Les Belles

Great chemistry and Fun for the most part, but with plot holes towards the serious part

Subjective Gut Rating: 7.75

Without too much fanfare and promotion, “Les Belles” provided us with a mid-budget historical romantic comedy. I didn’t have much expectations but did want to see something fun. For the most part, I think “Les Belles” delivered what I wanted.

The plot is pretty simple. An orphan girl grew up to be intelligent, independent and a trailblazer during times when women couldn’t live for themselves. Luo Ling Yu (FL) doesn't care how others view her, but has her goal set on living her best life and recovering her family’s inheritance. But first, she needs to get out of an arranged marriage, before she could find a way to achieve her goals. She met Xue Chen (ML) who is just as smart as she is, and is more than the playboy character he’s trying to portray. He wants to seek justice and revenge for his father, who was accused of treason.

Of course, our leads have a rocky start. But it was so fun trying to watch them outsmart each other, and destroy the others’ plans and schemes. Jelly Lin and Alen Fang have really good chemistry and performed pretty well in the comedic roles. The push-and-pull between them is one of the highlights of the show. “Les Belles” has many likable characters. I was worried a couple characters might turn ‘evil’ but they ended up being very supportive and kind. Even the ‘villain’ is not too over-the-top (except for the last couple episodes).

It was more fun to watch the leads before they officially got together. I needed more cute and fluffy scenes but I had to wait till the very last episode to get that. The secondary romance is an adorable pair. I was hoping there’s a little more to their romance right after the secret identity was revealed. Instead, it was anti-climatic and I also wanted more of their cute scenes together.

“Les Belles” was able to hold my attention for ¾ of the drama. I enjoy the comedy, the chemistry, the interaction of the characters and the beautiful dances by Jelly Lin and Li Jia Xin. However, towards the last quarter of the drama, the politics, investigation and battle take center stage. The humor is gone and the serious plot has too many plotholes. The drama is unable to balance its comedic moments throughout the full 36 episodes. Luckily, when all that serious stuff is over, the fun is back in the last episode.

Even though this is a mid-budget production with some questionable fight scenes, the costumes and hair departments did an amazing job. Jelly Lin and other actresses look absolutely beautiful in their elaborate hairstyles and colorful costumes. The accessories and jewelry look much more expensive than in other big budget productions I’ve seen. Despite only having a few songs in the soundtrack (slightly overplayed), I enjoy the songs very much. You have the typical historical drama songs and a super fun ending theme that matches the comedic tone of the drama.

I had a good time watching “Les Belles” for the most part. I just wish it has held my attention throughout. The serious last quarter of the drama is too unrealistic, too fast-paced and has too many plotholes. But if you are looking for a simple drama with some fun, and are fans of the leads, then it’s worth a shot.



Completed: 7/17/2025 Review #603

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It was... (I don't know what it was)

❤️ What I Loved

Engaging Story and Witty Dialogue

Standout Performances
Yunhua, the little sister, completely steals the spotlight. She’s funny, bright, and has that natural charm that doesn’t feel rehearsed at all. Every scene she’s in gets a little lighter. Then there’s Lu Yun and his servant Jinchuan. Their bond is such a delight. They bicker, they tease, but you can sense the deep loyalty beneath it all. It’s that rare servant-master dynamic that actually feels human, not hierarchical.

Lingyu’s Complexity
Lingyu is the kind of heroine who could charm you one moment and infuriate you the next which is exactly why she works. She’s sharp, defiant, and constantly calculating, but her rebellion isn’t just for show. Beneath her wit and confidence is someone fighting tooth and nail to carve out freedom in a world built to silence her. Watching her navigate those traps (social, emotional, political) gives the story its soul.

Humour that Actually Works
So many dramas try to force comedy, but here, it flows effortlessly. Whether it’s a botched escape or a hilariously ill-timed confession, the humour feels organic to the characters. The cast’s comedic timing is spot-on.

The Soundtrack

The Journey Itself
Even when you can guess the destination, the getting-there is half the magic. The shifting alliances, the unspoken feelings, the moments that teeter between laughter and heartbreak — it’s the kind of storytelling that makes you feel every beat of the ride.

