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The Ingenious One (season 1) review

After 15 years of training by the mysterious Yun Tai sect, Yun Xiang leaves to seek revenge for his massacred family.

What he lacks in martial arts skills, he compensates by his huge intellect and ability to manipulate people to fulfill his plans. On his journey, he meets several people who would become his friends: Shu Yanan, a fierce female warrior, Jin Biao a master swordsman for hire, Su Ming Yu, a rich kid with martial arts skills and dreams of wandering around the jianghu like a hero.

As Yun Xiang investigates what happened to his village, he discovers frightening secrets, and realises that things are not what they seem, including Yuntai itself.

I had a lot of hope for this drama, so much so that I delayed watching it. Let me explain: sometimes there is a drama that you know you will love, but you worry it won’t be as good as you think. You delay watching it, hoping that somehow the disappointment won’t be so great.

Anyway, I am glad to report that The Ingenious One met all my expectations and then some. It had a lot of things going for it:

1. Great actors
2. Great fighting choreography
3. An absorbing storyline

It did stumble a bit towards the middle and the end, but it was a very slight trip and nothing that derailed the drama completely. I watched every episode with great interest and bated breath because it was that good.

The characters

• Yun Xiang (played by Chen Xiao): A disciple of the Yuntai Sect seeking vengeance for his annihilated clan. As he does not have any martial arts skills, he uses his wits to manipulate human hearts and strategize against hidden threats.
• Shu Yanan (played by Mao Xiaotong): A female warrior who joins his mission to navigate the dangerous undercurrents of the martial world and uphold justice.
• Su Mingyu (played by Tang Xiaotian): An rich young master with ambitions to be a hero in the jianghu.
• Ke Menglan (played by Xu Lingyue): A female gambling hall owner. She becomes one of Yun Xiang’s trusted companions, standing with the group to unveil the dark secrets of the past.
• Jin Shiliang / Jinbiao (played by Liu Guanlin): A fighter for hire who initially acts as Yun Xiang’s bodyguard but eventually becomes one of his most loyal friends.
• Mo Bufan (played by Peng Bo): A Yuntai disciple and a bank owner, Mo shares one thing in common with Yun Xiang: He may be a Yuntai disciple, but he has a heart.

What I liked

• The acting is stellar, of course, with Chen Xiao and all the other actors in the group. Everything was wonderful.
• The villains are very unique. Our team has a couple of big bads to take down every few episodes or so, and some of them are actually very intriguing and multi-layered.
• In every wuxia, the fight choreography is key. I am happy to report that it is actually really good and very fun to watch. Our heroes all look the part and feel like badass fighters.
• The team dynamics. In dramas like this, where a group of people find each other, that is a very classic wuxia trope. Whether the drama succeeds or not depends on the dynamics of the team and whether they can gel well together or are intriguing. In our drama, there is enough push and pull between the characters to make it fascinating to watch. Our characters don’t trust each other immediately; they all have their own agendas and are trying to suss each other out. This creates enough tension to keep things interesting for quite a while.
• The script is also very tight. While it doesn’t happen every time, most episodes end with a great urge to watch the next, providing enough momentum to propel the drama forward. Of course, towards the middle part, when everyone is finally trusting each other and they consider each other brothers, there will be a spanner or two thrown in the works to increase the tension. The writers understand that pretty well and knew exactly what to do.
  

What I didn’t like

As for the bad, honestly, I found very little to criticise. There were a couple of episodes where it felt as if it dragged a bit too long, but it wasn’t frequent enough to be a real bother. Other than that, there is very little to complain about with The Ingenious One.

What do I think about the ending?

Although I found the revelation of the Yuntai leader a little bit predictable—or maybe I’ve just seen these things coming because I’ve watched so many Chinese dramas—it is still very devastating for our hero. 
So many characters that we love end up perishing due to the high stakes. Because of how well they established the people in the team, it is really difficult to let them go. However, it is all very logical and meaningful, and I do love the ending. I love that the writers were not afraid to go there with some characters, but I did find Jin Biao’s resurrection a little convenient, though some clues were given that he did survive.

Final rating: 4 out of 5

A classic wuxia tale; if you’re a wuxia lover, you may just enjoy this!

I can’t wait for season two, which is going to come out soon, hopefully this year.

The Ingenious One (season 1) review

After 15 years of training by the mysterious Yun Tai sect, Yun Xiang leaves to seek revenge for his massacred family.

What he lacks in martial arts skills, he compensates by his huge intellect and ability to manipulate people to fulfill his plans. On his journey, he meets several people who would become his friends: Shu Yanan, a fierce female warrior, Jin Biao a master swordsman for hire, Su Ming Yu, a rich kid with martial arts skills and dreams of wandering around the jianghu like a hero.

As Yun Xiang investigates what happened to his village, he discovers frightening secrets, and realises that things are not what they seem, including Yuntai itself.

I had a lot of hope for this drama, so much so that I delayed watching it. Let me explain: sometimes there is a drama that you know you will love, but you worry it won’t be as good as you think. You delay watching it, hoping that somehow the disappointment won’t be so great.

Anyway, I am glad to report that The Ingenious One met all my expectations and then some. It had a lot of things going for it:

1. Great actors
2. Great fighting choreography
3. An absorbing storyline

It did stumble a bit towards the middle and the end, but it was a very slight trip and nothing that derailed the drama completely. I watched every episode with great interest and bated breath because it was that good.

The characters

• Yun Xiang (played by Chen Xiao): A disciple of the Yuntai Sect seeking vengeance for his annihilated clan. As he does not have any martial arts skills, he uses his wits to manipulate human hearts and strategize against hidden threats.
• Shu Yanan (played by Mao Xiaotong): A female warrior who joins his mission to navigate the dangerous undercurrents of the martial world and uphold justice.
• Su Mingyu (played by Tang Xiaotian): An rich young master with ambitions to be a hero in the jianghu.
• Ke Menglan (played by Xu Lingyue): A female gambling hall owner. She becomes one of Yun Xiang’s trusted companions, standing with the group to unveil the dark secrets of the past.
• Jin Shiliang / Jinbiao (played by Liu Guanlin): A fighter for hire who initially acts as Yun Xiang’s bodyguard but eventually becomes one of his most loyal friends.
• Mo Bufan (played by Peng Bo): A Yuntai disciple and a bank owner, Mo shares one thing in common with Yun Xiang: He may be a Yuntai disciple, but he has a heart.

What I liked

• The acting is stellar, of course, with Chen Xiao and all the other actors in the group. Everything was wonderful.
• The villains are very unique. Our team has a couple of big bads to take down every few episodes or so, and some of them are actually very intriguing and multi-layered.
• In every wuxia, the fight choreography is key. I am happy to report that it is actually really good and very fun to watch. Our heroes all look the part and feel like badass fighters.
• The team dynamics. In dramas like this, where a group of people find each other, that is a very classic wuxia trope. Whether the drama succeeds or not depends on the dynamics of the team and whether they can gel well together or are intriguing. In our drama, there is enough push and pull between the characters to make it fascinating to watch. Our characters don’t trust each other immediately; they all have their own agendas and are trying to suss each other out. This creates enough tension to keep things interesting for quite a while.
• The script is also very tight. While it doesn’t happen every time, most episodes end with a great urge to watch the next, providing enough momentum to propel the drama forward. Of course, towards the middle part, when everyone is finally trusting each other and they consider each other brothers, there will be a spanner or two thrown in the works to increase the tension. The writers understand that pretty well and knew exactly what to do.
  

What I didn’t like

As for the bad, honestly, I found very little to criticise. There were a couple of episodes where it felt as if it dragged a bit too long, but it wasn’t frequent enough to be a real bother. Other than that, there is very little to complain about with The Ingenious One.

What do I think about the ending?

Although I found the revelation of the Yuntai leader a little bit predictable—or maybe I’ve just seen these things coming because I’ve watched so many Chinese dramas—it is still very devastating for our hero. 
So many characters that we love end up perishing due to the high stakes. Because of how well they established the people in the team, it is really difficult to let them go. However, it is all very logical and meaningful, and I do love the ending. I love that the writers were not afraid to go there with some characters, but I did find Jin Biao’s resurrection a little convenient, though some clues were given that he did survive.

Final rating: 4 out of 5

A classic wuxia tale; if you’re a wuxia lover, you may just enjoy this!

I can’t wait for season two, which is going to come out soon, hopefully this year.

The Ingenious One (season 1) review

After 15 years of training by the mysterious Yun Tai sect, Yun Xiang leaves to seek revenge for his massacred family.

What he lacks in martial arts skills, he compensates by his huge intellect and ability to manipulate people to fulfill his plans. On his journey, he meets several people who would become his friends: Shu Yanan, a fierce female warrior, Jin Biao a master swordsman for hire, Su Ming Yu, a rich kid with martial arts skills and dreams of wandering around the jianghu like a hero.

As Yun Xiang investigates what happened to his village, he discovers frightening secrets, and realises that things are not what they seem, including Yuntai itself.

I had a lot of hope for this drama, so much so that I delayed watching it. Let me explain: sometimes there is a drama that you know you will love, but you worry it won’t be as good as you think. You delay watching it, hoping that somehow the disappointment won’t be so great.

Anyway, I am glad to report that The Ingenious One met all my expectations and then some. It had a lot of things going for it:

1. Great actors
2. Great fighting choreography
3. An absorbing storyline

It did stumble a bit towards the middle and the end, but it was a very slight trip and nothing that derailed the drama completely. I watched every episode with great interest and bated breath because it was that good.

The characters

• Yun Xiang (played by Chen Xiao): A disciple of the Yuntai Sect seeking vengeance for his annihilated clan. As he does not have any martial arts skills, he uses his wits to manipulate human hearts and strategize against hidden threats.
• Shu Yanan (played by Mao Xiaotong): A female warrior who joins his mission to navigate the dangerous undercurrents of the martial world and uphold justice.
• Su Mingyu (played by Tang Xiaotian): An rich young master with ambitions to be a hero in the jianghu.
• Ke Menglan (played by Xu Lingyue): A female gambling hall owner. She becomes one of Yun Xiang’s trusted companions, standing with the group to unveil the dark secrets of the past.
• Jin Shiliang / Jinbiao (played by Liu Guanlin): A fighter for hire who initially acts as Yun Xiang’s bodyguard but eventually becomes one of his most loyal friends.
• Mo Bufan (played by Peng Bo): A Yuntai disciple and a bank owner, Mo shares one thing in common with Yun Xiang: He may be a Yuntai disciple, but he has a heart.

