This review may contain spoilers
What a waste of time
I started watching this drama thinking it was going to be great. The actors were amazing, the music was good, the female lead, even though a bit over the top, was okay. And then, at episode 31, it feels like they ran out of money to pay the screenwriters, so they decided that the intern should write the ending. The ending was so bad, I have rarely seen something like this. It made no sense, it came out of nowhere. It was so disappointing. I feel like I wasted so many weeks watching this drama just for that in the end. I was so pissed.It feels like they tried to finish the story by rushing everything. When the male lead decided to die for whatever reason, they decided to bring him back to life right after, at the end. He just appeared like, oh, by the way, everybody was aware. What? Also, he left the female lead to deal with everything on her own while pregnant, which feels kind of wrong, considering the character that he was playing all along. Also, some villains that were actually very calculative and smart, all of a sudden decided to fight the female lead head-on and completely change behaviors, which was completely stupid.
No, really, I am very disappointed. I thought it started great, and I really thought it could be a very good drama, and now I feel like I just wasted so many weeks.
Was this review helpful to you?
Blossoms of Love!!
The storyline of this drama is nothing new or stunning, but still it manages to keep us glued to it because of the different characterisations of the characters and in particular, the leads.Shen Xihe, is a very cold, smart, formidable, intelligent, smart female lead who is capable of anticipating the dangers that come in her way, handling situations in a smart way and teaching lessons to those who try to mess with her. She never falls for any tactics nor is vulnerable to schemes. Be it from the experiences of her past life, she is that female lead whom, one can never underestimate nor make her fall so easily.
While, Xiao Huayong, who is also, my most favorite character in this drama, is smart, powerful, manipulative, capable yet maintains a feeble and weak prince image, that everyone imagines him to be due to his poison.
The plot mainly revolves around how Shen Xihe's heart warms up, opens up and also falls for the Crown Prince along with showcasing some political issues.
I must say, I loved the chemistry of the leads and also the romantic track between them.
Xiao Huayong, never misses any opportunity to showcase his love and finally wins the heart of Shen Xihe. This plot impressed me with all the incidents that took place between them. It is quite opposite of the regular plots, that we see where female lead, changes the life of male lead.
I loved the performances of Meng Ziyi and Jeremy Tsui. They were excellent 👍
He Yu, has really impressed me with his portrayal of Xiao Huayong,. Be it the demeanor, elegance, naughtiness, scheming nature, responsibility, emotional, or love, he was truly outstanding in his performance. 💯👏I can say his portrayal of the crown prince has been the soul of this drama, for me. He has become one of my favourite male lead characters.
All thr others were excellent too in their performances.
The locations were pleasant, costumes were good, action scenes were also nice.
Despite a few flaws and some boring moments, its definitely a WORTH WATCHING drama.
I really enjoyed it, especially the antics annd schemes of the Crown Prince, Xiao Huayong. 👌🤗
A good drama that will not disappoint you👍
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
family drama
It's basically a family drama filled with palace/kichen politics. Every prince seems to be lovesick, and that obsession makes them all look incompetent. The female lead is the only emotionally intelligent character she knows exactly where, how much, and why to invest her emotions, which makes her stand out.The male lead is also well-written and likable.The fantasy tag feels unnecessary because there isn't really anything particularly fantasy-driven about the story. The second male lead's obsession with the female lead is completely ridiculous and overdone. The emperor's greed is what ultimately destroys his entire family.
The male lead's return is never properly explained, which feels like a major plot hole. On the bright side, the bonus episode is really cute and leaves the story on a pleasant note.
The romance between the main leads was definitely one of the strongest parts of the drama. Their chemistry was enjoyable to watch, and I was genuinely invested in their relationship from beginning to end.
The drama starts off really strong and gives the impression that it will focus on a serious struggle for the throne, filled with political intrigue and power plays. However, as the story progresses, it shifts into more of a romantic, jealousy-filled family drama instead.
There are also a few cute bromance moments sprinkled throughout, which add some charm to the story. Overall, it's a good watch if you're looking for a romance-driven family drama, but if you're expecting an intense political thriller centered on the battle for the throne, you may end up disappointed.
Was this review helpful to you?
Everything is in it’s right place.
