The Story of Pearl Girl

A MERMAID'S TEARS

Bold, compelling, intriguing... The Story of Pearl Girl is weaving a tale that you certainly do NOT want to miss!

2024 hasn't been donating the best Cdramas so far with few exceptions.. but I'm glad this came along. A pretty decent watch!

Everyone sees the beauty of pearl. They view it with admiration of it's beautiful and excellence but no one seems to know what people go through to get it. Even setting their lives on the line for it. The motto thus being: Dive or die. And so Duanwu emerges from the many pearl divers of this land with the mantra "I want to change my fate" taking on the brave role of working towards it.

A Captivating journey is woven, our female lead steps forward, taking every STEP POSSIBLE to obtain that freedom, even if it's to put her life on the line for that freedom.

The Plot is RAW, A POWERFUL AND EMOTIONAL narrative of a slave girl on a quest for true freedom and redemption. Sailing on a journey of the ups and down on the harsh business world dominated by cunning Men. It's an interesting adventure that draws you in an intimate attachment to our female character, Duanwu. The flow of the plot is Smooth. It's just right for what Is needed. Her development so far is natural, raw yet appealingly driving. It's a powerful plot focussed on our female lead's journey in a quest for redemption where she walks up the ladder of the business world and capturing the power at the top. And Fights to keep it.

Duanwu isn't ONLY a smart Witty girl who works with her brain to scheme and conquer. She IS PHYSICALLY FIT! our girl can fight! She can beat up scumbag men, she can kick ass YASS now that's something you don't see always for such female lead set-up. She isn't afraid of physical actions, she takes risks and slays at it!

The characters in the show are truly compelling. Not all though but the mains are truly something to look forward to. Zhao Lusi has my damn jaws on the floor with the execution of her character. Honestly she did better than expected. She engrossed herself into the role and perfectly embodied the character so well that you could See DUANWU in her. It's no wonder she Fought for this drama and role (since 2022 or so) ( she said she loved the character so much) and I can see how she's perfectly bringing the role to life. I'm honestly impressed.
Our male lead is a complex character worth of study alongside another drama I find interesting, The tomboy. She is certainly a grey interesting character that's always worth being on the lookout for.
Our tomboy ( forget her name haha) is a lady on a quest to make her stand in a toxic male dominated business world. And she is gonna do Anything for that.
The characters here are complex and interesting. Well... Except the 2nd lead who is ..well predictable goodie boy lol ( all righteous) I sorta find his character... dull. But let's see if he gets better I guess.

But Amidst his full character I think the two male leads add value to the female leads journey. Our male lead teaching her on the harsh realities of the business world and harshly training her for it. While the 2nd leads takes her on a morally correct ethics of life. A perfect blend.

Cinematograohy wise, This drama is decent for the genre. It isn't flashy as for a fantasy but for a historical drama of Such category, it's pretty nice. And the UNDERWATER SCENES WERE CHEF KISS. I can't believe it was filmed in a real life water! Excellent! No wonder it was so realistically done. Beautiful.

The Ost of this drama is suiting for the concept of the drama. not by best lineup of Ost but it's actually decent. Especially the Opening theme.

If you're contemplating if you should watch this drama, I'd recommend you check out the first two episodes. Ep1 captivated me at the go! So I believe these two episodes are enough for you to judge. Although I'm confident it'll hook you. You should check clips and see if the genres are something that you'll like, if so then I think you'll love this. It's gripping indeed and overall worth the time.

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It's A Long, Long Journey, So Stay By My Side

The Story of Pearl Girl is exactly that--the journey of a young girl, Duan Wu, from slave girl at a pearl farm to a renowned jeweler and businesswoman. It is a remarkable journey, full of all the spice of life--pain, joy, greed, revenge, tragedy--and in the center of it was Duan Wu, who later reshaped herself into Su Ma Zhe.

The first half of the drama moved at a good click. Our heroine suffered horribly as a slave and managed to escape. Her dream, as she told Zhang JinRan, the 2ML, was freedom and we see this theme throughout the entire drama.

