Wallace Chung (鍾漢良)

[Melanie]

I don't know if anyone has watched this already, but you can watch 一触即发 here:
Episodes 1-23 has already been uploaded on EyesOnWallace's channel.
I can't wait to watch it later when I have time

AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! Thank you so much, genna! OMG! I'm so happy that I can't sit still! I didn't know this drama is already released!!!! Thank you so much!!!!

Have you heard any news about Wallace Chung's 别无选择? I thought 别无选择 was filmed before 一触即发?

He said he cares very much for his hair style and that his hair is naturally curly. He likes to do various exercises to keep fit. He can wear a same jean for 10 years and he likes conservative clothing. He said he likes the Tang dynasty the most.

Thank you so much for the translation, tobeme! (How come you have a new screen name?) Anyway, it's interesting that Wallace has naturally curly hair. Most Asians have straight hair. I can also wear my jeans from many years ago, too! Wallace and I are a match made in heaven, since we can both wear our old jeans.

When he was young he liked girls with opposite personality than his because they were refreshing. But now he prefers girls with a personality closes to his.

Oh my gosh, Wallace! Do you know that my personality is similar to yours (whatever your personality is)???!!!!

Maybe I have a chance with Wallace after all!


Ok, seriously, thanks so much for the translation, tobeme. I thoroughly enjoyed the article. Thank you.

Every time I look at the mirror, I'm impressed by my look....
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That's too funny.

[genna]

^ hehe no problem, I have been dying to see 一触即发! So when I read that it would broadcast today I had to go search for it, but turns out someone had already started uploading it a few days ago. lol... I'm currently up to episode 5! Man I can't decide which Wallace I like better. haha I love that there's two of him, so he's basically on the screen every minute!

I'm not sure about 别无选择 though, I haven't seen it anywhere... but maybe I'm not looking hard enough...

[H.Ge-C.Liu]

Old stills from 四大名捕 (Four Detective Guards on Dramawiki)
His pouty lips are so cute
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[genna]

I am on ep 11 of 一触即发 and I just have to spazz. lol, I am really liking this drama. It's fast paced and with good story development. Hopefully, it won't start to drag in the later half. But, up to now I find it very entertaining. And I still can't decide who I like more, Ah Ci or Ah Chu! :P The little birthday party made me feel so bad. haha... Wallace handled both characters amazingly well. Although, I personally think it would've been even better if their hairstyles were more different, but then they do have to look identical for the purpose of the story. XD

[Melanie]

H.Ge-C.Liu - Thanks for posting pics of Wallace in Four Detectives. I haven't seen that series yet, but I heard he stole the show and the hearts of the female audience from Cha In Pyo, who was the main character. Have you seen the series yet?



genna - I just finished the series! I don't want to spoil anything for you, so I'll just wait until you're finished, too, to comment on the ending. I like both brothers, but I'm a little bit more partial to the older brother, Ah Chu. He's more romantic, humorous, and easy-going, while Ah Ci is more serious but yet still very endearing. So which brother do I want? BOTH!!! Can't I have both? I wouldn't mind having Wallace on one arm and Wallace on the other arm. I have some problems understanding the espionage storyline in the drama, since I don't have a very good grasp of Mandarin, but I love the series, nonetheless. I love how Wallace is in practically every scene. And even better, there are quite a few scenes where he appears as both Ah Chu and Ah Ci. It's like Wallace is everywhere! I especially love watching him talk to "himself." Hehe.

I adore the little birthday party scene. I keep thinking that if Wallace and Wallace appeared at my birthday party, I would spend the entire time glued to both of them and would ignore the rest of the guests.

Ah! He's so handsome in both suits and military uniform. I guess we get the best of both worlds in this series, since Ah Chu looks so gorgeous in his suits whereas Ah Ci looks dashing in his military uniform. Forgive me. I can't stop grinning...

[xia0yuer]

H.Ge-C.Liu - Thanks for posting pics of Wallace in Four Detectives. I haven't seen that series yet, but I heard he stole the show and the hearts of the female audience from Cha In Pyo, who was the main character. Have you seen the series yet?



genna - I just finished the series! I don't want to spoil anything for you, so I'll just wait until you're finished, too, to comment on the ending. I like both brothers, but I'm a little bit more partial to the older brother, Ah Chu. He's more romantic, humorous, and easy-going, while Ah Ci is more serious but yet still very endearing. So which brother do I want? BOTH!!! Can't I have both? I wouldn't mind having Wallace on one arm and Wallace on the other arm. I have some problems understanding the espionage storyline in the drama, since I don't have a very good grasp of Mandarin, but I love the series, nonetheless. I love how Wallace is in practically every scene. And even better, there are quite a few scenes where he appears as both Ah Chu and Ah Ci. It's like Wallace is everywhere! I especially love watching him talk to "himself." Hehe.

I adore the little birthday party scene. I keep thinking that if Wallace and Wallace appeared at my birthday party, I would spend the entire time glued to both of them and would ignore the rest of the guests.

Ah! He's so handsome in both suits and military uniform. I guess we get the best of both worlds in this series, since Ah Chu looks so gorgeous in his suits whereas Ah Ci looks dashing in his military uniform. Forgive me. I can't stop grinning...

Oh, Melanie. Did I ever tell you that you almost singlehandedly turned me into a Wallace Chung fan? The excitement in your posts is just too infectious. Well, I guess it helps that Wallace looks darn good in military uniforms, especially in Too Late to Say I Love You.

一触即发 looks like an interesting drama. There seems to be lots of action with the romance on the back burner. Here's the trailer I found.

[genna]

Melanie, omg! You finished it already?! haha, I don't want it to end, so I'm trying to pace myself. But, it's so hard! Man, it's been a long time since I've enjoyed a c-drama. Both Ah Chu and Ah Ci are just so incredibly perfect! You can't help but love both of them! And, of course the best part is that Wallace is both guys. I mean if he wasn't... I would be majorly annoyed at one of them (I don't know who though, it'd depend on who Wallace is playing) lol

So far, this is definitely one of the best espionage dramas that I've seen. Sometimes (or most of the time) these types of dramas get really confusing and boring. This one I actually find exciting.

Ah Chu is really romantic! I completely melt every time he's being all sweet, with those gorgeous eyes and that seductive smirk of his. Gah! But then I think of Ah Ci and feel bad for drooling over his brother. haha!

I will come back to discuss when I watch more of the drama ^^

[Melanie]

Oh, Melanie. Did I ever tell you that you almost singlehandedly turned me into a Wallace Chung fan? The excitement in your posts is just too infectious. Well, I guess it helps that Wallace looks darn good in military uniforms, especially in Too Late to Say I Love You.

I almost turned you into a Wallace Chung fan? Meaning you're not quite a Wallace fan yet?

If you like Wallace in military uniform, you should watch 一触即发. The younger brother, Ah Ci, has quite a few scenes in military uniform. Wallace looks very dashing, very dashing.

一触即发 looks like an interesting drama. There seems to be lots of action with the romance on the back burner. Here's the trailer I found.

I agree it has more action than romance if you compare 一触即发 to Too Late To Say I Love You. However, I think 一触即发 has just the right mixture of action and romance. I don't like dramas that are too heavily weighted in the romance scenes. Romance spices things up, but when there is nothing else but romance in a drama, it can get pretty boring (such as Qing Shi Huang Fei ). Trust me; you'll love Wallace in his duel roles in here.