What I liked

• The acting is stellar, of course, with Chen Xiao and all the other actors in the group. Everything was wonderful.
• The villains are very unique. Our team has a couple of big bads to take down every few episodes or so, and some of them are actually very intriguing and multi-layered.
• In every wuxia, the fight choreography is key. I am happy to report that it is actually really good and very fun to watch. Our heroes all look the part and feel like badass fighters.
• The team dynamics. In dramas like this, where a group of people find each other, that is a very classic wuxia trope. Whether the drama succeeds or not depends on the dynamics of the team and whether they can gel well together or are intriguing. In our drama, there is enough push and pull between the characters to make it fascinating to watch. Our characters don’t trust each other immediately; they all have their own agendas and are trying to suss each other out. This creates enough tension to keep things interesting for quite a while.
• The script is also very tight. While it doesn’t happen every time, most episodes end with a great urge to watch the next, providing enough momentum to propel the drama forward. Of course, towards the middle part, when everyone is finally trusting each other and they consider each other brothers, there will be a spanner or two thrown in the works to increase the tension. The writers understand that pretty well and knew exactly what to do.
  

What I didn’t like

As for the bad, honestly, I found very little to criticise. There were a couple of episodes where it felt as if it dragged a bit too long, but it wasn’t frequent enough to be a real bother. Other than that, there is very little to complain about with The Ingenious One.

What do I think about the ending?

Although I found the revelation of the Yuntai leader a little bit predictable—or maybe I’ve just seen these things coming because I’ve watched so many Chinese dramas—it is still very devastating for our hero. 
So many characters that we love end up perishing due to the high stakes. Because of how well they established the people in the team, it is really difficult to let them go. However, it is all very logical and meaningful, and I do love the ending. I love that the writers were not afraid to go there with some characters, but I did find Jin Biao’s resurrection a little convenient, though some clues were given that he did survive.

Final rating: 4 out of 5

A classic wuxia tale; if you’re a wuxia lover, you may just enjoy this!

I can’t wait for season two, which is going to come out soon, hopefully this year.

The Ingenious One (season 1) review

After 15 years of training by the mysterious Yun Tai sect, Yun Xiang leaves to seek revenge for his massacred family.

What he lacks in martial arts skills, he compensates by his huge intellect and ability to manipulate people to fulfill his plans. On his journey, he meets several people who would become his friends: Shu Yanan, a fierce female warrior, Jin Biao a master swordsman for hire, Su Ming Yu, a rich kid with martial arts skills and dreams of wandering around the jianghu like a hero.

As Yun Xiang investigates what happened to his village, he discovers frightening secrets, and realises that things are not what they seem, including Yuntai itself.

I had a lot of hope for this drama, so much so that I delayed watching it. Let me explain: sometimes there is a drama that you know you will love, but you worry it won’t be as good as you think. You delay watching it, hoping that somehow the disappointment won’t be so great.

Anyway, I am glad to report that The Ingenious One met all my expectations and then some. It had a lot of things going for it:

1. Great actors
2. Great fighting choreography
3. An absorbing storyline

It did stumble a bit towards the middle and the end, but it was a very slight trip and nothing that derailed the drama completely. I watched every episode with great interest and bated breath because it was that good.

The characters

• Yun Xiang (played by Chen Xiao): A disciple of the Yuntai Sect seeking vengeance for his annihilated clan. As he does not have any martial arts skills, he uses his wits to manipulate human hearts and strategize against hidden threats.
• Shu Yanan (played by Mao Xiaotong): A female warrior who joins his mission to navigate the dangerous undercurrents of the martial world and uphold justice.
• Su Mingyu (played by Tang Xiaotian): An rich young master with ambitions to be a hero in the jianghu.
• Ke Menglan (played by Xu Lingyue): A female gambling hall owner. She becomes one of Yun Xiang’s trusted companions, standing with the group to unveil the dark secrets of the past.
• Jin Shiliang / Jinbiao (played by Liu Guanlin): A fighter for hire who initially acts as Yun Xiang’s bodyguard but eventually becomes one of his most loyal friends.
• Mo Bufan (played by Peng Bo): A Yuntai disciple and a bank owner, Mo shares one thing in common with Yun Xiang: He may be a Yuntai disciple, but he has a heart.

What I liked

• The acting is stellar, of course, with Chen Xiao and all the other actors in the group. Everything was wonderful.
• The villains are very unique. Our team has a couple of big bads to take down every few episodes or so, and some of them are actually very intriguing and multi-layered.
• In every wuxia, the fight choreography is key. I am happy to report that it is actually really good and very fun to watch. Our heroes all look the part and feel like badass fighters.
• The team dynamics. In dramas like this, where a group of people find each other, that is a very classic wuxia trope. Whether the drama succeeds or not depends on the dynamics of the team and whether they can gel well together or are intriguing. In our drama, there is enough push and pull between the characters to make it fascinating to watch. Our characters don’t trust each other immediately; they all have their own agendas and are trying to suss each other out. This creates enough tension to keep things interesting for quite a while.
• The script is also very tight. While it doesn’t happen every time, most episodes end with a great urge to watch the next, providing enough momentum to propel the drama forward. Of course, towards the middle part, when everyone is finally trusting each other and they consider each other brothers, there will be a spanner or two thrown in the works to increase the tension. The writers understand that pretty well and knew exactly what to do.
  

What I didn’t like

As for the bad, honestly, I found very little to criticise. There were a couple of episodes where it felt as if it dragged a bit too long, but it wasn’t frequent enough to be a real bother. Other than that, there is very little to complain about with The Ingenious One.

What do I think about the ending?

Although I found the revelation of the Yuntai leader a little bit predictable—or maybe I’ve just seen these things coming because I’ve watched so many Chinese dramas—it is still very devastating for our hero. 
So many characters that we love end up perishing due to the high stakes. Because of how well they established the people in the team, it is really difficult to let them go. However, it is all very logical and meaningful, and I do love the ending. I love that the writers were not afraid to go there with some characters, but I did find Jin Biao’s resurrection a little convenient, though some clues were given that he did survive.

Final rating: 4 out of 5

A classic wuxia tale; if you’re a wuxia lover, you may just enjoy this!

I can’t wait for season two, which is going to come out soon, hopefully this year.

The Ingenious One (season 1) review

After 15 years of training by the mysterious Yun Tai sect, Yun Xiang leaves to seek revenge for his massacred family.

What he lacks in martial arts skills, he compensates by his huge intellect and ability to manipulate people to fulfill his plans. On his journey, he meets several people who would become his friends: Shu Yanan, a fierce female warrior, Jin Biao a master swordsman for hire, Su Ming Yu, a rich kid with martial arts skills and dreams of wandering around the jianghu like a hero.

As Yun Xiang investigates what happened to his village, he discovers frightening secrets, and realises that things are not what they seem, including Yuntai itself.

I had a lot of hope for this drama, so much so that I delayed watching it. Let me explain: sometimes there is a drama that you know you will love, but you worry it won’t be as good as you think. You delay watching it, hoping that somehow the disappointment won’t be so great.

Anyway, I am glad to report that The Ingenious One met all my expectations and then some. It had a lot of things going for it:

1. Great actors
2. Great fighting choreography
3. An absorbing storyline

It did stumble a bit towards the middle and the end, but it was a very slight trip and nothing that derailed the drama completely. I watched every episode with great interest and bated breath because it was that good.

The characters

• Yun Xiang (played by Chen Xiao): A disciple of the Yuntai Sect seeking vengeance for his annihilated clan. As he does not have any martial arts skills, he uses his wits to manipulate human hearts and strategize against hidden threats.
• Shu Yanan (played by Mao Xiaotong): A female warrior who joins his mission to navigate the dangerous undercurrents of the martial world and uphold justice.
• Su Mingyu (played by Tang Xiaotian): An rich young master with ambitions to be a hero in the jianghu.
• Ke Menglan (played by Xu Lingyue): A female gambling hall owner. She becomes one of Yun Xiang’s trusted companions, standing with the group to unveil the dark secrets of the past.
• Jin Shiliang / Jinbiao (played by Liu Guanlin): A fighter for hire who initially acts as Yun Xiang’s bodyguard but eventually becomes one of his most loyal friends.
• Mo Bufan (played by Peng Bo): A Yuntai disciple and a bank owner, Mo shares one thing in common with Yun Xiang: He may be a Yuntai disciple, but he has a heart.

What I liked

• The acting is stellar, of course, with Chen Xiao and all the other actors in the group. Everything was wonderful.
• The villains are very unique. Our team has a couple of big bads to take down every few episodes or so, and some of them are actually very intriguing and multi-layered.
• In every wuxia, the fight choreography is key. I am happy to report that it is actually really good and very fun to watch. Our heroes all look the part and feel like badass fighters.
• The team dynamics. In dramas like this, where a group of people find each other, that is a very classic wuxia trope. Whether the drama succeeds or not depends on the dynamics of the team and whether they can gel well together or are intriguing. In our drama, there is enough push and pull between the characters to make it fascinating to watch. Our characters don’t trust each other immediately; they all have their own agendas and are trying to suss each other out. This creates enough tension to keep things interesting for quite a while.
• The script is also very tight. While it doesn’t happen every time, most episodes end with a great urge to watch the next, providing enough momentum to propel the drama forward. Of course, towards the middle part, when everyone is finally trusting each other and they consider each other brothers, there will be a spanner or two thrown in the works to increase the tension. The writers understand that pretty well and knew exactly what to do.
  

What I didn’t like

As for the bad, honestly, I found very little to criticise. There were a couple of episodes where it felt as if it dragged a bit too long, but it wasn’t frequent enough to be a real bother. Other than that, there is very little to complain about with The Ingenious One.

What do I think about the ending?

Although I found the revelation of the Yuntai leader a little bit predictable—or maybe I’ve just seen these things coming because I’ve watched so many Chinese dramas—it is still very devastating for our hero. 
So many characters that we love end up perishing due to the high stakes. Because of how well they established the people in the team, it is really difficult to let them go. However, it is all very logical and meaningful, and I do love the ending. I love that the writers were not afraid to go there with some characters, but I did find Jin Biao’s resurrection a little convenient, though some clues were given that he did survive.

