Listening Snow Tower 听雪楼 starring Qin Junjie and Yuan Bingyan has started airing on Tencent this week. Based on a novel by Cang Yue, it has colorful visuals and action sequences befitting a wuxia series, yet there are people who are unhappy with it.
Fans of the novel have called out the drama for being inconsistent as it had big discrepancies to the original chapters of the book. Furthermore, many had a bone to pick with Yuan Bingyan’s character Shu Jingrong as the weakest link. The book version of her is strong and powerful so it was quite noticeable when they made her out to be less so.
Yin Tao, the director of Listening Snow Tower, has spoken up about the changes they made for the adaptation. He explains that while the novel had somewhat independent chapters that came together to tell the story, writers for the drama series had to come up with a clear plot line that would connect each chapter in order to tell a coherent story. He also says that they had to reorganize the timeline and story in a way that the audience can easily understand.
Yin Tao also addressed the issue of why Shu Jingrong seemed weak. While it was a big gamble, he explains that it was for done for character development. After all, nobody is born strong and everyone has to start somewhere. Yin Tao reveals that Shu Jingrong needs to tread a long and arduous road in order to grow stronger. He added that Yuan Bingyan has worked hard to portray the nuances of her character and that she will end up surprising viewers down the line.
While the book told a tragic love story, Yin Tao says that they took the liberty of adding a bit more sweetness to the relationship of the two lead characters. He also refused to give any details as to how Shu Jingrong and Xiao Yiqing’s love story would go, saying that it would add to the suspense. It has become so common for dramas to be based on novels. However, it seems also common for fans who are fiercely loyal to the book to have mixed feelings when their favorite story is brought to life. What do you think of the drama?
Source: 1
Unknown
I think the drama until now is great and started with strong events and hopefully it continue like this to the end.it is very great and awesome drama after the legends and goodbye my princess and I expect too much from it.
Anonymous
I have to agree with them about nobody being born strong. At least the directors are trying to be consistent.
Look at roles like Princess Agents she unrealistically beat up characters with kung fu skills, and those people look physically stronger than her who is so tiny, skinny, and her kung fu moves are always so off…However did she even realistically beat them up? Then later she suddenly cannot beat some weak soldiers who don't know kung fu. Those type of inconsistencies are big throw offs. There are lots of examples I can draw from, sometimes female and male would suddenly lead lose their kung fu skills out of nowhere which is super frustrating to watch.
And instead of trying overly hard to make a female look strong these days, focus on her development and acting to look more serious please.
Anonymous
"sometimes female and male would suddenly lead lose their kung fu skills out of nowhere" … Are you talking about Flame's Daughter, perchance? Dropped that like a hot potato.
Now, the FL is more "Geisha" than "Phoenix" and that's just so … disappointing.
Jen
Where can i watch this with eng sub ?Thanks
caranita
It's already subbed on YouTube. But Viki is also doing the translation.
MengAisha (greysonviolets@gmail.com)
I love the story. I will watch without subtitles and again with subtitles.
I live for love stories. I think a novel and adaptation should have a sweeter ending when the novel doesn't have it. I think a little sweetness was a prefect add to the drama.
Xiaoci
IM SO HIGHLY AGREEE THE DRAMA SHOULD HAVE HAPPY ENDING CAUSE IF THE DRAMA IS SOO GOOD THEN WHY CANT IT MAKE IT HAPPY ENDING SO THE AUDIENCE (US) WOULD BE MORE HAPPY AND ALSO IT WOULD BE POPULAR TOO ANS I ALSO LOVE DA MAIN GUY LEAD HE SUCH A GOOD ACTOR AND I RLLY WANT HIM TO HAVE A HAPPY ENDING SO PLSSS MAKE IT HAPPY ENDING IF NOT IM GONNA CRY SO MUCH
Airbear
I too would like there to be a HEA. So many of these shows are just tragic and then I end up not finishing them no matter how good they are lol
Janice
How many times was pugilistic used in this movie??!!