Back From the Brink (2023)

A refreshingly fun xianxia about ordinary people that doesn't take itself too seriously

Don't let the modest budget fool you. This is a surprisingly decent xianxia. A breath of fresh air from the angst-glutted melodramas of most modern xianxias, Back from the Brink wisely keeps the storyline strong but simple- there are no gods or demons, no heavenly politics, no protagonists who are secretly gods/goddesses/princes/princesses/calamities that will bring about the end of the world (side-eyeing The Starry Love, The Legend of Chongzi, TTEOTM and the currently airing Beauty of Resilience and that's just from this year...) This is a story about a dragon boy and a human girl who meet and inevitably fall in love. We have Tianyao (Hou Minghao), our Millennium Spirit Dragon who comes with some serious emotional baggage - he was jilted at the altar and dismembered in the most gruesome way possible by his sociopathic ex keen on using his skin to make an immortality suit for her true loved one. To counter our broody, revenge-seeking dragon, we have the cheerful, glib-tongued Yan Hui (Zhou Ye), a cultivator who's kicked out of her sect for standing up for what's right. Through a twist of fate, Yan Hui inherits the Heart Protection Scale - the final and most critical piece of Tianyao's armor, making her existence simultaneously desired and tenuous as multiple parties - Tianyao included - want the scale for their own agendas.

Drama strengths: Excellent chemistry between the two leads. I was already familiar with Zhou Ye's work in Word of Honor and am pleased to see her take on the challenge of a main role. I was not impressed with Hou Minghao's past work (Psych-Hunter and Lost Tomb 2 were just ok to me) but this project has really improved his acting chops and his microexpressions have gotten much better. It was very satisfying to see both of their characters grow and mature to complement the other. The writing itself is also very solid and the internal logic overall is surprisingly sound. Nothing groundbreaking but themes of choice, transformation, kindness vs power, what does it mean to be good/evil are consistent. Except for a blip where the writers deviated from the novel and made some Choices from ep 16-22, most characters' motivations and actions make sense. This is also one of the few xianxias where supporting characters are actually thoughtfully fleshed out rather than as artlessly discarded plot devices (cough cough TTEOTM). I appreciated the variety in the couples explored, both for the young and also the widowed (or for one unfortunate character, Lu Musheng, who has the dubious honor of both). The OST is actually great. Costuming details and set designs were also decent, considering the budget that they had to work with. I liked the styling and make-up of the characters - it was very clean and natural and not overdone.

Drama weaknesses: Ok, the CGI ranges from laughably bad to okay at best but I would say the production team spent their money wisely. I'd rather sacrifice the visuals than the writing. The ending is also a little abrupt (the last episode is noticeably a solid 3 minutes shorter than the average episode duration) which leaves me wondering if they just ran out of money and leaves quite a few unanswered questions but rest assured that the ending itself is surprisingly a happy one.
Fans who are looking for more physically demonstrative signs of on-screen intimacy will likely found our main couple to be too chaste. I personally did not have a problem with this since I don't believe characters need to vigorously make out with each other to show intimacy but that's just my two cents.

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The Dragon's journey to reclaim his dismembered body & attaining true love | Baby Dragon Neo <3

"I wish I had never met you in my life." - Suying

Like what the title suggests 'Back from the Brink (of Death) is a story about the Dragon King (Tianyao) who was brutally schemed and killed on his Wedding day by his own Bride (Suying) and how he was revived by the help of a Taoist girl (Yanhua) who will make him experience and realize what true love is while retrieving his stolen body parts.

If I were to sum it up, I would say that this is all about the despair and unpredictability of love... that although love can be deceitful, tragic and ever-changing at times, it can also be delightful and uplifting all at the same time. This story showcased how love is not perfect and would never be! and it's a matter of finding that one person who shares the same feeling that you have... someone that will make you feel valued, loved, protected and cared for at all costs, at all times.

I honestly don't wanna be critical and strict to my review for this drama as I consider this as one of the 'better' Idol Xianxia drama created in past several years but I will still try to mention below the major shortcoming that could've make this story even better!

