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My Journey to You Ep. 11 visuals: Peering through paper doors

Something I love about historical (-esque) dramas is a director's ability to use architectural framing to represent character emotions and change. Episode 11 gave us some interesting character moments for the two main couples and each happened through paper doors.

This was one of the first episodes where I finally felt Gong Ziyu intentionally stepped into his leadership position as Sword Wielder by not giving in to his natural impulsivity and naivety. He's made aware of Yun Weishan's possible betrayal, and while he's clearly trying to give her an opportunity to explain herself and join him, he's also refreshingly cautious.

Him keeping the door closed is both a political and personal choice. Ziyu can't reasonably let her go without addressing the medical records, but he wants to reassure Weishan that he won't recreate the political cage he believes her to be trapped in. They both desire freedom and the soft life, but she needs to articulate what she's going through so that he can politically maneuver the situation.

Ultimately, she (literally) opens the door to that possibility—and (literally) steps into the light of her true feelings.

Now, returning to our favorite emotionally repressed and overly cocky couple...

(Side Note: I'm obsessed with this pool in the center of Gong Shangjue's chambers and really hope they make more use of it in future episodes. Think! Of! All! The! Metaphors! I'll take a suggestive shot of dipping her hand into those still waters for $400 dollars, Alex. Please, show, give me something to hold me over until the sexy bath scene from the trailer. Anything.)

Do I sense a disturbance in the Force or is Shangguan Qian actually starting to feel something other than blood-thirst? Of course, she's angry at having been bested by Weishan (and probably a bit wary of having to recalibrate her perception of the other assassin), and Lu Yuxiao is doing some lovely acting letting that jumble of emotions play out on her face. And then she turns her gaze to Shangjue. It's in that shot through the open door that we start seeing the stirring of something else. Whether it's guilt, concern, or just a healthy dose of empathy who knows but it's there.

What I appreciate about the architectural framing of the scene's last shot is that it works on multiple levels:

Shangjue's isolation and shame after obliterating his reputation with the clan's elders. This man wants to be the Sword Wielder because he truly believes he would be a more capable leader. Being seen as having to rely on petty tricks is incredibly humbling.

The depth of the shot through multiple doorways—barriers—makes it seem like Qian's master plan for Shangjue is even further from her grasp now that he is less secure in his plans to depose Gong Zuyi.

And yet...she is also seeing him through the door. Usually, the camera films Shangjue to look powerful: he's shot to look tall and untouchable, looking down from his horse or surrounded by regalia. But here, blocked in by these two doors, he's stripped of all of it. I could imagine Qian feels vulnerable seeing the man whom she has envisioned as larger than life since he rescued her years ago tucked away like this, and so I'm super excited to see if and how she attempts to cross this literal and metaphorical threshold to get closer to him to execute her mission.

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.

Story of Kunning Palace: Xuening's Harem

Story of Kunning Palace is really making me ship Jiang Xuening with everyone aren't they?

Her harem is even color-coded.

I chuckled when I saw how the composition for Xie Wei's scene was reused for the princess. Very subtle, show. Like including their meet-cute on a bridge under the moonlight in the opening credits sequence.

Xuening really was an equal opportunist in her former timeline.

Story of Kunning Palace Ep. 14: Redemption in life

Jian Xuening: Between my past self and present self, who do you think is better? Xie Wei: Be it the past or the present, it is all you. You're the one and only Miss Ning'er. Besides, the present exists because of the past. Just face it as is. But if we have to make it clear, I think if the present Ning'er knows what she wants, she will be well. And she'll be even better in the future.

Kyaaaa, the scream that just came out of me. This scene from Episode 14 solidified for me why Xie Wei is Jiang Xuening's endgame. Although Zhang Zhe is dreamy and represents the virtuous life Xuening regrets not pursuing as empress, it is ultimately Xie Wei who complements her character. Xuening's story arc isn't just about becoming a better person but also about recognizing that she has always had goodness in her and that goodness makes her life worth just as much as someone like Zhang Zhe. And it is Xie Wei who reminds her of this. She is an "unrefined jade", someone who can choose a more righteous path than the one she started on.

