Against the Current

Xu Lan Xiang Lack of Emotion and Character Development

The drama is good untill episode 39. The fl lack of emotion. She just play along and not in love with ml. The male lead feeling alone. The presenting the main as women solidly abolish ml character.

Fl character is dull and doesn’t have character development. Such a waste. Towards the end the plot becomes disaster.

The others women has a character development but the fl always wasting the opportunity to become part of memorable scene.

The funny is, this drama is female centric but the development character solidly from the male lead. He win my heart with a character that. And he steal teh limelight that should be given to fl as it female centric.

The plot and script ruin it towards the end of the story

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Are you all for real?

I just don’t understand how people can rate this a 10 (were these paid off or AI?!!). A 7/10 is the highest and that is ONLY due to the acting.The acting was amazing. But the rest? No. The editing and story telling were awful. People all over My Drama List giving it a 10. Are you serious? The entire last half of the show is nothing but an information dump and all kinds of fillers that do nothing to add to the story. So many I think are blind or paid for these reviews becauseSpring of the Blade got very low scores but the script and story telling did the same thing and it was accounted for it in the reviews but not ATC. At least with Spring of the Blade you get some mystery all the way to end not just info dump and info dump. I love my girl Tan and will support her in just about anything but the hype of Against the Curren is blown way out of proportion. As long as viewer rate unrealistically we are going to be stuck with terrible story writing all the time. The entire last half of the show was a waste of time. The acting was the ONLY reason I stayed. The story was boring and not well written. Someone told me I lost sight of the plot. *I* did not, there was no plot in the last half. There was no story the entire last 10 episodes

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Great Cast, Poor Execution

I was genuinely curious about this drama's widespread popularity, especially since I enjoy the work of both lead actors. The series initially showed immense promise, capturing my attention with a strong opening. However, as the narrative progressed, it unfortunately devolved into a sluggish, repetitive, and ultimately implausible viewing experience.
The character development proved particularly grating. The female lead, rather than remaining sympathetic, gradually morphs into an ungrateful and abrasive figure as she pursues her objectives. Starting out as a lowly servant, she inexplicably displays the audacity to physically strike a nobleman—a glaring historical inaccuracy that completely shatters the realism of the period setting.
Simultaneously, the male lead suffers a severe regression. The formidable, privileged lord introduced in the early episodes is quickly reduced to a lovesick follower, stripping away any genuine agency or heroic presence he once possessed.
It is a true shame to witness such a squandered opportunity. Despite the strong casting and a compelling premise, the weak scriptwriting and poor pacing ultimately derailed the entire production.

Oct 6th, 2026
Am I the only one who thought this was just...OK?......... I originally dropped it at eps 28......went back and watched the drama because of all the rave reviews, but it still didn’t really blow me away. It's a watchable, middle-of-the-road experience, but definitely overhyped.

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disappointed?

Started brilliant, ended as something else entirely (spoilers)

This started out so well. Episode 1 had me crying, and I was hooked.

Then around episode 37 or 38, things went downhill.

For the first stretch, you could see the FL grow and build her confidence. That development is the reason I loved those episodes. Yes, they overdid it with her being the person who solves every problem (she’s the wisest person in the room, and she’ll find a way to get you a divorce), but it was still somewhat enjoyable.

Then the tone changed completely. Do you remember those old-school “she-tragedy” dramas, where a woman suffers across the years of her life? She marries, does her duty, smiles, and isn’t happy, and there’s an air of quiet despair over everything. Toward the end, this drama felt just like those. The FL still solves every problem, but it didn’t lift the mood. Instead, it got more morose, with someone dying every other episode. That shift made everything before it feel like a lie. If I’d known this was what I was signing up for, I would have stopped at episode 37, and I definitely wouldn’t have recommended it.

There’s no romance. You never see one develop. The wedding scene was wild, so I expected a redemption arc. I wanted to watch him go from hated, to indifferent, to considerate, to loved. We never got that. Instead, there’s a time skip, and they consummate after 6 years (?). The time skips feel lazy. Another skip and the daughter is suddenly 16. Shrug. Another skip, and then he’s killed off. Really? So much wasted potential.

