The Glory

Braving the cold and winning thru the calamities of life to find a HOME | TRUST above eveything else

Is it really that hard, exhausting and heartbreaking to find a home?

I feel so bad for Zhuang Hanyan for having to suffer all those traumatic and inhumane experiences growing up; only to experience a more intensified and horrifying events after she went back "home" when all these times, going back means so much to her as it gives her hope to finally feel the warmth and comfort of a family she never really got to experience growing up.

This drama seriously deserved the popularity, all the praises and everything it received. I was utterly speechless on how grave the situation and all the occurences was on the 1st episode and I thought it was just an opening act of how crazy this drama is but soon it shall be lighter...but man! How wrong was I for thinking that way. They placed the intensity and chilling aura on top and never really tried to lower it down even once! Even those romantic and seemingly lighthearted scenes always ended up on a terrifying comfrontation I never really expected at all.

Consisteny on this drama is top-notch. What's more astonishing is their decision to keep the drama's vibe grim and dreadful till the very end! I say, the scriptwriters deserves a whole round of applause for this impressive masterpiece. From ZHYs remarkable first appearance infront of the Zhuang Mansion, to how she stirred some troubles to see everyone's true color and intension towards her really made me realize that she shouldn't be underistimated in any way.

I mean, she should've been buffled that the one who welcomed her was her father's consort whose kindness felt suspiciously dangerous but no she was not! Not to mention the treatment she received from her Mother and Grandmother during her first week on the household—getting refused to meet them + the blatant words her Mother threw at her were like daggers piercing-through-deeper each moment. The emotional burden and torment must have been tough but she carried on and was still able to fend for herself every now and then. Although she fails oftentimes to see through the schemes, what I like about her is that she was always ready for a counter-attack. And at the end of the day, those experiences served as a good reminder that she shouldn't be complacent and should always be alert as the danger lurks around her 24/7.

Additionally, Zhuang Hanyan never schemed to harm her family despite the countless betrayals from them—all she wanted was to give them a warning, a lesson. So It really must be painful for her to see them attack her with all their might to the expense of her life.

"Saying the softest words while doing the doing the most ruthless things." ZHY to ZSY.

The line above etched in my mind for how accurate it was. I say, a well deserved spotlight goes to Zhuang Shiyang (Hanyan's father) for how cunning, cruel, manipulative and ingeniously vile he is. Man should win the MVP & Best in Scheming Award for how seemless his plans were and how great he was in feigning ignorance and portraying this kindest-man-ever role while seemlessly manipulating eveything in the shadows. Man was a shit of a husband and would pass as the shittiest beyond salvation Father that I have ever known in my entire drama watching journey in this lifetime. A malevolent and an evil incarnate person—Purely diabolical! The type of person who doesn't deserve to be a Husband, more so a father. He deserved to be unlove and to suffrt the most painful death there is.

Chemistry between our main leads are actually good. I love how both of them sought one another not for love but for a different purpose yet still ended up together. I also like how it's the male lead who ended up helplessly in love and is always in agony for every expected yet unexpected betrayal from Hanyan. He love her already but still did all the scheming so he's expecting her to be mad but never really expect her to go as far as try killing him every single time. This man is easy but at the same time quite complicated to love. So I was really glad when they started to truly help each other at the end. Specially after Ruan Xi Wen told Hanyan that it is not love and affection that's important in a relationship but TRUST! So it feels nice and fulfilling to witness that they've finally become a couple who have developed mutual understanding and trust towards each other.

Lastly, the trademark of this drama should have been blood-stained Hanfu's. Althrough out the drama, what truly stood out to me are the Hanfu's who's stained by blood—specially Zhou Ruyin's when she was cleaning her son's (Zhuang Yu Chi) blood, Zhuang Shiyang when he stabbed Ruan Xiwen and Yuwen Chang'an and Ruan Xiwen's during their wedding banquet.

Talking about the Wedding Banquet (that turned into the Last Supper) surely is the most heartbreaking scene of this drama. The bittersweet taste still lingers in my mouth and I still can't shake off this disappointment and heavy feeling off my heart everytime I am reminded of how they ended up together but shortly aftet had to experience the most painful and traumatizing way of death (Night of their wedding day). They surely would've been a wonderful couple for sure. Too bad we were not given the liberty to witness it, and I curse Zhuang Shiyang to death for that.

