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.)
Review of Joy of Life