The hidden identity was wasted. Her identity is the core of the story. It’s why she suffered, why her whole world ended, and why her rebirth was so impactful. I expected a real conversation about it, and it was glossed over. The reveal made all of that weight feel watered down. The deposed crown prince reveal was decent, though I expected more discussion of his role in it.

I hate it when a drama promises one thing and delivers another.

Lame.

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Came for Tan Song Yun. Stayed for Liu Xue Yi

Supporting my girl Song Yun, and ended up finding a gem of a drama!! I am so blown away by the pacing, cinematography and the story. It is so good! I saw its doing very well in China, and read that a lot of men were also chasing this drama. Lol. Count me in as well. I can't believe I would become so addicted to a female centric drama. I also love the fighting scenes and the history lessons that was thrown in here. But what I love most besides Tan Son Yun, is the ML Liu Xue Yi. He is such a great actor. Finally, a Chinese actor that looks so masculine as the ML. His portrayal of Lin Jinqi was phenomenal ! I could go on and on how maazing his acting is, and from what I've seen, all the drama fans in China totally agreed! think he's the best costar I've seen paired with Song Yun, besides Allen Ren.

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What a drama.

Liu Xueyi, the actor that you are. What a journey, and what an incredible performance you gave us. You will forever be my favorite actor, and I’m so happy that you were given not only such an amazing script, but also the opportunity to share the screen with a phenomenal actress like Tan Songyun. You poured so much depth and emotion into Lin Jinqi, and I truly hope this role brings you every award and all the recognition you deserve. Against the Current will forever hold a special place in my heart, and I know I’ll be carrying Xu Lanxiang and Lin Jinqi with me for a very long time. 🩷

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Against the Current represents a Remarkable Series

This series has been outstanding from start to finish. I am glad I chose to watch this c-drama series, as it has offered profound insights into both sorrow and joy, along with valuable lessons about the importance of authenticity. Episode 47 particularly resonated with me because of its powerful portrayal of the protagonist's emotions following her husband's death. I was also deeply moved by the representation of the supportive individuals who accompanied her throughout this journey in this series, all of whom are no longer present by the end of the story. Episode 47 served as a beautiful resolution, and the performances of everyone involved in this series showcased an impressive level of talent that deserves recognition and praise. Rewatch!

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How do we measure the meaning of life?

That's really the question at the heart of this drama. Is your integrity worth your life? Or is survival the only goal, regardless of whether you had to abandon your values just to stay alive?

After 47 episodes, you realize that the Lins weren't villains, and the Shens weren't saints. Both were honorable people placed in a situation where no one could win. Grandfather Lin chose to keep his descendants safe; Grandfather Shen chose to die for what he believed in. It's easy to criticize from the outside, and there are valid criticisms of both sides. But the irrefutable truth is that the only villain is power, which is never supposed to be ultimate, and never supposed to rest in one man's hands.

The drama asks us to reckon with this question, and it comes full circle with Han Liang's death: Jinqi's foil.

Han Liang is a perfect mirror of the Shen family: willing to die for what he believes in, putting integrity above all. And if I may revive a tired debate for a moment, this makes me so glad that Lanxiang didn't end up with him. She wanted to live. She didn't care about defiance (at least not openly). Being thrust into sudden widowhood would have been a traumatic re-injury, and I'm grateful our protagonist was spared that fate.

Instead, she got a husband who understood her. He came to see that life is more complex than the battlefield; that submission is not weakness but often survival. That life is worth living for its own sake. And perhaps no one else could have given her this; after all, we see even his closest friend, the Marquis, doesn't understand why Jinqi would sacrifice his career to come back home and live a quiet life. Jinqi, despite his flaws, became the only person, other than her parents, who she fully trusted that she was safe with.

At the end, I have nothing but praise for every single person in the cast & crew. This is a story that sits with you, that challenges your assumptions and reminds you that there's two sides to every story ... and often even more than just two! A lot of us came into this just expecting the typical idol drama romance, and we ended up witnessing what will undoubtedly go down as one of the most memorable dramas of this era.

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Alas, it went with the current

Against The Current? It did seem like that was the direction in which this drama was flowing. At least initially. Most Cdramas set in imperial China take the POV of someone from either nobility or scholarly classes. It’s therefore rare – and refreshing – to see a drama like Against The Current (ATC) take the POV of an indentured servant. Though this POV comes with major caveats, which I’ll discuss later.

