In Blossom

Such a great hidden identity plot, very underrated

Writing my first review even though I've watched many historical C-dramas just because this one is so underrated to me.

First I'll say that I especially like hidden identity dramas so if you like dramatic irony this show is for you.

The first couple of episodes where the identity change happens is a little jarring especially since you'll have to remind yourself that they actually only swapped faces and not bodies. (But of course in real life the whole body had to come with the actress)

What I loved best was the pacing and storytelling of the drama. The pacing was steady with each case after another without anything being too rushed or getting too boring for being slow. Each individual case also leads into the overarching case without them going off and needing to do any random cases. Everything is also done in a way that ties it back to points that are mentioned before. Like at the beginning they talk about the 4 great houses in Heyang and then we have interactions with all four of them.

Another very nice thing about this drama is that it doesn't have a lot of tropes that I'm tired of watching for a lot of historical C-dramas. There was a bit of love triangles but the people not in the end couple are not bad people and doesn't become evil like a lot of other dramas. There's also no "face is behind a mask- can't recognize person". It also does not have endless suffering of one character or any stupid miscommunications aside from the hidden identity. And even that is revealed in steps that make sense.

The characters' actions are relatively logical and makes sense based on their background and goals. (There are some small cases where the main female lead has more ability than she should in certain aspects but I can overlook those) Some reviews say that the ML and FL chemistry wasn't the best and I agree but I'm not watching this to watch a romantic comedy or a short steamy C-drama. For a crime-mystery drama, I liked how there was less focus there.

I picked this up originally due to the plot and also Liu Xue Yi who does a great job. (Saw him initially as Wuxin in Blood of Youth where he was also amazing despite acting as a 17 yr-old) Ju Jing Yi is not as good but okay enough and also very pretty. (I feel like other people rank her lower because there wasn't any super emotional scenes and she did not display a wide range of expressions)

Of the mystery crime solving historical C-dramas, I've only watched the Mysterious Lotus Casebook (MLC) and I think this is as good as that. Both has very mysterious small magical/paranormal events. Acting may be better in MLC but this definitely has less angst and better conclusion in my opinion.

Highly recommend if you like hidden identity, mystery and less tropes!

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A Tale of Love, Identity, and Intrigue

The story follows a unique premise centered around the female lead, who has a scar on her face. On her wedding day, a beautiful but obsessive woman swaps faces with her in an attempt to marry the male lead, the female lead's husband. However, the imposter meets her demise on the same day. Now with a new face and body, the female lead embarks on a mission to uncover the mystery behind her own "death" in a morally corrupt city. She works alongside her husband, who remains unaware of her true identity.

One notable aspect of the drama is its unconventional structure. The first two episodes focus entirely on the guest actress playing the original version of the female lead (the scar-faced character). This approach is a clever way to establish the emotional connection and backstory between the main leads, giving depth to their love story. However, this choice also has its drawbacks. When the main actress takes over in episode three, it feels slightly jarring, and it takes some time for viewers to adjust to the new portrayal of the character.

The standout element for me is the exceptional writing of the male lead. He genuinely makes us believe in his deep connection with the female lead, showing that his love is rooted in her personality rather than her physical appearance. His unwavering devotion is beautifully portrayed, and their romance unfolds in a steady, realistic manner. It’s more of a mature, well-developed bond than a rushed love story, which adds authenticity to their relationship.

Another highlight of the drama is its captivating murder investigation subplots. These cases are intricately designed, raw, and compelling, with just the right amount of suspense and unexpected twists to keep viewers hooked. Importantly, they never feel like filler content; instead, they tie seamlessly into the central storyline. As someone who rarely watches investigation dramas, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed these elements. They added depth to the narrative without overshadowing the main conflict.

Favorite Character:

My favourite character is Yang Cai Wei/Shangguan Zhi (the female lead) is portrayed as a strong, intelligent, and brave woman with a unique talent for forensic investigation. Ju Jing Yi, the main actress, delivers a fantastic performance. Her ability to convincingly portray the face swap was truly impressive, and her performance added depth to the character's journey.

Overall, this drama was an exceptional watch for me, and I would rate it a solid 10/10.

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A (perhaps) unpopular take on the 2nd m/f lead relationship…

A lot’s been written about the plot and the leads that I agree with, and I wasn’t going to write a review but look, I finished this show last night. I am now working and out of nowhere, tears sprang to my eyes because one scene in particular popped into my head: 2FL drops her head back, fighting back tears, after she opens 2ML’s fist to find a piece of candy.