Duan Wu's quest for freedom landed her on a ship, first as an indentured servant of sorts to the male lead, Yan ZiJing, and later as his friend, partner and lover. But that was only the first half of the journey. She had much to learn about life and freedom.

Yan ZiJing was a hard taskmaster because of his background. He, too, had been an imprisoned child and knew how difficult it was to survive alone. Thus, his treatment of Duan Wu was very harsh in the beginning but we, the audience, see and understand the reason behind this in later episodes. YZJ wanted to teach Duan Wu how to survive and not fall prey to all the evil schemes in the world.

On the other hand, the 2ML, Zhang JinRan was the total opposite--a by-the-book official, one who saw life in black and white, who was intelligent but somewhat naive, calculating enough to see through people, yet was also unwilling to bend the law a little, even to achieve justice.

Both these men loved Duan Wu in their own capacity and supported her as much as they could. Of the two, YZJ understood Duan Wu's yearning for freedom far better than JinRan precisely because he had lived at the edge of danger and death most of his life while the latter was a young rich nobleman who had been insulated from the harsh reality of how slaves actually lived. However, Duan Wu would learn much from both these men as she slowly become the new her.

Right in the middle of the drama, the Big Change happened. Like the proverbial tale of a phoenix rising from the ashes, so too must Duan Wu face the flames of transformation. A huge, devastating tragedy happened and her entire new life she thought she had gained disappeared overnight.

The second half of the story started with Duan Wu going at it alone, making her way from desert to snow to city, transforming into Su Mu Zhe. The journey was a tough one but the price of freedom for her here was
1) independence (and so she must do this alone)
2) individualism (and so she must be more proactive to assert how she wanted her life)
3) innovation (and so she must always strive to be better than her competitor)

What made Duan Wu such a great character to watch was her resilience and ability to move on in the face of suffering. She did not dwell on bitterness or self-pity (not for long, anyway). She climbed every mountain in her way like they were mole hills, learning to adapt to be a smooth and knowledgeable city woman.

Standing in contrast was Cui SiJiu, the antagonist of the drama. Cui SiJiu was perhaps the most interesting character of this story--a tomboy turned concubine, a woman who wanted to run a business like a man, trying to please her father over and over even though he just saw her as a useless daughter. SiJiu was hateful, seeing those below her family's status as ants to be trampled on. We were never meant to like her but her journey was nonetheless an interesting one.

CSJ yearned for freedom too. But her choices toward her goal were rash and cruel. Over and over she was given the opportunity to change and over and over she made the same mistake, blindly blaming everyone but her actions for her losses. The price of freedom, when she finally gained it, was very high too. I myself didn't pity her lot at the end (although many other viewers bawled their eyes out). She had so many opportunities to be redeemed and yet, all she showed was spite and cruelty.

If we looked at CSJ as the other side of the coin to Duan Wu, we see how both women, alone and clever, dealt with what life gave them in entirely different ways. Both yearned to be "free" and their opposing paths (and choices) gave insight on how one could miss out on many positive things of life just because of hate and revenge.

Speaking of revenge, YZJ lived for revenge. And through revenge would he, too, find his freedom.

The journey of our main character, as I said in the beginning, was a long one. Duan Wu fought her way through it. The first half was her fight for basic survival and the second half was her fight for societal survival. Because once you crawl out of the shell in the ocean of misery, you must polish yourself to shine in the river of life. And shine she did.

Cinematography -- The underwater scene in Episode One was worth watching on a big TV screen.

Acting -- Zhao LuSi proved here she could handle any role. She had always excelled in comedy. In Pearl Girl, she also tackled a serious role who went through multiple tragedies. She was mesmerizing with her fleeting changes of expression. Liu Yu Ning gave a strong performance as YZJ, although now the joke among his fans is that LYN's main roles have only 80 percent chance of survival LOL. Special praise also goes to Chloe Xie as Cui SiJiu--she made a hateful character somewhat relatable and in the end, gained redemption. And who could forget the great Wing Man of the drama, Kang Ju?!