Melanie, omg! You finished it already?! haha, I don't want it to end, so I'm trying to pace myself. But, it's so hard! Man, it's been a long time since I've enjoyed a c-drama. Both Ah Chu and Ah Ci are just so incredibly perfect! You can't help but love both of them! And, of course the best part is that Wallace is both guys. I mean if he wasn't... I would be majorly annoyed at one of them (I don't know who though, it'd depend on who Wallace is playing) lol

Haha! I would totally be annoyed with one twin if someone else played one of the brothers! I'm so biased in Wallace's favor that I don't even bother to be sheepish about it anymore.

So far, this is definitely one of the best espionage dramas that I've seen. Sometimes (or most of the time) these types of dramas get really confusing and boring. This one I actually find exciting.

I have also watched Wallace's Nie Xian (Undercover) with Sun Fei Fei and I was really confused with that drama. My limited Mandarin knowledge didn't help much but that series was definitely very puzzling. This drama is much easier to understand, even though I still have problems with the espionage part. The romance part is pretty self-explanatory. After all, love is a universal language, right? And with Wallace Chung playing the romantic hero, I just LOVE it! Heee!

Ah Chu is really romantic! I completely melt every time he's being all sweet, with those gorgeous eyes and that seductive smirk of his. Gah! But then I think of Ah Ci and feel bad for drooling over his brother. haha!

I drool over both of them and am not ashamed of it! Please don't make me choose! I wanna kiss both of them! My heart just sighs dreamily every time Wallace comes on screen. I think the director is trying to kill me by casting Wallace in both roles. Everywhere I look, there's Wallace grinning charmingly and seductively (Ah Chu) or scowling intensely with such masculinity (Ah Ci)! How much can my heart take?

I think you may find this interesting... You may already know this, but I didn't... Apparently, 一触即发 is based on a novel. A youtube member, seagd927, informed me of this. Since I don't know how to read Chinese, she is kind enough to tell me some interesting tidbits regarding the characters in the original novel, mainly about Ah Chu, Ah Ci, and Ya Shu. According to seagd927, the novel and the drama are vastly different from each other. She has granted me permission to post her messages from youtube here at spcnet. Her comments contain spoilers to the drama, so DO NOT READ unless you have finished watching the drama or do not mind spoilers. Also, thank you to seagd927 for her wonderfully informative comments!


The following three excerpts are from seagd927 at youtube:

The novel and the TV series are like apples and oranges, they are completely different. Only a few of the central characters remained the same. Their relationships are different, the story lines are also completely different.

In the novel, there is no Japanese conspiracy of Weapons of Mass Destruction. The novel is not about communist vs. nationalist vs. the Japanese. Ah Chu is the main character of the novel, his story line is mainly about revenge, no mention of a secret biological warfare. Ah Ci has very little story line. His story was mainly based on his training at the military specialist camp. He never had a fiancee named Ya Shu, in fact, he liked a fellow trainee Xing Li Li (not the female trainer Yu Xiao Jiang in the TV series). Ya Shu was always Ah Chu's girlfriend, although she originally tried but failed to get Rong Sheng's attention. Ya Shu was never a Japanese spy. Ah Ci didn't get involved with Rong Hua romantically.

The novel had a happy ending. After Shanghai fell to Japanese invasion, the brothers and Ya Shu moved to Hong Kong. Ah Chu and Ya Shu were already married and had twin sons named Ah Zhong and Ah Hua. Ah Chu continued his business there. Ah Ci continued to be a military officer for the nationalist based in HK.

I am happy that in the TV series, Ah Ci was given more story lines. At least he seemed to be a main character in TV (vs. the novel). Many characters from the novels are missing.

I don't know why the novel and the TV are completely different, because they came from the same author/screen writer. And I don't understand why they had to make a simple story into something so political. Regardless of all these, this is a great series, well-acted by the leads and the supporting characters. This is rare in Chinese TV series nowadays!

**********

No, I don't mind you posting this. I am a big fan of Wallace myself. I actually went onto some of the websites and read about his works. The fans in mainland have first hand information on his upcoming appearances, such as concerts, movies, charity appearances, etc. (Oh how I wish he can come to the US and have a concert here!) But I only read, I don't post. I don't want to get involved in some of those arguments (whether he looks better with mustache or not).

In the novel, Ya Shu comes from a declined royal family (Qing dynasty). She understands that she has to marry well in order to live well. The only advantage she has is her beauty and her royal blood line. The first time she met Rong Sheng and Ah Chu was at the train station when they first got back from England. She was sick, so she fainted. Rong Sheng held her in his arms while Ah Chung went to get an ambulance. The reporter, who were all there to report the arrival of the much anticipated Rong brothers, snapped pictures of this "embrace". This was the headline of all the major newspaper on the following day. Ya Shu was very happy about this. She thought she had caught a big fish. However, during her follow-up check-up visits at the hospital, she met Ah Chu (who was already working as a doctor there). She loved his warm-hearted smile, handsome features, and gentlemanly manners. She thought he was equally rich (by his last name). So she tried to get his attention. Ah Chu, however, knows Rong Sheng likes this girl. So he kept the relationship strictly professional (doctor-patient). During one of the check-ups, Ya Shu slipped one of her jade bracelets into Ah Chu's pocket (a declaration of love, I guess). However, when Ah Chu discovered this, he gave the bracelet to Rong Sheng, he didn't say a word.

Ya Shu watched some of the interactions between the Rong brothers and discovered that Ah Chu was actually just a servant in the family. She was greatly disappointed. She didn't want that bracelet to incriminate herself. So during one of her conversations with Rong Sheng, she made up a story about how Ah Chu was trying to seduce her, and stole one of her bracelets. She told Rong Sheng that Ah Chu tried to take advantage of the doctor-patient relationship. She wanted to get Rong Sheng's sympathy. But what she didn't count on was that Rong Sheng has known Ah Chu for over 20 years, he knew Ah Chu would never do something like that. He told Ya Shu he was very disappointed in her behavior. He was going to propose to her that day, but now he changed his mind. Ya Shu felt totally defeated.

After a few months, in order to make ends meet, Ya Shu is now a "dance girl" in a club. Ah Chu's "godmother/older sister" already died in that explosion, he became a "big boss" (just like the TV series). Ah Chu went to this club, recognized Ya Shu, and danced with her. Ah Chu told her he knew what she did in the past, but he forgave her. He also told her he needs a woman to make him happy, both emotionally and physically, and she meets those requirements (physically and emotionally). He told her that he does not love her, but he "needs/wants" her. Ya Shu accepts this arrangement. She said she would rather be "needed/wanted" than nothing at all. At this point, the author told us that she had already fallen deeply in love with Ah Chu. Ah Chu did use her as a bait to attract his enemy in one of the plots. Ya Shu accepted this arrangement, she told him she would die for him. Kidnapping and bombs were involved, and the plot was successful. Ah Chu realized, after that incident, that he had fallen in love with Ya Shu too.

I don't remember if anything happened between Ah Ci and Xing Li Li. Again, he was not the main character in the novel, so the story line on his relationships was not described in detail. They did have a passionate dance comparable to the tango between him and Rong Hua in the TV series. However, it was during the graduation ball at the military training camp. Everyone watched in awe.

