Independent woman and Great team spirit
I just finished this drama and this is the most imperfectly perfect drama for me.I love He Yan so much and I'm so grateful that Zhou Ye got the opportunity to play her..I don't think anyone would have done justice to the characters like she did. She lived He Yan's character so much
Xiao Jue, some said he wasn't smart as the book but EP 31-32 was amazing. I would definitely love to see Cheng Lei in a calculative political drama. Just him using his brain and martial arts skills to outshine the court and it's corrupt official.
I love women in male dominated fields. As someone that has watched cdramas with many plot being the damsel in distress being saved by the man, I'm so happy that LOTFG gave me a strong independent woman that didn't need a man to save her or blaze a path for her. She wanted to walk on her own path and she did that.
The martial arts scenes were peak perfection. General Feihong is forever engraved in my heart. I love the way He Yan always encouraged women to stand up for themselves and not entrust their lives into men's hands. I love the way she defended herself always and was confident in herself. I waited for this drama for 2 years and they've ended. I will miss them and will always rewatch them. I also hope we get a reunion project with them.
I love everything about this drama and it's the best. I hope everyone gets to experience it themselves without drawing conclusions from commentaries. I experienced it myself and I'm so happy I did.
I'm also so in love with the team spirit of General Feihong and General Feighyun.
General Feihong white General costume, I love so much and it looked so majestic on Zhou Ye.
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procurando a lendária general
Review lotfga divulgação desse drama foi toda errada.
a primeira impressão que tive foi de que seria um drama focado na trajetória da heyan como uma general poderosíssima e com uma
vingança fantástica. o que recebi foi na verdade 10% das expectativas e foco no romance dos protagonistas. e confesso que foi por eles que finalizei o drama, gostei da dinâmica dos protagonistas, adorei as declarações e acho que os atores carregaram o drama. apesar disso, foi frustrante ver um drama com tanto potencial ser mal executado.
a sensação que tive foi de que nenhuma relação na série foi aprofundada, foi tudo muito raso. além de alguns erros de cena e continuidade de roteiro que me deixaram até estressada. faltaram cenas de batalha e cenas solo da protagonista.
a política é fraca. os secundários quase não apareceram. o vilão era patético!
nos episódio finais o roteirista largou de mão e deixou tudo tão bagunçado. foi cansativo.
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This review may contain spoilers
A General’s Honor, A Woman’s Destiny
Story & ThemesAdapted from Rebirth of a Star General by Qian Shan Cha Ke, the drama blends rebirth, gender disguise, military strategy, and romance into a gripping narrative. He Yan’s transformation—from a betrayed noblewoman to a reborn warrior who climbs her way back to glory—is both inspiring and emotionally compelling. The drama excels at showing her intelligence and resilience: excelling at the military academy, disguising her gender to survive, and commanding troops with sharp strategy. Unlike many costume dramas that focus heavily on palace politics, this series gives us large-scale battle sequences and war strategy, which is refreshing. [I really wished the drama had included more battle scenes, especially the final war against the Wutuo. I was hoping the last episode would showcase the full strategies, tactics, and fighting skills in detail, but instead, that entire war was wrapped up in just about 10 minutes in episode 36.] 😪
Romance
One of the drama’s greatest strengths is the slow-burn romance between He Yan (Zhou Ye) and Xiao Jue (Cheng Lei). Unlike typical historical dramas where love at first sight dominates, their relationship evolves gradually, rooted in mutual respect, trust, and shared struggles. Zhou Ye and Cheng Lei’s performances complement each other perfectly—her warmth softens his stoic demeanor, while his calm steadiness supports her fiery courage. [ I didn’t mind the emperor being concerned about two great generals marrying, or his push for He Yan to marry Chu Zhao instead. The issue was that this plotline dragged on for too long. After a while, Chu Zhao’s one-sided obsession felt unnecessary to the story. It would have been better if his arc had wrapped up by episode 34, allowing the last war against the Wutuo to begin in episode 35. Then, the leads’ wedding could have been placed at the start of episode 36, ending the drama on a sweeter note by showing their daughter at the finale. ]
Performances
Zhou Ye (He Yan): Outstanding as a strong yet layered heroine. She balances toughness with vulnerability, making He Yan feel believable both as a general and as a woman navigating love and betrayal.
