I still can’t pinpoint why Pursuit of Jade worked. Am I the only one who found the plot lacking?
What exactly made the drama land the way it did?
The cast was an obvious draw. Zhang Linghe’s role gave him more to work with than the usual stoic male lead template. Tian Xiwei felt real carrying a cleaver and a sword. The girl nailed it 💪🏻!
The acting from the supporting cast filled in the gaps. Yan Yikuan as Chancellor Wei, Deng Kai as Qi Min, and Kong Xueer as Yu Qianqian did a splendid job. Those were my standout favorites but the overall cast was really good.
The plot was a fake marriage story but it coasted on the premise. It moved from domestic comedy to battlefield separation but lost track of the political plot. The transmigration part seemed totally unnecessary to me. Am I the only one? I
The cinematography is where I think the director’s magic is the most visible. Zeng Qing Jie directed Blossom before this, and the same attention to lighting and framing is there. Deep shadows, warm interiors, the cross section tracking shot with the children. It looked expensive and pretty like a painting.
When I try to explain why the drama worked, I end up describing all of them at once but keep complaining internally about the plot.
I really liked this X video which shows one second from every episode. Mods said to share on Friday so here we are