A Dream of Splendor

Strong female lead but looking for too much support and making it useless

A strong female lead is a great thing… but what are the issues:
1. Her former lover is the main enemy at the end when she is so good in assessing character and ouyang in fact was not bad to start with; if you are so clear about your lovers …only two lovers in her life… will you go to the extent of banishing him …will you not do your due diligence or let go as you are a strong lead
2. Her 2nd lover has to work hard to gain her favor in the later part of the story…again flawed…i really have two close friends in my 30 years of life…do I need a convincing from this person again…what sort of character am I… how can I be a strong lead…or champion among people
3. She is a strong lead but tries to prove herself in a bunch of hopeless men and women who act as authorities …if not for the support of these hopelesss people she would have died long back…if her character is not thorough or smart how can she a strong lead
- she goes to main inspector to negotiate who could have made her a concubine if not for her lover support…utter foolishnesses
- she accepts getting flogged 20 times and her lover as well…when they clearly know she can die out of flogging…another foolishness when it’s said she is the best businesswoman and her lover being the top agent
- she could have been killed by officials or empress anytime…where is the strength if you don’t know how to play politics and being the top businessswoman ?
- she goes to negotiate with the top businessman who could have also made her a concubine if not for his poor portrayal….
So is there anything strong about the female character here? Doing 4-5 things does not mean the leader among women…..one needs to show how smart she is to make it right 90% time…

Read More

WATCH IT! You won't regret at all!

Yes I finally completed this drama after waiting for like 2 years after its first trailer!!! Great great drama given that C-dramas has been rather disappointing for quite a long while now especially for the historical genre! The cast is just wonderful and unexpected for the great chemistry and synergy, Chen Xiao and Liu Yi Fei together in a drama again is a total gift from heavens and their "lovers" set up is so believable and so sweet just by watching it!

Jelly Lin's acting gave me a big sight of relieve as she's finally starting to act well/normal in her roles after so many past dramas she had destroyed with her real bad acting.

Ada Liu's performance here made me so happy for her that Ada Liu could finally get her revenge against the people who bullied her in real life! If you have watched the scene whereby Sun San Niang throwing Du Chang Feng into the river for him saying demeaning words towards the three ladies, though it was a super funny scene but you may not know how is this scene related to a real past controversy of Ada Liu. What happened was that Ada Liu was the bridesmaid to her celebrity friend's wedding in China and after the ceremony ended, the Groom along with Groomsman decided to "prank" Bridesmaid by throwing one of them into the pool/pond in the venue which ended up they chose Ada Liu because she had "great figures"... The situation ended really ugly due to the fact that all the guys involved didn't bother to apologies nor admit they were wrong but instead pushed the fault to Ada Liu for making a big deal out of a small issue when she wasn't the one who blow up the issue (She was even made to apologise on the situation!). Since then, she was bullied by the Groom and Groomsmen's fans/netizens name calling her being "slutty" and many disgusting behaviors from the internet...

I really like how the story is setup especially the smooth ending leading towards the last few episodes which many dramas tend up end up rushing or make sudden bad ending due to poor management of quality checks. I particularly like Xu Hai Qiao, Guan Yun Peng and Zhang Xiao Qian's splendid acting here and made their mediocre roles stood out! Though Xu Hai Qiao's character isn't a good one at all but honestly his performance here really make you forget he's an actor and really naturally progressed from a timid guy to turning evil. Guan Yun Peng's character expressions are really charismatic when it could have been a mediocre character if not acted right! Just that his initial behavior from a small soldier to when he became the right-hand man was kinda odd for me as it does seemed that he had motives getting close to the Gu Jian Fan and not as innocent/righteous as portrayed.

So there are certainly quite a few flaws even though it was nicely produced. One would be the fact that Zhao Pan Er managed to be on intimate/good terms with many "foe" characters so easily every time she used her sincerity is quite unrealistic TBH... Olden days people in these capital cities are honestly not as trustable and easily persuadable as what was portrayed in this drama due to their complicated environment and strict social classes...

