[Thoughts] Short Story / Upcoming Web Drama Le Jun Kai 乐俊凯

PJ

 So I read some news that Peter Ho and Janine Chang will collaborate again in a new mini/web movie “Le Jun Kai” (乐俊凯), based on a short story by Fei Wo Si Cun (匪我思存). Since I loved their chemistry in “Ring Ring Bell” this peaked my interest despite my bias against Chinese dramas. I read a synopsis here and thought OMG WTF WTH… to simply describe it as angsty is not enough. It just sounds like a torturous melodrama. So I decided to go back to the source and read the short story itself.

 

The main protagonist, Le Jun Kai marries Ye Zi as revenge for his former lover and unborn child. He emotionally and (implied?) physically abused Ye Zi but yet she bares this without retaliation. When Le Jun Kai begins to realize he might have feelings for  Ye Zi, he forced her to get a divorce and left her to fend for herself. She initially didn’t want to leave him but finally agreed when she discovers she is pregnant…..

 

OK I’m not sure when this was written but I’m assuming this is modern times. (Since the story mentions modern cars like Benz / BMW.) So this is not a time when arranged marriages were the norm and women definitely do not have to tolerate any sort of abuse from men. (married or not!) The obvious questions would then be:

 

Why would anyone tolerate (let alone love) a husband who goes home every night drunk, wakes up every morning in a foul mood because he’s hungover, calls you into his office to scream at you because he feels like it and not to mention cheats on you repeatedly?

 

WHY??? WHY???  Apparently this is Fei Wo Si Cun’s ‘style’ – another one of her stories tells the tale of a woman who falls in love with her rapist. WTH. Pure escapism? I want to bang my head on the desk throughout this story and shake some sense into Ye Zi.

 

I guess that means this story successfully provokes emotion (mostly anger) even if you hate and cannot possibly understand what Ye Zi is thinking. Plus the short story doesn’t really have an ending, it leaves a lot to the imagination and I really hope the mini-movie will provide some sort of resolution. (Disclaimer: my Simplified Chinese is not 100% so there were some parts that I didn’t fully understand.) HOW though?? Can anyone possibly forgive such a man? Can such a story ever have a happy ending? It would seem weird. The more I think about where this series can go, the more I’m not sure I like it either way. Maybe if we have a giant explosion where everyone dies, that actually doesn’t seem too bad.

 

Despite all of this it will be interesting to see Peter taking on the asshole role. On the page Le Jun Kai is not sympathetic at all despite losing the love of his life with his unborn child. He unleashes all hell on Ye Zi’s family, driving them to bankruptcy and pretty much destroyed Ye Zi’s life. How did his lover die in the first place? Why is Ye Zi so willing to be abused by Le Jun Kai? There are gaps in the story where the mini movie can add some depth and make this less torturous. As I’m writing this the story reminds me of a TV series “Phoenix from the ashes” (浴火鳳凰) – which also talked about how this guy married someone for revenge and tortures her after they are married. I guess this type of melodrama gets recycled all the time so it’s no surprise. However, there is an opportunity there to make it enjoyable, especially with two charismatic leads in Peter and Janine. So I will definitely watch it when it comes out, but hope that the writers will add enough to the story to make the characters’ motivations more plausible.

 

Comments

12 responses to “[Thoughts] Short Story / Upcoming Web Drama Le Jun Kai 乐俊凯”

  1. peanuts Avatar

    Hi, I was searching for translated English titles for FWSC’s books & stumbled upon your blog. Nice blog with lots of rare and unique information:) I am not exactly a fan of FWSC who is well-known as a step-mum but I am quite interested in this web drama eventhough I am allergic to Peter:P Sound contradictory, haha?

    The story doesn’t have an ending bcos FWSC didn’t write an ending for the story bcos she said the male is too BT (abnormal) & cold blooded so she can’t continue writing:( What is wrong with her? She is an author. Use her pen or keyboard to transform him:P So hopefully, the drama will complete the job. The story is rather cliche but if done well it can be captivating & teary, sob sob…tissue pls.

    1. kat Avatar
      kat

      Hi peanuts thanks for visiting! So what got you interested in this drama? Just curious. 😉

      haha I agree with you about FWSC… THIS was why she didn’t write an ending? It makes no sense! If she thinks there’s so much wrong with him she can kill him off? Torture him? Just saying…! Some photos released so far maybe spoilery re the ending… I hope it will be good and worth the wait!

      1. peanuts Avatar

        Hi, thanks for your reply. I am a Chinese novel fan with an English book blog, shushengbar. FWSC is a very popular internet novelist so when I was searching for some of her books, I found out about this drama. I watched 3 of her novels that were adapted into drama. I like Too Late To Say I Love You bcos I am a Wallace Chung’s fan:P But I don’t like The Girl in Blue & Sealed With a Kiss. Just curious how this one will fare. Also, I quite like Janine after watching Sunny Happiness & looking fwd to her new drama Best Times. Are you a Peter’s fan? I watched Yang Warriors but I ship Hu Ge & Eddie Pang:)

        Yah, I wonder why she is being so nice since she loves to torture and kill her characters. Most of her books are angsty and tragic with sad endings. Will the drama follow that path? Will Peter be able to reduce me to tears? Btw, pls keep me posted on when this drama will air bcos I can’t read Chinese:)

        1. kat Avatar
          kat

          ooOOh I remember visiting your blog when I was looking for more info about FWSC! You have a great site~ small internet world 😉 I think I’m a bigger fan of Janine than Peter lol, or probably them as a couple.

