《一念关山》 A Journey To Love – High production historical drama

During the serialisation period of 《一念关山》 “A Journey To Love”, there were many positive ratings and comments on this drama, but unfortunately, the rating drastically dropped after the release of the final arc.

Despite the potentially disappointing ending, my curiosity got the better of me, so I decided to give this drama a chance.

Going into the drama with the knowledge of a potentially bad ending changed my perspective of the drama, and I really enjoyed the journey…up until that ending.

Warning: Don’t look at images on Dramalist; it contains lots of spoilers!

Synopsis

Female assassin Ren Ru Yi, the former left envoy of the Scarlet Guards, becomes a member of the Wu State’s escort delegation to save the King of Wu, who has been taken hostage by the State of An. Together with Ning Yuan Zhou, the leader of the Wu State’s Six Realms Hall, the free-spirited Yu Shi San, Princess Yang Ying, clever teen Yuan Lu, and the imperial guard Qian Zhao, they embark on a journey across the country, where they experience love, life, and death together.

Trailer

The Watching Experience

《一念关山》 “A Journey To Love” is set in a fabricated, non-specific historical period during which there is continuous war and conflict between three countries.

The first few episodes introduce all the main characters, the intentions and conflicts between the countries, factions within each country, and various groups of guards.

This fast-paced, information-packed beginning was very challenging, and I found myself a little lost. I had to revisit many early episodes to absorb all the information on the various groups and their relationships and conflicts.

Everything became straightforward and easy to follow once all the world-building elements were cleared up, and the main plot started (the rescue mission to save their king).

The group’s journey across the country to a neighbouring country was the largest and best part of the show. This segment had romance, comedy (yes, there’s comedy in this quite serious show!), friendship, brotherhood bonds, hardships, happy moments and super strong character development…everything you can ask for from a story about a band of people on an adventure!

The guards’ brotherhood vibe was very strong, and I loved watching them bond, share fun moments and work together to overcome hardships. Their dynamics were brilliant!

Characters

All the characters in 《一念关山》 “A Journey To Love” were brilliant and well thought out. They all had a role in the bigger plot but were also given enough screen time for their individual stories to unfold.

《一念关山》 “A Journey To Love” is heavy on character development and is the main focus of the show. The plot isn’t all that exciting and is quite simple and straightforward. The characters, their interactions with each other and their development carried the show.

The princess is my favourite character. The best part was watching her grow from someone who is sheltered and weak to someone who can stand up for herself and even step over others! For a young actress, 何蓝逗 did a fantastic job and portrayed this character very well.

Production and Music

The production of 《一念关山》 “A Journey To Love” is brilliant and high quality, with lovely costumes, expansive scenery, good cinematic scenes, and amazing fight scenes.

The soundtrack is one of the best in recent Chinese historical dramas. There are so many great tunes that went along with some fantastic moments!

The music really added a WOW factor to some really epic scenes.

I’ve listened to the OST many, many times since finishing 《一念关山》 “A Journey To Love”.

My favourite song from the show is 《奉上》sang by the main male lead 刘宇宁. This song triggers too many feelings and emotions; I love it!

Final Arc and Ending

The final arc was a real letdown. However, judging by the reviews on Dramalist, it seems that many others liked the ending.

The closure to most characters’ stories is strangely symbolic, but I feel many are unnecessary.

Quite a few scenes in the final arc were so unbearable that I had to fast-forward them. Because I skipped so much of it, I ended up finishing the final six episodes in two hours.

I wasn’t annoyed by the final arc because I knew beforehand that the ending was not a happy one. If I hadn’t been prepared, I would have been extremely upset by it.

Difficulty for a Chinese learner

The world in 《一念关山》 “A Journey To Love” is fabricated with made-up structures and groups. This results in a challenging first segment in which these elements are introduced.

Besides the political and world-building segments, the rest of the dialogues have a medium level of historical flare.

Due to its political elements and plot, which revolves around resolving political conflicts between countries, 《一念关山》 “A Journey To Love” is suitable for a Chinese learner with lots of experience in historical settings with political challenges.

Conclusion

If we ignore the final arc and the ending, 《一念关山》 “A Journey To Love” is one of the best historical dramas I’ve seen in a long time.

I absolutely loved the princess’s character development, and I would happily rewatch the show again for her. I also really enjoyed the group’s interaction, their dynamic, their individual growth, and their stories.

Having gone into the show with the preparation for a terrible ending, I wasn’t shocked when it happened. I didn’t understand why the producers and screenwriters ended it this way. It was so unnecessary.

Nevertheless, I would still recommend 《一念关山》 “A Journey To Love” but just be prepared for that final arc. Without ruining anything, I will warn you that it’s not a happy ending. Some might say it’s bittersweet, but that’s up for personal interpretation.