I would say that the biggest section this production could've improved on is with the editing, more specifically in regards to the wise inclusion and exclusion of scenes and events as it has always been a big problem of chinese dramas for me. They tend to go all out with the introduction and character developements only to fell short when it comes to the climax and ending (thank god the ending of this drama is well created and polished); and this issue happened several times to this show as well. I recall feeling weird at around Ep 25+ because I noticed them rushing some of the scenes that made us skipped a lot of good parts and I think we got enough irrelevent scenes between episode 10-20 to fill those gaps. It's just sad that they 'most probably' got restricted by china's censorship and restrictions in the middle of getting an approval to go live. Nonetheless, better decision making on which scenes should make the final cut coud have been implemented!

Something I love and enjoy about this drama is the goofy and bright energy the leads and characters has showed us throughout the show. I appreciate that they included tons of silly and comical scenes each episode which helped accentuates the vibe and overall mood of the drama + it makes me enjoy it without having to feel uncomfortable and overly irritated. I would say that this is one of the 'Feel-good' dramas everyone should binge watch whenever they experience exhaustion from watching overly convoluted series.

Last thing I wanna praise and talk about is the chemisty and synergy not only of the leads but the entirety of characters and artists/casts. I feel like one of the factors that made me completely drawn to this story is the actors/actresses themselves and how magnificent they portrayed their respective roles. Their compatibility with one another is undeniable, that for some reason I can feel an almost tangible aura exuding from them as a whole.

P.S. Regarding the Quote above from Suying. This drama used that line several times that it effortlessly imprinted on my mind. I think it also proves that karma is a bitch and will bite back 10 folds fiercer. Serves her right! lol

Story - 10, I was planning of giving it a 9.5 but how can I do that when it gave me such a satisfying ending? Not to mention how I enjoyed the entirety of this drama and only skipped the flashback scenes as I am running out of time because of work. Also, the production quality and script writing of this story is really good and although there are some ridiculous scenes (underwater scene between Ep 1-10)... those are considerably minor in comparison to the happiness I have had watching it.

Acting/Cast - 9.5, I have no complains and/or violent reaction regarding the cast. However, I feel like Zhou Ye's acting is a bit lacking during her sad scenes. I'm not sure if it's because of the jolly and bright perception I have of her, but I just can't take her seriously during her sad/crying scenes. Sorry!! But I admit that she fits this silly, free-spirited, cheerful roles the best! Regarding Neo Hou! I can never touch this man. He knew he's charming and has always used that to complete his craft with precision and perfection! Him acting like a Baby is going to be the death of me! Lovely and adorable!

Music - 10, I love all the music used in this drama, specially the main OST they typically use on heartwarming scenes. I will surely hunt that one and will add it on my playlist.

Rewatch Value - 10, Everything about this drama is re-watchable. It doesn't have any boring and/ot uncomfortable scenes at all. I'm sure everyone's gonna love it!

Overall - 10, I don't care! I'm giving it a perfect 10. Lol I know that this drama got some flaws and is lacking on some areas BUT it's really rare these days for me to encounter such a good Idol Xianxia drama that I can actually binge watch the entire day! So I feel delighted and ecstatic watching it. All I can say is that it's worthy of all your time.

IF you find my review helpful please let me know.

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Could have been so much better

This drama had a nice plotline but the execution and story telling really was disappointing. It lacked depth n intrigue, I wasn't much excited to watch it but I somehow watched it n completed becos i just had nothing more exciting to watch rn. Love story wise it was total disappointment, I didn't feel anything for them as couple, no chemistry too, acting wise evryone was jst okayish, but ml lacked proper expression n so most of the times I felt confused as to whether he is angry, sad, jealous, worried or what as he had only 2 expressions most of the times. But he did well as baby dragon though. I enjoyed him in that part . Riley Wang shined in his role n fl did well too. Idk as the show ended I didn't feel much attached or sad that it ended like i feel for few shows I loved n rewatched , so I don't think I will rewatch this one.

