7
20
3
This review may contain spoilers
To Break Free From The Cage
"Reborn," adapted from the novel 'Huan Yu', unfolds its story with a somber and atmospheric tone. It explores heavy themes, primarily focusing on the main characters whose lives are shaped and burdened by the unresolved traumas of their past. At its core, it examines the struggle to escape the lingering grip of memory, guilt, and loss, told through morally grey characters and layered storytelling. The drama raises the question: does confronting the truth lead to liberation, or are some doors to the past best left closed? It is a slow-burning exploration of identity, consequence, and the emotional cost of seeking freedom from a painful past.
STORYLINE₊ ⊹❅
The early episodes of the drama are well-paced and pulled me in right away. The story presents itself wrapped in layers of mystery, and I found myself genuinely curious about the characters—especially the main protagonist, Qiao Qingyu, and her family. Following her journey in the first part was engaging, as I tried to understand the emotional distance and coldness from her mother, who constantly limited her freedom.
Although I admit, as the episodes progress, it does become more frustrating to watch. The drama starts diving deeper into heavy and emotionally draining topics, which can feel overwhelming at times. While there are a few attempts at lighthearted moments, they are short-lived and don’t really provide much balance. Instead of easing the tension, things only continue to get gloomier as the plot unfolds. While this tone does fit the drama's themes, it felt overwhelming for me as there weren't much emotional relief provided.
It didn't help that almost everyone Qiao Qingyu encountered either had bad intentions or looked down on her. Even her own family, the Qiao clan, was hard to like. Also, it was disappointing to see her parents placing so much value on maintaining ties with that toxic family, despite clearly seeing signs of their toxicity. They seemed more concerned with preserving blood relations than confronting the truth. Most especially her dad, who remained too obedient towards the Qiao clan.
The second half of the drama is where things started to lose my interest. I initially expected this part to focus on Qiao Qingyu's personal growth; how she would triumph above the painful past of her family and their struggles. However, it shifted even more towards Qiao Beiyu's story and their parents. I felt that they dragged on Qiao Beiyu's story too much as they keep adding too many twists towards the truth behind the real cause of her death.
The romance is clearly not the main focus of the drama, even though there was noticeable chemistry between the main leads. Unfortunately, the story didn’t delve deeper into this aspect, so their romantic development ended up feeling superficial to me.
As for the ending, it felt both satisfying and unsatisfying. It was satisfying in the sense that Qiao Qingyu and her family finally found closure regarding Qiao Beiyu’s death. They were able to break free from the emotional cage that had haunted them for so long and sever ties with the toxic Qiao family. However, it was also unsatisfying—Qiao Qingyu’s reunion with Ming Sheng felt too brief, especially after everything they had been through.
The cinematography matched the mood of the drama and added to its overall gloominess and emotional weight.
CHARACTERS & ACTING₊ ⊹❅
Zhang Jingyi as Qiao Qingyu
Qiao Qingyu may have been just a teenage girl, but she stood out as the most courageous member of her family. I appreciated how her character was written, firm and determined in seeking justice, yet still given moments where she would doubt her choices and be vulnerable. These moments highlighted her quiet strength and resilience.
Zhang Jingyi delivered a memorable performance as Qiao Qingyu. She captured the character’s emotional complexity well that I found it easy to connect with her. Her facial expressions, especially, conveyed so much depth and feeling. I thought she was wonderful in this role.
Zhou Yiran as Ming Sheng
Ming Sheng was a character who had his moments, especially because he was always there for Qiao Qingyu. However, I felt that his role was mostly limited to being a supportive presence rather than having his own fully developed arc. His personal story wasn’t explored in much depth. Although, I still did liked his character. He came across as mature and dependable, but with a hint of a rebellious and youthful spirit underneath. It made him quite endearing, and I love how he tried to always be there for Qiao Qingyu.
Zhou Yiran’s performance as Ming Sheng was impactful. His microexpressions were subtle but effective, and he really carried the emotional weight of his character’s inner conflict towards his father. Even with limited focus on his storyline, his acting made Ming Sheng shine in his own ways.
OSTs₊ ⊹❅
Unfortunately, I wasn't an overall fan of the songs used in the drama. I could barely remember any of them.
OVERALL IMPRESSION₊ ⊹❅
The drama had its good moments, but overall, i’d say it was decent. I didn’t read the novel, so I went into this without knowing much about the plot. Unfortunately, it didn’t fully meet my expectations. I held on and finished it mainly because I really liked the first half.
This might be enjoyable for those who appreciate emotionally heavy themes. However, it could be a bit challenging for those looking for a balance between the heavy and lighthearted moments, as the tone stays mostly somber throughout.