Overall, really recommended for everyone to watch and enjoy the natural sweetness of the main couple and feel real satisfied with all the revenge they have taken on those who kept bullying and belittling them!

Read More

Like it!!!

I like the early episodes to the middle episodes, this part is what I always repeat.
Their chemistry is really good. Like it!!!
actually it's been a long time since I've keep up in Chinese dramas, and Chen Xiao.
and when I saw chen Xiao after a long time, something had changed about him, he had become more mature, masculine, cool, and handsome.
and yes I was stunned to see him as Gu Qianfan.
and Liu Yifei she is more beautiful and elegant.
I like the story of their friendship.
Pan Er's figure with her intelligence and ingenuity I like it.

Read More

More shows like this Please!

I LOVE this show. I enjoyed it very much and did not once FF it. It would have been perfect if the last few episodes didn't feel rushed or random to me, but C-dramas have been notoriously bad at sticking their landings!

The story line was engaging. The characters were dynamic and three-dimensional. I love the agencies the women had in this series. It was good to see a storyline where the women weren't catty with one another, but rather supportive to each other. This includes ALL the women in the series, not just the leads. The romance was void of dramatic spins, falls, and catches, and not too many slow-motion beauty shots, so that is always a PLUS in my book! It has been quite a while since I've enjoyed a C-drama this much (since the Imperial Coroner), especially after so many highly-anticipated ones which ended up be so disappointing to ME (Who Rules the World, Pearl Eclipse, The Long Ballad, Snow Sword Stride -- Don't come for me! If you love those shows, that's awesome!) To each her/his/their own! :-)

Read More

Yes. In this lifetime and every lifetime: yes.

I didn't have a lot of expectations going into this drama, but what I got was a beautiful story of three AMAZING WOMEN who gave this story its true charm. The romance was there, but it took third seat behind the gorgeous tale of these three strong women, and then the hilarious comedy of Chi Yan Nei and his goons. So many hilarious, laugh out loud moments.
Zhao Pan Er was the perfect FML. She was smart, beautiful, witty, and not perfect. She grew and learned, but always kept her head held high and was always so positive without being naive.
The only tiny niggle that is barely anything is that Gu Qianfan is nicknamed "The Living Devil", which sounds badass, right? But he doesn't really... so anything devillish or badassish.
But the chemistry was for sure there.

Either way, this is a must-watch.

Read More

Class warfare, emotional manipulation, and skirts that don’t crease under pressure

I am not a feminist by any means but I do like dramas with strong female leads, and I usually stay away from ones where the FL’s sole purpose in life is to chase a guy around, which, thank God, this isn’t the case here. The premise where three down-on-their-luck women, who strive to succeed in a traditional, mostly patriarchal society, appealed to me, and this didn’t disappoint.

Only recalling her as “Mulan,” I was not exactly surprised by Liu Yi Fe’s acting skills. Crystal balances both elegance and determination as Zhao Pan Er, a business-savvy teahouse owner who has been jilted by her ex-fiance who ditched her for a more favorable marriage. Throughout the drama, Pan Er devices ways to bring this person to “justice,” although I wasn’t quite sure what the intention was behind this aside from getting her hands back on a highly sought-after painting that seemed to be left in his possession. Unless there was a legal contract binding Pan Er and Ouyang Xu together, I don’t see why he owed her anything else, except perhaps an explanation. Though he’s no saint in the beginning, I feel others didn’t need to show much malice towards him until later, perhaps when his true colors were revealed. (More on this later).

 

But no, she has to go to another city, dragging along with her three friends and hunt this guy down and demand some sort of reparation. Granted, the other two ended up in the same place may be coincidence: San Niang, floating in the water, after realizing she married a jerk, and Yin Zhang, shackled in her own house, because she married an even bigger a$$hole. So Pan Er’s duty, as the loyal and dedicated friend she is, to save both of them from their disastrous circumstances wearing a flowy cape.

