A Pretty but Painfully Shallow Idol Drama
I went into Youthful Glory expecting Song Weilong’s nuanced acting (after his standout role in Go Ahead), but what I got was a low-budget, logic-defying idol drama dressed up in wuxia cosplay. Imagine a school play written by a lovesick teenager - filled with over-the-top romance, fight scenes that defy physics, and characters with the emotional range of a cardboard cutout. That’s this show.
The "Glory" Here is Only Skin-Deep (And Even That’s Questionable)
Let’s start with the leads, because oh boy, do they test my patience.
The Male Lead (Song Weilong): A flawless, suffering saint. He’s a genius commander, a martial arts prodigy, a devoted husband, and so morally upright he probably rescues kittens between scenes. Yet, his entire personality collapses into "I LOVE MY WIFE" - to the point where he forgets how to function like a normal human being. From a cool, composed leader, he devolves into a love-struck nincompoop who can’t focus on anything but his childish wife. Character assassination at its finest.
The Female Lead: Imagine a spoiled trust-fund baby who's never worked a day in her life. Her limited hobbies include pouting, looking doe-eyed, and being inexplicably adored. She's framed as the epitome of perfection but her only talents? Recognizing luxury goods and making men fall for her for no reason (only for existing, perhaps?). If this were real life, she’d be canceled on Weibo for sheer audacity and blocked on WeChat for being insufferable.
Their romance isn’t #CoupleGoals—it’s #WhyIsHeWithHer. She’s a walking red flag, and he’s the human equivalent of a golden retriever who’s lost all survival instincts - yet the show insists this is #RelationshipGoals.
The "F4" Knockoff & Other Nonsense
The supporting cast? A watered-down F4 with zero chemistry and paper-thin personalities. They exist purely to fill screen time and occasionally look cool in slow-motion. Ok, and to form side couples.
Martial Arts? More Like Martial Farts
The fight scenes are so absurd they border on parody. Characters freeze mid-air like buffering YouTube videos, levitate like they’re in a low-budget The Matrix and fly like they’re in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon on a budget. I've seen better fight scenes from the 90s era, when technology was way less advanced. It’s more anime than wuxia - and not in a good way. Ok, but I do have to admit, I love the way the male lead spins his sword around. Very flashy and cool lols.
Makeup & Aesthetic Crimes
Song Weilong, a man blessed by the visual gods, looks ghastly in some scenes - chalky foundation, lips that look like he had a bad filler appointment, and a general "why do I look like a wax figure?" vibe (did the makeup artist hate him?). Though to be fair, he’s still ridiculously handsome 70% of the time - as he should be.
The female lead is forever stuck in Bambi-eyed pout mode, as if she’s permanently surprised by her own existence.
Final Verdict: So Bad It’s… Still Bad, but... Entertaining?
If you turn off your brain, Youthful Glory might be mildly entertaining as a so-bad-it’s-funny watch. But if you expect actual plot, character growth, or believable romance, you’ll be writing angry tweets by Episode 10 and screaming into a pillow by Episode 20.
Rating: 2/5 – Pretty faces can’t save this shallow, poorly written mess. And how this scored over 8 on MDL? Bribery? Collective delusion? The world may never know.
The "Glory" Here is Only Skin-Deep (And Even That’s Questionable)
Let’s start with the leads, because oh boy, do they test my patience.
The Male Lead (Song Weilong): A flawless, suffering saint. He’s a genius commander, a martial arts prodigy, a devoted husband, and so morally upright he probably rescues kittens between scenes. Yet, his entire personality collapses into "I LOVE MY WIFE" - to the point where he forgets how to function like a normal human being. From a cool, composed leader, he devolves into a love-struck nincompoop who can’t focus on anything but his childish wife. Character assassination at its finest.
The Female Lead: Imagine a spoiled trust-fund baby who's never worked a day in her life. Her limited hobbies include pouting, looking doe-eyed, and being inexplicably adored. She's framed as the epitome of perfection but her only talents? Recognizing luxury goods and making men fall for her for no reason (only for existing, perhaps?). If this were real life, she’d be canceled on Weibo for sheer audacity and blocked on WeChat for being insufferable.
Their romance isn’t #CoupleGoals—it’s #WhyIsHeWithHer. She’s a walking red flag, and he’s the human equivalent of a golden retriever who’s lost all survival instincts - yet the show insists this is #RelationshipGoals.
The "F4" Knockoff & Other Nonsense
The supporting cast? A watered-down F4 with zero chemistry and paper-thin personalities. They exist purely to fill screen time and occasionally look cool in slow-motion. Ok, and to form side couples.
Martial Arts? More Like Martial Farts
The fight scenes are so absurd they border on parody. Characters freeze mid-air like buffering YouTube videos, levitate like they’re in a low-budget The Matrix and fly like they’re in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon on a budget. I've seen better fight scenes from the 90s era, when technology was way less advanced. It’s more anime than wuxia - and not in a good way. Ok, but I do have to admit, I love the way the male lead spins his sword around. Very flashy and cool lols.
Makeup & Aesthetic Crimes
Song Weilong, a man blessed by the visual gods, looks ghastly in some scenes - chalky foundation, lips that look like he had a bad filler appointment, and a general "why do I look like a wax figure?" vibe (did the makeup artist hate him?). Though to be fair, he’s still ridiculously handsome 70% of the time - as he should be.
The female lead is forever stuck in Bambi-eyed pout mode, as if she’s permanently surprised by her own existence.
Final Verdict: So Bad It’s… Still Bad, but... Entertaining?
If you turn off your brain, Youthful Glory might be mildly entertaining as a so-bad-it’s-funny watch. But if you expect actual plot, character growth, or believable romance, you’ll be writing angry tweets by Episode 10 and screaming into a pillow by Episode 20.
Rating: 2/5 – Pretty faces can’t save this shallow, poorly written mess. And how this scored over 8 on MDL? Bribery? Collective delusion? The world may never know.
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