忘羡 ruined my life

Wang Zhuo Cheng: “How do you define yourself? Creative? Humorous?”

blue baby or baby blue?

In continuation of my post appreciating CQL, I would like to commend the entire cast for their amazing chemistry and for portraying the characters maybe not 100% accurately but still with effort to understand and pay homage the novel. I am not sure how actors of book-to-drama adaptations are but seeing them post their thoughts on their characters was heartwarming to me.

Moving on, as titled, I especially would like to commend Wang Yibo especially for bringing a character so close to my heart to life so beautifully. Story time, skip to the next paragraph if you don't wanna hear about how I ended up realizing that Yibo is the perfect LWJ. I was pretty skeptic at first when I first saw behind-the-scenes photos as he didn't really look like the LWJ I imagined. For a while, I had even written him off as someone who couldn't live up to LWJ's character and contented myself in the notion that no one would be able to live up to LWJ's otherworldly presence anyway. I even got a bit disappointed that when he was asked about LWJ, all he said was that he didn't talk much and I felt like LWJ was so much more than that. However, when they started releasing stills, behind-the-scenes interviews, and his Moonlight Blade PV came out, I started to change my mind. And when the first episodes of CQL came out, it solidified that he truly was made for the role. According to the producer, when they were casting based on photos, he was already rejected (apparently because he looked too modern). However, they said they still decided to give him a chance and so they asked him to fly to their location and audition. The moment he walked in, the producer immediately knew he would be perfect for the role. Reading this, it makes so much sense as there's something about seeing Yibo in motion, seeing him emote and speak, that changes how you see him completely. He really carries an aura that is not arrogant but one would feel like they should stay away from him. One of the actresses Xuan Lu (JYL) even said that, in the beginning, they would all go quiet whenever he entered the room. However, they say that while Yibo seems cold, he is actually very warm once he becomes more comfortable and close with someone. This unique personality of his is definitely a huge asset to his role. Even then, Yibo showed that, he can give even more to the role.

There are so many little things about Yibo's portrayal of LWJ that makes me really happy. First and foremost, I really love his facial expressions. A lot of people said that he was too blank-faced in the beginning. He did say that he was unsure of what LWJ's resting face was supposed to be like but I thought that it was already well done from the start (save for that one episode where he really looked sleepy haha). Anyway, I'm still so fascinated and amazed with how much emotion he is able to convey by the slightest relaxation and contraction of his facial muscles. Just... look at him.

Furthermore, his overall way of carrying himself is also so nuanced. His posture, the way he sits, walks, fights, etc. I wish he had more intricate fighting choreography to be honest because he executes them so well. (Might make a separate post and gif all his fighting choreography... unless someone else is willing to do it. I just,,, wanna appreciate how he moves so beautifully.)

I also love how the viewer can feel the change from past LWJ and present LWJ. The past LWJ was physically very uptight and even tense while the present LWJ was more sure and firm but also more relaxed. Additional kudos to the cuteness of his drunk LWJ and the beauty of his gentle smile that somehow still lit up his entire face despite how minute it was.

Lastly, there is also this thing that I am still having difficulty putting into words but Yibo was able to show LWJ's firmness and gentleness, his coldness and his warmth, and a lot of his almost contradicting traits, in harmony. Yibo's LWJ was so... tangible, so alive. While the LWJ in CQL was definitely somewhat different from the one in the novel, it was a joy to see so many parts of the character I love brought to life so carrfully and lovingly, and in the process, I think that I also grew to love the character that the CQL team and Yibo created.