Yes, Yu Xiao Jiang knew the one who came back was Ah Chu, not Ah Ci. At first, she saw him from a distance and mistakenly thought he was Ah Ci. However, when she realized he didn't hug her back, her tear of joy became tear of despair. I thought it was VERY well-acted by that actress. She did not have a single line in that scene, but we all understood that she knew...

**********

I agree with your point of view on Ah Chu's changing personality. I was quite shocked at first too. It was as if he turned into a completely different person after the death of his godmother/real sister, and I am talking 180 degree difference.

What the TV series did not mention was Rong Sheng and Ah Chu's lives in England. Ah Chu loved a fellow student there. They both knew Ah Chu have to go back to Shanghai after graduation, so they were about to elope. However, Rong Sheng was "ill", so Ah Chu had to stay and take care of him (he is too nice). The girl was already on the ship to Paris, so she left. Ah Chu felt he had lost the love of his life.....

Rong Sheng was actually constructed as a "weakling" in the novel. He has been in a deep depression ever since his wife died. The purpose of his long stay in England is so that he can forget about this wife. (BTW, she was never a communist member.) Ah Chu went with him to take care of him. Nobody could have predicted that Ah Chu excelled in his studies. Rong Sheng's "illness" that prevented Ah Chu from eloping with his girlfriend is another episode of suicide. The author hinted that he has done so many times before. And only Ah Chu knew how to take care of this mess.





To xia0yuer and genna:
By the way, can I tempt you two ladies to read my Wallace Chung fanfic? If you are interested, please click below. Thank you for gushing about Wallace with me! It's so much more fun to have other Wallace fans to talk to!

Legendary Book of Sun-Moon-Swordplay-The Prequel

[genna]

Thank you to seagd927 for writing that up and thank you to you, Melanie for sharing it here!

I just finished watching the drama. Oh my, I don't know where to start discussing! I am so overwhelmed. This drama was imo incredible beyond words. There were a few little things that bothered me a bit, but I think I'm just being picky. Anyway, I had a feeling the drama was based on a novel, since it felt too good! lol, but funny as it turns out the drama is actually very different from the book. I never would have guessed that. So the author was also the screen writer? Interesting how they pretty much changed the entire story. But, China loves Nationalist vs. Communist Party dramas, so I'm not surprised.

Oh and, it was not long after I posted in this thread last time that I completely fell in love with Ah Ci. Yes, I am certain now I want Ah Ci and will leave Ah Chu for you Melanie (haha... although with the ending of the drama, you're really getting a good deal here... I shall mourn for Ah Ci in my little corner) I think since the beginning I leaned towards Ah Ci, I tend to have a soft spot for pitiful heroes. But, Ah Chu's sweet talk made me waver for quite some time. lol

Ah, let me sort out my thoughts and then I’ll come back to talk more about the drama. haha, I’m still taking it all in. And, I will definitely check out your fanfic Melanie!

[Melanie]

Thank you to seagd927 for writing that up and thank you to you, Melanie for sharing it here!

I just finished watching the drama. Oh my, I don't know where to start discussing! I am so overwhelmed. This drama was imo incredible beyond words. There were a few little things that bothered me a bit, but I think I'm just being picky. Anyway, I had a feeling the drama was based on a novel, since it felt too good! lol, but funny as it turns out the drama is actually very different from the book. I never would have guessed that. So the author was also the screen writer? Interesting how they pretty much changed the entire story. But, China loves Nationalist vs. Communist Party dramas, so I'm not surprised.

Oh and, it was not long after I posted in this thread last time that I completely fell in love with Ah Ci. Yes, I am certain now I want Ah Ci and will leave Ah Chu for you Melanie (haha... although with the ending of the drama, you're really getting a good deal here... I shall mourn for Ah Ci in my little corner) I think since the beginning I leaned towards Ah Ci, I tend to have a soft spot for pitiful heroes. But, Ah Chu's sweet talk made me waver for quite some time. lol

Ah, let me sort out my thoughts and then I’ll come back to talk more about the drama. haha, I’m still taking it all in.

spoilers ahead!

I thought the drama was pretty awesome, too, until I got to the ending. The ending disturbed me quite a bit. It just didn't make sense. Ah Ci's sacrifice for Ah Chu was predictable, since he was an admirable guy through and through. However, what wasn't rational was Ah Ci's request for Ah Chu to take over his identity and to abandon the woman he (Ah Chu) loved dearly. Ah Ci loved his brother and surely wouldn't have put his brother in such a painful situation. I will say that Ah Chu's decision to sacrifice his happiness with Ya Shu at the end to honor Ah Ci's dying request was just as honorable and admirable as Ah Ci's sacrifice at the end.

I love both brothers. They complement each other very well. Just because Ah Chu has a more humorous, easy-going personality doesn't make him less of a hero or any less likable. And just because Ah Ci is so serious and intense doesn't make him any less sensitive or romantic. With that said, however, I still prefer Ah Chu, perhaps because of my taste for characters who straddle the fine line between good and evil. Ah Chu seems like such a character, as evidenced by his tactics for revenge and also by his loyalty to his family and to the woman he loves.

Seagd927's elaboration of Ah Chu's character in the novel further convinces me that Ah Chu is a lot more interesting and complex than his charming, flirty smile lets on. When seagd927 told me that Ah Chu propositioned Ya Shu in the novel and asked her to be his mistress, I expressed how surprised I was! He seemed like such a gentleman, in the novel and in the drama. The fact that he had even made such a proposal and had wanted to use her in his revenge plot confirmed his ambivalent character, one who was more gray than black or white. I love these types of characters, as they are always far more interesting and unpredictable than righteous ones who only see in black or white.

Ah Ci, on the other hand, strikes me as a man who is less likely to bend the rules. He will always be the "good guy," never the "guy who is neither good nor evil," like Ah Chu is. While such characters are admirable and heroic, they tend to be less interesting and too predictable. Plus, Ah Ci is a bit too "angsty" for my tastes. However, I know a lot of women love these types of guys, for they want to be "the one" to heal that angst. But for me, I prefer a happier guy with less baggage.

A quick comment about the women in the drama/story....

I actually prefer an uncomplicated Ya Shu as presented in the novel rather than the Japanese spy Ya Shu in the drama. That story arc was too weird and not developed well enough. I would prefer that she purely be in the story/drama as a means for the author to show the different facets of Ah Chu's personality (his gentler, kinder side).

I never really warmed up to Rong Hua. She was ok, but her romance with Ah Ci almost came out of nowhere. I didn't think the actress playing Rong Hua had that much chemistry with Wallace Chung. Rather, the character Yu Xiao Jiang (Ah Ci's military superior) made a deeper impression with her unrequited love for Ah Ci. I found her patience and kindness toward Ah Ci both sad and admirable at the same time.

I'll be brutally honest (and opinionated) here. I don't think any of the female leads in the drama are pretty enough for Wallace Chung. At least this time, the actresses seem young enough to play his romantic interests. I've seen him play opposite actresses who look like his elder sister, aunt, or mother (ahem...Too Late To Say I Love You, Patriotic Knights, and King of Shanghai). However, none of the women in this drama are stunningly beautiful. Poor Wallace.... He rarely gets a beauty.

