Even if you read the novel, you are not sure how the story unfolds.
Scriptwriter adapted flexible, familiar fantasy story becomes new, charismatic to the last minute.
Look forward to the sequel.
However, this is not a romance, so don't rely on romantic scenes or chemical reactions between couples.
Drama worth watching.
16 Reviews
Great show. Worth watching!
Mag208 April 2020
Awesome, entertaining show with a story that offers lots of surprises. Nice pacing with good balance of light & heavy-hearted segments, while engaging you to the end. A great cast who gave solid performance in both older and younger roles. You care about the characters and about what happens to them.
Beautiful costumes, beautiful hair & makeup (don't know how good they are until you've seen other lesser shows).
Well-executed martial art. I have watched gazillion martial art movies and TV series but there were fight scenes in Joy of Life that really impressed me.
I would have given it 9.5 stars if I could. Not 10 because the first 10/12 episode dragged at time. However, once you've passed that stage the story continues to get more intriguing and exciting.
Can't wait till Season 2 is up!
Beautiful costumes, beautiful hair & makeup (don't know how good they are until you've seen other lesser shows).
Well-executed martial art. I have watched gazillion martial art movies and TV series but there were fight scenes in Joy of Life that really impressed me.
I would have given it 9.5 stars if I could. Not 10 because the first 10/12 episode dragged at time. However, once you've passed that stage the story continues to get more intriguing and exciting.
Can't wait till Season 2 is up!
Fabulous Wuxia Costume Drama!
morebon20 January 2020
Wonderful historical costume drama! What really captured my attention to this series was the comedic references throughout each episode: very well integrated into each characters' execution. Similarly, Zhang Ruoyun was brilliant as Fan Xian: his character's expressions and dialog were extremely entertaining and amusing-exceptional performance. Likewise, there were many high-quality, multiple-layered characters that contributed to the amazing production of this narrative: fantastic supporting cast. Fabulous CG worldbuilding, writing and story. Loved the journey! Cheers!
UNPARALLELED!
sanayalucion28 March 2020
Ah...where can I even begin. This show is fantastic and so layered and captivating that it is nothing short of magnificent! There is a little bit of everything in this show and not to mention the most believable and interesting characters that make this drama an even more immersive experience. I so cannot wait for season 2 because just wow! This is such an inspiring story because it's so good that me as an aspiring writer can only hope to achieve such level of calculated brilliance in any future works of mine. Even just the evolution of Fan Xian and some other characters is just so remarkable that I have to pause and just relish in how good this show is. It is superb and unparalleled and I rest my case lol.
An unique series with plenty of plot twists and quirky character
patriciacarpenter14 December 2019
What can I say about Joy of Life (aka Qing Yu Nian)? After seeing the dramatic trailer, I fully expected this to be a dark historic saga. I just never imagined I would be laughing so much. One-sentence synopsis: It's a story about a 21st century college student trying to survive ancient China by outmaneuvering political machinations while navigating through cultural and moral quandaries with plenty of modern flare.
Although Joy of Life fits mostly in the drama category, there were still plenty of sitcom moments and an army of quirky characters, with our time traveling protagonist at the top of the list. Wait, did I say time travel? I stand corrected. There's a minor detail I learned when I decided to read the novel after watching a couple of episodes: The original time travel/transmigration storyline is not in this live adaptation because China's media authorities banned time travel theme in domestic movies and television. Just google it if you want to learn more about the restriction on time travel, it's quite interesting.
I thought the juxtaposition of contemporary background music and historic setting can be a bit jarring at times, but it became less noticeable once I began to fully immerse in the drama. It wasn't hard for me to get use to the anachronisms since Joy of Life was set in a completely fictional world. Plus it's just plain funny to watch other characters' reactions whenever our protagonist fires a bunch of modern slangs and concepts at them.
I'm not a big fan of Zhang Rouyun (the lead actor) and I'm still not feeling the chemistry between him and Li Qin (the female lead). Even so, I had to admit that he did a great job portraying the crafty opportunist with a heart of gold. Overall, the intriguing plot twists and its fascinating characters were the main reasons that kept me hooked to this odd story until the very end.
I would recommend this series to viewers with at least some knowledge of Chinese language and customs; the wordplay and cultural references in the show were truly funny, but they could easily get lost in translation. Therefore, I'd like to conclude this review by giving all subtitle teams a round of applause for taking on the challenge of translating shows like Joy of Life.
