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Glad I embarked on this lovely journey with "Journey With You"
After years of only scrolling through comments and drama info on MDL, Journey With You turned out to be the one that held that power over me to create an account and make my review debut. Simply because I want to support the drama, which secured a special place in my heart, and everyone who put effort into bringing it to life.In my subjective viewpoint, I would rate it a 11 out of 10. Not because it's entirely immaculate, but because it clicked with me on many layers. Though one should be a bit more down-to-earth for a review, right? 😊
For starters, let's be fair. Just as every other drama that has been and will be made, it has its own imperfections. Knowing that there's room for improvement in anything, I want to base my evaluations on two points for this drama:
1) Does it have potential? Or did it mess things up?
My answer is that Journey With You has a glittering potential. Relatively speaking, you can point out that some things can be better executed. But given the budget, the facilities, and the limited filming period, the plot delivered well and unfolded at a nice pace. They gave us a glimpse of the past so we can internalize the situations that escalated and the relationships that developed over time.
The almost-tangible love between the main couple (Yin Qi and Pei Yanzhi) has been the biggest highlight of the drama for me. The chemistry felt so genuine and unmatched. I can't even begin to describe how much it got me hooked on the screen.
So it made me say, "It is promising. It has the essential elements, and they did their best with what they had in their hands about polishing it"
2) Does it bring something more or better than the precedents?
My answer is YES. Historical Chinese BL is a genre that I'm quite into, and I honestly dislike making comparisons, but now it feels like a clear way to put it. The cinematography, especially in intimate scenes, seemed noticeably improved and suited to the general atmosphere.
To me, the plot presented more serious substance than we've seen before, such as time-travel, unexpectedly curiosity-arousing various side-stories, and a captivating romance that invited us to witness MUCH further -which are all to my personal liking. Very significantly, the dosage of each subject was just right. The romance stood out perfectly, neither disregarding the other aspects nor being overshadowed by them. We had bits of everything balanced out well.
Overall, I pretty much enjoyed and waited impatiently for every episode of Journey With You, and it straightforwardly went to my list of "To be rewatched many times." ❤️
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Journey With The Antagonists
The production value of this series is certainly exceptional. The cinematography, costumes, music, and editing were near perfection. There are many scenes that will bring you deeply into the story with laughs, tears, joys, and sorrows. It is an entertaining and dynamic story that brings you along and introduces you to characters that you know will enhance or add significantly to the story. Nothing is meant for diversion; it is all for moving the story along. While this story had all the elements of being an epic, it never quite got there for me. It feels like it should have been, but it just never quite reached that pinnacle. I found the ending a bit belaboring and oddly unsettling. As with their whole love story, it just never felt complete to me. Honestly, I was so much more moved by the ‘antagonists’ and their love than I was by the love connection between the protagonists.Was this review helpful to you?
Low Budget, High Emotion
I absolutely loved Journey with You. Going into it, I was aware that it was a low-budget production, but honestly, that never stopped me from enjoying it. If anything, the cast and story made the most of what they had, and they completely delivered. This drama proves that you don't always need a massive budget to tell a compelling story.What I enjoyed most was the overall plot and the constant power struggles that shaped the characters' lives and relationships. There was enough political intrigue and emotional tension to keep me invested from beginning to end, and I loved how all the storylines intertwined.
The romances were undoubtedly the highlight for me. I adored the relationship between A'Qi and Prince Fengsun. Their love felt pure and unwavering, the kind of love where both people would sacrifice everything for each other. Their scenes together had me smiling like an idiot and kicking my feet in the air because they were just so sweet and devoted.
On the other hand, the relationship between the Crown Prince and his servant offered something completely different. It was much more tragic and complicated, shaped by ambition, power struggles, and misunderstandings. It was fascinating to watch because it explored a love that had become corrupted by circumstance, where feelings were buried beneath pride and duty. By the time true love was recognized, it almost felt like it had reached the point of no return, making their story all the more heartbreaking.
And I have to mention the adorable yuri romance between the princess and the merchant. Their scenes were such a pleasant surprise and added an extra layer of charm to the drama. I found myself rooting for them just as much as the other couples.
The entire cast did an amazing job. They brought so much emotion to their performances that one moment I was giggling and kicking my feet, and the next I was on the verge of tears. Despite the production limitations, the actors made the characters feel alive, and I became deeply invested in their journeys.