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Do not be tricked, it is not labeled as comedy, but it is. Back from the Brink is so comical I don’t remember how many times I laughed and cried and went back to laughing again. I truly think in this series Zhou Ye as the lead won me over. I last saw her in Word of Honor. I remembered her character because of the sad ending of her love story and her bratty attitude. I really wasn’t expecting much from her in this series but she proved me wrong. Let's not forget Riley Wang, man I adore his character in here. I bet the both of them had a ball behind the scenes seeing how funny they were.

Back from the Brinks opens with a betrayal on a couple’s wedding night. Because of this, it captivated my attention at the beginning, and I had to continue with the series. His body parts and heart are torn and sealed away in different places. ML and FL later meet, with ML finding out FL has his heart. Their journey starts as they try to find the rest of his body parts leading to meeting funny, loving individuals and losing individuals they love.

What I love about this series:
The cinematography and the beautiful cgs.
The side characters. You can’t help but grow to love some of them. I still can’t believe Zuo Ye is in here!!!!
The storyline.
FL acting and her character
Riley’s character
Lot of scenes that will make you laugh and cry all within the same episode.

What I didn’t like:
Felt super long, I just finished Love you Seven time so I was expecting a pace similar to that but this one felt long and I skipped a lot.
Let's be honest, how many of us were ready to go head-to-head with Su Ying's character. Just had to put it out there :D

Neo acting. There were just some moments where I felt he could have done more but he kept himself in check a lot and thought about appearance more than acting. But that is just my personal thoughts.

Recommended if you are looking for the next wuxia to watch. Also, recommended if you are a fan of Neo and Zhou Ye or Riley. I think they come a long way

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Really good chemistry between TY and YH

I started watching this because of Neo and I didn't regreted it. They had such a good chemistry throught the drama.

The drama overall had a good storyline, wasn't boring and exciting. Loved the OST. Both main characters had a miserable life and I felt sad for both. I laughed so hard in this drama and it was a rom-com drama to watch after work. Loved BXS jokes and his matchmaking thorught the drama. Although he didn't get together with YH he was still happy. As for TY he got a bit sad ending when YH passed away but at the end she appears which means she didn't die. Loved the couples XG x FQS. HXY and ZL bickering thorught the drama but became a couple at the ending is just so cute. As for SY...she was annyoing for me all the time.
I was so happy that every couple got a happy ending.

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Typical & Nice Costume Drama

I enjoy Neo's work as an actor (especially in Hutong with Zhao Lusi) and there was a good hype for this series that I gave it a try even paying for a month subscription for it just to satisfy my curiosity.
This is a fantasy, costume series. As a typical costume series, it started from the very beginning with a poor, starving soul then came across the hero with unsettled heart that then healed by the poor soul.
Costume is magnificent in this series for everyone even the extras. Production is awesome. Beautifully crafted and done with obvious dedication showing in every small details.
The entire cast work harmoniously together but I will avoid saying that there's this magical chemistry. I am unable to see that even from the lead characters. The actor who was casted as the Dark Phantom didnt work for me either. Its lacking the face and look of the most powerful evil being.

The story evolved but mainly focused on the dragon's affairs affecting the lead female's life. Many side stories before it got to the highlight of the story.
I enjoyed it while watching but it wasnt one of those where I anticipated for the next episode or excited to see how it will turn out. It was 👍 👌
Worth watching, though as someone who paid subscription for this, I would suggest not to do that and find it to watch for free. Theses another series i paid for a subscription in another platform and that one I am very thankful I did because it is so worth the payment.

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A fun Xianxia adventure!

I started watching because I heard that there would be a dragon as a main character and I was curious to see what would the story be like. I can easily admit that I only watched a handful of Xianxia dramas in the past, so this review is only based on what I've learned to appreciate when watching dramas of several different genres, rather than watching other Xianxia stories.
I just finished watching the last episode and I can say that I enjoyed myself.

