Its central character lacks convincing emotional development. Shen Jialan is presented as intelligent, resilient, independent and morally determined. However, these qualities are established relatively early and, quite frankly, are not entirely credible in someone so young and inexperienced. As the story progresses, the narrative seems increasingly concerned with reinforcing these qualities rather than exploring her character in greater depth. A compelling character doesn't necessarily have to undergo a dramatic transformation. However, we should gradually discover new dimensions of their personality. In Jialan's case, her emotional restraint often becomes emotional monotony. Her independence is repeatedly demonstrated, but what does she actually discover about herself? What does she learn about human relationships, vulnerability, forgiveness or love? A character who is always right risks becoming less human and more of an idealised figure. The relationship between Jialan and Lin Jinqi could have raised some fascinating questions. Can love survive resentment? Is forgiveness necessary for happiness? The Prisoner of Beauty is an excellent example of a drama that explores such themes with far greater emotional depth. Can two people reconcile independence with emotional intimacy? Instead, their relationship becomes increasingly repetitive. Lin Jinqi's devotion and Jialan's emotional distance are revisited without sufficient development. The problem isn't that she refuses to behave like a conventional romantic heroine. That could have been interesting. The problem is that her emotional distance rarely leads to a deeper exploration of what love, trust and companionship actually mean. Female empowerment becomes a statement rather than an exploration. There is nothing inherently wrong with portraying a strong, independent woman. However, strength becomes far more interesting when accompanied by vulnerability, contradictions, mistakes and emotional complexity. A woman doesn't become less independent because she loves a man, accepts his support or acknowledges his virtues. Similarly, a man doesn't need to be diminished or made emotionally subordinate for a woman to appear strong. True equality leaves room for the dignity, intelligence and emotional complexity of both sexes. Personally, I found the drama rather boring and uninspiring, to the point that I eventually dropped it. Yet the extraordinary hype surrounding it sparked my curiosity, particularly the contrasting opinions it has generated. Ironically, I've found the discussions and reviews far more thought-provoking and entertaining than the drama itself. Which, I suppose, is an achievement of sorts, although perhaps not quite the one its creators intended.
Lately, I've noticed a rather peculiar trend in dramas where feminism seems increasingly to be portrayed as empowering women by diminishing men. Instead of promoting equality and mutual respect, we seem to be encouraging women to turn against men and men against women. The growing resentment between the genders is hardly surprising when feminism is being turned into something so far removed from what it was originally meant to stand for. A woman can be strong, independent and intelligent while still loving, respecting and supporting a man. Surely, these qualities are not mutually exclusive. Dramas such as Marvelous Women portray this beautifully, showing that female strength doesn't require male weakness, nor does love somehow diminish a woman's independence. Personally, I couldn't finish this drama, partly because of the story itself, but also because I found the female lead's performance rather unconvincing. Her ability to convey emotions seemed remarkably limited, with essentially the same expression throughout, regardless of the situation. And that's putting it rather generously. As for the extraordinary hype surrounding this drama, I couldn't help noticing that quite a few glowing reviews come from accounts whose entire reviewing history consists of this one drama. Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean anything, but it does make one wonder how much of the enthusiasm is entirely spontaneous. Anyway, I'm merely passing through, rather curious to see what feminism has become in modern dramas. Apparently, we've reached a point where the best way to elevate women is to bring men down. How wonderfully progressive! At this rate, we shall have achieved perfect equality when everyone despises everyone equally. What a triumph!