I loved it. No new tropes, but every one of them executed perfectly. Villains are properly evil. Palace is properly treacherous. Jeremy Tsui’s character is properly crazy and obsessed. Bitches are bitchy.Someone is getting poisoned every episode. FL is like a bloodhound capable of sniffing poisonous components in any mixture.ML is as sick as a dog, and at the same time strong like a bull. And it seems like the only job of emperor is to give titles left and right. All the ponds are bottomless. They have plastic surgeon changing people’s faces without a trace. ML love is a bit vanilla, after she admits to loving him, but SL couple is fire.
This is all I want from CDrama. No notes.
Was this review helpful to you?
A good drama affected by lazy writing
I actually like the story. I like the skeleton, I like the world-building, and I think there’s a genuinely intriguing mystery at the centre of it. The acting is good, the character archetypes are refreshingly done, and there’s enough there to make me curious about who is behind everything.My problem is the writing. It’s just too convenient. Plot points are repeatedly resolved in ways that feel incredulous at best and silly at worst, and I found myself 11 episodes in with this happening consistently. I don't think I have the patience to tolerate another 37 episodes of it.
If this were a 16- or even 20-episode drama, I might have weathered the inconsistencies because I do think there’s a good drama hiding underneath all of this. But when you're asking me to commit to 37episodes, world-building alone is not going to cut it. I need clever writing and satisfying resolve too.
And that’s the frustrating part because there’s one major mystery I genuinely want to know the answer to. I just don't trust the drama to reveal it in a way that will satisfy me. Given how some of the biggest plot points have already been handled, I'm worried the big reveal will be another convenient, thinly written explanation.
So I'm tapping out. I’ll probably skim through Reddit to find out who did what and call it a day.
I completely understand why people like Blossoms of Power, and I think it had real potential. But for me, 37 episodes is a very expensive commitment for a drama that keeps asking me to suspend my disbelief.
Dropped.
Was this review helpful to you?
This is a absolute banger I would say !!!!!!!!!!!
I will not write much like those people who do not know how to write a review for a proper drama. Just as a saying goes, " Do not judge a book by its cover. " I would say this drama delivered a proper start. I have watched 16 episodes and it's not boring at all just as some people above talking about the acting of Meng Ziyi do not listen to the reviews you should yourself as everyone has their own opinion but please do not question or criticize the actors, if you do not want to watch the drama then do not watch it but don't change the opinion of other people because of your own perspective.And i clear some doubts the acting and chemistry of both lead actors is beyond imagination. They act naturally and it's look amazing.
I prefer to watch this Chinese drama and it will not disappoint you.
Thank you.
Was this review helpful to you?
Very Good Story - Female empowerment again
This is the typical CDrama recently: the female is in charge. Ever since the success of Lost You Forever made it huge with female lead being loved by 3 handsome males, every other drama is like this now: devoted love is the way to win the FL's affection.This and also the rebirth theme. I don't know when they will stop doing this theme.
There are so many handsome male actors in the story. The ML is sugary sweet and does everything he can to support the FL - how realistic is it? Can you find a man like that in real life?
The story is a long romantic endeavor of the ML trying to win the FL's heart - she only admitted she loved him in ep 28 after he professes to love her for herself regardless of who she is.
However, despite the old theme of rebirth and souls merging, the acting was decent and there is chemistry between the leads. The story is fun to watch. I recommend it because it's entertaining but I would not watch again.
Wasting time after ML dies in 32! I fast forwarded until 36 when he returns unexpectedly!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Heart flutering
Episode 14 on the bed side , want to give her medicine through his lips.💋Wanting to kiss her and more .❤️
My heart flutters , the actor of Speed & Love , Fated Boy .
Delivers his charme, his sensual body language.🙈 love every episode
The intriges , betrayels, cunning , shrewd , CP & the FL smart , cold demeanor, when these to hit it of .
After period cooling down, and he doesn't take NO for an answer .
We gonna see sparks fly , and fire for an whole forest.
Rewatched the first 8 episodes to understand the storyline better .
Missed a few spots , hopefully ML doesn't die , but i think he does. 💔 leaving her heartbroken final.
Was this review helpful to you?
A solid and enjoyable watch with a good story and a strong cast. The performances carry the film well, and there are enough engaging moments to keep you invested. The music is decent but could have been better, and while I enjoyed the movie overall, I don’t see myself going back for a rewatch anytime soon.
Story: 7/10
Cast: 7/10
Music: 6/10
Rewatch Value: 4/10
Overall: 8/10
Was this review helpful to you?
