Great Actors with excellent chemistry between them
The Best New Drama from 2025 do far, the script so simple , how the director put all the ingredients i to this story a good storyteller , Liu Yuning is getting better and better I’m do glad for him, and Song Zuer the first time I saw her wws on The Demon’s Hunter and I liked very much her acting, but in this drama she’s awesome , the plot between the Main characters, sometimes they don’t have a dialogue, but those silent scenes are great, the couple They communicate with each other with furtive glancesWas this review helpful to you?
Beautiful and Splendid piece Of Art
Omoh! ,I loooove it,this for me is a top rating drama for 2025,everything was just amazing and captivating,from the opening to closing soundtracks,story and character development everything just flowed beautifully,don't get me started on chemistry 😊😊 it was wonderful to watch,all the cast,from Main Ls to Support cast did soo well,acting was brilliant,i enjoyed every episode.I liked that they didn't add unnecessary plots to make 40 episodes,the story was straight to point and we (audience) was taken from Hate to Trust then LOVE... Just beautiful.
I also love that it wasn't too tragic,yes we lost few peeps😭😭 but still gave us plenty to be happy about,the ending was just superb.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE that was part of this wonderful piece,thanks guys.
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The Prisoner of Beauty my Best CDrama this year
Xiao Qiao, a clever girl from the Qiao family, marries Wei Shao, the sharp and kind master of the Wei family, as part of a family alliance. With bad blood between their clans, the two start off wary of each other, constantly testing boundaries in both funny and tense ways. Over time, they begin to appreciate each other's quirks and talents. Through ups and downs, they learn to work as a team, tackling family drama and bigger issues to bring some peace to their world. It’s a story of partnership built through trial, error, and a bit of chaos.My new favorite actor Liu Yuning and actress Song Zuer.
My new favorite CCouple Yuning and Zuer.
Acting and chemistry the best.
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Best Romantic drama 2025 currently
Overall, it is enjoyable. their chemistry is strong and cute.Not only main lead actors but also supporting actors are have chemistry each other. the plot is engaging and fast-forward.
Both Main lead actor and actress are good in acting. I did not watch Liu Yu Ning's acting before. he acts really well, although he is not the best..
This is not masterpiece but it will be all-time favourite drama in my list.
I enjoyed and loved overall plots which is really engaging.
Mainly, I love leading actor and actress big cute sweet chemistry !!! I want more romantic scenes in the finale :)😆😆😆
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More like Prisoner of Cliche and Bad Writing!!!
The first few episodes feel like a completely different drama. The serious tone suggests a dark and brooding drama with interesting political intrigue and a lot of scheming, where both FL and ML are trying to outdo each other. Instead, what you get is a half-baked romance filled with cliches, plotholes, repetitive storylines, soap opera-level MIL(mother-in-law) drama, dumb villains, and one-dimensional characters.The ML is supposed to be this powerful, ruthless, and intelligent warlord, but throughout the drama, he just comes across as irrational, dense, and silly.
Everyone keeps saying that this drama has a strong FL character, who is smart and uses her cleverness to gain advantage, but honestly, most of the time, it's either plot armor, or her competitor is just plain stupid. She uses all of her brain power in the first 10 episodes and then just becomes a dutiful wifey whose whole character arc is to serve her husband.
Villains are cartoonishly stupid with no nuance, making drama even more boring. Plotlines keep repeating, like just make fewer episodes rather than showing the same story arc again. *sigh*
Acting is alright, considering they don't have much to work with. The characters and their relationships are so poorly developed that even good actors like SZE and LYN couldn't make them likable.
I am genuinely baffled by the high rating and praises of this drama. It´s mediocre at best.
It promises intense enemies-to-lovers romance with political intrigue, but only delivers fluff romance with half-baked characters and crazy plot holes.
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Dare I say the best enemy to lovers trope?
