Definitely worth watching!
This was a really neat look into the brocade industry-I had no idea how cool it was! Absolutely fascinating to see the process and understand why we heard about things like The Silk Road being so important in history class. It also gives me more appreciation for all the costume designs and intricate patterns in dramas. Someone must have spent years researching to write this.The story itself was great. Strong FL that used her brain instead of plot armor. There wasn't as much chemistry between the leads as I'd like, but the romance was still sweet. I loved the development of the side characters as well. Definitely worth watching!
Was this review helpful to you?
Love the first half, hate the second half
As a fan of TSY I was very excited for this and even planned my holiday to binge this drama. The premise of brocade being the theme does not sound entirely exciting to be honest but with TSY leading I was confident it would be a great show nonetheless, for the first half, it truly was, but after ep 30 it all went downhill and there was no saving grace for this drama.The chemistry between the leads are amazing and I was eating up all their interactions especially after they got married which to me was the highlight of the show. The tone from the beginning gives off a very light hearted drama with minimal, if any, angst so was I in for a nasty surprise when the entire tone shifted from ep 30 to a very dark, bloody, and angst where nothing really makes sense cause prince bai who is supposed to be this cold cool villian with a big political agenda suddenly turns into a pathetic delusional love boy, throw in some uncessary character deaths just for the sake of shock factor that actually adds no real value to the plot, this show went down a landslide. Don't get me started with the so called happy ending.... its like the writers ran out of steam from the last 10 ep and decided to give 0 effort in the ending.
Overall, it's not a show I'll be rewatching anytime soon.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
The usual mess but with nice visuals
Needed me to turn off my brain too many times for me to enjoy the unique parts relating to brocade. The ML’s skills are super power level so doesn’t mix well for this realistic setting which is unfortunate as it was nice watching him fight. But the way he can take down so many people on his own was beyond realistic.FL has a nice believable young girl vibe but it breaks down when she matures and manages to capture the attention of so many men especially the villain. The villian should have stayed truer to himself and not turned into such a love sick fool.
The evil lady reduced to a pitiful shadow because of her love for her maid which we cannot understand as not enough is shown about their past to justify her feelings for her maid.
Was this review helpful to you?
Disappointing
I started this drama thinking it was literally gonna show brocade's odyssey during the tang dynasty but there was way too much focus on the romance instead. The cast and the leads did what they could with what they got, but as a fan of TSY I gotta say this is the dullest role from her. The acting is great, it's just I never warmed up to her character here. I don't get her character's motivations much, what she wanted from all the men and whatever she was trying to do - I just wasn't invested. I'm not sure if it was the writing or editing. The chemistry between the leads was also lukewarm at best, not really romantic tbh. So whenever it came to their scenes I was bored to death. Also there are several parts where I was just rather disengaged.Was this review helpful to you?
Interesting characters
I found each episode to be entertaining. One thing I noticed was the number of antagonists. There were just so many people trying to game the system, switching fakes for the real thing, or outright killing anyone who got in the way. The lack of morality was astounding. On the other hand, there were so many people whose loyalty & friendship couldn't be bought. This was not a perfect series, but certain scenes were thought-provoking; some were emotional. Certain characters were not purely good or evil, and their complexity made the show more interesting. There was also enough comedic relief so that the show didn't feel too heavy.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
A Tapestry of Pigment and Thread | How to drive the FL to the end of her wits, multiple times!
"You're a gentleman, a good person, but kindness without a sharp edge can't fend off the sharp swords aimed at you." - Ji Yingying to Ji YaotingLooking back now, I struggled a lot to finish this drama because of 3 major aspects: the Plot, the conflicts in the story and the antagonists.
