sulkytofu

I will keep my spoilers to an extreme bare minimum/mostly confined to Episode 1 and identifying episode numbers here in order to not use the spoiler tag and to give some insight for others who may be interested in watching:

There are a total of four(ish?) lives for Mu Xuanling but the drama shows these scenes in a non-linear fashion and somewhat in reverse of chronological order. In other words, you are kind of thrown into the "middle" of things from Episode 1.

1. Mu Xuanling expresses affection for Xie Xuechen from Episode 1 (she forces a kiss during this episode), but he distrusts her because she is the Saintess of the Dark Realm. By around Episode 7/8, you can tell Xie Xuechen is slowly growing affection for her. A confession happens around the halfway point, but it's complicated (and in some ways their relationship doesn't really need a confession because of the other ways they show their love).

2. Rather than breakups, if there is distance between them it is a life-or-death matter. However, nothing drags; things usually are resolved within 1 to 2 episodes.

3. Rather than time skips, it's either past memories or flashbacks, or due to external circumstances.

4. There are multiple points, because often conflict is external (it's never conflict because "you didn't love me," but instead "how do we best protect the world we live in?")

5. Rather than an amnesia arc, both characters have certain points where they end up "not loving each other" or being enemies due to external circumstances. For Mu Xuanling, this begins around Episode 16/17, while for Xie Xuechen this begins in Episode 30.

6. Mu Xuanling and Xie Xuechen's affection for each other is so strong that it's hard to really see them with other characters, but you may sympathize with Nan Xuyue. Nan Xuyue is also a very complex character (like the rest of the cast members), and it's not easy to categorize his feelings as simply "jealousy" or trying to get in between the main couple.

7. Possibly, depending on whether or not you like Nan Xueyue. He is very much like Runyu in Ashes of Love, and he plays a very central role in the drama. I can stress however that Wang Duo has done a very good job at this role, and so rather than being tiresome he is a second lead character that you do want to see on screen.

8. Happy ending!

Reflecting on the drama and some of the excellent comments below, I was looking at some of Zhang Binbin's previous roles and works, and I truly think Xie Xuechen will be one of his most memorable characters. Even though he has been cast as a leading actor in different dramas before, I really feel that the attention on him is disproportionate to his ability, and that he absolutely will continue to have a career that shines with even more amazing and wonderful characters.

This isn't to say that Binbin's past roles weren't well done, but rather that The Blossoming Love shows how much expertise he's developed across such a long career in the entertainment industry. In a way it would only be possible for him to portray both the bitterness and sweetness of his character due to how many different roles he's adopted, and you can see how much he genuinely loves his work (e.g. it's very obvious that he even physically changes/either slims down or bulks up depending on the role and the requirements).

It's also similar to my thoughts on Wang Duo who impressively managed to make the audience simultaneously sympathize and be frustrated with Nan Xuyue, and it's absolutely past time for him as well to receive a script for a lead character. The fact that Wang Duo has been in the industry for nearly over a decade and it's not until the culmination of his work in Bloody Romance and in this drama that he's been acquiring more attention also makes me wonder how many other amazing actors and actresses are just waiting for their big break — despite the many years of hard work, dedication, and time they put into their performances.

I'm also absolutely blown away by how fantastic Sun Zhenni is as well, and how her tiny body in fact is housing a giant talent in the industry. I already had my eye on her after her incredible Frozen voice acting performance when she was still a contestant on Produce Camp, but I did not expect her to do such an amazing job at such a complicated role like Mu Xuanling. Despite the fact that she was younger than her costars and had less experience in the field, she no doubt showcased why she was accepted by the Beijing Film Academy, Central Drama Academy and the Shanghai Theatre Academy. I wish that the three of these actors continue to receive many more excellent roles, scripts, and continue to be on broadcast for a very long time — I have no doubt others have taken note of their skills and talent, and can't wait for their next projects already!

For viewers who are currently coming into the drama, some of the early comments mentioned that Episode 1 feels as if you've been dropped into the middle of the show. Like other xianxia works, the characters do experience several different "lives," or "reincarnations," and without providing too many spoilers, this drama shows the lives in a non-linear fashion (e.g. the first life is shown closer to the end of the drama). It shouldn't be too confusing, but if you have questions about how Xuanling seems so attached to Xuechen, there are good reasons for it, and I recommend you keep staying for a couple more episodes as the plot really starts to pick up once they arrive in Snow City (around Episode 7).