"That day, the warmth I just gained in my life turned into a cold corpse once again." - Zhuang Hanyan's statement witnessing her mother dying in her own arms...

Story - 10, An emotional roller coaster than never never tried to keep the intensity and momentum down a bit the moment it started on Ep 1. The emotion on this drama may seem light but is truly heartbreaking. Every scenes are filled with words and actions meant to kill physically but oftentimes emotionally.

Acting/Cast - 10, I am really happy with the cast, specially Chen Duling! Been seeing her to a lot of dramas I watched all throughout the years and been always wonderding why she's not really that famous yet given how beautiful and good she is in acting. So watching her attain that in this project made me feel happy for her. + I know Xin Yunlai by face but doesn't really know him that much but I am glad for him too. While I have this mixed feeling seeing He Hongshan here. I am quite irritated on her acting ever since I watched her on The Legend of Phoenix. Lol - P.S. Yu Entai and Wen Zhengrong deserved to bag all the acting awards they'll be nominated for portraying their roles in this drama.

Music - 10, Emotionally touching and pensive songs that can make anyone feel lost and melancholic. I was truly moved and touched. Great set of music for sure.

Rewatch Value - 10, This is not even a question at this point. I am not the type of person who likes riding the wave of popularity of dramas but this one genuinely deserves it.

Overall - 10, Everything about this drama is perfect for me. Specially since I am one "Emo" guy. Lol I appreaciate everything on this drama—from the very first episode till the last. I love all the things (Heartbreak, joy, excitement and thrill) it gave me and would surely love to experience it again. Highly recommend!!

IF you find my review helpful please let me know.

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Full of drama, full of angst and full of slow mo

You need to be in the mood for this dark drama to be able to watch it. Then you also need to love the FL’s ability of being super clever and resourceful to pull off many many amazing actions like the one where she manages to bring the corpse back for the trial. Unfortunately for me, it was too over the top for me.

Sets and costumes were nice so if you can cross the 2 hurdles above, you’ll enjoy this drama. Story had some interesting twists and the last episode gave closure to most characters.

FL’s mother and father had the most impressive acting and it was wonderful to watch how expressive they were. Unfortunately, this made the FL & ML seem dull in comparison. FL seems to always be angry for some reason or another in every episode so this drama is not for you if you want to have some feel good vibes.

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The Glory (2024): A Tale of Revenge That Loses Its Spark

The Glory (2024) – C-Drama Review
⭐ Rating: 8.5/10

The Glory, currently airing on WeTV, had all the elements of a compelling historical drama—intrigue, revenge, and social commentary—but ultimately fell short due to its disjointed execution.

While the premise was promising, the plot often felt scattered, with a repetitiveness that made the villain’s constant upper hand frustrating rather than thrilling. Our leads struggled to gain ground, making their victories feel less satisfying. Additionally, while romance was present, it felt more like an afterthought, taking a backseat to the overarching themes of women’s struggles during that era.

The acting wasn’t necessarily bad, but if you’ve seen The Double, you might find The Glory lacking in comparison. There were strong moments, but they weren’t enough to elevate the drama beyond its structural flaws.

Overall, The Glory is a decent watch, especially if you enjoy historical dramas that focus more on societal issues than romance. However, its pacing, repetitive plot points, and lack of narrative cohesion prevent it from being truly exceptional.

Would you recommend it despite its flaws?

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Really good story with amazing cast & PERFECT PACING!

This drama flows through the 30 episode. No filler scenes, no extra crying scenes, no annoying/non-relevent subplot. Every scene serve a purpose and this is really rare in today cdrama. You will be left wanting for more after each episode!

Story.
A long forgotten castaway daughter returns to a family with a good reputation but rotting from inside out. Everyone have their own agenda and greed. Everyone is a pawn to one another. Everyone wants to save their own ass.

The perfect female centric revenge story. One that's rooted at the heart of the family. Nothing hurts more than a loved one betrayal. Especially one from the supposed rock of the family. The trauma and sickening emotions the story highlight resonate well.

