Legend of the Female General

Legend of the Female General is a must watch. Seriously.

Gosh, I have to say how wonderful this drama is. It’s an easy 10/10. One might say the story is somewhat cliché because of the tough female general trope, but gah—the acting, the drama, the chemistry—easily earn that 10/10 rating. I love their tandem so much. I haven’t watched their previous dramas, so I can’t possibly be biased. It’s purely, simply beautiful. It’s a must-watch.
My favorite drama to date has been Prisoner of Beauty, and I can say The Legend of the Female General is nearly on par with it.
The scenes where He Yan and her Dudu are together keep me smiling, and I end up hating the villains. 😆
But again, it’s not the story that hooks you—it’s their chemistry and the way they tell the story.
More drama for these two please ~~

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I've finally finished another drama. I've been busy with new dramas airing simultaneously these past few days, and they're all great!

This drama really impressed me! From the story, the female characters, to the moral advice. It's amazing! I'm at a loss, because there are so many great dramas this year!🔥🔥

I want to give a huge, huge shoutout to all the actors and crew of Legend of the Female General. Your drama is so amazing! Especially with the incredible chemistry between the two main leads, they truly look like a real couple. I'm amazed by their emotional acting. Not only that, they also worked very hard on physical training and martial arts to finally deliver an incredible performance, worthy of action actors! They both truly excelled in their roles as Xiao Jue and He Yan 💘🥺

I absolutely love all the OSTs for this drama! I sing and listen to them almost every hour. This will be added to my favorite playlist!❤️✨

Thank you so much for all your hard work, all the actors and crew of Legend of the Female General!👏🏼👏🏼💘❤️🔥

Good bye, Moon Couple! And I will miss you both!🥺🌕❤️

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i expected WAY MOREEEEE tbh

The start🗯️🗯️
After watching some modern Chinese drama I wanted to go back to my first love "chinese costume" drama and this looked like a perfect fit.
it looked like a dark, heavy military, political war drama...oh boy way I way off

Well, I guess I have to find something else to scratch that itch of mine.

This drama is not a "bad - bad drama". Believe me, after more than 200 shows I saw with my own eyes what "bad" looks like, on the other hand I also saw wayyyy better.

To sum it up with a few words: this drama is a nice collage of many other dramas without their more heavy emotional sides.

Did I feel bored? sometimes
Did I feel excited? Not even once.
Did a share I tear? A laugh? Certainly not.
Nice to watch but devoided of emotions.

SHOULD YOU WATCH IT? If you don't really care about expectations and just wanna see a nice story , sure go ahead. Especially if you like the genre

If you are looking for excitement? Look somewhere else.
-–---------_----------------------------
I'll give you my opinion and only if you feel brave enough I invite you to read my rant🤣
The review section is the only place I can talk about these things.

...OK LETS START😁😁😁😁
I know I'll be pedantic but the more I watched the drama the more disengaged I became. I don't care about "fantastical" dramas. I'm fine with fighting scene that don't makes sense, but inconsistency with plot , logic and characters make me side eye a drama.

Drama🗯️🗯️
FL:(actress)
I saw her before in "back from the brink" and tbh I wasn't impressed. In this drama I think she did a bit better but her acting is "emotionless". I guess that's her style of acting.

FL: (character)
I like her strength, resilience and determination. Also her sweet side is enjoyable but I also find her to be dumb and unrealistic. ( RANT BEGINS 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻)

The setting reminds me of Mulan. A group of antagonistic comrades that become besties after sharing the danger, The bathing in disguise etc, even though I feel Mulan was more realistic. She was risking getting caught left and right, our FL is always safe. We don't see her struggle to conceive her identity. Menstruation? Chest binding? Toilet? Washing? They skip all of it.

When the FL gets replaced by her brother nobody is suspicious. Really? You don't see a difference in height? Voice? Size? The general appears with. No mask after a whole life hiding his face. No questions asked?
They could have chosen a more androgynous actora as her brother.
Putting appearance aside, how will their skill looked compared to one another? She won countless battles, he probably trained by himself.

