dilirebas

[dilirebas]

You didn't take the initiative and were afraid that we couldn't even be colleagues after I refused you, right? Actually, you didn't need to be afraid. If you asked or mentioned it, I'd have promised you.

Lighter & Princess (2022)

[dilirebas]

I hate award season discourse so much lmao

Like I’m sorry but if you don’t think Joy of Life 2 has any real meaning or depth just because it’s not a drama about modern poverty starring a 50 year old, that’s on you! bc you clearly didn’t understand Joy of Life 2, and you prefer “meaning” to be spelled out straight with no metaphors or symbolism and only delivered in the form of miserable dramas that no young person ever watches

And if you think it’s geographical bias when any graduate of the Shanghai Theatre Academy ever wins an award but you don’t think it’s geographical bias when graduates of the two Beijing schools win (both of the other major film/theatre schools are in Beijing lol), maybe you need to ask yourself why you think Shanghai is a geographical location but Beijing is not?

[dilirebas]

Legend of Zang Hai (2025) 1.14

[dilirebas]

The engsubs are finally dropping!!!!

This is an unbelievable drama, on a totally different plane from any other cdrama that you���ll see. It really is a must-watch.

(And maybe I’ll finally get around to writing my review haha…)

Note: make sure you’re watching the version filmed in Shanghainese, and not the Mandarin dub, because the viewing experience is really different

[dilirebas]

As long as you're still by my side, I don't suffer a loss.

Lighter & Princess (2022)

[dilirebas]

zhang jingyi photoshoot for legend of zanghai (2025)

[dilirebas]

⁍ Legend of Zang Hai 藏海传 (2025) | Episode. 28   

[dilirebas]

Man I’m looking at some of Dilraba’s older pics, and Zhang Jin’s makeup was genuinely so much better than what these clowns are doing… yes, he sometimes had misses, but the hits were hits

I swear Jin Helong and Wang Yafei seem to NEVER hit

Like what are these looks? Why are we trying to make her look so generic?

[dilirebas]

巴粉去惹糖粉到底是为了啥呀。。。

唐嫣又没亏待热巴，路人一般也都觉得唐嫣性格蛮好的，大家只会觉得顶流粉丝边卖惨边欺负前辈

制片人夸一句是他自己的事，不是所有话都非要当真，不是所有牛非要吹

[dilirebas]

?

[dilirebas]

Some initial thoughts on Legend of Zang Hai

It’s not bad! In a year of dramas that have mostly been mediocre or downright unwatchable, this one is actually okay so far.

Everyone is falling in love with Zhang Jingyi, and it’s well-deserved. I think she’s the most talented actress of her generation, and her face also looks lovely onscreen. But I don’t think this is her best work. It lacks the heart and soul that you see in her other dramas and movies.

I also don’t think this is Xiao Zhan’s best work, and I question if this is the right type of role for him. The complexity doesn’t quite come across. He’s a solid actor, but he’s definitely no Hu Ge. (And sadly, I don’t think any actor of XZ’s generation is stepping up to that plate.)

The writing is okay. Definitely not the worst, but not particularly sophisticated. The approach to political strategy is a bit juvenile, but the character development is good.

The director is considered to be one of the best drama directors in c-ent. For me, he’s fine but I’m not about to become a Zheng Xiaolong truther. Other people think he’s great, and I’ll just leave it at that.

I know this sounds like a lukewarm review, but I genuinely do recommend watching Legend of Zang Hai because it’s the first watchable drama that has aired in MONTHS lol…

[dilirebas]

Zhang Jingyi training for Legend of Zang Hai

[dilirebas]

别啊！你们别拍这个！拍庆3！

[dilirebas]

Even as a native speaker, certain plots are a little complicated haha..

I think the players grew with the show over the years so they've continuously innovated to keep things fresh. Like there's no way they could've dropped an episode like 往日回想 (S08E05) in Season 1. It really does take 8 seasons to get to that point, both emotionally and logically.

Oh my goodness an active account who posts about 明星大偵探?!?!

you don’t know how happy I am right now 😭

Isn't it such a god-tier show?! A cast that is hilarious, smart, and beautiful both inside and out. Bold critiques on issues that no other show would ever discuss. Heartfelt stories acted out by top-tier actors. Chemistry and friendships that have grown over the span of a decade.

Other shows have tried to recreate the formula, and some (*cough* Tencent 开推) even poached the entire creative team, but Who's the Murderer just can't be replicated. Even if you hire the directors and steal the scripts, you can't find another cast with the intelligence or dynamism to make it entertaining, or another streaming platform with the moral courage to tell these stories. The closest that any other show has gotten is....Mango TV's other spinoff shows.

I hope they keep making Who's the Murderer forever and ever because they have a lifelong fan in me!!

[dilirebas]

Have you watched The Truth? Another one of those mystery variety shows with an ensemble cast

That's the Tencent show I alluded to in my previous post (shortened to 开推 in Chinese). They poached the lead producer of Who's the Murderer but still failed to replicate the things that people love most about Who's the Murderer.

I was curious and watched a few episodes of The Truth, but I really don't recommend it. The cast doesn't work. Most of them are guarded people; they won't pour themselves sincerely into the character relationships or make inappropriate jokes or take a stand on important issues just for a variety show. They're not funny or dynamic enough to keep you entertained through a long episode that revolves around a single game. And when they have discussions to solve the mysteries, you realize that it really is just "head empty, no thoughts". As a result, the scripts are also pretty basic and the pacing is slow.

Who's the Murderer is a show that makes you laugh and cry. Many moments are so funny that they become common internet memes or inside jokes that span 10 seasons. The players are clever and observant people who consistently surprise you with their theories and logical reasoning. And the sincere acting is great for entertainment and shipping, but it also makes the script believable and helps you make deductions about motives and actions.

So the premise and rules of the two shows are the same, but the viewing experience is completely different. For viewers of Who's the Murderer, I honestly think The Truth is a waste of time.

[dilirebas]

Oh my goodness an active account who posts about 明星大偵探?!?!

you don’t know how happy I am right now 😭

Isn't it such a god-tier show?! A cast that is hilarious, smart, and beautiful both inside and out. Bold critiques on issues that no other show would ever discuss. Heartfelt stories acted out by top-tier actors. Chemistry and friendships that have grown over the span of a decade.

Other shows have tried to recreate the formula, and some (*cough* Tencent 开推) even poached the entire creative team, but Who's the Murderer just can't be replicated. Even if you hire the directors and steal the scripts, you can't find another cast with the intelligence or dynamism to make it entertaining, or another streaming platform with the moral courage to tell these stories. The closest that any other show has gotten is....Mango TV's other spinoff shows.

I hope they keep making Who's the Murderer forever and ever because they have a lifelong fan in me!!