Cast
Amazing cast. Chen Du Ling shines brightest with her portrayal of Zhuang Han Yan. The cold stares with a million mystery. The murderous intent once she knew her father bloodly murder her mother in cold blood. To her realization that she had fallen for her husband and the moment she knew he was dying. A range of emotions portrayed to perfection by her. Bravo!

Xi Yun Lai character is the kind of stoic, family first, kill first ask questions later. He potray him quite well. He nail the part of vice minister very well. Because his character is the sick, dying from poison slowly with worries for his family type, his emotion range is limited.

Supporting cast are AMAZING! Wen Zheng Rong as Ruan Xi Wen is chef kiss! Everytime she is on screen, you will forget everyone else. Her presence and aura command attentions. Her death made me sob so hard! The rest of the cast are also great. The father is one of the most despicable, hated, cunning, b@stard character ever. Yu En Tai portrayal is fantastic. Step mum and step sister potrayal is also very good. I am so glad this two didn’t die at the end. And also a bright future for little A Zhi child actress. Made my heart goes awww everytime with her cute and smart words.

Romance took a step back in this drama. In its place, a mature and mutually understanding love between two very similar yet different person took place.

All in all, a very good revenge drama. Perfect for those looking to adventure together with Zhuang Han Yan across the sea of betrayal, long lost love ones and ultimately find her home in the end.

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Roller Coaster Ride

Before I get into my review, I think it’s important that I speak to the ‘complainers’ about the stoic and emotionless face that I’ve read in the comments for this drama.

This man works for a department in the government that specializes in getting criminals to confess, digging through evidence which included exhumed remains, espionage and many other extremely unpleasant tasks. He is constantly under threat from corrupt officials, enemies of the state and criminals. He watched his wife die from poisoning. And y’all want him to walk around with a happy smiley face or show his emotions all the time? Any display of emotion could get himself, his coworkers and loved ones into serious trouble, so he has had to learn that his face must not give away his thoughts. Seriously, think a bit about a characters part and what would be required of them before you throw out remarks about his acting skills and insult his abilities. I have never seen this actor before, so I’m not a die hard fan, but his replication of this character was spot on and he doesn’t deserve the nasty comments.

Now that that is off my chest, on with the review.

The premise of this story was pretty interesting. Societal pressure and limitations in roles for women versus constant struggles to rise to the top to gain favor from men in charge of family, politics, and general life. Women banding together to fight back using the skills they once used on each other. It’s layered with the corruption of officials and family members, and filled in with letting go of the pain inflicted on children because of familial power struggles and cemented together with overcoming trust issues and finding home and love.

That’s a lot. While the plot had some holes and some acting was not top notch, the story was intriguing in its own way. There were gaps that never got filled in (or left on the editing room floor), some bad set designs (please…when it snows, it gets on people’s clothing, in their hair, they can see their breath, and don’t sit for hours on frozen stone steps without their buns going numb. Obvious things, but not a big destruction.

The FL was the main character, and the actress portraying her did a very good job of letting her emotions show in her eyes.

However, the performances that stole the show were the FL’s mother and father.

The mothers role was nothing short of brilliant. I can’t even begin to describe what an incredible job she did. The minute she saw hope in her situation she catapulted from monster to vulnerable and it was not only visible on her face, but her eyes, posture and facial features as well.

Tge FL’s father was a truly despicable, self-centered psychopath who used everyone, including his wives and children to take the fall for his action. He could cry and grovel in a heartbeat, yet turn around two seconds later and all of that was gone.

My favorite character though, had to be little A’Zhi, the ML’s daughter. Her purity and innocence radiated from the screen in every scene she was in. It was her simple untarnished heart was filled with love and the little actress was a joy to watch.

If you’re looking for a traditional romance, look elsewhere. This is not a romance. It is a drama of intrigue and manipulation, and romance plays a small part in it.

If you want a story that will keep you guessing, and loving or hating a character and causing you to hold your breath from time to time, give it a try. You just might like this.

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What a waste of my precious time !

