Category: Mandarin

Who Rules The World (2022) #SherylPuthur

Sheryl PuthurLeave a comment

Directed By: Yin Tao; Yu Yonggang; Shi Zhanli

Written By: Based on Let’s Try The World by Qing Lengyue

Cast: Yang Yang; Zhao Lusi; Leon Lai Yi; Zhang Haowei; Liu Ruilin; Huang Yi; Xuan Lu;Zhang Fengyi; Carman Lee; Jiang Kai; Zhang Tianyang; Wang Xuan; Zhao Zhuoting; Jiang Feng;  Ai Mi; An Yuexi; Wang Gang; Du Zhiguo; Li Jiulin; Ma Yue; Fu Bo Han

Language: Mandarin                                                     

Genre: Wuxia; Fantasy; Romance

Number of Episodes: 40

Run Time: 45 minutes each

A Chinese wuxia fantasy drama with an engrossing world-building, Who Rules The World follows two renowned members of the martial arts world Hei Fengxi (Yang Yang) and Bai Fengxi (Zhao Lusi) as they use their powers for justice. They each follow the code of honour in the martial arts world but differently – Hei Fengxi is elegant, restrained and calculating. Bai Fengxi is majestic, unbridled and altruistic. They have clashed on number of occasions but are, despite the sarcastic repartees, respectful of each other’s abilities. Since this is wuxia and they are martial artists, they have god-like abilities. They also understand each other intimately; a meeting of minds that comes from duelling and so are much like soulmates.

However, just as much as the series emphasises the connection or the red thread of fate that ties the two together, it equally depicts the unrest that is fermenting in the world.

The Dadong Empire holds the Empyrean Token which gives it the right to rule the world. The other six states – Yongzhou, Jizhou, Qingzhou, Youzhou, Shangzhou and Beizhou, function autonomously but must respond to the call of the emperor (Du Zhiguo). This system has worked well for decades. But when the story begins, we see that each of the states are vying for power and waiting for a crack in the force of the empire that they can exploit. So, when the Empyrean Token is stolen, it sets the wheels in motion for the fight for the title of ruler of the world or emperor.

But nothing is as it seems. For when Bai Fengxi ends up entrusted with the Token, by a dying commander of Jizhou, who requests her to hand it over to the crown prince Huang Chao (Leon Lai Yi), Hei Fengxi who examines it, reveals that it is a fake. The idea that a fake token could be circulating means that there is more to this than meets the eye and that there might be deeper plots underfoot. This incidentally is the central theme of the series because none of the characters are necessarily who they seem. Nearly all of them are hiding another identity.

Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi themselves seem to have a greater stake in this fight. They are not nearly as disinterested as they should be as members of the martial arts world. It is implied that they have close connections to one of the six states – Yongzhou for Hei Fengxi and Qingzhou for Bai Fengxi.

The series goes into the inner workings of each of the states and the internal politics aimed at fulfilling personal greed. We see battles for succession within the states and how it spills over into world politics. Equally how external forces try to interfere in these battles so that it works to their advantage – to annex a state embroiled in civil conflict. Especially in the case of Yongzhou, through the figure of the third prince Feng Ju (Liu Ruilin), we see how self-destructive it becomes, through his fascinating portrayal of jealousy and cynicism.

The series explores ambition and the compromises one makes to fulfil it. On the other, it also shows what might happen when you discover something more important than the desire for power.

Who Rules The World continually surprises the viewers in the turns it takes. The pace is measured in the beginning so that the viewers can follow the world-building but the deeper it goes into the political machinations in the narrative, it starts to hurtle ahead, with each subplot taking the action further. The chemistry of the lead actors brings out the sense of timelessness to the romance as well the maturity of people who have grown together. It finally is about what do you truly fight for and what makes you a ruler of the world.

Bromance (2015) #SherylPuthur

Sheryl PuthurLeave a comment

Directed By: Chen Rong Hui

Written By: Fang Xiao Ren; Chen Bi Zhen; Shao Hui Ting; Lin Pei Yu and Zheng Han Wen

Cast:

Megan Lai – Pi Ya Nuo

Baron Chen – Du Zi Feng

Bii – Wei Qing Yang

Sean Lee – Chu Zhe Rui

Katie Chen – Yang Na Na

Mandy Tao – Du Zi Han

Amanda Chou – Fan Xiao Jing

Yang Ming Wei – Liao Guang Chao

Edison Wang – Wu Han Sheng

Linda Liu – Sister Feng

Joseph Hsia – Nan Xing Tian

Chen Wei Min – Wu Wan Hao

Tou Chung Hua – Du Guang Zhu

Language: Mandarin                                  Genre: Romantic-Comedy; Action Drama

Number of Episodes: 30                            Run Time: 45 minutes

 

Bromance is a Taiwanese gender-bender romantic comedy drama with elements of action. It shares some similarities with the Japanese manga Tokyo Crazy Paradise by Yoshiki Nakamura.