1. Plot - I felt so bored and irritated during the first five episodes due to the direction the story was taking. It followed the typical drama trope of the "oppressed heroine," which I'm totally cool with. However, the lasting distaste that ruined my mood was caused not by the antagonists who kept scheming against Ji Yingying (FL), but by her own family members who kept dragging her down because of their weakness, incompetence, and inability to assess the overall situation with better judgment. I'm actually glad that her brother (Ji Yaoting) almost immediately learned his lessons and started showing growth. In contrast, her mother remained stuck in her little bubble, believing that the situation would be alright as long as they stayed subservient. What's more irritating is that she remained that way until the second half of the story, which hindered Ji Yingying's progress and even became the instrument for the unnecessary and completely preventable conflict (Yang Jinglan's desperate homecoming) to occur.
2. Conflicts - Most of the conflicts in the story were totally preventable. What was more frustrating was that they felt forced just to engineer conflicts and emotional scenes. Some good examples are:
• Episode 23-34 - Yan Jinglan's desperate homecoming would have never happened if Ji Xushi (JYY's mother) hadn't been weak-minded and unnecessarily cautious. My biggest issue with her is that she doesn't know how to assess the overall situation properly and remains traumatized by the tragedy of the past. She tries so hard to avoid danger but doesn't realize that her enemies will relentlessly loom around them unless they have either utterly defeated or killed her daughter (Ji Yingying).
• Episode 30 - Sheng Dalang’s death could have been prevented if he and Sang Shisi had stayed within the group instead of running off to wander around, completely unguarded and incapable of fending for themselves. They created their own demise, period. The escort group with Yang Jinglan is fighting the bandits. So, I don't understand why they had to run in the first place when they were safer there than anywhere else. Geez!
• Episode 25 - The scene where Ji Yaoting questions the groom (Yang Jinglan) to allow him entry to the Ji abode, even though they are already married. LOL! Note that Yang Jinglan saved Ji Yingying from far worse suffering at the hands of the Yang family by snatching her from his second brother (Yang Jinglin). Additionally, I just don't find Ji Yaoting suitable/qualified to perform such a tradition. His sister would have suffered less if only he had been a reliable man in the first place. Gosh!
3. Antagonists - I guess I am just frustrated with how the entirety of the story was spent dealing with one major enemy, Niu Jin. He is cunning and may look formidable, but he is full of shortcomings. I just can't accept that he remained the biggest antagonist of this show despite all of his flaws and countless reasons to topple him down. He's one great enemy, but having him till the end became so tiring over time, especially when you consider all the chances they had to defeat him but failed to do so. This was either because they were underprepared/oblivious of his schemes or simply because he outsmarted them most of the time. Having Niu Wu Niang or Bai Sheng as the main antagonist would have been better compared to him.
This drama would have been perfectly fine with 32 episodes. 35 was reasonable, 37 was going overboard, and 40 was totally unnecessary.
I was 36 episodes in, but all I wished was for it to end. By episode 37, I completely lost interest and started thinking, "How wonderful would it be if this were the 39th episode already." By episode 38, I just wanted it to end but I persisted anyway because I still wanted to see through its ending. The halfway point of episode 39 was its saving grace; that was when I gained hope and started praying for a satisfying ending. By episode 40, I was just happy that it was finally the last episode. I found the ending lacking, but I'm just glad that it was concluded happily.
The supporting male leads in this show are the most self-righteous, lovesick men I have seen in a long time. Bai Sheng started promising—I had high hopes for him as a contender for a good second male lead—but as the story progressed, he became increasingly loathsome and possessive. The only good thing he did was to sacrifice himself to keep Ji Yingying safe. This man was obsessive, self-righteous, and overly self-pitying about his objectives and situation. He's the type of character you grow to hate as the story progresses. On the other hand, I'm rather grateful that Zhao Xiu Yuan eventually redeemed himself after taking a wicked path. I almost lost hope in him, but the scriptwriter eventually had a change of heart and gave him a chance for redemption.
In conclusion, I realized that I'd rather watch women scheme out of jealousy than watch men do it. Men's reasons have been the most unreasonable and unhinged I have ever seen. They tend to be extremely destructive and merciless for some of the most self-righteous and hell-bent reasons. At least, women do it with a sensible and much deeper reason. As for men, they gaslight their reasons to make them justifiable.