Cheng Lei (Xiao Jue): Charismatic and cool-headed, his chemistry with Zhou Ye is one of the show’s biggest highlights. Their relationship evolves naturally from suspicion to trust and finally love.
Supporting actors like Zhang Miaoyi and Zhang Kangle add depth, though some secondary arcs feel underexplored.
Production Quality
Visually, the show is top-tier:
Battle scenes are well-choreographed with sweeping cinematography.
Costumes and set designs highlight the grandeur of the late Eastern Jin-style backdrop.
The soundtrack mixes traditional Chinese instruments with modern scoring, enhancing both emotional and action-heavy moments.
Strengths vs Weaknesses
✅ A rare strong female lead in the general’s role
✅ Engaging mix of strategy, war, and romance
✅ High-quality production and set pieces
✅ Refreshing slow-burn, not rushed or forced
✅ Emotional depth rooted in trust and admiration
❌ Pacing slows in the middle episodes
❌ Some side plots (like rival generals and political intrigue) could have been fleshed out more
❌ Secondary love arcs (like Chu Zhao’s feelings) feel underdeveloped
Legend of the Female General is one of the most engaging historical C-dramas of 2025. With its powerful heroine, compelling romance, and impressive war strategy elements, it stands apart from typical palace intrigue series. Fans of The Long Ballad will especially enjoy it. It is not the usual palace-drama love affair—it’s a love forged in war, tested by betrayal, and strengthened by mutual respect. For fans who enjoy a patient, meaningful build-up rather than quick melodrama, this romance is a standout element of the series. A must-watch if you love strong heroines, epic battles, and heart-stirring romance.
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String chemistry and bond
I started this drama last week cause my mom was watching it then was obssessed, I binge watched over 20eps in less than 2 days, I liked the strong personality of the fl (that was what I was for anyway) the chemistry between the leads is soooooo good, the way they looked at each other.How the fl worked so hard to achieve what she wanted and reclaim what she was owed, this story oversaw most feelings at first, the second couple was adorable but were neglected later, the mix between truths and lies, loyalty and betrayal, love and hate. I loved the feminism portrayed there, I struggled between hating and liking the second lead (hate was more but still)
Around the end (ep 33-36) things started to get messy, they should've stopped at 34 max, but they prolonged it that I felt like I was watching ep15-16 of a kdrama that needed only 12eps. There were some direction flaws that brought down the core of the story, but turning off logic worked well around the end, thinking about it as an imaginary story.
In general, it was worth watching, just not enough to stop me from starting something else.
Couldn't make it in my top 3 but definitely in my top 10 historical dramas so far.
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This review may contain spoilers
Right. Down to business then. This was my first drama to watch while it was airing, giving me a new experience I guess to have to keep waiting for new episodes. However, through this, I realized that this drama started out really amazing, having me not being able to wait in between episode releases rating it a 9.5 at first encounter. Sadly after a while it went to a 9 and gradually at the end to 8.5 when the excitement faded and the yearning for new episodes decreased too. However, this does not mean Legend of the Female General wasn't an amazing watch. Zhou Ye and Cheng Lei (Ryan) are a really visual couple and they look great together. Although lacking in the romance between Cheng Lisu (Li Qing) and Song Taotao (Zhang Miaoyi (my queen)) it wasn't an undesireable match either. What could've had a lot more potential as a drama though, faded as time passed. Idk, it felt like there was something missing. The ending was really rushed and there was no concentration on any specific theme, it was just a bunch of random moments put together. I read another review and would like to quote it exactly here: "Me during the first few episodes: Why are these episodes so short? Why aren't they 45 minutes long? Me during the last few episodes: Why are these episodes so long? Why aren't they 30 minutes long?" This here is exactly what I thought while watching. Overall, this wasn't terrible but lowk let down my expectations a little after seeing the beginning and the cast. Solid 8.5. Was this review helpful to you?
Good one
Female General” is a drama about a girl who lived disguised as her brother for her entire life until her real brother came into her life. When she fought for her identity as a general, her brother deceived her, made her blind, and sent her far away from her family. There he even attempted to kill her. A kind man saved her and gave her a new life, but she couldn’t forget why her brother betrayed her, so she decided to take revenge on him. She entered the military disguised as a man. Her actual journey started from there. In order to punish her brother, she faced a lot of hurdles. In the end, she got what she wanted and lived a happy life afterwards.I liked the chemistry between the leads, and I also liked the chemistry among the supporting cast, especially the one who played the male lead’s niece.
