Refreshing and fun!
Overall very entertaining and well executed series, with great costumes and ample drama.A dream of splendor is a fun watch, with special compliments to the hilarious Dai Xiu. Loves his acting here!
The highly repetitive tune on the pipa got on my nerves, it doesn’t really help either that the actress is clueless in acting that she plays. Other than that it’s a really good watch, I never expected it to be so funny either.
Great cast overall, I really enjoyed this show!!
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Love love love the chemistry between the leads
Love love love the chemistry between the leads. Compared to other cdramas, their love is more mature. No need for fancy effects on scenes and unecessary slowmos to show chemistry because their banters and interactions are enough. Sweet gestures like looking into each others eyes, small touches, and body movements will make you question if they are still acting. They did so well in portraying a couple in love. The buildup to their romance is realistic compared to other cdramas where the leads already professed their undying love for each other after a few encounters. Also loved the supporting leads and how they've grown so much throughout the series.The setting of the drama, the costumes, the makeups, the cinematography, and the actors are so prettyyyy. This might be the prettiest drama I watched.
The reason why I gave this show 8.5 is because the plot got dragged on at the last part so I found myself skipping some scenes a few times. There are also so many misunderstandings that took a long time to get resolved. It was a bummer.
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Full of Splendor Indeed
Let's start with how beautiful Liu Yi Fei is in this drama. And the whole production basks in beauty and elegance that you'd want to visit this particular period of the Song Dynasty if you ever get a hold of a time machine. I've read that the original story was written by a person who used to live in the thriving capital before becoming a refugee. He then recalls in this memoir the splendor of the life in the capital and the drama show us that. The pipa and the tea are cultural details I enjoyed learning about from this drama.I didn't think Chen Xiao would measure up to Pan Er's beauty but it didn't take long for me to wait in anticipation for Gu Xian Fan to appear. I love the characters surrounding the leads, especially Chi Ya Nei and Chen Lian. Sun San Niang was strong and steady. Ou Yang Xu was the antagonist we didn't know we'd hate and pity. Son Yin Zhang, albeit the abrupt change in attitude towards the end, was pretty solid as well. Gu Xiao Fan's father could have been explored more, I thought he was a promising character.
The only thing I wasn't too happy about was the fact that Gu Xiao Fan was mostly side-lined in the last climactic moments. The drama started out with him so I thought they were setting up a predominantly romantic story but his role dissipated and the story tried to be grander than it started out to be. Anyway, I'll still rewatch this because it was simply delectable.
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It's important to fight for your right!
I really enjoyed watching this drama. I was curious because it was about three ladies that ran a teahouse and then upgraded to a restaurant in ancient times. This drama was about the three women's friendships, trust and determination to live their lives to the fullest by doing what they love. Ofc the emphasis was on FL and ML. How they were fated to fall in love with each other although it was their backgrounds that lead them to each other.ML, Gu Qianfan, was a skillful commander that devoted to his duty, smart, never lose his composure and ofc ruthless. We never saw his smiles unless it was to ridicule or when he looked at the woman he loved. He started to has feelings for FL bcs of her selflessness even though earlier he was being quite unpleasant to her. He loved teasing her bcs he knew she cld take it. Qianfan fell in love with FL after spending few times together, she was understanding of his pains and encouraged him when needed. He was so nice and affectionate with FL like taking her out to go on dates together. He was so supportive of her being a businesswoman and ready to help with anything.
FL, Zhao Pan'er was a clever, calm, generous and bold lady. She was also shrewd and resourceful for a businesswoman and skillful in Tea Art. Toward those who were closed to her, she had strong sense of loyalty, caring and very forgiving. Pan'er had a hard time growing up bcs of the circumstances that lead to her being reduced to lower class but luckily she was a bright kid that took advice by her friend's kind elder sister. At first, she was quite wary of ML hvg feelings for her bcs of their different social standings so she was straightforward with him about this to put him off but ML didn't care about all of that bcs he sincerely love her, to him, she was his light after all those dark years. Then, she decided to hv faith in him and love him with all her heart. After her journey of up and down being a teahouse owner and then a restaurant manager, she decided to fight for the right of ppl that had same circumstances as her to be given opportunity to be a normal civilian that is free.
I love that we got to see the life of other two best friends of Pan'er: Sun Sanniang and Song Yinzhang. Their character developments just amazing. Also the not so expected 2ndML :Head of important guilds but very childish-like Chi Pan. The other supporting characters such as ML's loyal amazing subordinate Chen Lian, the unexpected Changfeng and the determined Zhaodi.
