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This review may contain spoilers
Not without flaws but still very enjoyable and highly addictive
'Pursuit of Jade' lived up to the hype imo (mind you it's not always the case) and I'm glad I managed to complete this one without feeling bored or for 'the sake of finishing it because I invested too much time to drop it'
First I want to apologize in advance for the review that will probably sound more like a mix between ranting, vent out feelings, comparisons yada yada and less like a proper review solely centered around POJ...still bear with me🙏
I'll rather talk about director's past work 'Blossom' (how it compares to it and a bit of ranting) but also recent releases or older titles dealing with the same theme or why I didn't feel as much frustrated or betrayed as some people by the shift and the 'unrealistic growth'/character development of Fan Chang Yu.
Why? The main reason is that I'm used to it. Most C-dramas and novels are female centric (mostly romance genre and idol shows) and tend to overpower/glorify/give all the credit to the FL while male actors have to be simps/green flags, take a backseat and serve as a tool to prop up the heroines even if it lacks common sense or is borderline unrealistic (they will make up to the audience *mostly ♀️* in casting visually attractive actors totally devoted to the FL and it works!)
That's why I recommend people who wants male characters to shine to watch Male Centric Dramas (Mysterious Lotus Casebook comes to mind *masterpiece* or 'The Blood of Youth' trilogy)
Those points below are the strength of this drama (it kinda helped me overlooked some minor flaws)
¤ The undeniably strong and sizzling chemistry between the leads (but also the cast)
Unlike 'Blossom' whose leads' chemistry fizzled out over time (post marriage to be exact), Zhu Yu successfully kept the sparks alive till the end and also gave the rest of the cast a chance to shine. Pig butcher Squad, Grand Tutor Tao Yi, Mr and Mrs Zhao, Changning, Grand Princess, Gongsun Yin, Xie Wu are all memorable characters (I even shed a tear for Mrs Kang's death😢)
Some people were even questionning and wondering if our heroine Fan Chang Yu really loved Xie Zheng as much as he loved her? I'm baffled tbh because she has proved countless times he was one she couldn't live without and even drugged him to replace him on the battlefield (it was indeed clumsy writing but also proof of her love in the end)...and when she found out he was the Marquis, how devastated she was because not only he lied to her but she also felt very unworthy of him due to the difference in their status. Tian Xi Wei 💯 nailed her role. Love her smile, her crying scenes, her feisty personality and fighting spirit. She did justice to Fan Changyu.
Want a FL not caring much about his love interest/even trampling on his dignity/handling his affairs or stealing his spotlight??? Watch any Yu Zheng's productions *with the exception of 'The Double'* ( 'Glory' with Gulnazar and Hou Ming Hao or 'Perfect Match' with LYX and WXY *hated the unbalanced dynamics in both works* ) or 'The Glory' with Chen Du Ling and Xin Yun Lai (Ok,main genre wasn't romance but the ML was just there, sticking out like a sore thumb and taking FL's anger out on him whenever she loses it..)
I like for my main CP to have an equal and balanced relationship. I also appreciate when the supporting cast nicely complement the leads like a huge warm family (examples: 'The Prisoner of Beauty' and 'Coroner's Diary' that I tremendously enjoyed last year)
Some also regretted the violent nature of Fan Chang Yu (slaps, shouting), her portrayal didn't sit well with many...but I see plenty of those same people giving sky high scores to shows where FL or female character act this way or even worse.
Did you watch for example 'New Life Begins'? (another Tian Xi Wei's work) Do you perhaps remember Yin Qi/5th Prince and Shang Guan Jing? That pairing was used mostly as comic relief but I felt uncomfortable watching them. Domestic violence is a no no in my book...there's nothing funny or empowering about it. Imagine the genre reversal!
