The Long Ballad (2021)

In both the drams the male lead has acted and they both are historical, action, wuxia and romance dramas. they both have over forty episodes and have plots different but the ML has acted out an amazing performance of the character he played. Both are worth a watch...

Both FLs disguise as men to take revenge for their murdered family. The MLs or SMLs are generals who conquer a city the FL is in, causing her to lose a member of her group.

Both are dramatic stories of the beautiful princess who is seeking revenge for her family in the world of betrayals

Both drama deal with the fallout of a murder by fellow family member and the path to reconciliation.

Both have general that fall in love with a smart FL. The FL is good with scheme and strategies. The FL also have few identities.

Both have Zhao Lusi and Liu Yuning as a cp with beautiful chemistry.
I recommend TLB first and TSOPG as we go from what I consider a side cp to a main cp.

Both are played by talented actors and actresses. Both tell a love story full of struggles. . Both have a happy ending. Both tell the meaning of friendship, and true love. Both take the theme of family, friendship, love, betrayal, and revenge. Both have smart and talented female main characters.

I agree that the 2nd couple (Leyan and Houdo) outdid the 1st couple in terms of showmanship, personality and acting. Houdo has that effective facial expression that viewers couldn't took t ones eyes away from him when he is in focus. It is Leyan who is in wanting. I missed that look of love from Leyan's face in "a female student... when he looked at Xu kaicheng. He should have looked at Houdo that way during their dialogue after the fight in the ring. Much improvement should be done by Lusi in terms of eye expression, "that look of being in love".

Both are costume dramas about female led revenge. Intricate plots, cunning women, elusive and cold but supportive male leads, and both plots have involvement from royalty to some degree.

Neither drama focuses on romance and instead is excellent at weaving the story through each plot.

Both have strong and smart female leads who are fighting against the social norm for women. They are both young as well, both female leads grow before your eyes as their stories unravel. They also mask their genders, Chang Ge more-so than Jin Xia. The romance for both is slow-burn and based on mutual respect and all couplings go through a good deal of hardships together. You also get to watch as the casts both mature over time, character growth is prominent in both dramas.

Also, since the recommender is an Art Historian, the costuming is absolutely breath-taking in both dramas. You will not see the cast wear the same 2 pieces of clothing all throughout the drama. (Embroidered Guards in Under the Power wear an AMAZING set of uniforms! The embroidery is absolutely gorgeous.)

Both FL seek revenge for their family. Both FL are drop-dead gorgeous + ML are both handsome. They have great chemistry together. Both ML are strong fighter and try their best to protect the FL.

Although they are historical romance, both are set in different time period…Tang Dynasty vs Republican Era. TLB is a long drama vs Provoke is shorter and you can binge watch in one day.

FL in Jade’s Fateful Love and ML in The long ballad come from the same Ashina clan . FL is a princess from Ashina clan and ML is a prince in Ashina clan. Both are native grasslander.

Intelligent and layered characterization of leads with survival feats in the midst of chaos and tragedy. Stories featuring war, politics and rebellion.

Both have a strong FL who disguises herself as male and a military ML who learns her secret early on but hides it for her.

- Strong Female Leads, Transformation Through Adversity in Male-Dominated Worlds
- Great alchemy between Main Leads & Strong Supporting Cast
- Historical setting, Blend of Action, Drama, and Romance as a Subplot
- Themes of Love, Loss, and Family Loyalty
- High Emotional Stakes and Character-Driven Plot
- Rich Historical and Cultural Context with Captivating Visuals and beautiful OSTs
- Exploration of Identity, Growth, and Complex Relationships
- Themes of Resilience, morally ambiguous characters and redemption