Her character is supposed to be a simple soldier but she talks to her general like it's her sugar daddy. That's insane. You wouldn't talk to your general like that especially when they not close yet.

She keeps revealing her identity left and right never being too cautios. I don't get it. If the word of a female general gets out, sooner or later your brother will hear about it. Aren't you worried ?

I also find it weird that she never thinks about the fact that the general believe she basically killed his Father.

ML:
(Actor) I find him quite good. I just saw his works in "how dare you" and he does a pretty solid job in these costume dramas. No complaints.

(Characters) I feel compared to the FL character he makes more sense and is more linear.


Other characters:🗯️🗯️
The actors ( like them all, they all professionals).

Characters:
I feel no emotional connection to the characters. We are supposed to care about these people and even cry about their death but I didn't feel anything. The shifu, other soldiers, the princess , the school mates... I feel we didn't have enough interactions on screen to really care.

OBSERVATIONS WHILE WATCHING 🗯️🗯️
A weird combination of emotions. In one scene the FL is hurt and hugging a dead wolf and she immediately starts talking about love and valentine. What?😅 And tha6t not the only time they force "serious" speeches in the most insane moments.

The drama itself feels like a collage of previous shows. I could even pinpoint what specific scene was from where.

There is a lot of romance subplot we don't care about. The Chifu love story with the princess, their old classmate with the dancer, chu with the prime Mister daughter...


Fight scenes🗯️🗯️
pretty unrealistic but that's a perk of this specific genre.

Inconsistency 🗯️🗯️
I am at episode 22 and I don't even know what these people want.

Ok the ml wants his father's reputation to be restored but about the FL? She never talks about killing her brother or punishing her family. She just want to be a general. Ok, what does it mean? You want to go back to the capital? Work for the emperor?

The prime minister also has no clear direction. He wants every general to be gone but it seems he doesn't have anyone to replace them. I don't even know why he wants that. They never show us the emperor court. We don't know about any power plays except for the prime minister.
He s also colluded with a foreign country.🤷🏻

The prime minister pupil knows his master is a corrupted individual but he's willing to help him any way only second guessing his master when the prime minister "goes too far".

The Chifu dies in a very stupid way. He basically found out where the rebels came from and he didn't call anyone to help him. He fights dozens of warrior and dies.

We never see what is happening in the capital.

Ep 23. Too convenient girl that you start investigating after the general found out about your identity. Shouldn't you have started as soon as you left the temple?

Ep 23. I knew it!! Her brother heard about a female general!!!!

Cheese factor🗯️🗯️
Some scenes are so cheese.

After a battle the FL falls into a puddle of water deep 2 cm at best and they show us a scene where she is basically drowning 🤣🤣after ml saves her the camera shows us the most shallow water ever.

Ml asking the princess to keep fl identity a secret is hilarious. She s been going left and right talking about feminism. Everyone knows her face and these are wealthy people well connected to other officials and Nobles. Word will spread pretty fast.

The Xiao General revenge was so dumm. You send kids to die ever single day . Your son dying is a trap?


I just finished episode 22 and I m fine stopping here.
There is nothing holding me in place. Maybe I'll come back later...but I feel I am not missing out on anything exciting.

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"She graces my view, occupies my mind, and claims my heart."

There's honestly not enough words to describe how I feel about this drama. I regret not watching this drama sooner! (But, hey, better late than never, right?) Ok, first of all, I want to just say how incredible Zhou Ye and Cheng Lei are together.

Their chemistry was just so enjoyable to watch, and nothing about their scenes together felt forced or awkward. Their acting was incredible in this drama, and I honestly hope that they have another project together in the future.

This drama had me invested from episode one, and I have honestly never watched a historical drama this quickly! Every episode was so entertaining and I absolutely loved seeing the gradual romance between Xiao Jue and He Yan. The entire ensemble of characters in this drama were fantastic (yes, even the villains), and I think that everyone did a phenomenal job with their respective roles.