¤Villains here were compelling, charismatic and most of all well-acted compared to 'Blossom'
Side-eyeing Song Mo's little bro here (waste of time and the actor didn't have the chops to portray such a role imo)
Can't believe they gave more screentime to that two-faced brat instead of Ji Yong who was a much better and interesting character (+ Xia Zhi Guang has the acting chops at least)
Others were unremarkable and didn't leave a deep/lasting impression. I know if I feel pity or sad for the character despite their evilness/vileness, that's a good sign they nailed their role (that's how good and impressive Lin Mu Ran's performance was to me *so young yet so talented*)
Deng Kai, Lin Mu Ran, Yan Yi Kuan did an amazing job portraying their characters. Showcasing nuance, charisma and perfect body language.
They all got their due comeuppance in the end (except for Grand Tutor Li who basically got away scot free with just 'the exile' of his entire clan *they didn't deviate from the novel for that* Me naively thinking at first he died from a heart attack...
¤OST is superior to Blossom imho
Memorable, catchy and beautiful.
¤ Acting-wise, the ensemble cast was weaker in Blossom imo (except for Li Yun Rui, Li Xin Ze and underutilized Quan Yi Lun, Ye Zu Xin and lastly Xia Zhi Guang (despite being tagged as second lead)
To be fair Ren Hao was supposed to be second lead but his screentime decreased with each episode (just like XZG in Blossom). Though I love Deng Kai and only have good things to say about his performance, I still feel that production made a mistake in giving his character this 'fool in love' personality. It was fun, sexy and captivating at first but it got very old in the end. Chemistry with Kong Xue Er was pretty good but her acting is lacking compared to him (she was the weakest link imo)
Another regret is that they didn't give much spotlight to Qi Shu and Gongsun Yin's romance. I really liked their characters and hoped for more tbh (kinda disappointed on that front)
l also deplore the lack of screentime and how underutilized Zhang Ling He's character was in the final product but like I said earlier in my review, I'm not surprised...that's the fate of most male leads in female centric shows. Still he did his best with what he was given (love how he conveys his feelings through his eyes and I tell you no one is as intense, sensual, sexy during love scenes than him)
¤ Pacing Issues and Underdog VS Most anticipated drama
It's a bit hypocritical to accuse/blame 'Pursuit if Jade' for its weak second half when Blossom had basically the same problem (post marriage, the drama lost its steam and inconsistencies started to show *Song Han's arc anyone?* or Dou Shao's 'know it all' personality was also unlikeable at times)
Truth is BOTH suffered from pacing issues and weak second half imo. But great acting, compelling villains and top tier chemistry between the leads (and the whole cast) give an extra edge to 'Pursuit of Jade' imho.
Why the stark difference of treatment between the two though?
The only explanation I could come up with is➡️ one was one of the most anticipated drama of 2026 while the other was a surprise hit and blackhorse of 2024. POJ's leads already had successful works under their belt and got their breakthrough roles before the release of this drama while the others were stuck in supporting roles for years. Blossom's popularity literally changed the trajectory of their career (both enjoyed a boost thanks to this drama and are now leading their own dramas)
Stakes were different. POJ is a high budget drama (S+ tier) with popular leads while Blossom was mid-budget (A tier) with relatively new/fresh faces ( no experience in lead roles)
That's probably the reason why people were more lenient with Blossom (low expectations)and harsher with POJ (high expectations). Plus, Zhang Linghe has a lot more antis and his fandom can also be very vocal...if they judge there's assassination of his character (minimizing his scenes or reducing his screentime), they will call out the production and bombard sites with negative reviews.
