This review may contain spoilers
"Being your beloved one is like pulling chestnuts from a fire. It's a dangerous task indeed."
The first half was easily the strongest. Once the marriage contest began, the show became pure entertainment. Watching the scheming and foolish candidates compete for Rong Shanbao was great fun, as were the clever plans of the Rong sisters.
I also loved the gender role reversal, with the cold, dominant Rong Shanbao and the devoted, clever, amnesiac Lu Jianglai. The romance worked well as a subplot.
Most characters were not very likable, but the story in the first half was engaging enough that it didn't matter.
Rong Shanbao is a really cool, capable, and strong female lead, though.
The story is clearly centered on her, and I have no issue with that. I loved all the girl power!
However, she often felt a bit too flawless to me. She seemed to have everything under control all the time, which could become boring.
I definitely liked Lu Jianglai better in his role as the amnesiac servant than as a magistrate. (Why does that sound kind of mean?) I have to say his character was rather uninteresting to me.
The only one who earned a soft spot in my heart was the cute, frail scholar Bai Yingsheng.
Slightly before episode 20, when Lu Jianglai fully returned to his role as a magistrate, the story lost momentum for me. While there were still a few twists that kept me watching, my interest steadily dropped.
I liked the growing bond between the Rong sisters, but Yunshu’s arc felt inconsistent. Her unhinged behavior was exciting, yet it was unsettling that she faced so few consequences. I would have preferred them to lean into her madness even more.
The final arc began during episode 30. And well... the sudden setting change, the introduction of a new toxic family, and the abuse and murder storyline... it felt disconnected and unnecessary, in my opinion. And this kind of last minute hidden noble identity reveal for Lu Jianglai felt especially pointless.
But now, away from the plot and the characters and on to the cinematography and costumes. All of that was truly wonderful!
The color palette, the clothing design, and the interior sets were incredibly pleasing to look at. I would really like to visit that tea farm.
Final thoughts:
Glory offers an engaging and visually stunning first half fueled by marriage games and girl power, but struggles to maintain that momentum as the story progresses. It was still an enjoyable watch in parts and a costume drama I don't regret trying.
[finished watching on 22 January 2026]
I also loved the gender role reversal, with the cold, dominant Rong Shanbao and the devoted, clever, amnesiac Lu Jianglai. The romance worked well as a subplot.
Most characters were not very likable, but the story in the first half was engaging enough that it didn't matter.
Rong Shanbao is a really cool, capable, and strong female lead, though.
The story is clearly centered on her, and I have no issue with that. I loved all the girl power!
However, she often felt a bit too flawless to me. She seemed to have everything under control all the time, which could become boring.
I definitely liked Lu Jianglai better in his role as the amnesiac servant than as a magistrate. (Why does that sound kind of mean?) I have to say his character was rather uninteresting to me.
The only one who earned a soft spot in my heart was the cute, frail scholar Bai Yingsheng.
Slightly before episode 20, when Lu Jianglai fully returned to his role as a magistrate, the story lost momentum for me. While there were still a few twists that kept me watching, my interest steadily dropped.
I liked the growing bond between the Rong sisters, but Yunshu’s arc felt inconsistent. Her unhinged behavior was exciting, yet it was unsettling that she faced so few consequences. I would have preferred them to lean into her madness even more.
The final arc began during episode 30. And well... the sudden setting change, the introduction of a new toxic family, and the abuse and murder storyline... it felt disconnected and unnecessary, in my opinion. And this kind of last minute hidden noble identity reveal for Lu Jianglai felt especially pointless.
But now, away from the plot and the characters and on to the cinematography and costumes. All of that was truly wonderful!
The color palette, the clothing design, and the interior sets were incredibly pleasing to look at. I would really like to visit that tea farm.
Final thoughts:
Glory offers an engaging and visually stunning first half fueled by marriage games and girl power, but struggles to maintain that momentum as the story progresses. It was still an enjoyable watch in parts and a costume drama I don't regret trying.
[finished watching on 22 January 2026]
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