          Have been waiting and waiting for this series even though they originally said it will be released in the ‘first half of the year’ – it’s already May! Can’t imagine they have to do much post-production work…? Hopefully Peter can carry the ‘new’-ish image of him being the mob boss?!?!

  2. peanuts Avatar

    Thank you for visiting my blog. Are you from Taiwan bcos most of the stuff on your blog is related to Taiwan? I think you are a fangirl of Cheng You Qing & Li Da Ren:)

    There is still June in the first half of the year:P Huh, I thought Peter does look like a mob boss with his fierce appearance, haha.. It will be a breakthrough if he can make me cry:P Since you like Janine then you should look fwd to Best Times which I was told will be released at the end of May but don’t quote me on it:)

    1. kat Avatar
      kat

      I’m originally from Hong Kong but hardly watch any HK shows anymore!! (Maybe 2 or 3 series a year at most only IF my fav is in them lol) HAHAHA yes ITWY fangirl and developing more into a Bolin Chen fangirl now. What about you?

      ohh I remember seeing the name ‘Best Times’ but didn’t look up more info on it… looks interesting, might give it a go when it comes out!

      1. peanuts Avatar

        I’ve got TVB cable so I watch it daily. Yes, the quality is getting worse so it is understandable you moved, lol. I am starting to move to C-drama. I’ve got the In Time With You DVD at home but haven’t watched it yet bcos I am scared I’ll fangirl Bolin, haha….

        Best Times has Janine & Wallace Chung, an actor fr HK as the leads. It is based on Tong Hua’s novel which you can find on my blog. Did you watch Bu Bu Jin Xin?

        1. kat Avatar
          kat

          Yea I don’t think there has been a single TVB drama this year that I feel the need to watch, so sad. What? Don’t be scared! There’s nothing wrong with fangirling Bolin LOL.

          Ah yes I remember Wallace Chung. OREA HAHAHAHA~ Still damn catchy that song. My mum watches a lot of C-Dramas and she has the BBJX DVDs… and I’ve been avoiding it because… don’t want to get sucked into such a long drama?!?!

          1. peanuts Avatar

            You didn’t watch any TVB drama bcos no Raymond Lam’s drama out this yr:P? Haha, I don’t have time to fangirl so many ppl. My friend told me Ariel is irritating but Bolin is adrorable. I’ll try to watch it b4 yr end

            BBJX isn’t long, just 35 episodes, a must watch !!! Nearly all those who are interested in Chinese drama watched it. Currently the fav is Legend of Lu Zhen, which I am chasing, lol. The OTP is very cute !!! From your blog, I think you don’t like to watch ancient drama?

          2. kat Avatar
            kat

            HAHA that’s one of the reasons. Although out of his dramas for last 2 years I only finished Men with no shadow (a huge struggle) and Highs and Lows (which was ok), never even finished 3 Kingdoms or Sister Fa… I feel like such a bad fangirl.

            How many ppl do you fangirl!? LOL. Actually I thought both Ariel and Bolin’s characters were irritating at some point. Bolin more so because the drama would be like 5 episodes only if he had some guts and confess his own feelings to Ariel.

            I might have to find the BBJX dvds now~ yeah not much of an ancient drama person. Guess that’s why I haven’t been into cdramas so much since their best work is in ancient dramas right?

  3. peanuts Avatar

    I didn’t watch Men With No Shadow & Sis Fa. 3 Kingdoms is actually ok except the ending. Heehee, I am Dr Kenneth Ma’s fan.

    I know my friend is bias, lol. I heard the story is draggy so I am not very keen to watch. You can’t really blame Bolin bcos she is his best friend. It’ll be very awkward and their friendship might not be like before if his confession fails.

    Are you any good with mainland mandarin? If not, you can watch the one with very good English subtitles in youtube. BBJX has Nicky Wu fr Taiwan & Kevin Cheng fr HK, plus lots of China guys, haha….Yup, China ancient drama is better than TVB now. But I’ve yet to find a modern drama from China that is watchable.

    1. kat Avatar
      kat

      haha you didn’t miss anything there, MWNS had a decent beginning, then just turned into the usual tvb crap. I only had 1 or 2 eps left of 3 Kingdoms! But got distracted and didn’t pick it up again lol. oohh Kenneth Ma is good, although a lot of times I think he’s better as the villain. 😛 (probably because I haven’t watched The Hippocratic Crush where everyone seemed to fall in love with him!)

      Yes Mainland productions have the budget to make the beautiful sets and costumes. Why do you think the modern Chinese ones are barely watchable? (I’ve only completed one modern CN drama and that was from 5/6 yrs ago so can’t judge…)

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