La Gloria (2025)

Este drama me encantó, pero ese final nada que ver.

Cuando me empecé este drama estaba super metida en él pero cuando vi el final, simplemente todo se arruino.

No quiero dar spoilers pero sí fue un poco decepcionante qué me cortaran el drama, porque eso fue lo que hicieron me quitaron la escenas más emocionantes y esperadas del drama o sea, "El juicio final del antagonista". De la nada él ya había sido condenado, así sin más, se centraron más el envenamiento del prota (qué no lo mencionaron en 29 episodios) y se olvidaron de lo principal.

Realmente vale la pena ver este drama, de verdad es muy bueno porque solo falló en el final. Si te lo quieres ver, hazlo, pero no digas que no se te advirtió con ese final.

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An intriguing drama that captivates from start to finish!

I chanced upon “The Glory” (雁回时) airing in WeTV when I came home from a trip more than a week ago. The summaries I’ve read intrigued me, so I started it and I was hooked! I was binge-watching episodes during my free time such that I quickly caught up to the latest happenings.

The story is about Zhuang Han Yan, who was sent away as a baby due to some supposedly prophetic words from a Taoist master, saying that she is the barefoot ghost (赤脚鬼) and her birth caused her grandfather’s death. She was raised by his father’s friend and his wife in Danzhou, both of whom mistreated her. Due to some turn of events, she was able to break free from them and come back to the capital, falling unconscious at the gates of the Zhuang residence in the cold winter. Her sudden return threw the entire family into an uproar, and she also caught the attention of Fu Yun Xi, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, with whom she has a marriage agreement that was decided by their parents. These led to a series of events that unfolded one after the other, with secrets being exposed and the truths eventually coming to light.

STORY / PLOT 📚:

“The Glory” is a drama that encompasses many themes. It is a story about one woman’s quest for a family that had been denied from her when she was born. It’s about her quest for justice/revenge and her goal to break free from the “barefoot ghost” reputation that had followed her from birth. It focuses on the mother-daughter relationship, friendship, the sometimes complex family dynamics, and even romance, albeit the romance is slow-burn and somewhat subdued (more on that later). Then there are the political and investigative aspects in the case of the fallen Pei Da Fu, the powerful eunuch who, during his lifetime, had amassed a fortune and had many cronies in court, the most prominent of whom is the so-called adopted son.

As I watch each episode, I can feel the excitement and anticipation since there is no boring moment. It’s like when one episode ends, I’m drawn to continue, and before I realized it, I’ve been watching for hours and I’m way past my bedtime. Indeed, the twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat. There are also a myriad of other emotions and reactions such as happiness, surprise, tenderness, sadness, intrigue, anger, and indignation. There are some emotional and touching scenes where I cried a bucket, e.g., between Zhuang Han Yan and her mother Ruan Xi Wen, between Zhuang Han Yan and Ah Zhi. Other relationships also tugged at the heartstrings such as Zhuang Han Yan and Chai Jing’s friendship, the push and pull between Zhuang Han Yan and Fu Yun Xi, the father and daughter dynamics of Fu Yun Xi and Ah Zhi, among others.

As I mentioned above, the romance between Zhuang Han Yan and Fu Yun Xi is slow-burn. There are definitely sweet moments and affectionate gestures between them. Some are subtle/indirect, such as longing glances and lending support behind the scenes, while others are more obvious, such as holding hands, intercepting marriage proposals, jumping in to save her from a raging horse, the hugs and the few sweet kisses, etc. More explicit displays of their affection is very much welcome, but I'm still happy with how the drama portrayed their relationship's progress. They started out with distrust and suspicion as they schemed and pushed their own agenda, developed respect and admiration for each other, vacillated between doubt and trust, and finally learned to trust and love each other.

As for the ending, I'm satisfied with how they executed it. Everything tied up nicely, and even if there is a question or two, they’re minor and does not affect my enjoyment of the drama. What Zhuang Han Yan said towards the end is a fitting wrap-up for this series: “Any place full of love can be my home.” (有情之地, 处处皆可为家) ❤️🏠

ACTING / CAST 🎭:

Chen Du Ling’s star shines very brightly here. She gave an outstanding performance as Zhuang Han Yan 👏. She conveyed different kinds of emotions through her facial expressions, eyes, mannerisms, and tone of voice (kudos to the voice actor too). Zhuang Han Yan is an emotionally scarred woman who has experienced a lot of pain and trauma during her young life. All these molded her into the kind of woman she is – smart, savvy, independent, strong but with a soft spot, kind and compassionate but not a doormat, and does not easily trust others.

Xin Yun Lai was able to portray the serious, stoic and somewhat mysterious Fu Yun Xi quite convincingly, though I would prefer more facial expressions in some instances. But one could argue that his character is supposed to be that way. I like how he poured his heart out when he confessed his emotions and love to Zhuang Han Yan in one of the latter episodes.

As for the couple’s chemistry, it’s palpable and they truly make a good pair. I can feel the tension from their first meeting. There is this push and pull in their relationship especially when they were getting to know each other, which adds to the tension (see above on their relationship’s growth). They are well matched, both in looks, wits and temperament.

Wen Zheng Rong is a seasoned actress who has appeared in many dramas. She gave an excellent performance as Ruan Xi Wen, Zhuang Han Yan’s long-suffering mother. She showed those raw and pent-up emotions brilliantly. At first, I was mad at her, and then I came to sympathize with her as I learned of what she went through all those years.

Yu En Tai nailed his role as the manipulative, self-serving and duplicitous Zhuang Shi Yang. Some think his acting is exaggerated and overly dramatic, such that it’s distracting and annoying. But I think that’s what makes his portrayal so effective. By the last few episodes, I was strongly rooting for justice to be served.

Jinna Fu was able to capture the essence of Chai Jing. She is Zhuang Han Yan's loyal and trusted friend, her support during her difficult days in Danzhou and even when she arrived at the capital. She is skilled in martial arts and protects her whenever she can. Their friendship is precious.

I couldn’t write this review without giving kudos to the talented and adorable Huang Bo Si, who played Fu Ling Zhi / Ah Zhi, Fu Yun Xi’s daughter with his first wife. Ah Zhi is such a sweet and loving child. She is so innocent, smart, and yet also mature for her age. She never fails to touch me with her favorite line, “When we miss our mothers, I can hug you, and you can also hug me” (我们想母亲的时候，我可以抱一抱你，你也可以抱一抱我.) 🥰. This kid has potential, and I look forward to seeing her in other dramas.

The other supporting cast gave great performances as well, such as: Wang Yan as the 2nd wife Zhou Ru Yin, He Hong Shan as the competitive Zhuang Yu Shan, Li Sheng as Noble Consort Miao, and Song Pei Ze and Chen Kang as Fu Yun Xi’s reliable right-hand men Mu Feng and Mu Yan, respectively. They add depth, excitement and some humor to the drama.

OTHER THOUGHTS 🔮:

I’m satisfied with the overall production and costume design. The costumes look good, and the color combinations are nice.

The soundtrack is excellent and fits the drama so well. Hats off to the team who chose the songs 👒! The ending theme song, “Blade” (刃), is Zhuang Han Yan’s anthem. The song is written for her! It sums up her journey fittingly. “Flame” (焰) is Zhuang Han Yan and Fu Yun Xi’s theme song, while “Cut” (剪) is a tribute to Zhuang Han Yan and Ruan Xi Wen’s relationship.


FINAL VERDICT ⭐️: “The Glory” is one of those dramas that left a lasting impression on me. It’s worth my time and attention, and I highly recommend it!

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