Also... I can't believe this was the drama which made me consider it, but Han Dong really needs to have the chance and be cast as a lead in some kind of a mature romance (or romcom) drama. I think this is one of the first roles where although he (again) plays a villain, he also acts as an extremely devoted, down-on-his-knees bad for his woman type of character (when in his other roles he's often motivated instead by greed/power/etc. instead). He's not the only one; honestly many of the side characters in this drama are all excellent at their performances and have multifaceted personalities, interests, and beliefs. I really love how the drama doesn't easily categorize them into "evil" or "good" but shows how their morals and sense of right/wrong are extremely subjective, sometimes compete with each other, and can also be questioned depending on who is at the receiving end of that justice.

I'm only near the beginning, but like some other watchers I've found myself kind of losing investment in the story between Bai Shuo and Fan Yue, and instead being really interested in the side characters instead.

I'm wondering is there any romantic subtext between Chen Ye and Fu Ling? They have so much potential chemistry (almost the perfect enemies-to-lovers setup) even just from that first scene I watched them in, and honestly I'd actually be entirely down for some kind of romantic triangle between Fu Ling, Chen Ye, and Chong Zhao, simply because all of the actors are doing a fantastic job with these characters. (I also could be totally wrong about this, but would love to know before continuing to put time into this one!)

I have a very, very hard time actually rating this drama because as others mentioned, it's absolutely excellent and almost top-tier in the first 20 episodes of the drama, and then from there it struggles and becomes swamped with addressing the motivations and goals of its other cast of characters. Those who have watched Fei Wo Si Cun's other dramas (e.g. Eastern Palace/Goodbye my Princess) will be familiar with the structure of the series; an almost epic-like romance where we have "two parts," in which part one is when characters get to know each other and fall in love as they mutually support each other in the outskirts, forests, and military camps, and then part two when characters enter the palace and have to contend with the complexities of the ascent to the throne.

I agree with others when they mention that this is one of Xu Kai's best recent performances — his roles post-AMA have stagnated and often reflect copies of each other (either the "playful and mischievous golden retriever bad boy" or the "cold and aloof black cat"). Although this role didn't exactly deviate too far from his previous roles, he absolutely nailed many of the scenes that really showed Li Ni's growth as a character, his reluctance to ascend to the throne, and his absolute devotion to the people he cares for the most. He and Jing Tian also have fantastic chemistry, and Jing Tian's performance as Cui Lin was absolutely well-balanced in terms of her absolute wit and intelligence, the way she functioned as Li Ni's equal and rival, while also not being infallible or immune to schemes or plots against her. They did a fantastic job showing the natural transition from enemies to friends to lovers, and the epic odyssey that they take in entering the throne bolsters the beautiful forms of mutual reciprocity and respect they have for each other.

Now on to the latter half of the drama, perhaps the strength of the series is that its ending probably one of the best in dramaland, in which not only is it a happy ending, but all of the loose ends are tied up well, the ending is logical and consistent, and also reflects back on broader themes raised in the very beginning of the show. To get to this point, however, you have to navigate a whole bunch of side characters that aren't really compelling or continue to rehash the same conversations about usurping/scheming against/betraying our main characters, and a show that can't be put down in the beginning slowly starts becoming a watch that can only be completed through fast-forwarding. Perhaps the most interesting villain with an actual justification for his background and his motives is Liu Chengfeng, but he becomes so dramatic and out-of-touch with reality that his characterization almost becomes cartoonish and laughable by the latter stretch of the drama. It's a shame because Gao Han actually did a great job showing the transition of a man who is deeply in love and willing to defer to Cui Lin at the risk of his own life, to someone who is utterly creepy, disgusting, and psychotic. The problem was that in losing his multifaceted characteristics, he became less a villain to be taken seriously and more of another side character that the audience can't wait to see gone from the drama.

Again, this drama was absolutely still worth watching, and I really, really enjoyed it. I came after watching Blossom (2024), and it absolutely hit the notes of a power couple who are equal in character and competence for me. The cinematography is also gorgeous and you can really see that it's the same director of The Untamed, as a lot of the pacing in the first stretch really adopts the same notes and beats of its predecessor. Unfortunately, you will have to really lower your expectations for an extremely boring second half; I have no doubt that had the drama ended at the first stretch with them entering the palace it would likely have been rated much higher and acquired a lot more buzz than it did in its original run.

