[Mainland Chinese Drama 2019] Under the Power 锦衣之下

[yueyyo]

I found a photo of them on happy camp but not much additional info on it even after I clicked the link of the source that posted it on Weibo:

 

Link of the one that posted on Weibo:

https://www.weibo.com/junjunhuihui?refer_flag=1001030103_

Maybe a more advanced Weibo user can make heads or tails of it and find out more on when it will be aired.

[LuMNaL]

6 hours ago, yueyyo said:

, the video you just posted is very good quality.  Can you make one that has all the funny moments and will you take request like the moments I listed above in this post?   Thanks for the effort you put in your video.

I am still very busy, as soon I have time, I will do it...

[lizzieyen]

On 2/15/2020 at 4:13 AM, rosamundekingsley99_stv said:

First, thank you for all the insightful comments!  I loved reading everyone's interpretations on when Lu Yi and Jin Xia fell in love.

 

My personal take - I don't think that it happened at any one defining moment; like the lead couple in The Story of Minglan (Minglan and Gu Tingye) - it happened slowly, so no one fell in love, but they just loved.  Which makes sense given Lu Yi's response at the table about what is more important than honor in episode 24: "Love.  Love, can also mean friendship and comradeship."

 

I very much enjoyed The Story of Minglan because Minglan and Gu Tingye loved each other despite their flaws and misgivings. They learned to love each other despite being angry with each other and not liking each other or each other's methods of dealing with crises at times.  Sometimes we don't even like the person we love, and I am not sure that many of us recognize this contradiction - that is what is so peculiar about love.

 

I actually was looking for another drama like The Story of Minglan, and although this couple in Under the Power is not married, Lu Yi and Jin Xia act as if they were already married.  They bicker endlessly, but subconsciously, they both know that they are safe with each other, and they complement each other. The fact that Jin Xia asked Lu Yi's assistance to find her family, that speaks volumes about the level of trust she has for him despite his being part of the imperial guard.

 

In fact, Jin Xia explains why she trusts him despite his being part of the imperial guard when Lu Yi reverts to a 13-year old - he is ruthless but he is not heartless, and he does not ask anyone to do what he is not willing to do himself.  He puts others above himself - but most people cannot see that because of his tough, cynical exterior. 

 

And why would Lu Yi grow up to be an externally compassionate individual?  His father is ruthless and seems to lack a conscious, and Lu Yi witnessed his mother's assassination.  I am just impressed that Lu Yi was able to recognize that Jin Xia would be his better half - that just indicates to me the high level of his self-awareness and emotional intelligence.  Watch him by his actions, not by his words.

 

And that is where Jin Xia did not make the same mistake that so many others did - she looked beyond the embroidered brocade uniform, to the man and the heart beneath - she definitely sees beneath the surface, which is why Lu Yi respects her and her detective abilities.  And for a man who grew up in the imperial court, he appreciates her straightforwardness and her lack of guile.  And I appreciate that he does not put down her abilities but instead tries to enhance her abilities.  Unlike many men, he is not threatened by her.

 

That is not to say that Lu Yi is perfect and neither is Jin Xia.  But together, they work well together, and they can build a life together.  

 

And that is key about love - you have to continue building that life together despite obstacles and pain, because not every day will be sunny.

 

And with respect to Lu Yi and Jin Xia, I definitely see their building a life together, just as I did with Minglan and Gu Tingye.  

 

It is hard to write a drama that persuades the viewers to believe that this OTP will last beyond the fading screen - because real love requires you to love the warts too, not just the shiny, beautiful parts.

 

This is the first drama I have watched both both actors, and I am impressed with Allen Ren's ability to communicate with his eyes.  Zhang Bin Bin tried very  hard to do this in The King's Woman, but he did not quite pull it off - of course, Allen Ren did not acquire this ability overnight - he is 30 whereas Zhang Bin Bin is only around 25.  But I have to say that generally, Allen Ren seems to fit a "uniform-driven" drama, whether it be Under the Power, or the Autumn Cicada that was supposed to come out 3 years ago.  There is a sharpness about him that makes sense for him to play the hard, cynical character with a heart.  His smirk/tilted smile is one of the few that works on the screen - he has a "je ne sais quoi" to him that most actors cannot pull off, and that is why they cynical roles fit him.  He reminds me of many of the actors from the Golden Age of Hollywood who carried this protective attitude well.

