After lingering on my to-watch list for some time, I finally delved into 'The Long Ballad'—and I'm truly glad that I did. The well-crafted storyline and character development kept me engaged from the very first episode, with each subsequent installment revealing more secrets and complexities. I especially appreciated the focus on narrative and characters over mere romance, exploring both Tang and Ashile cultures. Exploring the Ashile people's episodes was particularly refreshing to see ─ as it isn't so common to see such dramas explore historical incidents from their settings.

The acting was remarkable across the board, with both leads and secondary characters delivering standout performances. Despite occasional moments where characters seemed to disappear, the drama ultimately struck a balance, allowing each character's development to shine. Another aspect I really liked is how both Li Changge and Ashile Sun were established as individuals ─ means we actually saw their morals, perspectives, and agency beyond just romantic involvement. They both had their own goals and protected each other while also caring for others which is not so common to see in dramas that prefer to focus on romance only.

Dilraba's portrayal of Changge's growth was particularly impressive, while Wu Lei's performance as Ashile Sun, especially in EP25 involving his mother's incident, was emotionally gripping.

While the director's style, especially evident in 'SOKP,' isn't entirely my cup of tea, I found the action scenes well-executed, particularly the Cuju game in EP1, which was truly epic. Occasionally, technical issues like echoes and camera positioning dampened the impact, but the strong storytelling and acting overshadowed these flaws.

The OSTs were a standout feature, as expected since I was familiar with some tracks even before watching the drama ─ and each song added depth to the storyline. The instrumentals were epic as well and showcases the hard work put in this project.


link to edit : https://youtu.be/BV1cR_6LW_Y