First off, I of course have to talk about one of my (new) favorite female leads ever: He Yan. She is honestly the definition of a strong female lead. Her past was honestly kind of sad, as her father and step-brother were especially cruel to her. Though her mother wasn't able to care for her as she had wanted, we learn that her mother genuinely loved and cared for her, but couldn't do so openly because of the man she married. He Yan is extremely resilient, and despite how cruelly she was treated by her father and brother, she was able to leave home and find success of her own. And though she had to conceal her identity, He Yan worked extremely hard to get to where she is. I absolutely hated how her father and step-brother treated her, especially when they poisoned and blinded her. I also hated how they tried to kill her in order to silence her. That in itself was so cruel.

Despite the hardships that she endured, He Yan was able to recover and enlist in the military once again, working hard to earn merits of her own right. She is not only extremely resilient, but never allows herself to be looked down upon. She also never loses hope, and keeps going, even when things seem hopeless.

He Yan is bright and cheerful, but is also a fierce fighter and soldier. Despite her being the smallest in her military camp, she showed that she was just as capable of keeping up with her fellow soldiers. Though her relationship with her fellow soldiers doesn't start out great, they all eventually come to respect one another and also become close comrades and friends. I absolutely loved her friendship with them! He Yan proved herself countless times that she is a force to be reckoned with, and that she should not be underestimated. Not only is she a strong fighter, but she is also extremely intelligent and strategic, more so than people give her credit for. She continuously amazed me by how incredibly strong she is! Her strength and drive are honestly so admirable, and honestly kind of inspires me, in some ways. He Yan is also very loyal and an amazing person to have in your corner. She is someone who will go down swinging for those she cares about.

Throughout the drama, we see how women are restricted by societal norms, and the expectations that are thrust upon them. He Yan getting through to the women in Rundu and also in Jiyang where she showed them that women are no less capable than men, and that they shouldn't be afraid to pursue their interests or dreams, no matter how big or small.

She teaches them that they shouldn't allow people to tell them that they can't or shouldn't do something. Instead, they should pursue it to the fullest of their ability. In a way, He Yan kind of becomes a role model to them, which I absolutely loved.

And, despite the fierceness that He Yan possesses, she also has a soft heart, and is emotional, as we see her grieve over the death of her master and also Yan He, one of the generals that helped defend Huayuan after it was invaded by Wutuo. Also, that scene in episode 26 where she thinks that she will never be able to see Xiao Jue again after he disappears into the smoke that is surrounding the battlefield was so incredibly devastating. He is the only person who has truly noticed and cared for her. And the relief in her eyes when she realizes that he's alive?? I SOBBED. also, the hug???? :((((

She is also someone who tries to pretend that she is holding it together, as we see when her master dies and she doesn't break down crying until she is alone in her room. I love that He Yan allows herself to be more vulnerable around those she loves, especially Xiao Jue. I absolutely adore He Yan, and I also love that we actually got to see her fight quite a lot throughout this drama! Her fight scenes never failed to amaze me.

And, now, on to Xiao Jue, our male lead. Honestly, where do I even begin with this man? He's someone that has seen a lot of suffering during his time as a commander, and also as a general of the Xiao army. He is determined to avenge his father and the 30,000 soldiers that were sacrificed during the battle at Mingshui. When he and He Yan were classmates, he at first did look down on her because she wasn't a very good student and not very adept at martial arts (at the time), but he started to notice how hardworking and resilient she was, which is why he started to be nice to her. From giving her his thumb ring for archery, giving her loquats when she was trapped in a classroom after failing an exam so she wouldn't get hungry, and also giving her pages that outline the instructions for mastering the Qinglang Technique. He helped her out without making himself known, and that honestly made me love him even more. He doesn't want any recognition for his deeds, just the knowledge that he was able to help her out is enough for him.

