Battle of Changsha

This drama is a masterpiece. Because of this I've gone through an up and down of my feelings. I wann be honest, because if you want to watch this drama, you need to know that it is set in the time of the 2nd World War. So you should be prepared, that it will make you go through a lot of ... crying?

Story: The story ist very good. I like dramas and movies with a historical background. This drama is about a family in Changsha, an important city when it comes to the 2nd World War in China. The family consists of the twins Xiang Xiang and Xiaoman, their older sister and her husband with their son, the grandmother, the parents and two cousins. The drama tells about the twins and their lives during the war against the Japanese between 1937 and 1945. Both of them are more troublemakers than everything else and their brother-in-law Junshan wants to marry of Xiang Xiang most likely to the serious and cold soldier Gu Qingming. There are a few funny scenes in the drama, most of the time when Qingming and Junshan are together. I like their bromance *-*.

Cast: This drama is my second one woth Wallace Huo. But I didn't watched it only because of him. I am a fan of him, but he wasn't the one who made me speechless. I know he is a good actor (even though there are many people who think otherwise), so I concentrated me of the other Actors and Actresses.
But I will begin with Wallace. His character Gu Qingming is known as officer Gu, who isn't allowed to go to the battlefield. But Qingming is a soldier who wants to protect his fellow people. So he is waiting for a chance to help the soldiers who are fighting against the japanese. Wallace Huo plays his role excellent. I love how his character changed within the progress of the drama.
Yang Zi, who plays XiangXiang, is 13 years younger than Wallace, but this isn't a bad thing. It was my first drama with her and I think she did a very good job. Her character grows with the years which are passing by. At the beginning XX is a childish girl, who likes to make trouble. So she drives her brother-in-law crazy. But after she realizes her love for GM, she is more serious.
Jungshan (played by Ren Cheng Wei) is an officer who is serious and married the older sister of the twins. RCW played his role authentic. I think he did a very very good job. At first I didn't like his character, but after more episodes I hoped that he will be happy. The chemistry with Zuo Xiao Qing was very very good. I could talk about all the other characters, but I have to finsh my review^^.
The supporting Characters (and Actors/Actresses) played very well, too. All in all the cast was amazing and all of them did make a very good job.

Music: The Title Song "I remember you" by Wallace Huo and Yang Zi is a sad ballad, which suits the drama very well. I wished there was a live version because both of them are good singers.

Rewatch value: It's a 9 out of 10 because it have 32 episodes and my 'plan to watch'-list is so long that I don't have time, otherwise there would be a 10^^.

If you like melodramas and if you aren't scared if you have to cry then I would recommend this drama to you. I think it is the time worth *-*

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Even if you're not a fan of period dramas this will make you love it...

I have been overlooking this drama for a long time because I am not a fan of period dramas. I just came here because of Yang Zi and since the Oath of Love kept being postponed i needed to satisfy my "Yang Zi craving" and what a delectable take away it has been.

The romance may not be fluffy but it's so heartwarming. The story is poignant and not for the weak sentimental people, i had shed some tears but who cares, the amount of smile, grins and laughs will make you forget the tragedy of war. Not to mention a satisfying ending as well.

This is really an underrated drama. A gem waiting to be discovered.

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A year later and I can't stop thinking about it...

*MAYBE SPOILERS*
10/10, 5 STARS ALL ACROSS THE BOARD
I first watched this drama over a year ago, and I still frequently think about it. Honestly, if someone were to ask me what my favorite drama is, this will always be the top.
Every single character and story line was written beautifully, some tragic. I have to skip through the one part of the child, if you know what I'm talking about then you know. It breaks my heart every single time, but as a mother with a small child, it effects me greatly.
This drama is one that I believe will continue being top tier throughout the decades. It serves as a great reminder of the costs of war, not only on those fighting, but how everyday people are effected as well. The character development was also *chefs kiss* Anyway, if you haven't caught the drift from my rambling, I AM VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF YOU WATCHING IT AND THEN REWATCHING IT!

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I thouroughly enjoyed this drama as it gave me a very deep emotional attachment to its characters. You would think that the story would only focus upon Xiang Xiang and Gu Qingming and their romance, but it actually revolved around the family. The brother-in-law was a very well written character as he seemed very abrasive at first nut his undying loyalty to the family and his love for Xiang Jun was truly something special to watch. In addition, the transformation of both Xiang Xiang and Xiaoman was great to see. All of the supporting characters made this drama both heartbreaking and comedic at the same time. Characters such as Jin Feng and Xiu Xiu definitely made this drama much more intresting to watch as they both played a significant role in the transformation of Xiaoman. I hope that if anyone watches this, they really focus upon the family and the story line as it is not so much about Xiang Xiang and Gu Qingming but rather the family as a whole. I think that all of the cast did a great job although the music was average but this didnt take anything away from the drama at all. All I can say is that prepare a box of tissues for when you reach the end as it is one of the most heartbreaking endings that I have ever witnessed. Yet the ending fits perfectly within the story so I cant complain about it at all. I hope you all find this review useful and definitely give it a shot.

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Amazing drama!