Final rating: 4 out of 5

A classic wuxia tale; if you’re a wuxia lover, you may just enjoy this!

I can’t wait for season two, which is going to come out soon, hopefully this year.

The First Jasmine review

Ye Li, the granddaughter of the venerable Lingshan academy’s headmaster, descends from the mountain. The mountain has been sealed off by the order of the Dowager Empress, and she has only been allowed to leave after almost a decade because she was going to be engaged to the Prince of Ding, Mo Xiuyao.

The prince, however, is disabled from war. He’s bitter, out of favour and certainly not looking forward to beingg wed. In all appearances, Ye Li got the short end of the stick, but she turns her fate around and brings light to his household. However, she has deeper plans than being the best wife to Xiuyao…

The characters

Ye Li (played by Bai Lu): A descendant of the Lishan clan who marries into the fallen household of the Prince of Ding. Beneath her unremarkable surface, she methodically plans revenge against the court officials responsible for harming her clan.

Mo Xiuyao (played by Cheng Lei): The Prince of Ding, a wheelchair-bound man carrying deep family trauma who is pursuing his own path of vengeance.

Mo Jing Li (played by Cai Zheng Jie): The Prince of Li and Ye Li’s childhood sweetheart who operates from the shadows.

The Empress Dowager: An exceptionally capable former top student of the Li Shan Academy who rules the empire with an iron fist.

Ye Ying (played by Yang Shu Yi): Ye Li’s sister and the second female lead of the drama.

Mu Yang Hou: A ruthless marquis from the older generation of court officials and responsible for much of Ye Li and Xiuyao’s suffering.

What I liked

• The “show, don’t tell” approach: I absolutely love that the director and screenwriter relied on emotional restraint. Instead of spoon-feeding us with long, tedious monologues or voice-overs to explain a character’s fears, they trusted the audience’s intelligence. For instance, there is a simple scene where Ye Li runs through the pouring rain toward a carriage; not a word is spoken but it beautifully reveals Ye Li’s raw vulnerability without a single word spoken.
• Complex, layered characters: Zhou Na, who has written dramas I loved such as Feud and A Moment But Forever, is a master at character-driven stories. She builds every character with care, even the side characters, making them deeply memorable. Because she doesn’t overly explain their motivations, it gives us free rein to interpret their actions, which makes discussing the show so much fun!
• Bai Lu’s Standout Performance: For me, this is hands-down the most interesting and unique character Bai Lu has played to date. Here, she completely breaks away from the accusations that she always plays the same types of roles.
• A deeply moving journey: I am so incredibly satisfied with the emotional payoff. The show hooks you with an intriguing mystery and great character growth, and I found myself profoundly moved by the episodes, especially as we got closer to the end.
• I love the slow burn romance between Ye Li and Xiuyao.
• Love is shown as devotion: This may be a tiny bit of spoiler – many modern CDramas have a lot of kissing and skinship scenes. The First Jasmine leans heavily to the conservative side, so much so that I find myself gnashing at the lip for more “action”. However, I also loved that love is shown as acts of devotion and care – feeding your loved one soup, supporting him as he walked.
  

What I Didn’t Like

• Initial “Mary Sue” vibes: At the very beginning of the drama, I was actually quite confused by the female lead, Ye Li. She appeared so strong, overly capable, and multi-talented that I felt she was edging dangerously close to traditional “Mary Sue” territory. While this heartbreak is beautifully resolved once the truth about her situation is finally revealed to the audience, it was confusing at first. Those who didn’t stay around long would’ve missed a precious emotional payoff.
• Inexplicable behaviour of Xiuran: There was a moment in the drama where Xiuran’s behaviour defied logic. He came off as ungrateful, unnecessarily cruel and self-absorbed. Although he repented pretty quickly, it felt like the writing wobbled quite a bit there as it went against his character.

Additional thoughts

The acting is pretty good here

To date, this is probably Bai Lu’s most complex and interesting character, and likely her best work. While I don’t watch enough of her dramas to say that for certain—and I usually find her performances just okay—this one has really levelled up.

Bai Lu and Cheng Lei both do their own voiceover dubbing here, which is great because it adds to the emotional resonance of the drama. Bai Lu has significantly improved her emotional delivery; she used to sound quite robotic in previous attempts, such as Story of Kunning Palace, but she is so much better here.

A meditative drama that should be savoured

This is not the kind of drama you should watch live. It requires a lot of patience, and if you watch it as it airs, you will probably think the pacing is extremely slow. However, I feel this is one of a dying breed of dramas where time is taken to explore characters at a steady, leisurely pace. This enables us to appreciate the turn of events when revelations arrive toward the end.

At first, this may seem like a typical revenge flick, and you may think you know where the story is going, but the most worthwhile part is the journey of character development from the first episode to the last, especially Ye Li’s.

Ye Li may feel odd or “off” at first, and you’d probably think that her character being distant is Bai Lu being wooden or she’s written to be perfect like a Mary Sue. But as revelations come, you will totally understand. When you look back at those early scenes, you realise exactly why Ye Li was behaving that way.

Prince Li’s story is … underdeveloped

Beware of slight spoilers
The drama was written by the screenwriter Zhou Na, and even the side characters get fascinating development. However, I have to complain that Prince Li got the short end of the stick:

Theoretically, I understand his motivation as the rightful ruler who wants to take back the throne, but the drama did not develop him as well as it should have.

He could have been a deeply sympathetic character, but his obsession with Ye Li didn’t feel smart. He came off as maudlin.

As a result, you almost think that his motivations are childish and immature; that he just wants things because he feels he has a right to them.

The Empress Dowager is a fascinating character

Beware of slight spoilers

The Empress Dowager is another fascinating character. You understand towards the end why she did what she did. In this world, in Lingshan, she was one of the most capable students. Yet, as a woman, she is confined to the palace harem and subjected to the petty quarrels there. She felt that the only way for her to either survive this environment or elevate herself was through ruthless means.

Throughout the drama, I have always felt that while she is modelled after Wu Zetian, she was never ruthless enough to truly secure her position. Why preserve the lives of Prince Li and Xuyao and still give them positions in court? I feel it is almost her guilty conscience enabling her to do this; I have two theories:

1. Subconsciously, she allowed them to be there so that they would eventually take her down.
2. A part of her wants to be merciful, while another part feels she must be ruthless to ensure proper governance of the country. She’s constantly conflicted between the two.

She justifies a lot of her actions because of that. Was she wrong? Yet, when you look through the lens of history, you realise that so many other rulers have done what she did.  I suppose you can consider her a more human Wu Zetian!

Cheng Lei as Xiuran

Cheng Lei is great as Xiuran, of course. He portrays the prince in a magnetic way, and I enjoyed seeing the development his character got. 

The most interesting thing is how he reacted to the revelations around Ye Li. I loved how love is shown in subtle ways here: not outright kisses and soft-hued room shots, but instead through actions such as his character feeding her soup, doing household chores for her, or just holding her hand and playing along. As much as I love hot scenes, I feel that these tender moments conveyed his character’s deep love for her even more.

The ‘scandal’ that distracted viewers

If there is one thing I truly dislike, it’s the outside noise surrounding the show. It breaks my heart that the drama only managed a 6.3 rating on Douban. I strongly believe the score was unfairly dragged down because Bai Lu was caught up in severe public blowback over crazy “diva” rumours right as the show was airing, which is a massive shame considering the acting improvements she has made and how phenomenal the script is.

Final Rating: 4 out of 5

In a sea of “explosive”, fast-paced dramas – long or short – The First Jasmine is a rare drama that tries to take its time unfolding the stories behind the characters.

The First Jasmine review

Ye Li, the granddaughter of the venerable Lingshan academy’s headmaster, descends from the mountain. The mountain has been sealed off by the order of the Dowager Empress, and she has only been allowed to leave after almost a decade because she was going to be engaged to the Prince of Ding, Mo Xiuyao.

The prince, however, is disabled from war. He’s bitter, out of favour and certainly not looking forward to beingg wed. In all appearances, Ye Li got the short end of the stick, but she turns her fate around and brings light to his household. However, she has deeper plans than being the best wife to Xiuyao…

The characters

Ye Li (played by Bai Lu): A descendant of the Lishan clan who marries into the fallen household of the Prince of Ding. Beneath her unremarkable surface, she methodically plans revenge against the court officials responsible for harming her clan.

Mo Xiuyao (played by Cheng Lei): The Prince of Ding, a wheelchair-bound man carrying deep family trauma who is pursuing his own path of vengeance.

Mo Jing Li (played by Cai Zheng Jie): The Prince of Li and Ye Li’s childhood sweetheart who operates from the shadows.

The Empress Dowager: An exceptionally capable former top student of the Li Shan Academy who rules the empire with an iron fist.

Ye Ying (played by Yang Shu Yi): Ye Li’s sister and the second female lead of the drama.

Mu Yang Hou: A ruthless marquis from the older generation of court officials and responsible for much of Ye Li and Xiuyao’s suffering.

What I liked

• The “show, don’t tell” approach: I absolutely love that the director and screenwriter relied on emotional restraint. Instead of spoon-feeding us with long, tedious monologues or voice-overs to explain a character’s fears, they trusted the audience’s intelligence. For instance, there is a simple scene where Ye Li runs through the pouring rain toward a carriage; not a word is spoken but it beautifully reveals Ye Li’s raw vulnerability without a single word spoken.
• Complex, layered characters: Zhou Na, who has written dramas I loved such as Feud and A Moment But Forever, is a master at character-driven stories. She builds every character with care, even the side characters, making them deeply memorable. Because she doesn’t overly explain their motivations, it gives us free rein to interpret their actions, which makes discussing the show so much fun!
• Bai Lu’s Standout Performance: For me, this is hands-down the most interesting and unique character Bai Lu has played to date. Here, she completely breaks away from the accusations that she always plays the same types of roles.
• A deeply moving journey: I am so incredibly satisfied with the emotional payoff. The show hooks you with an intriguing mystery and great character growth, and I found myself profoundly moved by the episodes, especially as we got closer to the end.
• I love the slow burn romance between Ye Li and Xiuyao.
• Love is shown as devotion: This may be a tiny bit of spoiler – many modern CDramas have a lot of kissing and skinship scenes. The First Jasmine leans heavily to the conservative side, so much so that I find myself gnashing at the lip for more “action”. However, I also loved that love is shown as acts of devotion and care – feeding your loved one soup, supporting him as he walked.
  

