Legend of the Female General

Disappointed and not interested - DROPPED

I've been waiting for this drama because ever since I saw Scent of Time, I thought this would be a challenging and convincing role for her. I think she acted ok as a general, but as a FL with Ryan Cheng, I felt disappointed.

It is less than what I expected because she was amazing with Wang Xing Yue in Scent of Time,
and Ryan Cheng was perfectly matched with Lu Yu Xiao in My Journey to You. In this story I didn't feel they were perfectly match. She is projecting a nice/happy girl/not so serious persona. But this role requires more serious and mean expressions. ML RC feels too serious for her.

She is switching between a playful young girl and serious persona. It doesn't feel as convincing. Her impressions as a clueless persona seems fake.

Anyways, hopefully, as the story develops, it will get better.

The story feels disconnected initially. It's like fast forwarding the background to the part when the FL and ML spends a lot of time together. The framing of the story doesn't make sense. Oh well, Chinese drama is always like this.

If you want to make a decision whether or not to watch this, I would say it's watchable. No obvious drop signal for me so far. The story is simple and has loopholes. But if you are looking for a romantic history drama, it will fit the bill.

Episode 10
Rolling eyes: female lead's heroism is overwhelmingly unbelievable. Her fighting skills are amazing.
ML: I know it's role that he has to play a wooden figure. He basically has the same acting style as the previous drama in My Journey to You.
Annoying part: she unconvincingly switches back and forth between serious and pretending unserious expressions.

Dropped after 22
Story is just not watchable and boring. The FL is annoying too. No chemistry.

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The Legend of the Female General is more than a historical epic—it’s also a tender, slow-burn romance that blossoms with depth and sincerity. The relationship between He Yan and Xiao Jue is written with rare balance, built on respect, trust, and emotional growth rather than fleeting passion. Their chemistry feels effortless, with her spirited brightness slowly melting his cool restraint, and his quiet steadiness giving her the safety to be vulnerable. I really love these two characters.

Every glance, every unspoken moment between them is heightened by the drama’s beautifully woven OST—gentle ballads and stirring instrumentals that echo the ache of longing, the spark of trust, and the quiet power of love. Instead of relying on grand gestures, the romance moves like music itself: subtle, graceful, and deeply resonant, leaving viewers with a love story that lingers like a haunting melody long after the final episode.

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A great love story, but it will disappoint if you expected more.

It feels like a lifetime ago when news about Legend of the Female General first surfaced, and cdrama lovers everywhere cheered with anticipation. I was one of them. A female general? Tragic past? Second chance at life? War? Cool fight scenes? Cross-dressing? Romance? Deception? Angst? Women empowerment? As a huge fan of Mulan, the promises of such a premise excited me. Say less and sign me up for war.

At first, I thought this drama would be similar to the author's other works — The Double and The Glory. Both were known for their darker themes, intricate plots, and suspenseful atmosphere. However, Legend of the Female General took a lighthearted approach with more comedic moments and gravitated strongly toward the romance, overshadowing the epic war and revenge aspects that the trailers initially teased. With just the first few episodes alone, it was also evident why some viewers were frustrated with this drama, and understandably so. The episodes were short, the editing was a bit choppy, there were plot holes and inconsistencies, and the story seemed to have deviated from what I knew about the novel. Sometimes you had to really suspend disbelief and throw away logic in order to truly appreciate this drama.

Despite the drama's departure from my previous expectations, I didn't hate the lighter tone or the romance-driven narrative. In fact, I thought the romance was the drama's best attribute. With that said, I do believe that too much medicine can poison you, and the problem I had with this drama was that it focused so heavily on the romance that sometimes it neglected other aspects of the story. What I hated was the way some of the pivotal moments — specifically some of the important non-romantic arcs — were carelessly mishandled. These were character-and-plot defining events and yet they suffered from the lack of appropriate build-up and execution that they deserved, falling flat and rendering the moments as anticlimactic. The most frustrating part? It wasn't like the director and screenwriters didn't know how to create impactful moments, because they did. When done right, there were scenes in the drama that were so heartfelt and inspirational, they left me in awe. I have rewatched entire episodes just to experience the feeling of joy and satisfaction all over again because those scenes were that mesmerizing. Unfortunately, those moments were few and far between, making me disappointed and yearned for more.