So where do i start ?
Up to episodes 16/17 i was really enjoying this drama puting aside all the incrongruities in the story, i was focusing on the main plot.
But damn, WE DESERVE A MAKE LEAD THAT CAN ACT! Throughout the whole drama the guy had the same facial expressions like come on!
I think at this point of the drama, there needed to be some clear love interest but nothing..the drama was getting into the finale whithout any development in the main leads story. And of course the plot ....like director please focus! ahhahhahh

I will leave it there, i can say i am very dissapointed with this drama because i was actually enjoying it up to a certain point.

Will 2025 give me butterflies?
I do not recommend, a 6.5/10 for me.

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Enjoyed it! My first no-skip cdrama.

> Hanyan is such a girl’s girl. Chen Duling plays her so well. Obsessed with her character. She matches wits with Mr. Fu but is otherwise too good for him.

> Im really into this romance. They cant stop trying to kill each other and scheming against each other though they like each other. My gray area couple.

> Episode 27 (out of 30) is where we first get a love confession. Even then, they dont get together until the last episode (tbh how they got together was underwhelming but atleast I did not cringe). This is the kind of slow burn I long for.

“I kept having improper thoughts about you. Your occasional tenderness in return made me happy. Perhaps, from the first day we met, I thought I was the one hunting the fox, but I’d been captured by you.”

> Props to the redemption arc of the step mom and sister.

> The last episode was underwhelming and so is the revenge to the dad. Seeing Duke Qi get hit and taken away felt more satisfying. And why is Hanyan so obsessed with her mom?

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I wish I had more time to write a long review for The Glory because it was a series I was really looking forward to—and it did not disappoint. I spent days watching it, rewinding scenes, and paying close attention to the details in every plot and conspiracy the FL tried to pull off.

What I loved about the series:

• The intricacy of the conspiracies. Just when you think the FL has the bad guy cornered, she fails again. I felt so disappointed each time, but what made her amazing was that she never gave up—she kept growing, adjusting, and finding new ways forward.

• The storytelling had so much depth. What started as a simple plot about returning home turned into something so layered and chaotic. Even after the series ended, I needed time to sit with everything that happened.

• This is from the original creator of The Double. If you loved the chaos in that series, you’ll definitely love The Glory.

• Chen Du Ling. I’ve always loved her acting, and I’m so happy she’s finally getting more lead roles. She’s incredible here.

• The two stepsiblings. I found them annoying at first, but every time they tried to sabotage the FL, I chuckled thinking “aww they are so cute”. They were always playing short-term. Meanwhile, she was many steps ahead. It was like they were playing checkers while she was playing chess.

• The depth of each character. There were some people you thought you could trust, but you really shouldn’t. Like, who would’ve thought the concubine started the rumor that got her cast out? Or how psychotic her father turned out to be? Even her mother—so scheming, yet genuinely loving in her own way. And the ML… when he explained why he chose her in the end, it hurt. But I couldn’t blame him—he knew he needed someone strong and strategic who could protect his family if he died. She was the only piece left in play.

What I wish there was more of:

• The suspense dragged a bit for some scenes. Don’t get me wrong—the tension and mystery were really entertaining. But there were moments that felt like they overstayed their welcome. Like the whole scene with gathering all the boys to kill one off in search of the adopted son… it dragged for me personally.

• More romance! There were a few fleeting moments, but I wish we had more of a love story. I get that it wasn’t the focus of the show, but still—it would've added something extra.

Final Thoughts

The Glory gave me everything I was looking for —twists, emotional weight, complex characters, and a female lead who never backed down, even when everything fell apart. It wasn’t perfect, and sure, I would’ve loved more romance or slightly tighter pacing in some arcs, but overall? It was a wild, layered ride that stayed with me long after the final episode.

If you're into stories with scheming, resilience, and characters that aren't always what they seem, this one’s definitely worth your time. I didn’t just watch The Glory—I sat with it, replayed moments, thought through motives. And for me, that’s the sign of a drama that hits different.

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The Glory....