To sum up this drama in one word, extraordinary! This is far and away the absolute best Chinese drama I have ever seen. I'll go a step further and say that this drama ranks among the best I have ever seen from any country. First, let me say that I don't watch period dramas and only made this exception after reading the glowing reviews. My tastes run more to romantic dramas, both light hearted and the more serious types. I am so glad that I decided to give this drama a chance to expand into the period/historical drama realm.
The story is riveting! The multitude of characters in this drama are so well written. The acting is phenomenal! It's rare to see such high quality cinematography, along with countless elaborate settings. This is no doubt a high budget production. By all means, treat yourself to this emotion and action packed gem.

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I have no idea what a series has such a low rating. It is so worth the watch. I’ve watched several series that have revolved around war time and family but I think this is by far the best one. It was absolutely amazing. The chemistry among the leads as well as the chemistry among the supporting cast was absolutely amazing. There were so many darn heartfelt moments in the series it is impossible not to cry while watching this series. Although it is revolves around the war it also shows a great deal of love, loyalty, hardship, family and unity. This show absolutely has it all. I can honestly say there were very few things that I did not like about the series but those were few and far. The series follows so many cast members but still manages to stick to the story line and give the lead their time.
I wanted to point that out because it covers the female and her family and those individuals that are involved with her family. The writers did an amazing job with the roles of the supporting cast and chemistry among them all. I just find it absolutely amazing that everyone in the series had great chemistry in terms of relationships either family or romantic in nature. The old family feud and commitment to unity are revealed here as well. This is not just about war and fighting it is about so much more. I will say that what I took away from this was an individuals strength during hardship and also their ability to overcome hardships.

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My June 2025 recommendations challenge

Watch this for my June 2025 recommendations challenge by 𝑷𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒍. So happy I can put this into my finished list after such a long time just sitting in my PTW ^^.

As usual, let's start with the story…

Story about the Hu family, centered on Hu Xiang Xiang (XX) and Hu Xiang Jiang (XJ). The story begins with XX trying to escape an arranged marriage set up by her brother-in-law, Xue Jun Shan (JS). Unexpectedly, the groom turns out to be Gu Qing Ming (QM).

Both XX and QM are reluctant to attend the arranged meeting, but they leave quite an impression on each other. From that day on, they often clash, yet with each exchange, their opinions of one another gradually improve. XX comes to admire QM’s sense of responsibility and patriotism, while QM is increasingly charmed by XX’s intelligence and wit.

Meanwhile, XJ’s love life is far less smooth. He has long been in love with a girl named Jin Feng (JF), but she has never returned his feelings and consistently rejects him. On the other hand, XJ also has a childhood fiancée, Xiu Xiu (XiXi), to whom he’s been betrothed since birth. The Hu family already treats XiXi as one of their own, and she even lives with them. XiXi genuinely loves XJ, even though he does not reciprocate her feelings. So how will this love triangle unfold?

As for the Hu family itself—though it’s technically their household, they mostly rely on JS, both financially and supports. JS is not a bad person. Despite his flaws, he sincerely cares for the Hu family and takes his responsibilities seriously.

Everything changes when war breaks out in China, especially in their city, which Japan aggressively targets.

Both QM and JS serve as military officers defending the city on the front lines, while the rest of the Hu family struggles to survive during wartime.

That's pretty much the story without giving the spoiler. Now what I like and don't.

What I liked:
+ It’s not solely focused on the war.
+ Yang Zi and Niu Jun Feng’s acting was pretty good, especially considering how young they were at the time.
+ The development of XX and QM’s relationship — in the end, their bond is built on mutual trust and support.
+ I appreciate that the story didn’t complicate things with disapproval from QM’s family.

What I didn’t like:
How childish XJ can be. I get that he’s a bit of a spoiled brat, but I really wish he showed more growth throughout the story.

I don't know whether to say I like it or not, but seeing how everyone had become so used to hearing about their friends’ deaths—and how their faces remained unmoved when receiving or delivering the news—added a new, bitter layer to the story.

Overall, I’m just really happy to have watched this story—it struck a good balance between romance, family dynamics, and historical backdrop.

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What to say about this drama? It absolutely ripped my heart out, time and time again. It's a bit slow to get started, but the next thing you know you care about each and every character, even the ones you were pretty sure you were going to hate. This is as slice-of-life as it gets. You fall in love with the family and watch the kids grow up.

When tragedy strikes (and it does, often, since this is a war drama) you just want to curl up and shake your head in denial. I would never watch this again for the sheer fact that it hurt too much, but oh god, the ride was worth it.

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This drama will always have a special place in my heart. The idea of filming a story of war through the eyes of young adults was intriguing and challenging at first. But as events unfolded you began to mature as well - growing with the experience of witnessing first hand the challenges of living through battle after battle with only your personal concerns because of youth. As time moves forward and youth fades the drama matures to an adult level and is outstanding. The story writing, the sweetness of relationships, the challenges of family relationships, the betrayals associated with greed and war, and the chain of command are all highlighted. The social status of rich versus poor is also the main theme. This was an unforgettable experience and worth a 10 - glad I binge watched it over 3 days. Definitely, will do research to further my knowledge of these events.

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