Alright, sending a quick question to my seasoned xianxia and wuxia viewers, mostly in order to help set my expectations before watching this one — current pros/cons of the show? How does it stack up so far to some of the big-name titles (e.g. Love and Redemption, Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms, Ashes of Love, etc.?) And any things you feel viewers should be aware about before starting (or anything that might impact viewer's enjoyment?) Thank you!

Definitely excited about this one — Wang Yuwen excels at being one of the queens of the fluffy contemporary romcom and has excellent chemistry with all of her partners, while Chen Xingxu's move into romcoms after Goodbye My Princess hasn't really seemed to pan out well for him. Both of them have strong acting skills and I honestly feel like their scripts haven't been as strong as what they're capable of performance-wise. Hoping that this drama becomes popular especially as it's adapted from a webnovel, and the transition from the 2020s and the 1990s will definitely be nostalgic for viewers who are interested in watching a period focused around the development and popularization of the Internet!

There are a lot of mixed comments, likely because this is a drama that will really depend on your expectations for enjoyment. For those who are on the fence about watching, I'll try to briefly summarize these discussions:

Overall, the cinematography, setting, clothing, etc. are all well done, and the colour palette is really pretty. It's nice to see a drama that focuses on a couple who met in college but instead takes place mostly in their post-graduate life, and that both of them have different careers and their own goals and dreams when it comes to their lives. I think the thriller and romance genre combination is really interesting when done well and there have been a slate of dramas that focus on combining "true crime" and "romance" together. However, the problem is that in this one it does tackle really heavy themes around suicide and mental health while also trying to throw in fluffy and cute moments (e.g. being jealous of others, always pining after the other person, etc.) which can be a bit jarring.

Huang Jingyu and Sun Qian do have good chemistry; Sun Qian is a fantastic actress although sometimes her scripts aren't really up to par, while Huang Jingyu is playing a character that you've likely seen in his other roles — in part because his image fits a certain niche that is relatively underrepresented across other actors and idols, and so it's inevitable he constantly plays some kind of policeman/action hero/firefighter/etc. I think most of the criticism comes towards Lu Yan's characterization; in some ways because of what she's going through and her trauma she seems like an unreliable narrator/needs professional help rather than romance, but I do think it is refreshing to see a protagonist who IS really competent at her career and yet is struggling through some very difficult personal experiences and trauma. On Huang Jingyu, the criticisms are focused around a variety of things — including very serious allegations around his personal life and the fact that he always picks up scripts where he's essentially playing a replication of his previous characters.

On plot, this is again the main issue; the drama essentially combines what you think of as fluffy romance with things like murders, stalking, psychological issues, mental health issues, etc. This series is part of iQiyi's Love On series which consists of original scripts that are pretty diverse in topic and genre (e.g. it includes Love Between Fairy and Devil and Story of Kunning Palace), so on one hand, the combination is quite interesting for a romance watch. On the other hand, you're not going to find really good representation around healthcare, policing, psychology, etc. and all of the industries related to these issues in the drama (primarily because things are focused not on showing good medical care but rather on developing plot and unfolding the traumas the protagonists experienced). So again, you will absolutely have to lower your expectations when it comes to some of the logical hurdles and stretches that the drama makes for thriller reasons, and I would genuinely take the plot points (despite their heavy content) not that seriously because of the way they're written and thrown into the story.

If you're okay with all of these issues, and you want to watch a love story with thriller elements, which also has pretty supportive hero with a heroine who is more introverted and dealing with traumas, then I think the show is good to kill time with and enjoy. Again, take it too seriously and its flaws will definitely easily be exposed. This is no masterpiece and it feels like an adult romance drama that kind of tacked on a serial murder case to escape the plot issues of other romcoms (e.g. when the couple gets together and the plot kind of loses steam since most of it was focused on the couple developing romantic feelings anyways). However, if you can accept these limitations, it definitely is still a worthy watch and the quality overall is quite decent for a contemporary series.

Some rumours that Bai Lu and Li Yun Rui are potentially cast and/or are reviewing scripts!