The drama would have been even better if it didn't focus so much on the Communist Party vs Nationalist Party plot line. I only tolerate such politics because Wallace Chung is in the drama.

And, I will definitely check out your fanfic Melanie!

Thanks. Wallace doesn't have a twin in my story, though. I hope you'll still like it. Please leave me a comment if you do read. Thanks again!

[genna]

Spoilers!

However, what wasn't rational was Ah Ci's request for Ah Chu to take over his identity and to abandon the woman he (Ah Chu) loved dearly.

That was something that extremely bothered me as well. I really wished that the letter was written differently and without that request. Knowing Ah Chu, he would make the same decision regardless. Yes, he loved Ya Shu, but with his personality he wouldn't leave with her after knowing that Ah Ci sacrificed himself. So, it was totally unnecessary and out of character for Ah Ci to ask such a thing from Ah Chu. I mean, really what was the point of going in place of Ah Chu, if it wasn’t to grant Ah Chu happiness?

Ah Chu's decision to sacrifice his happiness with Ya Shu at the end to honor Ah Ci's dying request was just as honorable and admirable as Ah Ci's sacrifice at the end.

I agree, and like I said, both of the brother's decisions were expected. With the direction the story was headed, I really can't imagine a different ending. To me, it wouldn't make sense if Ah Chu left with Ya Shu to start a new life. Both brothers carried too much on their shoulders, they always thought of other people before their own happiness (which again makes me really frustrated with the letter Ah Ci left! That is totally not something Ah Ci would want or ask for…)

With that said, however, I still prefer Ah Chu, perhaps because of my taste for characters who straddle the fine line between good and evil. Ah Chu seems like such a character, as evidenced by his tactics for revenge and also by his loyalty to his family and to the woman he loves.

I definitely did not mean to say that Ah Chu was less heroic than Ah Ci. They were just two different people in different situations. I admire both brothers for all of the things they have done. But, the thing is I don’t see Ah Ci as the “good guy” or the stoic hero. He’s flawed, broken, and emotionally driven; which makes him so vulnerable at times. In a way I find him to be even more complex than Ah Chu, but that is also due to the situation that Ah Ci is in. The drama makes it so that the central focus is on Ah Ci for the most part.

And, perhaps another reason why I prefer Ah Ci over Ah Chu is because I didn’t like Ya Shu. And many of Ah Chu’s scenes were with her. I really didn’t care for her love story with Ah Chu; whereas on the other hand, I really enjoyed the relationship between Ah Ci and Rong Hua, although the actress had pretty much zero chemistry with Wallace. The relationship itself triggered all the right buttons for me.

Normally, I hate watching Nationalist vs. Communist Party dramas as well, but they really made it work this time… and of course there was Wallace. I really want to read the novel now, Melanie do you know where I can buy it or read it online? My mom is also interested in reading it, as she also watched the drama with me.

About the actresses… lol, I honestly don’t think Wallace has ever collaborated with actresses that are pretty. =X

Anyway on another topic~ have you seen the fancams of Wallace's concert? Gah! I really can't wait for a concert dvd to come out! Wallace is a much better actor than a singer, but I just love watching everything he does. :P

[Melanie]

Spoilers!
That was something that extremely bothered me as well. I really wished that the letter was written differently and without that request. Knowing Ah Chu, he would make the same decision regardless. Yes, he loved Ya Shu, but with his personality he wouldn't leave with her after knowing that Ah Ci sacrificed himself. So, it was totally unnecessary and out of character for Ah Ci to ask such a thing from Ah Chu. I mean, really what was the point of going in place of Ah Chu, if it wasn’t to grant Ah Chu happiness?

I agree, and like I said, both of the brother's decisions were expected. With the direction the story was headed, I really can't imagine a different ending. To me, it wouldn't make sense if Ah Chu left with Ya Shu to start a new life. Both brothers carried too much on their shoulders, they always thought of other people before their own happiness (which again makes me really frustrated with the letter Ah Ci left! That is totally not something Ah Ci would want or ask for…)

That was exactly why I had a problem with the ending! Ah Ci's letter was so out of character! The decision to stay needed to come from Ah Chu himself, not because he was guilted into staying because of his beloved twin's dying request. Dying requests, no matter from a family member or just from an acquaintance, are very difficult to turn down. Furthermore, what also befuddled me was why Ah Chu had to leave Ya Shu! Sure, I can see that he had to stay and take Ah Ci's place in the overall political scheme, but why did he have to abandon his wife in order to do that? Everyone knew Ah Ci and Ya Shu were engaged throughout the entire drama, so it wouldn't be such a huge leap for Ah Chu, masquerading as Ah Ci, to remain with Ya Shu... It was just weird. It was as if the drama had to end that way, with Ah Ci dead and Ah Chu separated from his Ya Shu, just so it could be a sad ending for every character.

But, the thing is I don’t see Ah Ci as the “good guy” or the stoic hero. He’s flawed, broken, and emotionally driven; which makes him so vulnerable at times. In a way I find him to be even more complex than Ah Chu, but that is also due to the situation that Ah Ci is in.

That's the thing that I do NOT like about Ah Ci - his emotional baggage. Emotionally vulnerable men are tempting because women want to "fix and heal" them, but I'm just too upbeat to want a guy like that. I prefer someone like Ah Chu, who's possibly less complex with less emotional baggage and knows how to make me smile.

And, perhaps another reason why I prefer Ah Ci over Ah Chu is because I didn’t like Ya Shu. And many of Ah Chu’s scenes were with her. I really didn’t care for her love story with Ah Chu; whereas on the other hand, I really enjoyed the relationship between Ah Ci and Rong Hua, although the actress had pretty much zero chemistry with Wallace. The relationship itself triggered all the right buttons for me.

I actually like Ya Shu because of the actress Yang Rui. I've seen her as Ben Yue in Rinsing Flowers Purifying Swords with Qiao Zhen Yu and have liked her in there because of her association with another one of my favorite guys, Qiao Zhen Yu. Hence, I was able to tolerate her character in this drama. Like I mentioned before, I didn't like Ya Shu's storyline in the drama. It was unnecessarily complex to give her a more "meaningful" role in the whole Japanese vs Communist vs Nationalist storyline, but in the end, it just made everything confusing. I prefer her role in the novel, serving as a means for Ah Chu to showcase his more romantic side.

Interestingly, according to seagd927, Rong Hua and Ah Ci were never romantically involved in the novel. I wished they had kept it that way in the drama. I didn't really like Rong Hua and Ah Ci's romance. There wasn't sufficient time devoted to their relationship to make it believable in my eyes. It was as if he needed someone more mature than Ya Shu (with her deliberately fake bratty attitude to mask the fact that she was a Japanese spy) to lean on, and because Rong Hua fit that requirement, he "fell in love" with her. (Side note: Hey, was Rong Hua suppose to be an older woman compared to Ah Ci? Ah Chu referred to her one time as his "elder sister," and since Ah Chu was older than Ah Ci, it then followed that Rong Hua was also older than Ah Ci.) Plus, there was something about the actress who played Rong Hua that annoyed me... At some angles, she appeared decently pretty, but at other angles, she had such a flat, triangular face that she was simply not attractive at all. I'll admit that my words are very shallow, as I should be admiring actresses and actors for their acting skills and not for their looks. But hey...that's what showbiz is about! The audience wants to see beautiful people, because beautiful people are easier on the eyes.

