This review may contain spoilers
Pursuit of Jade — Review
(edited)After completing all 40 episodes of Pursuit of Jade, I can confidently say that this drama has become one of my favorite C-dramas. While I understand that opinions about this series may vary and others may rate it lower, my experience watching it from beginning to end was genuinely meaningful and memorable. I would also definitely recommend others to watch it and give it a chance, especially if you enjoy character driven historical dramas.
What stayed with me the most is how the drama remained deeply character focused throughout its entire run. Even as the story expanded into themes of war, revenge, and political conflict, it never lost sight of its emotional core. The narrative is not driven by spectacle alone, but by the personal journeys of its characters particularly Fan Chang Yu and Xie Zheng.
Fan Chang Yu’s character is one of the strongest aspects of the drama for me. Her growth feels natural and well earned, shaped by her background and the circumstances she faces. She starts as someone grounded in survival, carrying the practicality of her life as a butcher’s daughter, and gradually evolves into someone who takes control of her own fate in a much larger world. What I appreciate most is that her strength is not exaggerated. She remains consistent to who she is, even as her responsibilities grow heavier.
Her presence in the later parts of the story, especially as the stakes rise, left a strong impression on me. There is something powerful about how she carries her past with her, rather than leaving it behind. It makes her journey feel continuous and authentic, and it reinforces the idea that her identity is not defined by status, but by her resilience and choices.
Xie Zheng, on the other hand, offers a more restrained but equally compelling arc. His character is shaped by loss, responsibility, and a long standing desire to uncover the truth. What I found engaging about him is the way his emotional layers are revealed over time. He is not immediately expressive, but his actions consistently show his depth especially in the way he protects, trusts, and eventually stands alongside Fan Chang Yu.
Their relationship is, without a doubt, the heart of the drama. What begins as a marriage of convenience slowly develops into something sincere and deeply rooted in mutual understanding. I appreciated that their bond did not rely on exaggerated romantic moments. Instead, it was built through shared struggles, quiet support, and the gradual development of trust.
There are subtle scenes throughout the drama that highlight this progression moments where they choose to rely on each other, even when circumstances make it difficult. These moments made their relationship feel real to me. By the time the story reaches its later stages, their partnership feels solid and equal, which made their journey even more satisfying to watch.
As the story moves toward its final arc, the scale of the narrative becomes larger, but it still feels connected to the characters’ personal stakes. The unfolding of hidden truths and past events adds emotional weight rather than just serving as plot twists. I found these revelations impactful because they tie directly into the characters’ motivations and the paths they have taken.
Without going into major spoilers, the ending felt fitting for the kind of story the drama was trying to tell. It focuses more on emotional resolution than shock value, which I personally appreciated. It gave me a sense of closure while still allowing me to reflect on everything the characters had gone through.
In terms of pacing, I found the drama consistent overall. There are slower moments, but they did not feel unnecessary to me. Instead, they allowed the story to breathe and gave more depth to the characters and their relationships. These quieter scenes are part of what made the emotional moments more effective later on.
Visually, the drama maintains a strong atmosphere from start to finish. The cinematography and setting complement the tone of the story, especially during more intense or emotional scenes. While it may not be perfect in every technical aspect, it never distracted me from the overall experience.
What ultimately makes Pursuit of Jade stand out to me is its sincerity. It tells a story about two people navigating a complicated world while slowly becoming each other’s support system. Their journey is not just about love, but also about growth, trust, and standing firm in the face of uncertainty.
Even though I know that not everyone may feel the same way about this drama, it has earned a special place for me. It is the kind of story that stays with you, not because it is flawless, but because of how it made you feel while watching it. Because of that, I genuinely encourage others to watch it and experience the story for themselves.
Overall, I would still rate Pursuit of Jade a 10/10. This is now one of my favorite C-dramas, and completing it only strengthened the impression it left on me. This review reflects my personal experience after finishing the series, and I can say that it was a journey I truly enjoyed from beginning to end.
