Weekly Chat
Saturday, 1 August 2026 13:57![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dancing_serpent posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
c_entThe weekly chat posts are intended for just that, chatting among each other. What are you currently watching? Reading? What actor/idol are you currently following? What are you looking forward to? Are you busy writing, creating art? Or did you have no time at all for anything, and are bemoaning that fact?
Whatever it is, talk to us about it here. Tell us what you liked or didn't like, and if you want to talk about spoilery things, please hide them under either of these codes:
or
Whatever it is, talk to us about it here. Tell us what you liked or didn't like, and if you want to talk about spoilery things, please hide them under either of these codes:
or
(no subject)
Date: Saturday, 1 August 2026 12:01 (UTC)Blossoms of Power (16/36) - This one is flowing along nicely. I'm still not super invested, but I'm still enjoying the watch, despite some annoying tendencies of certain characters. I'm very interested in what I would call the second couple, although I'm not so on board with their dynamic currently now that he knows she's a woman.
Xiao Fang (14/18) - I had no idea I would come to enjoy a drama about pregnancy and motherhood and familial relations so much. Almost everyone is or has kinda messed up their lives in some way, and now has to deal with the consequences of their choices, caught between what they want(ed) to do and what they think they should do. Also, Grandma rocks!
Key to the Phoenix Heart (14/28) - So, I don't really know what to say about this one. Last week it was full of intrigue and was my favourite watch, this week it felt kinda anti-climactic to me. There's still a lot of stuff happening, and I can see the thread going through everything. And there were some interesting emotional moments, too! But it felt like everything was hanging somehow in-between something - like not quite finishing up with one thing but also already gearing up for the next. Still very pretty, though, and I absolutely love the music!
White Cat Legend (32/36) - Things are going down, the final episodes are coming. Everything is tense and dangerous, and my heart is constantly breaking for all of them, and Chen Shi specifically. Not that there aren't any fun moments in between! I really enjoy the care they put into the cross-dressing, for example. Very elaborate, very convincing, and it helps a lot that the guys are playing it straight. It helps with the investigation, so they're giving it their all.
Mystic Nine (4/30) - I like this one a lot already, but I can also already tell that I'm not going to love it as much as I love the 2016 version. But this is A+ NPSS-typical tomb nonsense. The action scenes are great, the creepy vibes are superb, as is the camera work. I'm enjoying all the screenshots and BTS scenes Jack is posting over on Bluesky. William is ♥ - I'm so happy we got him back as Fo Ye!
Oh, yeah. Something I almost forgot to mention (and definitely forgot to mention last week) - I've been re-reading so much TKA/QZGS fanfiction over the past few weeks! I still love this fandom so much, and the fic is so good!
(no subject)
Date: Saturday, 1 August 2026 12:41 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: Saturday, 1 August 2026 13:18 (UTC)That they're doing indeed! :-D
(no subject)
Date: Saturday, 1 August 2026 14:36 (UTC)I told you before that I felt that they were making them faster than before, but they're clearly getting faster. Soon, we'll be seeing 2 DMBJ shows airing at the same time. *cackles*
(no subject)
Date: Saturday, 1 August 2026 15:17 (UTC)Right? I didn't expect that at all! I'm very happy about it, though! A steady stream of new DMBJ content is a lovely thing to keep the fannish feelings fanned. *g*
Soon, we'll be seeing 2 DMBJ shows airing at the same time. *cackles*
DMBJ double event! I'd be totally here for that.
(no subject)
Date: Saturday, 1 August 2026 14:56 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: Saturday, 1 August 2026 15:20 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: Saturday, 1 August 2026 20:20 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: Sunday, 2 August 2026 07:37 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: Sunday, 2 August 2026 17:09 (UTC)What I also liked is that there were a lot of good female characters who were not bitchy and sniping/plotting at each other but genuinely helping and caring for each other.
(no subject)
Date: Sunday, 2 August 2026 23:57 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: Wednesday, 5 August 2026 05:14 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: Saturday, 1 August 2026 12:43 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: Saturday, 1 August 2026 13:21 (UTC)So do I, and that was definitely one of the main draws for me, too.
(no subject)
Date: Saturday, 1 August 2026 14:53 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: Saturday, 1 August 2026 15:06 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: Saturday, 1 August 2026 15:25 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: Sunday, 2 August 2026 01:12 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: Sunday, 2 August 2026 07:39 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: Saturday, 1 August 2026 15:31 (UTC)I liveblogged my reactions on Tumblr, & compiled them into a post here on DW once I was done.
Though really the best character is DMWQ's dog, who only makes occasional appearances but I'm like:
Oh & apparently the Chinese term for a 'third wheel' character is a 'lightbulb'. Enlightening & useful to know.
I will definitely have to check out more Cyan Wings novels. Especially as when I just checked on NU, it seems her two latest books feature female MCs. Cyan Wings has a decent knack for memorable female characters that feel like they exist as more than just background extras who occasionally nudge the plot along, so I'm excited to see her writing women freed from the confines of danmei.