Although Joy of Life fits mostly in the drama category, there were still plenty of sitcom moments and an army of quirky characters, with our time traveling protagonist at the top of the list. Wait, did I say time travel? I stand corrected. There's a minor detail I learned when I decided to read the novel after watching a couple of episodes: The original time travel/transmigration storyline is not in this live adaptation because China's media authorities banned time travel theme in domestic movies and television. Just google it if you want to learn more about the restriction on time travel, it's quite interesting.
I thought the juxtaposition of contemporary background music and historic setting can be a bit jarring at times, but it became less noticeable once I began to fully immerse in the drama. It wasn't hard for me to get use to the anachronisms since Joy of Life was set in a completely fictional world. Plus it's just plain funny to watch other characters' reactions whenever our protagonist fires a bunch of modern slangs and concepts at them.
I'm not a big fan of Zhang Rouyun (the lead actor) and I'm still not feeling the chemistry between him and Li Qin (the female lead). Even so, I had to admit that he did a great job portraying the crafty opportunist with a heart of gold. Overall, the intriguing plot twists and its fascinating characters were the main reasons that kept me hooked to this odd story until the very end.
I would recommend this series to viewers with at least some knowledge of Chinese language and customs; the wordplay and cultural references in the show were truly funny, but they could easily get lost in translation. Therefore, I'd like to conclude this review by giving all subtitle teams a round of applause for taking on the challenge of translating shows like Joy of Life.
Brilliant
joanne-780498 December 2019
This drama is so good the acting is excellent. The story is not boring its addictive ive watched upto episode 9 on youtube keep checking everyday for a new episode. It has a bit of everything humour drama and romance dont think there is anybody who would not like this drama .
All time favourite.
muglepragati4 November 2021
Can't get enough of it ,watched so many times but still.dont know when second season is going to come waiting eagerly.story is so intriguing.it has comedy, romance,plots.everything seems real not like other dramas where everything just follows main lead ,it's like it's already fix that he is hero and everything has to be according,but in this drama it doesn't feel like that.cast is so good,each and everyone not just leads.hope second season comes soon and with same cast.
Smart, intriguing, mindblowing!
angelia_lidya3 March 2021
Really love the plot of this drama! So much twist, so much scheming. You thought and guessed one thing, what really happened is the other thing. Mindblowing! Once you get to the end, you will finally understand simple things which you take for granted before, like the meaning of the opening song, the hair accessories which I think is pretty unique for a historical drama, the modern cut/editing/transition.
I love the cinematography of this drama too. The composition is neat. The lighting is pretty dramatic but still natural.
Also love the costume. I notice that they differentiate the pattern for the different countries.
Applause for all the actors too, great actings both from the senior and the junior actors. Really brought to life the interesting characters. I hope they wouldn't change any actor for season 2.
Nothing Outstanding or Memorable
celinka2028 April 2022
The first time I watched this series, I lasted until about episode 8 or so. The ridiculous boy-chase-girl storyline didn't seem to fit with the overall conflict of the story, which is the mystery of Fan Xian's family background and his mother's murder. The second time I tried it (in spring of 2022), I was able to move past that flaw and finish watching the first season. *Pros* - production quality - the acting by the veteran actors was superb; - most of the other scenes featured important plot and character development; - the comedy; - the emotional drama; *Cons* - The silly & unnecessary romantic plotline that was created to boost Li Qin's screen time; - the many deviations from the novel with regard to the plot and character development; - the chaotic fight scenes that rely too heavily on swinging camera work rather than martial-arts choreography. *Overall* Nothing stellar about this drama. After finishing the first season, I don't feel the urge to rewatch it because it doesn't have any memorable scenes (funny, romantic, emotional, suspenseful, etc.)