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This Story Lives in My Soul: A Love Letter to Zhu Yu
I have to start with….this is my very first written review about a drama. Zhu Yu/Pursuit of Jade has completely captured my soul and heart that I find myself wanting to share my thoughts about this masterclass of a drama.Story: What a heart wrenching and emotional adaption of a beautiful novel. The story was told in the drama in a way where it hooked me from the moment I started. The way every detail was weaved to build each story arc and the emotional impact behind each arc. Each and every character had their own beautiful and impact moments, no matter how big or small their role was. I was deeply connected to all characters. I found myself rooting for EVERYONE and that is rare. Each character is multidimensional which really elevated the story. I will miss seeing my people everyday after almost a month.
Directing: MASTERCLASS. CHEF’S KISS. MIC DROP. I may be biased but ZQJ deserves all the accolades. He did a phenomenal job with bringing each character to life. The way he helped tailor each scene must be studied. I felt myself drawn to EVERY minute of the drama. Thank you Director ZQJ for your masterpiece.
Acting: SHOUTOUT TO EVERY ACTOR IN THIS DRAMA. Legit everyone brought their own uniqueness and flowers to this drama. Each person brought their own strengths that the drama wouldn’t be a masterclass if we were missing anyone. The emotional impact your acting have brought me will sit with me for a long time, even for life.
Crew/Set Design: Some of the most beautiful sets and costumes I’ve seen. Thank you everyone for your hard and extraordinary work.
I just want to take a moment to appreciate our leads.
Zhang Linghe. He gege. You have truly outdone yourself. Your acting in this drama was some of the best I’ve been in a long time. You brought this hardness and softness to Xie Zhang that mesmerized me. Thank you for your hard work, I cannot wait to see you on the screen again.
Tian Xie Wei, the queen that you are. You brought ChangYu to life and more. You honestly made the character became role models everywhere. The range of your acting was showed case here every minute you were on our screens. You are a role model yourself, how hard you work to bring ChangYu to life is phenomenal.
Thank you to every person who worked on ZhuYu, the masterpiece will sit with me forever. Easily my top 5 drama of all time.
Now….time to rewatch! :)
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This review may contain spoilers
One of the best C-dramas of the year
First of all, this is the very first review I’ve ever written. I’ve been waiting for this drama for a entire year!Honestly, this C-drama has it all: romance, a bit of comedy... I truly believe it will be one of the best dramas of 2026, if not the best, though I know there are many more coming.
Zhang Linghe, what a man! He is stunning; I was left breathless in every single episode. His role as the Marquis Wu'an suited him perfectly—no one else could have played him.
Regarding the character, I feel like his development fell a bit short. In my opinion, I wanted to see more of the "formidable" Marquis, but I didn't quite get that, even though I still loved him.
The villains deserve a major award, especially Qi Min and Yuanqing. Those siblings were insane! Deng Kai and Lin Muran did an incredible job.
I absolutely loved Changyu and how strong she is. I adored it whenever she told the Marquis she would support him by killing pigs; simply amazing. Tian Xiwei was incredible.
And the OST is incredible, 10/10
The Ending: 9/10. Why?
Because there are so many unanswered questions. What happened to Gongsun and the eldest princess? In the end, Changyu and Xie Zheng had two children—it would have been lovely to see them all together. I know it’s an adaptation and won't be exactly like the novel, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. It was amazing!
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Personal review for Yanzheng aka Xiezheng aka Zhang Linghe❤️✨✨
I didn’t know the day would come when I’d fall in love with Zhang Linghe 😌🥀❤️ Because I had watched several of his projects long before—My Journey to You, Story of Kunning Palace, The Princess Royal, Fox Spirit Matchmaker—and the very first one I saw was Chang Heng from Love Between Fairy and Devil and yet, I still didn’t adore him like that.He’s handsome, his acting is good, he builds chemistry well, and every role he takes always manages to pull me into the story—but I didn’t love him. So I kept wondering… what exactly made me fall for him in POJ?
Because honestly, a character like a marquis is everywhere. Dominant, a general (or marquis, whatever), brilliant at war, and when he falls in love, it’s only with one woman—classic, right? lol. But here in POJ, it feels different.
Of course, part of it is how he was styled into that “insanely, extra handsome” Marquis Wu’an (like… we cannot deny that. That is so undeniable😭). But what really stands out is something else: the details in his acting.
Experience never lies. His micro-expressions feel more alive, more natural. The way he switches between Yanzheng and Xiezheng is subtle but distinct—even though they’re not actually two separate characters, just a fake identity. Yet somehow, he makes us believe they’re two different personas with completely different auras. And that’s not easy.
