Battle of Changsha is a treasure, and here on MDL, it's largely undiscovered despite sitting near the top of the drama list for as long as I can remember. I guess the best place to hide is directly under the candle, right? Story: I put off watching Battle of Changsha for months because I was convinced that it would be full of fighting scenes, and those are not my cup of tea. it was only after a few trusted MDL friends started telling me about it that I gave it a second look. The heart of Battle of Changsha is not in the overarching plot of the war but how that war plot molds and changes a family living in Changsha. Every skeleton in the closet and character flaw, no matter how deep you bury them, come out in times of war, and Battle of Changsha monopolized on that concept. It takes a group of characters with flaws and misconceptions about themselves (and, in some cases, each other) and allows them to grow and bond. The best and worst of their characters will come out as the drama unfolds. It was fascinating to watch, because the story was more concerned about being truthful and honest than giving the viewer rose-colored shades. The cinematography was some of the best I've ever seen in a drama. It wasn't just about capturing facial expressions or that one kiss scene and using the same four camera angles like in some dramas. It added another dimension to the emotion of the scene, making me feel as if I was with the character(s) in that moment. Battle of Changsha actually had scenery worth seeing, and the production crew took full advantage of it. There ARE sad moments in this drama, as I’m sure you can tell by the comment section here. I won’t lie to you and say that there weren’t any. However, the story doesn’t drag the viewers through constant drama and grief for 32 episodes. There’s also mischief and laughter. Loud family dinners. Romance. Lazy afternoons listening to Chinese opera. Acting/Cast: Even though I rated both story and cast a well-deserved 10/10, I believe that the casting is where Battle of Changsha truly shines. In such a character-focused story, the casting makes or breaks the drama. Battle of Changsha did not disappoint. You won’t find tons of overacting here like in so many other dramas. Every cast member brought their all to the table, and it shows. Their emotion is subtle enough to be realistic, and that type of delivery makes it SO much more powerful. I could go on and on about so many of the characters, but I will highlight just one in particular that struck me. If you've seen Battle of Changsha, you can probably guess which one. He's impossible to miss, both in stature and in character. Xue Jun Shan will forever remain as one of my favorite characters of all time. At first, the plot capitalizes on his surface character - an enterprising amy security officer that’s unable to say no to a good opportunity, regardless of how ethical it is - but he's so much deeper than that. His journey and growth over the course of the drama were everything. I don't want to give more away and spoil your experience, so I will leave it at that. Music: The music was appropriate and powerful in its subtlety. In the beginning, the melody is innocent and reminiscent of youth. It slowly develops in complexity as the plot thickens and characters change. I especially liked how the power ballads (the ones that are in every drama without fail) didn't play ad nauseam. It would have cheapened the experience. Rewatch Value: I just completed my second watch of the drama. I don't feel the need to rewatch this as often as some of my other drama favorites, but the emotional scenes still captured me. Plus, I noticed details I missed the first time, and they gave me an even higher respect for the production crew. The only complaint that I have isn’t with the drama itself but at the lacking subtitle quality. The only set of subs I found had several scenes in every episode that weren’t even subbed and the translations had very poor grammar.