[Mainland Chinese Drama 2021] One And Only (aka Chang An Memories) 周身如故

[NYXbaby]

While I am waiting for new eps for Forever and Ever, I decided to start on this series.  Period dramas don't appeal to me at all, but since the ML and FL had such great chemistry, I thought I give it a try.

 

OMG! SO GOOD!!!!!!  I haven't read any of the previous posts yet (in case I see spoilers).

I can't believe I have been missing out on not watching period dramas!

It started off very confusing for me as I am trying to understand the relationship between all the characters.  I'm catching on as I kept on watching.  At ep 17 now.  Hoping to finish this tonight!

[tantaran808]

@NYXbabyJoin the crowd.  Most of us got addicted and couldn’t let go, even tho we knew there will be a sad ending.

 

To me, this period drama was exceptional.  The actors really drew in my empathy, especially Allen Ren and BaiLu.  The acting of Allen Ren as the stoic, tragic hero with BaiLu is outstanding.  Both of them together played off each other in a deep way that I haven’t found in other period dramas.  In the ones I’ve seen, Nirvana in Fire is the only one I think is close.

[NYXbaby]

I finished the series last night. 

Spoiler

It was such a sad tragic ending.....but in a way, it was a good ending because they both died.   If only 1 died and the other have to live on - it would have been so miserable. 

 

 

Bai Lu's acting was AMAZING when she looked like she was suffocating/hyper-ventilating when she heard about the tragic news about the ML.  I can totally relate to that feeling.  When my dad passed away 7 years ago, I felt the exact way. 

 

It was so good.  As I mentioned before, it was my 1st period cdrama.  Can you guys recommend anything similar?  I like the romance genres!

[tantaran808]

4 minutes ago, NYXbaby said:

I finished the series last night. 

  Reveal hidden contents

It was such a sad tragic ending.....but in a way, it was a good ending because they both died.   If only 1 died and the other have to live on - it would have been so miserable. 

 

 

Bai Lu's acting was AMAZING when she looked like she was suffocating/hyper-ventilating when she heard about the tragic news about the ML.  I can totally relate to that feeling.  When my dad passed away 7 years ago, I felt the exact way. 

 

It was so good.  As I mentioned before, it was my 1st period cdrama.  Can you guys recommend anything similar?  I like the romance genres!

I agree that BaiLu’s expression of grief at ZSC’s death was heart wrenching.  Never felt like that in any other drama.

 

If you want a happier ending and you like Allen Ren, Under the Power is my recommendation.

[whiteybao]

On 9/14/2021 at 10:21 AM, NYXbaby said:

It was so good.  As I mentioned before, it was my 1st period cdrama.  Can you guys recommend anything similar?  I like the romance genres!

If you want to grieve, watch Goodbye My Princess.

 

Half happy half sad - Princess Weiyoung, Yanxi Palace.

There’s more but because I don’t fancy romance, I don’t have a long list. I made an exception for One and Only. 

 

 

 

[Noona]

@NYXbaby, here's a couple of heart wrenchers:

Siege in Fog - gorgeous costuming for a republican era drama.

Winter Begonia - if you're into bromances

Scarlet Heart (Season 1) - an oldie, but goodie about time travel and the Qing court

The Rise of Phoenixes - amazing production value and acting, story gets a little disconnected in the last 5ish episodes

[whiteybao]

Ok I’m finally done. What a masterpiece. 9.5/10 from me and a definite recommendation. 

Everything was quite perfect except for the slightly rushed end. I just like everything about this show from the cast to the story, production. It was such a beautiful show.

 

It was a little slow-paced at the start but with many little sweets. Things start to pick up from around episode 10 onwards. Best part? It’s only 24 episodes long. Right at a sweet spot without being draggy with fillers again like all other shows.

 

For me, the star really is Allen Ren. He doesn’t say or do much but just his gazes, his small smiles. I don’t know how he does it but his non-verbal acting is acting on its own. omg this guy is Uncle of the year.