Xuening gave up her life for Zhang Zhe to make amends but also because she idolizes him. In a way, she sees him as more than just a man; he's the embodiment of what is good in the world--the opposite of how she sees her past self.

What I find interesting about their interactions are the small ways she tries to mold herself to fit Zhang Zhe's preferences. (I laughed when her voiceover at the antique shop admitted she didn't know anything about antiques but she would learn for him. Girl, same.) They don't have the fragile but freeing honesty Xie Wei and her have slowly cultivated, and I have a feeling her approach will become exhausting in the long run.

In contrast, Xie Wei argues that she has always had a choice to be a better person because she fundamentally is a good person. Despite being brash and cunning, Xuening is also tenacious, brave, and even kind (all of which Xie Wei recognized when they first met years ago). It is only in life not death that there is the possibility of redemption; she just needs to seek it.

And he sees her.

Truly sees her.

(I have to hand it to Zhang Linghe. These scenes are some of the best acting he's done in years.)

In every timeline, he has watched (over) her and recognized her for her, whether that was by

Calling her Ning'er because of the three words in her name, only "Ning" is her name alone. I think this is particularly poignant given his own estrangement from his family. When they first met, she was still a normal village girl who hadn't officially joined the Jiang family while he had long forsaken his father's name. "Ning'er" is intimate, thoughtful, and honors that shared history;

Apologizing for his anger after assuming the worst of her scheming (e.g., when she was supposedly endangering Yan Lin);

Bringing her sweets when he saw her other study mates had ignored her, even baking them according to her preferences; or

Appreciating her strategic thinking and offering her guidance despite how her plans might complicate his own.

Both Xuening and Xie Wei are people readers (but completely blind to each other's growing feelings, of course), but Xie Wei also uses those skills to care for Xuening in ways that are meaningful to her. He's not changing himself like Xuening wants to do for Zhang Zhe (i.e., how can I fit myself into his world) but instead offering relief (i.e., how can I make her world better).

I can't wait for her to truly see him back so he can redeem himself.

Story of Kunning Palace Ep. 18: Observing you observing me

When you've always seen yourself as the villain, is it harder to accept kindness or accept that others see kindness within you?

Hands down my favorite parts of Episode 18 were these two back-to-back scenes with You Fangyin, Jiang Xuening, and Xie Wei. For our two deeply scarred leads, the ability to find someone who truly sees them for who they are and what they could be feels unattainable, and yet in this episode they both find that.

The day after being attacked by a delirious Xie Wei, Xuening goes to visit You Fangyin in prison. Feeling guilty about not being able to stop Yan Lin from being exiled, Xuening also expresses guilt about keeping Fangyin in "another prison" to protect her from her family. Like Xie Wei with Yan Lin, she believes her scheming has shackled Fangyin to an even worse fate.

But Fangyin just smiles and gently corrects her, arguing that Xuening has actually made her life better. She also notes that while "death is the end of everyone's life, the process could have thousands of possibilities." The conversation is a good reminder for Xuening that not only is Yan Lin's disastrous fate not locked into place, but also that perhaps Xie Wei's actions, like her own towards Fangyin, might not be as nefarious as she had originally assumed.

I think that's why when Xie Wei confronts her outside the prison, she's angry but it's more from feeling betrayed than anything else.

Side Note #1: This woman though. Xuening literally saw Xie Wei murder a man and almost gets stabbed/strangled herself, but she's more upset that he kept his plan to protect Yan Lin a secret from her. She might idolize and be attracted to Zhang Zhe's virtuousness but she and Xie Wei are two peas in a pod when it comes to embracing the idea that sometimes the ends justify the (bloody) means.

Side Note #2: I love how Xie Wei is wary enough of Xuening's reaction that he keeps his distance but the moment his guard, Qing Feng, starts criticizing her he moves to her side.

Side Note #3: Zhang Linghe's profile is magnificent. That jawline is sharper than the dagger Xie Wei used to kill Gongyi Cheng.

Xie Wei is an excellent people reader, and when she accepts his invitation back to his home, he knows she's angry. So it takes him aback when she extends a bit of kindness despite that.