And the thing that truly made me fall for him: he doesn’t overdo it. He knows when to hold back and when to explode. His gaze… it can be cold, soft, possessive—yet still elegant. It makes me think, “Oh… this is the level of an actor who understands emotional rhythm, not just relying on visuals.”
That’s why I was honestly surprised when people started bringing up issues like “too much foundation” or being overly focused on makeup. Like… come on, I get the point—yes, a general should look rough in war, a worker should look worn out.
But that just tells me they’re not really watching the drama properly. Look at the scene where Yanzheng hides in a pigsty and Changyu sees him from above—he looks extremely shabby: thin clothes, pale lips, a drained, lifeless face 😭
Maybe it’s just his natural visuals that make him still look attractive no matter what😌✨ And then when he becomes the marquis, the poor Yanzheng disappears completely—Xiezheng, the general, dominates with that all-black outfit, especially in the fortress scene where he’s desperately searching for Changyu. So what I’m trying to say is… 2025-level makeup shouldn’t be compared to 2015 drama standards 😭
But let me emphasize this again: Linghe is not just visuals. Everything above is just part of the process that builds the character. What actually makes people obsessed with him? Clearly, it’s his acting that brings the character to life. There are so many dramas out there with perfect costumes and styling, yet they still fail to feel compelling—either as individual characters or as a couple.
Anyway… I’m definitely looking forward to his upcoming projects. Especially Overdo (which probably he’s going to be insanely ridiculously crazy handsome again 😭💅🥀🙏). After this, I also want to continue with Our Generation and The Best Thing—yep, I’ve officially entered my “watching all his dramas” phase now hahaha.
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Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained; I’m Glad I Took the Shot
It is a wrap! What a wholesome journey it has been. I will definitely miss this series a lot. It will probably takes some time to move on so I am going to rewatch it especially the Xigu Lane arc. A disclaimer; I am just a casual drama watcher, I’m no expert and I am watching for entertainment. This is just my two cents for the drama and I won’t put any spoilers here because I personally do not like getting spoiled.THE CAST
To whoever did the casting, give him/her an extra bonus, because they did such a great job. I love all the castings, from main leads to all supporting characters, man even the eunuch was a great actor for me. They all fit their characters so well that now I’m reading the novels, it is like another drama adaptation for me in my head.
I follow both TXW and ZLH and imo, this is the best I’ve seen them in roles. I understand the hype of their pairing. Their chemistry is really worth a second drama, or third and fourth.
I don’t think anyone else can carry FCY role as well as TXW; that gap of adorable features and boyish is very hard to pull off. I think it’s refreshing to see FL that does not always have this demure vibe or a crafty mastermind; just a straightforward simple FL but not weak enough to be a damsel in distress. I wish TXW can get a lot more different characters especially action ones, because I think she can pull that off. I also love the fact that she is allergic to romance; you should watch the BTS, they are very fun on their own fr.
ZLH also ate this role; maybe because he doesn’t have many action scenes, I focused more on his acting instead. Someone mentioned that ZLH nailed nuance acting in this and after researching about it, I wholeheartedly agree. You can see how far his acting has grown and I can’t wait to see more. And among all of his dramas, XZ looks the best; he really pull off both masculine and soft looks.
THE OST & CONCEPT USED
I love all the OSTs especially once I read the lyrics. It added so much depth and flavors to the whole series. I also love that from the title and characters’ names, the costumes and the characters themselves stem from historical and cultural inspirations. It teaches me something new which I really appreciate. It makes the series more endearing when I learnt the meaning behind each of them.
THE DRAMA & DRAMA
I have to say the drama surely had tanked a lot of issues. From the rumors the leads had beef with each other, to apparently their agents that actually beefing, fandom billing war, the amount of trolls account they got, data manipulation allegations, pacing issues that was said to butcher the drama up, and the leaks of whole 10 episodes; regardless, look how far the series have gotten. This drama is definitely a breakthrough for CDrama and I’m here for it.