What I Didn’t Like

• Initial “Mary Sue” vibes: At the very beginning of the drama, I was actually quite confused by the female lead, Ye Li. She appeared so strong, overly capable, and multi-talented that I felt she was edging dangerously close to traditional “Mary Sue” territory. While this heartbreak is beautifully resolved once the truth about her situation is finally revealed to the audience, it was confusing at first. Those who didn’t stay around long would’ve missed a precious emotional payoff.
• Inexplicable behaviour of Xiuran: There was a moment in the drama where Xiuran’s behaviour defied logic. He came off as ungrateful, unnecessarily cruel and self-absorbed. Although he repented pretty quickly, it felt like the writing wobbled quite a bit there as it went against his character.

Additional thoughts

The acting is pretty good here

To date, this is probably Bai Lu’s most complex and interesting character, and likely her best work. While I don’t watch enough of her dramas to say that for certain—and I usually find her performances just okay—this one has really levelled up.

Bai Lu and Cheng Lei both do their own voiceover dubbing here, which is great because it adds to the emotional resonance of the drama. Bai Lu has significantly improved her emotional delivery; she used to sound quite robotic in previous attempts, such as Story of Kunning Palace, but she is so much better here.

A meditative drama that should be savoured

This is not the kind of drama you should watch live. It requires a lot of patience, and if you watch it as it airs, you will probably think the pacing is extremely slow. However, I feel this is one of a dying breed of dramas where time is taken to explore characters at a steady, leisurely pace. This enables us to appreciate the turn of events when revelations arrive toward the end.

At first, this may seem like a typical revenge flick, and you may think you know where the story is going, but the most worthwhile part is the journey of character development from the first episode to the last, especially Ye Li’s.

Ye Li may feel odd or “off” at first, and you’d probably think that her character being distant is Bai Lu being wooden or she’s written to be perfect like a Mary Sue. But as revelations come, you will totally understand. When you look back at those early scenes, you realise exactly why Ye Li was behaving that way.

Prince Li’s story is … underdeveloped

Beware of slight spoilers
The drama was written by the screenwriter Zhou Na, and even the side characters get fascinating development. However, I have to complain that Prince Li got the short end of the stick:

Theoretically, I understand his motivation as the rightful ruler who wants to take back the throne, but the drama did not develop him as well as it should have.

He could have been a deeply sympathetic character, but his obsession with Ye Li didn’t feel smart. He came off as maudlin.

As a result, you almost think that his motivations are childish and immature; that he just wants things because he feels he has a right to them.

The Empress Dowager is a fascinating character

Beware of slight spoilers

The Empress Dowager is another fascinating character. You understand towards the end why she did what she did. In this world, in Lingshan, she was one of the most capable students. Yet, as a woman, she is confined to the palace harem and subjected to the petty quarrels there. She felt that the only way for her to either survive this environment or elevate herself was through ruthless means.

Throughout the drama, I have always felt that while she is modelled after Wu Zetian, she was never ruthless enough to truly secure her position. Why preserve the lives of Prince Li and Xuyao and still give them positions in court? I feel it is almost her guilty conscience enabling her to do this; I have two theories:

1. Subconsciously, she allowed them to be there so that they would eventually take her down.
2. A part of her wants to be merciful, while another part feels she must be ruthless to ensure proper governance of the country. She’s constantly conflicted between the two.

She justifies a lot of her actions because of that. Was she wrong? Yet, when you look through the lens of history, you realise that so many other rulers have done what she did.  I suppose you can consider her a more human Wu Zetian!

Cheng Lei as Xiuran

Cheng Lei is great as Xiuran, of course. He portrays the prince in a magnetic way, and I enjoyed seeing the development his character got. 

The most interesting thing is how he reacted to the revelations around Ye Li. I loved how love is shown in subtle ways here: not outright kisses and soft-hued room shots, but instead through actions such as his character feeding her soup, doing household chores for her, or just holding her hand and playing along. As much as I love hot scenes, I feel that these tender moments conveyed his character’s deep love for her even more.

The ‘scandal’ that distracted viewers

If there is one thing I truly dislike, it’s the outside noise surrounding the show. It breaks my heart that the drama only managed a 6.3 rating on Douban. I strongly believe the score was unfairly dragged down because Bai Lu was caught up in severe public blowback over crazy “diva” rumours right as the show was airing, which is a massive shame considering the acting improvements she has made and how phenomenal the script is.

Final Rating: 4 out of 5

In a sea of “explosive”, fast-paced dramas – long or short – The First Jasmine is a rare drama that tries to take its time unfolding the stories behind the characters.

The First Jasmine review

Ye Li, the granddaughter of the venerable Lingshan academy’s headmaster, descends from the mountain. The mountain has been sealed off by the order of the Dowager Empress, and she has only been allowed to leave after almost a decade because she was going to be engaged to the Prince of Ding, Mo Xiuyao.

The prince, however, is disabled from war. He’s bitter, out of favour and certainly not looking forward to beingg wed. In all appearances, Ye Li got the short end of the stick, but she turns her fate around and brings light to his household. However, she has deeper plans than being the best wife to Xiuyao…

The characters

Ye Li (played by Bai Lu): A descendant of the Lishan clan who marries into the fallen household of the Prince of Ding. Beneath her unremarkable surface, she methodically plans revenge against the court officials responsible for harming her clan.

Mo Xiuyao (played by Cheng Lei): The Prince of Ding, a wheelchair-bound man carrying deep family trauma who is pursuing his own path of vengeance.

Mo Jing Li (played by Cai Zheng Jie): The Prince of Li and Ye Li’s childhood sweetheart who operates from the shadows.

The Empress Dowager: An exceptionally capable former top student of the Li Shan Academy who rules the empire with an iron fist.

Ye Ying (played by Yang Shu Yi): Ye Li’s sister and the second female lead of the drama.

Mu Yang Hou: A ruthless marquis from the older generation of court officials and responsible for much of Ye Li and Xiuyao’s suffering.

What I liked

• The “show, don’t tell” approach: I absolutely love that the director and screenwriter relied on emotional restraint. Instead of spoon-feeding us with long, tedious monologues or voice-overs to explain a character’s fears, they trusted the audience’s intelligence. For instance, there is a simple scene where Ye Li runs through the pouring rain toward a carriage; not a word is spoken but it beautifully reveals Ye Li’s raw vulnerability without a single word spoken.
• Complex, layered characters: Zhou Na, who has written dramas I loved such as Feud and A Moment But Forever, is a master at character-driven stories. She builds every character with care, even the side characters, making them deeply memorable. Because she doesn’t overly explain their motivations, it gives us free rein to interpret their actions, which makes discussing the show so much fun!
• Bai Lu’s Standout Performance: For me, this is hands-down the most interesting and unique character Bai Lu has played to date. Here, she completely breaks away from the accusations that she always plays the same types of roles.
• A deeply moving journey: I am so incredibly satisfied with the emotional payoff. The show hooks you with an intriguing mystery and great character growth, and I found myself profoundly moved by the episodes, especially as we got closer to the end.
• I love the slow burn romance between Ye Li and Xiuyao.
• Love is shown as devotion: This may be a tiny bit of spoiler – many modern CDramas have a lot of kissing and skinship scenes. The First Jasmine leans heavily to the conservative side, so much so that I find myself gnashing at the lip for more “action”. However, I also loved that love is shown as acts of devotion and care – feeding your loved one soup, supporting him as he walked.
  

What I Didn’t Like

• Initial “Mary Sue” vibes: At the very beginning of the drama, I was actually quite confused by the female lead, Ye Li. She appeared so strong, overly capable, and multi-talented that I felt she was edging dangerously close to traditional “Mary Sue” territory. While this heartbreak is beautifully resolved once the truth about her situation is finally revealed to the audience, it was confusing at first. Those who didn’t stay around long would’ve missed a precious emotional payoff.
• Inexplicable behaviour of Xiuran: There was a moment in the drama where Xiuran’s behaviour defied logic. He came off as ungrateful, unnecessarily cruel and self-absorbed. Although he repented pretty quickly, it felt like the writing wobbled quite a bit there as it went against his character.

Additional thoughts

The acting is pretty good here

To date, this is probably Bai Lu’s most complex and interesting character, and likely her best work. While I don’t watch enough of her dramas to say that for certain—and I usually find her performances just okay—this one has really levelled up.

Bai Lu and Cheng Lei both do their own voiceover dubbing here, which is great because it adds to the emotional resonance of the drama. Bai Lu has significantly improved her emotional delivery; she used to sound quite robotic in previous attempts, such as Story of Kunning Palace, but she is so much better here.

A meditative drama that should be savoured

This is not the kind of drama you should watch live. It requires a lot of patience, and if you watch it as it airs, you will probably think the pacing is extremely slow. However, I feel this is one of a dying breed of dramas where time is taken to explore characters at a steady, leisurely pace. This enables us to appreciate the turn of events when revelations arrive toward the end.

At first, this may seem like a typical revenge flick, and you may think you know where the story is going, but the most worthwhile part is the journey of character development from the first episode to the last, especially Ye Li’s.

Ye Li may feel odd or “off” at first, and you’d probably think that her character being distant is Bai Lu being wooden or she’s written to be perfect like a Mary Sue. But as revelations come, you will totally understand. When you look back at those early scenes, you realise exactly why Ye Li was behaving that way.

Prince Li’s story is … underdeveloped

Beware of slight spoilers
The drama was written by the screenwriter Zhou Na, and even the side characters get fascinating development. However, I have to complain that Prince Li got the short end of the stick:

Theoretically, I understand his motivation as the rightful ruler who wants to take back the throne, but the drama did not develop him as well as it should have.

He could have been a deeply sympathetic character, but his obsession with Ye Li didn’t feel smart. He came off as maudlin.

As a result, you almost think that his motivations are childish and immature; that he just wants things because he feels he has a right to them.