Overall, Journey with You was a wonderful surprise. It delivered romance, heartbreak, political intrigue, and plenty of emotional moments. It may not have had the budget of bigger productions, but it certainly had the heart. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a historical drama with multiple love stories and characters you'll find yourself laughing and crying over.
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This review may contain spoilers
China can't be beat!
I know that the skittle squad community is not allowed to be represented in China, but every now and again they'll sneak one out! and I'm so happy they did with this one! although it is a short drama, I feel that they got a lot of story into those eight episodes. obviously they could have elaborated on some but with only eight episodes they could only do what they could do. but this is not censored to bromance, and the chemistry is outstanding! The story is very watchable, very fast paced! The acting was very good, although I didn't recognize these actors, not that that really matters I don't know them all obviously, but they were very good! The villain was very villainy, love that, because he didn't get redeemed, although well written because you could still kind of see where he was coming from, so he was an understandable villain. not a fan of the lack of communication that a lot of the male leads in these dramas have, this one is no different, you kind of want to smack them upside the back of the head and just say talk! and not a fan of the time jump, which does happen at the end. and the end was a bit abrupt, and by a bit I mean it was pretty abrupt! but all that said, I still say great drama and definitely worth the watch! don't miss it!Was this review helpful to you?
Censorship Defied: Why This Slow-Burn Chinese BL Will Shock You
Journey With You is a surprising addition to the Chinese BL landscape. While the overall pacing often drags and borders on boring, the series shocks viewers by delivering incredibly hot, intimate scenes that you absolutely do not expect from a heavily regulated Chinese production.The Good: Breaking BoundariesUnprecedented Chemistry: The physical intimacy between the lead actors is intense, natural, and genuinely passionate.Shocking Maturity: For a Chinese BL drama, the boldness of the romance completely defies censorship expectations.Beautiful Visuals: The aesthetic and cinematography during the romantic highlights are exceptionally well-doneThe Bad: The PacingSlow Narrative: The storyline moves at a very slow pace between the main romantic highlights.Fluff Material: Several episodes feel filled with slow dialogue and moments that do not advance the plot.Inconsistent Engagement: The show can feel a bit dry when the main couple is not sharing the screen.Overall ThoughtsIt is a slow-burn drama that requires some patience to get through the quieter moments. However, the unexpected level of heat and the boldness of the production make it a must-watch for any BL fan.Was this review helpful to you?
EXCELLENT ACTING
I liked the series although the story wasn't very new and twisting, but their acting had my respect! 1st prince is so cunning just as his appearance(I was very much impressed with him), chemistry between two MLs is undeniable. 6th princess and her charm never failed to make me smile. Everyone, everyone, Aunt Lin, Princess' friend, Yanzhou's boy and all the characters who made apperance on screen did amazing with their roles.Was this review helpful to you?
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I Wanted More From This One
Mhm, ok, let's see where I can start with this one. Honestly, I was a bit excited to see this series cause I'm a HUGE fanatic of historical BL's. It doesn't matter if it's Japanese, Korean, Thai, or Chinese, I love them all. They feel more ethereal and special overall. So yeah, I was super hyped for this one, but it didn't meet my expectations. It was a pretty bland story, a lot of conflict in like 99% of the entire series, and barely any happy moments towards the main couple. Even till the very end, we were left at the edge of our seats wondering if it was gonna be a happy ending or not. Well, it is a happy ending, but I did see this review saying how it was very broad, like, how are we supposed to know if them meeting again towards the end wasn't a dream or something? And I can agree, honestly, cause that couple felt very much doomed.Honestly, I kept thinking that maybe the lesson of this story is that we can't change fate no matter how much we try to. It doesn't matter if we change every choice we make, the outcome will be the same if that's our destiny. But I was left just wondering if I was right or wrong towards thinking that. I mean, yeah, I guess it is a happy ending. Like, I'm not gonna make it sound like it isn't cause realistically, they did meet again. But still, it felt like they were constantly just fighting for that happiness together, and it just felt exhausting to watch.
The villain of the story, god, just wouldn't stop. Literally, from the very first episode till like episode 7 or something, he's just constantly tormenting those 2 and trying to get all the power he could've had if he wasn't so blinded by greed, and ofc, a bad mother by his side.
But anyway, I think the chemistry was decent. I do wish I had seen more intimate moments and like cute, happy moments with them, but I tried to survive off what we got. I also liked how there was a possible or an actual Yuri relationship going on with Yin Qi's sister and the daughter of the aunty who ran that restaurant? I think it was a restaurant. I also wonder if that aunty was in a Yuri type of relationship that was never spoken about out loud with Yin Qi's mother, Concubine Chen, but they could've just been besties.