The story starts off as a quest to find Tianyao's missing body parts, with Yanhui as a fundamental part of the plan. The rhythm at the beginning of the story is lively and addictive, the setting also feels welcoming even when there are dangerous situations. The dynamic between characters, however, takes the crown for being the real show-stealer: Tianyao's cold and stubborn attitude seem to clash with Yanhui's just as stubborn and fiery character, but they immediately complement each other and they are quick to become reliable partners, even when there are no romantic feelings involved. The arrival of Bai Xiaosheng also contributes to make the story even more entertaining: he has to be one of the most charming characters in the entire drama!
I felt like the dynamics among characters got ruined around the middle of the story. I'm not saying that this was unjustified (there are valid plot reasons for that, I believe), but a big part of what made the show so compelling was reduced to almost nothing in the span of a couple of episodes. The arc in the middle was also not very interesting, so I'm not lying when I say that at that point I was just hoping for things to get better as soon as possible.
Luckily for me, things did get better later on. On the other hand, the worldbuilding started to look a little fragile, with powers and magical effects coming and going according to what the writers seemed to need at any given moment. While it was still fun and I felt like the story was saved toward its conclusion, I also couldn't help feeling a little unsatisfied for this reason.

As I said, the characters were definitely the best part. There's almost always some characters that I end up finding too annoying or boring, but that wasn't the case this time around: Tianyao, Yanhui, Xiaosheng, even antagonists such as Suying and Lingfei were all interesting and fascinating to see on the screen. Now that I watched all the episodes, I have the feeling that I'm going to miss them a lot.

The production was good enough. The special effects weren't very good, but I'm also not the kind of audience who is too picky about that.
The music was another great part of the drama. All the songs are amazing and touching, they give the story the right amount of dramatic and majestic energy it needs, making the important moments even better in terms of delivery.

This drama is definitely not perfect, but the story and the characters are all charming. They kept me looking forward to the next episode, which is the most important thing for me. I'm definitely recommending this series to whoever is looking for an epic fantasy adventure with themes revolving around trust, betrayal, obsession, and most importantly finding your own place and your own path in life.

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Endured watching for its in-between episodes that always save this drama from being dropped

Story: A common story about a battle of good and evil rooted in obsessive unrequited love among Taoists and spirits. It started when the millennium dragon, Tianyao in the human form, was betrayed by his bride, Suying, at their matrimonial ceremony by cutting off his body parts making him powerless but unsuccessful to retrieve his heart-protecting scale only to sustain her lover’s life. Using his last string of strength, Tianyao was able to save his protecting heart scale by throwing it out up in the air and unexpectedly fell on a baby girl, Yanhui, suffering from a weak heart. Possessing the heart-protecting scale both helps and endanger her life. When Tianyao finally met the grown-up baby girl, Yanhui, they embarked on the journey of recovering his lost body parts.

The story clearly showed the power of determination, sacrifice, and a cluster of efforts to defeat immortal wickedness.

This drama could have been a great one if not for the following:
1. Too many flashbacks that add to the boredom
2. Emotional scenes that were invaluable to affect the viewer’s emotion
3. Poor characterization of Tianyao known to be powerful of all but ended incapable in the story, and
4. Pushing the story long with unnecessary complexities.

Acting/Cast: Neo Hou as Tianyao pretty much did well and suits the role with that face. It was gratifying alone watching him on screen. The FL who I barely knew was not bad at all. Their acting complements each other. I blamed some of their dialogues and how the story was played that the whole cast’s performance was not appreciated strongly as it should be.

On the other hand, the best thing I loved about this drama was I had the pleasure of feasting my eyes with colors. It catered to one of the best fantasy aesthetics. I specifically praise the wedding of Tianyao and Yanhui which was very regal with that white cape flowing wedding costumes and headdress. There were more stunning to see that would somehow encourage you to care watching this drama if you haven’t yet.

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This one is going to stay in my heart forever

Different dramas hit differently to different people ... As for me "back from the brink" is the one that is going to stay at the top in my heart forever ..
The story along with its executive was superb,everything from VFX to background music was so spot on like the team behind the camera is as enthusiast as the actors in making this into a masterpiece piece.
We discuss about the cast and their acting ..the dragon King "tianyao" NEO Hao, he played it so well I mean I have seen a lot different actors playing dragon God dragon/King but he is the closet thing to a dragon King in my imagination..his expression ...his smile ...the calmness in his aura ... Gosh ! OUTSTANDING... He makes you wanna worship him like a dragon God ...iykyk ... This was my first thing me watching him and he left this everlasting impression that he is going to be my fav asian actor.
Zhou ye was as amazing as always ..she is the only actress who is so cute but doesn't rely on her cuteness but actually works hard on her acting ... Her energy and dialogue delivery is so spontaneous. I love her 💖
Other actors did equally brilliant ..I can't pick out any negative thing about this drama ...