The first part of the drama is a brutal tale of servants surviving at the hands of masters in a society that sees their lives as practically worthless.

The second part of the drama is a self-deluded escapist romance that seems to have nothing to do with the first half of the show.

It’s the latter where I have two big bones to pick. One is its depiction of class politics, the other is the so-called romance.

A PROMISING START

Our FL is actually born into a well-off family who perish as a consequence of court politics. This seems particularly cruel for the women who have no control over the affairs of men and yet must suffer their fates with them.

But our FL escapes death thanks to a husband and wife: indentured servants who were gracious receivers of a charitable act from the FL and her mother. This couple ultimately adopts the FL and thus the protagonist of ATC becomes an indentured servant herself.

As I’ve discussed in other reviews, servant characters are often depicted only in relation to their masters (who are normally the main characters). ‘Good’ servants are those who are loyal and willing to die for their master. ‘Bad’ servants are ones who dream of a life beyond servitude and who dare reach for that ambition. These latter characters are normally carted away to meet their death out of frame.

ATC initially seems to flip this usual approach on its head. FL, Xu Lanxiang, is now surviving a world where her life, and the lives of her adopted parents, are at the whims of indifferent masters: the Lin family. The drama pulls you in with the warmth and sincerity of the Xu family, and Lanxiang’s fellow servants who, each with their own grit and tenacity, ultimately band together to endure the power dynamics of the Lin household.

This part of the drama is beautifully written. In other dramas, indentured servants are normally cardboard cut-out tropes. In ATC, they appear as fully-fleshed characters. The best scenes of the whole series come from touching moments Xu Lanxiang has with her parents and her servant friends. These all the more emotional because it’s clear that – for these people at the bottom of the ladder – these moments are rare and deeply cherished.

Almost all of this beautiful writing evaporates after episode 27.

BONE ONE: CLASS POLITICS

My biggest frustration with ATC was the creators’ refusal to pick a lane and stick to it. Before and after episode 27 feels like two different dramas stuck together with PVA glue that hasn’t even dried yet.

After putting all this effort into portraying the rich, complex and deeply fraught lives of these characters at the bottom of the ladder, the drama does a “bait and switch”, as one other reviewer puts it.* The plot essentially rips aways the FL from her adopted parents and replaces the viewpoints of Lanxiang’s servant friends with those of the Lin women. I’d already been a bit annoyed when the first half of the drama had started following the POVs of noble Lin family members, and was really peeved off when these POVs formed the main storyline in the second half. Ultimately, Lanxiang herself seems to align her own ambitions, interests, and concerns with the wealthy Lin women more than her servant friends. As anhsm points out in their review,** much of what constitutes Lanxiang’s skills and interests apparently stems from her time in the Shen family, stunting her character development. This does explain the affinity to the Lin women, but significantly undermines the great premise of this show.

It’s a huge shame really because we do get glimpses into stories from the bottom that could have dominated the second half of ATC – but didn’t. For example, Ji’er’s story of surviving the brothel and then having her parents take her money and run away is a plotline I would have loved to have followed all the way through. Not only does she have a unique connection to Lanxiang because they grew up together, but she’s also a strong character on her own. Yet, the brothel chapter is barely given an episode, and the incident with her parents is summed up in a few sentences by her maid.

The same goes for characters and scenes outside of the domestic sphere. Sadly, ATC follows other dramas of its genre and the military plot points are told from the Lin perspective i.e. top-down. However, again, we’re afforded a glimpse into a could-be storyline with Garrison Supervisor Li and his men. They are lowly soldiers caught in the middle of a power clash between Prince Han and the Emperor. To survive, they really have no choice but to follow the whim of whoever metaphorically points a sword at their throat. They only get a few lines before they are whisked away, out of sight and out of mind. So too are the soldiers who are captured in a brief yet poignant moment as they wash blood off the palace stairs. They too are like the servants of the Lin household, having to clean up after the violence of their masters.

I was surprised to see that there’d been much discussion on the power dynamics around the ML being a divorcé*** when I felt like the far weightier power dynamics hinged on the class differences outlined above. For whatever reason, the class struggle is not the lane the creators of ATC chose for its latter half.