The drama was far from perfect, and yet, I found it enjoyable because of my love for the main characters. He Yan and Xiao Jue were the saving grace of Legend of the Female General. They were likable and charming, easy to root for and sympathize with. They were great as individuals, but together, they were scorching hot in all the best ways. So many of their moments made me emotional or gave me butterflies, and I was invested in their love story. Even when the plot faltered, their chemistry did not. They understood each other in a way no one else could. They were each other's equal, twin flames, never doubting the other person's capability or intelligence. The way they loved each other so selflessly and passionately was beautiful. I couldn't stop thinking about them, so I stayed for their romance. They consumed my mind and my time, and I continuously allowed them to do so. If that wasn't a sign of enjoyment on my part, then I don't know what was. This drama was my introduction to Zhou Ye or Cheng Lei, and their compelling performances here were a pleasant delight.

I liked that He Yan wasn't a bloodthirsty, revenge seeking, and bitter protagonist — although she had every right to be if that was the route she had chosen. This was her second chance at life, and while she wanted those who have hurt her to pay in due time, she wasn't going to waste her new life living in spite of others. She wanted to do things on her own terms and live her life for herself. I started reading the novel halfway into this drama, and the drama's plot might have diverged from the novel, but the He Yan in the drama was very similar in temperament to the He Yan in the novel. I've seen some complaints about why He Yan wasn't seeking revenge immediately after recovering from her assassination attempt and how her personality was too easygoing in the drama, and to this I leave a direct quote from the novel, "The truth was concealed, and she had to uncover it. But before that, she had to live her life well." He Yan was wonderfully brought to life, and I loved her from the beginning until the end.

I feel like the promotions were misleading, portraying this drama as a dark tale of revenge and war, when in actuality, this drama wasn't really like that at all. Yes, revenge was an important element, and yes, there was war. However, the story was more focused on the second chances at love and life, personal growth, and self-discovery of He Yan, and by association, Xiao Jue. I can see why some viewers might have been let down after watching Legend of the Female General, as the title would give the illusion of a more action-packed and war-centric story. It is nothing like the original Chinese title, 錦月如歌 or Brocade Moon Like a Song, which suggests a more romantic and softer tone, more fitting of the story.

Legend of the Female General was, more or less, a guilty pleasure for me. Objectively speaking, the plot was a 7/10, the editing and narrative execution were a 6/10, but the main characters were a 10/10. If I was to rate this drama purely on my level of enjoyment, it would be a 9/10 overall. I enjoyed it for what it was and I will most likely rewatch it again just for my favorite scenes. Even with its shortcomings, Legend of the Female General is still a binge-worthy, addicting, and fun drama. If you appreciate a romance dominated story with some action, and you are willing to overlook some plot inconsistencies, you might also find the drama worthwhile. The actors are amazing, and their chemistry will make you blush. I recommend going into this drama with low expectations and an open mind.

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Legend of the Female General – Mid-Series & Post-Finale Thoughts

This drama has been on my radar since the prehistoric era (aka when it was first announced). The wait was long, arduous, and peppered with me muttering “is it here yet?” every other month. But alas, the day came — and so far? Totally worth it.

From the get-go, the visuals, the plot, and the chemistry have been chef’s kiss. They stayed close to the source material but still made creative choices that keep things fresh — and I’m here for it.

Zhou Ye as He Yan is a slay queen. She captures the heartbreak, the resilience, and somehow manages to sprinkle in goofiness and silliness without breaking the emotional weight of her arc. It’s the kind of layered portrayal that makes your heart ache and makes you want to hug the character into oblivion. It is overdone with the acting silly and drunk? Yes, but considering her character's background Imma give ma girl a break.

And then there’s Cheng Lei. My man could win awards just for looking at people. His microexpressions are so precise that I’m out here squealing like a teenage fangirl every time he so much as blinks in her direction. Swoon bro, and the avalanche of Tiktok edits do not help my case lol.

Now, let’s address the elephant in the room — the scandal. Honestly, I thought this show would be shelved indefinitely. Glad it wasn’t, but I can’t lie: the production took a hit. The AI-modified face? Noticeable. Distracting at first. By episode 19, I’m used to it — but the adjustment period was… let’s call it “character building.”

If I had one major gripe, it’s the BGM. It’s serviceable, but it feels like it was pulled from the “standard historical drama” playlist. I wish it had its own distinct musical identity — something that would make me instantly recall this drama the moment I hear it.

And to fully enjoy this? You have to check your logic at the door and politely ignore a lot of things. This is less a flawless masterpiece and more a pure fan tribute — and I mean that in the most indulgent, guilty-pleasure way possible. Editing can be uneven, but none of it steals from the emotional punch or story momentum.

