1
A Diamond in the Rough!
I was looking for a good drama to pass the time with while waiting for more episodes of When Destiny Brings a Demon to drop and I got HOOKED on the Story of Yanxi Palace. This drama has it all--great story, costumes, sets and outstanding performances. You can't go wrong with this drama. It grabs you from the very first episode and doesn't give you up until the last. It is very bingeable--with 70 episodes in the library, I sometimes binged 10--12 episodes per day. I got so caught up in it that by the time I got back to WDBAD, several episodes were already waiting!
Wei Yingluo, masterfully played by Wu Jin Yan, is a young woman who enters the Forbidden City to investigate the murder of her older sister. She is young, clever and incredibly cunning for a girl of barely 16. She navigates the palace drama with ease and quickly rises among the ranks, staying one step ahead of those who wish her harm just to survive. Along the way, Wei Yingluo finds love, loyalty and friendship among those in the palace who she befriends, but also becomes the target of many envious servants, princesses and concubines. Wei Yingluo weathers every storm and rises to every occasion. She is the proverbial IT girl as she takes the Forbidden City by storm.
Watching this drama is a full immersion of Chinese culture and history, as the drama is a fictionalized account of life during the reign of Emperor Qianlong who ruled from 1735-1796--one of the longest reigning emperors of the Qing dynasty. It is said that most of the production budget for this drama was spent on costumes, set construction and props. It is truly a beautiful sight to behold. The actors, though not paid as much, were all at the top of their game, delivering noteworthy performances. My favorites were Tan Zhuo, as the evil Noble Consort Gao, the beautiful Qin Lan, as the long suffering Empress Fuca Rong Yin, and Jiang Zi Xin, as Mingyu, Empress Rong's handmaiden and Wei Yingluo's friend. The script is tip-top, no messy plot holes, or loose ends. What we are given is a highly entertaining romp behind the scenes of life in the Forbidden City. It literarily makes the audience feel like the "fly on the wall", listening to all the dark secrets and low-down plots that could bring down the empire.
By the time this drama draws to a close, we have been introduced and bidden farewell to many wonderful characters, and lived through years of life among this extended family. I was ready to let go and move on, appreciating the the time, dedication and patience of the production team in creating such an unforgettable masterpiece. Bravo!
Wei Yingluo, masterfully played by Wu Jin Yan, is a young woman who enters the Forbidden City to investigate the murder of her older sister. She is young, clever and incredibly cunning for a girl of barely 16. She navigates the palace drama with ease and quickly rises among the ranks, staying one step ahead of those who wish her harm just to survive. Along the way, Wei Yingluo finds love, loyalty and friendship among those in the palace who she befriends, but also becomes the target of many envious servants, princesses and concubines. Wei Yingluo weathers every storm and rises to every occasion. She is the proverbial IT girl as she takes the Forbidden City by storm.
Watching this drama is a full immersion of Chinese culture and history, as the drama is a fictionalized account of life during the reign of Emperor Qianlong who ruled from 1735-1796--one of the longest reigning emperors of the Qing dynasty. It is said that most of the production budget for this drama was spent on costumes, set construction and props. It is truly a beautiful sight to behold. The actors, though not paid as much, were all at the top of their game, delivering noteworthy performances. My favorites were Tan Zhuo, as the evil Noble Consort Gao, the beautiful Qin Lan, as the long suffering Empress Fuca Rong Yin, and Jiang Zi Xin, as Mingyu, Empress Rong's handmaiden and Wei Yingluo's friend. The script is tip-top, no messy plot holes, or loose ends. What we are given is a highly entertaining romp behind the scenes of life in the Forbidden City. It literarily makes the audience feel like the "fly on the wall", listening to all the dark secrets and low-down plots that could bring down the empire.
By the time this drama draws to a close, we have been introduced and bidden farewell to many wonderful characters, and lived through years of life among this extended family. I was ready to let go and move on, appreciating the the time, dedication and patience of the production team in creating such an unforgettable masterpiece. Bravo!
Was this review helpful to you?