The Empress Dowager is a fascinating character

Beware of slight spoilers

The Empress Dowager is another fascinating character. You understand towards the end why she did what she did. In this world, in Lingshan, she was one of the most capable students. Yet, as a woman, she is confined to the palace harem and subjected to the petty quarrels there. She felt that the only way for her to either survive this environment or elevate herself was through ruthless means.

Throughout the drama, I have always felt that while she is modelled after Wu Zetian, she was never ruthless enough to truly secure her position. Why preserve the lives of Prince Li and Xuyao and still give them positions in court? I feel it is almost her guilty conscience enabling her to do this; I have two theories:

1. Subconsciously, she allowed them to be there so that they would eventually take her down.
2. A part of her wants to be merciful, while another part feels she must be ruthless to ensure proper governance of the country. She’s constantly conflicted between the two.

She justifies a lot of her actions because of that. Was she wrong? Yet, when you look through the lens of history, you realise that so many other rulers have done what she did.  I suppose you can consider her a more human Wu Zetian!

Cheng Lei as Xiuran

Cheng Lei is great as Xiuran, of course. He portrays the prince in a magnetic way, and I enjoyed seeing the development his character got. 

The most interesting thing is how he reacted to the revelations around Ye Li. I loved how love is shown in subtle ways here: not outright kisses and soft-hued room shots, but instead through actions such as his character feeding her soup, doing household chores for her, or just holding her hand and playing along. As much as I love hot scenes, I feel that these tender moments conveyed his character’s deep love for her even more.

The ‘scandal’ that distracted viewers

If there is one thing I truly dislike, it’s the outside noise surrounding the show. It breaks my heart that the drama only managed a 6.3 rating on Douban. I strongly believe the score was unfairly dragged down because Bai Lu was caught up in severe public blowback over crazy “diva” rumours right as the show was airing, which is a massive shame considering the acting improvements she has made and how phenomenal the script is.

Final Rating: 4 out of 5

In a sea of “explosive”, fast-paced dramas – long or short – The First Jasmine is a rare drama that tries to take its time unfolding the stories behind the characters.

The First Jasmine review

Ye Li, the granddaughter of the venerable Lingshan academy’s headmaster, descends from the mountain. The mountain has been sealed off by the order of the Dowager Empress, and she has only been allowed to leave after almost a decade because she was going to be engaged to the Prince of Ding, Mo Xiuyao.

The prince, however, is disabled from war. He’s bitter, out of favour and certainly not looking forward to beingg wed. In all appearances, Ye Li got the short end of the stick, but she turns her fate around and brings light to his household. However, she has deeper plans than being the best wife to Xiuyao…

The characters

Ye Li (played by Bai Lu): A descendant of the Lishan clan who marries into the fallen household of the Prince of Ding. Beneath her unremarkable surface, she methodically plans revenge against the court officials responsible for harming her clan.

Mo Xiuyao (played by Cheng Lei): The Prince of Ding, a wheelchair-bound man carrying deep family trauma who is pursuing his own path of vengeance.

Mo Jing Li (played by Cai Zheng Jie): The Prince of Li and Ye Li’s childhood sweetheart who operates from the shadows.

The Empress Dowager: An exceptionally capable former top student of the Li Shan Academy who rules the empire with an iron fist.

Ye Ying (played by Yang Shu Yi): Ye Li’s sister and the second female lead of the drama.

Mu Yang Hou: A ruthless marquis from the older generation of court officials and responsible for much of Ye Li and Xiuyao’s suffering.

What I liked

• The “show, don’t tell” approach: I absolutely love that the director and screenwriter relied on emotional restraint. Instead of spoon-feeding us with long, tedious monologues or voice-overs to explain a character’s fears, they trusted the audience’s intelligence. For instance, there is a simple scene where Ye Li runs through the pouring rain toward a carriage; not a word is spoken but it beautifully reveals Ye Li’s raw vulnerability without a single word spoken.
• Complex, layered characters: Zhou Na, who has written dramas I loved such as Feud and A Moment But Forever, is a master at character-driven stories. She builds every character with care, even the side characters, making them deeply memorable. Because she doesn’t overly explain their motivations, it gives us free rein to interpret their actions, which makes discussing the show so much fun!
• Bai Lu’s Standout Performance: For me, this is hands-down the most interesting and unique character Bai Lu has played to date. Here, she completely breaks away from the accusations that she always plays the same types of roles.
• A deeply moving journey: I am so incredibly satisfied with the emotional payoff. The show hooks you with an intriguing mystery and great character growth, and I found myself profoundly moved by the episodes, especially as we got closer to the end.
• I love the slow burn romance between Ye Li and Xiuyao.
• Love is shown as devotion: This may be a tiny bit of spoiler – many modern CDramas have a lot of kissing and skinship scenes. The First Jasmine leans heavily to the conservative side, so much so that I find myself gnashing at the lip for more “action”. However, I also loved that love is shown as acts of devotion and care – feeding your loved one soup, supporting him as he walked.
  

What I Didn’t Like

• Initial “Mary Sue” vibes: At the very beginning of the drama, I was actually quite confused by the female lead, Ye Li. She appeared so strong, overly capable, and multi-talented that I felt she was edging dangerously close to traditional “Mary Sue” territory. While this heartbreak is beautifully resolved once the truth about her situation is finally revealed to the audience, it was confusing at first. Those who didn’t stay around long would’ve missed a precious emotional payoff.
• Inexplicable behaviour of Xiuran: There was a moment in the drama where Xiuran’s behaviour defied logic. He came off as ungrateful, unnecessarily cruel and self-absorbed. Although he repented pretty quickly, it felt like the writing wobbled quite a bit there as it went against his character.

Additional thoughts

The acting is pretty good here

To date, this is probably Bai Lu’s most complex and interesting character, and likely her best work. While I don’t watch enough of her dramas to say that for certain—and I usually find her performances just okay—this one has really levelled up.

Bai Lu and Cheng Lei both do their own voiceover dubbing here, which is great because it adds to the emotional resonance of the drama. Bai Lu has significantly improved her emotional delivery; she used to sound quite robotic in previous attempts, such as Story of Kunning Palace, but she is so much better here.

A meditative drama that should be savoured

This is not the kind of drama you should watch live. It requires a lot of patience, and if you watch it as it airs, you will probably think the pacing is extremely slow. However, I feel this is one of a dying breed of dramas where time is taken to explore characters at a steady, leisurely pace. This enables us to appreciate the turn of events when revelations arrive toward the end.

At first, this may seem like a typical revenge flick, and you may think you know where the story is going, but the most worthwhile part is the journey of character development from the first episode to the last, especially Ye Li’s.

Ye Li may feel odd or “off” at first, and you’d probably think that her character being distant is Bai Lu being wooden or she’s written to be perfect like a Mary Sue. But as revelations come, you will totally understand. When you look back at those early scenes, you realise exactly why Ye Li was behaving that way.

Prince Li’s story is … underdeveloped

Beware of slight spoilers
The drama was written by the screenwriter Zhou Na, and even the side characters get fascinating development. However, I have to complain that Prince Li got the short end of the stick:

Theoretically, I understand his motivation as the rightful ruler who wants to take back the throne, but the drama did not develop him as well as it should have.

He could have been a deeply sympathetic character, but his obsession with Ye Li didn’t feel smart. He came off as maudlin.

As a result, you almost think that his motivations are childish and immature; that he just wants things because he feels he has a right to them.

The Empress Dowager is a fascinating character

Beware of slight spoilers

The Empress Dowager is another fascinating character. You understand towards the end why she did what she did. In this world, in Lingshan, she was one of the most capable students. Yet, as a woman, she is confined to the palace harem and subjected to the petty quarrels there. She felt that the only way for her to either survive this environment or elevate herself was through ruthless means.

Throughout the drama, I have always felt that while she is modelled after Wu Zetian, she was never ruthless enough to truly secure her position. Why preserve the lives of Prince Li and Xuyao and still give them positions in court? I feel it is almost her guilty conscience enabling her to do this; I have two theories:

1. Subconsciously, she allowed them to be there so that they would eventually take her down.
2. A part of her wants to be merciful, while another part feels she must be ruthless to ensure proper governance of the country. She’s constantly conflicted between the two.

She justifies a lot of her actions because of that. Was she wrong? Yet, when you look through the lens of history, you realise that so many other rulers have done what she did.  I suppose you can consider her a more human Wu Zetian!

Cheng Lei as Xiuran

Cheng Lei is great as Xiuran, of course. He portrays the prince in a magnetic way, and I enjoyed seeing the development his character got. 

The most interesting thing is how he reacted to the revelations around Ye Li. I loved how love is shown in subtle ways here: not outright kisses and soft-hued room shots, but instead through actions such as his character feeding her soup, doing household chores for her, or just holding her hand and playing along. As much as I love hot scenes, I feel that these tender moments conveyed his character’s deep love for her even more.

The ‘scandal’ that distracted viewers

If there is one thing I truly dislike, it’s the outside noise surrounding the show. It breaks my heart that the drama only managed a 6.3 rating on Douban. I strongly believe the score was unfairly dragged down because Bai Lu was caught up in severe public blowback over crazy “diva” rumours right as the show was airing, which is a massive shame considering the acting improvements she has made and how phenomenal the script is.

Final Rating: 4 out of 5

In a sea of “explosive”, fast-paced dramas – long or short – The First Jasmine is a rare drama that tries to take its time unfolding the stories behind the characters.

The First Jasmine review

Ye Li, the granddaughter of the venerable Lingshan academy’s headmaster, descends from the mountain. The mountain has been sealed off by the order of the Dowager Empress, and she has only been allowed to leave after almost a decade because she was going to be engaged to the Prince of Ding, Mo Xiuyao.

The prince, however, is disabled from war. He’s bitter, out of favour and certainly not looking forward to beingg wed. In all appearances, Ye Li got the short end of the stick, but she turns her fate around and brings light to his household. However, she has deeper plans than being the best wife to Xiuyao…

The characters

Ye Li (played by Bai Lu): A descendant of the Lishan clan who marries into the fallen household of the Prince of Ding. Beneath her unremarkable surface, she methodically plans revenge against the court officials responsible for harming her clan.

Mo Xiuyao (played by Cheng Lei): The Prince of Ding, a wheelchair-bound man carrying deep family trauma who is pursuing his own path of vengeance.