Absolutely beautiful, nothing can compare
d-0480624 October 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I'm gonna say it right off the bat: this was the best show of 2019. My family and I have watched it many, many times (to the point where I really believe I will puke if this is mentioned again), and it has never ever delivered anything else but surprise, laughs, and approving nods. In other words: it's a good show. My favorite character must be Fan Sizhe, who's name is Versace in Chinese. His actor (Guo Qilin) shocked me with how well versed he seemed in his role. And Fan Xian. Oh, let's not forget the MC. He really acts like what I would act like if I ever transmigrated into a world like that. On top of all that, the political intrigue, oh god, the political intrigue. I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT, believe it or not. And good thing is, the intrigue MAKES SENSE, unlike some other dramas (I don't wanna talk about them). Aaaand, there's the angst. When Teng Zijing died, I was really trying not to cry. Anyway, let's not talk about that. The story flow was magnificent and logical, with some comedy peppered in here and there. A good mix, if you ask me. The action scenes were very nicely done, and most of all the props and clothing. They were BEAUTIFUL. Incomparable. So overall, this series is really, really good, absolutely binge-worthy, so now, go and watch it!
In love with all the cast act especially with zhang Rouyun and Xiao zhan..
abom-6546011 March 2021
Oh my Gosh!! I can't wait for the second season. . . The drama is too good worth every penny. I would love to thank the team for bringing such a great actors together. Zhang rouyun his acting skills are of next level. God of poetry. Amazing! Xiao zhan and li qin won our heart again.
Eagerly waiting for the next part #Joyoflife2
Thanks to chinese entertainment industry.😊
10/10 mystery
phatsovanna1 March 2020
Best of best
fukeya12 February 2021
A good life is a collection of happy moments
shamsunnisa-6495814 February 2022
I decided to watch this series when I read Xiao Zhan was part of the cast. However he only appeared in the last few episodes. The hero was excellent in his performance being a man from the future. All the cast members each played their role well. The drama was exciting and fast moving, which made me sit and watch the drama intently. I do not understand Mandarin so need to depend on subtitles which during some of the scene's sub-title were too fast. However, the scenes moved fast; story connectivity was excellent. Xiao Zhan's role was stoic and his hairstyle made him look a very serious character compared to Wei Ying in The Untamed, where he was carefree. However, the ending of Season 1 was not to my expectation. I am eagerly awaiting Season 2. Hats off to the writer Mao Ni.
A Masterpiece A Must Watch.
ayaniismail10 September 2023
Warning: Spoilers
"Joy of Life" - A Chinese Drama Masterpiece
"Joy of Life" is a Chinese historical drama series that stands as a testament to the brilliance of storytelling in the world of television. From the very first episode, it grabs hold of your attention and refuses to let go, making it an absolute must-watch for fans of the genre and newcomers alike. This show excels in numerous aspects, including comedy, romance, plot intricacies, fight sequences, character development, and its ability to evoke deep emotions.
One of the most remarkable aspects of "Joy of Life" is its impeccable comedic timing and humor. In a genre often associated with seriousness, the show manages to seamlessly infuse moments of levity and hilarity without compromising its overall tone. The witty banter, clever wordplay, and endearing interactions among the characters provide a refreshing contrast to the more intense moments in the story. These comedic elements not only entertain but also serve to deepen the connection between the audience and the characters.
Romance is another dimension where "Joy of Life" excels. The series portrays a range of romantic relationships, from the slow-burning and tender to the passionate and tumultuous. These relationships are developed with care and nuance, allowing viewers to become emotionally invested in the characters' love lives. Whether it's the heartwarming connection between Fan Xian and Lin Wan'er or the complex dynamics of political marriages, the show explores love in all its forms, adding depth and richness to the narrative.
At its core, "Joy of Life" boasts a captivating and intricately woven plot. Set in a historical fantasy world, the story follows Fan Xian, a modern-day man transported to a medieval-like society, as he navigates the complexities of court politics, power struggles, and hidden conspiracies. The plot unfolds with a careful balance of suspense and revelation, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats. The intricate web of alliances and betrayals, combined with the mysteries surrounding Fan Xian's past, ensures that there's never a dull moment.
The fight sequences in "Joy of Life" are a visual delight. From meticulously choreographed one-on-one duels to large-scale battles, the show's action scenes are a testament to the dedication and skill of the production team. Each fight is a spectacle, filled with impressive martial arts choreography, stunning cinematography, and a sense of genuine danger. These sequences are not merely action for action's sake; they serve to advance the plot and showcase the characters' growth and development.
Speaking of character growth, "Joy of Life" excels in portraying the evolution of its protagonists. Fan Xian, in particular, undergoes a profound transformation throughout the series. From a seemingly carefree and indifferent individual, he matures into a strategic thinker and a force to be reckoned with. The gradual development of his character is both believable and compelling, making it one of the show's standout elements. Moreover, the supporting characters also experience growth, each contributing to the intricate tapestry of the narrative.