Sorry, guys, but the relationship between 2FL and 2ML may not be the storybook prettiest, but it is definitely the most REAL. It happens like that, sometimes the guy ends up with the backup girl, sometimes they find comfort in each other, and sometimes that winds up being the best thing for both of them. Sometimes it ends badly.

In the end, I can honestly say that their story, even over the main leads’, is what moved me. As much for its realness as for it being cut short before either of them had an opportunity to figure it all out together.

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Awesome story but filmed weirdly

I believe it's awesome and has enough angst to satisfy me but it's filmed weirdly because it's somehow not made with all scenes to be explained properly...while a play with swapping faces and stealing FL's identity is to many people done like they couldn't have done it better? To me it's not that big of a deal plus I rather accept it as it was played out even if how could they have done the face so very identical to a FL and guest FL in a short time lol but the weirdest thing to me is a battle in a funeral or memorial hall with Pan Yue when they stabbed his belly and he fell like he died and after it he just went on the boat standing and sailor sailed him that scene is confusing to me...I noticed that this faint abd stab aren't the only plot holes but there are more if them and I don't understand why but the story us good a d their acting is entertaining but still it's a drama with quite a number of plot holes but it could be better if it was made with all the understanding and properly presented events but it is like rather average

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really over makeup ,jujingyi said she willing to makeup ugly for this drama, but.. just once and look very fake .. the rest just pale , for other cast very regular wounds!

not very bad but still not that best ,lacking of profesional ,very mind


1. what happen with yang cai wei and shangguan zhi?the witch trick? not seeing
2.there's no point for them to killing Cai Wei, basically even though she's dead, there still have people looking for yang family cases, and even more provoked, Likewise with Zhuo Lan Jiang, in vain
3.It only explains how to kill Cai Wei, but not how to making her fall down ,not the guess ,the real one
4. To be honest, Mastermind doesn't look as powerful as Silver Rain Sect
5.How did Panyue know that the door lock in gambling place is fishtail shaped? thats a secret
6. the last one, panyue's father was shocked, i was shocked too..., was that done on purpose? for what??
This drama can be said to be completely finished, but deliberately made it unfinished by stating that there is still have Mastermind No. 1

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I watched this drama with my 84 year old grandmother, and she LOVED it. So, thank you, IN BLOSSOM, for getting my grandma hooked on C-Dramas. I am forever in your debt!

This drama is sadly underrated. It was not super popular, or so I'm told, in China. I cannot claim to know why, but maybe that is because of the other shows airing at the time... or perhaps, the audience was looking for something more fast paced? Whatever the reason, it deserved more love.

General Plot:
On the eve of her wedding to her childhood friend, Yang Caiwei is abducted by Shangguan Zhi-- a cruel woman who craves her betrothed, Pan Yue. After being forced to swap bodies, Caiwei escapes only to discover Shangguan Zhi has been murdered. Killed, it would seem, in her stead. Armed with nothing but a stranger's face and her skills as a coroner, Caiwei embarks on a journey to unearth a conspiracy that goes back twenty years... to the murder of her parents. Pan Yue is also on the case, but could he be her killer?

Liu Xue Yi, who plays Pan Yue (male lead), took what might have been a simple character and turned him into a brilliant one. I must admit to being more attached to him than the female lead I was supposed to be rooting for! His expressions, nuances, and subtle gestures portrayed a very private individual's inner turmoil expertly. His emotions--even when the character was hiding them from other characters--were evident to the audience. His heartbreak and grief was palpable. He was confused over the change is "Shangguan Zhi" and loathed himself having feelings for her. Was that not a betrayal to the woman he loved?

Some people say Pan Yue should have caught on sooner, but in the character's defense, there is no magic in this world. Any supernatural instances are disproven with science and practicality. If someone I knew showed up and started acting like someone else, would I assume a body-swap? Not likely. Not ever, to be honest.

The female lead was alright. She wasn't my favorite, but she grew on me. I enjoyed the story enough to ignore a little inconsistency in the character when the actresses switched. Ju Jing Ye reminds me of a 'type actress'. She often plays herself--which is fine because she seems to be genuinely nice person. Her character was very resourceful and clever, and she had the perfect eyes for the part. Red rimmed and pleading... but that might have also been allergies. There were times I really wanted to get her eye drops.

