One of the Best of 2025, Over Prisoner of Beauty
So far, it's one of my favorites of 2025. Personally, I prefer it over Prisoner of Beauty but don't come at me before reading my reviews for both.
While nothing original and following the generic script of many many many historical C-novels, the acting and chemistry of the two leads really bring the story together. While I love Liu Yu Ning and think he deserves more credit, I just didn't feel there was much chemistry in Prisoner of Beauty. There were a couple of sparks, but it didn't last very long. Song Wei Long gave one of his best performances in this drama and really made us feel as if ML was falling hard for FL. He's always had a more roguish (if you could even call it that) look and air to him which he really made use of this time around and made viewers swoon a little when he teases FL (which, again, love because why do MLs always have to be stoic). Honestly, Bao Shang En was not on my list of actresses to watch, but she is now. Without seeming foolish or like a shrinking wallflower, Bao Shang En manages to portray a FL that is cute, vibrant, yet cunning and fun to watch. She makes the FL a believable partner for ML who is supposedly this amazing character.
New, unique plots are always good, but it's really the actors that bring the script to life. I'm always a sucker for a tropey, yet well done drama and Youthful Glory has done it for me. While it doesn't top my drama list for 2025, I think that it performed well above its limit especially up against Prisoner of Beauty which was one of the most anticipated dramas of 2025.
While nothing original and following the generic script of many many many historical C-novels, the acting and chemistry of the two leads really bring the story together. While I love Liu Yu Ning and think he deserves more credit, I just didn't feel there was much chemistry in Prisoner of Beauty. There were a couple of sparks, but it didn't last very long. Song Wei Long gave one of his best performances in this drama and really made us feel as if ML was falling hard for FL. He's always had a more roguish (if you could even call it that) look and air to him which he really made use of this time around and made viewers swoon a little when he teases FL (which, again, love because why do MLs always have to be stoic). Honestly, Bao Shang En was not on my list of actresses to watch, but she is now. Without seeming foolish or like a shrinking wallflower, Bao Shang En manages to portray a FL that is cute, vibrant, yet cunning and fun to watch. She makes the FL a believable partner for ML who is supposedly this amazing character.
New, unique plots are always good, but it's really the actors that bring the script to life. I'm always a sucker for a tropey, yet well done drama and Youthful Glory has done it for me. While it doesn't top my drama list for 2025, I think that it performed well above its limit especially up against Prisoner of Beauty which was one of the most anticipated dramas of 2025.
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