When they do reunite, he is initially suspicious of He Yan, as he believes that she is a spy. Xiao Jue continuously tests her during training, and she begins to catch on, making sure that she doesn't fail them. He is not the nicest to her, as he suspects her of being a spy and also He Ru Fei (aka General Fei Hong), the person who was responsible for delaying the reinforcements to Mingshui, causing his father and his soldiers to die on the battlefield. Xiao Jue begins to become very impressed by He Yan's cleverness and ability to stay ahead of her comrades, as well as her determination to become the top soldier in the garrison.

In my opinion, his feelings start to change towards her after figuring out that she is actually a woman. He begins to become a bit softer towards her, and also, the way he looks at her starts to change. (Cheng Lei is an incredible eye actor, and I think that he conveys so much with just his eyes, and I honestly think that's so impressive!)

One thing I noticed is that he rarely raises his voice with her, and that even when he's angry, he always seems to speak in a slightly soft??? tone? (I'm probably just being delusional but I don't remember him raising his voice at her ever so....) And when this man falls, he FALLS HARD. I mean, honestly, he started to fall for her (in my opinion) when they were pretending to be a married couple in Jiyang. The way that he completely ignores Min Er (the daughter of Yan Ling) when she tries to get his attention? Also him saying that he only trusts his wife? YEAH EXACTLY!! and then him buying He Yan a GORGEOUS dress?? ABSOLUTELY!!! I also loved how he called He Yan "wife" and "honey," that made me giggle.

He Yan is truly his first and last love, and his confession was absolutely beautiful!! I love how he has never once tried to restrict He Yan or undermine her in any way. He has always believed in her, and he sees her as an equal in every way. The angst between absolutely crushed me, but I am glad that the misunderstanding was cleared up fairly quickly after he found out that she wasn't responsible for the tragedy that happened at the Mingshui battle.

From there, Xiao Jue is absolutely devoted to He Yan, and will do anything to protect her, even if he knows that she is more than capable of taking care of herself. And when the Emperor refuses to grant their marriage, he declares that he if he can't be with her, he'd rather be single and alone forever. (LIKE ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? this man:((

I'm honestly so glad that his older brother convinced him to go to He Yan and not to let her go so easily. And when Xiao Jue said that he couldn't move on nor forget He Yan?? (HE'S SO:((() The love that He Yan and Xiao Jue have for each other is honestly unmatched, and I love that we also got to see them fight side by side! The entire battle scene at Mingshui gave me chills! The aura that these two have is honestly unmatched. A couple who fights battles together, stays together <3 Xiao Jue and He Yan are easily one of my favorite historical cdrama couples <3

(Also, quick side note to say that I absolutely loved Cheng Li Su and Song Tao Tao's love story! I loved that we got to see their relationship develop as well!! Their wedding ceremony was absolutely hilarious and so fitting for both of their characters! Oh, and I honestly SOBBED when Yan He's wife was giving birth and then it also showed Yan He dying from the poisonous arrow that was shot at him. And when she said that she knew that when she married him, there was always a possibility that he wouldn't come back alive, she just hadn't expected it to be so soon:(()

And the fact that she now has to raise their baby girl on her own?? HEARTBREAKING. and when that butterfly landed on their child's crib?? It was as if Yan He was watching over their child:((( And also, the romance between He Yan's master and Princess Meng Jiu? Their love story was so heartbreaking, as I feel like they never even really got to start their own
And, ok, I do unfortunately have to talk about the villains in this drama. He Ru Fei? Literally one of the most psychotic and arrogant characters I have ever seen. I mean, when all the evidence and proof of him committing the crimes that He Yan was accusing him of were all coming together and it was so CLEAR that he was guilty, he had the audacity and nerve to say that he's innocent. (like give me a break) He's genuinely so delusional to think that he was ever truly General Fei Hong, or that he truly deserved the title.