I checked over the recommendations and honestly some were truly a mixed bag for me personally. Love Like the Galaxy for example is extremely slower-paced and has a ton of arcs (it's much more of a better recommendation for those that like Minglan), The Double is much less romance-focused and has a more ambiguous ending, and Blossoms in Adversity was harder for me to watch because the extended cast and family dynamics are extremely large.

I think if you're okay with some older dramas, I'd definitely recommend:

The OG trifecta of Xianxia Epics: Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms (2017), Ashes of Love (2018), Love and Redemption (2020), Who Rules the World (2020), and Love Between Fairy and Devil (2022), all of them feature protagonists who are powerful/immortal elites who fall first and women who can strategize. All have relatively little filler and are very bingeable; they definitely give off the same "feeling" as Blossom did from episodes 1 to 20 (quick to complete plot lines, have to watch the next episode, etc.)

Similar Pacing Historicals: Sound of the Desert (2014), Under the Power (2018), interestingly both are more reserved with explicit romance like Blossom (e.g. limited to no kiss scenes) but feature really wholesome, mutual relationships where the women go into battle, are supported by their partners, etc.

There's something about this drama which leaves me wanting more; that is, things such as the tropes, cinematography, fantastic casting, etc. all on paper seem like they would be excellent, but together there's just something about the drama that's a bit rough.

There have been some really good comments about Wen Peng being creepy, even though when I think about it if the cinematography or the editing were slightly different, he would easily be the conventional protagonist of the series rather than the second lead. Some of his actions are not only represented cutely in other dramas, including pining after Lu Yan for years, going out of his way to always find her, doing lots of acts of service, etc. With certain tweaks to the script, he could be portrayed as an endearing "loser" for the one that he loves (a popular trope in some recent web dramas and series), yet it's credit to how well done the staging and atmosphere of this drama that instead we view him as extremely suspicious, clingy, even dangerous depending on whether you believe his actions are "him taking initiative" or "him not being able to take no/get the hint" that his affections are unwanted.

Huang Jingyu's acting is also a double-edged sword. On one hand, all of his characters are like "the same protagonist but in different fonts," yet on the other it's partly because his image and demeanour fit a specific niche that isn't really represented across other mainstream Chinese actors right now (bulky and muscular, down-to-earth, often either excels at action or has a high-energy golden retriever personality, etc.) This makes it sometimes hard for me to watch his dramas not because he's a bad actor, but rather because I feel as if I'm watching characters that are all extensions or replications of his previous works.

In some way I think that's part of the struggle of this drama; that combining romance and thriller together is often very challenging, and especially in this case when Lu Yan is clearly undergoing some extremely traumatizing and difficult events, it is hard to reconcile both the amount of psychological and professional help she needs with the fluffy romantic scenes that we may see emerging between both her and Cheng Yi. At the same time though, I came for Sun Qian, and her depiction of an extremely introverted lead who is very competent at her work but also going through serious mental challenges has been great to watch, and I'm happy that each time in her works her acting only becomes better and better.

Blossom is really a drama made with so much thought and care. The efforts of director Zeng Qingjie's beautiful camerawork (especially the constant use of water on the ground as reflections and mirrors!), and the focus on the costuming and setting by producer Zhang Yingying, can clearly be seen by how well the drama is being received across different social media platforms.

On one hand, Blossom is a beautiful love story that shows how mutual love and adoration are meant to be supportive, to enrich each other's goals and dreams, to be the safety and comfort for each other during one's darkest periods. On the other hand, it's also a story about the suffering of women, of how the men in this drama often receive multiple chances to change and grow (and often choose not to), while the women must be perfect upon their first attempt at anything. Possibly the most beautiful way to describe this drama is through the lines that Song Mo constantly provides as reassurance to Dou Zhao; that his greatest wish is not for her to love him, but rather for her to find her happiness and make her own decisions in life — whether about marriage, love, family, or life. It's quite beautiful we've had a recent wave of dramas this year including The Double (2024) where we see women who are not only equal in character and competence to their partners, but that their partners prioritize their autonomy and their well-being first before all else.