(Shhh actually I can .... The only negative thing was ,it had only 40 episodes 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨
Good things come to an end so quickly ...)

Title tracks and OST were so good ...infact The closing track was sung by NEO himself ...I put it as my ringtone ..hehe !!

Lastly ...
Am I going to watch it again ... ABSOLUTELY may be after 5-6 months ..I know I will never get bored of this one.
(Am I looking for season 2 .. Season 2 is not possible cause the original story in novel is completed in the show.)

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Unexpectedly Engaging

This series, while lacking the extravagant effects and cinematography found in some premier dramas, has carved out a distinct place in my appreciation. Initial expectations were modest, but the narrative quickly proved engrossing. The character dynamics, marked by diverse behaviors and beliefs, contribute significantly to the show's appeal.

The male lead, initially portrayed as naive and easily swayed by the leader of a sect, undergoes substantial character development following the dismemberment of his body. While his subsequent actions can be frustrating, they align with the evolving storyline. Notably, a scene depicting his stabbing of the female lead, despite prior instances, offers a nuanced portrayal.

The female lead emerges as a standout character, reflecting relatable responses to challenging situations. Her character evolution is commendable. The on-screen chemistry among the cast is palpable. Noteworthy is the captivating performance of the female lead actress, particularly in her poignant crying scenes, which I find mesmerizing. Despite my limited knowledge of her previous works, I must express a preference for her acting prowess over that of the male lead.

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One of the most epic beautiful and original xanxia and love story

pic and beautiful xanxia in every regard

One of the very best xanxia I have ever watched. An unusually entertaining, deep and engaging storyline, very different (in a good way) from the classic xanxia both in terms of plot and characters, good or bad , never one dull moment, or making you want to fast forward … no unnecessary secondary plot and characters…

well paced, great dialogs, lots of laugh to relieve darker moments in a very balanced and smart way,

The xanxia is served by a really good ost, beautiful REAL landscapes on top of the usual special effects and studio CGI fake sceneries (what breathtaking mountains and river views) in the second half)…

and what a cast…
their love story and the way it develops makes perfect sense, and is both extremely charming and endearing… you root for them.
What is also awesome is the amazing relationship between the main couple, their unwavering live for each other and the fact that their is no lengthy misunderstanding or separation drama between them. We can enjoy their growing relationship during the majority of the episodes and it is very soothing in that regard.
Special mention to the FL actress serving an awesome character.

Epic. Doesn’t get the success it deserves

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Zhou Ye/Yan Hui (FL) is the best part of the drama

**ending spoilers only towards the end of review**

For some reason, I thought the production value of “Back From The Brink” would be higher or similar to that of “Starry Love”. Because of this expectation, I was a little disappointed and distracted from a few things that prevented me from fully immersing myself into the story and enjoying it. This is not a bad drama at all, but an average one instead of a good one.

Acting -
The best part about this drama is our female lead, Yan Hui (played by Zhou Ye). I’ve only seen Zhou Ye in one other drama, the very popular “Word of Honor” where she made quite an impression on a lot of people. I am glad to see her taking the lead in this, as her acting is the best of the bunch, even more than some of the veterans. Yan Hui is a very likable character to play. She is fun, intelligent, has a good head on her shoulders and won’t take crap from others. She might have started off as someone young and inexperienced, but she was in no way naive or a damsel in distress. It has been a great watch to follow her journey of growth to become a mature, independent, courageous warrior. It’s not hard to find another story about a female lead’s growth, but it’s hard to find one like Yan Hui who is not naive and innocent or acts like a child to begin with. I enjoy her character development and growth much more than our Dragon King Tian Yao.