 

All the supporting characters are also very good. I’ve never seen any of them before in other shows yet they all act so well and have really nice chemistries with each other. I like how the Monk is such a wingman.

Special mention to Shiyi’s mother. She is such an upright family-name-first yet loving mother.  I also like the actress who played her. Carried out the role well and she has the aura.

 

Spoiler

I’m just glad his death wasn’t so graphic so it was a lot more acceptable for me. Shiyi's death on the other hand was tragic and quite hard on me.

And yes, I see the Game of Thrones references. Zhou Shengchen dressing up like a Night’s Watch and the Red Wedding massacre.

 

[tantaran808]

@whiteybaoSometimes imagining a particularly painful death affects us more than seeing it. The deaths of both ZSC and SY were devastating to me.

 

You’re right about Allen Jialun Ren’s acting.  He’s famous for his roles as the cold, authoritarian type and for his micro-expressions that speak volumes without dialog.  I’m watching the modern sequel to One and Only, Forever and Ever, and I am thoroughly enjoying his shy, cautious expressions. Paired with BaiLu’s personality in both dramas, they compliment each other perfectly.

[whiteybao]

i personally can’t stand some liulang stars because I find that they can’t really act yet social media is flooded with them. So when I come across actually good actors like Allen Ren, I get really impressed.

 

I felt one potential killer emotional bit was missing from the ending though. Hence my thoughts that the ending was rushed. Also all the battles after that were not shown.

 

Spoiler

When the Jin Empress went to visit Shiyi the night before her wedding and said that she deserved to know the truth, it just cuts to Shiyi on her bed already decided on the suicide.

 

i do wish they had shown Shiyi’s reaction to whatever the Empress told her. It would have been another epic breakdown like when her mother broke the news of ZSC’s death to her. Or maybe some internal monologue of how she no longer has feelings or whatsoever. At least something. It just went to her monologuing that she absolutely cannot marry Prince Guangling.

 

[leo2020]

On 9/17/2021 at 3:14 AM, whiteybao said:

 

All the supporting characters are also very good. I’ve never seen any of them before in other shows yet they all act so well and have really nice chemistries with each other. I like how the Monk is such a wingman.

I actually noticed some familiar faces, for example Ethan Yao and Han Cheng Yu from Love and Redemption, Daisy Dai (she is with Jay Walk studios and could be seen in their dramas). 

I personally love the actors- amazing acting shown by everyone, and I should say I am bowing to the production team who created that beautiful costumes, armor, wigs and the whole style of the drama - the quality of every detail is exquisite and could be used as an ethalon for the industry.

The only thing that actually made me laugh were those huge gates Shiyi jumped from. These gates are shown practically in 9 dramas out of 10 (there is also an over-used corridor of walls with garglings worth mentioning))). I understand they all film dramas at the same location, but seems like there are too many dramas than before, so may be it's time to build smth new .

[tantaran808]

@leo2020 Good to hear compliments from an experienced C drama viewer like you.

 

I was definitely impressed with the costumes and palace settings and I now have a standard to measure against other costume dramas.  I also chuckle at seeing the same city gates used in soooo many historic dramas.

[ChibiLy]

This is definitely a high quality production. I don't think the drama would be as captivating, if someone were the main leads. I must say, Wang Xing Yue did a fantastic job as Liu Zi Xing. I literally want to hit his face whenever he was on the screen. 

 

24 episodes may seem short for the Chinese drama. But I think it is just right. I can't imagine watching for another 10 episode through pure emotional torture! 

 

I am loving ZSC character theme song -如故 . The lyric is so poetic. I literally cried when I read it the first time. 

[whiteybao]

16 hours ago, leo2020 said:

 

The only thing that actually made me laugh were those huge gates Shiyi jumped from. These gates are shown practically in 9 dramas out of 10 (there is also an over-used corridor of walls with garglings worth mentioning))). I understand they all film dramas at the same location, but seems like there are too many dramas than before, so may be it's time to build smth new .

was it filmed at Hengdian?