Normally, I hate watching Nationalist vs. Communist Party dramas as well, but they really made it work this time… and of course there was Wallace. I really want to read the novel now, Melanie do you know where I can buy it or read it online? My mom is also interested in reading it, as she also watched the drama with me.

I can ask seagd927 for you. I think she has the link to the novel. I don't know when she'll get back to me, though, since she has not been responding to my messages for the past few days. Probably busy...

About the actresses… lol, I honestly don’t think Wallace has ever collaborated with actresses that are pretty. =X

I've seen him collaborate with a few pretty ones before. Off the top of my head, I can think of Sun Fei Fei, who I think is rather daintily pretty and feminine, and extremely beautiful in certain ancient costumes, and Song Jia, who I feel is absolutely gorgeous...period. See pics of these actresses below:


SUN FEI FEI

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Here's a poster tweety has designed for my fan fiction, using pics of Sun Fei Fei. I especially love the center pic of SFF and Wallace.

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SONG JIA

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Anyway on another topic~ have you seen the fancams of Wallace's concert? Gah! I really can't wait for a concert dvd to come out! Wallace is a much better actor than a singer, but I just love watching everything he does. :P

OMG, yes! I love this guy, I really do, but his outfits and hairstyle at his concerts just make me cringe. I prefer his style of dress back when he was younger - simple slacks, shirt, and blazer. With that said, I like his dancing and butt-shaking during his performances. Anyway, he's hot to me regardless of what he wears. He'd probably be hotter if he just took the shirt off at his concerts. Ahaha! Actually, I think an interviewer at the promotion for his most recent concert in 2/18/12 asked Wallace if he will be ripping off his shirt at the concert, like some foreign celebrities (I assume he's referring to the American celebrities?) do at their concerts. And Wallace laughed and said most of his audience was under 18 and so it would probably be inappropriate if he did that. Oh, how I wish Wallace would come to the US for a concert! It probably costs too much to ship his whole crew overseas, but he could always increase the ticket prices. I am willing to pay the higher ticket price to see him in person, as I am sure plenty of his other overseas fans are, too!

[xia0yuer]

I almost turned you into a Wallace Chung fan? Meaning you're not quite a Wallace fan yet?

If you like Wallace in military uniform, you should watch 一触即发. The younger brother, Ah Ci, has quite a few scenes in military uniform. Wallace looks very dashing, very dashing.


I agree it has more action than romance if you compare 一触即发 to Too Late To Say I Love You. However, I think 一触即发 has just the right mixture of action and romance. I don't like dramas that are too heavily weighted in the romance scenes. Romance spices things up, but when there is nothing else but romance in a drama, it can get pretty boring (such as Qing Shi Huang Fei ). Trust me; you'll love Wallace in his duel roles in here.

To xia0yuer and genna:
By the way, can I tempt you two ladies to read my Wallace Chung fanfic? If you are interested, please click below. Thank you for gushing about Wallace with me! It's so much more fun to have other Wallace fans to talk to!

Legendary Book of Sun-Moon-Swordplay-The Prequel

I what I meant was that reading your posts got me interested in Too Late To Say I Love You and that drama completely made me into a Wallace Chung-shipper. So you ALMOST SINGLEHANDEDLY turned me into a Wallace fan.

I'm on EP 10 of 一触即发 and just wanted to make some quick notes about it. This drama makes me appreciate Wallace's acting skills so much more, especially in the scenes where he is talking to himself. It's difficult to pull that off without sounding cheesy but he settles into the persona of each character so smoothly. Surprisingly, I love the Yang Rui and Wallace pairing. In Pu Ti Shu Xia (Wallace Chung, Hawick Lau, Lv Yi), I seriously wanted to throttle Yang Rui every time she opened her annoying mouth but I love the sweet scenes between Ah Chu and Ya Shu in this drama! So far, I like Ah Chu a lot more than I like Ah Ci. Ah Chu seems to be a more developed character with a much livelier personality (Ah Ci seems like bland white bread). Honestly, how can Ah Ci live 25 years with his so called "parents" and not find that there was something strange going on?

Melanie, I'll definitely read your fanfic (especially if Wallace is in it!!!). I'm off to watch more episodes now but will come back to discuss the drama with you and genna.

[Melanie]

I what I meant was that reading your posts got me interested in Too Late To Say I Love You and that drama completely made me into a Wallace Chung-shipper.

You mean, my talking to myself in various Wallace-related threads finally paid off? I was actually able to almost single-handedly turn someone into a Wallace Chung fan?

By the way, it's interesting that my posts on Too Late To Say I Love You lured you into watching that drama. Most of my posts were Murong Feng-bashing comments. I love Wallace Chung the actor, but I am not too fond of his character in TLTSILY.

In that case, once you're done watching 一触即发, may I interest you in watching one of Wallace's older series, 逆水寒? That was my first Wallace Chung series, which turned me into a Wallace Chung fan. Ironically, I started watching that series for Julian Cheung, who played the hero, but ended up rooting for the villain, played by Wallace. Wallace simply blew me away with his performance as the very complex, evil, yet sympathetic villain in that drama. The fact that he looked HOT with his intense stares and evil chuckles certainly helped.

Here's a new 逆水寒 MV a fan made recently. It's extremely well done and poignant and does not contain any spoilers for the ending.

http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/82kJL33Btbc/

This following new 逆水寒 MV is even more poignant than the one above, in my opinion, but it contains spoilers for the ending. Therefore, DO NOT watch it unless you've already seen 逆水寒, do not plan to watch 逆水寒, or do not care about spoilers.

http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/UtYB8LwAYeo/

I'm on EP 10 of 一触即发 and just wanted to make some quick notes about it. This drama makes me appreciate Wallace's acting skills so much more, especially in the scenes where he is talking to himself. It's difficult to pull that off without sounding cheesy but he settles into the persona of each character so smoothly.

Agree! Wallace's acting skills continually improve with each subsequent drama. He is born to be an actor, although I think his dancing is pretty good. His singing, on the other hand, is only mediocre. But I still love him, nonetheless. People say that the person who loves you will always see you as perfection, even with flaws and all. I guess it's true.

Surprisingly, I love the Yang Rui and Wallace pairing. In Pu Ti Shu Xia (Wallace Chung, Hawick Lau, Lv Yi), I seriously wanted to throttle Yang Rui every time she opened her annoying mouth but I love the sweet scenes between Ah Chu and Ya Shu in this drama!

Even though my comments may seem otherwise, I also like the Ya Shu and Ah Chu pairing. They are a more light-hearted couple. They have their serious, intense moments, but overall, they are sweet and romantic. I don't know how much of our spoiler comments you have read, so I don't want to say anything further for fear of spoiling parts of their relationship to you. I'll let you guide the conversation so I won't spoil anything unknowingly.