The only other actor I would shower praise on the acting is Yang Rong, playing the character of Su Ying. Yang Rong is a veteran actress and I’ve seen her in other roles (“Marvelous Women” and “Song of Youth”). I enjoyed her portrayal of the love-obsessed Su Ying. I just wish her character is not such a stereotypical second female lead - one who goes crazy because she’s obsessive in love. Nevertheless, Yang Rong is a talented and versatile actress.

However, the acting for the rest of the cast is just average. I was hoping Neo Hou would be better than a pretty face. I can’t say I enjoy his acting here. He is a little better than when he was in “A Girl Like Me” but nowhere close to the fun and young teenager in “When We Were Young”. He looks good though, even with long white hair. Riley Wang is fine but not excellent. His character, Bao Xiao Sheng, is a fun one to play but the hairstyle distracted me. The rest of the supporting cast is OK and no one really exceeds expectations. It also seems like aside from Neo Hou, Zhou Ye, Yang Rong, Riley Wang, and Chen Xin Yu, most of the supporting characters are not very well-known or are quite new to the industry.


Plot/Pacing -
The pacing for the first 20-25 episodes is great. A lot happens as viewers get to know the characters, learn about the backstory of the betrayal, and the challenges our main leads face. There are also many funny moments, some more subtle than others. I did have a great time laughing along. But then, the pacing slows down in the next 10 episodes, and doesn’t pick up until the last 5 episodes. The general plot itself is not difficult to understand and follows a similar pattern of other dramas of the same genre. I would not say everything is predictable or unpredictable, but I was pretty engaged in the first half of the drama. There are a few questionable plot holes here and there, but nothing major.


Romance -
Neo Hou and Zhou Ye have decent chemistry. I like that there’s no love at first sight, and the feelings really didn’t blossom until they started their journey together. And maybe that’s why, we’re not getting sizzling hot romantic energy from them. Of course, it would also be due to the actors inability to portray such love. Tian Yao and Yan Hui are quite similar when it comes to love. Their love is steady, honest and never wavers. They support and love each other unconditionally and it’s hard not to root for them in the end. I do have mixed feelings regarding the ending (will talk more later). Riley Wang/Bai Xiao Sheng has to be one of the best third wheel out there. He’s so likable that you can’t hate him, even if you are not a fan of love triangles. Romance is easy to watch, but it also lacks a certain “spark”.


Production Value -
As I said earlier, I am not impressed with a lot of the production quality in “Back From The Brink”. I am disappointed that none of the actors/actresses uses their own voice (not even in post production). The dubbing is off and horrible at times. You would hear the voices but the lips are not moving (and I am not talking about internal monologues). The visual effects and CGI are only average at best. The fight scenes are OK as well. At least the costume department does a decent job. Well, Zhou Ye and Neo Hou are good-looking, so they look good in anything they wear. I also like the OST and you can't go wrong with songs from Zhou Shen and Liu Yu Ning (I can't find the songs on Spotify though 😞 ). The sets and some of the props look fake and flimsy. If Tian Yao’s sword is not lit with the fire visual effect, you should see how fake it looks. Having said all that, I am someone who is bothered by these production qualities as they affect my viewing pleasure. If you are not like me, you might enjoy this drama a lot more than I do.


Ending Spoilers -
I know as C-drama fans we are frustrated with sad and ambiguous endings. However, “Back From The Brink” seems to want to please fans by force-feeding us a happy ending. After searching for many years, Tian Yao finally found Yan Hui. But I am not sure if Yan Hui still retains her memories. If she does, why didn’t she go looking for Tian Yao and her friends? If she lost her memories, isn’t a kiss in the end considered big time sexual harassment? OK, maybe I should shut down my brain and just enjoy a happy ending.



Overall, this is a decent watch. If you are a fan of the actors and actresses, then it’s worth a watch. If you are not and you are just looking for a good fantasy wuxia drama, I think there are better ones out there. Because I really like Zhou Ye and her character Yan Hui, I’m giving this drama no less than an 8.0 rating.



Completed: 6/30/2023 - Review #323

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