Amidst the moments of humor, romance, and action, "Joy of Life" doesn't shy away from exploring the depths of human emotions, including sadness. The show masterfully handles themes of loss, sacrifice, and the harsh realities of life in a turbulent world. These poignant moments add layers of complexity to the characters and evoke genuine empathy from the audience.
In conclusion, "Joy of Life" is a must-watch for its exceptional storytelling, encompassing comedy, romance, intricate plotting, thrilling action sequences, character development, and emotional depth. It transcends the boundaries of its genre, delivering a viewing experience that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. Whether you're a fan of historical dramas or simply looking for an engaging and well-rounded series, "Joy of Life" is a true masterpiece that deserves a special place on your watchlist. With its compelling characters and richly crafted world, it leaves an indelible mark on the landscape of Chinese television. Don't miss the opportunity to embark on this unforgettable journey into the world of Fan Xian and "Joy of Life."
"Joy of Life" is a Chinese historical drama series that stands as a testament to the brilliance of storytelling in the world of television. From the very first episode, it grabs hold of your attention and refuses to let go, making it an absolute must-watch for fans of the genre and newcomers alike. This show excels in numerous aspects, including comedy, romance, plot intricacies, fight sequences, character development, and its ability to evoke deep emotions.
One of the most remarkable aspects of "Joy of Life" is its impeccable comedic timing and humor. In a genre often associated with seriousness, the show manages to seamlessly infuse moments of levity and hilarity without compromising its overall tone. The witty banter, clever wordplay, and endearing interactions among the characters provide a refreshing contrast to the more intense moments in the story. These comedic elements not only entertain but also serve to deepen the connection between the audience and the characters.
Romance is another dimension where "Joy of Life" excels. The series portrays a range of romantic relationships, from the slow-burning and tender to the passionate and tumultuous. These relationships are developed with care and nuance, allowing viewers to become emotionally invested in the characters' love lives. Whether it's the heartwarming connection between Fan Xian and Lin Wan'er or the complex dynamics of political marriages, the show explores love in all its forms, adding depth and richness to the narrative.
At its core, "Joy of Life" boasts a captivating and intricately woven plot. Set in a historical fantasy world, the story follows Fan Xian, a modern-day man transported to a medieval-like society, as he navigates the complexities of court politics, power struggles, and hidden conspiracies. The plot unfolds with a careful balance of suspense and revelation, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats. The intricate web of alliances and betrayals, combined with the mysteries surrounding Fan Xian's past, ensures that there's never a dull moment.
The fight sequences in "Joy of Life" are a visual delight. From meticulously choreographed one-on-one duels to large-scale battles, the show's action scenes are a testament to the dedication and skill of the production team. Each fight is a spectacle, filled with impressive martial arts choreography, stunning cinematography, and a sense of genuine danger. These sequences are not merely action for action's sake; they serve to advance the plot and showcase the characters' growth and development.
Speaking of character growth, "Joy of Life" excels in portraying the evolution of its protagonists. Fan Xian, in particular, undergoes a profound transformation throughout the series. From a seemingly carefree and indifferent individual, he matures into a strategic thinker and a force to be reckoned with. The gradual development of his character is both believable and compelling, making it one of the show's standout elements. Moreover, the supporting characters also experience growth, each contributing to the intricate tapestry of the narrative.
Amidst the moments of humor, romance, and action, "Joy of Life" doesn't shy away from exploring the depths of human emotions, including sadness. The show masterfully handles themes of loss, sacrifice, and the harsh realities of life in a turbulent world. These poignant moments add layers of complexity to the characters and evoke genuine empathy from the audience.
In conclusion, "Joy of Life" is a must-watch for its exceptional storytelling, encompassing comedy, romance, intricate plotting, thrilling action sequences, character development, and emotional depth. It transcends the boundaries of its genre, delivering a viewing experience that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. Whether you're a fan of historical dramas or simply looking for an engaging and well-rounded series, "Joy of Life" is a true masterpiece that deserves a special place on your watchlist. With its compelling characters and richly crafted world, it leaves an indelible mark on the landscape of Chinese television. Don't miss the opportunity to embark on this unforgettable journey into the world of Fan Xian and "Joy of Life."
See also
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