The beginning of this scene has such lovely subtle acting by Zhang Linghe. Xuening sees Xie Wei struggle with setting down the qin because of his injured hand so she reaches over and gently places it on the table for him. That cautious lift of Xie Wei's head and the wonderous look on his face like he can't believe she'd offer care after witnessing his violence...that broke me. It says so much about his character and the low expectations he has for the people around him to care.

But when it comes to Xuening, Xie Wei doesn't want her to have those same low expectations of him. He tells her not to trust him, that he's not a good person, and yet he

Risked his life to take pills that would treat his delirium enough that he could approach her the morning after he attacked her;

Is willing to risk his revenge plan by explaining parts of his strategy to someone with links to the Ministry of Justice just so that she doesn't turn away from him;

Gets visibly frustrated when she assumes he just wants to shut her up about the murder rather than explain about Yan Li.

And he tucks it away in his heart that she admits to observing him like he observes her. Although his identity is an illusion, it is enough for him that he is an illusion she truly sees and can be kind to.

Look at that boyish smile.

How she is so oblivious about his feelings at this point is beyond me but Minister of Justice and Cheekbones is pretty distracting so I guess I get it.

Story of Kunning Palace Ep. 24-25: Over the threshold of regret and possibility

There are very few things I love more than a good doorway shot.

Doorways symbolize many things. They're the boundary between what is seen and unseen, what is known and unknown. They're the threshold between the pasts we leave behind and the futures we seek ahead. They're full of regret and possibility.

And we see them everywhere in Episodes 24 and 25.

Seeing how one of the threads that connect Jiang Xuening and Xie Wei is their ability to truly recognize the good and bad within one another, something that struck me about Episode 24 was the ways in which doorway coverings were used to represent the barriers to that fragile understanding. These coverings allow the characters to gaze at one another from a distance (and avoid confronting their feelings) while also obfuscating the reality of what they’re looking at.

For example, after apologizing to him about her role in the Tongzhou battle, Ning-er doesn't quite know how to interact with Xie Wei. On one hand, his quick thinking not only saved her and Zhang Zhe but also everyone on the mountain. It's just one more addition to the increasingly long list of good deeds Xie Wei has done for her. And yet she still doesn't see the significance of those acts.

And for Xie Wei, gazing at Ning-er and Zhang Zhe walking through the snow together catapults him into a fit of jealousy, not realizing that would be the night Ning-er starts pulling away from Zhang Zhe. Because he shut his door, he completely missed how she returned to her room alone.

Side Note: I want to take a moment to appreciate the actor blocking and camera language in this rejection scene. It's subtle but devastating.

When Ning-er first sees Xie Wei through the door coverings, we get a close-up shot of her hopeful face. She steps towards the door so Xie Wei can see her as Xue Dingfei asks if he wants to attend her dinner. She is waiting FOR HIM.

But when Xie Wei declines, we get a long shot showing the seemingly irreparable distance between the two of them before the camera settles once again on her face. This time her expression is hurt. For a moment, she thought things could be different between the two of them.

When Xue Dingfei asks Xie Wei again, we see he is about to say no, but then he notices Ning-er outside and he pauses FOR HER. He wants confirmation that she wants him there. The camera then racks focus on Ning-er through the doorway. Stung by his earlier rejection, she gives him an excuse not to come.

I adore how the camera work starts intimate with all those close-up shots of Ning-er and Xie Wei's faces and gets more and more distant to represent their inability to communicate. He didn't want to stay away and she wanted him to be around but they missed each other's cues. These two are a bittersweet comedy of missed opportunities. And poor Xue Dingfei has to play wingman sober.

While some thresholds can be crossed with little thought, others require courage.

And we finally see that courage in Episode 25 when Xie Wei notices Ning-er through the doorway of Zhang Zhe's home and chases after her. His comforting embrace is pivotal for her awareness of him as something more than a tentative ally in her schemes.

Neither knows what is next but they have crossed the threshold into possibility.

Visual Analysis of the Slow Burn: My Journey to You, Story of Kunning Palace

How do you film a slow-burn romance?

One of the challenges of filming slow-burn romances is that creators have to figure out how to slowly build tension and intimacy between two characters without testing the audience's patience. We have to feel a couple’s chemistry and growing feelings for one another even if it takes a long time for them to get together. 