We’re only 2/3 through, so it’s too early to crown it. But for me? It’s been giving exactly what I imagined when picturing the main characters from the novel. Here’s hoping it keeps going strong till the end.

*Upate*

Post-Finale Thoughts

If anything, this drama actually gets better as the episodes progress. The bond between the leads deepens beautifully, and their chemistry is what truly kept me hooked. I fell so hard for their connection that the production shortcomings — and the occasional “logic? never heard of her” moments — barely mattered in the grand scheme of things. Their relationship carried the whole show on its shoulders, and for me, it delivered.

Now… let’s talk Episode 35. Why, drama gods, why? That entire fabricated angst arc was unnecessary, sour, and left me feeling bitter. It’s one of my most hated tropes, and the fact that it wasn’t even in the novel makes it sting more. This show didn’t need it, and honestly, it dragged down what could have been an easy 10/10.

Still, despite that stumble, Legend of the Female General gave me everything I wanted in seeing these characters come to life. I laughed, I squealed, I swooned, and I loved every stare and microexpression along the way. It’s not flawless, but it’s unforgettable — and sometimes that matters more.

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Flawed but Worth the Watch

Legend of the Female General is a drama that had so much potential but stumbled in execution. The pacing was all over the place — at times slower than a snail 🐌, then suddenly rushed to the point you’d blink and miss it ⚡. Some storylines felt underdeveloped, like Chu Zhao’s backstory, which was barely explored, and side plots that appeared disconnected. The main villain came across more like a spoiled brat throwing tantrums than a clever schemer, while the Emperor felt blind to obvious plots and punished the very people loyal to him.
Despite these flaws, the drama delivered in other areas. The romance between He Yan and Xiao Jue was a slow burn that eventually paid off with genuine emotion and depth. Ryan Cheng shone as Xiao Jue, mastering subtle expressions and commanding presence, while Zhou Ye was strong as He Yan, though the dubbing sometimes weakened her character’s authority.
Overall, this drama balances frustrating flaws with touching moments, memorable leads, and a romance worth rooting for. Not perfect, but still a solid watch — I’d give it 8/10.

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It's worth a try

Have you ever wondered if a girl can join the army AND earn military merits? Well, He Yan is an incredible example of a strong woman who does not care about the prejudices of the society she lives in.

He Yan is forced to take her brother's place while he is recuperating at a temple, and make a name for her family (as a general), all while wearing a mask. Her brother suddenly shows up after the death of her father-figure and takes her place. She is forced to start a new life, joining the military as a new recruit, and make her way up the ladder.

I have been looking forward to this drama for a long while before it dropped, and all I can say is that the long wait was well‐deserved. Even though most people criticized LOTFG beacuse of the whole substitute reincarnation plot, I like it better this way.

I find the story quite promising. Usually the FL of any other drama is strong in other fields, not physically fit to fight. In 'Coroner's Diary', I liked the fact that the FL was smart, and even had a strong friend by her side. The roles, however, are reversed in this drama — He Yan is strong and capable, while TaoTao is experienced with TCM.

I saw many people complaining about Ryan Cheng's acting (Xiao Jue). I, personally, find it fitting for this role. The ML is supposed to be a cold/cruel general, of course he's not going to walk around skipping. His eyes are more than enough to understand the emotions behind them. Even the way he's carrying himself seems fitting for a general — leaving no opening for possible attacks.

I couldn't have chosen a better cast for this drama. I feel that every actor/actress put everything into their respective role, and some may still find a way to criticize their acting.

To sum it all up, LOTFG is definitely worth a try. If I had let myself influenced by the nagetive reviews I might never have found this gem. If you've watched 4-5 episodes and still don't like it, I must say, this cdrama is not for you.

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Pretty Faces, Weak Logic, and Rushed Storytelling

I found the drama becoming more dull and less exciting over time watching up to ep 23.

He Yan’s “male disguise” is unconvincing; her voice, face, and mannerisms remain exactly the same whether she is portraying a man or a woman. This makes her military infiltration hard to believe especially compared to Yang Zi’s convincing boy-disguise in Lost You Forever 1. Xiao Jue, while handsome, plays the same cold, stoic role he’s portrayed in other dramas (My Journey to You), with minimal emotional range. It is one face that he makes, smiles a little bit, and goes back to the cold face.