 

And Tan Songyun played her role well - from playful, goofy, serious, "don't mess with me," to loving, conflicted, and caring.  Her eyes and impish smile were the best part of her - she is pretty enough, but her aura is warm and inviting.  She invites you to enjoy the joke with her.

 

I also watched some of the BTS, and what I appreciate about both actors - they are not the most beautiful and charismatic, but they know how to evolve into their roles - they are actually acting, as opposed to being themselves dressed in costume.  Both are rather ordinary looking compared to some of the stars in cdrama land, but when they taken on a role, they both become the character and allow us to experience the character's emotional arc and evolution.

 

And by the way, how Lu Yi gazes at Jin Xia - I have seen that before in real life - it does exist, but it does not happen often.

 

To quote one of the songs from The Destiny of the White Snake (another Allen Ren role but he did not quite pull it off there... and for some reason, I have a hard time with Yang Zi dramas generally), ""you are the heartbeat that never stopped in the last lifetime/you are the mark on my chest in the next life/before seeing the outcome/how could I have forgotten about you?

 

For those of you who celebrate Valentine's Day, remember that every day should be celebrating your loved ones.

 

Thank you for reading.

 

 

 

 

 

 

What a lovely ode to LuYi and JinXia! Have you seen Glory of Tang Dynasty - RJL was really good there too which inspired me to write an article solely about his character. I totally agree with what you say - its not many OTP that can make you buy in to their lives together after they have walked off the screen and this is probably why Under The Power resonated with so many people notwithstanding that many would consider RJL and TSY the best-looking c-drama actors. 

 

I totally agree w you on YZ too

 

Happy Valentine's Day! 

 

 

[HopelesslyHooked]

It is such a joy to be able to watch 4 new subbed videos this week!

I can not thank the subbers enough for all their effort. The extraordinary amount of enjoyable scenes.

I know the anxiety-stricken spots are approaching, so I'm going to pour over myself with all the heartwarming scenes while I still can.

 

I find myself to be so forgiving towards this drama, like on the battlefront, where they found each other at last, it would be impossible to just stand there and longingly stare at each other for 10 seconds and not actually be attacked by the enemy. BUT, instead of rolling my eyes and saying "duh", my heart was simply glad for them and just accept the scene as it is supposed to be, the two love birds finally together again.
When Lu Yi answered Jin Xia's question about what's the most important thing he gained on his trip to the south. I could imagine the cringing I would be having if it is another drama/actor/actress. But here, I just sighed and thought, it has been a long journey for both of them.

 

So many scenes have touched my heart on these 4 episodes, but writing them all here now would really be too much.

 

I don't really pay much attention to the political aspect of the drama, but I believe it is a necessary element to round up the drama. Surely enough, being a subject of the king is really not easy. One can neither be incompetent nor too competent, you just have to be smart, or just plain be lucky.

[Lov4drama]

4 minutes ago, HopelesslyHooked said:

It is such a joy to be able to watch 4 new subbed videos this week!

I can not thank the subbers enough for all their effort. The extraordinary amount of enjoyable scenes.

I know the anxiety-stricken spots are approaching, so I'm going to pour over myself with all the heartwarming scenes while I still can.

 

I find myself to be so forgiving towards this drama, like on the battlefront, where they found each other at last, it would be impossible to just stand there and longingly stare at each other for 10 seconds and not actually be attacked by the enemy. BUT, instead of rolling my eyes and saying "duh", my heart was simply glad for them and just accept the scene as it is supposed to be, the two love birds finally together again.
When Lu Yi answered Jin Xia's question about what's the most important thing he gained on his trip to the south. I could imagine the cringing I would be having if it is another drama/actor/actress. But here, I just sighed and thought, it has been a long journey for both of them.

 

So many scenes have touched my heart on these 4 episodes, but writing them all here now would really be too much.