BONE TWO: SO-CALLED ROMANCE

The ‘scheme to get the bride’ plot point is one we’ve seen before in dramas. One example that comes to mind is the Story of Minglan (2018) where the ML crafts his way to the FL step by step. The FL is initially pissed off at his actions – no one likes being manipulated after all – but later on the FL interprets these actions as flattery and, to a certain degree, sincerity. However, there’s a couple of key differences between the MLs of these two shows. First, in SoM, the ML already has an amicable relationship with the FL, and he’s also saved her multiple times. Second, the ML understands the struggles of the FL and is willing to support her to achieve her goals. Third, he respects the people she respects. None of these apply to Lin Jin Qi in ATC.

Instead, Jin Qi is more alike the Emperor in the Legend of Xiao Chuo (2020) who schemes his way into marriage with the FL. In LoXC, the Emperor fixates on the FL, primarily for political purposes, but also secondarily for his own romantic self-interest. He ends up brutally separating the FL from her romantic interest à la King David (kinda). She eventually resigns herself to her fate, and makes the most out of a bad lot so she can at least achieve her own political ambitions. I would argue that even the Emperor in LoXC is still less despicable than Jin Qi. At least the former can see that the FL has political goals that he can help her achieve, but latches onto this without any consent from the FL. Jin Qi doesn’t even try to understand Lanxiang and her desires. He ignores this AND refuses to seek consent.

Lanxiang sums up this situation well in episode 34, “You don’t even know what I think or want, yet you dared to marry me.” Nevertheless, this is set against a backdrop of romantic music and what I presume we’re meant to take as an emotionally tender moment between her and Jin Qi. It’s this juxtaposition that gets me riled up at the drama’s creators. Like what do you mean you’re trying to persuade us that any of this is romantic when all you’ve depicted is entrapment and oppression?

I transformed into the Golden Gate Bridge with the amount of disbelief I had to suspend about the so-called romance. The only way ATC could try convince us was by completely transforming Jin Qi so we’d forget about the coercion, entrapment, and indifference towards servants’ lives. His character goes from ruthless schemer to annoying simp. For Pete’s sake, do you really expect me to believe he cares so much about the Shen family – who he never even met - that he looks after their burial ground? I can see how the creators might’ve thought this scene was a nice way to tie the story back to the FL’s origins at the beginning of the drama. Meanwhile, all I could do was eye roll and scrub through it.

FFS PICK A LANE PLZZZZ

One monologue from Lanxiang in episode 30 gave me a glimmer of hope that, in the last minute, perhaps ATC could redeem itself. Then that hope disintegrated.

Lanxiang starts out by declaring that she doesn’t believe in subjects submitting to the emperor, or servants submitting to masters (yes, do go on!) or wives submitting to their husbands. However, its made pretty obvious by the end of this monologue that this is actually about her grudge against the imperial family for wiping out the Shen family and has nothing to do with any inclination to support class struggle from below.

By this stage in the series, I don’t have any time for the song Lanxiang is singing. It reeks of neo-liberal girlboss feminism. Women deserve to have the same rights as men! They too should be able to own private land and participate in the economy! They too should be able to be an offical or general! They too should be able to do all this and still order around indentured servants who are inherently coerced into labour and oh wait…yeah when you put it like that…rings a bit different hey. The girlboss narrative seems like fun until you realise that – a lot of the time – the boot on the neck of the indentured servant woman is simply replaced with a high heel (or the Ming dynasty equivalent).

As far as I see it, the creators had three options of where they could’ve taken this drama. One, something akin to The Story of Minglan, in which Lanxiang stays in the lane of a woman from a well-off family who has suffered injustices but eventually comes out on top via marriage. Two, something akin to The Imperial Doctress (2016) where, after episode 27, ATC goes into full tragedy territory and we watch Lanxiang’s gradual demise. Or, three, the ATC could’ve stuck to its premise and stepped outside the box, serving a fresh story that revolved around the ups and downs of indentured servants and ex-servants as they struggle for freedom despite higher-ups pulling the strings. And yet, this drama didn’t quite dare.