The drama is good, but I didn’t feel the spark of intrigue.”*
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This review may contain spoilers
A drama that would have benefitted from 40+ episodes
This is a review from someone who has read the novel, knowing that there would be changes given censorship and some unfortunate events that rendered editing.Highlights:
* Main Leads and Their Chemistry: Zhou Ye and Cheng Lei absolutely nailed their roles. Their chemistry was the driving force that kept me watching. Despite some criticism toward Zhou Ye for not fitting the "masculine" image of a general, she embodied the character as described in the novel. She played He Yan with depth and grace, staying true to her arc. I really hope the two actors collaborate again in the near future!
* Casting: From the leads to the supporting cast, the casting was spot-on. Characters like Xiao Mai, Wang Ba, Jiang Jiao, Huang Xiong, Song Tao Tao, Liu Bu Wang, and Yan He were all portrayed perfectly. Even the villains, particularly Xu Jing Fu, were well-cast. The actor had the perfect aura for his role, and his performance in Lost You Forever only added to the credibility here.
* Action and Martial Arts Choreography: Zhou Ye's hard work definitely paid off. Her weapon-wielding skills were on full display and added a raw intensity to the action scenes. I’m excited to see her take on more roles in action-packed dramas moving forward.
* Zhou Shen's OST
* Faithful Adaptation: I appreciated how the show stayed true to many iconic moments and quotes from the novel. Fans of the book will recognize and appreciate these little details.
* Romantic Dynamics: The slow-burn romance between XJ and HY in the novel was one of my favorites, and while the drama took a much more romantic, overt approach, it still worked. The chemistry between the leads made up for the shift in tone.
Changes That Still Worked:
* He Yan’s Journey: The inclusion of He Yan reclaiming her identity as General Fei Hong and the emotional conversation with her mother (even if brief) added a layer of depth that the novel regretfully didn’t have. It felt like a moment of closure for the character.
* Cheng Li Su and Song Tao Tao: Their dynamic as a cute medical duo was a surprising highlight. Even though Cheng Li Su’s development was hindered by some cut scenes, their relationship still brought some light-hearted moments to balance the darker themes.
* Yan He and Xiao Jue’s Friendship: Seeing Yan He and Xiao Jue become genuine friends (instead of constant rivals) was a nice twist. It was a bit unusual, but their camaraderie added a new layer to their characters. I found their friendship unexpectedly heartwarming.
* Li Kuang’s Redemption: Li Kuang’s character arc was a pleasant surprise. Watching him redeem himself under General Fei Hong’s guidance brought a satisfying conclusion to his storyline.
Lows:
* Pacing and Editing: The execution of the plots left a lot to be desired. The choppy editing and excessive use of flashbacks to explain events felt rushed. Character and plot development took a backseat to squeezing in every event or character, which made the pacing jarring. It often felt like things were happening for the sake of it, without enough room to breathe. Although the romance was good, HY's journey as a powerful and strategic general was downplayed (which should have been the point of the story)
* Underutilized Villains: The villains had plenty of screen time but were ultimately underdeveloped.
* He Ru Fei: A one-dimensional character who threw tantrums every five seconds. There was so much potential here, but the writing failed to give him the complexity he needed.
* Chu Zhao: This was a missed opportunity. What started as a morally grey character turned into little more than a romantic plot device, obsessed with his love for HY. The show should have either followed the novel or given him a proper redemption arc to elevate his character.
* Unnecessary Plot Lines: Several subplots felt like distractions when more time could’ve been spent developing the main story. For example:
*The misunderstanding between HY and XJ over his father’s death and the connection to the Qing Lang sword took away from HY’s independence. It also detracted from the emotional weight the sword could’ve held as a symbol of her heritage.
* The forced conflict where Chu Zhao tries to break up the leads for a last-minute drama subplot felt weak. XJ’s response was completely out of character. In the novel, he was far too sharp to be manipulated in such a naïve, mopey noble idiot. The dramatic angst just didn’t land, leaving the actors' performances as the only redeeming factor of that storyline.
Although there were regrets on what could've been given the potential and promising storyline, I still enjoyed it for what it was. If you're simply in for romance and overlook the plot holes and editing, you will love this. For those who didn't read the novel, I recommend checking it out to help fill in the gaps.
