

Li Huan as Sun Lang

Lv Xing as Chief Secretary Du

Yin Zhu Sheng as Emperor An

Zhang Tian Yang as Emperor Wu

Zhang Fan as Deng Hui

Zhang Lei as Zhang Song

Wang Yan as Empress Shao Jie

Ye Qing

Ye Xiao Wei

Yuan Ruo Hang

Wu Hong

Su Meng Yun

Zhang Qiao Er

Wang Jia Xuan as Zhu Yin

Zhou Lu La

Jerry Chang

Zeng Ke Lang

Jing Ru Yang

Huang Yun Yun as Zhu Ji

 

[Tofu]

Trailer(s). 

 

[Tofu]

Booting Ceremony. 

Spoiler

 

 

Posters. 

Spoiler

 

 

[Tofu]

@NiteWalker Both of them look really good and the trailer makes me a bit excited for it too. 

[NiteWalker]

On 5/24/2023 at 6:54 AM, Tofu said:

@NiteWalker Both of them look really good and the trailer makes me a bit excited for it too. 

coming?

[Tofu]

On 5/27/2023 at 3:59 AM, NiteWalker said:

coming?

I hope so! 

[NiteWalker]

On 5/29/2023 at 6:45 AM, Tofu said:

I hope so! 

 

they looks matching and honestly we need someone who can match up Liu's height....hahaha

[Tofu]

It's airing this week! 

Spoiler

 

 

 

[40somethingahjumma]

I will definitely be watching this at some point because:

1) It's wuxia

2) I'm fond of Liu Shishi and Fang Yilun

3) It reminds me of 四大名捕. Hopefully this will be better than the one with Zhang Han. 

4) It also kind of reminds me of Vigilantes in Masks 怪侠一枝梅 

 

Trailer looks great.

[Tofu]

I've only watched a bit of episode one, but I can say that Liu Yuning's acting has improved since the last time I saw him (The Long Ballad). 

 

‐---------

The amount of characters introduced is making me 

[Tofu]

These photos are really nice! 

Airing Schedule 

 

 

[40somethingahjumma]

The first six episodes are excellent. I'm enjoying this so much. Best C drama since Lost You Forever and Fake It Till You Make It. Liu Yuning has definitely improved and found a role that suits him. Liu Shishi is a queen. Her character the assassin Ruyi is absolutely ruthless.

 

This show has some of the best set-up I've ever seen in an Asian drama. In just 3 episodes, all the key players are properly introduced and much of the world-building established without the usual clunky exposition.

 

What's unexpected is the humour. I didn't expect this to be this funny. Fang Yilun's character Shisan (No. 13) brings so much laughter and nuttiness to the mix as the resident ladies' man. 

 

What's also hilarious is the leads constant negotiation and renegotiation especially when she so desperately wants a baby with him! 

 

Let's hope this is good all the way to the end.

[Tofu]

This is so funny, hahaha! 

 

 

[Tofu]

I have not been watching Chinese dramas lately because none of them are really capturing my attention. The last time I watched and completed a Chinese drama was back in August! Besides not connecting to them, I've been in this weird drama watching funk where I feel exhausted watching more than two dramas a week (I used to be able to watch five or six without any issues!). 

 

Nevertheless, this drama checks all the right boxes for me. I can't remember the last time I was this engaged watching a drama where I didn't even fast forward! 

 

Liu Shishi is such a badass as Ren Ruyi. She is perfection and truly a queen. Liu Yuning is pretty awesome as Ning Yuanzhou too. I agreed that this role match him well and while his microexpression can use a little more work, he has improved a lot from the Long Ballad (where I saw him last). 

 

19 hours ago, 40somethingahjumma said:

This show has some of the best set-up I've ever seen in an Asian drama. In just 3 episodes, all the key players are properly introduced and much of the world-building established without the usual clunky exposition.

Same, I loved this! Although, for a minute I was so confused with all the introductions. I can barely remember the last guy's name and here they were introducing someone else! 

 

19 hours ago, 40somethingahjumma said:

Fang Yilun's character Shisan (No. 13) brings so much laughter and nuttiness to the mix as the resident ladies' man. 

Yes!! The scene of Ning Yuanzhou and Shisan meeting had me dying of laughter. 

 

The humor in this drama was not something I expected but now that we have them, they were so needed. The boys betting on if Ning Yuanzhou is going to fall in love with Ruyi or better yet, the troop all testing their luck on capturing Ruyi's attention was so funny to watch. 

 

Tagging some people to come watch with us too: @ktcjdrama @IpohBanana @OsmanthusTea @Yana @UnniSara

 

 

 

[Tofu]

I don't pay much attention to entertainment gossip, so I was pretty surprise to read this about Liu Yuning. I didn't know so many people were against him playing Ning Yuanzhou or the other roles he's filmed/attached to. I think he's doing great and the personal appearance comment is so petty. 

Spoiler

 

Spoiler

 

Spoiler

 

 

[Tofu]

 

[40somethingahjumma]

Watching Fang Yilun alternating among the giddy schoolboy, the shameless flirt and the matchmaker is something I didn't know I needed. He is so good in this. He is the comic relief but more than that. He does play the fool but when the chips are down he more than pulls his weight. 

 

More than once I thought about the A-Team while I was watching this. (Showing my age here I know) There's a bit of that and there's a bit of Avengers especially during the battle at the canyon in Episode 8. Not surprising of course when wuxia is the Chinese answer to superheroes.

