Gong Ziyu - Tumblr Posts
I love this analysis! I currently have a half-written draft about how the show portrays Shangjue and Ziyu's different forms of masculinity (and by extension their approach to leading the Gong sect). I had noticed the convergence in their coloring but not the shared softness and how that not only represents political alignment but also familial bonds. Thank you for setting fireworks off in my brain. 🙏🏼
The costuming is doing so much to establish who these characters are. Two of my favorite scenes of the whole drama were Ziyu and Shangjue's introductions.
I gasped when the first glimpse we get of Ziyu's character is a delicate shot of his bare feet. He's a nobleman in a sect that is revered by the rest of the martial arts world and yet he doesn't wear any of the usual regalia. Then he's shown staring longingly out of the brothel's window like a fairy tale princess locked away in a tower, his face gently cast in light. Visually, he represents a softer, more romantic version of masculinity. and this initial image is reinforced throughout the show by his costuming (e.g., his couple bracelet with Weishan) and camera language/special effects (e.g., he doesn't get as many slow-mo, wind machine shots until later episodes).
And then we're introduced to Shangjue.
The music drums as he rides into the Gong residence. His uniformed men carrying the spoils of war behind him and the somber black of his costume immediately establish his critical role within the Gong family. But what I love most about this scene is the use of high and low-angle shots and center framing. At 6'2, Zhang Linghe is a giant and yet the high-angle and surplus negative space make him look small, almost pitiful. In contrast, the zoomed-in, low-angle shot for Shangjue communicates his imposing nature and a traditional version of masculinity rooted in strength and self-control.
What a difference from their last scene together:
You are so spot on, @kingsandbastardz.
Sigh. I'd love a BTS of the production crew's storyboarding process.
My Journey to You Ep. 12 visuals: Love in blue
Ok, I'm not really a color theory girlie, BUT when a character suddenly changes up their outfits that's something I like to pay attention to. Gong Shangjue has always been portrayed in somber black and suddenly he's dressed in blue for his little lantern date with his assassin fiancée who also happens to frequently dress in blue?
Oh, it's so on, production design team.
But first, let's take a moment to relive this banger of a scene.
The sexual tension between these two makes me absolutely feral. This slow burn is what enemies-to-lovers should always aspire to.
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...
...
...
...
...
Well, shit. I saw that jaw clench, Shangjue. Sorry, can't offer any substantive commentary. Still recovering.
Moving on...
Something I didn't really notice until this episode was how blue-toned Shangjue and Qian's scenes are in comparison to Gong Ziyu and Yun Weishan's scenes.
It's reflected in the costumes, with Ziyu and Weishan often wearing warmer colors with more exuberant gold embroidery and trimmings. It's reflected in the lighting with their scenes more reliant on the warmth of ambient lighting while Shangjue and Qian's are often shot with cooler natural light. It's also present in the set design, with Shangjue and Qian's scenes (especially those shot together) consistently involving or happening by water, which reminds me of the Chinese poem:
Drops of water can break through stone [if given long enough].
In other words, "soft" strategies can eventually make headway in difficult challenges—in this case, Qian's clever use of care to crack through Shangjue's personal defenses. And probably vice versa in the future.
Also, note how both scenes above start with the camera panning and tilting up from the blue of the water before focusing on the two characters. The camera crew for My Journey to You use a surprising amount of movement in their shots so I'm going to pay more attention to how they introduce and conclude scenes from here on out.
Of course, Shangjue's new blue outfit (and the warm blue of the pond landscape) is immediately noticeable given how starkly monochromatic and cold most of their scenes have been up until this point. Wearing the same color is a costume representation of their growing closeness. This dinner date is yet another unexpected peace offering from Shangjue, possibly his response to Qian's earlier question of "Isn't it good to be cared about?" (And correct me if I'm wrong but I think it's also the first time he actually gives Qian something rather than a few insights into his psyche. He and Ziyu have very different love languages lol)
But from the loaded dialogue it's clear that neither are overcome by the unnamed growing attraction between them, and I expect the blue that visually represents their relationship to return to a cooler tone by the next episode. They're still playing cat-and-mouse with each other, just with sexier vibes.
(Side note: Ryan Cheng is so good here. The way he relaxes and tenses his body, the smooth transition between microexpressions as the two characters dance between interrogation and half-truths. Ah, to be hot and talented. Can't relate.)
Finally--and I'm pretty sure I'm reaching but it's my tumblr so why the hell not--I want to talk about Gong Yuanzhi's costuming. Something I immediately noticed about Yuanzhi's character is how his closet is probably the most diverse of the main cast. Unlike other characters who tend to wear variations of the same fabrics, his outfits use different textures and colors. He wears a lot of black like his beloved cousin but also blues, silvers, whites, and now in Episode 12 green. I wonder if his lack of commitment to one color story is an indication of how his alliance with Shangjue will shift in the future, especially if Shangjue ever allows his attraction to Qian to cloud his judgment about either Yuanzhi's loyalty or what is in the best interest of the Gong clan.