I'm a casual ZLH fan (almost watched all his shows) and while I'm not entirely satisfied with how they handled his character, I can agreeably say that they didn't do him dirty as much as in 'Our Generation' for example imo (I was genuinely disappointed and upset there)+ his off-charts chemistry with Tian Xi Wei kinda made up for it and made me more forgiving in the end (TXW is up there with Xu Ruo Han and Bai Lu chemistry-wise)
For further understanding of what I really feel about 'Blossom', this user is perfectly mirroring my thoughts⬇️
https://kisskh.at/profile/caramelspillzz/reviews
First I want to apologize in advance for the review that will probably sound more like a mix between ranting, vent out feelings, comparisons yada yada and less like a proper review solely centered around POJ...still bear with me🙏
I'll rather talk about director's past work 'Blossom' (how it compares to it and a bit of ranting) but also recent releases or older titles dealing with the same theme or why I didn't feel as much frustrated or betrayed as some people by the shift and the 'unrealistic growth'/character development of Fan Chang Yu.
Why? The main reason is that I'm used to it. Most C-dramas and novels are female centric (mostly romance genre and idol shows) and tend to overpower/glorify/give all the credit to the FL while male actors have to be simps/green flags, take a backseat and serve as a tool to prop up the heroines even if it lacks common sense or is borderline unrealistic (they will make up to the audience *mostly ♀️* in casting visually attractive actors totally devoted to the FL and it works!)
That's why I recommend people who wants male characters to shine to watch Male Centric Dramas (Mysterious Lotus Casebook comes to mind *masterpiece* or 'The Blood of Youth' trilogy)
Those points below are the strength of this drama (it kinda helped me overlooked some minor flaws)
¤ The undeniably strong and sizzling chemistry between the leads (but also the cast)
Unlike 'Blossom' whose leads' chemistry fizzled out over time (post marriage to be exact), Zhu Yu successfully kept the sparks alive till the end and also gave the rest of the cast a chance to shine. Pig butcher Squad, Grand Tutor Tao Yi, Mr and Mrs Zhao, Changning, Grand Princess, Gongsun Yin, Xie Wu are all memorable characters (I even shed a tear for Mrs Kang's death😢)
Some people were even questionning and wondering if our heroine Fan Chang Yu really loved Xie Zheng as much as he loved her? I'm baffled tbh because she has proved countless times he was one she couldn't live without and even drugged him to replace him on the battlefield (it was indeed clumsy writing but also proof of her love in the end)...and when she found out he was the Marquis, how devastated she was because not only he lied to her but she also felt very unworthy of him due to the difference in their status. Tian Xi Wei 💯 nailed her role. Love her smile, her crying scenes, her feisty personality and fighting spirit. She did justice to Fan Changyu.
Want a FL not caring much about his love interest/even trampling on his dignity/handling his affairs or stealing his spotlight??? Watch any Yu Zheng's productions *with the exception of 'The Double'* ( 'Glory' with Gulnazar and Hou Ming Hao or 'Perfect Match' with LYX and WXY *hated the unbalanced dynamics in both works* ) or 'The Glory' with Chen Du Ling and Xin Yun Lai (Ok,main genre wasn't romance but the ML was just there, sticking out like a sore thumb and taking FL's anger out on him whenever she loses it..)
I like for my main CP to have an equal and balanced relationship. I also appreciate when the supporting cast nicely complement the leads like a huge warm family (examples: 'The Prisoner of Beauty' and 'Coroner's Diary' that I tremendously enjoyed last year)
Some also regretted the violent nature of Fan Chang Yu (slaps, shouting), her portrayal didn't sit well with many...but I see plenty of those same people giving sky high scores to shows where FL or female character act this way or even worse.
Did you watch for example 'New Life Begins'? (another Tian Xi Wei's work) Do you perhaps remember Yin Qi/5th Prince and Shang Guan Jing? That pairing was used mostly as comic relief but I felt uncomfortable watching them. Domestic violence is a no no in my book...there's nothing funny or empowering about it. Imagine the genre reversal!