I can't exactly find the words to say but its really good. I always love SZR and I am glad people are now recognizing her acting and beauty and talents. LYN is still good as ever and that voice is immaculate. Now the drama? Acckkk, the beat marriage for convenience and enemy to lovers trope so far! 🤝❤️🔥 like seriously, its definitely worth a rewatch and worth to share. I hope they will have another drama together! The plot is so good! And this is what you call a power couple! Smart, strategic and beauty! 🦋Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
i love watching chinese costume dramas sm. i fell upon prisoner of beauty on a random sunday when it was still airing and got bummed about it so i patiently waited 2 weeks for it to finish (the worse 2 weeks in my life fr) i was over the moon when this ended lmaothe story follows the typical contractual marriage with forced proximity trope. the fl and ml are married off to each other to form an alliance and forget their past feuds. at first they were very much at odds but slowly and surely she wins his heart.
i love how this was a proper enemies to lovers and kinda slow burn. i love slow burn sm. i absolutely loved how them bering enemies was nothing like he is ignoring her until he thinks of her or starts caring for her and realises he likes her, this one was proper if u speak ill kill you vibes which later on went on to become i will kill for her. i loved them so much not to mention their chemistry was just out of this world. i binge watched te last 15 episodes i just loved this sm and couldnt wait to finish this. apart from the romance the politics was so good oh my good, no matter how much i praise this drama its of no good, this was an absolute banger. i hated lady yulou sm, i hated shiyuan at first but slowly he gained my trust, was still wary of him when he left for the last time but i had the biggest goosebumps when he came back to fight for wei. i had seen that bi zhi would rebel against wei shao on the internet but did not know why so i spent almost all of the series trying to figure out if he is evil lmao. i did not want to be spoiled so i never watched the content till the end and i was so confused lol. nevertheless i loved it sm, the romance, the politics, the chemistry between the leads i love them sm.
talking about the leads song zuer and li yuning fit the rol so perfectly. i did not realise they could look so good side by side with each-other and not to mention they made me feel like i need a bf so many times lmao. their chemistry was literally the best like sparks were flying everywhere they burned me, like literally. i loved how they were not only funny but so serious as well, aaaaaah i love them sm
last but not the least, the four brothers. i had tears in my eyes when wei liang passed, i knew about his passing but still it felt so sad. ngl i did blame manman at that time, if she did not have that dream wei liang would have been alive, they wouldve gotten intel on the rebellion from elsewhere or qiao ci couldve informed them, there were so many ways. he did not die in vain but it was, for sure, unnecessary. i loved the four brothers sm. wei xiao and wei duo were visually apealing. kinda loved how wei xiao was always supportive towards wei even till the last episode. he loved the people he knew from qiao but was not ready to trust everyone and i respect him for that. wei quo was me. like literally me. i could see myself in him we are so similar lmao.
ill miss these characters sm they were my life for almost a week, ill just miss them sm i want a season 2
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Beautiful and Compelling Storyline (10/10)
I watched The Prisoner of Beauty about three weeks ago, and not reviewing it feels like a disservice. This is, hands down, one of the most beautiful C-dramas I’ve ever seen. And if you know me, you’ll know I have zero patience for time-wasting dramas.The Chinese drama world is saturated — so many shows, yet so few gems. Often, you’re met with brainless female leads, robot-like male leads, or storylines so frustrating you feel like you’re punishing yourself just to get through them.
So when I saw a 9.0 rating last month for The Prisoner of Beauty, I did a double take. Who rated a new C-drama this high? I had to find out.
Let me give you some context: my favorite C-dramas include The Story of Minglan, Meet Yourself, Empresses in the Palace, and Yanxi Palace. That should tell you how high my threshold is — not just for good acting, but for tight plots, layered character arcs, and meaningful dialogue.
Maybe it’s the screenwriter in me . I’ve written several screenplays in my country, so I watch dramas with a critical eye. I don’t just watch for pretty faces. I watch for craft. And most times, I avoid watching entirely because I don’t want bad writing to subconsciously influence my own.
But I digress. Back to this masterpiece.
The Prisoner of Beauty was exquisitely written from beginning to end. The cast was exceptional. The emotional beats were authentic. The scenarios were so believable, it was hard not to binge the entire series in one go.