It was truly amazing series, the plot have rollercoaster, lot of up and downs.
From the 1st episode it was thrilling to watch, her life around her adopted family, her cruel adopted parents was seriously bad.
Then her escape plot, the thought of escaping from her adopted parents control was so desperate that the only thought which came in her mind was, the only way for escape was either her death or their death.
Their story ends in that village but FL's story starts from there....
Series will definitely give you amazing thril.
Every episode have different setups, different plot, every character in the series plays thier role very beautifully.
In this thriller series a simple and beautiful love story of ML and FL would not leave you bore.
Both trying to protect their loved ones plot against each other, deceive each other, lie to each other but still couldn't escape from live trap making them only to rely on each other to bring justice for the wronged ones.


At last: take some time from your busy schedule and watch this series....

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Family Storms and Struggles of Womanhood: A Riveting Drama Through the Ages

I´m still in tears after that last glorious scene -- so much depth and meaning -- I can´t exactly express how moved and captivated I am, words are not enough to express my admiration for the writers of THE GLORY ....

STORY 9.5 (POWER TO WOMEN!)
"THE GLORY" displays one of the most captivating family dramas that was ever written. I can´t name any plot holes, nor can I name an episode where I wasn´t stunned by the detailed storytelling. Especially the portrayal and focus on womanhood became very clear from the beginning, giving us a chance to see what life in ancient times might have looked like, to express that women should be autonomous. Even though the breakthroughs of the women in this drama are very unlikely to apply to the past, it´s still a bittersweet gift that was given to us.

Regarding the romance part: if someone entirely focuses on the part of an apparent romance, which would, imo, not live up to the power of this series - that´s the only reason I wouldn´t recommend it. BUT to me, the love story of Han Yan and Yun Xi was deeper and more romantic than many other modern love stories I have seen in the past, e.g.: Love Song in Winter. Han Yan and Yun Xi´s connection was so captivating, and it did not need any explicit scenes to express that. That´s one of my reasons to rate it so high, it´s a very deserved rating.

ACTING/CAST 9.0
I confidently assume that most viewers of this show wouldn´t argue about the acting of Cheng Du Ling (Zhuang Han Yan), Xin Yun Lai (Fu Yun Xi), Wen Zheng Rong (Ruan Xi Wen), Wang Yang (Zhou Ru Yin) and He Hong Shan (Zhuang Yu Shan) -- and many other actors. Convincing portrayal of characters in different crises.

I´ve found the female actors especially captivating in this drama. They made me sympathise with their struggles and pains, with their love and hatred. I was truly moved by the performance of Wen Zheng Rong, who played Han Yan´s mother, Ruan Xi Wen. It´s remarkable to portray such a deeply troubled and complicated character.

Also, the power that Chen Du Ling gave to Zhuang Han Yan. I don´t think anyone can argue with me on the acing of her performance.

MUSIC 9.0
This is a rare one for me, because I get captivated by soundtracks on that level. But the soundtrack that was written for Han Yan and Xi Wen deeply moves me and is my favorite OST of this series. I also liked the usage and implementation of the soundtracks for shady schemed scenes, or unfolding epic plots.


OVERALL 9.0
I am very grateful for any minute that I used to watch THE GLORY thoroughly. It made me grateful for the privileges that I have as a woman raised in middle Europe, who had access to education, was allowed to express myself colorfully, and not depend on the decision of men, etc.

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Slow burn with compelling plot

Although giving a heavy impression of a romance story, I would emphasise that this is definitely not the focus. The focus is revenge and power struggles. The plot is very strong and it's very nice to see that although the female lead is cunning, she makes mistakes and she does not always win. But still, you can clearly tell she learns and grows smarter. I also like that she doesn't forget the people who went against her (including male lead). You'll get a lot of female empowerment and things coming together beautifully. The acting was also amazing, even of support characters.
However, although I enjoyed the plot, we got very much just the bare bones of romance. It was there, but it took a long, long, long time to develop. So if you need couples falling in love quickly (or even medium-speed) and show their love and trust, you won't get that here. They scheme against each other, behind each others back and also use each other. And they do that for most of the drama. Since romance is the main criteria for the shows I watch, this did bother me. I'm not against overcoming trials and tribulations (that's the most fun part imo), but it should come to a conclusion in reasonable speed. Also, the outfits were not my cup of tea. The collars are just not for me and I enjoy the dresses of other costume dramas a lot more. Probably a choice for time-related accuracy, but just not for me.

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