Scent of Time

A surprisingly healing and beautiful drama

I have literally just finished the last episode, and I am in floods of tears for so many reasons! I never write reviews, but I felt like I needed to get this out of my system to move on. There will be spoilers to follow. You have been warned!
...
...
...
...
...

I almost didn’t watch the end of this drama because of the comments section. I reached episode 27 and, unable to resist, went hunting for spoilers (big mistake, lol). The overwhelming negativity about the ending lowered my expectations significantly. But despite all that, I found the finale truly touching and beautiful.

When I started this show, I thought it would be your typical reborn revenge drama, with the unique twist of the antagonist being sent back. That premise intrigued me, and I was curious to see how it would play out.

To be honest, the first half of the series tested my patience. Some characters were so irredeemable I almost dropped the show. Yelan and Yao’s overly saccharine moments grated on my nerves—I couldn’t stand their relationship and skipped many of their scenes. The father and mother felt like shallow, two-dimensional characters whose only role was to create obstacles for the plot. Yet, something about the story kept pulling me back, and I’m so glad I stuck with it.

The turning point for me, emotionally, was the death of Qian’s brother. Until that moment, he felt like an annoying and unnecessary side character. But his sacrifice and that gut-wrenching scene where he’s screaming for Qian as she’s dragged away hit me so hard. I was in floods of tears.

Another moment that completely broke me was when Qian and her father desperately tried to take the blame for the Mu family’s downfall. It was such a raw and beautiful display of love and sacrifice. And then the funeral, where the mother turned on Qian? That was devastating. Yet, it served as a pivotal moment for the family dynamic.

The father’s eventual redemption arc felt earned. It wasn’t rushed or overly idealised—it was grounded and believable, which made it all the more satisfying.

This drama, for me, wasn’t about romance. It was about familial love and redemption. The lack of overt romantic displays allowed the family bonds and personal growth to take centre stage. That focus suited Qian’s character perfectly. After everything she endured, it made sense that her priorities would shift. Her focus was on survival and protecting her family, not finding love.

Zhou Ye’s performance deserves a special mention. This is the second drama I’ve seen her in (the first being Everyone Loves Me), and I think she’s criminally underrated. She completely drew me into Qian’s journey. I felt her heartbreak, frustration, and triumphs. When the other characters doubted her, I was right there, shouting in her defence! Zhou Ye made me care deeply about Qian and her story.

Now, let’s talk about the ending. I understand why it might not have been what some viewers hoped for, but I found it perfect. The twist of Qian being in a coma was spoiled for me by the episode guides (seriously, why put major spoilers there?), so I went into the finale expecting one of two outcomes:

1. She’d wake up and get an unrealistically happy ending.
2. She’d stay in the coma forever.

What we got was neither, and I’m so glad about it. The revelation that Hua Rong Zhou was actually Qian all along, protecting and loving herself unconditionally, was profoundly moving. It wasn’t a traditional happy ending but a bittersweet, beautiful resolution that felt right for the story.

In the end, this drama left a deep impression on me. It’s a character-driven, cathartic journey, prioritising emotional realism over flashy plot twists. If you’re looking for something thoughtful and heartfelt, I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Read More

I’ve seen a couple of clips of this show on Chinese tiktok and it really made me want to watch it so I did. The story moves pretty fast and it’s also a it confusing as to what the plot of the story is really telling. I love how Hua Qian tries her best to turn the tables and change how the story ends.

The drama does a really good job of adding in some mysterious parts like why Hua Qian keeps smelling that scent even though there is no I sense and then we learn that this entire drama was honestly just a dream. The drama also does a really good job of explaining that once you change history. Change anything, change everything.

The ost of the drama is actually pretty good. This is probably one of those dramas where I really only had to hear the song once or twice to really enjoy and like the song. The costuming is a little strange, I’m not used to seeing how these people are dressed. But overall a pretty good and short drama to watch and love.

Read More

Writing My First Review Because Scent of Time Surprised Me

It is very RARE that I am on the edge of my seat waiting for the drop of every new episode of a costume drama series. Typically I drudge through all the filler episodes to get to the exciting good parts, and most of the time I get very disappointed with an anti-climatic ending. The ONLY other drama series that defied all expectations was Joy of Life Season 1. I eagerly await for Season 2, but while waiting, I stumble upon this "Scent of Time" series. Seemed pretty contrived and over-played storyline in the beginning, but very quickly I was drawn into the unpredictable plot, and the twists and turns of events in every new episode. I have NO idea what the FL is going to do next, and THAT is why I have rated this series so highly - It is very difficult to achieve what "Joy of Life" and "Scent of Time" have done - keep you engaged, make you care about what will happen to the people in the story, and surprise you again and again. I haven't finish watching the end of this drama yet, BUT I can't wait!

PS - Of course, Joy of Life is still better than Scent of Time, but that is a high bar to overcome, and you can tell that a whole lot more money were spent on the production of Joy of Life than Scent of Time.