Editing -- There were some choppy scenes, especially in the last two episodes. This 40-episode rule in C-Drama really hurts story lines that need a little bit more expansion. The ending could have been smoother with an extra one or two episodes, maybe covering the poison, the two love birds' final days, even the ending where it was just a summary. It would have been nice to see Zhang JinRan, the 2ML be by her side. The current edit resulted in no emotional payoff for the invested viewer at all. It was just lazy storytelling.

There were also parts in the middle that could have been shortened. I heard many of 2ML's scenes were cut. That was unfortunate because it would have made for a smoother finale. As for the foreshadowing--there was plenty of it, so I was NOT surprised at the ending at all. A little bit underwhelming, actually, because why must ALL feminist-focused stories have to have the FL end up alone? That's not the end-game of female empowerment, folks. It's stupid, writers. Feminists need lovers, friends and family too, you know. And if you wanted to foreshadow that heavily, WHERE WAS THE FREAKING PAYOFF? Be brave. Give us the payoff since you dared to crush our hearts.

I rate this drama a strong 8,8

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A Mesmering journey in " The Story of Pearls Girl "

"The Story of Pearl's Girl" is an extraordinary drama that masterfully weaves together themes of resilience, identity, and the complexities of human relationships. From the moment the curtain rises, audiences are transported into a richly crafted world that captures both the beauty and struggles of its characters.

The performances are nothing short of stellar. The lead actress (Zhao lusi ) delivers a powerful portrayal of Pearl, bringing depth and authenticity to her character's journey. Her emotional range is captivating; you can feel every joy and sorrow as she navigates the challenges life throws at her. The supporting cast is equally impressive, each contributing layers to the narrative that make it all the more compelling.

The writing is poignant and thought-provoking. The dialogue flows seamlessly, with moments of humor interspersed among the more serious themes. The storyline is both engaging and relatable, making it easy for audiences to connect with Pearl’s experiences. The pacing is well-balanced, allowing for moments of tension and reflection that keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

Visually, the production is stunning. The set design and costumes beautifully reflect the time period and setting, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the drama. The attention to detail is evident, immersing the audience fully in Pearl's world.

Moreover, the direction is skillful, guiding the cast through emotional highs and lows with finesse. The use of music and lighting adds another layer of depth, enriching the storytelling experience and evoking a strong emotional response.

Overall, "The Story of Pearl's Girl" is a must-see for anyone who appreciates powerful storytelling and exceptional performances. It’s a heartfelt exploration of what it means to be human, making it a truly unforgettable theatrical experience. I left the theater feeling inspired and reflective, and I can't recommend it highly enough!

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A Must Watch…

The Story of Pearl Girl is a must watch…a well developed storyline, amazing acting, beautiful cinematography, excellent cast, and overall, top notch production.

Initially, I wasn’t sure what to expect with the plot. But after watching the first few episodes, the series is much more than I imagined and now I’m hooked. I’m half way through the series and am so glad they were approved for the 40 episodes - allows for a well developed storyline.

Zhao Lusi is an amazing actress. I have enjoyed watching her in other dramas , but her skills in this one is next level. Her ability to tell the story of her struggles and resilience through all her different emotions is incredible. The underwater scenes with her diving for pearls is exquisite. Liu Yuning’s acting as the ML is also impressive. His imposing stature and strong overall presence make him suitable for the role. The chemistry between the two leads is overflowing. They are very comfortable acting with each other. The cast are all great actors.

The cinematography from the underwater images to the desert scenes are mesmerizing. The costumes are captivating. The OST beautifully matches to the production. This series has been top tier so far…

Update: Have watched the drama mutilple times
The fast paced first half reflects the difficult life, struggles, and resilience of DuanWu (Zhao Lusi) as she attempts to escape the world of pearl diving; the more moderately paced 2nd half focused on the storyline of how DuanWu learns to build her jewely business in the midst of many challenges. The dedication and effort to deliver the strong performances is truly commendable. This is different than your typical storyline. Highly recommend.

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Just magnificent!