Also, He Yan wasn't the one who stole his identity, it was the other way around. He Yan easily defeating him during their sparring match was so satisfying! (Like it was so clear who was the superior fighter). I also love that He Yan and Xiao Jue didn't kill him because they deemed him unworthy of dirtying their swords?? (I know that's right!) Like, he's not even worth that to them. Also, it's the way that I think that he's genuinely such a "weak" villain in that he had everyone do everything for him, including Chancellor Xu. He only "earned" the title of General Fei Hong because of the lies he created and also because of his father. In the end, he got what he deserved. Chancellor Xu is equally as worse as He Ru Fei. His ambitions were insane, I mean, he even told the EMPEROR of all people that he should abdicate his throne because he's not a "good enough" ruler. Crazy, right? He's genuinely so narcissistic and delusional, and I'm glad that he died in the end. (I mean, he deserved it. He literally caused the deaths of 30,000 soldiers, Xiao Jue's father, and also committed treason. He also ruined Xiao Jue's father's reputation by slandering him as well).

Also, Ping Ting? His daughter? Literally so infuriating. She tries to expose He Yan's identity in court, all because she finds out that Chu Zhao (I'll talk about him in a second) has feelings for He Yan. (LIKE you did all of that for a man??? kind of crazy if you ask me). I hated her character, but honestly, she had kind of had a point when she said that Ying Xiang (Chu Zhao's maid)'s death was his karma. (You KNOW it's bad when a horrible character is right about something). Ying Xiang DID NOT deserve to die like that, and I genuinely felt so bad for her.

Chu Zhao....where do I even start with him? At first, I did feel bad for him because of what he went through as a child, but then again, we also didn't get enough of his backstory. I kind of wish we got more of it, because I think it would've made me understand his character a bit more. He was genuinely one of those characters that I was so confused by, as I couldn't tell what side he was on 99% of the time. His obsession with He Yan? Absolutely insane and so toxic?? It's the way that this man literally sees Xiao Jue and He Yan holding hands and KISSING and he still tries to tear them apart? Like what the heck? I HATED how he tried to convince He Yan that he loved her. (Dude, what you feel her is NOT love, that's obsession). And I hated that he tried to get the Emperor to marry them both, as he claimed that two generals marrying each other would threaten his power, or whatever stupid reason he came up with. In the end, he gets exiled to the borderlands. I honestly didn't even feel bad for him at all. Like he's truly alone, and to be honest, it didn't have to be that way, but he MADE it that way. I also think that he was definitely a morally grey character as well.

There's so much more I could say, but this review is already WAY too long, so I'll just say this one last thing:
If you want to watch this drama, please do! You will not regret it! I miss Xiao Jue and He Yan so much, and it's only been 24 hours since I finished the drama! I am so so glad I decided to watch this! This drama is definitely one of my top favorites of the year!

Oh, and these quotes are just beautiful:
"You're the first one I taught swordsmanship to. You're the first one I tended wounds to. You're the first one I gave candy to. You're the first one I bought clothes for. You're the first woman I tried to comfort. You're also the first one I covered for. Finally, I realize, in my life, the only person I love is you."

"I love the moon, yet the moon doesn't know."
"Now, the moon belongs to you."

"She graces my view, occupies my mind, and claims my heart."

"You say the moon guides you, but you never needed to borrow its light. because you can shine brightly yourself."

"He Yan. I love you. I wonder if you would like to spend the rest of your life with me."

"The peerless moon is yours now."

"With or without a marriage contract, He Yan, you're my chosen wife."

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Strong Female Lead

Legend of The Female General
📺: Viki and !QLY
EPs: 36

Ever since we saw the clip they teased back in 2023 I knew this show was going to be special. I have always loved stories about strong characters and this Mulan-like story did not disappoint. From the acting, writing, and the fighting choreography, it was all amazing!!

Loved how the characters were strong and well-written. The leads supported each other and their character development was beautiful to witness.
If you're a fan of Chinese political dramas with romance and humor in the mix I recommend this one. What a fantastic Chinese drama 9.5/10

Currently sitting as my #1 favorite historical Chinese drama!!!