I didn't expect to see palace struggles in this drama but I'm not surprised. Also shout out to helpful He Si, the loyal customers Mr Yuan and Mr Zhuoshi, they were so entertaining to watch.
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Tea, Tenacity, and Triumph
If you're looking for a women's empowerment story with a romance that doesn't compromise the power dynamics, I recommend A Dream of Splendor. I think it offers an engaging narrative that subtly weaves in culture and customs without ever feeling dull. The subplots explore gender bias, thoughtfully challenging problematic cultural norms. Political elements and conspiracies are also woven into the storyline, helping to propel the plot forward. Altogether, these elements created a rich and complete narrative for me.The story centers on women running a tea shop as business partners, striving to find success both in their community and in their personal lives. They face numerous obstacles—from rival businesses to entrenched enemies—as they navigate a patriarchal and elitist society. The subject matter is compelling, and I found myself deeply connected to the show.
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The moments between them made me blush.
The plot (the business, the political intrigue) is kinda weak — I'll admit that. But everything else? Hard to fault.What i like very much is how the story handles the ML's and FL's trauma as children.
Also. The cinematography is stunning, it had some funny moments...and the chemistry between the leads is unlike anything I've seen. It felt less like watching actors perform and more like accidentally intruding on something private 🫣 — they were that convincing together! Sweet, real and completely believable.
About the ~10 episode misunderstanding:
Zhao Pan'er is a former entertainer — a woman society looks down on — and yet she carries herself with quiet dignity and pride. She was betrayed once by her scholar ex, so when she starts suspecting Gu Qianfan — the Commander of the Capital Security Office, feared by everyone and known as the "Living Devil" — of the same, it doesn't feel cheap or forced (for me).
Also from our ML`s perspective - he is a man carrying the shame of his father's name and who spent his whole life being feared rather than loved— so his hesitation felt real, even if ten episodes can test your patience. People call the misunderstanding weak writing or too frustrating, but given who they were, it can be believable.
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Still watchable
LIKELoved the bickering between Zhao Pan Er and Gu Qian Fan
This poor Gu Qian Fan already so busy trying to run for his life still need to get involved with Pan Er’s friends problems lol
Chi Ya Nei and his subordinates omg omg so funny and silly especially when he went to fight at Pan Er's teahouse
When Chi Ya Nei looked at the letter from Zhao Pan Er omg hilarious af
DISLIKE
Song Ying Zhang thinks she is so smart after being recognised of her talent so arrogant materialistic and jealousy always get her into trouble
Cannot understand why Qian Fan cannot face Pan Er and tell her the truth like just talk instead of avoiding
MUSIC - personal fav
不惜时光 Bu Xi Shi Guang - 张靓颖 Zhang Liang Ying
梦华 Meng Hua - 刘宇宁 Liu Yu Ning
REWATCH VALUE
Five for now
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Nice drama on female friendship
The show deserves praise for shining a light on female friendship—something I feel still remains lacking and underexplored in Cdramas. I like that it focuses more on character growth, maturity, camaraderie than petty competition. Considering how the show is made by a female production is also a big thumbs up. The set is beautiful to look at, but the story itself gets quite draggy in the middle, and found myself fast forwarding these extra scenes, the acting nothing outstanding, the comedy is also over the top. All in all, it is a good show, but I wouldn’t watch it again.Was this review helpful to you?
Smart intelligent female lead
It is pretty enjoyable and I really liked Crystal as main lead. She was very beautiful and great acting.I liked the pacing and felt plot was pretty good.
Stupid meter, it was not stupid.
I think maybe the end could have been improved more. It wasn't was satisfying as I was looking for.
Music and videography was great.
Male lead was okay. Believable but this show focuses more on female characters.
It is similar in feel to Love Like Galaxy. Although I would rate the latter as better compared to this.
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A mature story about female empowerment and love
I genuinely think if I had not watched this immediately after finishing Nirvana in Fire, I would have been more invested.Its a story about three extremely resilient friends broken down by the world they're born into, especially by men they trusted and now they are trying to succeed past it all.
I genuinely feel like it's a much better drama in terms of portrayal of women because it doesn't show them as delicate flowers always waiting to be rescued by men, with no agency. These women fight nail and tooth to grow and they have AGENCY. They're not passive. They're complex characters with their own baggage. The female friendship genuinely made me love the characters.
And the love story, man, it's so good. There's love here shown in tandem with sexual desire, which is oh my god, excellent for any asian drama. The male and female lead have sizzling chemistry and a very healthy relationship. Seriously, good job for showing romance can be sexy without it being toxic!