 

The push and pull is fun with Ning Yuanzhou's men making salient observations and snide comments about his blossoming romance with Ruyi. The guy is in denial and while he rationally tries to explain his interest in Ruyi to his sidekick Lu Yuan, it is obvious that it is more than a passing curiosity or attraction. She's his counterpart in every way except that she doesn't know how to be part of a team. That is her growth arc -- to learn to interact normally with people and work together with others.

 

Word gets around that the mysterious Ruyi wants to have a baby with Yuanzhou and it travels faster than the speed of light. The next morning some of the constables are caught shirtless and doing weight lifts in front of the lady in question. If their chief isn't keen, the rest of them are up for the job of giving the lady what she wants. It is just the funniest scene so far and I literally had tears in my eyes. The baby issue is cause for much hilarity but it is also the catalyst for the romance and for Ruyi's journey to find a family with the members of Liudao Tang. 

 

This show is probably the funniest drama I've seen all year.

 

@Chocolate Do you like wuxia?

 

[Chocolate]

On 11/29/2023 at 4:55 AM, Tofu said:

I've only watched a bit of episode one, but I can say that Liu Yuning's acting has improved since the last time I saw him (The Long Ballad). 

 

I thought he looked familiar. What role was he in TLB?

 

2 hours ago, 40somethingahjumma said:

More than once I thought about the A-Team while I was watching this. (Showing my age here I know)

2 hours ago, 40somethingahjumma said:

@Chocolate Do you like wuxia?

 

Ahem, I grew up with A Team too, and also wuxia (think Chu Liu Xiang, the Adam Cheng version) hahaha. Many times, I wonder if I am older than you, 'cause I don't know when your '40somethingahjumma' was created 🤔😂

 

Will give this a shot.

 

 

Edited November 30, 2023 by Chocolate

[40somethingahjumma]

2 minutes ago, Chocolate said:

 

I thought he looked familiar. What role was he in TLB?

 

 

He was Zhao Lusi's love interest. The guy who followed her around in the second half and took a beating for her. Tall chap.

 

3 minutes ago, Chocolate said:

 

Ahem, I grew up with A Team too, and also wuxia (think Chu Liu Xiang, the Adam Cheng version) hahaha. Many times, I wonder if I am older than you, 'cause I don't know when your '40somethingahjumma' was created 🤔😂

 

Will give this a shot.

 

 

I am actually over 50 so 40somethingahjumma is more of a brand these days. :D

 

Adam Cheng's Chu Liu Xiang is still the only Chu Liu Xiang. The others all pale into comparison. I haven't seen anyone even comparable. I don't think he will ever be deposed. It's interesting you mention this though. After seeing Alen Fang in this show, I'm thinking that he might be a good candidate for a much needed update.

 

I also seen a couple of recent Xiao Li Fei Dao adaptations and none of them cut it either.

 

I grew up with Adam Cheng. I think my mother was in love with him. 

[Chocolate]

9 minutes ago, 40somethingahjumma said:

He was Zhao Lusi's love interest. The guy who followed her around in the second half and took a beating for her. Tall chap.

 

Oh right! I thought he was quite cool there. Quietly protecting her.

 

9 minutes ago, 40somethingahjumma said:

I am actually over 50 so 40somethingahjumma is more of a brand these days. :D

 

I grew up with Adam Cheng. I think my mother was in love with him. 

 

We're the same age range then!

All mothers of our generation were in love with Adam Cheng and Patrick Tse 😂

 

Edited November 30, 2023 by Chocolate

[40somethingahjumma]

2 hours ago, Chocolate said:

 

All mothers of our generation were in love with Adam Cheng and Patrick Tse 😂

 

 

And Chow Yuen Fatt. ;) Can't forget him. 

 

Ooops... I think we've hijacked this thread.

 

 

Edited November 30, 2023 by 40somethingahjumma

[Tofu]

6 hours ago, 40somethingahjumma said:

Ooops... I think we've hijacked this thread.

Haha, that's ok! I love off-topic conversations. 

 

Here is the BTS of the A-Team:

I remembered Liu Yuning broke his ankle at some point a while back. I guess it was during the filming of this drama and shortly after the fight scene in episode eight. I wonder if they will adjust his scenes later...

 

Are you going to check this out soon, @SilverMoonTea? Maybe @mademoiselle can take a look too, but I know you are watching a lot at the moment. 😅

[Tofu]

18 hours ago, 40somethingahjumma said:

Watching Fang Yilun alternating among the giddy schoolboy, the shameless flirt and the matchmaker is something I didn't know I needed.

Interesting enough, the last time I saw him in anything was also The Long Ballad. That said, Fang Yilun must be having so much fun playing Shisan. 

 

How old is Ning Yuanzhou supposed to be in the drama? Somewhere in his 20s? I, sometimes, forget how young the heros are in wuxia dramas. 

 

 

 

[AwkwarDerp]

47 minutes ago, Tofu said:

Interesting enough, the last time I saw him in anything was also The Long Ballad. That said, Fang Yilun must be having so much fun playing Shisan. 

 

How old is Ning Yuanzhou supposed to be in the drama? Somewhere in his 20s? I, sometimes, forget how young the heros are in wuxia dramas. 

 

 

 

Why do I feel like Fan Yilun followed him from TLB to here to troll him  "we were enemies, and now we're best friend"