This review may contain spoilers
I love You Are My Glory so much and have rewatched it 5 times
I am a fan of the novel and continue to be for this adapted drama. Although writing this very late review after watching it at least five times may seem unnecessary, I am so in love with "You Are My Glory" that I want to share it with others.
First, keep in mind the common tropes found in typical romance plots: the characters are schoolmates from the past, featuring an unrequited love from the female lead, Jing Jing, toward the male lead, Yu Tu; the two reconnect by an inciting incident after 10 years and just by that the audience witness a journey of love and life as sweet as your favourite pastry. Yet YAMG is incredibly lighthearted and romantic, but still grounded at some essential point, setting it apart from similar dramas that can often be cheesy and illogical.
My favourite part of the drama is the depiction of the main characters' lives. Indeed I argue that if the show did not focus on Yu Tu's profession as an aerospace engineer—showing his journey to explore space science, struggling with his parents' disapproval during college, and feeling guilty for not providing enough support for his family—it wouldn't be as successful. Similarly, Jing Jing's role as a celebrity highlights the impact of social media, the competitive work environment, fame - money - burden. Without these elements, the drama would not succeed, even with the most famous actors. We witness the insecurities of both the leads as they strive to pursue dreams and navigate their lives, making the characters feel authentic and creating a believable story.
Jing Jing has had a crush on Yu Tu during high school because he is handsome and smart (haha, of course), moreover, he is an idealist who boldly talks about landing on Mars with his friends. Many years later, she falls in love with him again and again forever is still because she appreciates his personality, aspirations and beliefs. Jing Jing admires Yu Tu's unwavering principles, she would be sad but empathetic about his decision to change paths, she would be upset and debate on his behalf when someone blames him for being selfish, she supports him no matter what he does. I've read some comments disbelieving the 10 years of unrequited love, but who Qiao Jing Jing loves is not just this cool dude in class, she loves a person pursuing dreams, she loves his spirit and maybe loving Yu Tu is a way Jing Jing believe in the greater things than oneself, to honour the extraordinary world they live in.
While I do find some parts of the aerospace work in the drama to be dull and uninteresting, particularly the professional talks, they don’t blend well with the main story. When I rewatched this drama, I skipped over those sections.
Let’s talk about the collaboration between two major stars - Yang Yang and Dilraba as Jing Jing and Yu Tu. I was excited when I saw the announcement! Given Gu Man's success with romance stories, it's a fitting choice. Their exceptional acting and chemistry are perfect for the mischievous, delightful Jing Jing and the introverted, quiet demeanour Yu Tu.
This review has become quite lengthy, so I would like to conclude here. Since YAMG was released in 2021, I have occasionally revisited it and enjoyed watching Jing Jing's poor gaming skills while Yu Laoshi calmly observed his future wife by her side; cheering for their iconic winning moment; heartbreaking when they had so many worries about their relationship and I genuinely wish they could hold hands on their way to the stars and galaxies forever after.
P/S: A final word for those wanting to check YAMG out: it is definitely worth a watch! You can expect a slow-burn romance, cute moments, high-quality production and acting, and a well-developed modern love story.
First, keep in mind the common tropes found in typical romance plots: the characters are schoolmates from the past, featuring an unrequited love from the female lead, Jing Jing, toward the male lead, Yu Tu; the two reconnect by an inciting incident after 10 years and just by that the audience witness a journey of love and life as sweet as your favourite pastry. Yet YAMG is incredibly lighthearted and romantic, but still grounded at some essential point, setting it apart from similar dramas that can often be cheesy and illogical.
My favourite part of the drama is the depiction of the main characters' lives. Indeed I argue that if the show did not focus on Yu Tu's profession as an aerospace engineer—showing his journey to explore space science, struggling with his parents' disapproval during college, and feeling guilty for not providing enough support for his family—it wouldn't be as successful. Similarly, Jing Jing's role as a celebrity highlights the impact of social media, the competitive work environment, fame - money - burden. Without these elements, the drama would not succeed, even with the most famous actors. We witness the insecurities of both the leads as they strive to pursue dreams and navigate their lives, making the characters feel authentic and creating a believable story.
Jing Jing has had a crush on Yu Tu during high school because he is handsome and smart (haha, of course), moreover, he is an idealist who boldly talks about landing on Mars with his friends. Many years later, she falls in love with him again and again forever is still because she appreciates his personality, aspirations and beliefs. Jing Jing admires Yu Tu's unwavering principles, she would be sad but empathetic about his decision to change paths, she would be upset and debate on his behalf when someone blames him for being selfish, she supports him no matter what he does. I've read some comments disbelieving the 10 years of unrequited love, but who Qiao Jing Jing loves is not just this cool dude in class, she loves a person pursuing dreams, she loves his spirit and maybe loving Yu Tu is a way Jing Jing believe in the greater things than oneself, to honour the extraordinary world they live in.
While I do find some parts of the aerospace work in the drama to be dull and uninteresting, particularly the professional talks, they don’t blend well with the main story. When I rewatched this drama, I skipped over those sections.
Let’s talk about the collaboration between two major stars - Yang Yang and Dilraba as Jing Jing and Yu Tu. I was excited when I saw the announcement! Given Gu Man's success with romance stories, it's a fitting choice. Their exceptional acting and chemistry are perfect for the mischievous, delightful Jing Jing and the introverted, quiet demeanour Yu Tu.
This review has become quite lengthy, so I would like to conclude here. Since YAMG was released in 2021, I have occasionally revisited it and enjoyed watching Jing Jing's poor gaming skills while Yu Laoshi calmly observed his future wife by her side; cheering for their iconic winning moment; heartbreaking when they had so many worries about their relationship and I genuinely wish they could hold hands on their way to the stars and galaxies forever after.
P/S: A final word for those wanting to check YAMG out: it is definitely worth a watch! You can expect a slow-burn romance, cute moments, high-quality production and acting, and a well-developed modern love story.
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