For plot holes and pacing issues, I do not think it is as bad as some people put it. Its main plot is romance and it delivers it very well. (yes, I swoon a lot watching). It is the typical issue for dramas, either flop at the beginning or it drops in the end. I think the most affected arc for me is during Lord Chang Xin arc, too many things happened but too compressed, it feels kind of choppy and they had to cut corners to fit everything in. If only the episode-limit ban was lifted much early on, we could get 50 or 60 episodes at a better pace. But the drama does pick up again towards the end, not as good as Xigu Lane, but it did recover to an extent. I have to say I'm very sad about the cut scene in Ep 38, i don't think it is something that need to be censored. I was looking forward to it real bad too.
All in all, there is no perfect fiction. Fiction in itself meant something of the not real world; it’s a manifestation of someone’s imagination. For any illogical plot or the inconsistencies that exist, the rule of cool applies. The main purpose is for our enjoyment anyways, so I am willing to overlook small plot holes because the vibes and emotions were solid. For any changes from the novel, that is up to the creator’s creative liberty on their own works. Of course, there are few things I love and dislike about the addition in the drama or parts that I prefer to follow the novel, but its quite overboard to discredit the whole drama for the small portion of the issues. And too much analytical and critical judgement sort of take away part of the fun, if I have to do all that, I might as well go to work.
TO SUM UP
In the end, it is whether YOU like it or not that matters. Preference is subjective after all. Give it a shot and see; if you like it then that’s good, we can simp together, if you don’t, also okay, maybe in the next drama we see each other. My suggestion would be to watch the drama first, and then read the novel for the best experience. As writing materials would have more details and elaboration for plot and characters, reading the novel first would create certain expectation for the adaptations; which for me lessen the experience of the drama because I can’t help but compare them together.
Thank you for reading and happy watching guys!
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This review may contain spoilers
All show No go!
I waited on watching the end of this, felt like I needed a breather, but it didn’t help and it didn’t work for me sadly.7 episodes in and would have given this 10/10 it was near perfection but it started to unravel slowly, they spent too long in the village, in fact that was a big problem for me with this, locations became stagnant. I started to get distracted when our FL got into the restaurant business, but it picked up, despite its sadness, with the village massacre and her incredible fight scene spinning through the air. ZLH lost it for me here, his character started to make less and less sense to me , especially regarding his little sister or lack there of and that’s when it really started to unravel.
The time in camp seemed like a whole lot of nothing, Feeble battle scenes, a whole lot of cooking, a great general not generaling, even riding in with feathers lost all impact because he’d done nothing to earn them and the unbelievable almost comical fight scenes by our FL, finally defeated any chemistry I felt for the couple, they actually got irritating.
I’d already started to feel like shipping the FL with Lord Li, but at this point I wouldn’t wish that on Lord Li. I think I liked Lord Li so much because his character actually had some flesh on the bones.
The last three episode got better, but they weren’t great, which says it all. They were a mish mash of all the stories concluding but done poorly, I mean what was that final non battle in the palace?
The villains were great, but again not enough screen time or fleshing out of their characters stories, they felt rushed and don’t even get me started on the three of them hanging off of the wall, chained together having a whole ass dialogue in perfect stillness, no pain, struggle or fear.
The political intrigue was much needed but came too late and not enough, I was left wanting more of the prime ministers story, his wife’s and her son and his lover and of course the previous king. That could have been a whole episode on its own.
We had sparse exchange with our ML’s and even the bath tub scene left me flat because it came out of nowhere.
The second couple had all the chemistry and stole the limelight, but we saw them too little.
In conclusion, I don’t know what happened from episodes 1-7 to the rest but it felt like the screenwriter or editor got a lobotomy. I ended up giving it a MDL 7.5 but honestly that is because of those first 7 episodes and I think I’m being generous, both structure, pacing and character development went out of the window for me, no amount of beautiful scenes, styling or big names could save this imho for me anyway.
The takeaways were some brilliant child acting those kids stole the show, those perfect first episodes and definitely actors I’m going to look out for in the future, oh and our 🔥 uncle, he got me through!
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Promising start, empty payoff !
I’m pretty strict with the ratings I give because I have high standards when it comes to dramas. Pursuit of Jade had all the ingredients to be amazing, but it ended up falling flat.The biggest issue is the narrative. It opens up too many plotlines and doesn’t properly develop any of them. The story keeps moving, but without direction, weight, or a clear purpose. It feels like it’s going somewhere, but nothing ever truly lands or gets resolved in a satisfying way.