And here's where cinematography and visual parallelism can be a helpful tool. Visual parallelism is when we link two or more characters, events, storylines, etc. through a shared image. When we see repeated imagery, our brains connect those moments and give them more meaning than if we had looked at them in isolation. Because of this, visual parallelism can help complicate our understanding of characters and the world around them without having to spell out those nuances in the script.

In slow-burn romances, visual parallelism can be used to:

Connect characters who, on the surface, appear incompatible or unattracted to one another;

Signal major moments of change in a show's romantic storyline;

Compare and contrast a new relationship with a character’s past relationships;

And much more!

I think two dramas that use this technique in interesting ways are My Journey to You and Story of Kunning Palace.

My Journey to You

Before we jump into that scene, let’s talk about some of the visual techniques My Journey to You (MJTY) uses to establish the enemies-to-lovers relationship of its secondary couple, Gong Shangjue and Shangguan Qian. 

Something I immediately noticed about MJTY is that the show loves using certain camera angles and blocking patterns (or how actors are positioned in relation to one another) to define characters’ personalities and their relationships. This repeated imagery is an example of visual parallelism, and in the case of Shangjue and Qian, the show then uses breaks in that parallelism to communicate the subtle changes in their relationship over time. Through this technique, we see their growing feelings for each other even if we don’t hear the characters express those feelings with words. 

For example, at the beginning of the show, Shangjue is usually shot from a low angle while Qian is usually shot from a high angle, and the repetition of that camera language reflects the characters' constant game of cat and mouse.

In cinematography, low-angle and high-angle shots are often paired to visually enhance the power imbalance between characters. Low-angle shots make the subject look more powerful and threatening while high-angle shots make the subject look weaker and more vulnerable.

Qian, who is an assassin, has infiltrated Shangjue’s clan, and he is immediately suspicious of her identity and allegiances. He is cold and intimidating towards her, and she does everything in her power not to get caught. But because she is particularly good at reading and manipulating him, Shangjue soon finds himself intrigued by her. He might be filmed looming over her like he has more power in the situation, but her weakness is an act. We know this because we can see how Qian isn’t filmed with such high angles when interacting with characters who know her true identity and nature like Yun Weishan or Gong Yuanzhi. She is pretending to be subservient and delicate to seduce Shangjue specifically.

Side Note: One of my FAVORITE moments in MJTY is Shangjue and Qian’s “do you still think I’m gentle?” scene in Episode 12. Not only is the writing and acting electric, but the camera’s subtle shift in angles pinpoints the moment Shangjue begins to feel sexually attracted to Qian. When she gently blows on his fingers, the camera quickly pans to an eye-level shot and we see Shangjue clench his jaw. After that, the camera uses less extreme angles to film his conversation with her—his moment of desire and her strategic thinking equalized their power imbalance.

Which brings us to the famous bath scene in Episode 17. 

Whenever they share a scene, Shangjue is usually positioned at a higher level and facing forward in a thronal position while Qian is at his side, looking up at him obsequiously. The lack of visual alignment in their actor blocking represents how the characters can’t be completely vulnerable or honest with each other while the dominant/submissive pose plays up the sexual tension of their interactions.

So we know that the bath scene represents a critical turning point in their relationship because of the break in parallelism: 

Not only are they sitting at the same level while facing each other, the camera is set at a much more neutral over-the-shoulder and eye-level angle. Over-the-shoulder and eye-level shots are often used to bring intimacy to a scene and that camera language reinforces the actors’ relaxed physical acting and flirtatious dialogue. The two characters are sharing a moment of honest pleasure and have temporarily let their guards down, which is why Qian decides to take the opportunity to share her true intentions for wanting to marry into his family. It’s probably the most truthful and revealing conversation she has had with Shangjue up until this point and creates complications for each others' plans.

One of the lingering questions many MJTY viewers have about Shangjue and Qian’s relationship is whether or not Qian developed real feelings for him in the end. While the script could have done a better job of developing her character’s arc at the textual level, I think the show’s thoughtful use of visual parallelism gives us the answer. 

Not only does their final scene together subvert the camera language and actor blocking we talked about, but it also parallels an earlier scene where we can be reasonably sure of Qian’s honesty: the torture scene. And it’s the juxtaposition of what is shown versus what is said that gives us what I’d consider a satisfyingly bittersweet conclusion to their love story.