She does all this while carrying on a mild flirtation with some guy named Gu Qian Fan, because you never know, she may need him in the future, even though she absolutely abhorred where he works/where he came from because of past events, that he had no knowledge of. Well, this worked in Pan Er’s favor because Qian Fan saved her ass countless of times. But she insists on repaying his kindness by rubbing her ex’s name in his face. Yes, yes, Qian Fan gets it: “We are just friends, and you’re just bitter, but I’m so okay with this because I’ve never seen another woman in my life who I don’t consider my mother or sister or the kitchen help. I just like coming here for the tea you brew.”

Now, speaking of brewing, this woman can sure brew. Pan Er can brew up several storms at the same time and still keep her skirt tidy. Competitors try to outwit, outsmart, outbid, outflank her, but Pan Er sticks to her guns, the ones that she keeps close to her breasts, I mean, chest. But she eventually loosens up around Qian Fan, because of course, he might prove useful on another occasion.

In the meantime, shady dealings are going everywhere else. It seems that somebody is out to get somebody by using somebody else who is, in turn, using someone else to their nefarious deeds. So everyone’s looking over their shoulder, especially Gu Qian Fan, who has to keep deflecting daggers out of his back. Meanwhile, Pan Er is also busy swatting flies, but does so with a curved pinky, so it’s not surprising that one vermin or two invades her life.

Qian Fan magically disappears from a few episodes, and Pan Er has a second string waiting in the wings. Her falling out with Yin Zhang also stressed her out, because she realizes her friend could do other things aside from playing the Pipa. It’s not entirely for show. (Although it looked liked, it really is). Pan Er realizes that she’s not the only one that Yin Zhang can rely on. She also has her scripted partner, because God damn it, everyone needs to be coupled up, whether or not they like it. It’s part of the story.

The only miserable people really are those who ended up single, like Ouyang Xu, who I still think was driven to madness by his own ambition, with a generous prodding from Pan ER. In the end, it was his desperation to survive in a world that heavily favors people who have a good social standing, that failed him. Ouyang Xu lost sight of his initial dream, which is to pass the imperial exam, so he can marry well. Perhaps, we would see a different story if Pan ER let him be. He could have probably led a decent family life with Gao Hui who genuinely liked him. His moral compass was broken anyway when he started doing questionable things. Like a cornered mouse, he didn’t see a way out except to resort to violence.

As the drama goes, this was way more interesting than I expected. The characters are not perfect but are multidimensional. The three women, in particular, have a natural character development that wasn’t contrived. There was an engaging plot and side arcs that didn’t feel too out of place, except perhaps for the gaping hole that Gu Qian Fan left with his absence towards the end. Acting from both leads were A+, and the rest of the cast were very good in their own right. The few times where I felt frustrated are when Pan Er displays some sort of self-righteousness. I’m not saying that women SHOULDN’T rely on men to be independent. Anyone could use some help, and still be successful in their own right, but just don’t dismiss it as if it’s ALL your effort. Give credit where credit is due. And it’s true what Qian Fan said or implied at one point, that being in a relationship means that you CAN depend on each other, that one didn’t need to take all the problems upon oneself. This does not make you weak. But other than that, this is a decent drama about female empowerment in a Class-based society, and can teach a thing or two on how NOT to be hoodwinked into a disastrous marriage.