Given the popularity of this drama, I’m quite curious about the latest reviews, particularly the more critical ones rather than the general praise. One tendency I’ve noticed in some recent dramas with feminist themes is that female empowerment sometimes seems to come at the expense of male characters, who are weakened, belittled, or diminished in order to make the women appear stronger. As a woman myself, I don’t particularly like this approach. To me, feminism should be about giving women equal opportunities, respect, dignity, and the freedom to determine their own lives, not about diminishing men in return. I think this kind of portrayal can create an unnecessary conflict between men and women, as though one gender can only be strong if the other is made weaker. I much prefer stories in which strong women and strong men can exist on equal footing, respecting and complementing one another. "The Road to Splendor" is one recent example that comes to mind. Although I wouldn’t call the drama an absolute masterpiece, I appreciated the way it portrayed female strength without needing to diminish its male characters. Another drama I would highly recommend is "Marvelous Women". I really enjoyed its portrayal of women’s resilience, intelligence, and strength while still allowing the male characters to have their own dignity and place in the story. I also think portrayals like these can be educational for the wider public and set a healthier example: empowering women does not require belittling or diminishing men. Equality should elevate women without taking dignity away from men. Women and men do not need to be portrayed as rivals for one to have strength, value, or a meaningful voice. Ultimetely, I believe they should have stayed closer to the original novel and told a less idealised, more historically grounded and realistic story, as you pointed out in your review, rather than turning it into something that, often feels unrealistic and illogical.
Oh boo hoo hater.Your pee brain doesn't understand what a feminist drama is.And if you're looking for romance…
I find it rather ironic that you’re lecturing someone about feminism and “female worth” while insulting and belittling another person simply for expressing a different opinion. Feminism is about women’s equality, dignity, autonomy and worth, none of which requires unquestioning praise of a drama simply because it has feminist themes. One can fully support those values and still criticise its writing, acting or storytelling. Disagreement is perfectly legitimate; personal insults are not. If you want to defend women’s dignity, perhaps demonstrating it in the way you speak to others would be a good place to start.
I haven't finished drama yet but I cannot wait for the upcoming episode's. The drama is not about routines and…
Having a theme doesn’t necessarily give a story depth, just as recognising what a drama is trying to say doesn’t necessarily mean finding that it says it particularly well. Pointing out the themes or explaining the heroine’s qualities doesn’t really address a criticism of how those ideas are developed within the storytelling. A negative review is not evidence that someone failed to “grasp the storyline”; sometimes they grasped it perfectly well and simply weren’t impressed by the storytelling. Different viewers, different perceptions, that’s rather the point of reviews.
loved your review - I look forward to it taking over the place of mine with the amount of likes (which yours truly…
Thank you so much! I liked your review too. Though, after Remnants of Gold, we should know better than to compete over treasure, even when the treasure is likes. 😃 There's plenty of love to go around for all the reviews. ☺
Wu Jinyan is married now, so I’m actually surprised that she still takes on roles involving kissing scenes. 🤭 Marriage aside, though, I personally feel that she’s better suited to playing more mature, older characters at this stage of her career.
Thank you for this. I'm really struggling lately with CD. Maybe it is overproduction . I too don't see a problem…
I feel the same. For me, the real problem isn't overproduction but the growing lack of originality and depth in storytelling. I also miss seeing truly outstanding actors cast for their talent rather than primarily for their looks. And I'd love to see a wider variety of actors instead of the same familiar faces appearing in drama after drama. After a while, it becomes repetitive and honestly starts to annoy me. At the end of the day, the industry simply reflects audience demand. As long as viewers continue to prioritise visual appeal over strong writing, memorable stories, and great performances, that's where the investment will go.
Thank you for reading it. 😊 For many viewers, beauty creates the first impression and can outweigh weak writing, at least initially. But lasting classics are usually remembered for their storytelling rather than their attractive cast.
Ai Mi is indeed talented at such a young age. I also agree with what you wrote about her choice. As for the ML, speaking as a EU woman, I never even noticed the age gap until I read the other reviews. To me, he looks about 24, while she looks around 20. This drama looks very innocent so far. Anyway, it's acting, not real life. Not to mention that, in real life, I'm not sure about China, but in Eu and the UK, young girls today know more than I did when I was 19. TikTok is an example. In any case, there are laws in place, as well as parents, agencies to protect young actors on the set.
