Glory

A well-made drama

The story is quiet refreshing and engaging to watch. I watched this drama as it dropped episode by episode and it felt a little disjointed so I rewatched it for that continuous feel, which made me appreciate it better.

Many actors in this drama played their roles really well. The main leads, Gulinazha played Rong Shanbao really well and Huo Ming Hao as Lu Jianglai actually brought more life to those moments with Rong Shanbao with his micro-expressions. He is a really good actor and I enjoyed his acting.

The set and the costumes are well-thought of. The tea plantation scenery are very scenic and indeed.

There are even lessons about tea at the end of some episodes. As a non-chinese watcher, I learned something as well. Kudos.

Overall, I enjoyed this drama and would recommend it to others.

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A visually stunning drama with lots of "tea"! (pun intended)

I went into Glory with very high expectations and, as expected, I wasn’t disappointed. Recently, there seems to be a wave of strong dramas with “Glory” in the title, and I was kind of anticipating The Glory, Blossom or even Blossoms in Adversity - type of vibes. Surprisingly, this drama turned out to be very different.

First of all, this drama screams high budget!! The production value alone is impressive: every detail of the setting is beautifully crafted and clearly well thought out. The Ming-dynasty–inspired aesthetics, the costumes, and especially the tea plantations are absolutely stunning. I also really appreciated the historical tea facts shown at the end of the episodes. The OST is gorgeous too and adds a magical touch to many scenes ✨

Despite having noticeable flaws in both the story and the characters, the show somehow managed to put me in a chokehold. It’s addictive enough to keep me watching, constantly wanting to know what happens next. What a pain watching this while it's airing!

But that said, there are also some issues worth mentioning.
The first arc of the story, especially the husband-selection plot and the He Xingming / Yang Dingchen storyline, felt unnecessarily long. It took up a lot of time of the drama without contributing much to the overall progression. Watching a group of men fight over the Rong family’s fortune also wasn’t particularly engaging... Story-wise it could've been a 10 for me, if this arc and the one in the last 4-6 episodes were excluded.
This is my first drama starring Gülnezer Bextiyar, so I can’t fully judge her acting yet. However, her facial expressions often felt a bit stiff. At times, it was difficult to tell whether her character was quietly scheming or genuinely surprised / upset. Nevertheless, her visuals suit the role 100% - she's got that sharp and cold “Ice Queen” aura.
Unexpectedly, I also found Hou Minghao’s acting somewhat tense or off in this drama, which surprised me because I’ve enjoyed his performances a lot in other works.
Now on to the characters: Rong Shanbao is a mixed bag for me. I admire how she prioritizes family above all else and refuses to get dragged into internal power struggles. Considering her difficult upbringing, her composure and emotional restraint do make sense. However, I don't agree with how she treats Lu Jianglai. While it’s true that he betrayed her first, he later makes continuous efforts to redeem himself, especially by solving the case etc. Yet she keeps him at arm’s length, barely treating him differently from the earlier husband candidates. Her lack of communication and tendency to keep everything to herself becomes frustrating over time.
As for the sisters, it honestly surprised me that the Rong family managed to survive for so long given how disunited they were in the beginning. I’m glad Rong Yunyin and Rong Yunxi had character development though. Rong Yunyin’s growth felt more believable, while Rong Yunxi’s change felt abrupt, like a jump: Suddenly she trusts Rong Shanbao and even speaks up for her?
Also, I'm actually growing even more interested in Yunxi and An Cha's story than Shanbao and Fusheng's...
The grandmother is another frustrating, illogical character. Despite her experiencing many setbacks, she sticks to her old mentality - familial piety, strict rules - alwways disregarding her granddaughters’ wishes.

Despite all these flaws, there are many things I genuinely enjoyed.
The story, while sometimes stretched, was engaging because of the constant twists where I expect them the least; especially the second half kept me hooked. My jaw literally drops every second. This is one of the best written stories, I've seen in a while!
And lastly, Rong Yunwan completely stole my heart. She’s adorable and easily one of the most lovable characters in the drama.

So, Glory is far from perfect, but it’s visually breathtaking and I love how the story develops ❤️

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