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Strong Leads Saves a Flawed Story
This historical romance starts with great promise but doesn't quite reach its full potential. Our female lead begins as a fierce warrior with an interesting backstory, but her character development gets overshadowed by convenient plot devices and rescue scenarios that undermine her strength.The romance between the leads is the true highlight. Their chemistry lights up the screen, and their journey from reluctant allies to devoted lovers provides the most enjoyable moments. The actors deliver their emotional scenes perfectly, making you truly care about their relationship.
However, you should know that the story can be a little messy. Some parts don't make perfect sense, and you might find yourself thinking, "Wait, how did that happen?" a few times. The ending also feels a bit rushed, and some side characters don’t get enough screen time to feel important.
Where the drama falters is in its uneven pacing and plot structure. Early episodes build an exciting foundation, but later ones rush through important developments while lingering on less significant ones. Some characters appear and disappear without proper development, while others face sudden fate changes that feel more shocking than meaningful.
The production values deserve praise - beautiful costumes, impressive battle choreography, and a lovely soundtrack enhance the viewing experience.
For fans of historical romance with court intrigue and military elements, this is still worth watching for the central love story and strong performances, even if the overall narrative could have been tighter.
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Flawed Generals I rooted for
As a non-novel reader — and someone who always roots for feminist dramas — I genuinely enjoyed this.Sure, there were a few ‘what ifs’ and way too much Chu Zao hogging screentime, but honestly, I’m just happy this one finally aired lol
Nothing much to say but to my dearest generals… I moon you 🌙💖
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I love Warrior Women!
:: Starts off with Xena Warrior Princess Battle Cry . . . but sounding more like a wild turkey::I enjoyed Legend of the Female General because I can never get enough of lady warriors. I also loved the story of regaining all achieved and lost due to betrayals. I really appreciated the restarting from scratch that He Yan did not because she need to prove anything but because she could and wanted stand up for others.
The Lead couple relationship. I loved the band of brothers relationship He Yan had with Xiao Jue as well as the others in ratpack. I especially adored the build up of trust between FL and ML, the brotherhood, and then the love. I just really can not say how much I love a relationship that develops based on more than insta-love and passion . . . don't get me wrong there is lots of passion in ML's eyes. I'm still melting.
I do feel the story could have stopped at ep 33 (hence the 9.5). Alas, I watched the entire drama and I do understand what came about. Just not necessarily the catalyst that cause the issues of ep 34-36.
The battle scenes were great. :: More TurkeyGirl BattleCry :: I can not get enough of female warriors. So I loved this drama as I will most certainly love future fighting ladies.
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Amazing production and ost!
If you like the legend of Mulan then this is your show. A more elaborate, good vs evil story centered around a female- very skillful- warrior. Lots of action(with eye captivating battle scenes), romance, drama and comedic moments. The main couple has the right chemistry that gets you hooked immediately. The male protagonist is hotter than hell too. Production is extraordinary from every aspect and the ost is so good I wouldn't mind buy the album if it exists. The only negative is that in the last few episodes the story felt rushed. Most episodes have around 35 minutes in duration, so don't feel intimidated by the amount of them.Was this review helpful to you?
What if Joan of Arc were Chinese?
This is exactly how Mulan should have been told.
From the very beginning, the tension between the two leads sets up the story beautifully. The drama strikes a fine balance—adding layers of intensity without ever overwhelming the viewer. It’s never easy to convince an audience that a woman can believably take on a male role (with perhaps Barbra Streisand in Yentl being the rare exception). But Zhou Ye achieves it brilliantly, not by disguising herself to look like a man, but by embodying strength and commanding presence through her actions.
Ryan Chang, as the stoic general, delivers a remarkable performance—subtle, restrained, almost devoid of emotion, yet capable of softening when he is with Zhou Ye.
The fight choreography is nothing short of breathtaking—a martial arts ballet performed with precision and grace. The musical score deserves equal praise, heightening both the tension and the tender moments.
What truly elevates the series is the evolving love story. The chemistry between the leads feels genuine and compelling, keeping you invested from start to finish. The drama is paced just right—long enough to let both the plot and the characters’ growth unfold naturally, but never dragging.
At its heart, this series is about more than a warrior’s courage—it’s a celebration of women’s strength, love and determination. As the song goes, “I am woman, hear me roar.”
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