My only complaint, and it’s a small one — is that one-year stretch where the ML and FL lived as “man and wife” in name only. I mean… they shared a room, had undeniable chemistry, and yet we didn’t even get a whiff of tension? No smoldering glances? No charged silences? It didn’t need to be steamy, just a little more emotionally charged intimacy would have taken things to another level.
Aside from that? It hit my 10/10 mark.
It’s smart, heartfelt, and beautifully executed. Please do yourself a favour and watch it. Then come back and thank me.
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Absolutely loved this!
I’m going to make this short, but I absolutely loved this drama. After just one episode I was hooked and now after finishing, this drama lives in my head rentfree. It was the first historical drama that actually caught my attention and made me appreciate the genre.The chemistry between Liu Yuning and Song Zuer was amazing, I hope they work together again in the future. I loved the banter between them and the other characters, some scenes were so funny and had me laugh out loud.
The OST is beautiful and will be stuck in my mind for a long time. I just finished this drama but already want to watch again 🥺 I only wished they hadn’t cut 4 episodes during review.
In conclusion: you should definitely watch this!
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This review may contain spoilers
Hands down to Liu Yuning & Song Zuer!!! ?❤️
Hands down to Liu Yuning & Song Zuer!!! 🖤❤️ML: Wei Shao / Lord Wei / Zhong Lin – played by Liu Yuning
FL: Qiao Man / Xiao Qiao / Man Man – played by Song Zuer
Ohhh maaannn… What a drama… like hell yeah! This should be the standard for enemy-to-lovers dramas. You really feel the hate and distrust Wei Shao has for Xiao Qiao at first. Yes, she’s a beauty — okay! — but the hatred Lord Wei has toward the Qiao Clan doesn’t go away easily. She literally has to swallow all the hatred, distrust, and coldness from him before she can gain his trust, his warmth, and his love! 🤩😍
This is my third drama with Liu Yuning, and in my opinion, this is his best so far. We all know he’s a great actor, especially in costume dramas — but this one? It’s a wow for me. I could really see and feel all his emotions. That strong, domineering aura of Lord Wei, yet soft like a puppy when Lady Qiao is mad. 😁😂 Liu Yuning portrayed the husband material side of Lord Wei perfectly. The kind of husband who doesn’t want to show how much he cares — acting cool and distant — but deep down, he’s so happy when she does something thoughtful. He’s adorable! Hahaha.
And I could also feel his pain. He already loves her, but because of the betrayal her family committed against his, he tries to stop himself. He feels guilty every time he’s happy with her — because he thinks his grandfather, father, and older brother would feel betrayed, since she’s the granddaughter of their enemy.
This is my first drama with Song Zuer and I must say — she is really good! I love how expressive her face is. She’s so freaking beautiful. She carried the character of “the wife from the enemy clan” incredibly well — so calm and smart. She always puts Lord Wei first instead of herself, because she knows her family betrayed his. She has to be emotionally intelligent and careful so the Wei Clan can eventually let go of their hatred toward the Qiao Clan.
Honestly, I was shocked by the kissing scenes — and of course, the bed scene! Hahahaha. Like… is this what happens when you wait a year before you sleep together? 😂 And the chemistry — oh my goodness, the top-notch, undeniable chemistry between Liu Yuning and Song Zuer is off the charts! 🙌🙌🙌 From intense stares and emotional confrontations to the soft, vulnerable moments — you feel every bit of the tension, the push and pull, the slow-burning affection, and the eventual deep love. They brought out the best in each other and made the whole journey feel authentic and heart-fluttering.