PLOT: The FL struggles to survive in slavery on a pearl farm as a diver. She succeeds by escaping with the help of a high-ranking official (the ML2), then joins as a servant on the ML's boat. He is a harsh trader, solely committed to revenge for his family (jewelers, killed by desert bandits, during an escort, and banished after death).

+++ With Liu Yu Ning & Zhao Lu Si, 2 actors that I love (ღ˘⌣˘ღ). They have so much talent to bring us this poignant story. They don't even need words to make us feel all their emotions... Amazing! Truly magical!
+++ Perfect execution: rhythm, costumes, visuals, sets, framing, lighting.
+++ Coherent and intelligent story. The characters are complex, all morally grey, well developed, and played by excellent actors.
+++ Superb credits and magnificent OST.

Even the ending, moving and bitter, is well done.

=> Series to watch and rewatch, the story is so beautiful (despite the hard and sad moments).
************************************************
Juste magnifique !

PLOT: La FL peine à survivre dans l'esclavage d'une ferme de perles comme plongeuse. Elle réussit en s'enfuir avec l'aide d'1 officiel de haut rang (le ML2), puis s'engage comme servante sur le bateau du ML. C'est un commerçant, dur, uniquement engagé dans la vengeance de sa famille (joailliers, tués par des bandits du désert, lors d'1 escorte, et banni par contumace).

+++ Avec Liu Yu Ning & Zhao Lu Si, 2 acteurs que j'adore. Ils ont tellement de talent, pour nous faire vivre cette histoire poignante. Ils n'ont même pas besoin de mots pour nous faire ressentir toutes leurs émotions... Bravo !
+++ Réalis° parfaite : rythme, costumes, visuels, décors, cadrages, lumière.
+++ Story cohérente et intelligente. Les personnages sont complexes, bien développés, et interprétés par d'excellents acteurs.
+++ Superbe générique et OST magnifiques.

Même la ending, émouvante, amère, est bien amenée.

=> Série à voir et à revoir, tellement l'histoire est belle (malgré les moments durs et tristes).

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Memorable and Brilliant Storytelling

Remarkable and brilliant. I’m still trying to gather my thoughts. From characters to storytelling, to cinematography to casting, this drama delivered on so many cinematic levels and more.

What drew me to this drama in the first place was actress, Zhao Lusi. Not once has she ever disappointed me in the roles she has played. Although I am a romance junkie, I was fascinated by why she chose a character somewhat out of the genre and out of her comfort zone. Now, I know why.

This drama is called, The Story of Pearl Girl. It’s not the Romance of The Story of Pearl Girl. How this series stayed consistent and true to Duan Wu’s life’s journey was brilliantly done. We watch her grow and evolve while finding love on the way. Her struggles leapt out of the screen. Her emotions embraced and pulled me into her world. Her acting is on another level. How she empowered everyone around her was also magnificent and inspiring.

A shout out to Liu Yuning who mastered his role as Yan Zijing. I don’t believe anyone could have played this role any better. His ability to carry a scene with sometimes little dialogue left a great impression. Expressions can be overdone and underdone. I believe he understood his character so well and brought to life a memorable character by his performance.

Now, to the love story that I didn’t expect, to be honest. I told myself, If I saw at least one kiss scene from the leads, I’d be happy. However, we didn’t just get a kiss scene, we watched a remarkable romance of togetherness unfold before our eyes For a drama where romance wasn’t the main focus, they somehow wove in a gem of a love story that will not be soon forgotten. Even dramas that have “love” in their titles cannot come close to how the series did justice to the character’s and feelings and emotions toward one another.

Overall, The Story of Pearl Girl has left a lasting impression that will resonate with me for many months, if not years to come.

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Zhao Lusi such amazing actress

the drama was truly outstanding.
un unforgettable experience from start to finish . it combined a gripping story with exceptional performances that brought each character to life in a way that felt raw and real the cinematography was breathtaking. thank you somuch lusi You are the only reason why I watch Chinese historical drama. ilove your acting so much ilove everything about thank you for make me happy and your all drama is my comfort 😘😘😘 and may you always be in good condition and be healthy in body. and may you overcome any trial that comes your way as long as you always stay humble

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DuanWu is Superb ?