Lastly, while I've previously mentioned seemingly negative aspects of "Yang Jinglan's desperate homecoming," this is, in fact, the show's most iconic scene. His determination and devotion for Ji Yingying are powerfully demonstrated in the fight sequences, highlighting his most charismatic and attractive qualities. I absolutely love how he crashed the wedding and defied the entire Yang household—not just to stop the ceremony, but to claim it as his own. What an admirable man!
"When all else fails, seek your husband." - Yang Jinglan
Story - 8.0, The story would have been better if it hadn't over-utilized Ji Xushi's trauma and overcautiousness against Ji Yingying. It was upsetting that she was constantly being held back by pressure and restrictions placed by her own timid mother. I hope that screenwriters, directors, and producers can stop incorporating such worn-out techniques just to create hindrances and conflicts for the leads. It's frustrating when you see the people around her become the anchor that drags her down instead of a support system that keeps her moving forward. Additionally, I wish we had gotten a real influential and powerful antagonist and not just a power-hungry general that is usually easily dealt with in most dramas.
Acting/Cast - 9.5, The main leads were fantastic! I picked this show because of Tan Song Yun, but I ended up so impressed and captivated by Zheng Ye Cheng. This is my third drama of his, but it's the first time I truly appreciate his heartthrob charm and appeal. There is something about his killer smile and expressive, tantalizing eyes that made me so drawn to him in this show.
Music - 7.0, The songs in this drama felt almost non-existent to me. I'm not sure if I was just not paying attention or if they were simply not impactful at all. The only tune I can remember was the one played during Yang Jinglan's fight scenes on Episodes 23-24. Aside from that, I can't recall any other music.
Rewatch Value - 5.0, I'm sorry, but no. I honestly don't think I can watch it again. My entire watch experience does not allow me to feel the usual excitement and entertainment I have when watching a typical drama. I can't even recommend this for Pete's sake!
Overall - 8.0, This is that one drama I regret watching, yet at the same time felt grateful because I got to rediscover and see Zheng Ye Cheng in a different light. Aside from that, I am so done and would just want to move on to a next show that will excite the hell out of me.
IF you find my review helpful please let me know.
Was this review helpful to you?
Disappointing: an excellent CL but...
PLOT: The FL belongs to a renowned family of weavers who lost everything, because a conspiracy. The ML is responsible (incognito) for restructuring a corrupt brocade market dominated by a few powerful families. The conflicts (economic, financial, romantic) are multiple and the CL is gradually getting closer to facing the obstacles together.+++ Two excellent actors as CL (Zheng Ye Cheng & Seven Tang).
+++ Endearing, well-developed characters.
+++ Effective production, with great fight scenes
+++ OST well suited.
### Lengths and an unnecessary narrative arc (everything about Nanzhao)
### ML2 behavior is not consistent. I know that his character was created by the assembly of 2 actors (via AI) but he seems a little artificial throughout the series...
### Overall the storyline does not keep the tracks in the last episodes.
=> Quite disappointed, even I am a fan of Zheng Ye Cheng...
**********************************************
Décevant : un excellent CL mais ...
PLOT : La FL appartient à une famille de tisserands renommée mais qui a tout perdu, victime d'un complot. Le ML est chargé (incognito) de restructurer un marché du brocard corrompu et dominé par qq familles puissantes. Les conflits (économiques, financiers, amoureux) sont multiples et le CL se rapproche peu à peu pour affronter les obstacles ensemble.
+++ Deux excellents acteurs en CL (Zheng Ye Cheng & Seven Tang).
+++ Des personnages attachants, bien développés.
+++ Réalisation efficace, avec de belles scènes de combat
+++ OST bien adaptés.