Read More

Loved the acting

This drama overall was enjoyable to watch. From the beginning it caught my attention and kept me wanting to watch the next episode but it reached a point to where I felt what was the point if it was all a dream. I know there is a greater message that no matter what you do you can’t go back in time and change the pass but move forward and learn from the past but this drama for me just lacked a satisfying ending. Part of that was because of all that build up of romance beteen the lead couple and we didn’t really get any sort of affection between the two. If this drama focused a little more on the romance aspect I think I would have liked it better but thats just my opinion.

Read More

Lesson Learned: be honest and be courageous; face it head on

This series is surprising. I got lost the moment I thought I understand the story. It was fun, loveable, and painful at the same time. I laughed and cried a lot watching this series. I felt her when she said, "3 times". If I were in her place, I really would have felt lost and unsure of what to do. There were moments where I felt frustrated and didn't agree with their choices, but I guess it is the concept of the drama. It is a drama full of life lessons wrapped with bits of love story. Anyway, the story contains so many twist that you should watch until the end.

The actors did their part so well that I can actually feel the pain that each of them went through. It made me realize that each person has their own situation that led them into making certain choices. The story portrayed life issues more realistic than fictional. There is of course a touch of fiction since it is about going back in time, but the problems and choices that they make is somehow relatable. It makes you think of what if you were in their situation, what would actually be a better choice. Seriously, it puts you in a dilemma. There were so many moments while I was watching that I also had to think of what to do.

I would recommend this drama if you are someone who is open minded because I'm sure it will help you a lot in life. It can help you realize a lot. The most important thing I learned in this drama is to be honest. no matter how bleak the future will be, honestly is still the best choice.

Read More

Better than most reincarnated drama

Out of the numerous reincarnation storylines I've watched, this particular cdrama nailed it. The exploration of the past and present allowed for the main character, Hua Qian (brilliantly portrayed by Zhou Ye), to undergo significant character development. Hua Qian transforms from a character who has committed evil deeds to someone who rectifies her mistakes upon reincarnation. The portrayal of the internal familial dynamic is heartwarming and stands out as one of the most touching scenes I've seen in recent cdrama.

The characters are beautifully balanced and executed, with a focus on the characters who are relevant to the storyline. I enjoyed all the supporting characters, mainly the females. Except, Hua Rong Zhou a supporting character played by Zhang Yi Jie, who stood out as a character who felt out of place. His presence was disjointed, transitioning from a beggar to an obedient guard to a prodigious martial artist, a short journey of his own cultivation giving no meaning to anyone nor the plot. Including the romance, it was one of the weakest part of the series. It was more placed on the shelf for the last episodes. Other than that, the show is worth watching.

Read More

A relatively well-disguised story that is actually about self-romance (in a kind of loser way)

For the most part this was well-written story, with good themes and a strong logical basis. It was essentially a redemption arc where the protagonist learns from her mistakes and was able to repeat 2 years of her past with wiser decisions to lead to a happier result. However, arcing over the entire plot was a bizarre mechanic that for me ruins the credibility of the entire plot. Without going into too much detail, the story was similar to a time-travel story where the protagonist met a bad end but was able, through some mysterious means, to return to the past and make different decisions that led to different outcomes in terms of love interest and her family's fate. She was originally a villainess that everyone hated, but because of her new choices, became well-respected and even adored, to the point where the original "heroine" of the story turned into a villain in response. This was actually all done very well, but sprinkled throughout the episodes were these hints that something was not quite right with this reality. The FL kept smelling this scent that no one else around her smelled. Spoiler alert, it was all a dream. Everything up to the end of that first timeline was real, but the entire repeat of the past 2 years was completely in her head.

What I really don't like about this kind of mechanic is that everything that occurs within a dream instantly loses its credibility. While realistically as an audience we can believe that good deeds lead to good returns, for example, the fact is that within the dream, every single character is actually a figment of the dreamer's imagination, even if they were based on actual people that the dreamer knew. It doesn't matter how familiar the dreamer might be with the real life counterparts; everything within the dream is still made up. Their reactions and responses, their thoughts and feelings, all of these are actually constructed by the dreamer and part of the dreamer's own self. This drama even doubles up on this insult by adding a third love interest who's completely fictional; he didn't exist in real life and was basically conjured by FL's brain while she was asleep. It's actually kind of hilarious how completely devoted he was to FL once you realize that this was essentially her being in love with herself. Then, at the very last episode, she wakes up briefly from this universe she's created where the entire world was in love with her and realizes the real world isn't like this. I'm also sitting here kind of in disbelief that I watched 29 episodes of a woman essentially romancing herself. At the very end, the series tries to salvage things by indicating that in real life, there are people who actually love FL, so she's not really THAT pathetic, but this is essentially a story about a protagonist with narcissism so severe that their delusion literally wiped out their ability to remain conscious for 2 years. Well, their injuries contributed, but let's face it; physical wounds are physical wounds, but this kind of catatonia is generally mentally-induced. If I had known that THIS was the direction the script was going, honestly, I would not have watched it, but I give it an 8.5/10 because the drama was still constructed well despite this small but somewhat fatal detail. This thing really had me rooting for it until the end of episode 29, when I realized I was NOT watching the kind of story I thought I was. So maybe watch until episode 29 and stop when you see numerous cut scenes of incense. It's such a shame when writers compromise the integrity of their stories by embellishing on such crucial weak points. Maybe the author was trying to do something new, but…this isn't even new, and made the story worse.