Episode 12 definitely felt like a transitional episode that is meant to drop clues and kickstart a bunch of plot threads so I'm excited to see how those threads converge or diverge from these color stories if at all.
Ooh, thanks for contextualizing Shangjue’s visuals with how wuxias tend to code villain and villain-adjacent characters! (I really like the post I linked below because it shows how that scheming characterization gets reinforced by not only the set design and costumes but also the lighting and dialogue.)
Given we can look at Ziyu’s brother as a representation of a morally upright, filial form of masculinity, I love the idea of the show’s initial visual storytelling playing with our expectations of the characters’ storylines and their true personalities/intentions. Ziyu is visually portrayed as a wastrel and overly delicate (I forgot to add in my original response that shot of him sprawled on that low seat like a Victorian woman resting on a fainting couch) but he ends up growing into the role of Sword Wielder and becoming respected. Shangjue is visually portrayed as a powerful scheming villain but is not actually as antagonistic or ruthless as we first assume (I believe his last scene is him looking at the azaleas Qian planted?). And then Huanyu is visually portrayed as the dutiful and strong First Son but then ends the series fighting tooth-and-nail in darkness basically going “fuck the Gongs I just want power”. I so appreciate the show using its first and last shots of each of these characters as bookends and to efficiently communicate their growth, changing relationships, and the show’s larger themes like deception and first impressions.
My Journey to You Ep. 12 visuals: Love in blue
Ok, I'm not really a color theory girlie, BUT when a character suddenly changes up their outfits that's something I like to pay attention to. Gong Shangjue has always been portrayed in somber black and suddenly he's dressed in blue for his little lantern date with his assassin fiancée who also happens to frequently dress in blue?
Oh, it's so on, production design team.
But first, let's take a moment to relive this banger of a scene.
The sexual tension between these two makes me absolutely feral. This slow burn is what enemies-to-lovers should always aspire to.
...
...
...
...
...
...
Well, shit. I saw that jaw clench, Shangjue. Sorry, can't offer any substantive commentary. Still recovering.
Moving on...
Something I didn't really notice until this episode was how blue-toned Shangjue and Qian's scenes are in comparison to Gong Ziyu and Yun Weishan's scenes.
It's reflected in the costumes, with Ziyu and Weishan often wearing warmer colors with more exuberant gold embroidery and trimmings. It's reflected in the lighting with their scenes more reliant on the warmth of ambient lighting while Shangjue and Qian's are often shot with cooler natural light. It's also present in the set design, with Shangjue and Qian's scenes (especially those shot together) consistently involving or happening by water, which reminds me of the Chinese poem:
Drops of water can break through stone [if given long enough].
In other words, "soft" strategies can eventually make headway in difficult challenges—in this case, Qian's clever use of care to crack through Shangjue's personal defenses. And probably vice versa in the future.
Also, note how both scenes above start with the camera panning and tilting up from the blue of the water before focusing on the two characters. The camera crew for My Journey to You use a surprising amount of movement in their shots so I'm going to pay more attention to how they introduce and conclude scenes from here on out.
Of course, Shangjue's new blue outfit (and the warm blue of the pond landscape) is immediately noticeable given how starkly monochromatic and cold most of their scenes have been up until this point. Wearing the same color is a costume representation of their growing closeness. This dinner date is yet another unexpected peace offering from Shangjue, possibly his response to Qian's earlier question of "Isn't it good to be cared about?" (And correct me if I'm wrong but I think it's also the first time he actually gives Qian something rather than a few insights into his psyche. He and Ziyu have very different love languages lol)
But from the loaded dialogue it's clear that neither are overcome by the unnamed growing attraction between them, and I expect the blue that visually represents their relationship to return to a cooler tone by the next episode. They're still playing cat-and-mouse with each other, just with sexier vibes.
(Side note: Ryan Cheng is so good here. The way he relaxes and tenses his body, the smooth transition between microexpressions as the two characters dance between interrogation and half-truths. Ah, to be hot and talented. Can't relate.)
Finally--and I'm pretty sure I'm reaching but it's my tumblr so why the hell not--I want to talk about Gong Yuanzhi's costuming. Something I immediately noticed about Yuanzhi's character is how his closet is probably the most diverse of the main cast. Unlike other characters who tend to wear variations of the same fabrics, his outfits use different textures and colors. He wears a lot of black like his beloved cousin but also blues, silvers, whites, and now in Episode 12 green. I wonder if his lack of commitment to one color story is an indication of how his alliance with Shangjue will shift in the future, especially if Shangjue ever allows his attraction to Qian to cloud his judgment about either Yuanzhi's loyalty or what is in the best interest of the Gong clan.