"The Story Of Pearl Girl" released in 2024's Chinese drama world with good quality.
The first thing that i got interested in this movie was because of the underwater scenes of the lead actress that went viral. I started watching the movie only because of the underwater scene of the actress without knowing the plot.
As soon as I started watching the movie, I couldn't help but admire the CGI effects and the filters that were used.
The most important thing in Chinese TV costume dramas is CGI. There are many movies that have to be thrown out because of bad CGI. This film is suitable for every scene from the use of light to the end of the filter, and the way the director portrays the speed of the film is really commendable. I was watching the ongoing, so until I finished watching, the plot was good and connected. (I hope to maintain this momentum until the end of the film).
I heard that it is an original script, so the story may be unpredictable, with various ups and downs, and plot twists.

The story is about a girl named DuanWu, who gambled her life to gain freedom from pearl slavery. There, as a pearl slave, the scenes of searching for pearls under water were filmed, which was very beautiful.
The acting ability of the lead actress ZhaoLusi is really appreciated.
In this movie, the character is Pearl's servant at first, so it seems like she didn't even wear makeup, from the make-up layout.
For a movie to be good, it must have a good plot, the leading actors must be good actors. I also noticed that every actor involved in this film fits in their place.
Watching this movie, I get the old high quality Chinese movie vibe as well as the Kdrama vibe.
It is a Chinese quality drama of 2024. Now it will stream worldwide through Netflix.
Highly recommended for drama fans who want to enjoy a good movie with heavy plots.

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Echoes the word masterpiece!

I can’t resist but share my thoughts about this drama before it truly concludes.

The waiting has ended, and lo and behold, another incomparable historical Chinese drama has been added to the list. I am a super fan of Zhao Lusi. While her beauty stands out, I rave about her versatility as an actress and what she did in this drama, which, needless to say, was a solid award-winning performance. Of course, everyone in the cast rocked in their respective roles, too.

Putting this theme into a live work was a monumental move from the producer - one rare subject to expand our familiarity with pearls that exceptionally held its value over the years in the jewelry industry. Behind its precious unpigmented feature – a so-called natural gem that isn’t processed mechanically was an unsettling story of the ruthless method of collection and trading driven by greedy monopolization as fictionalized in this drama. I believe this is a free adaptation that retells a story about a girl, who at a young age was taught and involuntarily became a pearl diver in an escapable place called pearl farm. The kind of surroundings she has, where each of them is fighting for survival and has to guard themselves under perilous attacks, turned her into a diver with nerves of steel that led to her involvement with the two MLs when both came in as guests at the pearl farm. One was there to set his vengeance in motion while the other was on official duty investigating.

Liu Yuning's (ML) & Zhao Lusi's (FL) character representations gratified my partiality for tough, sharp-witted, and capable central figures in a drama while revealing vulnerabilities and softness that was reasonably understandable looking at their back story. It was not an outright chemistry for them but strongly fetching as the story moved onwards. By the way, Liu Yuning’s unexpected casting here as a substitute for the male lead undoubtedly helped boost his popularity. The overall visual of this drama was stunning - from the locations, costumes/styling, and prop details, those smallest of things gave the exact look of the civilization the story requires for each setting. If those were shot in the actual locations or happened to be graphically enhanced only, didn’t matter at all. Still, I had this impression that the production cost an arm and a leg. I had nothing to object to the pacing and storytelling. Though inadequate to neutralize the overwhelming agony this drama has deeply shown from the torment of hard labor and slavery, repeated loss of lives, and physical sufferings in desperation to live; I love those random scenes showing the basic sources of joy such as feeling the sea air breeze over the ship deck, playing, listening, and dancing to the music of erhu (Chinese violin), and admiring the stock of flowers in a local stall.

If I were to compare this with “Love Like the Galaxy” which had won me over in a similar manner, both threw a plot of giving up on romance to fulfill an act of revenge with such engaging narratives that equally kept viewers invested. The fuss about this drama on its pre-airing soared high expectations. And yes, it was not a hype exaggeration by all accounts with the amount of appreciation it has been getting.