Read More

Oh my goodness, this is really a great drama. The storyline was so believable because the actors/actress were all believable. I'm a fan of this drama and it will be a rewatch. The drama was absolutely surreal. Yang Yang did a great job directing this story! I applaud the team of A Dream of Splendor. The writer wrote a story and the right actors and actresses were in place. My first time watching Chen Xiao playing the character Gu Qian Fan. He was fantastic! I can't take my eyes off his eyes... it's like I can see his soul and passion in playing this character. Very handsome actor! I have to watch more of him. The main lead actress, Crystal Liu who played Zhao Pan Er, had me crying but what a strong character she played. It's my first time seeing her in a drama series... I need to watch more of her as well. The visuals, I loved the Martial Arts in the first half of the drama were awesome. Ada Liu and Jelly Lin were tough and I loved that about them. OMG, the DV abuse that was shown, had to be hard to play that role.

Read More

This drama was so good I had to write a review to tell everyone how good it is.

A Dream of Splendour is hands down one of the best dramas I have watched in my life. It's more than just a romantic love story - it's a story about friendship, forgiveness, courage and what it means to be strong. True strength does not mean winning every fight but it means strength of character and strength to change for the better. The drama delivers some very poignant and heart touching lessons in a very beautiful and entertaining way.

Personally, I found the drama to be very relatable as it focuses on characters that are very real and who have very real challenges despite being set in glamorous Song dynasty costumes and backdrop (for example, battling financial and business problems, toxic exes, falling out with friends etc). Each character has their own story arc and motivations and learn and work through their own trials and tribulations - they are very much alive rather than being two dimensional and moving for the sake of the plot.

The main actors, Chen Xiao and Liu Yifei, were superb and had so much chemistry together (love their banter!). That said, the drama would not have been a success without such a talented supporting cast (eg Liu Yan, Lin Yun, Dai Xu - just to name a few). I also particularly enjoyed the dynamics between the emperor and empress - very wholesome and refreshing take on an imperial marriage.

Overall, this is an uplifting drama that makes you believe in love and friendship again (in case you had forgotten). Bonus brownie points for having a satisfying happy ending! I mean how many historical dramas have there been that has ended in unnecessary tragedy. Although I would still have a tissue box handy for the sad and emotional scenes in A Dream of Splendour.

Well what are you waiting for? Go and watch A Dream of Splendour!

Read More

I usually don't like watching these types of dramas that are set in the ancient china time period (cause it's hard to understand what they are saying as it is very complex, even as a fluent chinese speaker :"), but i actually watched through the series (i may have skipped a few since i was lazy...). The camera work, acting, music, and the set in general is god tier. Chi Yanei and Pan er are by far my favorite. CYN is there for laughs and he pulls it off well :"D Pan er is such a QUEEENN. Yin zhang's character development shyshsjsksks YESSS. honestly idk what else to say but WATCH IT. 😽😽😽😽

Read More

Dada remains superior

Oh Lord, where do I begin? Crystal Liu is truly one of the most beautiful actresses I have ever seen. She looked so elegant in her outfits as she returns to her roots in this beautifully shot historical drama.

Set in the Song Dynasty "A Dream of Splendor" follows the friendship of three women who have been scorned in love. I truly love the sisterhood that continues to develop despite the conflict that each individual faces in finding their significance in society. Futhermore, the CHEMISTRY between Gu Qian Fan and Pan Er is ... no words... I truly wanted them to fall in love, I was kicking my feet and twirling my hair during their scenes...

This was something I watched while I was baking/cooking so I would say it was an easy watch.

Read More

Women uplifting women.

We love to see a drama where women are portrayed as STRONG, INDEPENDENT, CAPABLE. There are no damsels in distress here - these are women who knows what they're capable and faces every challenge head-on.

This drama was honestly so refreshing to watch. We see such beautiful friendship between three (and then four) women from the lowest class who overcomes all adversity based on their own skills and capabilities. We see such a MATURE, SWEET, and SEXY romance blossom between our main leads that had me swooning by the end. Their chemistry was so palpable that it honestly felt REAL. The plot was engaging. The end was satisfying.

I cried. I laughed. I giggled at all of the romantic moments. This drama had EVERYTHING and had catapulted itself to the top of my favourite Chinese costume dramas list.

Don't second guess yourself. Just watch it!

Read More