💔 What I Didn’t Love

Flat Romantic Payoffs
For all the simmering tension, the big romantic moments don’t always land. You expect something that’ll leave you breathless, but instead, it fizzles just short of that spark.

Character Flaws that Frustrate
Lingyu’s brilliance occasionally turns on itself. Her wit slips into selfishness, her defiance into hypocrisy. She’s still magnetic (no question) but there are moments when you wish she’d just step back.

Underdeveloped Side Players and Simplistic Villains
Characters like Fan Qingchen and the scheming relatives start with promise but end up one-dimensional. Their greed and paranoia feel like shortcuts instead of depth. You keep waiting for a twist a hidden motive, a redeeming moment but it never really comes.

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A SIMPLE HISTORICAL ROM-COM WITH A MODERN TOUCH

Review of 2025 C-Drama Les Belles

A Beautiful Romance That Starts Strong but Loses Its Way

Les Belles (2025) is a historical romance drama that hooks you in with stunning visuals, a compelling love story, and plenty of tension between the leads. However, as the story progresses, what starts as a charming and intense romance slowly gets weighed down by unnecessary drama—particularly an obsessive second male lead and a war subplot that feels completely out of place.

The Story: From Fiery Encounters to Unexpected Love

The drama follows Luo Lingyu (Lin Yun), a noblewoman whose life is turned upside down when her once-powerful family falls from grace. With nowhere else to go, she travels with her younger sister to Jianye, hoping to seek refuge with distant relatives. However, fate has other plans when she has an unfortunate run-in with Lu Yun (Fang Yilun)—a seemingly cold and arrogant young master who, unbeknownst to her, is part of the very family she’s trying to turn to for help. Their first meeting? A heated argument that ends with her shoving him overboard.

What follows is a classic "enemies-to-lovers" romance filled with sharp banter, undeniable chemistry, and a slow-burning attraction. Lu Yun, initially skeptical of Luo Lingyu’s intentions, gradually finds himself drawn to her resilience and intelligence. Meanwhile, Luo Lingyu, despite her strong will, starts seeing past his arrogant exterior and into the man beneath. Their relationship builds steadily, making for a satisfying and engaging love story—at least for most of the drama.

Where It Falls Apart

While Luo Lingyu and Lu Yun’s love story is the highlight of the drama, Les Belles stumbles in a few areas. One of the biggest frustrations is the obsessive second male lead, who starts off as a likable character but gradually becomes overbearing. What initially seems like sweet admiration turns into a repetitive, exhausting subplot where he refuses to move on, dragging out unnecessary drama between the leads.

And just when it seems like the drama is reaching a natural and satisfying conclusion, it suddenly introduces a war subplot in the final episodes. This shift feels abrupt and disconnected, as if the writers felt the need to add high-stakes conflict but didn’t know how to integrate it smoothly into the story. Instead of focusing on the emotional payoffs that had been carefully built up, the drama diverts attention to war-related tensions that feel unnecessary and rushed.

What Works & What Doesn’t?

✔ Breathtaking Cinematography – The visuals are absolutely stunning, from the intricate costumes to the beautifully crafted set designs. Every scene looks like a painting.

✔ Strong Chemistry Between Leads – Lin Yun and Fang Yilun carry the romance with their performances, making their characters’ relationship feel natural and engaging.

✔ A Well-Built Love Story (At First) – The gradual development between Luo Lingyu and Lu Yun is satisfying, with a good balance of tension, affection, and emotional depth.

❌ The Obsessive Second Male Lead Becomes a Headache – His infatuation with Luo Lingyu starts off as harmless but drags on for far too long, making it frustrating to watch.

❌ The War Subplot Feels Unnecessary – Instead of wrapping up the romance properly, the last few episodes shift into an abrupt and out-of-place war storyline that disrupts the flow.

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To be savored as pure entertainment (very successful) full of handsome guys.

Romantic comedy, historical, fun and light

PLOT: The FL, an orphan, flees a marriage arranged by her uncle and aunt with the ML2 (rich and powerful psycho) and runs into the ML, a noble, orphan, looking for clues about the death of his father, betrayed 10 years earlier. After a difficult start, they end up (FL, little sister and servant) finding refuge in the ML's family, frequented by "beauties" (suitors looking for a husband) and quite a few princes. Every lady is fighting to attract the favors of the ML, but the ML2 has not given up...