Mo Jing Li (played by Cai Zheng Jie): The Prince of Li and Ye Li’s childhood sweetheart who operates from the shadows.

The Empress Dowager: An exceptionally capable former top student of the Li Shan Academy who rules the empire with an iron fist.

Ye Ying (played by Yang Shu Yi): Ye Li’s sister and the second female lead of the drama.

Mu Yang Hou: A ruthless marquis from the older generation of court officials and responsible for much of Ye Li and Xiuyao’s suffering.

What I liked

• The “show, don’t tell” approach: I absolutely love that the director and screenwriter relied on emotional restraint. Instead of spoon-feeding us with long, tedious monologues or voice-overs to explain a character’s fears, they trusted the audience’s intelligence. For instance, there is a simple scene where Ye Li runs through the pouring rain toward a carriage; not a word is spoken but it beautifully reveals Ye Li’s raw vulnerability without a single word spoken.
• Complex, layered characters: Zhou Na, who has written dramas I loved such as Feud and A Moment But Forever, is a master at character-driven stories. She builds every character with care, even the side characters, making them deeply memorable. Because she doesn’t overly explain their motivations, it gives us free rein to interpret their actions, which makes discussing the show so much fun!
• Bai Lu’s Standout Performance: For me, this is hands-down the most interesting and unique character Bai Lu has played to date. Here, she completely breaks away from the accusations that she always plays the same types of roles.
• A deeply moving journey: I am so incredibly satisfied with the emotional payoff. The show hooks you with an intriguing mystery and great character growth, and I found myself profoundly moved by the episodes, especially as we got closer to the end.
• I love the slow burn romance between Ye Li and Xiuyao.
• Love is shown as devotion: This may be a tiny bit of spoiler – many modern CDramas have a lot of kissing and skinship scenes. The First Jasmine leans heavily to the conservative side, so much so that I find myself gnashing at the lip for more “action”. However, I also loved that love is shown as acts of devotion and care – feeding your loved one soup, supporting him as he walked.
  

What I Didn’t Like

• Initial “Mary Sue” vibes: At the very beginning of the drama, I was actually quite confused by the female lead, Ye Li. She appeared so strong, overly capable, and multi-talented that I felt she was edging dangerously close to traditional “Mary Sue” territory. While this heartbreak is beautifully resolved once the truth about her situation is finally revealed to the audience, it was confusing at first. Those who didn’t stay around long would’ve missed a precious emotional payoff.
• Inexplicable behaviour of Xiuran: There was a moment in the drama where Xiuran’s behaviour defied logic. He came off as ungrateful, unnecessarily cruel and self-absorbed. Although he repented pretty quickly, it felt like the writing wobbled quite a bit there as it went against his character.

Additional thoughts

The acting is pretty good here

To date, this is probably Bai Lu’s most complex and interesting character, and likely her best work. While I don’t watch enough of her dramas to say that for certain—and I usually find her performances just okay—this one has really levelled up.

Bai Lu and Cheng Lei both do their own voiceover dubbing here, which is great because it adds to the emotional resonance of the drama. Bai Lu has significantly improved her emotional delivery; she used to sound quite robotic in previous attempts, such as Story of Kunning Palace, but she is so much better here.

A meditative drama that should be savoured

This is not the kind of drama you should watch live. It requires a lot of patience, and if you watch it as it airs, you will probably think the pacing is extremely slow. However, I feel this is one of a dying breed of dramas where time is taken to explore characters at a steady, leisurely pace. This enables us to appreciate the turn of events when revelations arrive toward the end.

At first, this may seem like a typical revenge flick, and you may think you know where the story is going, but the most worthwhile part is the journey of character development from the first episode to the last, especially Ye Li’s.

Ye Li may feel odd or “off” at first, and you’d probably think that her character being distant is Bai Lu being wooden or she’s written to be perfect like a Mary Sue. But as revelations come, you will totally understand. When you look back at those early scenes, you realise exactly why Ye Li was behaving that way.

Prince Li’s story is … underdeveloped

Beware of slight spoilers
The drama was written by the screenwriter Zhou Na, and even the side characters get fascinating development. However, I have to complain that Prince Li got the short end of the stick:

Theoretically, I understand his motivation as the rightful ruler who wants to take back the throne, but the drama did not develop him as well as it should have.

He could have been a deeply sympathetic character, but his obsession with Ye Li didn’t feel smart. He came off as maudlin.

As a result, you almost think that his motivations are childish and immature; that he just wants things because he feels he has a right to them.

The Empress Dowager is a fascinating character

Beware of slight spoilers

The Empress Dowager is another fascinating character. You understand towards the end why she did what she did. In this world, in Lingshan, she was one of the most capable students. Yet, as a woman, she is confined to the palace harem and subjected to the petty quarrels there. She felt that the only way for her to either survive this environment or elevate herself was through ruthless means.

Throughout the drama, I have always felt that while she is modelled after Wu Zetian, she was never ruthless enough to truly secure her position. Why preserve the lives of Prince Li and Xuyao and still give them positions in court? I feel it is almost her guilty conscience enabling her to do this; I have two theories:

1. Subconsciously, she allowed them to be there so that they would eventually take her down.
2. A part of her wants to be merciful, while another part feels she must be ruthless to ensure proper governance of the country. She’s constantly conflicted between the two.

She justifies a lot of her actions because of that. Was she wrong? Yet, when you look through the lens of history, you realise that so many other rulers have done what she did.  I suppose you can consider her a more human Wu Zetian!

Cheng Lei as Xiuran

Cheng Lei is great as Xiuran, of course. He portrays the prince in a magnetic way, and I enjoyed seeing the development his character got. 

The most interesting thing is how he reacted to the revelations around Ye Li. I loved how love is shown in subtle ways here: not outright kisses and soft-hued room shots, but instead through actions such as his character feeding her soup, doing household chores for her, or just holding her hand and playing along. As much as I love hot scenes, I feel that these tender moments conveyed his character’s deep love for her even more.

The ‘scandal’ that distracted viewers

If there is one thing I truly dislike, it’s the outside noise surrounding the show. It breaks my heart that the drama only managed a 6.3 rating on Douban. I strongly believe the score was unfairly dragged down because Bai Lu was caught up in severe public blowback over crazy “diva” rumours right as the show was airing, which is a massive shame considering the acting improvements she has made and how phenomenal the script is.

Final Rating: 4 out of 5

In a sea of “explosive”, fast-paced dramas – long or short – The First Jasmine is a rare drama that tries to take its time unfolding the stories behind the characters.

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The Triple Echo of Time (2025) review

Down and out 41-year-old Zhao Zuo You travels back to the past to create a better life for himself. As “Xun Weilai” (Ma Tianyu), his goal is to persuade his 16-year-old self to take on a career path that would make him wealthier.

He deeply regrets caving in to his dad’s demands to study Computer Science and believes it’s the source of all his unhappiness.

He’s unhappy at his job, nearly penniless, about to be unemployed, and worse, in the future (it’s 2033), humanity has gotten so sick of digital life that they’ve turned their backs on all things digital and print media is making a roaring comeback and code monkeys are now the lowliest paid workers there are. (As a former print media worker, I’d like to be a part of this future, please!)

Pressured by life’s demands, including a very unhappy wife who threatens to divorce him every day, he decides that the best way out is to be a test subject: he’ll be the first person ever to travel back in time.

But then an unexpected twist: his 61-year-old self also travels back from the future to stop him from succeeding. What gives?

My thoughts

I was initially curious about the drama due to its high Douban score (it had an opening Douban score of 7.5 which rose to 7.7).

I was also curious about Triple Echo because this was also the drama that was the spark of an infamous incident on Weibo. The actor, Li Mingde, who was initially supposed to play the teenage Zuo You, had an epic meltdown on Weibo that made him the hot trending topic for weeks. This effectively nuked his career, especially after he smashed up a car and ended up in jail. (Real life, sometimes, is stranger than a C-drama.)

Ma Tianyu, the lead actor, and the production company were dragged in the mud due to this.

Everyone, admittedly, thought they were guilty, but like I said, it turned out that reality was crazier than a C-drama. I was actually amazed the drama saw the light of day after the insanity.

So, it’s really sad that this very original and poignant drama is thus buried, unpromoted, and unnoticed by most viewers. At least it got a high Douban score. Hopefully, it’ll have a “long tail” effect where more and more viewers will discover it in the future.

Now, let’s circle back to the show!

What surprised me about Triple Echo is that it’s actually a time traveling drama! However, warning: the sci-fi elements are just garnish (don’t expect it to make sense nor look particularly sci-fi).

Instead, the core of the drama is this message: If you have regrets in life, would you try to change your fate? Would your life be better married to a different partner?

I ended up binging 10 episodes in just two days. I slowed down somewhat towards the end, but I found the drama beautifully poignant.

Perhaps this is because I’m close to our male lead’s age, and can 100% understand his angst.

Which one of us has not thought that life would’ve been better if I had decided to major in something else?

What I love about Triple Echo is that it kept me guessing all the way. It has such a wonderfully written and solid script. It looks like C-dramaland still has good scriptwriters – if they’re allowed to, you know, WRITE, without interference.

Triple Echo expertly weaves the theme of how life can unfairly nuke your dreams despite you trying your hardest.

How friends and loved ones, who swore they would be by your side when life got hard, aren’t there as promised, and may even kick you when you’re down. Or that marriages that start in the full blossom of love are eroded by life’s challenges and pressures. Or worse, finding out too late that you have treasured the wrong thing in life.

All heartaches we can relate to. I think everyone can relate to the premise of this drama: life is full of regrets that can eat at you.

Although I wasn’t impressed with Ma Tianyu’s acting before, I thought he was a really good character fit here; he was even hilarious sometimes.

And I suppose if anyone could pull off pretending to be a 20-year-old transfer student, he could! The man is AGELESS.

Admittedly, the drama slowed down quite a bit towards the end and I got impatient. However, the ending brought tears to my eyes and it made absolute sense! It was both poignant and very just, making the ending a satisfying one.

Spoilery thoughts

One scene I’ll always remember is when middle-aged Zuo You, Xun Weilai, finds the younger self of his dad outside in the snow, crying, “I can’t find it”.

When Weilai asked what he was trying to find, it turned out to be the magazine that teen Zuo You was writing. Dad had shredded it and tossed it out of the window in a fury.