Logic gaps are everywhere. You’re telling me Xiao Jue, who studied alongside He Yan in the past, can’t recognize her despite her unique sword technique, height difference, and voice? It takes until episode 22 and a random brothel scene for him to “suddenly” piece it together. The story is rushed, with plot points jumping from one scene to the next without explanation like a cup dropping then instantly cutting to He Yan being blinded by poison.

Some scenes are downright illogical. He Yan is supposedly a skilled and powerful fighter, yet she is instantly taken down by her brother’s assassin, falls over a cliff, and somehow survives thanks to a conveniently placed master. The event feels rushed, unearned, and stripped of tension emblematic of the drama’s overall pacing issues.

Character motivations are paper-thin. The He family’s hatred for He Yan is never fleshed out unless you have read the novel. Fight scenes are minimal, replaced with drawn-out romance stares, fake marriage antics, and repetitive “du du du du”. I have to pause and fill in the blanks myself.

What could have been a sharp action driven tale of redemption and strategy is instead a romance heavy drama with pretty faces, plot armor, and underdeveloped storytelling. Unless you are here purely for the lead visuals, you'll likely find yourself frustrated by the wasted potential.

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So, I am no novel reader, I’ve read some comments here about the book, so that’s it, I am not getting opinion regarding that.

So, does it leave up to the hype and the long wait??? Personally no

I am gonna finish when the drama is over.

Some positive point to me :
- I like how ML found out very early on that she's a women (ep. 4)
- The leads have good chemistry
- ML is looking very good and definitely fit these kind of role (a general)
- Don’t really see any flaws in term of acting from the cast
- I like the costumes
- Music is not bad
- Some fighting scenes are looking good
- I appreciate the story between the leads, how the romance flow. Their closeness, the building trust. I always thought it was funny how she was handy, touching him (mostly when drunk) and he was just letting her. The soft looks from him, only for her. Eyes speak a lot. Both actually. I really liked the episodes they were undercover as husband and wife, their quality time together, they were very cute. Many good moments, like :
1) Doing her eyebrows
2) Crossing the bridge
3) The dance with the mask and "I love the moon, but the moon doesn’t know"
4) the boat scene,
Etc...
- I like the friendship between FL and her camarade in arm. It was touching in ep 25 when they went with her and how they knew she was a women, kept her secret and didn't care.
- Friendship between the leads and the 2 doctors is also good
- I like ML's soldier, it's funny when he witness the moments between the leads
- they have very few scenes, but the second pairing is cute, always bickering. I hope they make it and actually get married. It was cute ghe bridge scene, they are a good match.
- the moon reference
- intelligent and capable leads


So, this drama is definitely not without flaws. It's hard to overlook, you can close your eyes and logic ahahah, but some thoughts :
- There is some weak editing, directing, transition and pace. I know some will say, "they had to cut some scenes", yes and? I am still wondering, did they actually cut scene because of the side actors? They did some scenes with AI and cut some? Why not doing AI completly ? Does this drama lack budget.
- The writing is questionable at time, Some exemple, I am trying to remember some moments 😅:
1) Still feel off how no one recognize that HF was not the same person
2) The battle and underwatwer kiss : we clearly saw that in was not deep water at all and she fell a few meters away and it was so damn deep, make 0 senses. And ML was very far away and just appeared.
3) ML breaking through Rundu, how? Could have make more sense they are already fighting and he arrives to help.
4) In these story, it’s always unbelievable how poeple cannot see she’s not a man, when she 100% looks like a women. It’s the same in every drama😅 cannot really complain on this, but still an observation
5) The master and the princess fell a bit random story
6) the past between ML and that school friend (what happened after ML's father death), feel like what happened could have been shown before, when we were seeing literally the scenes regarding his father's death and then they meet later. Feel like could have made the flow better. All of this also feel like kinda random
7) SML : it's like writer wants to make SML more present, but at time it’s just feel off and stupid. Like in ep 25 : we were having an emotional and good moments between FL and her friends, then bro randomly appear, "I will come with you too" and ruining this good moment. Why the hell would he go there? For what? More scenes of these 2 and making him fall even more for her? Because it doesn’t make any sense. Why would he go there, he is useless. And don't talk about him playing the flute while the others were fighting. What is this stupid writing. He pups up at time randomly. They also don't make FL straight rejecting him. Most conversations feels vague. He’s always showing everywhere and in every cities where the leads are, does that make sense? Not really and some scenes have 0 purpose
- Honestly, some key scenes don’t really make me feel anything. The actors did okay, I think it's just how it's written. Like the revelation of her identity. Some are complaining about ep 26, the hug during battle. I don’t really see a problem about that. Maybe why was she this panicking? He just disapeared of sight, no indication he was death or hurt. I didn’t feel much here either, but their eyes and smiles speaked a lot. A bit disapointed with the general, she wanted to save him and he felt like a good guy and a great general (on of the 7), but he just felt like an asshole
- felt kinda off how he found out she's a women
- it kind of feel almost dragging, confess and get together already ahaha the little ansgt after he found out how she is, looked a bit like dragging getting them together a little
- I am not that into it unfortunately