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Beautiful and emotional journey

This was one of my most awaited drama, I couldn’t wait to see this pairing again.

What I liked :
- Cinematography
- acting was great, both leads were phenomenal, but also side characters did good
- music
- actions scenes. exemple ep 18 was heartbreaking, but very well done.
- costumes, hairstyles, makeup
- friendship
1) ML and Kang Ju : I absolutely love Kang Ju, one of my fav character. their bond was very strong. They went through so much together and have been together for years, I love this duo. Poor Kang Ju couldn’t save him…. His reaction to ML poison and wanted to save him broke my heart
2) the girl’s friendship at clear mind
3) not sure how I feel about FL and Cui friendship, feel like I didn’t really feel it after everything that happened and it happened pretty late in the story. At some point I was like, a thing to bound about, both lost their men….
4) the trio : FL, ML and SML. it was fun to watched them and the development between ML and SML. how they eventually became friends, their bickering and how they helped each other
5) we cannot forget the the late ones from the convoy. I loved their friendship and their moments together. Their deaths marked a tournament in the story and it was pretty sad.
- The love triangle was so well done and it’s how it should be : very minimal and rejected relatively early. he accepted it, no obsession or annoyances to get in the way or to get her. He was a friend to both FL and ML, helped them alone the way. His present created some funny jaelousy moments. He was a bit annoying at first, but he came to understand their situation and was they went through, their way of thinking. I don’t even think this should be called a love triangle. this is a very good/positive point for me, I’m tired of obsess/delulu/crazy/annoying SML
- the pace of the plot was pretty good and the story in general was interesting and well written
- the first half was more interesting to me, but I like seeing FL’s journey, I know the drama is about her.
- the story was different. It contained hard scenes to watch and emotional scenes that kept us attentive
- I actually did not dislike second couple, in the end I came to like them and they had chemistry. They liked each other for real and it was too late. I cried a bit when he died, the acting was good and I felt it. It was heartbreaking to me, how he wanted to protect her and everything. I had to look away when he was impaled and when through it because he had to save her. And after that how she didn’t to leave him, I would have wanted her to respond to him when he asked if she loved him for real. I felt so bad for her after that. when she was in her room and like saying she finally got the shop, but she’s alone, she just wants her family back. both had trash family that were using and treating them bad, they deserved better and also I would say a happy ending. in the end, they just wanted to escape and be together
- to finish this, let’s about the leads : strong, intelligent, beautiful, capable, kind, we can go on and on. both suffered so much and were perfect for each other. they understood each other suffering, they went through similar things. very mature and heartwarming relationship. their chemistry was very strong. such good moments and romantic scenes we got, even if romance was not the main focus, even if I wished it was. Seeing their relationship progress was beautiful, seeing them slowly falling in love. they loved each other so much, my heart broke for them, they so much deserved a happy ending, they deserved better. I cried a lot during ep 40


So now :
- personally, the misunderstanding lasted too long.
- got somehow less interesting with the business part a little, but still enjoyable. Every 40 eps drama have some boring moments in my opinion, so I’m not deducing my rating because of this, I didn’t for other dramas.
- I wasn’t satisfied with the revenge/ clearing the family name at all. Actually there was no revenge, we saw almost nothing and it was all cleared by the law, which is not satisfying to me
- didn’t like the ending. A sad ending is already bad to me (but can be well done I guess sometimes, but didn’t like it here). but an ending that doesn’t feel complete, like we didn’t got closure, is worst to me. didn’t like his choice and how it was left to him leaving and dying off screen. Even the last scene and the thing about business, didn’t care much to be honest even if the drama is about FL’s journey. I’m not satisfied with the ending, it’s feels a bit like I wasted time when the ending is not satisfying. I don’t know why the writers do this ? (it was the same in KMLM). the characters have suffered for years and everything, but they don’t even get an happy ending? If they absolutely wanted him to die, I think maybe it could have been written otherwise. like it was also misleading some people saying that in interviews she said or hinted (I don’t remember) that it’s happy ending. I remember reading about this in the comments at some point. I shouldn’t have paid attention to that ahaha my mistake
I’m saying nonsense here ahaha (I just finished, I cried, I’m tired), but both FL and SFL lost their men, like what is it, to bloom and be successful she should be alone with no men. Anyway, now I don’t even wanna watch the next dramas of Liu Yu Jing that are in my watch list…. And one of them I have been waiting for so long. The novel has a happy ending, but I have trust issues now with Cdramas, they actually change HE in SE sometimes and many writers don’t know how to write good endings. actually just like Allen Ren, they have so many sad ending dramas, that I don’t even wanna watch anymore.