+++ Great actors (Alen Fang & Lin Yun as CL, with great chemistry) and a bunch of handsome actors, all magnificent and talented, who develop endearing characters. Even the psycho is very convincing! (ღ˘⌣˘ღ)
+++ Lively direction, with superb effects and cinematography.
+++ Brotherhood and sisterhood well highlighted. Excellent choreography and fight scenes.
+++ Lively OSTs to accentuate the comedy aspect.

### At times the "comedy" tone is excessive.
### Some sides of the characters (aggressiveness of the FL, bickering, little sister's interventions) can be annoying.
### Some coincidences / clichés are too obvious (ML2 who survives, ML surviving drowning, avalanche, etc.)

=> To be savored as pure entertainment (very successful) full of handsome guys.
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Comédie romantique, historique, fun and light (Parfois un peu "roman Harlequin :)

PLOT: La FL, orpheline, fuit un mariage arrangé par son oncle et sa tante avec le ML2 (riche et puissant psycho) et se heurte au ML, noble, orphelin, en quête d'indices sur la mort de son père, trahi 10 ans + tôt. Après des débuts difficiles, ils finissent (FL, petite sœur et servante) par trouver refuge dans la famille du ML, fréquentée par des "belles" (prétendantes en quête d'1 mari) et pas mal de princes. TT le monde s'affronte pr s'attirer les faveurs du ML, mais le ML2 n'a pas abandonné...

+++ Great actors (Alen Fang & Lin Yun en CL, avec une belle alchimie) et a bunch d'autres acteurs, tous magnifiques et talentueux, qui développent des personnages attachants. Même le psycho est très convaincant ! (ღ˘⌣˘ღ)
+++ Réalis° vive, avec des effets et une cinématographie superbes.
+++ Brotherhood et sisterhood bien mises en valeur. Chorégraphie et scènes de fight excellentes.
+++ OSTs entrainantes pr accentuer l'aspect comédie.

### Par moments le ton "comédie" est excessif.
### Certains côtés des personnages (agressivité de la FL, bickering, interventions de la petite sœur) peuvent être agaçants.
### Certaines coïncidences / clichés sont trop évidentes (ML2 qui survit, ML survivant à noyade, avalanche, etc.)

=> A savourer comme un pur divertissement (très réussi) plein de beaux gosses.

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Romance at 3.0x Speed

Les Belles opens with a splash, literally. Luo Ling Yu, once a noble lady now down on her luck, journeys to Jianye with her little sister to seek refuge. Along the way, she rescues a destitute man named Lu Yun. In a twist worthy of fate’s sense of humor, she later forces him to jump overboard to protect her reputation. What she does not know is that this pitiful man is actually the third young master of the powerful Lu family. Determined to secure a stable future, Luo Ling Yu sets her sights on winning his favor, only to be blocked at every turn. He sees through her schemes, exposes her carefully laid plans, and watches her flounder. Yet the moment she considers choosing someone else, he suddenly decides she is not going anywhere. Ah, pride and prejudice, Jianye edition.

At first glance, this drama is like a beautifully wrapped gift. The set design is pretty, the costumes are easy on the eyes, and the whole atmosphere feels pastel and polished. You walk in thinking you are about to enjoy a refined historical romance. Then the plot holes start waving at you like surprise guests who were never on the invitation list.

The writing, unfortunately, is messy. The story moves at a relatively fast pace, which should be a good thing. Instead, it often sacrifices logic and depth for speed. One day there is an explosion, Lu Yun is buried under piles of snow, and the next thing we know, one month later he is completely fine. War gets wrapped up as if someone clicked “skip cutscene.” Emotional arcs that should simmer and stew are microwaved. Even the long abandoned wealth of Luo Ling Yu’s father looks suspiciously spotless, as if a cleaning crew has been on standby for years. Dust and spider webs apparently do not exist in this universe.