#LegendofTheFemaleGeneral #锦月如歌 #asiandrama #cdrama #kdramas #mulantrope #mulan #politcaldrama

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The lead's impeccable chemistry, ML's undying love, and the FL's fiery nature

Am here almost a year late and went into this completely blind, having not watched any of Cheng Lei's or Zhou Ye's dramas, so as a neutral viewer am just gonna say I loved and enjoyed this one to bits! The premise itself throws in an interestingly political angle on women and their military rights- as she went in disguised as a man, it was the only way for her to build a career for herself. Lots of times, I tend to lose interest towards the tail end of the drama but here it got even more interesting because it revolved around the leads and their individual aspirations.

This series is so easy to breeze past: their banters, teasing proximity, heated gazes keeps the viewer fixed to the screen. The male lead, Cheng Lei is a new addition to my list of fictional husbands because he isnt just dashing but also portrays the complexity of the character so well and his gazes subtly speak every single thing in the character's heart. The slow burn was beautiful and I loved the heroine's flintiness extra because the ml was so downbad that he declared his love for her to the emperor and announced it in court: "she graces my eyes, occupies my thoughts, and holds my heart"--such a passionate and beautiful confession of his soulful love for her. It took him time to accept his feelings but once he did, he was openly downbad for his girl and legit was told by others around him to control his gaze and love for her lol.

I do have to say though that I harbour particularly hateful feelings for second ML, Chu Zhao in my heart and did so from very early on. He came off as cunning and manipulative, and I skipped most of his scenes. Thank god for that, because just as our leads are about to marry, he completely takes the fl's agency away by imposing marriage on her. And here, the leads really shone as a pairing and as individuals: neither of them wanted to give up their careers and identities, so they chose to remain together irrespective of marriage. Of course they do end up getting married at the end but I really enjoyed seeing their dating era, especially because this was a period drama and we got some vivid and beautiful sequences.

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Love, War, and Two Generals

ally, I’m scared to start a show that is that I have been anticipating for so long and there has been so much hype about it afraid to disappoint, but this show did not disappoint me. It was such a good drama. It was exactly what I felt like expected it to be the chemistry between that the couple was amazing. I always love a general character, but having 2 generals was amazing the first half of the show before he found out her identity. I love the female leads character personality. She was so strong headed about what she wanted and I loved her fighting scene. I its my first time watching Cheng Lei, and he is an incredible incredible actor his that I love an actor who acts with his eyes the moment he fell in love with her. You could just see it in his eyes and his acting goes amazing. He was he made me fall in love with us about the drama. I love the scenes of the war and the fighting it was so coordinated between the the Leeds and I love that they had each other‘s backs and for the main part I love that there was no misunderstandings and they were able to like tell each other stuff the scene she confesses that I love the moon was one of the best moments however the whole show was great. The base was a great the suspense was there the episodes where they were fights and stuff they was they were so hike, well-made, and packed. I love a lot of all of the characters almost however, the last three episodes were a huge Miss whoever wrote them should be sued because the show it took it like such a dramatic shift the good guy that he had Mr. Chu had the potential to be a good character, but they they screwed that up. I made him evil and unnecessary and also killing Han Ye was the most unnecessary death in history. He wasn’t even the main character. His death wasn’t important. He shouldn’t killed him very wrong and the whole wedding situation being canceled was also unnecessary. They could’ve just ended the show at episode like 33 with a wedding and it would’ve been perfect. Those three episodes were so useless. It lost so much points because of this, but other than that I would definitely recommend it for people who like to watch like an action war kind of show the couple were so worth it amazing chemistry very nice to make a confession scenes and fighting scenes

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Great, But rushed final episodes..

This is excellent!! Absolutely perfect , I don't know about the novel but guys please stop comparing novels and dramas,bcz you will end up in disappointment. Off your brains close your novels just enjoy the series.