Episode 12 definitely felt like a transitional episode that is meant to drop clues and kickstart a bunch of plot threads so I'm excited to see how those threads converge or diverge from these color stories if at all.
My Journey to You Ep. 1-2, 24 visuals: Portraits of power and masculinity
I'm doing a rewatch of My Journey to You and I just can't get over how well the show introduces its two male leads, Gong Ziyu and Gong Shangjue. In under two minutes, these two scenes brilliantly establish one of the show's core themes around masculinity and power without a word of dialogue.
Ok, so I gasped when the first glimpse we get of Ziyu's character, the protagonist of a wuxia drama, is a delicate shot of his bare feet. He's a nobleman's son in a sect that is revered by the rest of the martial arts world and yet look at what he's (not) wearing: no military regalia, weapons--just a thin robe and his bare feet.
He's also shown napping, sprawled across his seat like a Victorian woman on a fainting couch. And then when he wakes up, we see him staring longingly out of the brothel's window, his face gently cast in the morning light, like a fairy tale princess locked away in a tower.
Visually, the show immediately communicates to us that Ziyu represents a softer, more romantic image of masculinity, which is reinforced over and over again throughout the show with other feminine-coded symbols (e.g., Ziyu playing music, wearing a red couple bracelet, carrying a bunny lantern). He’s not meant to be seen as a strong son ready to lead his sect but as an overly sensitive playboy wasting his time away.
And then we're introduced to Shangjue.
The music thrums menacingly as Shangjue rides into the Gong residence, his uniformed men carrying spoils of war behind him. As he passes through the main gates, we see each guard bowing in respect. All of this fanfare and the solemn blackness of his riding gear signal the important political role he occupies within the Gong family.
(Side Note: Ryan Cheng's side-eye is magnificent and one of the sexiest things to hit Cdramaland in 2023.)
But what I love most about this scene is the use of high and low-angle shots and central framing. At 6'2’’, Zhang Linghe (the actor playing Ziyu) is a giant, and yet the high angle and surplus negative space around him makes his character look small, almost pitiful in comparison to Shangjue.
In contrast, the zoomed-in, low-angle shot for Shangjue communicates his intimidating persona. There’s something ruthless (even kind of malevolent) about his character, and the show tries to convince us of this first impression with repeated use of shadow and animalistic imagery in its early episodes. He embodies the type of masculinity a powerful sect like the Gongs would want representing them in campaigns with the outside world.
From the jump, Ziyu and Shangjue are set up as antagonists, both by how the characters dismiss one another in the script and also by the show's visual storytelling.
Of course, as the show goes on, both characters gradually change their opinion of one another, and this change is mirrored once again in the visual storytelling. Their final scene in Episode 24 is a near reversal of what we saw in their intro scenes (many thanks to @kingsandbastardz for pointing out the costumes!):
Shangjue's hair is up in a ponytail, neck bare, his rich blue robes nipped in at the waist. He's no longer dressed in his villainous black robes and he doesn't look as physically imposing without his signature cloak. He is finally Ziyu's ally. And check out how the camera angle is also reversed, with Shangjue being shot from a high angle so he looks less dangerous--even fragile--while Ziyu is shot from a low angle to look more powerful.
Despite audience expectations about what type of man would make a strong leader, he has officially grown into the role of Sword Wielder.
Ha, yes! Edward Guo loves a foil and he loves mirroring. Off the top of my head, I'm thinking of the symbolism of
Hands: When Shangjue is wapping Qian's injured finger back in Episode 12 (the "do you still think I'm gentle?" scene), Qian tells Shangjue that the heart and fingers are linked. And I love how that becomes a motif for both Ziyu and Shangjue. Ziyu is always shown extending his hand to Weishan, whether it's to guide her through the dark, to provide her emotional comfort, or to caress her while they kiss. Or in Episode 11 when Ziyu gives her the snow lotus while voiceover-ing "I want to make a cloud I can hold [emphasis added] onto" even though he suspects she is lying to him about her identity. Hands are an extension of his unconditional trust and care. In contrast, Shangjue is always pulling his hand away from Qian when she reaches for him because he interprets the act as transactional, that she's bartering in physical intimacy. So it's super significant that the only times he allows her to hold his hand is when they separate in the final episode. I'd interpret that allowance as him desperately wanting to believe her "truth" even though he can't reconcile her being Wufeng.