Due to an astrologer’s ominous prediction, Pi Ya Nuo (Megan Lai) has to live the first 25 years of her life as a man to avert the calamity to befall her. On her 26th birthday, her fate would change and then she would be able to live openly as a woman. But 100 days before her 26th birthday, fate intervenes and entwines her destiny with that a mafia leader Du Zi Feng (Baron Chen).

He feels indebted to her and finds himself drawn to Ya Nuo. Even his sister Zi Han (Mandy Tao) falls in love with her. Their mother Sister Feng (Linda Liu), to ensure that Zi Feng has someone around him that he can trust and become friends with, and to further Zi Han’s romantic attachment, requests Ya Nuo to become Zi Feng’s sworn brother.

The main problem lies in the fact that Ya Nuo is a woman. But she agrees when she realises Zi Feng has always been alone. He was an orphan who was adopted by the Du family and so he owes everything to them. His family’s mafia past also haunts him because people judge him based on that. They forget that his father moved away from that and decided to start a legitimate business – amusement parks. So except for his two sworn brothers, Wei Qing Yang (Bii) and Wu Han Sheng (Edison Wang), he’s had no friends.

The latter in fact emerges as the antagonist of the series of because of his ambition. He wants to become the clan leader and replace Zi Feng. He chooses to undermine Zi Feng by using media to tarnish his image. That sequence leads to an emotionally charged moment between Ya Nuo and Zi Feng because they risk their lives for each other.

Zi Feng has quite a bit of emotional baggage; his father has been missing for years post a shipwreck. Not having found a body means the family has not experienced closure. Even Qing Yang feels similarly because his parents were travelling with Du Guang Zu (Tou Chung Hua) on that very ship. Zi Feng is constantly attacked for being a mafia leader and also various plots abound to overthrow him. Some of these plots are intentionally or unintentionally done by those near him.

Things get comical when Zi Feng feels he is falling in love with Ya Nuo and then begins to question his sexual orientation because of that. For Ya Nuo, it is about whether she should keep her vow or not since she finds herself falling in love and unwilling to hide the truth. There is also an interesting reference to Cinderella made in the series when Zi Feng, unwittingly comments on Ya Nuo when he says that Cinderella is a pitiable character because “she had to bear the loneliness of keeping a secret” – a line that sums up Ya Nuo in the series.

The side plots are equally interesting. Qing Yang meets with a young girl Na Na (Katie Chen) on a cruise. She has cancer and yet is lively and curious about things around her. She breaks through Qing Yang’s reserve when she forces him to make coffee for her (he runs a cafe at the amusement park). His coffee makes her happy and she wants him to make it the way her mother used to make it for her. This connection with the coffee brings them closer.

Unexpectedly, Na Na turns out to have a significant connection to Qing Yang. It seems to be a feature of Taiwanese dramas that all plotlines tie up and feed into each other. It’s like the line from Kung Fu Panda, “there are no coincidences” and destiny plays a huge role in the narratives. For instance, Ya Nuo may have an older connection with Zi Feng, and her childhood friend and veterinarian Zhe Rui (Sean Lee) plays a vital role in keeping her identity secret, just like Xiao Jing (Amanda Chou), her cousin.

Liao Guang Chao (Yang Ming Wei), Ya Nuo’s friend develops an interesting relationship with Zi Han when he becomes her bodyguard/chauffeur. They both feel the other is too unlikeable but it becomes interesting to see the development in their character arc. In fact, Guang Chao/ A-chao displays a range of emotions, going from the comical sidekick to being deeply mature to lovelorn and so on.

As a viewer, one might feel what more could be left once all the plotlines are tied up but right in the last episode, there is a revelation that manages to keep the viewer hooked.

Bromance has a host of interesting characters, by turns emotional, funny and melodramatic, it’s quite a ride. With the past tying up with the present and satisfying conclusions, it gives a sense of catharsis. It even attempts a sympathetic reading of characters that seem quite awful in the beginning. And essentially, it gives a very different reading of a mafia clan.