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*Review: https://kisskh.at/profile/AfricanAmericanLoveKdrama/review/611196
**Review: https://kisskh.at/profile/an.hs.n/review/609388
*** Sixth Tone article ‘Divorcés Starring in TV Romances? China’s Internet Isn’t So Sure’: https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1019121

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Enjoying this drama

I’m loving everything about Against the Current so far. I’m currently up to Episode 25, and one of the things I appreciate most is how easy the story is to follow without feeling like the drama is spoon-feeding us information. You actually have to pay attention to each scene and pick up on the little details.

For example, in Episode 25, that scene between Lanxiang and Mr. Lu was so well done. You could literally see the eureka moment in Mr. Lu’s eyes when Lanxiang told him that they were remembering the Shens. Nothing needed to be overexplained—the acting and the way the scene was written allowed you to understand exactly what was happening.

I also love the controlled interactions between the ML and FL in the earlier episodes. There was so much restraint between them that when they finally started speaking to each other more openly—or when the ML simply patted her shoulder—it felt like fireworks were going off everywhere. 😂 The drama really made those small moments feel significant because it took its time building up their relationship.

And what I especially love about the ML is how much he genuinely respects and admires the FL. It doesn't feel like his admiration is based on her beauty. He sees her capability, her kindness, her elegance, and her bravery. He recognizes who she is as a person, and that's what draws him to her.

That makes the title Against the Current feel even more meaningful. He isn't just falling for her—he's choosing to stand beside her, even when doing so means going against the current.

I’m only on Episode 25, so there’s still a lot left to see, but so far, I’m thoroughly invested. ❤️

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Mostly about Female Empowerment Romance feels forced/got buried

I am surprised that I like this drama. I didn't like the first 20 episodes but returned to watch them as they provide the backdrop for the story and high entertainment value due to the problem solving/mystery.

If you are looking for romance, it's choppy. I don't like how the writers intermittently insert side stories to the romance storyline between the leads. So their romance seems abrupt going from the FL's resentment to marriage to their marriage consummation. She always seem cold to me. There's less chemistry when the FL appears to be forced into the situation.

Ep 37 is when he showed her he has always been dedicated and feeling guilty about the old fiancee/and her family (her). FL is touched. I wish she would tell him her feelings and her background. He already revealed his true self to her. What's the problem ???

Ep 39 is when they consummated their marriage - out of nowhere - like a random act or final forced deal. FL admires ML but I feel that there's no romantic feelings.

Ep 42 another chance to commit and say it out loud about her identity, she didn't say it. He accepts her silence. Well I think between husband and wife, there shouldn't be any huge secret because you trust the other person.
Another jarring perspective is she never said she lives for him. When she listed all the things that she lives for:
her parents, her daughter, the changing of the seasons, the taste of simple food, and the quiet beauty of a morning breeze—

All the things that bring her joys! She never listed him!!! What does it mean? He's her benefactor, her responsibility, NOT her joys. Not the reason she would live for.

I think it's harsh and bringing feminist perspective to extreme! Either this or the female lead never loves the ML in the romantic way.
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The fact that the writer/director always add a time advancement (ie. 3 months, 6months, etc... had passed) show that the romance is based on time passages. The ML has to earn every single affection from her. Passion and love don't have to be earned. Long lasting love yes. But that initial spark is pure chemistry. I see it from ML but from FL: none.

After ML shows his dedication to the old fiancee, I wish there is some more interaction between the leads: like how he takes care of her or how they work together to become closer.

It's artificial how she wrote a Chinese opera to show him her meaning and her "difference" from him. Yeh, he's still old school believing in the king. But she's not. She's all about believing in being good will win the day. Sometimes, it's not like that IRL! Without him and his family's connection, she would not be in the position to decide what she wants. Yeh, you can see the other guy will give her status - yes, it's still him who studied and went to the king's service to earn the status. Writing operas alone will give her money, but not status!

But since this is a Female Empowerment drama, of course, she's always right. He's retire from the King's service as she wanted in eps 40. And he makes a declaration of his ultimate devotion her, listing how she contribution 50% to his success and saving his family.

Anyways, this story is mostly about ML groveling his way into her life. It's very typical of Chinese drama - begging for affection until the FL feels the sincerity. Is this what females need to see from males today?