I'm not sure which character is more absurd: the older brother, who shamelessly steals the woman his younger brother loves, or the younger brother, who has so little self-respect that he keeps pursuing his brother's wife despite being rejected time and again, even when she could be pregnant with his brother's child. What makes it even more ridiculous is that, despite all this betrayal, the two brothers are somehow still portrayed as deeply loving and respecting each other. Then there's the female lead, whose character is even more fustrating, increasingly iriitating and unlikeable with every episode. I rated this drama 1 too. I only finished it by skipping many scenes because I had nothing else to watch and was curious to see just how absurd the ending would become.
There’s a direct connection between the cultural and cognitive environment and the way entertainment, including…
I wouldn’t worry about the actors, even those with short careers often earn enough to retire comfortably for the rest of their lives. Meanwhile, there are people who work 12 hours a day, living paycheck to paycheck, who truly build the foundations of society and never earn what an actor might make from a single drama or even a year’s income.
There’s a direct connection between the cultural and cognitive environment and the way entertainment, including…
What you wrote earlier was beautifully expressed, but I am more pessimistic. The context today is different, and we must remember that technology is now far more powerful than anything else, far more powerful than art. In my opinion, art has failed. I doubt that even a Leonardo da Vinci would be noticed today; people would probably be glued to their phone screens watching the latest spaghetti-eating trend posted on TikTok by narcissistic influencers. A new generation is growing, or rather, not truly developing. The overwhelming majority of children seem apathetic, unable to focus, restless, lazy, and spoiled. If asked to repeat a music bar a few times, they resist; some even cry. They expect constant entertainment and instant gratification. Teachers have become clowns, and students have turned into customers whom you must please. Over the last ten years, this trend has worsened dramatically. This new generation, from elementary to secondary school, represents not only a major challenge for education, where schools already struggle with behavioral and attention issues and increasing mental-health problems among children, but also the emergence of a generation that may struggle to function effectively in adult life. You might want to watch the film Idiocracy; in many ways it increasingly feels less like a parody and more like a documentary. I discovered Chinese dramas by chance through the YouTube algorithm. What initially drew me to them was the impression that many stories contained elements I value: philosophical reflections, life lessons, and meaningful themes. I tend to approach everything I watch with a curious mind. Even entertainment, in my view, should offer something beyond momentary distraction, some insight, reflection, or small form of growth.
News 
1 
1 
1 
1 
A compelling character doesn't necessarily have to undergo a dramatic transformation. However, we should gradually discover new dimensions of their personality. In Jialan's case, her emotional restraint often becomes emotional monotony. Her independence is repeatedly demonstrated, but what does she actually discover about herself? What does she learn about human relationships, vulnerability, forgiveness or love? A character who is always right risks becoming less human and more of an idealised figure.
The relationship between Jialan and Lin Jinqi could have raised some fascinating questions. Can love survive resentment? Is forgiveness necessary for happiness? The Prisoner of Beauty is an excellent example of a drama that explores such themes with far greater emotional depth. Can two people reconcile independence with emotional intimacy?
Instead, their relationship becomes increasingly repetitive. Lin Jinqi's devotion and Jialan's emotional distance are revisited without sufficient development. The problem isn't that she refuses to behave like a conventional romantic heroine. That could have been interesting. The problem is that her emotional distance rarely leads to a deeper exploration of what love, trust and companionship actually mean.
Female empowerment becomes a statement rather than an exploration.
There is nothing inherently wrong with portraying a strong, independent woman. However, strength becomes far more interesting when accompanied by vulnerability, contradictions, mistakes and emotional complexity. A woman doesn't become less independent because she loves a man, accepts his support or acknowledges his virtues. Similarly, a man doesn't need to be diminished or made emotionally subordinate for a woman to appear strong. True equality leaves room for the dignity, intelligence and emotional complexity of both sexes.
Personally, I found the drama rather boring and uninspiring, to the point that I eventually dropped it. Yet the extraordinary hype surrounding it sparked my curiosity, particularly the contrasting opinions it has generated. Ironically, I've found the discussions and reviews far more thought-provoking and entertaining than the drama itself. Which, I suppose, is an achievement of sorts, although perhaps not quite the one its creators intended.