¤Villains here were compelling, charismatic and most of all well-acted compared to 'Blossom'
Side-eyeing Song Mo's little bro here (waste of time and the actor didn't have the chops to portray such a role imo)
Can't believe they gave more screentime to that two-faced brat instead of Ji Yong who was a much better and interesting character (+ Xia Zhi Guang has the acting chops at least)
Others were unremarkable and didn't leave a deep/lasting impression. I know if I feel pity or sad for the character despite their evilness/vileness, that's a good sign they nailed their role (that's how good and impressive Lin Mu Ran's performance was to me *so young yet so talented*)
Deng Kai, Lin Mu Ran, Yan Yi Kuan did an amazing job portraying their characters. Showcasing nuance, charisma and perfect body language.
They all got their due comeuppance in the end (except for Grand Tutor Li who basically got away scot free with just 'the exile' of his entire clan *they didn't deviate from the novel for that* Me naively thinking at first he died from a heart attack...
¤OST is superior to Blossom imho
Memorable, catchy and beautiful.
¤ Acting-wise, the ensemble cast was weaker in Blossom imo (except for Li Yun Rui, Li Xin Ze and underutilized Quan Yi Lun, Ye Zu Xin and lastly Xia Zhi Guang (despite being tagged as second lead)
To be fair Ren Hao was supposed to be second lead but his screentime decreased with each episode (just like XZG in Blossom). Though I love Deng Kai and only have good things to say about his performance, I still feel that production made a mistake in giving his character this 'fool in love' personality. It was fun, sexy and captivating at first but it got very old in the end. Chemistry with Kong Xue Er was pretty good but her acting is lacking compared to him (she was the weakest link imo)
Another regret is that they didn't give much spotlight to Qi Shu and Gongsun Yin's romance. I really liked their characters and hoped for more tbh (kinda disappointed on that front)
l also deplore the lack of screentime and how underutilized Zhang Ling He's character was in the final product but like I said earlier in my review, I'm not surprised...that's the fate of most male leads in female centric shows. Still he did his best with what he was given (love how he conveys his feelings through his eyes and I tell you no one is as intense, sensual, sexy during love scenes than him)
¤ Pacing Issues and Underdog VS Most anticipated drama
It's a bit hypocritical to accuse/blame 'Pursuit if Jade' for its weak second half when Blossom had basically the same problem (post marriage, the drama lost its steam and inconsistencies started to show *Song Han's arc anyone?* or Dou Shao's 'know it all' personality was also unlikeable at times)
Truth is BOTH suffered from pacing issues and weak second half imo. But great acting, compelling villains and top tier chemistry between the leads (and the whole cast) give an extra edge to 'Pursuit of Jade' imho.
Why the stark difference of treatment between the two though?
The only explanation I could come up with is➡️ one was one of the most anticipated drama of 2026 while the other was a surprise hit and blackhorse of 2024. POJ's leads already had successful works under their belt and got their breakthrough roles before the release of this drama while the others were stuck in supporting roles for years. Blossom's popularity literally changed the trajectory of their career (both enjoyed a boost thanks to this drama and are now leading their own dramas)
Stakes were different. POJ is a high budget drama (S+ tier) with popular leads while Blossom was mid-budget (A tier) with relatively new/fresh faces ( no experience in lead roles)
That's probably the reason why people were more lenient with Blossom (low expectations)and harsher with POJ (high expectations). Plus, Zhang Linghe has a lot more antis and his fandom can also be very vocal...if they judge there's assassination of his character (minimizing his scenes or reducing his screentime), they will call out the production and bombard sites with negative reviews.
I'm a casual ZLH fan (almost watched all his shows) and while I'm not entirely satisfied with how they handled his character, I can agreeably say that they didn't do him dirty as much as in 'Our Generation' for example imo (I was genuinely disappointed and upset there)+ his off-charts chemistry with Tian Xi Wei kinda made up for it and made me more forgiving in the end (TXW is up there with Xu Ruo Han and Bai Lu chemistry-wise)
For further understanding of what I really feel about 'Blossom', this user is perfectly mirroring my thoughts⬇️
https://kisskh.at/profile/caramelspillzz/reviews
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