(no subject)
Date: Saturday, 1 August 2026 15:43 (UTC)I'm trying to understand the reasoning behind this, but I'm drawing a blank. XD
(no subject)
Date: Saturday, 1 August 2026 16:33 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: Sunday, 2 August 2026 07:51 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: Sunday, 2 August 2026 09:33 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: Sunday, 2 August 2026 10:50 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: Saturday, 1 August 2026 18:56 (UTC)Lantern Festival in Bianjing - okay plot but pretty.
Lucky Stars Falling from the Sky quite cute! I enjoyed it.
(no subject)
Date: Sunday, 2 August 2026 07:40 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: Sunday, 2 August 2026 07:43 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: Saturday, 1 August 2026 20:17 (UTC)I started watching Mystic Nine (3/30). It's early days yet, but I like what I've watched so far. It's a typical dmbj drama and I'm here for it. It's nice to see Zhang Qishan and Ba Ye returning and I like the new actors as well, though sadly Zhang Rishan is missing. It might not replace the version from 2016 in my heart which is one of my favourite cdramas, but this still looks very good.
(no subject)
Date: Sunday, 2 August 2026 07:47 (UTC)Yeah, it's always annoying when that happens, isn't it? But still better than disliking how it ended on top of that. Fun mystery drama with lots of bromance definitely sounds good to me. *g*
Mystic Nine made some inspired casting choices, and some I'm not so much on board with, but overall I'm happy with the actors we got. I'm missing Zhang Rishan so much, though!
(no subject)
Date: Saturday, 1 August 2026 23:46 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: Sunday, 2 August 2026 07:48 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: Sunday, 2 August 2026 20:33 (UTC)I thought I was getting behind on Love Has Fireworks, so I watched a few eps of that (now on 10/36). The relationship dynamic is still weird (but not as weird as First Frost), with him being overtly disdainful towards her and making everything transactional between them, while at the same time helping her left and right, especially when it comes to her job. She takes it all with a grain of salt, and the humor makes it bearable, but overall it still mostly bores me? Oh, and the second couple is still embarrassment-squick central. I most enjoy watching Tan Jianci in the scenes that aren't with the FL (i.e. with his father, and at work), and I suspect that's a bad sign. :D But it keeps me watching.
I'm also still watching Love Beyond the Grave and First Frost, but didn't make much headway into either all week.
As for Wu Lei content, I was still following the press junket for Wu Lei's new movie which was brought forward by a week and actually started airing on July 25 for... I think two days?, and then was pulled again and rescheduled for October 3rd. Wtf how is that helping? Anyway, they cancelled the road show. But I still have two roadshow livestreams to watch. The fact that they postponed the air date has sapped my motivation, though.
I very much enjoyed the Pepsi commercial Wu Lei did recently (bilibili unsubbed). The squid! The dang-shenme-dang! It's simply hilarious. He also did a half-hour promo thing for Pepsi, but I couldn't get through it. It's strange how much difference it makes what kind of activities they include and how natural the host is - it's hard to be constantly plugging the product while trying to sound natural, and the Subway guy in June did it effortlessly. The Pepsi guy... does not. (Wu Lei's silver outfit is still awesome though.)
(no subject)
Date: Wednesday, 5 August 2026 05:19 (UTC)Okay, that does sound like it could a recipe for second hand embarrassment, too, if not done well. I'm relieved it manages to avoid that and make it fun instead! *g*
Btw, I'm super happy that you have someone to adore and spend your fannish energy on. I miss having someone like that so much! Since my favourite has left c-ent back in late 2022, I haven't found anyone else that compares. I might have plenty of favourites, but I don't have someone I fell head over heels in love with any longer.
(no subject)
Date: Wednesday, 5 August 2026 09:46 (UTC)*hugs* I know how that feels. I've been there for long stretches. Taken together, probably longer than I've had a blorbo to fan over. It's - like the writing muse - something that can't be forced, unfortunately. It happens out of the blue, and I'm really thankful it happened to me with Wu Lei this time (Wu Lei of all people! Why? :D). But that also means it could happen to you at any time, too. *fingers crossed*
Okay, that does sound like it could a recipe for second hand embarrassment, too, if not done well. I'm relieved it manages to avoid that and make it fun instead! *g*
Yes, it took me a while to trust the show, but now I do. It portrays all its characters with some distance, making fun of them in a low-key way all the time, and at the same time it's really gentle with them. It doesn't hit you over the head with it like a lot of other cdramas. I like that balance. But it isn't completely without embarrassment squicks. Some of the social embarrassment on that show is still really tough for me, like when they publicly embarrass themselves - but luckily that is more rare.
(no subject)
Date: Wednesday, 5 August 2026 11:47 (UTC)Yes, same for me! And even when it happened, I kinda didn't want to acknowledge him at first, because my feelings were so unexpected.
t's - like the writing muse - something that can't be forced, unfortunately. It happens out of the blue, (...). But that also means it could happen to you at any time, too.
Yes, exactly! And that's what I'm hoping for. But maybe the pain has to go away first, before anyone else has a chance. *sigh*
Some of the social embarrassment on that show is still really tough for me, like when they publicly embarrass themselves - but luckily that is more rare.
Ugh, yikes! Yeah, I'm not good with that. XD