Ironically, Yang Rui's character in Pu Ti Shu Xia was my favorite female character in that series! She was indeed irritating in the beginning, but her character showed the most growth throughout the entire series, while the leading female character (played by Lv Yi) remained annoyingly the same with her pitiful self-sacrificing ways and the other female character (played by Zhang Yi Mou) was such a disgrace to womankind. Somewhere in this Wallace Chung thread, I've written my views on Pu Ti Shu Xia. I'm not sure if you've seen it before, but I can try to dig it up if you wish to read it. Naturally, I thought Wallace was incredibly handsome in Pu Ti Shu Xia, especially in the parts where he wore the long traditional Chinese gown. His stature and handsomeness really made him stand out in such outfits. Hawick Lau's character was likable in the beginning but then he just got irritating towards the end.

So far, I like Ah Chu a lot more than I like Ah Ci. Ah Chu seems to be a more developed character with a much livelier personality (Ah Ci seems like bland white bread). Honestly, how can Ah Ci live 25 years with his so called "parents" and not find that there was something strange going on?

Ah Ci's character will be more developed later on. However, even with more character development, I still like Ah Chu better. Ah Chu's more cheerful without being a complete clown. Ah Ci, on the other hand, has too much emotional baggage. Such guys are not my type. I prefer a guy who has less emotional damage, one who knows how to make me smile. Strange, but I don't see Ah Ci as bland white bread. He's not bland at all but perhaps is too flavorful. He is more like bittersweet dough, sweet in his vulnerability but bitter because of the all the emotional baggage that comes along with his vulnerability. Ah Ci's bittersweetness is more genna's cup of tea. Look at us... Comparing Wallace Chung to food. I sure would love to take a bite out of him.

Melanie, I'll definitely read your fanfic (especially if Wallace is in it!!!).

Thanks! I can always use more readers and more support, so thank you. I hope you'll like the story. Please leave me a comment if you do read.

I'm off to watch more episodes now but will come back to discuss the drama with you and genna.

I'm looking forward to discussing the drama with you and genna! It's more fun to be able to vent after watching a series.

[genna]

xia0yuer

So far, I like Ah Chu a lot more than I like Ah Ci. Ah Chu seems to be a more developed character with a much livelier personality (Ah Ci seems like bland white bread). Honestly, how can Ah Ci live 25 years with his so called "parents" and not find that there was something strange going on?

Oh, I agree that Ah Chu is a fairly interesting character. He has a complex background and vibrant personality. So, for the first half of the drama I also preferred Ah Chu over Ah Ci. But, then towards the middle of story Ah Ci's storyline really pulled me in. hehe... although, ultimately I enjoyed watching both brothers. Without either one of them the drama wouldn't feel complete! Wallace is amazing, isn't he? He handled both characters so well

About Ah Ci not realizing something was strange with his parents... I honestly think that for 25 years he's been avoiding the problem and just didn't want to know, for fear that the answer is something ugly. Ah Ci may appear strong and in control, but in truth he's probably constantly living in fear of the unexpected things that he may encounter. His parents is, in a way the only stability he has in his life. It's sad.

Melanie, lol it's not that I like emotional baggage and I definitely would not want a man with all that in real life! It's just that the added emotional baggage that Ah Ci carried made him a compelling character to watch. I just found him more interesting and the character made the story more complex. I don't know how the novel was, but for the drama with all the changes they made, if Ah Ci wasn't written the way he was, I think the story would be quite boring.... (haha okay I am bias! Nothing can change my love for Ah Ci at this point!)

About Ah Chu and Ya Shu, I guess what I didn't like about Ya Shu was how weepy she was. I understand that given her situation there must be some internal conflict going on within her, but I felt it went on for way too long. Her involvement and identity made things more complicated, and I do appreciate that as it created more conflict and development for the story. But, then at the same time the character just annoyed me, really. lol, I think I would have also preferred if her character remained the same as in the novel. I might have actually liked her and her relationship with Ah Chu better that way.

Anyway, I am just picky :P I have yet to think of anyone who is beautiful enough to pair with Wallace and be able to pull off great chemistry with him. haha... ok Sun Fei Fei is pretty I guess, but I didn't like her character in Rose Martial World. Well, I didn't like the drama in general either... lol... characters/dramas that I dislike somehow make me dislike the actors/actresses as well.

OMG, yes! I love this guy, I really do, but his outfits and hairstyle at his concerts just make me cringe. I prefer his style of dress back when he was younger - simple slacks, shirt, and blazer. With that said, I like his dancing and butt-shaking during his performances.

rofl! Yes, his look for his concerts is a little bizarre... but then I find it kind of sexy and since it's for the stage I can accept that. I also like men dressing as men lol, unfortunately less and less actors dress that way now. But, for Wallace I really think he looks good in anything (or nothing at all *drools*) hehehe! Man if he came to America for a concert I would definitely go! I really wish one of the casinos in Las Vegas could sponsor a concert for him. So many Chinese celebs have had concerts in Las Vegas since almost half of the tourists and gamblers there are Asian. lol

I can ask seagd927 for you. I think she has the link to the novel. I don't know when she'll get back to me, though, since she has not been responding to my messages for the past few days. Probably busy...

Oh, that'd be great Melanie! Thanks! I will also try to look for it myself when I have time ^^

And question! I had started watching 內線 and 菩提樹下 a while back but never got around to finishing them. Does Wallace have a good amount of screen time later on in the story? Cause the first few episodes of both dramas were a bit boring and with little signs of Wallace. lol, I would really like to finish them but I don't want to get myself frustrated, especially 菩提樹下 since I really dislike Hawick Lau. Is Wallace or is Hawick the main character? All the posters I've seen show Wallace, but watching the drama gave me the impression that Hawick has a pretty central character.

[xia0yuer]

You mean, my talking to myself in various Wallace-related threads finally paid off? I was actually able to almost single-handedly turn someone into a Wallace Chung fan?

By the way, it's interesting that my posts on Too Late To Say I Love You lured you into watching that drama. Most of my posts were Murong Feng-bashing comments. I love Wallace Chung the actor, but I am not too fond of his character in TLTSILY.

I think it was mostly the story line discussion that interested me. I did notice you bashing Peilin a lot. :P

Ironically, Yang Rui's character in Pu Ti Shu Xia was my favorite female character in that series! She was indeed irritating in the beginning, but her character showed the most growth throughout the entire series, while the leading female character (played by Lv Yi) remained annoyingly the same with her pitiful self-sacrificing ways and the other female character (played by Zhang Yi Mou) was such a disgrace to womankind. Somewhere in this Wallace Chung thread, I've written my views on Pu Ti Shu Xia. I'm not sure if you've seen it before, but I can try to dig it up if you wish to read it. Naturally, I thought Wallace was incredibly handsome in Pu Ti Shu Xia, especially in the parts where he wore the long traditional Chinese gown. His stature and handsomeness really made him stand out in such outfits. Hawick Lau's character was likable in the beginning but then he just got irritating towards the end.

Yes, I finished Pi Ti Shu Xia and I've got to say that it was probably the worst drama I've seen in quite a while. I agree that Yang Rui's character developed the most, but I pretty much disliked all the characters as they were all weak and annoyingly whiney. The only reason I finished all 52 ridiculous episodes was because the combination of both Hawick Lau and Wallace Chung was too hard to resist for my fan shipping tendencies. The story line was flat and uninteresting and the ending further complemented the trainwreck of a story by not resolving ANYTHING.

