Some of the storylines did not make the greatest impact or meld well with each other (e.g. the office politics were a bit weak overall), but the human stories (about the different kinds of relationships we have in society) were some of the best parts of the drama. Great use of an almost atmospheric soundtrack complements a very lyrically-written show, but the show could use more pop and a better climax if a second season were to be made.
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Ahead of the times
Adapted from the novel of the same name (大生意人), this drama ambitiously tries to cover a lot of ground and time in only 40 episodes. Having not read the novel, I can judge the drama on its merits alone. And there is certainly a lot to admire about this lavishly produced period drama set from the Taiping Rebellion during the Qing dynasty all the way to the early days of revolution before the Republic of China. Shot on location for the most part with a generally naturalistic and accurate-to-history approach to costumes, makeup and styling, Legend of the Magnate is a welcome break from the manicured and somewhat derivative idol period dramas coming out of Chinese drama land these days. Performances are also more raw (everyone is using their own voice here too as far as I can tell) and real, with some very moving sections of the story.The story starts off with a bang in the frigid cold of Ningguta as Gu Pingyuan makes a thrilling escape from exile. From there, the story slowly begins to lose focus as more and more strands of storylines are introduced, making it harder on the audience to connect emotionally with every strand. Some storylines were more effective for me than others. Whether you agree or not with the romance, the Li Cheng and Bai Yimei storyline was striking for me. Serving tea to Empress Dowager Cixi - while completely farfetched - was also thrilling. Unfortunately, the latter part of the drama had some of the weaker storylines. The British characters were not developed enough to make me feel much by the time the last couple episodes came along. Female characters that were so impactful and gripping to watch (Ms. Su and Chang Yu'er) in the first half have less to do in the latter half.
All in all, this is worthy period drama to catch if one appreciates a more grounded production with a generally more well-written script (with better dialogue and performances than the usual idol dramas of today). But this story could have either been expanded to allow for better development of certain storylines or eliminated sections that did not elaborate on the core characters - some of whom I feel were underused by the latter third of the story.
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We are the writers of our own fates
This is a fun entering-into-a-script story that effectively combines comedy with the more classic dramatic beats you would expect from a period Chinese drama. The characters are thoughtfully developed, and the story manages to build as it goes along to a very satisfying ending. With a great cast led by Li Yitong and Liu Yuning and a killer OST that will leave you laughing uncontrollably, this is not a drama to miss. Running at 40 episodes, there are some lagging moments here and there, and I wish some of the deeper themes were developed further. However, ultimately this show is about taking one's life and destiny into one's own hands and enjoying life to its fullest, so don't overthink when watching!Was this review helpful to you?
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The power of goodwill
After the men of the Hua family are forced into exile and the women and children left to fend for themselves, Hua Zhi, the eldest daughter and our indomitable female lead, takes charge and seeks to bring the family back together against all odds. Her family and her story become entwined with that of Gu Yanxi, nephew to the emperor with his own share of family troubles, albeit of a very different nature being born into the royal bloodline.There is a lot of story to cover in 40 episodes, and what we are left with in the drama is a bit uneven in pacing and tone. A lot of the first half of the story follows the Hua family's ups and downs in their endeavors to recover from the disaster forced upon them by the paranoid Emperor. Some of the most moving and heartbreaking moments for me occur in the quieter moments within the Hua family household as they learn to brave their hardships and share their triumphs with each other. The latter half features more of the palace/political story. If given enough time, this part of the story may have been able to develop its themes and antagonists better. Instead, things are taken care of far too neatly and swiftly before anything really resonates. Hai Yitian as the complicated Emperor of Daqing makes an impression, but with his arc in the story as a whole and his relationship with Yanxi not fully explored, it is a bit of a shame how it all ends for him.
All in all, this is a heartwarming story worth watching for some great performances from all the cast, including Zhang Jingyi as Hua Zhi and Hu Yitian as Yanxi. I wish they had more to do with their roles as far as range of emotions (we get a little bit towards the end), and I hope to see more of them in period/costume dramas in the future.
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Don't take this one too seriously, and you're in for a fun ride
This is an unexpectedly entertaining costume/period drama with some fantastical elements. While not an original concept (the author entering her own novel), the story has solid characters that develop logically throughout the story and a well-placed plot with villain(s) that keep things moving.I really enjoyed Song Yiren's performance here. She strikes the right balance of comedy and drama, which is needed is such a story as this. Ding Ze Ren as the ML is a relatively new actor, and he does generally well here, although he does have a way to go in the more angsty scenes.
January 2024 was disappointing to me as far as Chinese dramas (period/costume in particular), but this one was a nice little gem.