I can see where this story is heading: FL will take care of the family, rise to the top of the family and caring for them through adversity - even though it's not her choice.
Anyways, already at almost the end so have to finish. The story feels choppy/disconnected towards the end.

This is an entertaining drama. But not the best I've seen. The balance is not there. Its focus is about female empowerment. Romance feels forced or got buried in the process of always highlighting the female lead's superiority. Female empowerment is also about women who dare to follow her heart in love as in career choices. Taking care of family is also empowerment. Staying at home to take care of kids or parents is also empowerment. Not knowing all the answers and learning things the hard way is also empowerment. Giving the FL flaws and dimensional characterization is empowerment. This story fails that. Glorifying the FL makes the story less dimensional.

In response to Avenuex, I wrote 2 comments. She has her points but main criticisms were off:
"You missed the point and main theme of this drama/story: good always wins against evil. As always, I find that you pursue your narrative - maybe you didn't watch the entire drama to know how analyze. Basically, the story is about how women should fight injustice inflicted on them. The first wife - yeh she was abused by the system- but she didn't do the righteous thing: she cheated on the Lin's family (not just adultery!): she abuses poor families to earn money. There's evil in her actions. She depended on the man - her cousin and lover- when she should have depended on herself by doing the right thing and asking for divorce. I agree it's a one dimensional portrayal of a woman - Chinese dramas are not praising her qualities. And I agree with the writer. Bad qualities attributed to women should not be praised. What the writer tries to say is Chinese buddhist principle: bad deeds get bad karma in the same life. Surely you don't expect Chinese government to approve of what she was doing?"

On her complain about the FL's quietly and conveniently accepting her life:
"Maybe you are losing your voice due to barking down the wrong tree! The theme of the story again, given the context of the setting, is for a woman to work with the system and creating a lasting happiness for herself and her family. Nothing wrong with her following her heart. The ML groveled and did everything he possibly could. What else does she want? Scoop up her parents to live an uncertain life? No power, no family wealth ... to be abused by any bad people???
You yourself wouldn't want that either. Feminism is about being smart and caring. Not going against the time.

You are living in a place that has more freedom than in China. You can say whatever you want. In China, there's no such thing. Maybe you should empathize with women more."



The music is from another show - sounds like Brocade?
I still like Love Like a Galaxy. I think the director is better. And story of female empowerment is more connected to her life as she matures. It feels more organic. She didn't know all the answers. She dares to love and hate. The ML doesn't need to grovel so hard to earn his lady's love.

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I feel like I'm forcing myself to watch this

The story started pretty good and intriguing, but it lost its pace right after, and suddenly there are several time skips in the late 30s episodes, with family members' random deaths, and the main couple's non-emotional consummation, who, for some reason, still have no chemistry with one another. The war scenes were rushed. The small household incidents felt more dramatic and had more screen time than the war in which the ML nearly died. The emperor lacks presence, and the political discussions have no depth either.

I really don't understand all these high reviews and ratings. There is nothing jaw-dropping about this drama. Every problem seems to be magically solved, while every character is dumb or useless other than Lanxiang. It's not that Lanxiang outsmarted everyone; it's just that everyone is dumb, clueless, and has no critical thinking. Tiny issues were made extraordinarily big, while the main events barely had any story development. Lanxiang's story writing and plays weren't as grand as they made them seem. There is literally no backbone in any of the Lin family members, who are supposedly the family of ministers and the military general (ML).

I really found myself forced to complete each episode until my patience ran out at episode 39. What do you mean by these two leads, where the FL has shown no romantic interest in the ML, suddenly out of the blue consummates and gets pregnant?? Like hello? Let's build some emotional connection for the FL with the ML first? Two years since their marriage, they didn't sleep in the same bed; the FL still has not uttered a word about her past, which means she still is not ready to open up to the ML, yet on a random day without any character build-up, they end up sleeping with one another?

I know this drama has a poetic way of storytelling; one has to read between the lines, but be for real, the FL still doesnt look happy with the ML and still has this obligated aura around her within the household. I'm simply giving up.

The only thing I liked about this drama is the relationship between Lanxiang's adoptive parents and how much they care for her.

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