I actually have to disagree with you about Wallace looking good in the long traditional Chinese robes. He wore them in both Pu Ti Shu Xia and TLTSILY and I did not think he looked nearly as dashing as when he was in his military uniform or a three piece suit like in Shang Hai Wang. But in Yi Chu Ji Fa, I get to see him in both!!!!!

Even though my comments may seem otherwise, I also like the Ya Shu and Ah Chu pairing. They are a more light-hearted couple. They have their serious, intense moments, but overall, they are sweet and romantic. I don't know how much of our spoiler comments you have read, so I don't want to say anything further for fear of spoiling parts of their relationship to you. I'll let you guide the conversation so I won't spoil anything unknowingly.

Ah Ci's character will be more developed later on. However, even with more character development, I still like Ah Chu better. Ah Chu's more cheerful without being a complete clown. Ah Ci, on the other hand, has too much emotional baggage. Such guys are not my type. I prefer a guy who has less emotional damage, one who knows how to make me smile. Strange, but I don't see Ah Ci as bland white bread. He's not bland at all but perhaps is too flavorful. He is more like bittersweet dough, sweet in his vulnerability but bitter because of the all the emotional baggage that comes along with his vulnerability. Ah Ci's bittersweetness is more genna's cup of tea. Look at us... Comparing Wallace Chung to food. I sure would love to take a bite out of him.

Beware of SPOILERS!

I'm on EP 14 now and I've got to admit that I spoke too quickly about A'Ci. His character gained ten more layers of depth in EP 10. He is definitely NOT bland white bread (that would be Lv Yi and Hawick Lau in PTSX). I still prefer A'Chu though, I'm totally rooting for him and Ya Shu. I haven't read the spoilers that you posted yet so I'm a little confused right now. I don't really understand what caused A'Ci to be a double agent for both the Nationalists and the Communists. I'm hoping for a happy or at least a satisfying ending though it seems that C-drama scriptwriters really enjoy writing weak, open endings lately (think SWAK and QSHF)...

[xia0yuer]

And question! I had started watching 內線 and 菩提樹下 a while back but never got around to finishing them. Does Wallace have a good amount of screen time later on in the story? Cause the first few episodes of both dramas were a bit boring and with little signs of Wallace. lol, I would really like to finish them but I don't want to get myself frustrated, especially 菩提樹下 since I really dislike Hawick Lau. Is Wallace or is Hawick the main character? All the posters I've seen show Wallace, but watching the drama gave me the impression that Hawick has a pretty central character.

Technically Wallace is the first male lead but Hawick definitely got more screen time. Go figure. :/

[genna]

Thanks xia0yuer, I think I'll finish 內線 first then. lol

But, good news guys! Seems like 一触即发 is doing exceptionally well in China! It's the ratings champion on the tv stations that are currently airing it! I'm really happy for Wallace and the drama totally deserves all the viewership ^.^

[Melanie]

xia0yuer Oh, I agree that Ah Chu is a fairly interesting character. He has a complex background and vibrant personality. So, for the first half of the drama I also preferred Ah Chu over Ah Ci. But, then towards the middle of story Ah Ci's storyline really pulled me in. hehe... although, ultimately I enjoyed watching both brothers. Without either one of them the drama wouldn't feel complete! Wallace is amazing, isn't he? He handled both characters so well

You know what I just figured out after re-watching certain parts of 一触即发? I think part of the reason why Ah Ci is so attractive despite his emotional baggage is because Wallace Chung just excels in portraying intense characters who present themselves as strong and stoic but have a hidden layer of vulnerability and sadness within! And that is exactly the description of what Ah Ci is like! While Wallace also does very well as the more easy-going, humorous, and flirtatious Ah Chu, his Ah Ci is more hypnotic. With Wallace's excellent portrayal of the wounded hero, you can't help but want to hug Ah Ci. As for Ah Chu, you can't help but want to bat your eyelashes at him because he is so fun to be with. Yet, it is Ah Ci that your heart cries for and that is what I think makes Ah Ci an interesting character. Ah, Wallace! I wish he would play more identical twin roles because I just love seeing him in practically every scene! It is as if 一触即发 is designed solely for Wallace fans.

About Ah Ci not realizing something was strange with his parents... I honestly think that for 25 years he's been avoiding the problem and just didn't want to know, for fear that the answer is something ugly. Ah Ci may appear strong and in control, but in truth he's probably constantly living in fear of the unexpected things that he may encounter. His parents is, in a way the only stability he has in his life. It's sad.

I agree. Again, like I mentioned above, Ah Ci is the perfect wounded hero, strong and steady on the outside, but vulnerable and with a tinge of sadness on the inside. Wallace does a marvelous job of bringing this character to life.

About Ah Chu and Ya Shu, I guess what I didn't like about Ya Shu was how weepy she was. I understand that given her situation there must be some internal conflict going on within her, but I felt it went on for way too long. Her involvement and identity made things more complicated, and I do appreciate that as it created more conflict and development for the story. But, then at the same time the character just annoyed me, really. lol, I think I would have also preferred if her character remained the same as in the novel. I might have actually liked her and her relationship with Ah Chu better that way.

I liked Ya Shu a lot more when she was playing the bratty spoiled girl in the beginning of the drama. Then she got weepy and started clinging to Ah Chu for a few episodes, which should have annoyed me, but strangely it didn't because I found her scenes incredibly sweet and lovely, where she would run directly into Ah Chu's arms and he would embrace her with such protectiveness and love.

Anyway, I am just picky. I have yet to think of anyone who is beautiful enough to pair with Wallace and be able to pull off great chemistry with him. haha... ok Sun Fei Fei is pretty I guess, but I didn't like her character in Rose Martial World. Well, I didn't like the drama in general either... lol... characters/dramas that I dislike somehow make me dislike the actors/actresses as well.

No, I don't think you're too picky. You're just an overprotective fan would wants the best for Wallace. Have you watched Ni Shui Han 逆水寒? I adored Wallace in there! His costar Song Jia was beautiful but that was it. Her acting skills were pretty wooden and definitely paled next to Wallace's incredible rendition of the evil villain. Song Jia's role really was to bring out the more human, compassionate, and loving side of Wallace's character. She could have taken that role to new heights if she had better acting chops. Like you said, it's hard to find an actress who is BOTH beautiful and a good actress to complement Wallace. He's too handsome and too great of an actor that most actresses just fade away in the presence of his intensity. However, with that said, the millions of extremely well-made fan MVs on Wallace and Song Jia have turned me into this onscreen couple's fan.

rofl! Yes, his look for his concerts is a little bizarre... but then I find it kind of sexy and since it's for the stage I can accept that. I also like men dressing as men lol, unfortunately less and less actors dress that way now. But, for Wallace I really think he looks good in anything (or nothing at all *drools*) hehehe! Man if he came to America for a concert I would definitely go! I really wish one of the casinos in Las Vegas could sponsor a concert for him. So many Chinese celebs have had concerts in Las Vegas since almost half of the tourists and gamblers there are Asian. lol

I must be too conservative when it comes to tastes for men's clothing and hairstyle, since you're the second person who thinks Wallace's concert getups are sexy. I bet when he's not in front of the cameras, he dresses in T-shirts and jeans, as he strikes me as that type of guy. I think tobeme translated a Marie Claire article on Wallace recently, and in that article, he said he preferred conservative clothing. However, I heard him say once at an interview that he will dress more outlandishly in concerts since that is when everyone can suspend reality and just do crazy things. I wish he would do something crazy like rip off his shirt, though. So far, I don't see any concert clips of that. If he did rip off his shirt at the concert, I'm sure some fan would have posted that clip by now.