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A few good men
This is a dark yet poignant tale of the frailty of human nature - the loss of innocence in the effort to survive in a world where justice is hard to come by.The drama starts off seemingly like any straightforward murder-crime-mystery series. You are drawn into deciphering various clues and studying each character to determine who is the murderer. By the show's end, however, even though it pulls out a "surprise" reveal, the power in that moment is not so much the shock factor of who is who but more so the underlying sadness of seeing two friends end each other's lives. There is no mustache-twirling psychopath villain here. It's a hauntingly realistic tale of greed and deceit that explores the lengths to which someone will go to obtain what they want.
The entire ensemble cast give great performances - my favorites are Ning Li as Song Chen and Yu Yao as the young Lu Zhi. Great atmospheric music and realistic sets/props/costumes make the world of Du County come to life in all its dingy glory.
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Here's hoping there will be more dramas like this one in the future.
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A drama that ages like fine wine
The first time I watched this drama, I was quite disappointed with the ending. How could someone as intelligent and brave as Feng Zhiwei just end her life like that? After all she went through, I thought it was a waste and a weird change of character. And for Ning Yi, after all his struggles, the ending felt like an empty goal achieved in becoming Emperor. But perhaps that is part of the story? Can an emperor be fated to have true love? Fast forward about 5 years and with all the things I have been through, watching this again I have a new understanding of this drama. If I look carefully, the seeds of Zhiwei's depression and ultimate decision to end things were sown throughout the drama.It's hard to summarize this very long tale of 2 very multifaceted people fated to meet and fall in love but not to share a lifetime with each other. There's a lot of court/palace politics and drama that take a while to churn, but when things get going, they really come out in an exciting, satisfying fashion.
The production is beautiful - unmatched for me in recent years in C drama land. Great use of music - not overbearing. Some of the editing is uneven in parts, and the latter parts can be hard to watch for those wanting a happy ending. However, there is a tragic beauty in it as well that I can appreciate as I am getting older - although I would never want anyone in this day and age to suffer from depression as Zhiwei did.
Definitely worth the watch and re-watch. I haven't found a drama since quite like this one.
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Becoming human
Embedded in this long-winded drama is a poignant and profound discourse on what it means to be human. Or rather, one could say the story discusses that we should pursue to be the better version of our selves as humans and not seek for something that is not meant for us. Greed, immortality - these are perennial xianxia themes, but they are explored in more detail here than in most dramas of the same genre.The execution of this story does hold some flaws, however. The writing is dense and often redundant - perhaps an oversight in direction or editing. There are simply too many scenes of exposition where people sit and talk about the same thing multiple times. Additionally, some characters and storylines feel superfluous and not well-integrated with the main story revolving around Lu Qianqiao and the treacherous immortals. The first half certainly does a better job of balancing all the story strands. The second half loses focus a bit and feels underwhelming at the climax. The story builds to a moment where ordinary men would triumph over evil (RIP Senior Bai), but suddenly Lu Qianqiao becomes a Perfect War Demon? A bit of a sudden turn in the character's journey to become wholly human and in the story's themes, if you ask me.
Nevertheless, this is still worth watching if you are a fan of the genre - it does hold some genuinely stirring moments from a great ensemble cast. However, it is far from a masterpiece and will likely not stand the test of time - certainly no rewatches from me.
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Good vs evil in Heyang
Within this story is a potentially really great one if the drama had dared to push the boundaries of its storytelling a bit more. Set against the "evil" city of Heyang, where bad deeds go unpunished, our righteous male lead Pan Yue seeks to find his long-lost beloved Yang Caiwei and to right the wrongs of the past. Along the way, we meet a multitude of characters including the charismatic if headstrong Zhuo Lanjiang and Caiwei's plucky friend Bai Xiaosheng -- and solve some murder mysteries.It turns out that with each case solved, we are closer to solving the ultimate mystery -- who is the mastermind behind the deaths of Caiwei's parents and the dark deeds in Heyang? That, unfortunately, is never fully fleshed out. Our villains' motivations are presented only in broad strokes, making the ultimate confrontation a bit of a letdown both thematically and dramatically.
Which is not to say the drama is terrible -- far from it. Some of the stories within the main tale are quite moving such as the case of the Gu family and that of the twins and the academy. They show quite effectively the potential darkness within people and the struggle to overcome it without resorting to too much exposition, which is unfortunately present in other cases and parts of the show. If the drama had explored this theme than just at the surface level - the complexities of humankind and our capacity to do both great good and evil - it would have made for a very compelling drama.