A woman can be strong, independent and intelligent while still loving, respecting and supporting a man. Surely, these qualities are not mutually exclusive. Dramas such as Marvelous Women portray this beautifully, showing that female strength doesn't require male weakness, nor does love somehow diminish a woman's independence.
Personally, I couldn't finish this drama, partly because of the story itself, but also because I found the female lead's performance rather unconvincing. Her ability to convey emotions seemed remarkably limited, with essentially the same expression throughout, regardless of the situation. And that's putting it rather generously.
As for the extraordinary hype surrounding this drama, I couldn't help noticing that quite a few glowing reviews come from accounts whose entire reviewing history consists of this one drama. Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean anything, but it does make one wonder how much of the enthusiasm is entirely spontaneous.
Anyway, I'm merely passing through, rather curious to see what feminism has become in modern dramas. Apparently, we've reached a point where the best way to elevate women is to bring men down. How wonderfully progressive! At this rate, we shall have achieved perfect equality when everyone despises everyone equally. What a triumph!
One tendency I’ve noticed in some recent dramas with feminist themes is that female empowerment sometimes seems to come at the expense of male characters, who are weakened, belittled, or diminished in order to make the women appear stronger. As a woman myself, I don’t particularly like this approach. To me, feminism should be about giving women equal opportunities, respect, dignity, and the freedom to determine their own lives, not about diminishing men in return.
I think this kind of portrayal can create an unnecessary conflict between men and women, as though one gender can only be strong if the other is made weaker. I much prefer stories in which strong women and strong men can exist on equal footing, respecting and complementing one another.
"The Road to Splendor" is one recent example that comes to mind. Although I wouldn’t call the drama an absolute masterpiece, I appreciated the way it portrayed female strength without needing to diminish its male characters. Another drama I would highly recommend is "Marvelous Women". I really enjoyed its portrayal of women’s resilience, intelligence, and strength while still allowing the male characters to have their own dignity and place in the story.
I also think portrayals like these can be educational for the wider public and set a healthier example: empowering women does not require belittling or diminishing men. Equality should elevate women without taking dignity away from men. Women and men do not need to be portrayed as rivals for one to have strength, value, or a meaningful voice. Ultimetely, I believe they should have stayed closer to the original novel and told a less idealised, more historically grounded and realistic story, as you pointed out in your review, rather than turning it into something that, often feels unrealistic and illogical.
Marriage aside, though, I personally feel that she’s better suited to playing more mature, older characters at this stage of her career.
At the end of the day, the industry simply reflects audience demand. As long as viewers continue to prioritise visual appeal over strong writing, memorable stories, and great performances, that's where the investment will go.
For many viewers, beauty creates the first impression and can outweigh weak writing, at least initially. But lasting classics are usually remembered for their storytelling rather than their attractive cast.
What makes it even more ridiculous is that, despite all this betrayal, the two brothers are somehow still portrayed as deeply loving and respecting each other.
Then there's the female lead, whose character is even more fustrating, increasingly iriitating and unlikeable with every episode.
I rated this drama 1 too. I only finished it by skipping many scenes because I had nothing else to watch and was curious to see just how absurd the ending would become.
Ps. I love the ending song too! 😊
A new generation is growing, or rather, not truly developing. The overwhelming majority of children seem apathetic, unable to focus, restless, lazy, and spoiled. If asked to repeat a music bar a few times, they resist; some even cry. They expect constant entertainment and instant gratification. Teachers have become clowns, and students have turned into customers whom you must please.
Over the last ten years, this trend has worsened dramatically. This new generation, from elementary to secondary school, represents not only a major challenge for education, where schools already struggle with behavioral and attention issues and increasing mental-health problems among children, but also the emergence of a generation that may struggle to function effectively in adult life.
You might want to watch the film Idiocracy; in many ways it increasingly feels less like a parody and more like a documentary.
I discovered Chinese dramas by chance through the YouTube algorithm. What initially drew me to them was the impression that many stories contained elements I value: philosophical reflections, life lessons, and meaningful themes. I tend to approach everything I watch with a curious mind. Even entertainment, in my view, should offer something beyond momentary distraction, some insight, reflection, or small form of growth.