Read More

confused writer

Such a confusing story. I don't know what story the writer want to tell. Instead of focusing on developing the main storyline, the writer chose to throw so many unnecessary filler side story randomly. I wish they'd focused more on the interaction between the mainleads, what a waste of such a good chemistry. What disappointed me the most was episode 28. Suddenly almost 2 years just went by. What happened to the Hua, Mu, Meng, Wu, Zhong Family? The plot was going nowhere. Instead of continuing the plotline, the writer/director chose to throw in so many new characters in the last episodes? What's the purpose? It really felt like cash grabbing/hype seeking on the cameo's name, I mean : Peng Xiao Ran, Sun Yi, Zhang Tian Ai, Yang Xu Wen, all come out just for a few seconds of scene that had nothing to do with the previous plot. I'm sorry episode 28 just dragged the whole drama down for me.

Read More

Just... *sigh it's good

I'm upset as I'm writing this. This drama was totally good from the cinematography and everything. It just I'm upset I feel like someone made a fool out of me. At least... Can you give more for the ending, it just I've been crying for the last few episodes and I was hoping it would be worth it if I could see them together, their wedding ceremony, she and muyao buried the hatchet and she wld totally try to win his mom and does. I can't see it tbh... Them being together when I look back at her personality. It was totally Xiwu's fault and lead to her evilness.

Idk what to feel. I think the ML's screen times in this drama were less than 2ndML even though I got it. I'm upset at the plots, I feel like the ML and FL meetings were not that many to form and show how they were deeply in love. It was definitely short-lived tho. I was cursing the ML and later feel hurt for him that he loved her so much.

Male Lead, Zhong Xiwu, the heir for the century incense-maker from a noble family. He was a strict, kind man and a fool when he was jealous. Xiwu became protective(some of his actions' were wrong way to go abt it tho) and very caring toward Qian's well-being.

Female Lead, Hua Qian, a daughter of head butler for Zhong Family. Once she did evil things to get the man that she wanted but when given a second chance, Hua Qian was clever, bold, graceful and kind. You know I cannot really tell abt when she fell in love bcs it was like so short and was ruined by ML. Most of the time, she was busy, racking her brain and saving her family and friends. OK maybe I can tell, it was when he confessed to her during the dark of the night after she visited her brother's grave :) and sure she kept what he gave to her and brought it everywhere. That was it.

Happy for those couples that got their happy ending. You know I've never experienced this, trying to squeeze my brain telling about their "love-story". Sure, it was there but it was almost nonexistent. I was confused a bit why 2ndML Hua Rongzhou got more screen times than him, always always with her any where even though I understand it at last. This even lead me to say, "in another universe, it wld be qian and rongzhou" few times when I was watching it
I'm sorry. You can definitely tell how upset I am.

Read More

29 episodes of a dream

*Spoiler alert*

Loved Zhou ye from back from the brink and scent of time didn’t disappoint. While the whole story of it being a dream was interestingly written, I found the ending less than satisfying though.

Summary:
FL (Hua Qian) was misguided while growing up and slowly became somebody that was hateful and would do anything to achieve her objectives. This has led her to all her wrongdoings which eventually led to the downfall of her entire family, including herself. She lost what she had while trying to pursue what she wasn’t meant to have. While growing up, she has always loved ML (Zhong Ye Lan) who didn’t love her back. It was instead the second ML (Zhong Xing Wu) who has loved her since young and has been there silently protecting her. Despite all her misdeeds, he wanted to be with her. She fell into a coma while being pursued by the authorities and in her 26 months of coma, she was having a long dream which is what the 29 episodes are about. The dream shows what she would have done differently if given a second chance as she realises how wrong she has been and regrets all that she has done.

My thoughts:
This drama truly resonates with most as it tells you exactly what life is - that you cannot turn back time to undo what has been done but you can however, keep going forward and change for the better. The drama is more of a growth process for the FL, less of the romance. In fact, I wouldn’t say there’s much romance in it. Just some scenes that imply that and shows the silent love/protection from ZXW. Perhaps, the FL has always knew that ZXW has feelings for her but was clouded by the unrequited love towards ZYL to not “see” it but she must have felt it as seen in her long dream. Through the episodes you can always hear the FL talking about a weird scent which were hints that she did not travel back in time to re-live her life but was in a coma instead. The scent were from a concoction ZXW made to help her wake up. This was interesting and kept me going to want to find out what’s up with this. In all, this drama is worth a watch if you’re not looking for intense swoon worthy romance but more of well paced drama on personal growth and realisation.

Read More