More than being a bad story, it feels like one that never figured out what it wanted to be. And that’s what makes it so frustrating. The potential was there, but it was wasted.
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2
1Pretty Boaring
Once upon a time in snowy Linan County, expert butcher Fan Changyu stumbles over a suspicious lump of snow on her way home from work. To her shock and delight, she discovers a gravely injured man whose deathly pale face card screams "too handsome to perish." No self-respecting, recently jilted gal leaves a man who looks like that to freeze to death. So with preternatural strength that belies her dainty stature, she hefts this gorgeously useless sack of frozen flesh over her shoulders and piggybacks him home to Xigu Lane.This drama is a feast for the eyes. The camera pans leisurely over one fairytale-like idyllic countryside scene after another. It is a fan service extravaganza of stunning face shots of Xie Zheng and Fan Changyu eyeing each other thirstily as they casually beat off petty village villains. Their expressions hint at a complexity that never materializes. Nothing really happens for about seventeen gorgeous episodes loaded with the promise of betrayal and intrigue. The long-winded Linan plot arcs and bucolic themes remind me of The Lady in Butcher's House (2022), which is nowhere near as beautifully shot but is a hell of a lot funnier.
When the plot finally moves, it is like watching a pig run amok in a china shop—I mean, military camp. But the fight scenes are great: fantastic action choreography and thrilling camera angles that will convince you that a short gal viciously wielding a short-range butcher's cleaver can defy physics and defeat an entire invading army of tall men with long-reaching spears and swords. And there is nothing more hilarious than watching a handsome decorated general and his army gallop heroically to the rescue after all the fighting is done by a butcher and her pig squad. For her efforts, she is promoted to the point of inefficiency and made a general and war heroine - yups another dynasty that bites the dust! As for the redoubtable Marquis Wu'an, his formidable military reputation is only told, never earned. The man's greatest accomplishment is hiding his identity from his beloved beyond reason and at the risk of king and country. After the military misadventures cum absurd hidden identity arc, the long-awaited conspiracy finally reveals itself to be overly convoluted and anticlimactic. It is a stretch to call the final antagonist a villain. The drama ends unsatisfyingly, without closure and with a poor semblance of justice.
The main focus of this story is Fan Changyu, who is the Mary Sue of butchers. She is a souped-up martial arts version of Cinderella who traded her glass slippers for a wicked butcher's cleaver. I have always found Tian Xiwei obnoxious, so the fact that I never felt the impulse to sock her in the face is a true testament to Director Zeng Qingjie's ability to make her look a lot lovelier and more likeable than I thought possible. She put a lot of work into her fight scenes, and it showed. I was not impressed by her military antics, but that is on the writing, not the acting. As a CP, her chemistry with Zhang Linghe was good but paled in comparison to Deng Kai and Kong Xue'er's dark passion. While I have never seen Zhang Linghe look so hot in a drama, he is sidelined and reduced to little more than a decorative vase by the narrative. He drew the short straw on action scenes, and Xie Zheng's complex, painful relationship with Wei Yan is not fully explored. It is a pity that this director conjures up such sensational visual impressions that are not fleshed out by the screenwriting.
There are too many mouthwateringly hot clickbait characters in this story, but they all turn into two-dimensional cartoons as the plot unfolds. I stuck around because of how compellingly Deng Kai breathed life into the dark, sadistic, and tortured Qi Min. His intense, obsessive chemistry with the audacious and malicious defiance of Kong Xue'er's Qian Qian lights up the screen with a forbidden sensuality. Both Qi Min and Marquis Wu'an should be fascinating, complex parallel characters with pasts and a real grudge, but lazy writing reduces them both into love brains with questionable motives.
Overall, a pretty boaring romantic fairytale that is bound to check all the boxes for lovers of the genre. Fans of plot- or character-driven stories may find it lacking on many fronts. This might have worked better as a parody or a dark comedy, or if the humor landed better. Yet the visuals are so outstanding that I find it impossible to rate below 8.0 so let's call it 8.0/10.
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Story,
Such a good and refreshing story. I loveeeeee the story so much. I never knew that pig butcher profesion could be this atractive. Even if the premise were common, the fallen noble man saved by countryside female. But I love how the writer and production team executed this premise so beautiful and engaging. You can find a lot of promising premises of story. Like hidden identity, twisted fate of royal bloodline, politic-caused-by-love intrigue, noble-common-people love story, dominating-forced love story. And thankfully the writer and the production team can capture and connect them all perfectly. I learned a lot along the story unfold. How come love story could make me reflect so much about life? The last time I feel like this is when I watched Whisper of Fate.