FAVE SCENES₊ ⊹❅
- All the moments of Qiao Qingyu and Ming Sheng
˖ . ݁❅𝜗𝜚❅. ݁₊
"Some say the person you love is a lighthouse that never goes out at sea. It's a promise in confusion, a constant. It's the light and the hope in the darkness. It points you, day after day, toward true love. And so I walked many roads, but they all led back to you" — Qiao Qingyu
STORYLINE₊ ⊹❅
The early episodes of the drama are well-paced and pulled me in right away. The story presents itself wrapped in layers of mystery, and I found myself genuinely curious about the characters—especially the main protagonist, Qiao Qingyu, and her family. Following her journey in the first part was engaging, as I tried to understand the emotional distance and coldness from her mother, who constantly limited her freedom.
Although I admit, as the episodes progress, it does become more frustrating to watch. The drama starts diving deeper into heavy and emotionally draining topics, which can feel overwhelming at times. While there are a few attempts at lighthearted moments, they are short-lived and don’t really provide much balance. Instead of easing the tension, things only continue to get gloomier as the plot unfolds. While this tone does fit the drama's themes, it felt overwhelming for me as there weren't much emotional relief provided.
It didn't help that almost everyone Qiao Qingyu encountered either had bad intentions or looked down on her. Even her own family, the Qiao clan, was hard to like. Also, it was disappointing to see her parents placing so much value on maintaining ties with that toxic family, despite clearly seeing signs of their toxicity. They seemed more concerned with preserving blood relations than confronting the truth. Most especially her dad, who remained too obedient towards the Qiao clan.
The second half of the drama is where things started to lose my interest. I initially expected this part to focus on Qiao Qingyu's personal growth; how she would triumph above the painful past of her family and their struggles. However, it shifted even more towards Qiao Beiyu's story and their parents. I felt that they dragged on Qiao Beiyu's story too much as they keep adding too many twists towards the truth behind the real cause of her death.
The romance is clearly not the main focus of the drama, even though there was noticeable chemistry between the main leads. Unfortunately, the story didn’t delve deeper into this aspect, so their romantic development ended up feeling superficial to me.
As for the ending, it felt both satisfying and unsatisfying. It was satisfying in the sense that Qiao Qingyu and her family finally found closure regarding Qiao Beiyu’s death. They were able to break free from the emotional cage that had haunted them for so long and sever ties with the toxic Qiao family. However, it was also unsatisfying—Qiao Qingyu’s reunion with Ming Sheng felt too brief, especially after everything they had been through.
The cinematography matched the mood of the drama and added to its overall gloominess and emotional weight.
CHARACTERS & ACTING₊ ⊹❅
Zhang Jingyi as Qiao Qingyu
Qiao Qingyu may have been just a teenage girl, but she stood out as the most courageous member of her family. I appreciated how her character was written, firm and determined in seeking justice, yet still given moments where she would doubt her choices and be vulnerable. These moments highlighted her quiet strength and resilience.
Zhang Jingyi delivered a memorable performance as Qiao Qingyu. She captured the character’s emotional complexity well that I found it easy to connect with her. Her facial expressions, especially, conveyed so much depth and feeling. I thought she was wonderful in this role.
Zhou Yiran as Ming Sheng
Ming Sheng was a character who had his moments, especially because he was always there for Qiao Qingyu. However, I felt that his role was mostly limited to being a supportive presence rather than having his own fully developed arc. His personal story wasn’t explored in much depth. Although, I still did liked his character. He came across as mature and dependable, but with a hint of a rebellious and youthful spirit underneath. It made him quite endearing, and I love how he tried to always be there for Qiao Qingyu.
Zhou Yiran’s performance as Ming Sheng was impactful. His microexpressions were subtle but effective, and he really carried the emotional weight of his character’s inner conflict towards his father. Even with limited focus on his storyline, his acting made Ming Sheng shine in his own ways.
OSTs₊ ⊹❅
Unfortunately, I wasn't an overall fan of the songs used in the drama. I could barely remember any of them.
OVERALL IMPRESSION₊ ⊹❅
The drama had its good moments, but overall, i’d say it was decent. I didn’t read the novel, so I went into this without knowing much about the plot. Unfortunately, it didn’t fully meet my expectations. I held on and finished it mainly because I really liked the first half.
This might be enjoyable for those who appreciate emotionally heavy themes. However, it could be a bit challenging for those looking for a balance between the heavy and lighthearted moments, as the tone stays mostly somber throughout.
FAVE SCENES₊ ⊹❅
- All the moments of Qiao Qingyu and Ming Sheng
˖ . ݁❅𝜗𝜚❅. ݁₊
"Some say the person you love is a lighthouse that never goes out at sea. It's a promise in confusion, a constant. It's the light and the hope in the darkness. It points you, day after day, toward true love. And so I walked many roads, but they all led back to you" — Qiao Qingyu
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