### Des longueurs et un arc narratif inutile (tout ce qui concerne Nanzhao )
### Le comportement du ML2 n'est pas cohérent. Je sais que ce personnage a été créé par l'assemblage de 2 acteurs (via IA) mais il semble un peu artificiel durant toute la série ...
### Globalement la storyline ne tient pas la route dans les derniers épisodes.
=> Assez déçue, d'autant plus que je suis une fan de Zheng Ye Cheng ...
Was this review helpful to you?
The cast's chemistry it's so good.
To be honest, I fee a little conflicted about this drama. It has great cinematography and costume design, and the chemistry between the actors it's really good.This is very much a character driven drama, so the performances are key for the story to work; and that's really when Brocade Odyssey works best. Tan Song Yun and Zheng Ye Cheng have good chemistry, they work really well together, and the characters they play are well-rounded and interesting. There was never a moment when I wasn't rooting for them.
The script presents an interesting setting but it's when it tries to develop the story further from the relationship and goals between the main characters that becomes too convoluted. It makes odd decisions and puts too many players in the scene. Until episode 32 the drama was okay on this aspect but it was when the scriptwriter had to start moving pieces to resolve the conflicts developed up to that point that the story suffers.
Overall, this was an entertaining watch that didn't reach its full potential but still delivers some really nice and fun moments.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
A bunch of good actors that makes me happy
Story is good (for half of them), some scenes are unnecessary and other scenes are lacking. Because the title is Brocade Odyssey, I thought this is about the art of brocade and silk, of course there will be politic issue surrounding the trade of brocade, but I didn't think (or want) to see it only about revenge and fighting only 1 ultimate villain. Though all the casts are terrific, including the side characters, they made this series more enjoyable. The other villains like Bai Sheng, and Niu Wuniang are played so beautifully, though they could put more depth to Bai sheng's bsckstory and more character. But instead they want to put more spotlight on FL. Don't get me wrong, I love Seven Tan. But the highlight of this story isn't just her, but the side characters: the artisan of brocade industry. But the producers and writers pushed them to tbe back and made them just as accessories. So I won't go back to this.Was this review helpful to you?
There is Much To Like About Brocade Odyssey
There is much to like about Brocade Odyssey. The acting was very good, the costuming was of a high standard (it has to be because show was all about brocade). The sets were also good. The OST was enjoyable and so was the story for the most part.Right from the get go, we see how determined and resourceful Ji Ying Ying.is. I feel that this is one of Seven Tan’s best roles. Zheng Ye Cheng put in a fine performance as the newly minted Brocade Officer who is at odds with his family. Together, both leads are a wonderful OTP. In fact, this is one of the show’s strengths - the commitment that they have throughout regarding what became a tumultuous journey.
The early episodes gave a good appreciation of the ancient Chinese brocade industry. This including understanding silk, the weaving process, the dye process and how the colours are set using the local water fall and natural pool. We also get to see the conflict between the great brocade houses and the small independents ended up by Ms Ji.
For the most part, each of the story arcs were quite good. The acting certainly made this possible. However, I felt the last two episodes let the story down. In fact, the final episode spent too much time on the villains rather than on giving show time to wrap things up better. I also have to agree with some commentators how disappointing it was regarding what happened to some of the key characters. Some characters just disappeared.
Brocade Odyssey is worth your time. The leads are worth watching just for their relationship alone.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
"Brocade Odyssey" is a drama about Ji Ying Ying, a young woman who is independent and doesn't care much about other people's opinions. She works with embroidery and dyeing clothes, following her father's tradition and trying to clear his name of the crime he didn't commit and that caused his death. One day she meets Jing Lan, an officer who instantly takes an interest in her and helps Ying Ying in all the difficulties that come her way.Ying Ying has someone she has liked since she was a child and that person is Xiu Yang, the two are promised to get married, but fate interferes and Xiu Yang ends up marrying someone else to protect Ying Ying... the problem is that after that he becomes a completely different person, there was no way to continue rooting for him after that, but at least in the end he found redemption for everything he had done, helping Ying Ying and the others come back home after being kidnapped by Prince Bai.