Bad acting, but I do not blame the performers
The plot was interesting at the early part, although I still see Mary Sue, and the female character who tried to pull other women down. I do not enjoy it. However, the worse thing about this series is the acting. All major characters had the same characteristic (except Fan Shuai Qi and Li Hong Quan). I do not see any difference among them. They tried to hold still all the time to make themselves look like narcissists. Similarly, their speaking styles are the same too. I used to see some of these actors and actresses in other series, and they were not as bad as in this one. Therefore, I do not think that it is the problem based on the actors, but it might be from the screenplay or directing.First I thought it was all about a powerful and independent woman. However, even only at the early part, she was saved by men twice; from venom and from falling the cliff. Very disappointed. Where could I see the role model of girls in Chinese drama? The Powerpuff Girls and those little ponies could be better role models.
Was this review helpful to you?
Failed pairing, why repeat?
ML (He Yu) & FL (Meng zi yi) already had mediocre chemistry from Duel on Mount Hua: Nine Yin True Sutra, why pair them up again? It's guaranteed not to be amazing from the start. Not even the word "Blossom" in the title will help.Standard script with predicable story line. However production quality is pretty good. The supporting cast is impressive with lots of familiar actors. Its the main reason why I watched through.
Favorite character
Bu shu lin, actress Fan Shuai Qi is one of those few actresses that can pull off pretending to be a Male. She killed the role and I loved every scene with her. Hopefully she'll get more FL roles in the future.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
wherein the plot serves the characters more than the characters serve themselves
I did not go into Blossoms of Power expecting to be blown away, particularly since I had just finished Blossom (which I believe shares a production team/one director) and came out of it with middling feelings. But this drama was... certainly something! Entertaining, yes, and quite fun to watch but not anything spectacular.What stuck out to me most was the extreme sense of characters driving the narrative - not necessarily in the sense that a character's actions move the plot, but rather the plot moves itself to serve and facilitate character development, particularly of our main leads. Most conflicts were resolved within an episode or two, and the interconnecting narrative threads were very thin, resulting in a plotline that is clunky and episodic. What should have been important narrative points were often communicated through dialogue discussing events off-screen (see: the northwestern conflict, an army of 3million if I remember correctly, being defeated by Shen Xihe's brother, which we learn of through a letter). Quite early on, I felt as though the purpose of the plot was purely to serve and facilitate the main characters' relationship development and provide hurdles for them to stumble and cushions for them to fall on. Stakes were mild where they should have been high and it made the wider world feel empty.
Xiao Huayong's illness was the primary connective thread but this was not nearly explored enough to make it compelling. Without spoilers, the 'whodunit' of it all was anticlimactic and predictable despite a complete lack of foreshadowing and/or hints throughout - of course it's possible I just missed these, but I do not care to rewatch and find out - plus, as with many 'sickly' MLs, his illness seemed to wax and wane in an awfully convenient pattern of 'I am extremely strong despite my illness' 'I am actively dying' 'my fiancee's dad is in trouble so I'm strong again' whenever suited.
The story as a whole was thematically void, other than some half-formed ideas of power, lineage, and loyalty to which the ML was an unfortunate victim of. I won't even speak on the final 'reveal' concerning the ML because it is still so ridiculous why they would choose to cheapen what was a fairly tearful finale with such an inexplicable 'twist.'
What made this drama worth finishing, however, was the characters. For all this show lacked in plot, it made up for in rich and diverse character dynamics.
The FL pursues power tyrannically to prevent the tragedy of her previous life - this certainly made an impression and I was glad to see that, although her character softened somewhat over time, her ruthlessness to her enemies remained. Meng Ziyi's acting was not hugely dynamic, but her portrayal of Shen Xihe's cold cutthroat nature definitely made an impact at the outset, and I was relatively impressed with her more emotional scenes also - one in particular reflected well the idea of such a collected and meticulous person with the flood gates set loose. In terms of writing, Shen Xihe definitely could have had clearer motives - she wants a foothold of power enough to protect herself and her family, but it seems to be an unspoken thing that she wants more than just safety, which I wish they had delved into more explicitly. Such ruthlessness would not be fuelled by the need to protect, not when her refusal to bend often put more targets on her and those around her. This is something that, had the plot been more substantial, could have been woven into a very compelling character arc. The foundations are there, but unfortunately the execution fell short.