 

I don't really pay much attention to the political aspect of the drama, but I believe it is a necessary element to round up the drama. Surely enough, being a subject of the king is really not easy. One can neither be incompetent nor too competent, you just have to be smart, or just plain be lucky.

Lucky for you. I still don't have time to watch this 4 new episodes . 

[mspilgrims]

I'm with you on this. Sometimes while watching the show I know that there are too many clichés, some scenes are very badly executed (f.i. all the underwater scenes), the CG is terrible... Then our ML and FL appear and I forgot all the flaws since they are portraying their characters so well.

Some of their interactions really lack a kiss though, like when he comes back during the battle in time to save the day. Let's say the normal reaction for a couple would be to hug and kiss but we can't have it all I guess!

[rosamundekingsley99_stv]

As I watch episodes 47 and 48,  I completely understand the consternation over Lu Yi's decisions in these episodes, but this is exactly why I respect this character and root for him. His love, his relationships, his persistence, his moral code - those make him Lu Yi and distinguishes him from his father, and his father knows this.

 

And consistent with his character, Lu Yi is not acting dramatically but trying to figure out how to restore what was and bring the truth to light. Unlike his father, he is not willing to turn a blind eye, no matter the personal price he must pay. And he honors the memory of his mother by trying to protect Jin Xia from heartache, but alas, as one of Allen Ren's prior characters aptly quoted: "The human heart cannot be predicted and guessed at, but at the same time, it can't be ignored or avoided."

 

And @lizzieyen thank you for your kind remarks!  Without English subtitles, I have a hard time understanding The Glory of Tang Dynasty... although I watched through all of it.

 

[rosamundekingsley99_stv]

17 hours ago, lizzieyen said:

 

What a lovely ode to LuYi and JinXia! Have you seen Glory of Tang Dynasty - RJL was really good there too which inspired me to write an article solely about his character. I totally agree with what you say - its not many OTP that can make you buy in to their lives together after they have walked off the screen and this is probably why Under The Power resonated with so many people notwithstanding that many would consider RJL and TSY the best-looking c-drama actors. 

 

I totally agree w you on YZ too

 

Happy Valentine's Day! 

 

 

@lizzieyen by the way, where can I ready your essay?  Thanks!

[Misstinker]

I havent seen all the episodes as yet I'm still waiting on subtitles so can someone explain to me how luyi father find out about jinxia and did he know they was going to get married 

[Misstinker]

Thank you @angelangie

[FantasyDweller]

I have no idea why this drama is famous. I just dont like the lead actress in this drama. she is good for support role.

[Misstinker]

Very well said @angelangie

[yueyyo]

5 hours ago, FantasyDweller said:

I have no idea why this drama is famous. I just dont like the lead actress in this drama.

Please take this kindly because I don't want to alienate you from posting.  How much of the drama have you watched?  I am trying to find out how much you have seen so I can see where you are coming from.  If you just judge it based on the lead actress and what you have seen of her then maybe you just have something against her which most people don't and it prevents you from enjoying her work.  I understand that can happen for some people but that is just something personal and it doesn't mean others can't find the actor or actress's work to be enjoyable and even remarkable. I never saw any of the lead actress's work but I have only heard good things about her acting so I knew she was going to be good.  It was the lead actor that I had reservation about before watching the series.  I saw a clip of the drama he starred with Yang Zi and thought he looked rather unremarkable but the trailer I saw of him for this drama made me think maybe I was too rash to disregard his potential just based on his look in the Yang Zi costarring drama and it would be worth checking the series out because the trailer looked interesting and the leads looked good together.  I am very glad I did not let my initial impression of the male lead keep me from giving the drama a try.  A drama can become famous for many a reason but unless we see it or read the viewers' opinion, we won't understand it.  For example, I know the series The Untamed is very popular and from what I have seen of the two leads who are now very popular from that series, I don't know why it is so popular since I can't imagine the acting of those two to be that good.  However, I would never be so bold as to pose that question to those who like the series since I haven't watch it to have a good opinion or critique of it.  Anyway, that's just my two cents so I hope you can post again to help us understand your view better.