This will also no doubt be a cornerstone role for Li Yunrui — despite this being one of his first leading performances (and a demanding one as a historical project), his ability to change the rasp of his voice and his expressions (especially the difference between the fatigued and war-torn Song Mo in his first life, and the almost straightforward yet puppy-like Song Mo in his second) were done with much more maturity and experience than I had expected. Other fans were correct when they mentioned being excited to see him in this drama because he did such a great job as a supporting lead in his previous performances. In some ways, the fact that lower-budget dramas are selecting actors who are less experienced (I'm thinking here of fantastic performances such as that of Fan Zhixin) has turned out to also be a way of highlighting how much missed talent there is and the fresh new faces that have always been capable of taking demanding roles. I can't wait to see what characters he will play in the future; there's no doubt he will have many more scripts sent to him very soon.

Meng Ziyi's performance as Dou Zhao is also thrilling and exciting. She did a great job portraying a woman who is not only actively trying to help the people around her but is also just in her decisions, does everything she can to make sure she can preserve her autonomy, and precisely uses her sharp wit and quick thinking for others. It's very clear that on one hand, while Song Mo is no weak strategist, in some ways Dou Zhao also acts as the strength towards Song Mo's limits and weaknesses. The beautiful ways the drama represents Dou Zhao's feelings through flowers and the use of the magnolia tree as central components of her life and her relationship with Song Mo, are so beautifully and emotionally well done.

I'm kind of sad we are heading towards the last stretch of the drama because it's been such a breath of fresh air over the past couples of weeks. It's a beautiful way to end 2024, and I strongly believe that in their second life, the love story between Song Mo and Dou Zhao will blossom beautifully. We will definitely get our happy ending!

This is all conjecture, but I suspect they actually saved some money from (1) the script which was an adaptation (there have been some conversations about the recent trend into web novels because it manages to capture existing IP fans + there's less labour in having to edit/revise for production) and (2) the actor's fees as well.

Meng Ziyi at the time was a surprise for casting because her reputation never really bounced back from past controversies post-The Untamed, while I think Shen Mo is definitely an iconic character for Li Yunrui given how much range he showed in one of his first leading roles. I also feel like the director from her interview was extremely adept with production decisions; not only did her emphasis to highlight production visuals make this drama look extremely high quality, but her ability to draw on different cinematographers and other production staff made the series extremely fresh. She made a very interesting decision on where to place the most budget for in the show, and I think she did an awesome job (and given all the buzz for the drama it really paid off!)

I'm seeing a lot of comments with mixed reviews and am hoping to get some insight to set my expectations: What kinds of tropes are in this drama, and who would you recommend it for? Is it heavier on the fluffy and romantic scenes, or more on plot? Is this actually a villain falls for the FMC/villain falls first, or is it much more tragic and angsty instead? And what types of viewers might really enjoy this work, versus types of viewer who might be disappointed seeing this?

So I saw the comments below and honestly some of the reviews made me hesitate on watching this at first, but I decided to give it a try and I really, really enjoy it. This is a very specific type of drama that you have to be in the mood for, and it's also an extreme slow-burn with tropes like ML pining/yearning for long periods of time and an extremely competent FL with excellent boundaries. It spends a lot of its time really exploring and developing the relationships of its characters, so it's not a good watch if you want something more plot-heavy.

I'd say for those who are on the fence, it's a great watch if you're looking to spend the time with a cast of characters who have been friends for a long time, if you want something very slice-of-life with very realistic emotions, conversations, and feelings, and if you're okay with a drama that likes to meander and really show the relationships of its characters. This is not a good watch though if you want something that only focuses entirely on fluffy content (I'd recommend Wang Yuwen's other dramas with Wang Ziqi instead) or if you want something plot and action heavy (e.g. like Zhang Xincheng's work in Young Blood), or if you need a drama where something important happens in every episode. Like how Shi Yan and Tang Yang have been friends for a very long time, their relationship development goes slowly as they start to really unpack the layers of baggage, worries, anxieties, and even hopes they have together and realize that they love each other romantically.

For chemistry, in some ways that Xincheng and Yuwen have been friends for so long is a double-edged sword. From interviews you know they are very platonic and supportive of each other, and so I think even though they were casted together for their friendship, sometimes it's a little difficult to actually see them romantically because of this. However, they both did a great job acting in their roles, and Xincheng does incredible work at the "lovesick puppy" trope, while Yuwen is an extremely strong character who strategically navigates very difficult problems and conflicts of interest in her workplace. I think why some are not as fond of the plot is because there is a lot of subtleness in this drama; words and actions that other characters say which reveal hidden intentions, longing glances and expressions, and never an explosive event or situation much like real life.