The thing is in the few last episodes, the story feel a bit rushed because of cdrama rule (I actually hate that). But thankfully the conflicts end in quite satisfying ending. I plan to read the novel to get a better understanding for the story and the character.
But I should say this, this is my number one drama that have such a breathtakingly beautiful visual.
Acting and Cast,
First, I decided to watched this because of Zhang Linghe and Tian Xiwei together are very beautiful. You know most of people, including me, are visual oriented person. So yeah I atracted to any beautiful person. And this drama forced me to change my habit from binge watching finished drama to grit my teeth to watch on going drama.
Zhang Linghe, I'm glad you can get this role. I could say this is your peak iconic visual in your career so far. You are doing a really good job potraying Xie-Yan-Jiuheng-Zheng. I didn't expect you can further develop your acting skill like this.
Sweety Tian Xiwei, you are doing a great job too. Pig butchering girl are so bad ass even after you become great general. You got incomparable chemistry with Zhang Linghe. You don't how much I kicked my blanket, bite my shark doll, and even screaming in silence when watching your love story.
For my surprised, I captivated by Sui brothers or Sui-Qi brothers. Deng Kai and Li Moran really got perfect score from me as well executed villain of the story. They proved 'they' are human and show that feeling are the most unreliable thing to trust in this world.
Wei Yan, my Yan Yi Kun, such a beautifully potrayed grey character. You served!
Actually each character really do a great job for their role. Even Ning Niang and Bao'er have good prospect in acting.
But the one who is hard to read her emotion are Yu Qianqian. She is good but sometimes I failed to identified what kind of emotion she shows. She is so human yet so man-made.
Music,
Thank you music director and team, because you made me mezmerised every time the bgm appear. This is the most perfect match between story, visual, and music I ever had. Such a beautiful work of art.
Overall,
Maybe it's just me, but I'm a bit emotional because this drama actually give me not only how fluffy cute and warm love story is, but also show me how fate play the unexpected turn in our life. How the reality hits hard and how we accept the fate. It is a good sign that proved the production team got really good job to deliver this work as it got impact to me.
Rewatch Value,
Actually I quite love this drama. That is why I decided to watched it even it's still on going (I bought express package only to watch this, I usually don't do this stuff). I also want to rewatch it to catch some details that I may missed.
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Long rant about the last 10 eps but still the most solid, addicting drama I've seen in a while!
The ONLY reason I didn't give this a solid 10/10 was because of the last 10ish eps. Although we got some of the best passionate scenes between our main CP in those eps, the flow of the story just derailed for me. Starting with the female protagonist's halo... I started to get frustrated with Chang Yu once she arrived at Xie Zheng's military camp. She made a lot of reckless decisions and got away with it because this silly military is led by the biggest lovesick marquis. Her fight scenes were amazing and she took down two big bad guys but I still felt like it all went too easy for her from there. Even when she decided to knock Commander Li out and remove him from the battlefield, I was disappointed in her. He was mad she took his choice away from him but he turns around and forgives her so easily. And then he becomes nothing but a background guy for the rest of the show.It also felt like they rushed a lot of important information in the last 2 eps. We never met the last emperor so bringing him in right at the end just made him into more of a fall guy than a true villain. Him being the catalyst for everyone's ill fates just seemed too deus ex machina. It felt like the only purpose for this plot twist was to absolve Wei Yan.
The ending was enjoyable until the alternate/next life scene came. Qian Qian's and Qi Min's toxic relationship was romanticized a little too much for me in this drama .I was satisfied with him falling off the wall and his story just ending there. But the way they rushed his takeover scene and then brought him back for two more scenes just to highlight his relationship with QQ didn't do anything for me. It would've been way more interesting if they had given a whole ep with him after he took the throne because his succession storyline was more interesting than his toxic romance for me.