Character motivations also float around without anchors. Fan Qing Chen’s obsession with Luo Ling Yu feels dramatic, but where did it come from? What triggered it? The drama does not really say. It just hands us his fixation and expects us to nod along. And do not even get me started on the scene where he places her cage in the middle of a snowy field. It was meant to be intense and poetic. Instead, it felt like a theatrical photoshoot gone rogue. When Luo Ling Yu’s ankle manacles conveniently loosen at the perfect moment, allowing her to escape and kill him, I could only whisper, “How convenient.”

The romance is another rollercoaster. First Luo Ling Yu chases Lu Yun. Then Lu Yun chases Luo Ling Yu. Back and forth, push and pull, like a never ending game of tag. At some point, I got tired just watching them. The jealousy was fun in small doses, especially whenever Prince Heng Yang appeared. I genuinely wanted more scenes of Prince Heng Yang and Luo Ling Yu interacting without Lu Yun successfully sabotaging their time together. Prince Chang Yi and even Lu Xuan also had more visual chemistry with her in my opinion. I will be honest, I did not find Lu Yun attractive enough as the male lead. He is smart, skilled in martial arts, and written as this strategic genius, but he feels more like a delicate pretty boy here. Ironically, I found him far more charming in A Journey to Love. In this drama, I sometimes wished Luo Ling Yu would pick literally anyone else.

Speaking of the men, their dating skills are almost comically bad. Watching them pursue Luo Ling Yu can be painfully cringe. Grand gestures with zero finesse. Schemes with the subtlety of a drum solo. It is like a masterclass in how not to court a lady.

That said, not everything is doom and gloom. Luo Yun Hua, the little sister, is an absolute ray of sunshine. Her voice, her cheeks, her presence, everything about her is adorable. She steals scenes effortlessly and leaves you wanting more. The drama also features a mix of young actors who are clearly still growing into their craft, alongside seasoned senior actors who bring gravitas and stability. The contrast is noticeable, but it also adds a certain charm.

I do appreciate that the royal family here is refreshingly decent. The emperor and princes are not cartoonishly corrupt. They do not force marriages and actually give women a way out when they refuse. The emperor understanding his sons is oddly heartwarming. In a landscape where palace politics usually means backstabbing galore, this felt like a nice change of pace.

When Luo Ling Yu and Lu Yun finally get together and assemble their team of young bloods to investigate and prove his father’s innocence, the pacing picks up again. The idea is promising. However, the execution leans heavily into exaggerated role playing scenes that are meant to be humorous but feel more like children playing detective. I appreciate the attempt at levity, but it often lands in secondhand embarrassment territory.

By the final stretch, I will confess something. I finished this drama thanks to WeTV’s heroic 3.0x speed. Without that button, I might still be stuck in Jianye. There are simply too many illogical and cringe moments sprinkled all the way to the end.

In the end, Les Belles is a very light nonsense drama. It is pretty to look at, occasionally entertaining, and filled with youthful energy. But if you are searching for airtight logic, layered motivations, and a romance that does not feel like cardio, you may need to lower your expectations. Watch it for the fluff, stay for Luo Yun Hua’s cuteness, and maybe keep your finger close to the fast forward button.

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Right in the middle

If you're looking for a short sweet story then this is it. You can't expect a masterpiece though. Saw an edit of this drama on tiktok, and I went to see the cast, i was sold after seeing that I already watched the supporting cast aside from the main leads. First episode didn't hook me, but it's a cdrama, some of the best gets better later on, and this one did. Though you actually see how limited the budget is for this drama, especially at the last few episodes, I mean they didn't even have a marriage scene. I like how linear and non complicated the plot was but it became ridiculous at times, especially at the end. There is not a single person who survived being under snow for a whole day, sure I'll let it go, but the male lead was picture perfect after a month. How the heck did snow even exist there were no river or any body of water on that map, regarding the place they were fighting for, there were a lot more but oh well. Anyways, the best thing for this drama was the characters, pretty nice characters I would want IRL and the annoying characters were exiled, dead, or just gone. Is the female lead in a relationship? Because every time they kissed her mouth was stiff as hell. Zhang Yangling kissed much better than the female lead. Still, the chemistry was there, because if not, the ratings of this drama would be worse and I would have dropped this drama in a heart beat. The acting also got better when the drama reached the twentieth episode, as the plot made it possible for heavier acting. Still, it kinda felt off, especially early in the drama. Overall, the writing was below average but it had its redeeming qualities.