The relationship between Ying Ying and Jing Lan is cute and captivating. It takes a while for them to become a couple, but the way it happens is quite remarkable, with Jing Lan stealing Ying Ying and marrying her instead of his brother. After that, the two have some good scenes, their romance is cute, but not impressive.
What ends up being most captivating about the drama is not the romance, but rather Ji Ying Ying's journey in the brocade market, breaking new ground and becoming an example, a woman who owns a business. The big problem is that the story drags on after episode 30. I think if the drama had fewer episodes, it would have been better, because it ended up getting tiring after that.
The soundtrack is very good, specially "Red" by Mao Buy.
Was this review helpful to you?
A Tough Watch with a Worthy Story
Let's be honest, this drama ain't exactly my cup of tea, literally everything except for Tan Songyun. With all those lil' controversies sprinkled in, im not holding back with my brutally honest rating: overall 6/10 (being nice here, it could've been a FIVE). I'm just not the type of viewer who can patiently stick to an ongoing drama (yes im writing this review after finishing the ongoing one). The first 5 eps were a vibe tho, the FL (Ji Yingying) had this clever charm that got me hooked instantly. But after 10+ eps... ngl my patience tapped out. It got kinda meh to wait. So i just saved up for it and got back in the mood before watching it again.BROCADE ODYSSEY isn't one of those comfort dramas you can binge and feel cozy with. The plot's all over the place, the quality's mid, and there's zero standout cinematography :') BUT... the whole storyline about a woman bringing SHU BROCADE to the spotlight? Okayy I'll admit, it kept me somewhat interested.
The characters' mentalities in this drama are good GOOD. I legit love everyone, even the side roles and villains. Sure suree the plot development had me cursing at times but at least it's delivered well. No dragging dialogues just straight-up meaningful lines that hit hard (that one line from Sheng Fengze “I bet on his love for you, but you bet on mine ” shahsjsjksksl). The character growth was solid too. Watching them go from fearless innocence to truly valuing life and legacy was everything. and the cast? THEM. GOT. IT. (not you ZHW) 100/10 for them!
I looove FLs who are smart, sly, a lil cunning, and just the right amount desperate like Ji Yingying. Yes she's got some mary sue vibes, but shes not perfect to the point where life hands her everything on a silver platter. SHEE works for it, fights for it, and survives. TAN SONGYUN nailed nailed this role. Soo if u think she's selfish or that ML deserves "better" than her, plss do rewatch & ask yourself are u expecting a human or a flawless goddess?? (even the goddesses in xianxia have struggles too). If a woman with her talent whos been dealt a crap hand since childhood, chooses GRIT over REVENGE, I do marry her in a heartbeat. THAT'S why Zhao Xiuyuan wants to tie her down, Sheng Fengze can't let her go craves her talent and heart, and Yang Jinglan just wants to love her, protect and stay by her side forever. That's Ji Yingying for you. The mean daughter of huanhua river, THEE main character of Shu Jin Ren Jia.
With an FL as amazing brilliant as this yet not even close to my top 20 sadly because of how bad the production is. The color grading alone made me wanna screammahsjskdk#(/1+&- a total fail like seriously how do you mess that up?!
What saves it for me? The actors' top-tier performances (shout-out to Tan Songyun! You carried, QUEEN). Big thanks to all the cast for their hard work (& a half-hearted "thanks" to the drama team). Here's my (random person) scorecard: plot 3/5, acting 5/5, OST 4/5, drama quality 1/5, characters 4/5, wardrobe 3/5, cinematography (let's not go there...)
It's honestly sad how underrated this drama is. With stellar acting and such an important theme around cultural heritage. But okay let's be real, the messy production didn't help attract earth. STILL, if you're curious about shu brocade heritage through the eyes of the clever ji yingying, it's worth a watch. FIVE for ACTING two for plot.
Was this review helpful to you?