The alternate ending seemed to center around him and QQ as well so I wish I would've stopped watching before seeing that. That whole scene just pulled the carpet out from under the intense journey we all just experienced. They had 40eps to work with. I can forgive the dumping of all this crucial information in the last ep if they had used the rest of the last ep to show us something better. I would've liked to see more time in Lin'an with our CP settled, Ning Niang, The Zhaos, Pig Squad and townspeople. It would've been nice to see QQ and Bao'er back in Lin'an before he was pushed into the palace as well. The reunion scene was beautiful but I would've liked to see more of our CP's married life and children. It would've been nice to see Gongsun Yin and Qi Shu settling into married life too with them reading, playing chess etc...
Those ending gripes aside...I still adored this drama and most of the characters. Everyone was so well written and the chemistry between the leads was intoxicating! The beginning of the story in Lin'an was my favorite part of the show. Watching the mighty Marquis of Wu An slowly become completely consumed by his love for this cheerful, wholesome, and beautiful butcher girl was enchanting. Resisting was a hopeless cause for him and this love actually saved his life both physically and psychologically. She didn't just bring him back from the brink of death. She gave him a new purpose outside of war and revenge. She showed him the joys of love and family which gave him a reason to appreciate living. Although it seems like he helps her a lot more throughout the drama, he needed her more than she needed him from the start. And what a beautiful start is was! When he first lifts his eyes and looks at her for the first time you can see he is instantly attracted to her striking beauty. You could cut the tension with a knife between them! I was hooked on them from that moment on. But he was still cold on the outside and hollow on the inside at first. She slowly breathed warmth into him which made him gradually more affectionate. It wasn't until he got to know her that he completely fell for her because he saw how big her heart was and how unique she was.
LEADS: Putting my frustrations with her towards the end aside, Chang Yu is the perfect heroine in this story. She is humble, strong and emotionally grounded. She is completely transparent and generous with her love and has a naturally forgiving nature. But when Yan Zheng crosses the line or upsets her, she doesn't let him get away with it just because he's handsome and she loves him. She puts him in his place both times he hurt her. I love that about her the most. And Yan Zheng is impossible not to like, even with his flaws. It's understandable that he faulters with his words and actions in the beginning of their relationship. This man didn't have a tender bone in his body before meeting her. He was in love for the first time and all these new and intense emotions were clearly driving him crazy. But once he learned to look at things from her perspective he stopped coming on too strong and became the perfect husband. And he reserves his soft side only for her for the whole drama (well and Ning Niang and Bao'er lol ).
Supporting characters: I found the Sui brothers were both very interesting and intriguing in different ways. But I'd say the most fascinating villain was Wei Yan because my feelings kept shifting back and forth about him from the beginning to the end. I loved the pig squad (still not over Man Di's death!), the Zhaos, Old Tutor Tao, Gongsun Yin, Princess Qi Shu, Ning Niang and Bao'er the most. QianQian I liked independently, but again, I didn't care her scary romance with Qi Min to be so front and center. The two had chemistry for sure but it just felt like they tried to get us to root for them as a CP and I didn't like that.
Overall everything was close to perfect in this show. The cinematography, casting, acting, writing, and OST were all *chef's kiss*!
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This review may contain spoilers
Beautifully done
It was beautiful.Casting was so well done, everyone was absolutely stunningggg. Tian Xi Wei looked divine in Moonlit Reunion and even better here. . I have no words to explain her besides that she looks like an angel and her acting range is insane, can only think of one or two actresses that could pull it off. Nothing felt stiff, from fighting to kissing, everything flowed very naturally and nothing looked toooo absurd. Yes, she killed a general with two strikes but also has anyone complaining about this ever seen an actual PIG? They are huge. If a girl can carry a damn pig like nothing, then she can kill a man with two strikes, it makes sense, you know? Linghe also never, ever looked better and he could do both things he does best: brood and cry, and he did not disappoint. He does yearning very well, he does psycho very well and was able to masterfully navigate between the extremes of hot and cold. Honorable mention that hot scenes were hotting (god bless).
Aside from that, most characters had names, stories and personal motivations. Side stories were not boring, second couple did AMAZING, to the point of being as important to plot as the main couple. It did not have the usual (and useless) sidekicks around leads, with no boring plots or filler episodes, everything had a purpose.
Cinematography was a work of art. Lightning, camera work, angles, composition, and the color graaaaaaading!! There is a video the studio released about the color grading work, it is stunning. Costumes, wigs, scenarios, make up, soundtrack was not groundbreaking, but also very well done. The director has definitely add one more line to his already great record of very well executed projects.