Hopefully next year, we get more happy and satisfying ending. don’t know how to rate, I can’t give 10/10 because I’m not satisfied with the ending/last ep. I would say between 9-9,5 should be my rating. I would absolutely recommend, but be prepared for the heartbreak at the end.

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Great first half but loses its steam (and my attention) in the second half.

1st half - 8.0
2nd half - 7.0

I already lowered my expectations for “The Story of Pearl Girl”, yet I am still somewhat disappointed. This is a well-produced drama with beautiful costumes, decent sets and cinematography. I don’t think objectively this is a bad drama, but I lost my connection to the leads in the middle of the drama, and was unable to regain my attention in the second half.

“The Story of Pearl Girl” has an exciting start. The story of our female lead’s struggle to leave the pearl farm might not be realistic, but at least it’s interesting. Time spent on the ship and Duan Wu’s climb from the bottom of the crew to being a partner-in-crime are well-paced and exciting. The first half is able to balance Duan Wu’s story and Yan Zi Jing’s revenge plot pretty well.

Although the chemistry between the leads is not sizzling, at least they have some interesting and fun scenes together in the first half. I also enjoy the friendships of the crew members and especially Duan Wu’s tight bond with young Xia Mi/Little Shrimp. The first half has a good balance of angst, suffering, adventure, and humor. There isn’t anyone too irritating in the drama and the leads are all quite smart.

Unfortunately, the heartbreaking mid-drama episodes came much earlier than expected. After that, everything goes downhill. The leads are separated for way too many episodes when they’re off to their own adventures. The little chemistry that they had, disappeared in the second half, and was never recovered. Well, at least I never felt their chemistry anymore. During this time, the focus shifted to Duan Wu’s business plot. The male lead becomes a wallflower or an unimportant supporting character. The drama loses the balance of revenge excitement and business shenanigans. Eventually, it also loses my attention all the way until the end. The downfall of the villains in the last couple episodes is very anti-climatic. I expected more, when revenge is such a big focus in this drama. The last episode should elicit a lot more emotions from me because of the lead couple, but I think I felt more for the secondary couple, Cui Shi Jiu and Zheng Zhi Heng.

The general acting of the cast isn’t too bad. I don’t think this is Zhao Lu Si’s best role. I still like her more in “Love Like the Galaxy”. But she’s good enough. The same could not be said for Liu Yu Ning. He lacks screen presence and charisma as a male lead. His acting also seems to have regressed from when I last saw him in “Heroes” (2024) where he acted alongside two very strong male leads. He’s still not very good with romantic scenes, and seems to be best when he’s with his band of brothers/bromance, such as in “A Journey to Love” or “Heroes”. The second male lead, Tang Xiao Tian, is a more experienced actor and it shows. There’s a scene when they’re side by side digging through the soil, and you could see the difference in their acting when displaying the same emotions. Fortunately, the rest of the supporting cast deliver solid acting.

I am not sure if I would fully recommend “The Story of Pearl Girl” to everyone. My criticisms are very personal due to me never recovering the interest after it’s lost in the middle of the drama. Normally, I would have rated a similar drama an 8.0. But if you are a fan of Zhao Lu Si, it’s worth checking it out. Her acting is still solid and she looks beautiful with different hair/makeup and costumes.




Completed: 12/19/2024 - Review #528

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