Overall, I truly enjoyed the story. Why not a higher score? Primarily, it was the disappointing ending for some of the secondary characters. One in particular was very heart wrenching, and while his 'fate' was tied into the plot, it could have been done differently. What can I say? I am a sucker for happily ever after.

If you are a fan of Liu Xue Yi, this is a much watch.

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Hmmmm FL make up???

Watched this for Liu XueYi but JJY just ruined it a little for me tbh. Finally after slowly watching, stopping and re-watching - I'm officially abandoning this one year later LOL

The story is very interesting and everything/everyone did very well, I just cannot look past the make up of the FL. I used to like JJY in Legend of Yunxi and the Ruyi Pavillion, she's not amazing at acting but not too bad. She looks so different here, yes pretty but what genre is she in ? Because it's definitely not the same time period as the rest of the cast.

Also the earlier Yang Cai Wei (Zheng He Hui Zi) was too good, JJY just could not live up to that unfortunately.

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Right mixture between drama and relationships.

It was a while since I last watched a historical drama, and I was unsure of the quality of this one. Before diving in, I read a few reviews that gave me a bit of hope, and damn, it started off really well. Usually, any series that manages to hook me does so with an intriguing introduction, typically in episodes 1–2, and this drama absolutely nailed that.

Unfortunately, I didn’t fully read the synopsis beforehand, so I got really confused when the characters suddenly switched identities. I had already grown attached to the original actress playing the female protagonist in the first few episodes, which made me hesitant, I actually protested a bit internally, thinking I’d much prefer the old actress over the new one.

But as I continued watching, I slowly became attached to Zhi. Her dynamics with the male lead gave me a lot of mixed feelings. I’m honestly such a sucker for K-dramas where the female lead is a supposed villainess — hated by the male lead at first, only for him to fall deeply for her. I was kind of wishing for that angle here. I guess it was just the face-swapping twist and my own expectations talking. Don’t get me wrong, I really did love Yang Caiwei with Pan Yue, and the whole identity switch was at the heart of the drama. That contrast— between appearance and soul— was truly the beauty of it all.

I initially watched this for Liu Xueyi because I adored him in Kill Me, Love Me, and who knew I’d end up staying for Ju Jingyi? Her character development was great, shifting from a seemingly wicked woman to someone genuinely sincere. I also liked the second couple a lot. I was really rooting for them to end up together, and while they sort of did, that ending still stings (I hated how it wrapped up for them!).

The story had just the right blend of emotion and intensity. While the actors still have room for growth, they carried the story well and gave heartfelt performances.

Season two or not, I truly hope this drama gets the recognition it deserves. It was a captivating ride with twists, growth, and a lot of heart, and I’m glad I gave it a chance.

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Worth the watch??

The first 3 episodes will get you interested; and the last 3 episodes will keep you on the edge of your seat!!

Don’t try to make sense of the body/ face swap thing- it was just that interesting for me. Every few episodes will have a plot twist, so it keeps the momentum going.

ML is hot:) his character is loyal and steady- he’s got brains and can fight. FL is caring but also independent and strong. Both compliment each other very well. Supporting characters are also intriguing and not at all boring. The main plot and storyline is solving crimes and sourcing who is the mastermind behind the conspiracy and unrest in the government. The romance is another main plot, and yes, someone dies:( I guessed it already somewhere halfway in the middle. But it is generally a happy ending.

A definite recommended watch. Enjoy:)

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Meh

This started out intriguingly and had my attention for a good while, but after episode 25 I was so done with the show. It was too long in my opinion, and the last episodes had too much filler content that made it boring. I am also disappointed how we didn’t see more of YCW’s autopsy skills as it was barely relevant. The romance was underwhelming to me because the chemistry between the leads was only so-so. To me, the male lead created better tension with the female lead than the other way round. Also, what … was that ending? What was the reason for the last 2 minutes?? 🧐🤚🏻 Could have lived without that. The settings were very pretty as were the costumes! I also liked the music a lot – specifically the instrumentals! The actuals songs were okay, but not outstanding or memorable to me. I feel like the show was overall a whole of … bland after a while because they just dragged out the ending, and I found the revelation of the bad guy kind of random because we literally meet him so late in the show🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