And all of this allowed what I have rarely seen around: beautiful story telling. It allowed feelings to be expressed in actions/images, and avoided overexposure of information to explain events or actions, which is what often creates the sense of disbelief in us as consumers of the final product. This is why we often can’t tolerate some costume dramas: it looks staged, it feels fake. If I can’t connect with the story, characters, scenarios or world, I will lose interest in it, and this was not the case here. We got so many beautiful, unique, well done shots and angles. It was creative sometimes, poetic in others, and even cheesy at some point, but it was so so so pleasing to watch, we were weeeeell served.
Now, I do not ignore that the plot had some issues, but as anyone who knows a bit about how media control works in China, it is nothing new. The limitation of episodes, duration, removal of actors involved in scandal and other cultural requirements often lead to this outcome in this type of media (unfortunately). I also disagree with comments that talk about lack of creativity or absurdity of plot, and I can only presume those watchers have not been around for long, because denying the quality of work and content is absolute blindness or lack of experience.
Of course there is room for improvement, for example, further deepening of the ML feelings would have been great to the overall plot. The strength of the feelings that drove the Sui princes to madness is what made them so magnetic (besides being hot as well). The complex of the relationship between the second couple was soooo well done, it made the conflicts of the main couple seen a bit plain. It was hard to connect to that bone deep solitude that made the Marquis the cold and distant man he is at the begining of the story. We could watch and understand Changyu’s sorrows, but we saw very little of what made Xie Zheng who he was. This is a second strike for Linghe, because his role in Our Generation had the same exact issue. Do better handsome!
Personally, I would also have loved to see more ML fighting scenes. Seeing the FL rock it was great, she is main character after all, but I expected more from the Marquis. It was funny that the only scene he actually fought he was using a mask, which made me wonder if it was a skill issue…however, he did have fighting scenes in other productions, so I prefer to believe it was a very conscious choice. His aura was 1000/10 tho, no comments.
Regarding timeline and pacing, which are also very important for world building, both were great during the first 23 eps, the development of the relationships and plots felt real and solid. Rhythm got a bit wonky after that, but nothing that is not seen in every other production out there. And well, it affected the ending, which felt rushed and shallow when compared to everything else. I must say I would have preferred a single solid ending over the fan service they chose to do, with the random scenes from the alternate ending. But it is a HE and this girl likes a HE, so I will take my win.
Finally, well, I looooved it as the love story it is. It is not a heavy political, vengeance drama. It is not a comedy nor a parody. It is a love story, very sweet and very emotional/highstake, with lots of yearning (and kisses 🙏🏽). It has definitely earned a place within my all time favorites list and I think anyone who likes romance and costume/historial drama should give it a try, I am sure you won’t be disappointed.
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Qi Min, the villain yearner my heart aches for
All the Qi Min yearners gather here with me, let our emotional turmoils peak together. One of the biggest reasons I could keep up with so many episodes was because of this second love arc which enticed me beautifully. And I appreciate the makers of adaptation for giving us this beautifully, painfully captivating arc that keeps gnawing at some ( unstable ones like me) of our hearts. *Spoilers Ahead* While the pacing for our main cp slowed down or sometimes got boring, I had this delicious, unhinged villain’s schemes, obsession with his woman, and love tribulations to look forward to. Oh my man YEARNS. The yearning he yearned, made me yearn for a villain’s happily ever after too. Now I know that this man is the ultimate villain, BAD BAD. A sinister schemer, merciless kil!er, a villain without redemption. But perhaps, perhaps, not so much irredeemable in love; Perhaps. And this made me so desperately want a real alternate ending for him and QianQian. Where he gets to move her heart, where he is ready to give up everything for her, if it means he can earn the littlest love and space in her heart. And by the ending point? That possibility may not have been so far fetched either. My tears shed with him during the last scene, as he lay there in her lap, and as he listened to her voice in his final breaths. My heart HURT.Even if in a universe he still remains unhinged, I know my girl QianQian could keep him in check. Even then, I wished for his happy ever after with a new beginning.
Before anyone comes at me with how unokay I am, I know, I KNOW 😭 A girl can be weak for Qi Min, okay?
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