OMG, I love Cheng Acting wowww what a such beautiful Eyes ,,amazing man he don't want any scripts dialogues his eyes speaks a lot.. I can see all the expressions in his eyes damn,I can't accept FL is acting bcz its too realistic.

I can't see baishu in serious character my heart doesn't accept him as a bad guy bcz i always wants his funny looks and jokes.

Okay about final episodes,,,I know chu zhao will turn evil which is predictable but why the rush??The happy ending for only 10-15 mins why can't they have war in 35 th episode and ends in 36tg starting?? Final episode have 75% plot war why they want to rush the marriage in 10mins?? This is such a perfect drama you can watch without bored.
Happy watching..

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Superb Fighting Scenes!

Superb Fighting Scenes!
Normally, before I make my own review and feedback after finishing a drama, I read some reviews first to see if I’m on the same page as other viewers. But when I checked the reviews for this drama, a lot of people were disappointed. Some even rated it 4 or 5/10. Maybe it’s because I didn’t read the novel, so I’m not sure if the adaptation gave justice to the original story.

The story is about a girl forced to pretend to be a boy/heir in a family that wants to earn merit and rise in status. She later joins the army, gains achievements, and becomes known as General Feihong. But things change when the real son/heir of the family returns.

The drama itself is good. At first, I was taken aback by how she disguised as a man, but her actions toward her commander were different — she did some cute, sweet stuff. If you look at it from the POV of one man to another, it’s a bit awkward! 😵‍💫 But once he found out she was actually a girl, it made sense. 😅😆

The story isn’t that deep — it’s easy to follow. There isn’t much power struggle, but there are twist after twist after twist. 😆 I thought my favorite character would be Chu Zhao. Yes, he was just a pawn of the main villain, but he managed to get out of it. I thought he would turn out okay, but then he got obsessed with his ambition and with He Yan… so he became bad again! 😂😂😂 Another character that stressed me out was the emperor. Like, what the heck? He wasn’t ruthless like other emperors, but he was so easily manipulated — that’s a big no-no! 😂😂😂

For me, this drama deserves an 8.5/10. It’s okay overall — the chemistry between the ML and FL was good, and the fighting scenes were superb. The second leads were just so-so. Honestly, without the amazing action scenes, this drama would feel flat.

But I love that it shows: even if you’re a woman, if you have the dedication to pursue what you want, you can achieve it — even if it goes against the norms of your generation or the law. Laws and traditions can change as long as you stand for what’s right and just. Gender doesn’t matter. And most of all… it had a happy ending! 😉☺️

GENRE: Costume, Romance, Comedy, Friendship, War, Battle, Woman Empowerment.

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Great Story, Too Preachy

9/10 stars! At times it felt a little preachy and in your face with the Ra Ra Girl Power!, when I wish they would have cut out the cheesy speeches that felt out of place and instead let their characters tell the story through their actions. They didn’t need all of the speeches about feminism and equality, because they were already doing an excellent job conveying those themes through their storytelling and through their characters. It felt unnecessarily force-fed, which pulled me out of the story quite a bit during the middle part. Like I was already eating it up, so why feel the need to push it down my throat?

There were a handful of silly filler-y episodes in the middle, the ending was a bit rushed (pretty normal for cdramas), and I think the lying / secrets dragged on way too long (especially because he knew she was lying, and she knew that he wasn’t buying her lies). Also the (sort of) love triangle got a little annoying a few times, but as someone who will drop shows because of love triangles I was able to grudgingly tolerate this one.

It’s also a sloooooooow burn. Goodness. I mean it was clear from early on that the mutual connection was there, but damn, why make us wait as long as you did for the confession and the kisses? There were many great places earlier in the show to allow their relationship to progress, but for some reason they insisted on keeping the lying and the secrets dragging on and on, past what I thought would have been many natural places for the honesty.