As it is, this drama is worth the watch for the interesting cases (which actually are nicely interwoven with the overarching plot and our characters' arcs), a well-paced romance story, and some great performances from both main and guest/supporting cast alike. Liu Xueyi as Pan Yue and Li Geyang as Zhuo Lanjiang were standouts to me.
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Love conquers all (again)
This was a lovely surprise in a season of underwhelming Chinese dramas, but it falls just short of greatness. While it does develop the romance between Ji Bozhai and Ming Yi in an enchanting way, a lot of opportunities for developing some of the supporting characters are not capitalized upon fully. Most notably, Yu Cheng En is unconvincing as the ultimate villain, and his story follows along the lines of someone seeking power due to a life of abandonment and weakness. But more meat is needed on this skeleton, and while I can respect the actor's desire to branch out and try out different roles, the desired effect was not there. Additionally, some of the deeper themes could have been developed further such as inequality, abandonment and neglect, and why exactly does love conquer all.All in all, prepare to be enchanted by Hou Minghao and Lu Yixiao as they learn to embrace who they are and each other and the other great supporting characters such as Princess Tianji, 27, Buxiu and and Granny Xun.
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Revenge vs Justice
While this is not the most elegantly written or sophisticated drama, it has its entertaining qualities. For those expecting super smart cases to solve or a political thriller palace drama that builds logically, this is not one of those shows. The plot moves from case to case until you reach a blisteringly chaotic climax, involving the royal family and its many dark deeds. By the end, there is the attempt to tie everything together, but there have been ultimately too many elements thrown together so not everything hits exactly right emotionally or thematically.Still, Li Landi and Ao Ruipeng make an adorable couple on screen, with a comforting, healthy relationship that remains steady throughout the show. There is not a whole lot of tension romantically or politically throughout the drama so some may find it all a bit bland, but this may be a nice show for others to unwind to after a difficult day at work or school. Watching the good guys win and justice being served (and not just pure rage revenge) can be a welcome respite from the craziness of today's real world.
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Neither here nor there
There are some nice moments in this drama - a lot of the supporting roles are nicely developed and performed, adding to a rich ensemble of characters bringing the kingdoms of Sui and Northern Qi to life. Some standouts to me are Grand Princess Li Changming, Tuan Tuan, Chu Linyang and even Gu Chusheng. But a gaping hole in this story is unfortunately a dull romance between Wei Yun and Chu Yu, our leads. There's simply not enough to sustain the long 40 episodes, and one wonders if condensing this story to 30 episodes might have done the trick. The narrative is too long-winded, making the more interesting dramatic parts somewhat disappear.Not the epic historic tale I was looking for in a pretty dry section of Chinese drama land in this second half of 2025, but it is still worth checking out especially if you enjoy the reliable performances of Ding Yuxi and that of veterans such as Joe Chen and Cao Jun.
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The power of love - but what is love?
The themes and ideas in this drama are fairly simplistic. While timeless on the one hand - that love is the most powerful force of all and can conquer any evil - the execution of this story on the other leaves a lot to be desired. I can see the attempts to portray familial love, friendship and brotherhood and romantic love, but everything feels hackneyed and lacking in some passion and dimensionality. And so while sacrifice is undoubtedly related to love - it feels empty and unearned by the time you watch the final episode. It is hard to feel anything for characters that do not feel like living, breathing people.The cast is certainly capable of more, but this script is the true problem of this drama. One wonders why 3 dramas were needed to portray this world (if you consider the other related dramas as well). There is simply not enough depth or breadth in building this world to fill it with over 100 episodes worth of suffering people.
Time to look onward and forward to hopefully better dramas with more to say and show than this very forgettable story.
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While the setup is nothing new, the drama manages what I feel is a rarity these days in Chinese drama land - sustaining my rapt attention for the full 38 episodes. The script wisely stays focused on the story and characters - balancing the political storylines with the slow burn romance that is allowed to develop organically, without anyone acting out of character just to create a sense of forced drama or romance. The supporting characters are given time to develop as well and actually add to the overall story. They support our male and female lead in their journey of finding their true selves and each other.
What prevents me from giving this a 10 is the often heavy-handedness of the direction - blinding lighting, distracting camerawork and odd framing of shots give an overall unpolished look. There is a tendency to make things a bit over the top, but these are small quibbles and a matter of taste ultimately. The cast overall do a solid job - I am most impressed with Wang Xing Yue. Despite his young age, he is able to hold his own in a very stoic role.
This is a great one to binge and re-watch. It's not meant to be an artsy, profound expose on life, death, fate vs self determination, etc. It's just great fun to watch.
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