Anyway, I think a lot of the characters were really solid. I like their personalities, except the bad ones, ofc lol. I do wish the story had been more interesting. I have this issue where whenever I watch mostly historical Chinese BL, I can't understand the story going on for at least half the series, if not the entire series, until the very last few episodes. I just feel like they're speaking so fast and saying historically accurate words or how they would speak back then, and I just get so confused as to what is even going on. But I think I have an idea of what the whole issue was.
But yeah, this is just a pretty simple story, just nothing too crazy. I liked the cinematography, I liked the music a lot, I liked the costumes and hair. I did notice some of the beards and wigs would show the lace on screen, but this isn't an issue or a complaint. I actually found it cute, it felt human, yk. I liked the whole production overall. Acting was decent. I just wish story-wise it was better, more interesting. It lacked some depth into it.
But other than that, it wasn't a horrible watch, just not a historical Chinese BL I would recommend in a room where other Historical Chinese BL are present.
Overall: 7.5/10
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ONE historical CBL with a proper happy ending? No?
It's not a Chinese production, not even censored, then why does it not have a proper happy ending. It's implied to be happy, don't get me wrong, but there was absolutely zero reason not to develop it fully. Like, how do we know that's not his dream?The story is pretty basic, there is a time travel element, but it does not play much into the plot. The leads have chemistry & the acting is okay. The second (or third) couple is actually women & they are super cute. Historical Yuri is just ethereal.
Technically the 2nd cp is actually the villain & his whatever that man was. I feel like they had a more intense relationship that the main cp. The villain was actually the most interesting element of the show.
The costumes & makeup is not too shabby, idk about the historical accuracy. I liked how they managed the varying styles of different regions. Whoever did the hair styling, thank you for your valuable service.
Just average in the technical department, editing mistakes, some bad lighting. Wish there was a cleverer incorporation of the time travel. Nothing epic, but worth a watch.
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I am officially obsessed with Yin Qi and Pei Yanzhi
This popped up in my insta reels and I went to check it out bcs I haven't seen cBLs in a while and I kid you not, I'm obsessed with them.I mean, The trope "Going three years back to rewrite the future" is sort off a hit or miss but they nailed it (imo). And I love the chemistry between Qi and Yanzhi, And the second lead Yin Zhuo and Ziming is awesome too.
The acting is done beautifully and not stiff compared to usual historical chinese dramas, and it gets me kinda hooked yk?
But overall a 9 because it's to short lol.
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gorgeous setting
Overall: gorgeous visuals/costuming and a unique setting/plot. 8 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/7095/journey-with-you-2026-e01 and episode 1 is available at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLl2tYmXaN6qtMaKOjmFzqWBPKIHuNaREVContent Warnings: a ton of murders, suicide, torture, blood, violence, manipulation, coercion, drugging, I might be forgetting some more
Watch Suggestions (to take most content warnings out)
- skip episode 1
- episode 2 start at 15:30
- watch episodes 3, 4 and 5
- episode 6 end at 44 min
- episode 7 watch 42:30-end
- episode 8 watch beginning to 7:45, 10:50-17:50 and 48:25-end
What I Liked
- costuming/setting
- unique plot
- chemistry
- intimacy
Room For Improvement
- there were a ton of characters/plot introduced and it was a bit confusing, but I figured out the main characters/plot fairly quickly
- that mom looked like a sibling
- some characters were kind of stupid to believe other things, knowing how dangerous their situation was, the emperor was stupid since he seemed to have 7 sons (at least 2 of which had died) and also didn't seem to realize how dangerous his situation was (the prince accurately called this out in episode 7)
- the writers could have been a bit more clear at the end of episode 8 (spoiler for the ending in my comment)
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This review may contain spoilers
Lesbians and bad fathers
Pros: Beautiful production and great acting.Cons: The 'we don't learn from our mistakes and don't talk so the problems just keep piling up' type of cliché writing really slowed the story down. Entire filler scenes can be literally skipped without missing anything important from the overall story, so despite the the high production value, I wouldn't put myself through a rewatch.
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One of my favorite BL themes has always been Chinese historical dramas, and this series reminded me why. 🤍
I was hooked from the very first episode and loved every minute of it. The story, the characters, and the emotions completely pulled me in.
Now I'm left wondering... what am I supposed to watch next that can fill my heart the way this series did? 🥹✨
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