Regardless, this is one of the best shows I’ve seen in a long time and the positives far outweigh the negatives. I loved all of the wonderful screen time with our ML and FL! I loved that they saved each other many times and that there was mutual respect. Talk about a Green Light ML! 😍 I am also thankful that they didn’t push the feminism agenda to the point where she was never allowed to be rescued by the ML. It was truly an equal relationship with two badasses who were both capable and saved each other. Their fight scenes were a delight to watch 🔥 UGH. And the romance! The ML gave the most beautifully poetic romantic lines. Well done!

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The price of power, love, principle and loyalties.

Legend of the Female General attempts to blend individual struggles with the wider currents of power, love, and morality, and what stands out most immediately are its characters, though their depth and narrative treatment leave space for critique.

He Yan emerges as the most compelling figure, shaped by her unusual childhood where she was forced to stand in for her brother. The drama portrays her as perceptive, practical, and painfully aware of the restrictions society places on women, yet also fiercely determined to challenge them. What complicates her is the contradiction she carries—resenting her brother for reclaiming the identity she built, while never fully acknowledging that this unconventional upbringing granted her resilience and clarity far beyond her peers. Her tragedy lies in endless pretense, forever wearing a mask, yet her triumph is the way she never allowed that disguise to fully consume her essence. Her advice to women around her, urging them to remain themselves even when life demands sacrifice, echoes her own journey and lends the character extraordinary poignancy.

Xiao Jue, on the other hand, feels underwritten despite being her counterpart. While the drama gives him gravitas and presence, it denies him vulnerability and layered humanity. His interactions in court and in romance reveal little beyond his attachment to He Yan, reducing his arc to a reflection of hers rather than a narrative of his own. His elder brother’s remark that he suppresses emotion is left unexamined, and instead of growth we are given a static portrait, handsome but hollow.

Xu Jingfu and Chu Zhao require joint consideration, because their fates intertwine like mirror images across generations. Xu Jingfu is drawn as an authoritative father whose principles begin noble—placing national welfare above selfish desire—yet years of power corrode this idealism until he can no longer distinguish patriotism from corruption. His desperate defense during the banquet, insisting his misdeeds served the country, felt less like persuasion of others and more like self-justification. Chu Zhao, the younger counterpart, initially rebels against this decay, even cooperating with He Yan and Xiao Jue. However, his transformation into a ruthless figure after Xu Jingfu’s death reflects how principles, when warped by ambition, can erase clarity. Together they embody the cycle of idealism twisted by circumstance, revealing how conviction without reflection becomes dangerous.

Yet, to fully understand Chu Zhao, one must bring Ying Xiang into the discussion. Deprived of unconditional affection after his mother’s passing, he craved a love that did not demand achievement. Xu Jingfu’s care, though present, was transactional, always requiring proof of worth. Ying Xiang offered what he longed for—an unspoken warmth that asked nothing in return, quiet yet constant. Tragically, Chu Zhao failed to notice the sanctuary beside him, seeking validation in harsher places, until her absence revealed what had been sustaining him all along. This dynamic not only enriches his downfall but also underscores how emotional neglect can shape destructive choices.

He Rufei’s arc is drenched in quiet sorrow. A boy robbed of recognition, raised in isolation, watching his name become a vessel for another’s survival, he grew into a man consumed by bitterness. For him, identity itself was contested, every honor claimed under “He Rufei” felt stolen, and the only way he could preserve sanity was by convincing himself he deserved all that was attached to his name. His father’s greed only deepened this resentment, and when parental support turned into complicity in wrongdoing, the fragile foundations of his selfhood cracked further. The tragedy is not simply his envy of He Yan, but the loss of any authentic sense of who he truly was.

In the end, Legend of the Female General delivers remarkable individual sketches, yet struggles to balance them with cohesive execution. Characters brim with potential, their contradictions fascinating, their wounds deeply human, but narrative choices often leave them underexplored. It is a story that shines brightest when it lingers on internal battles rather than political games, reminding us that the greatest wars in history dramas are often the ones fought within the heart.

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