Really? Do the Las Vegas resorts sponsor celebrity concerts? I didn't know that! I was in Las Vegas not too long ago when Jacky Cheung held his concert at Ceasar Palace. I wonder if Cesaer Palace sponsored his concert...

I remember Wallace saying at an interview that he was really nervous about holding his very own concert, since he didn't know how many people will turn up. Apparently, his worries were unfounded since his tickets sold out within 15 minutes of being released to the public for sale... Anyway, maybe he doesn't want to come to the US to hold a concert because he is worried that his tickets may not sell as well as in Mainland China? I don't think he should worry. Wallace has more overseas fans than he thinks he has. And we're willing to pay a higher ticket price to see him.

Oh, that'd be great Melanie! Thanks! I will also try to look for it myself when I have time ^^

I've already sent seagd927 a message about the novel link but she hasn't responded yet.

And question! I had started watching 內線 and 菩提樹下 a while back but never got around to finishing them. Does Wallace have a good amount of screen time later on in the story? Cause the first few episodes of both dramas were a bit boring and with little signs of Wallace. lol, I would really like to finish them but I don't want to get myself frustrated, especially 菩提樹下 since I really dislike Hawick Lau. Is Wallace or is Hawick the main character? All the posters I've seen show Wallace, but watching the drama gave me the impression that Hawick has a pretty central character.

xia0uer is exactly correct about 菩提樹下. Wallace is technically the lead and his picture is all over the posters probably because he is more popular? However, Hawick Lau seems to have more screen time in the drama. At first, I was somewhat ok with Hawick having more screen time, since his character was likable in the beginning. Plus, I thought maybe it was one of those dramas where a certain block of episodes would be dedicated to one leading character and then another block of episodes later on would be dedicated to the other leading character (kind of like Demi Gods Semi Devils). However, as the drama dragged on, Hawick continued to monopolize most of the screen time, which wouldn't have been too bad if his character had not become really annoying toward the end. Wallace got less and less screen time as the series progressed and even disappeared for quite a few episodes toward the end! Then, finally he appeared briefly for the last 2-3 episodes. Ugh! What a waste of Wallace's talents. I wonder why he signed up for that drama...

I don't remember 內線 that much, as that drama didn't leave a big impression on me, since it was so confusing with my limited knowledge of Mandarin. Lady Zhuge, another member here, seemed to really enjoy it though, but maybe it was because she actually understood Mandarin well. Anyway, Wallace did get more screen time later on in that drama, but it was all a blur to me. There was so much dialogue (which I didn't understand) and not enough action to sustain my interest. But maybe my lack of interest was due to my confusion with what was going on in the plot. Maybe if I had a better grasp of Mandarin, I would have enjoyed the drama more. Plus, there was almost zero romance, although there were some meaningful glances exchanged between SFF and Wallace's characters here and there and there was a nice kissing scene toward the end between the two. I will say that Wallace looked really good in military uniform in the drama.

I think it was mostly the story line discussion that interested me. I did notice you bashing Peilin a lot.

Yea, I pretty much don't mince my words when it comes to sharing my feelings about a drama and its characters. No one is safe from my sharp tongue, not even Wallace Chung's characters. I did fear my bashing of Peilin had gone too far in the eyes of the other Wallace fans, but JoleCole said she enjoyed my bashing.

By the way, what are your thoughts on Peilin? Do you like him, or do you share my feelings about what a jerk he is in the latter parts of the series?

Yes, I finished Pi Ti Shu Xia and I've got to say that it was probably the worst drama I've seen in quite a while. I agree that Yang Rui's character developed the most, but I pretty much disliked all the characters as they were all weak and annoyingly whiney. The only reason I finished all 52 ridiculous episodes was because the combination of both Hawick Lau and Wallace Chung was too hard to resist for my fan shipping tendencies. The story line was flat and uninteresting and the ending further complemented the trainwreck of a story by not resolving ANYTHING.

Hahaha! "Train wreck of a story" is exactly how I would describe it, too! It would not have been too bad if the story hadn't dragged on for 53 episodes! A lot could have been trimmed off. And I remember reading all the outraged viewer posts (through the help of Google Translate) about how little screen time Wallace Chung had. After realizing that Wallace was going to have less screen time than Hawick Lau, a lot of people commented on tudou that they were skipping episodes and only watching the Wallace parts.

I wasn't attracted to Hawick at all in 菩提樹下. I mean, he was likable in the beginning, but I wasn't drooling over him like I was over Wallace Chung. But in Sealed With A Kiss, Hawick did quite an impressive job as the alpha male. Still, something was missing for me. I liked his character, maybe because I think aggressive alpha male types are hot in dramas (but not in real life). Nonetheless, something was missing. Perhaps it was Hawick's lack of stature? He was the same height as his leading actress, which sort of lessened the macho-ness feel for me. I think I'm very biased, but I think Wallace Chung, with his more impressive height, would have made a better Mo Shaoqian... Don't misunderstand; I still think Hawick did a marvelous job as Mo Shaoqian but I just wish they found a shorter actress to complement him.

I actually have to disagree with you about Wallace looking good in the long traditional Chinese robes. He wore them in both Pu Ti Shu Xia and TLTSILY and I did not think he looked nearly as dashing as when he was in his military uniform or a three piece suit like in Shang Hai Wang. But in Yi Chu Ji Fa, I get to see him in both!!!!!

I think the traditional Chinese robes give Wallace a very scholarly aura, which I like a lot. I also think his good looks and height make him look impressive in martial arts costume, but he would look even better if he had better hairstyles. Nowadays, the martial arts hairstyles are a bit...alternative.

Undoubtedly, Wallace looks drool-worthy in military garb and a three piece suit. I will not argue with you there! The man is just perfect. He could be wearing nothing and I would still think he looks fabulous! (By the way, if you ladies read my fan fiction, I think you'd be amused by a certain scene. I won't spoil it for you, just in case you end up finding time to read.)

I'm on EP 14 now and I've got to admit that I spoke too quickly about A'Ci. His character gained ten more layers of depth in EP 10. He is definitely NOT bland white bread (that would be Lv Yi and Hawick Lau in PTSX). I still prefer A'Chu though, I'm totally rooting for him and Ya Shu. I haven't read the spoilers that you posted yet so I'm a little confused right now. I don't really understand what caused A'Ci to be a double agent for both the Nationalists and the Communists. I'm hoping for a happy or at least a satisfying ending though it seems that C-drama scriptwriters really enjoy writing weak, open endings lately (think SWAK and QSHF)...

I still don't understand why Ah Ci is a double agent. Maybe you and genna could tell me, since you both obviously understand Mandarin well.


spoiler

I think there's room for a sequel with the type of conclusion 一触即发 ended on...






Yay and congratulations to Wallace for the high ratings scored by 一触即发! I hope he gains even more fans after this drama, like he did after Too Late To Say I Love You aired.

[xiaolong]

Someone made a clever photoshop of Wallace Chung if he was born a lady. Beautiful! Can definitely play Xiaolongnu!

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