Couple poses: Ziyu and Weishan are often positioned directly across from one another so they can face each other head-on, and they're usually placed at the same level (e.g., they're sitting at the same table, standing up at the same time). And I think that's indicative of Ziyu's respect for Weishan and seeing her as an equal partner. In contrast, Shangjue is usually positioned higher and facing forward in a thronal position while Qian is at his side looking up at him obsequiously. Their lack of alignment is a visual representation of how they're always playing their cat-and-mouse games and never quite on the same page even if they desperately desire it. The few scenes where they're facing each other head-on are usually their most honest.
Duplicity of bare skin: I don't know how intentional this was but I was fascinated by how much skin is shown in My Journey to You. I’m thinking about an early scene where Qian and Weishan pretend Weishan is ill with a rash and she shows her bare back to distract the guards. Or the scene after Huanyu is rescued and they show his back (and identifiable birthmark!) while treating his wounds. Or when Qian is treating Yuanzhi's wounds after the Gong family fight in the field and he slips her false intel about Shangjue's depleted internal power. It’s interesting to see the vulnerability and honesty of "baring it all" being paired with lies.
Sometimes I feel like a conspiracy theorist when I analyze the visuals of this show but there was some really cool storytelling happening, whether conscious or not.
My Journey to You Ep. 12 visuals: Love in blue
Ok, I'm not really a color theory girlie, BUT when a character suddenly changes up their outfits that's something I like to pay attention to. Gong Shangjue has always been portrayed in somber black and suddenly he's dressed in blue for his little lantern date with his assassin fiancée who also happens to frequently dress in blue?
Oh, it's so on, production design team.
But first, let's take a moment to relive this banger of a scene.
The sexual tension between these two makes me absolutely feral. This slow burn is what enemies-to-lovers should always aspire to.
...
...
...
...
...
...
Well, shit. I saw that jaw clench, Shangjue. Sorry, can't offer any substantive commentary. Still recovering.
Moving on...
Something I didn't really notice until this episode was how blue-toned Shangjue and Qian's scenes are in comparison to Gong Ziyu and Yun Weishan's scenes.
It's reflected in the costumes, with Ziyu and Weishan often wearing warmer colors with more exuberant gold embroidery and trimmings. It's reflected in the lighting with their scenes more reliant on the warmth of ambient lighting while Shangjue and Qian's are often shot with cooler natural light. It's also present in the set design, with Shangjue and Qian's scenes (especially those shot together) consistently involving or happening by water, which reminds me of the Chinese poem:
Drops of water can break through stone [if given long enough].
In other words, "soft" strategies can eventually make headway in difficult challenges—in this case, Qian's clever use of care to crack through Shangjue's personal defenses. And probably vice versa in the future.
Also, note how both scenes above start with the camera panning and tilting up from the blue of the water before focusing on the two characters. The camera crew for My Journey to You use a surprising amount of movement in their shots so I'm going to pay more attention to how they introduce and conclude scenes from here on out.
Of course, Shangjue's new blue outfit (and the warm blue of the pond landscape) is immediately noticeable given how starkly monochromatic and cold most of their scenes have been up until this point. Wearing the same color is a costume representation of their growing closeness. This dinner date is yet another unexpected peace offering from Shangjue, possibly his response to Qian's earlier question of "Isn't it good to be cared about?" (And correct me if I'm wrong but I think it's also the first time he actually gives Qian something rather than a few insights into his psyche. He and Ziyu have very different love languages lol)
But from the loaded dialogue it's clear that neither are overcome by the unnamed growing attraction between them, and I expect the blue that visually represents their relationship to return to a cooler tone by the next episode. They're still playing cat-and-mouse with each other, just with sexier vibes.
(Side note: Ryan Cheng is so good here. The way he relaxes and tenses his body, the smooth transition between microexpressions as the two characters dance between interrogation and half-truths. Ah, to be hot and talented. Can't relate.)
Finally--and I'm pretty sure I'm reaching but it's my tumblr so why the hell not--I want to talk about Gong Yuanzhi's costuming. Something I immediately noticed about Yuanzhi's character is how his closet is probably the most diverse of the main cast. Unlike other characters who tend to wear variations of the same fabrics, his outfits use different textures and colors. He wears a lot of black like his beloved cousin but also blues, silvers, whites, and now in Episode 12 green. I wonder if his lack of commitment to one color story is an indication of how his alliance with Shangjue will shift in the future, especially if Shangjue ever allows his attraction to Qian to cloud his judgment about either Yuanzhi's loyalty or what is in the best interest of the Gong clan.
Episode 12 definitely felt like a transitional episode that is meant to drop clues and kickstart a bunch of plot threads so I'm excited to see how those threads converge or diverge from these color stories if at all.