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Music, dance and make-up

One of the best romcoms of the year! Every cast delivered their roles perfectly, even little Hua'er (oh, she's just so cute! X3). Everyone has great chemistry; not only the ML and FL but also the bromance and sismance in this drama are attractive.

The main couple = quirky, cunning, and funny, but are serious in what they do.

Prince Hengyang = mature, loyal, and protective of his loved ones (not only towards his family and friends, but also caring towards his fallen soldiers' families). I love how jealous he was of his younger brother because Lu Yun, his childhood & best friend, wouldn't call him by his nickname while the former(Prince Chang Yi) was always mentioned with the nickname 'Aman'.

Secondary couple = CUTE & PRECIOUS

The brotherhood = Heartwarming; unlike in other C-dramas where brothers are always competing with the ML character or act according to their hierarchical structure, here, they resemble actual brothers. Another thing that stole my heart is the bromance between Lu Yun, Lu Xian, Chang Yi, and Heng Yang. You'll be able to witness them in the latter episodes X3.

The sismance = Just like the quartet of MLs mentioned above, the four FLs also make a perfect team. Although there were misunderstandings and headbutts in the earlier episodes (due to LY, the cunning fox Xp), things wrapped up well in the end.

Lastly, the icing on the cake is, the make-up and costumes, dances and songs!!! LingYu's sword dance and the koi dance gave me goosebumps while watching! SHE NAILED IT! I'd say they're the best dances I've ever watched in C-dramas! Not your normal choreography. Not to forget Chen Xiu's drum dance too; it was beautiful and exciting. Princess NanPing's poem/song was so ethereal! I rewatched their scenes (especially, FL's koi dance scene).

Just go watch it and you'll know it's worth it!

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Funny Story but annoying FL

The series starts off well and I was locked in. By the time I got to episode 15 I found the female lead to be extremely annoying.

Loved
- The ML he played his role well and gave me plenty of good laughs.
- Her little sister was cute and adorable (loved her bond with big sister)
- The costumes were nice but too similar to background actors (sometimes confusing) had to pay attention to distinguish main actors from background actors.


Dislike
-The prince and woman disguise as a man! Their love story dragged out too long. Also, I don't like stories where men are questioning their sexuality because the female is dressed as a man. So annoying!!!
- Young Mister Fan was obsessed with her for no reason. We didn't get to see why and how he established those feelings and behave in such an obsessive manner.
- Too much back and forth (power struggle) with the Leads! We could have seen more care and consideration that lead to them finding love. It felt like two toxic people having a love hate relationship and not a deep bond.
- The music wasn't compelling enough
- Male lead went from a spy to just hanging around doing nothing but waiting for the FL to give him sign about how she felt and what she wanted.

Overall, the story didn't have a lot of substance. Everything very superficial and plots fell flat.

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Alen Feng is a great male lead!

Seriously funny and unexpectedly really good! Nice to see Alen Fang in a lead role, and he's well matched by Lin Yun as the FL. She's cunning, clever and has the sweetest smile. She also manages to find solutions to problems even at the last minute. Some of her greatest triumphs felt really innovative and new in terms of staging.

Great soundtrack and a nice mix of characters combined with great pacing and swift resolution to our lead couple's challenges made this a really enjoyable watch. I've not laughed so much in a long time! Overall, this drama punches above its weight.

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I don't like the story much

This is a story about a girl and a boy who faced injustice in their childhood. The girl was separated from her parents, after that a tragedy occured, while the boy’s father was accused of treason.

When they grow up, both of them start investigating what went wrong with their parents. During this journey, they meet multiple times, and the boy believes that fate keeps bringing them together. Over time, he is the first to fall in love with her.

Before she met the boy , her foster parents arrange her marriage with another boy. She gets married but later runs away, leaving behind a note to apologize. However, the boy never forgets her and desperately searches for her.

Overall, if you have nothing else to watch, you can give this drama a try.

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