I have been loosing a little bit interest, but still enjoying I guess, it's an okay drama. I paid again for the damn express, so I’ll finish it

Eps 27-28 : majority of screentime on SML and the brother, nothing much interesting to see here. I mind less the brother, but SML, I don’t give a damn about his sad past.

FL meeting ML's brother and wife. They seems pretty close, why is he not telling them she’s a women? I liked ML telling hid parents he found someone. Still didn’t make feel much, I saw a clip, someone was crying over this, that wasn’t me at all🙈🙈 I am not emotionally attached

Ep 29-36 :

- feeling stupid how SML keep getting promoted for nothing

- confession scene, the dialogue was beautiful. Kiss was also looking good

- FL’s mom death and the little scenes regarding that. Again, why is this drama making me feel nothing, I had a straight face

- wedding scene between second couple was cute and they were looking good. It was funny how he throw his bride over the horse, fist time I see this in a cdrama. Wish they could have had a little more screentime in the drama. Little bickering couple

- luckily they didn’t kill anyone, well except that one general who should have survived. Pregnant wife, I feel bad. Honestly, could have been one of the friend soldier, I am sorry🫠 his death was nothing surprising though. Like they were showing these happy moments with his wife… I literally said to myself, this guy is definitely dying.

- ep 35 : the little angst and the marriage decree felt unnecessary, but at least the leads reconciled in less than 1 episode.

- They turned SML is the pathetic cliché obsessed guy. Girl gave him absolutely no signs that she liked him and bro was like « she loves me » does she bro🙄🙄 Exile for his ending…. That’s that, at least they didn’t went for the stupid plot of SMl playing hero and sacrificing himself for FL. Why was he lurking and looking at the leads intimate moments from afar. At least it was satisfying how FL was reacting after the marriage decree, she was not taking it. That was good

- The maid : these kind of death always feel stupid. You are a good fighter, but a knife is coming, what do you do ? Fight, trying to stop her or whatever, doing something. But no, I am just gonna put myself in between to get stab

- Brother and villain minister in prison…

- Last fighting in episode 36 was looking okay, the CGI was looking a bit meh with the horses scenes, but nothing can be perfect

- the wedding was pretty

- everything felt a bit rushed in the last ep and for conclusion, I wish we could have gotten more of happy moments. I was also hoping the wedding wasn’t in the last ep, but a bit before. Cdrama writers tend to rush their ending unfortunately. Pretty underwhelming ending

- production and writing was pretty weak till the end

- why do I feel like I was maybe enjoying more the romance before the leads were even dating 🥲

Ending with the moon, which makes sense I guess

I almost forced myself to finish, my interest was low. Not sure how to rate, I always give ratings that are too high. If I compare to some rating I gave, maybe I’ll still give it an 8

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Strong fl + enemies to lovers trope

The story is not as heavy as the other wuxia out there. The plot is very simple — no complicated political matters and all characters stick on their roles. This may not everyone's cup of tea, but how this story unfolds is truly an enticing and thrilling drama for those who only wants romance and simple tug of war.

But in deeper sense, it covers a lot of different important matters such as feminism, war, famine, and ignorance of equality in the era of men dominance. The character's dialogues were also well-crafted. And the fighting scenes were all satisfying. I love everything about this drama.

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Nice historical drama starring at a daughter from noble family distinguished herself as a son to protect and earn merit for her family but after that her family backstabbed her. Through thick and thin she’s come back to a new life with her real name earn everything back from her talents and skills. She’s a role model for women, to remind them they have their rights to do what they want, do business to support their life not trapped at home try to please husband, do needlework and learning about virtue of woman. Last but not least she’s found a partner who can pave a way for her, support her, care for her, love her, support her ambition to be a general. The chemistry between FL and ML looks so REAL, look forward to new project seeing them together again.

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