 

during the pandemic I watched so many c-dramas especially the period pieces that I recognised half the sets being recycled. 

[rabbit_casa]

On 9/17/2021 at 10:42 AM, whiteybao said:

 

 

  Hide contents

When the Jin Empress went to visit Shiyi the night before her wedding and said that she deserved to know the truth, it just cuts to Shiyi on her bed already decided on the suicide.

 

i do wish they had shown Shiyi’s reaction to whatever the Empress told her. It would have been another epic breakdown like when her mother broke the news of ZSC’s death to her. Or maybe some internal monologue of how she no longer has feelings or whatsoever. At least something. It just went to her monologuing that she absolutely cannot marry Prince Guangling.

 

Spoiler

Maybe the Empress told her the truth behind ZSC's death. That's why she told herself he absolutely cannot marry the prince (since he was the one who killed ZSC in order to marry her).

 

[leo2020]

2 hours ago, ChibiLy said:

I must say, Wang Xing Yue did a fantastic job as Liu Zi Xing. I literally want to hit his face whenever he was on the screen. 

He is without any doubt a newly "discovered jam"). And he is just 19, can you imagine?))) He is currently starring in Your Sensibility My Destiny, I'll definitely check it as soon as I have time.

 

1 hour ago, whiteybao said:

during the pandemic I watched so many c-dramas especially the period pieces that I recognised half the sets being recycled

Recycled 

 

 

[ElleSor]

On 9/19/2021 at 5:35 PM, leo2020 said:

He is without any doubt a newly "discovered jam"). And he is just 19, can you imagine?))) He is currently starring in Your Sensibility My Destiny, I'll definitely check it as soon as I have time.

 

 

 

 

Was so amused with your description of wanting to hit him every time he appears on screen.

I guess this shows that he acted really well and affected us.

I too get very annoyed with his clingy ways in this drama.

I YSMD he's not as clingy although he's supposed to need skinship with the female lead. 

 

[bluehibiscus]

On 9/14/2021 at 10:21 AM, NYXbaby said:

I finished the series last night. 

  Reveal hidden contents

It was such a sad tragic ending.....but in a way, it was a good ending because they both died.   If only 1 died and the other have to live on - it would have been so miserable. 

 

 

Bai Lu's acting was AMAZING when she looked like she was suffocating/hyper-ventilating when she heard about the tragic news about the ML.  I can totally relate to that feeling.  When my dad passed away 7 years ago, I felt the exact way. 

 

It was so good.  As I mentioned before, it was my 1st period cdrama.  Can you guys recommend anything similar?  I like the romance genres!

Love and Redemption - just a very good love story with one of the best endings. The director was also one of the two directors of The Glory of Tang Dynasty.

The Glory of Tang Dynasty - my first Allen Ren drama.

The Legends - my first Bai Lu drama.

[bluehibiscus]

ML’s vow not to marry and have children reminds me of the ML in Sound of the Desert. He is also a general with many victories and he wanted to allay the highly suspicious Emperor’s fear that he may want to rebel and take over the throne.

[bluehibiscus]

On 9/14/2021 at 10:29 AM, tantaran808 said:

I agree that BaiLu’s expression of grief at ZSC’s death was heart wrenching.  Never felt like that in any other drama.

 

 

I took a peek at that episode and she’s really convincing in the portrayal of unutterable grief in that scene. What makes Bai Lu such a remarkable actress is this character is quite different from her boisterious self and she did not study acting in school. She’s really a natural-born actress.

[tantaran808]

@bluehibiscusI agree.  I am now a fan of BaiLu and Allen Ren.  Both of them have funny, playful personalities and have no formal training.  Given a good script and filming environment, they are outstanding in their roles.