I didn't finish it so I don't know, but the direction of the two female friends love story is also very mature and excellent, dealing with themes of domestic abuse and a divorced woman with a child finding love again.
Some things I find weird is that the tone of some serious instances (Song's abusive husband's scenes is comedic in tone in some places) and some themes is not handled as it should be. Like saying musicians are better than sex workers because they have some talent which, ahem, okay. But I guess it's what they would've thought in that time and sex work is still demeaned in a lot of cultures. Still, I wish they didn't add that in.
I also found some of the acting to be a little confusing. The female lead is good, but she plays some of the scenes like she knows something that others don't (talking about the painting) and is part of a bigger mystery plot, but i don't think that's true. She's a decent actress but some of the acting choices really threw me off cause I kept waiting for them to pay off and maybe they do, but from what I've heard of this drama, it doesn't seem to be true.
The main reason I couldn't continue was that it's just a very slice of life story about how these women handle the various obstacles that come their way and like I said, I was craving more of an overarching plot, more mystery and more of just, something exciting. I just needed more.
Barring all that, I really and I mean REALLY hope that this drama sets a precedent for how women, female friendships and love is portrayed in cdramas. Hats off to the writer on this. They have great potential for writing more female driven stories and I hope they do.
I will say I'm hoping to come back to this drama again and finish it properly.
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NOTHING WITHOUT GU QIAN FAN
This drama has nothing to offer without Chen Xiao (Gu Qian Fan), seriously what so good about 3 young women who's been abandoned by their respective spouses to opened a tea house? No matter how smart, beautiful or talented these 3 women they didn't offer the excitement and intrigue to what Gu QianFan has provided interesting story line by his jobs and involvements. Tea House wouldn't poke any interest, Liu YiFei was good as she was but without a good story she's nothing but a pretty face, by adding Gu QianFan things got better. Pan'Er a serious business woman who came from lower class got involve with Gu QianFan on his failed mission, they went through bad times together and got closer. As a commander in an elite Capital squadron nicknamed "Living Devil" he lived in dangerous nefarious scheme involving the imperial court.By their association, Pan'Er involved in many of his troubles. He's fallen in love, they both had wide gap of status, but tried to work on their relationship in secrecy to avoid rumors and public judgement. Still ep 21, there are 29 more episodes, the story might get better, rather watching unworthy costumer's ruddiness, business competitors, brawl, doing accounting book, slow business scenes. Scenes with their exes were kind of boring...so would new men in their lives....3 single women were being wooed and all that sweet love declaration and adoration...it wasn't interesting to get me hook. Cookies, cooking, serving tea, playing instrument (although beautiful music), handling tea house business....really? Why would I watch this? Of course, It's beautiful a setting and directive...I think that's all making me stay this long. QianFeng is the sole interesting character on this drama but much less action since the director was focusing the fuzzy love affairs of 3 women. I finally decided to drop it...it's not for me. There are more interesting dramas coming up....yay!!
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Worth watching!!
I'm glad I decided to watch this drama!!!!!!!! Thank God!The cast is just *chef's kiss*!!!! 😘😚
Chen Xiao(ML) and Liu Yi Fei(FL) is like a match from heaven! I love their chemistry so much! Love without sacrifices is not love, after all!ML was willing to help FL since FL was all out helping ML too!
Pros is the setting was nice, story was good (focusing on humble women in that dynasty and how they're living their lives, despite frowned upon by society even though they did nothing wrong or shameful), and OMG great cinematography, great lighting mood, and amazing casts. I love Liu Yi Fei and she is so soft spoken almost like whispering but with firm voice. Soothing to the ears. ML is also playful and a little flirty. When I said a good chemistry ✨ i meant like them! ✨
Though, I can't stand is the ex-fiancee of FL, if he really love her, he should fight for her instead of saying FL only brings him shame just because of her past status of he and the society called pariah/humble woman/low life! He's like a leech depending on her for damn 3 years for God's sake she even bought him a land!
Also, FL close friend that married gambler aka conman (i think it was played by Lin Yun, I suddenly forgot her character name haha). In the drama, she is a bright girl but quite ungrateful and stubborn in her own way and immaturely foolish too! Maybe because she is the youngest amongst the trio (FL, San Niang, and her).
There's another woman in the drama called Sun San Niang, she is such a great friend to FL, very supportive despite having a hard life both as mother and wife! 😭 I pity her, though.
In a nutshell, this drama definitely worth to give it a try as me myself can't wait to see what will happen, how they gonna live their lives and need more episodes!
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