Afterwards, regretful that he had hurt his son so badly, he tried to find the pieces of the magazine in the snow and in the rubbish, but the rubbish collectors had already taken it away.

This scene, among so many, brought tears to my eyes. Every Chinese kid and parent would have had moments like these, when an overly strict parent hurt their kid deeply in an effort to discipline them. However, rarely would any Chinese kid hear their dad or mum breaking down and being honest about their mistake like that.

There are many poignant moments like these, and this is what makes this drama gold for me.

Conclusion

A heartfelt, original time-travel story about a man confronting his past selves. A gem, though sadly hard to access. May productions like these continue to produce good works.

Do watch it, it’s on YouTube. Here’s the playlist with good English subs

Some of you would be interested to know that the team behind The Triple Echo of Time is also the one behind the indie, Bilibili sensation An Ancient Love Song. AvenueX has a good video on the background of what made An Ancient Love Song so special.

Story: Unique, poignant and kept me guessing all the while
Acting: Good, but not ground-breaking
Camerawork: Good! None of the idol drama silliness with filters and too-bright lights

Final rating: 4 out of 5

The Triple Echo of Time (2025) review

Down and out 41-year-old Zhao Zuo You travels back to the past to create a better life for himself. As “Xun Weilai” (Ma Tianyu), his goal is to persuade his 16-year-old self to take on a career path that would make him wealthier.

He deeply regrets caving in to his dad’s demands to study Computer Science and believes it’s the source of all his unhappiness.

He’s unhappy at his job, nearly penniless, about to be unemployed, and worse, in the future (it’s 2033), humanity has gotten so sick of digital life that they’ve turned their backs on all things digital and print media is making a roaring comeback and code monkeys are now the lowliest paid workers there are. (As a former print media worker, I’d like to be a part of this future, please!)

Pressured by life’s demands, including a very unhappy wife who threatens to divorce him every day, he decides that the best way out is to be a test subject: he’ll be the first person ever to travel back in time.

But then an unexpected twist: his 61-year-old self also travels back from the future to stop him from succeeding. What gives?

My thoughts

I was initially curious about the drama due to its high Douban score (it had an opening Douban score of 7.5 which rose to 7.7).

I was also curious about Triple Echo because this was also the drama that was the spark of an infamous incident on Weibo. The actor, Li Mingde, who was initially supposed to play the teenage Zuo You, had an epic meltdown on Weibo that made him the hot trending topic for weeks. This effectively nuked his career, especially after he smashed up a car and ended up in jail. (Real life, sometimes, is stranger than a C-drama.)

Ma Tianyu, the lead actor, and the production company were dragged in the mud due to this.

Everyone, admittedly, thought they were guilty, but like I said, it turned out that reality was crazier than a C-drama. I was actually amazed the drama saw the light of day after the insanity.

So, it’s really sad that this very original and poignant drama is thus buried, unpromoted, and unnoticed by most viewers. At least it got a high Douban score. Hopefully, it’ll have a “long tail” effect where more and more viewers will discover it in the future.

Now, let’s circle back to the show!

What surprised me about Triple Echo is that it’s actually a time traveling drama! However, warning: the sci-fi elements are just garnish (don’t expect it to make sense nor look particularly sci-fi).

Instead, the core of the drama is this message: If you have regrets in life, would you try to change your fate? Would your life be better married to a different partner?

I ended up binging 10 episodes in just two days. I slowed down somewhat towards the end, but I found the drama beautifully poignant.

Perhaps this is because I’m close to our male lead’s age, and can 100% understand his angst.

Which one of us has not thought that life would’ve been better if I had decided to major in something else?

What I love about Triple Echo is that it kept me guessing all the way. It has such a wonderfully written and solid script. It looks like C-dramaland still has good scriptwriters – if they’re allowed to, you know, WRITE, without interference.

Triple Echo expertly weaves the theme of how life can unfairly nuke your dreams despite you trying your hardest.

How friends and loved ones, who swore they would be by your side when life got hard, aren’t there as promised, and may even kick you when you’re down. Or that marriages that start in the full blossom of love are eroded by life’s challenges and pressures. Or worse, finding out too late that you have treasured the wrong thing in life.

All heartaches we can relate to. I think everyone can relate to the premise of this drama: life is full of regrets that can eat at you.

Although I wasn’t impressed with Ma Tianyu’s acting before, I thought he was a really good character fit here; he was even hilarious sometimes.

And I suppose if anyone could pull off pretending to be a 20-year-old transfer student, he could! The man is AGELESS.

Admittedly, the drama slowed down quite a bit towards the end and I got impatient. However, the ending brought tears to my eyes and it made absolute sense! It was both poignant and very just, making the ending a satisfying one.

Spoilery thoughts

One scene I’ll always remember is when middle-aged Zuo You, Xun Weilai, finds the younger self of his dad outside in the snow, crying, “I can’t find it”.

When Weilai asked what he was trying to find, it turned out to be the magazine that teen Zuo You was writing. Dad had shredded it and tossed it out of the window in a fury.

Afterwards, regretful that he had hurt his son so badly, he tried to find the pieces of the magazine in the snow and in the rubbish, but the rubbish collectors had already taken it away.

This scene, among so many, brought tears to my eyes. Every Chinese kid and parent would have had moments like these, when an overly strict parent hurt their kid deeply in an effort to discipline them. However, rarely would any Chinese kid hear their dad or mum breaking down and being honest about their mistake like that.

There are many poignant moments like these, and this is what makes this drama gold for me.

Conclusion

A heartfelt, original time-travel story about a man confronting his past selves. A gem, though sadly hard to access. May productions like these continue to produce good works.

Do watch it, it’s on YouTube. Here’s the playlist with good English subs

Some of you would be interested to know that the team behind The Triple Echo of Time is also the one behind the indie, Bilibili sensation An Ancient Love Song. AvenueX has a good video on the background of what made An Ancient Love Song so special.

Story: Unique, poignant and kept me guessing all the while
Acting: Good, but not ground-breaking
Camerawork: Good! None of the idol drama silliness with filters and too-bright lights

Final rating: 4 out of 5

The Triple Echo of Time (2025) review

Down and out 41-year-old Zhao Zuo You travels back to the past to create a better life for himself. As “Xun Weilai” (Ma Tianyu), his goal is to persuade his 16-year-old self to take on a career path that would make him wealthier.

He deeply regrets caving in to his dad’s demands to study Computer Science and believes it’s the source of all his unhappiness.

He’s unhappy at his job, nearly penniless, about to be unemployed, and worse, in the future (it’s 2033), humanity has gotten so sick of digital life that they’ve turned their backs on all things digital and print media is making a roaring comeback and code monkeys are now the lowliest paid workers there are. (As a former print media worker, I’d like to be a part of this future, please!)

Pressured by life’s demands, including a very unhappy wife who threatens to divorce him every day, he decides that the best way out is to be a test subject: he’ll be the first person ever to travel back in time.

But then an unexpected twist: his 61-year-old self also travels back from the future to stop him from succeeding. What gives?

My thoughts

I was initially curious about the drama due to its high Douban score (it had an opening Douban score of 7.5 which rose to 7.7).

I was also curious about Triple Echo because this was also the drama that was the spark of an infamous incident on Weibo. The actor, Li Mingde, who was initially supposed to play the teenage Zuo You, had an epic meltdown on Weibo that made him the hot trending topic for weeks. This effectively nuked his career, especially after he smashed up a car and ended up in jail. (Real life, sometimes, is stranger than a C-drama.)

Ma Tianyu, the lead actor, and the production company were dragged in the mud due to this.

Everyone, admittedly, thought they were guilty, but like I said, it turned out that reality was crazier than a C-drama. I was actually amazed the drama saw the light of day after the insanity.

So, it’s really sad that this very original and poignant drama is thus buried, unpromoted, and unnoticed by most viewers. At least it got a high Douban score. Hopefully, it’ll have a “long tail” effect where more and more viewers will discover it in the future.

Now, let’s circle back to the show!

What surprised me about Triple Echo is that it’s actually a time traveling drama! However, warning: the sci-fi elements are just garnish (don’t expect it to make sense nor look particularly sci-fi).

Instead, the core of the drama is this message: If you have regrets in life, would you try to change your fate? Would your life be better married to a different partner?

I ended up binging 10 episodes in just two days. I slowed down somewhat towards the end, but I found the drama beautifully poignant.

Perhaps this is because I’m close to our male lead’s age, and can 100% understand his angst.

Which one of us has not thought that life would’ve been better if I had decided to major in something else?

What I love about Triple Echo is that it kept me guessing all the way. It has such a wonderfully written and solid script. It looks like C-dramaland still has good scriptwriters – if they’re allowed to, you know, WRITE, without interference.

Triple Echo expertly weaves the theme of how life can unfairly nuke your dreams despite you trying your hardest.

How friends and loved ones, who swore they would be by your side when life got hard, aren’t there as promised, and may even kick you when you’re down. Or that marriages that start in the full blossom of love are eroded by life’s challenges and pressures. Or worse, finding out too late that you have treasured the wrong thing in life.

All heartaches we can relate to. I think everyone can relate to the premise of this drama: life is full of regrets that can eat at you.

Although I wasn’t impressed with Ma Tianyu’s acting before, I thought he was a really good character fit here; he was even hilarious sometimes.

And I suppose if anyone could pull off pretending to be a 20-year-old transfer student, he could! The man is AGELESS.

Admittedly, the drama slowed down quite a bit towards the end and I got impatient. However, the ending brought tears to my eyes and it made absolute sense! It was both poignant and very just, making the ending a satisfying one.

Spoilery thoughts

One scene I’ll always remember is when middle-aged Zuo You, Xun Weilai, finds the younger self of his dad outside in the snow, crying, “I can’t find it”.

When Weilai asked what he was trying to find, it turned out to be the magazine that teen Zuo You was writing. Dad had shredded it and tossed it out of the window in a fury.

Afterwards, regretful that he had hurt his son so badly, he tried to find the pieces of the magazine in the snow and in the rubbish, but the rubbish collectors had already taken it away.

This scene, among so many, brought tears to my eyes. Every Chinese kid and parent would have had moments like these, when an overly strict parent hurt their kid deeply in an effort to discipline them. However, rarely would any Chinese kid hear their dad or mum breaking down and being honest about their mistake like that.