Opinions on the acting. While I agree that JJY’s acting/interpretation of YCW is different than the other actress’, I find it a bit harsh to only criticize her. She is not solely responsible for the characterization and development of said character. That is actually the writer’s as well as the director’s job to lead her along the way. Of course, as an actress, she could do a better job (and I only say that because other actresses voice their opinions on how to interpret the character, an example would be Zhao Lu Si, I don’t know how involved JJY really is), but in my opinion, YCW as SGZ is just written differently than the YCW we were introduced with. Sometimes, her actions and behavior don’t align with the character we met in the first two episodes, but again, JJY didn't write the script, so I don’t really understand why she gets flamed so much🧐

It was okay, but it is not a must watch – to ME. 🧚🏻‍♀️🌺

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“When Love Wears Another Face”

From the very first moment, In Blossom (花间令) pulls you into a world where beauty and death coexist — a delicate bloom growing from the shadows. 🌸🕯️ It’s a historical mystery wrapped in layers of identity, revenge, and love. Set in the intricate city of Heyang, the story blends the tenderness of romance with the sharp edge of suspense. What begins as a reunion of lovers soon turns into a haunting tale of betrayal, secrets, and rebirth.

In Heyang City, Yang Caiwei, a talented coroner ⚖️🩸, reunites with her childhood sweetheart and fiancé Pan Yue after ten years apart 💕. But their long-awaited wedding turns into tragedy when Shangguan Zhi, the jealous sister of Pan Yue’s best friend 😈, kidnaps Yang Caiwei and steals her face to take her place as the bride 👰🏻‍♀️🎭. Soon after the wedding, the fake bride is found murdered, and the main suspect is Pan Yue himself 🕯️⚔️.

Awakening with Shangguan Zhi’s face, Yang Caiwei hides her true identity and vows to uncover the truth — determined to expose Pan Yue’s secrets and reveal what really lies behind love and betrayal 🌹🔥.

What immediately drew me into In Blossom was its visuals and atmosphere 🌸. The drama is breathtaking to look at — from the elegant costumes to the soft, candlelit sets that perfectly capture the feeling of mystery and melancholy. ✨ The camera often lingers on Yang Caiwei’s scarred face, contrasting her quiet pain against the grandeur of Heyang’s courtly world. That subtle visual storytelling truly amplified the emotional stakes and made the entire setting feel alive. 🎬

I also found the premise refreshingly clever 💡. A coroner heroine, a stolen face, and a murder mystery woven into palace intrigue — it instantly stands out from the usual Xianxia or fluffy romance dramas. The story had me constantly questioning: Who really did it? What is Pan Yue’s true role? That slow unraveling of truth kept me hooked. 🔍💔

Another thing I loved was Yang Caiwei herself. She’s not a passive or fragile heroine waiting to be rescued 💪. Instead, she’s intelligent, skilled, and capable of standing her ground — her profession as a coroner gives her strength and individuality. I admired how she faced death with calm determination. Pan Yue, too, isn’t the typical brooding hero; his quiet sense of justice and devotion make him deeply compelling. ❤️‍🔥 Together, they balance each other beautifully.

What made the drama even more appealing was the absence of toxic love triangles or exaggerated misunderstandings 🙏. The romance blooms naturally in the backdrop of the mystery — slow, steady, and mature. It feels grounded rather than forced, allowing viewers to connect with the characters emotionally without unnecessary drama. 🌹

However, not everything worked perfectly 😕. At times, the chemistry between the leads felt slightly lacking. The first actress portraying Yang Caiwei in the early episodes left a strong impression, so when the switch happened, I felt a bit of emotional disconnect 🎭. Though both actors performed well, the transition briefly disturbed the immersion.

The pacing also wavered midway ⚖️. Certain episodes dragged with case-of-the-week plots that slowed down the main mystery. As one viewer on Reddit aptly put it, “The writing… it’s not the most solid when it comes to the mystery aspect.” 🔎 The buildup was intriguing, but the final payoff didn’t hit with the intensity I hoped for.

On the romance side, I sometimes wished for more personal, quiet moments just between Yang Caiwei and Pan Yue 💞 — moments untouched by political plots or investigations. Their connection is heartfelt, but it occasionally feels overshadowed by the heavier revenge and mystery themes.

Lastly, some supporting characters could have been more developed 🎭. Shangguan Zhi, for instance, had the potential to be a complex and tragic rival, but her character was reduced mostly to obsession. I wanted to understand her pain and choices more deeply — it would’ve made the story richer and the emotional stakes higher.

In Blossom is a blend of sorrow, suspense, and beauty — not perfect, but deeply touching in its quiet way. It’s not a fluffy romance full of laughter and kisses; it’s a mature story about love, truth, and redemption. 🕊️

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