As for the ML, he has spent years secretly gaining a more understated kind of power in order to find the truth of his poisoning, which again the plot fails to deliver on. We know he is investigating the culprit, but aside from speaking to a few prisoners and receiving a few letters, this investigation is not ever shown on screen. Of course, he is a weak and forlorn prince who cannot be seen wielding the power he has, so he has others to do it for him, but even that could have been woven into a significant plotline. Regardless, He Yu's acting was a delight to watch and made Xiao Huayong such a fun character, the only one who truly made me laugh. His early interactions with Xihe were such a joy to watch, two great minds going head to head, and later as his feelings grew, I began thinking I was secretly watching a comedy. It's safe to say, I began watching for the FL, but the ML was the one that kept me around. I have no complaints about their relationship development, though I wouldn't say it was the main thing I was there for.
That would instead be - Bu Shulin. What a character. From the moment she appeared I knew I would not be able to drop this show - honestly, I would recommend watching purely for Bu Shulin and Cui Jinbai because these two were such a joy from beginning to end. Electric chemistry. I was surprised that, censorship-wise, they were able to get away with a man professing his love to someone who looked visually male (let alone an off-screen sex scene before we ever saw Bu Shulin dressed as a woman), but it definitely seems like a step forward! In a world of such anti-queer censorship, a crossdressing character is such an excellent vehicle to explore gender and sexuality and, although they could not be too explicit in it, Bu Shulin's conflict over wanting to live as herself but not wanting to give up the freedoms that being perceived as a man gave her hits the nail right on the head. Unfortunately these characters did not get the screentime that they deserved, but by the end I felt I knew them far better than I knew either of our main leads, and I was most definitely more endeared towards them.
Finally, aside from Bu Shulin, there was one other character that truly stuck out to me, though judging from some other responses, this may be a controversial opinion. I found Prince Xin, Xiao Changqing, to be fascinating. He was a character in constant conflict with himself. His love for his brothers (most obviously Prince Lie/Xiao Changying, but later on also Xiao Huayong, even if he himself is conflicted and loathe to admit even if it is true) vs his devotion to the returned Gu Qingzhi (regardless of how she feels on the matter) is the most obvious, but it runs deeper.
Prince Xin, groomed for the throne, primed to carry the weight of the Empire; and Xiao Changqing, husband and mourner. Doomed from the start, really. He was raised to hold power and protect it, make the horrible choices that a ruler has to make, and that is the first thing we see him do - leading the execution of the Gu family, trying to protect Gu Qingzhi and instead stifiling and suffocating her, so that her final act of autonomy is to orchestrate her own death. As Shen Xihe says, what he deems as 'love' and 'protection' is instead 'possession.' She kills herself to shift blame to those who harmed her family, but I also think a part of it is punishment to this terrible husband of hers. You have tried so hard to keep me, but no amount of power can move death. Or so she thought!
When it comes to reincarnation (or adjacent in this case) plotlines, there should always be a reason. 'So FL can meet ML and fall in true love' is fine, if not a bit stale; 'redemption for the failures of her previous life' is definitely the most obvious driving force for our FL. Gu Qingzhi meets the old Shen Xihe on a bridge in, presumably, the underworld - Chinese mythology is not my expertise, but bridges are often representative of progress, transition, and moving on. The previous Shen Xihe moves on into the afterlife - Gu Qingzhi chooses to return to the mortal world. It's a similar issue to that I had with her character overall, in that I wish the narrative would be more upfront about her selfishness and greed, as it's my interpretation that she did not choose to return solely for redemption, but also for revenge. And she certainly gets it. (Also controversial, but the small kindness she showed him in the end, I truly did like. Their relationship was so fascinating, and for all the wrong he did to her, that she can offer such sympathy shows a breadth of character that many 'cold' characters are deprived of.)
He is a terrible person who gets what he deserves (the writing falls apart strikingly at the end, but if one ignores the huge narrative gaps, there is a semblance of what they were trying to get across). He was truly destined for madness, and his relationship with our FL is a mirror for what his rein as Emperor would have been - power turned to possession and devotion turned to obsession. Again, a thrilling idea failed by poor execution. Xu Zhengxi was by far my favourite actor of the entire show. He also plays another fantastically insane character in Whispers of Fate, which, for all its many flaws, I have to recommend if only for the cast's excellent performances.
Overall, a flimsy and far-away plot, upon which a series of could-be fantastic characters bob along, while the writers throw rubber ducks and foam pool noodles in their path. Nothing mind-blowing, but full of potential!
Was this review helpful to you?