[BluePinkyrose]

It's nice to hear Jialun calling Songyun her real name 'Jingjing'. Also he's a teaser

 

 

 

[AgnesLi]

7 hours ago, FantasyDweller said:

I have no idea why this drama is famous. I just dont like the lead actress in this drama. she is good for support role.

As Someone here said before, Jia lun & Song Yun aren't good looking actor and actress but I think they are best cast for YiXia' role. Their chemistry and good acting in the whole drama make them looks flawless.

 

No need to like the actor and actress itself, just see the whole drama and u know that both of them are best portrait of Yixia. Well  a lot good artist can be Yixia' Cast but the feeling u feel when u saw them definitly will be different 

 

Actually I have seen both of Jialun & SongYun Dramas. Actually it seems their acting improve a lot in this drama especially for SongYun. 

 

Well this is just my opinion, different people different though

 

[lizzieyen]

On 2/18/2020 at 7:48 AM, rosamundekingsley99_stv said:

@lizzieyen by the way, where can I ready your essay?  Thanks!

https://cnewsdevotee.wordpress.com/2017/04/12/feature-why-li-chu-rocks-glory-of-tang-dynasty/amp/

 

here you go! 

[HopelesslyHooked]

On 2/17/2020 at 8:44 PM, mspilgrims said:

I'm with you on this. Sometimes while watching the show I know that there are too many clichés, some scenes are very badly executed (f.i. all the underwater scenes), the CG is terrible... Then our ML and FL appear and I forgot all the flaws since they are portraying their characters so well.

Some of their interactions really lack a kiss though, like when he comes back during the battle in time to save the day. Let's say the normal reaction for a couple would be to hug and kiss but we can't have it all I guess!

 

Oh gosh the underwater scenes and CGs are indeed horrible! Well, if only they had a greater budget..

However, I very much adore the music.  I find them to be very well made and presented, just like TMOPB or Love and Destiny and Story of Ming Lan.

The color palette of the whole drama is lovely to look at. The costumes are not overly extravagant, however, they work out well.

 

Can someone please enlighten me on the name Lu Shisan? Is there anything significant in it? I remember that in Love and Destiny it is actually a girl's name, isn't it?

[bluehibiscus]

2 hours ago, HopelesslyHooked said:

 

Oh gosh the underwater scenes and CGs are indeed horrible! Well, if only they had a greater budget..

 

I only just started watching and haven’t got to this part but from his past works by the same director (Glory of Tang Dynasty and Destiny of White Snake), I expect the CGI to be similar in standards.

 

Although I like Allen, I’m finding myself distracted by the way his cape seems too heavy and kind of affects his posture when he walks. In general, I feel the costumes here don’t fit as well as the ones he had in Glory of Tang Dynasty. I guess I’ve been spoiled by the superb tailoring and beautiful postures in Royal Nirvana. This drama was obviously not as well funded and could not pay as much attention to the details. The case they are investigating doesn’t seem very interesting. I guess I need to watch a few more episodes.

[rosamundekingsley99_stv]

6 hours ago, lizzieyen said:

https://cnewsdevotee.wordpress.com/2017/04/12/feature-why-li-chu-rocks-glory-of-tang-dynasty/amp/

 

here you go! 

Thank you, thank you!

[mspilgrims]

5 hours ago, bluehibiscus said:

 

I only just started watching and haven’t got to this part but from his past works by the same director (Glory of Tang Dynasty and Destiny of White Snake), I expect the CGI to be similar in standards.

 

Although I like Allen, I’m finding myself distracted by the way his cape seems too heavy and kind of affects his posture when he walks. In general, I feel the costumes here don’t fit as well as the ones he had in Glory of Tang Dynasty. I guess I’ve been spoiled by the superb tailoring and beautiful postures in Royal Nirvana. This drama was obviously not as well funded and could not pay as much attention to the details. The case they are investigating doesn’t seem very interesting. I guess I need to watch a few more episodes.

I was like you in the beginning since I was coming from the superb Royal Nirvana. Then, I don't know how, I started to like this drama a lot, mainly because of the acting, the funny and light moments and the sweet interactions between the ML and FL. My suggestion is to wait until ep. 13/14 before you drop it. At that moment, if you're still not in, this is not the drama for you!