The Comedy Timing in This Drama Was Top Tier
As someone who is not a regular C-drama watcher, I was very hesitant to start Pursuit of Jade. Before this, I had only watched Hidden Love, The First Frost, When I Fly Towards You and Falling Into Your Smile. This was actually my first historical/ancient-style C-drama, so I was unsure if I would enjoy the genre.
The main reason I picked this drama was because of all the hype around its rating. Seeing it rise to 9.3 and later settle around 9.1 made me curious, although I was still very picky about starting it because 40 episodes felt like a huge commitment. Thankfully, the beginning made it very easy to continue watching.
The story starts off very strong. The first 15–20 episodes were simple, entertaining, and extremely enjoyable. Later on, once more twists, secrets, and court politics were introduced, the story became much more complex compared to the earlier episodes. While the plot was still interesting, it definitely became slower and harder to follow at times.
One of the biggest strengths of the drama was its comedy. The humor felt natural, and the comic timing from the cast was excellent. Watching a historical drama mix emotional scenes with genuinely funny moments made the show much more enjoyable. The comedy never felt forced and became one of the highlights of the entire series for me.
Both leads, Zhang Linghe as Marquis of Wu’an and Tian Xiwei as Fan ChangYu, did an amazing job. Their on-screen chemistry was one of the main reasons I kept watching. They both carried their characters with strong presence, and I really enjoyed how their character development was handled throughout the drama.
For the villain side, Deng Kai as Qi Min did a great job creating tension and fear whenever he appeared on screen. His relationship with Snow Kong/Yu Qian Qian had an interesting hate-love dynamic that made their scenes memorable. However, I do feel the writers could have done more justice to the villain arc because the character had a lot more potential than what we eventually got.
The third lead couple, the Grand Princess and the Headmaster, were unexpectedly one of the most lovable parts of the show. Their scenes were hilarious, charming, and refreshing. I honestly wish they had more screen time because every moment involving them was entertaining.
Overall, I really enjoyed the drama. The first 20–30 episodes were especially strong and very addictive to watch. Once the heavier court politics and twists started taking over, the pacing became slower and more complicated. Since I personally enjoy war scenes and action moments, I also wish we had gotten more battle scenes and more fights involving Marquis of Wu’an. Most of his major action moments happened only when Fan ChangYu was involved, and I would have loved to see more of his battlefield aura and fighting abilities throughout the drama.
Even with some pacing issues in the second half, Pursuit of Jade was still a very enjoyable experience for someone completely new to historical C-dramas. The chemistry, comedy, and performances made it worth the watch.
The main reason I picked this drama was because of all the hype around its rating. Seeing it rise to 9.3 and later settle around 9.1 made me curious, although I was still very picky about starting it because 40 episodes felt like a huge commitment. Thankfully, the beginning made it very easy to continue watching.
The story starts off very strong. The first 15–20 episodes were simple, entertaining, and extremely enjoyable. Later on, once more twists, secrets, and court politics were introduced, the story became much more complex compared to the earlier episodes. While the plot was still interesting, it definitely became slower and harder to follow at times.
One of the biggest strengths of the drama was its comedy. The humor felt natural, and the comic timing from the cast was excellent. Watching a historical drama mix emotional scenes with genuinely funny moments made the show much more enjoyable. The comedy never felt forced and became one of the highlights of the entire series for me.
Both leads, Zhang Linghe as Marquis of Wu’an and Tian Xiwei as Fan ChangYu, did an amazing job. Their on-screen chemistry was one of the main reasons I kept watching. They both carried their characters with strong presence, and I really enjoyed how their character development was handled throughout the drama.
For the villain side, Deng Kai as Qi Min did a great job creating tension and fear whenever he appeared on screen. His relationship with Snow Kong/Yu Qian Qian had an interesting hate-love dynamic that made their scenes memorable. However, I do feel the writers could have done more justice to the villain arc because the character had a lot more potential than what we eventually got.
The third lead couple, the Grand Princess and the Headmaster, were unexpectedly one of the most lovable parts of the show. Their scenes were hilarious, charming, and refreshing. I honestly wish they had more screen time because every moment involving them was entertaining.
Overall, I really enjoyed the drama. The first 20–30 episodes were especially strong and very addictive to watch. Once the heavier court politics and twists started taking over, the pacing became slower and more complicated. Since I personally enjoy war scenes and action moments, I also wish we had gotten more battle scenes and more fights involving Marquis of Wu’an. Most of his major action moments happened only when Fan ChangYu was involved, and I would have loved to see more of his battlefield aura and fighting abilities throughout the drama.
Even with some pacing issues in the second half, Pursuit of Jade was still a very enjoyable experience for someone completely new to historical C-dramas. The chemistry, comedy, and performances made it worth the watch.
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