All in all, if you want a very cozy, slow watch that is very realistic, and you really like these characters and their interactions, I think it's a great drama! You will be disappointed however if you aren't interested in these themes, and I'd recommend you skip if you want something more fluffy and light or if you want something story-focused instead.

THERE ARE NO DOGS IN THE SHOW?!?! I'm actually dying laughing because that was the central theme in the manga; Isumi meets and reaches out to Amasawa because he really loves Amasawa's dog, but he can't own a dog himself because he's a struggling college student. I'm actually so sad they took away all of the dog references and only left it in name; it was such a big part of the manga!

The actual manga is also extremely, extremely fluffy, so in some ways if it is very slice-of-life it's quite consistent with the original storyline (although it's a shame to hear about the low production values). I think what was unique about it was that Amasawa was drawn slightly differently from an "ikemen-style" BL lead, that is he was quite muscular, rough-and-tumble, and did not have a "beautiful" appearance but rather a more rugged look. I haven't watched the drama yet, but the manga also had a very heavy focus on dogs; that is they both bond together because of Amasawa's german shepherd (which he resembles), while Isumi is always compared to a Shiba Inu (small, very cute, and feisty, with a stubborn streak).

Whoever decided to cast Yuwen and Xincheng did an amazing job; it's hilarious that they decided to use their real-life childhood photos as actual promo for the drama. Yuwen jokes that she tells her parents, "mom, dad, I have a kiss scene with Xincheng!" and how awkwardly everyone reacts to it.

For context, Yuwen and Xincheng are real-life childhood friends because their moms have been close to each other since they were very young. You can see how they're very close in some of the variety shows they've filmed and some of their interviews. In some ways, their agencies and their PR have done an incredible job; the general public went from not knowing they even knew each other to discovering that they were actually quite close (a real life "mom's friend's son") with perfect timing for their upcoming drama together.

It's been extremely interesting watching Moon Sang Min's choice of scripts, mostly because I think they've always ended up not really panning out despite the fact that it's clear he (and his team) are selecting romcom projects primarily to continue building his fanbase.

The projects he's chosen technically have all the qualities of being potentially great for ratings (e.g. Wedding Impossible was a very famous Webtoon that was ripe for adaptation, while for Cinderella at 2 AM Shin Hyun Been is a fantastic actress and it was high time that she led a romcom of her own). I really don't think Sang Min has been able to display his acting range in the same way as he did with his Baeksang-awarded performance in Under the Queen's Umbrella, and I wonder if he's going to continue choosing romcoms that technically should be quite popular, but instead have been overshadowed by other airing series instead.

In some ways he's being typecasted as the ML of very lukewarm romcoms, and I'd be quite surprised if his next project continues to be a similar role or if he decides to work on a different genre instead. Of course, actors don't get to choose their scripts all the time and they are often sent scripts directly, but I do think it's interesting that his potential seems to be relegated to relatively mediocre projects.

Ironically, the most interesting project that he's done this year isn't an acting one; rather, it's his decision to be a Music Bank host with Eunchae given how apparently the MC selection process is quite difficult and rigorous. I hope that his next project continues to be better, but I agree that So Jin and Yoon Park's chemistry here is really overshadowing both Hyun Been and Sang Min's (and honestly it's also high time that both of them also were leads in romcoms of their own).

I really, really feel like Fan Zhi Xin is on the cusp of a big break. He is immensely talented despite his age and his acting is natural and fantastic. In some ways it's quite surprising that despite the fact that he only debuted in 2020, he lacks that awkwardness or that transition phase that some newer actors have when they start headlining projects (perhaps it's because he's had a lot of experience in side roles and as an extra in other shows).

It's really smart for him to take on a bunch of supporting acts and shorter dramas where he can really show off the incredible range of his acting. I already had my eye on him in Present, Is Present, when he did an amazing job as a character who had both "villain-like" and "puppy-like" sides, and all of his acting choices (even as the main lead) often feature characters that are quite different and distinct from each other. I really hope that eventually he headlines a large budget script; he's very good at convincing his audience with his performances, and making what (could potentially) be a very cringey and melodramatic script into something believable through his acting.