This drama is a solid 10/10 for me. I love how it’s not overly political — not too much scheming or revenge. It’s mostly about gaining trust, love, and loyalty after betrayal between families. It’s about acceptance, forgiveness, sincerity — and love, love, love! 😍😍😍
And finally!!! Liu Yuning gets a happily ever after!!! He didn’t die!!! 👏👏👏❤️❤️❤️🤩🤩🤩
Favorite OST - Blazing Moon by Liu Yuning
GENRE - Costume, Romance, Comedy, Brotherhood, Alliance, Family Affairs, and Clash of Clans 😂
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This Drama has stuck with me
I finished this drama a bit ago but I still find myself thinking about it. It was well-written. with really likeable characters. It's been a while since I've watched a drama that I liked this much. The female lead was strong and smart, but also knew when to be gentle and restrained. She was so wise and yet not so perfect that you found yourself disliking her. I felt like I wanted to learn to be like her. To be that patient, supportive of those I love but also brave.I loved the male lead as well. He's not what I would typically find attractive, but as I watched him, I felt he was perfect for the role. He was masculine, charismatic, with expressive eyes. He was strong as a leader and I loved the way the writers depicted his change of heart.
I loved the themes of love, kindness being able to melt a heart hardened by trauma and hatred. In a world today with so much bitterness and rage bait, this drama was a beautiful message of the power of patient love, forgiveness, unity and humility. The villains were great counter examples of people who did not heal from their wounds and lived in perpetual victimhood and blaming the world for their scars. The leads both were powerful in their illustration of love being a source of goodness and healing.
This drama was deep, emotional, funny...it was very well-balanced. It is a very slow burn love that is so believable and really moved my heart. This was a rare jewel of a show -- one that I will enjoy coming back to time and time again.
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Came for the romcom, stayed for the sobbing/rollercoaster but not disappointed at all
TLDR; The writing is amazing in this show, period. This show proves that fl and tbh all the female characters don't have to be physically strong to be powerful and cause change in others. Every moment between the leads makes me smile until my cheeks hurt,, like I'm getting diabetes bc of how sweet everyone is to each other. It's def a slow romance, but I enjoy those types bc you rlly get to see character development as they get to know each other more. This show probs has the fewest amt of annoying romcom tropes I've seen yet (2nd love interests, love at first sight, long-ass misunderstandings, etc), and when they do pop up, they def do it in a unique way that's not cringe-worthy. Acting is amazing, esp when there are emotional moments, and it feels real. I love the music, and there are some pieces that I would listen on repeat. From the beginning, these characters have grown a lot, and it's sad to see this series end. I wouldn't be too upset if there was a S2.Story: despite the genre, i really do believe the 2 leads start the show hating each other, so it's interesting to see how their dynamics change throughout the show. They do make the ml actually hateable at times instead of just being a pretty boy and getting his way all the time, which is a nice change of pace and kinda uncommon with this type of plot. The writing is honestly really good bc the sentimental moments feel natural and flow well with the characters. The misunderstandings are not frustrating and they're actually funny instead of petty drama. tbh the tone of the story made me doubt abt the romcom aspect of it, but the comedic timing is golden each time. I will say, theres a lot of info to parse if youre following the political affairs, and sometimes its hard to know who is who if youre not paying attention (i watched the first half a second time, since eps were still airing to fully understand the name drops so i could binge watch the last 10 eps haha). btw the last like 10 eps are a fucking rollercoaster..
Acting/Cast: bro these tears aren't fake. I love her facial expressions omg,, Honestly might be my fav fl of all the shows I've watched. There are some moments where I'm like "oh shit she really just did that" and that makes her more endearing. Even tho she doesn't have military prowess, she still manages to girlboss her way around with her intelligence and cunning with just as much flair. This show makes you have an emotional connection w/ each of the characters (even minor ones), and I genuinely cried at some parts. Everyone's smiles are so contagious and natural,, The writing of the "evil" ppl rlly gives them depth, and you realize they're also human, and the reasons they did smth were out of oppression, although how they managed that wasn't exactly justifiable. Also, the amt of communication between the characters and the heartfelt conversations are also one of the main reasons why this show is so good.
Music: A lot of the music is super catchy, and the lyrics are so beautiful and fitting to the story and characters.
Rewatch value: I generally don't rewatch shows, but this one might be the highest on my list just bc there are a lot of developments that foreshadow what happens in other eps.
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