Story of Kunning Palace

Unlike MJTY, which uses visual parallelism to show changes in the secondary couple’s relationship, Story of Kunning Palace (SOKP) uses this technique to represent the undeniable compatibility of its main couple, Jiang Xuening and Xie Wei. 

Given the popularity of the show's second and third male leads, many viewers have expressed confusion as to if and when Xie Wei truly emerges as the rightful male lead. Even as a slow-burn romance, SOKP is slow slow. 

And yet when we take a step back and look at the show’s visual storytelling, particularly its use of symbolism and parallelism, we not only see why these two characters complement each other but how they find healing in their (admittedly messy and toxic) love. At its core, SOKP is a story about two traumatized and self-loathing people finding "the one" who still sees them as worthy despite all their flaws. Ning-er and Xie Wei are like two jagged pieces of a broken mirror reflecting one another’s sins and virtues, and the show constantly reminds us of that deep connection with how it juxtaposes the two characters on screen. (Just look at that split screen above--they literally complete each other.) 

We see this connection from the moment Ning-er and Xie Wei are introduced in Episode 1:

The composition and camera movement directly mirror each other. 

When we see parallelism in the portrayal of two characters, we should stop and think about the similarities and differences between them. Both Ning-er and Xie Wei share the trauma of having grown up alienated from their birth families, and the pain of what they experienced drives their ruthless desire for revenge and power. During the show’s first timeline, Ning-er violates her innate sense of goodness while Xie Wei hides his true self.

Side Note: SOKP also reminds us of this connection with its consistent use of a fire motif. Throughout the show, we often see Ning-er and Xie Wei surrounded by candles, furnaces, fires, etc., and this symbolism comes to a head in Episode 34 when Xie Wei desperately argues that they belong together because they've both been forged by the fire of their upbringing.

And yet at the same time, as noted by several characters, they are both incredibly loyal people, sacrificing themselves to change the fate of the people they care for.

Both Ning-er and Xie Wei overlook these redeeming qualities about themselves, but they “see” them in the other, which the show demonstrates through the visual parallelism of their gazes.

In Episode 14, Ning-er asks Xie Wei: 

Jiang Xuening: Between my past self and present self, who do you think is better? Xie Wei: Be it the past or the present, it is all you. You're the one and only Miss Ning'er. Besides, the present exists because of the past. Just face it as is. But if we have to make it clear, I think if the present Ning'er knows what she wants, she will be well. And she'll be even better in the future.

In a previous analysis of Episode 14, I've noted how "Ning-er's character arc isn't just about becoming a better person but also about recognizing that she has always had goodness in her and that goodness makes her life worth just as much as someone like Zhang Zhe....Despite being brash and cunning, Ning-er is also tenacious, brave, and even kind (all of which Xie Wei recognized when they first met years ago). She is an 'unrefined jade', someone who can choose a more righteous path than the one she started on. And he sees her. He truly sees her."

So across the show's multiple timelines, the camera will linger on Xie Wei's tender gaze toward Ning-er. In this case, the parallelism of such a distinctive shot communicates something that Ning-er doesn't realize: Xie Wei sees and loves sides of her that she is unable to accept about herself.

She eventually starts seeing him too. 

During the first timeline, Ning-er sees Xie Wei as a threat and warily engages him only out of desperation. But despite her fear, Ning-er also recognizes his true qualities enough that by the second timeline, she implicitly trusts him to help her carry out her own goals. She unlearns her assumptions about him and pushes him to find meaning in life beyond his self-destructive need for revenge.

So it's fitting then that during their private wedding, Ning-er and Xie Wei are shown gazing at each other, fully aware of and accepting of their true natures:

Jiang Xuening: “I’ve seen your light and your darkness, your vulnerability, and your madness. I know everything about you that is known or unknown to others. I might even say that I know you better than you do.”

They've fully entrusted themselves with one another.

Prince Qi is the best ML I've seen in any drama - bar none. He is compassionate and righteous, charismatic and respectful, confident but not arrogant, completely and wholeheartedly unwavering in his love. It is so easy for a flawless character to be boring but he is not and I don't know how the writers pulled it off but holy smokes I am in love.