There are many poignant moments like these, and this is what makes this drama gold for me.

Conclusion

A heartfelt, original time-travel story about a man confronting his past selves. A gem, though sadly hard to access. May productions like these continue to produce good works.

Do watch it, it’s on YouTube. Here’s the playlist with good English subs

Some of you would be interested to know that the team behind The Triple Echo of Time is also the one behind the indie, Bilibili sensation An Ancient Love Song. AvenueX has a good video on the background of what made An Ancient Love Song so special.

Story: Unique, poignant and kept me guessing all the while
Acting: Good, but not ground-breaking
Camerawork: Good! None of the idol drama silliness with filters and too-bright lights

Final rating: 4 out of 5

The Triple Echo of Time (2025) review

Down and out 41-year-old Zhao Zuo You travels back to the past to create a better life for himself. As “Xun Weilai” (Ma Tianyu), his goal is to persuade his 16-year-old self to take on a career path that would make him wealthier.

He deeply regrets caving in to his dad’s demands to study Computer Science and believes it’s the source of all his unhappiness.

He’s unhappy at his job, nearly penniless, about to be unemployed, and worse, in the future (it’s 2033), humanity has gotten so sick of digital life that they’ve turned their backs on all things digital and print media is making a roaring comeback and code monkeys are now the lowliest paid workers there are. (As a former print media worker, I’d like to be a part of this future, please!)

Pressured by life’s demands, including a very unhappy wife who threatens to divorce him every day, he decides that the best way out is to be a test subject: he’ll be the first person ever to travel back in time.

But then an unexpected twist: his 61-year-old self also travels back from the future to stop him from succeeding. What gives?

My thoughts

I was initially curious about the drama due to its high Douban score (it had an opening Douban score of 7.5 which rose to 7.7).

I was also curious about Triple Echo because this was also the drama that was the spark of an infamous incident on Weibo. The actor, Li Mingde, who was initially supposed to play the teenage Zuo You, had an epic meltdown on Weibo that made him the hot trending topic for weeks. This effectively nuked his career, especially after he smashed up a car and ended up in jail. (Real life, sometimes, is stranger than a C-drama.)

Ma Tianyu, the lead actor, and the production company were dragged in the mud due to this.

Everyone, admittedly, thought they were guilty, but like I said, it turned out that reality was crazier than a C-drama. I was actually amazed the drama saw the light of day after the insanity.

So, it’s really sad that this very original and poignant drama is thus buried, unpromoted, and unnoticed by most viewers. At least it got a high Douban score. Hopefully, it’ll have a “long tail” effect where more and more viewers will discover it in the future.

Now, let’s circle back to the show!

What surprised me about Triple Echo is that it’s actually a time traveling drama! However, warning: the sci-fi elements are just garnish (don’t expect it to make sense nor look particularly sci-fi).

Instead, the core of the drama is this message: If you have regrets in life, would you try to change your fate? Would your life be better married to a different partner?

I ended up binging 10 episodes in just two days. I slowed down somewhat towards the end, but I found the drama beautifully poignant.

Perhaps this is because I’m close to our male lead’s age, and can 100% understand his angst.

Which one of us has not thought that life would’ve been better if I had decided to major in something else?

What I love about Triple Echo is that it kept me guessing all the way. It has such a wonderfully written and solid script. It looks like C-dramaland still has good scriptwriters – if they’re allowed to, you know, WRITE, without interference.

Triple Echo expertly weaves the theme of how life can unfairly nuke your dreams despite you trying your hardest.

How friends and loved ones, who swore they would be by your side when life got hard, aren’t there as promised, and may even kick you when you’re down. Or that marriages that start in the full blossom of love are eroded by life’s challenges and pressures. Or worse, finding out too late that you have treasured the wrong thing in life.

All heartaches we can relate to. I think everyone can relate to the premise of this drama: life is full of regrets that can eat at you.

Although I wasn’t impressed with Ma Tianyu’s acting before, I thought he was a really good character fit here; he was even hilarious sometimes.

And I suppose if anyone could pull off pretending to be a 20-year-old transfer student, he could! The man is AGELESS.

Admittedly, the drama slowed down quite a bit towards the end and I got impatient. However, the ending brought tears to my eyes and it made absolute sense! It was both poignant and very just, making the ending a satisfying one.

Spoilery thoughts

One scene I’ll always remember is when middle-aged Zuo You, Xun Weilai, finds the younger self of his dad outside in the snow, crying, “I can’t find it”.

When Weilai asked what he was trying to find, it turned out to be the magazine that teen Zuo You was writing. Dad had shredded it and tossed it out of the window in a fury.

Afterwards, regretful that he had hurt his son so badly, he tried to find the pieces of the magazine in the snow and in the rubbish, but the rubbish collectors had already taken it away.

This scene, among so many, brought tears to my eyes. Every Chinese kid and parent would have had moments like these, when an overly strict parent hurt their kid deeply in an effort to discipline them. However, rarely would any Chinese kid hear their dad or mum breaking down and being honest about their mistake like that.

There are many poignant moments like these, and this is what makes this drama gold for me.

Conclusion

A heartfelt, original time-travel story about a man confronting his past selves. A gem, though sadly hard to access. May productions like these continue to produce good works.

Do watch it, it’s on YouTube. Here’s the playlist with good English subs

Some of you would be interested to know that the team behind The Triple Echo of Time is also the one behind the indie, Bilibili sensation An Ancient Love Song. AvenueX has a good video on the background of what made An Ancient Love Song so special.

Story: Unique, poignant and kept me guessing all the while
Acting: Good, but not ground-breaking
Camerawork: Good! None of the idol drama silliness with filters and too-bright lights

Final rating: 4 out of 5

The Triple Echo of Time (2025) review

Down and out 41-year-old Zhao Zuo You travels back to the past to create a better life for himself. As “Xun Weilai” (Ma Tianyu), his goal is to persuade his 16-year-old self to take on a career path that would make him wealthier.

He deeply regrets caving in to his dad’s demands to study Computer Science and believes it’s the source of all his unhappiness.

He’s unhappy at his job, nearly penniless, about to be unemployed, and worse, in the future (it’s 2033), humanity has gotten so sick of digital life that they’ve turned their backs on all things digital and print media is making a roaring comeback and code monkeys are now the lowliest paid workers there are. (As a former print media worker, I’d like to be a part of this future, please!)

Pressured by life’s demands, including a very unhappy wife who threatens to divorce him every day, he decides that the best way out is to be a test subject: he’ll be the first person ever to travel back in time.

But then an unexpected twist: his 61-year-old self also travels back from the future to stop him from succeeding. What gives?

My thoughts

I was initially curious about the drama due to its high Douban score (it had an opening Douban score of 7.5 which rose to 7.7).

I was also curious about Triple Echo because this was also the drama that was the spark of an infamous incident on Weibo. The actor, Li Mingde, who was initially supposed to play the teenage Zuo You, had an epic meltdown on Weibo that made him the hot trending topic for weeks. This effectively nuked his career, especially after he smashed up a car and ended up in jail. (Real life, sometimes, is stranger than a C-drama.)

Ma Tianyu, the lead actor, and the production company were dragged in the mud due to this.

Everyone, admittedly, thought they were guilty, but like I said, it turned out that reality was crazier than a C-drama. I was actually amazed the drama saw the light of day after the insanity.

So, it’s really sad that this very original and poignant drama is thus buried, unpromoted, and unnoticed by most viewers. At least it got a high Douban score. Hopefully, it’ll have a “long tail” effect where more and more viewers will discover it in the future.

Now, let’s circle back to the show!

What surprised me about Triple Echo is that it’s actually a time traveling drama! However, warning: the sci-fi elements are just garnish (don’t expect it to make sense nor look particularly sci-fi).

Instead, the core of the drama is this message: If you have regrets in life, would you try to change your fate? Would your life be better married to a different partner?

I ended up binging 10 episodes in just two days. I slowed down somewhat towards the end, but I found the drama beautifully poignant.

Perhaps this is because I’m close to our male lead’s age, and can 100% understand his angst.

Which one of us has not thought that life would’ve been better if I had decided to major in something else?

What I love about Triple Echo is that it kept me guessing all the way. It has such a wonderfully written and solid script. It looks like C-dramaland still has good scriptwriters – if they’re allowed to, you know, WRITE, without interference.

Triple Echo expertly weaves the theme of how life can unfairly nuke your dreams despite you trying your hardest.

How friends and loved ones, who swore they would be by your side when life got hard, aren’t there as promised, and may even kick you when you’re down. Or that marriages that start in the full blossom of love are eroded by life’s challenges and pressures. Or worse, finding out too late that you have treasured the wrong thing in life.

All heartaches we can relate to. I think everyone can relate to the premise of this drama: life is full of regrets that can eat at you.

Although I wasn’t impressed with Ma Tianyu’s acting before, I thought he was a really good character fit here; he was even hilarious sometimes.

And I suppose if anyone could pull off pretending to be a 20-year-old transfer student, he could! The man is AGELESS.

Admittedly, the drama slowed down quite a bit towards the end and I got impatient. However, the ending brought tears to my eyes and it made absolute sense! It was both poignant and very just, making the ending a satisfying one.

Spoilery thoughts

One scene I’ll always remember is when middle-aged Zuo You, Xun Weilai, finds the younger self of his dad outside in the snow, crying, “I can’t find it”.

When Weilai asked what he was trying to find, it turned out to be the magazine that teen Zuo You was writing. Dad had shredded it and tossed it out of the window in a fury.

Afterwards, regretful that he had hurt his son so badly, he tried to find the pieces of the magazine in the snow and in the rubbish, but the rubbish collectors had already taken it away.

This scene, among so many, brought tears to my eyes. Every Chinese kid and parent would have had moments like these, when an overly strict parent hurt their kid deeply in an effort to discipline them. However, rarely would any Chinese kid hear their dad or mum breaking down and being honest about their mistake like that.

There are many poignant moments like these, and this is what makes this drama gold for me.

Conclusion

A heartfelt, original time-travel story about a man confronting his past selves. A gem, though sadly hard to access. May productions like these continue to produce good works.

Do watch it, it’s on YouTube. Here’s the playlist with good English subs

Some of you would be interested to know that the team behind The Triple Echo of Time is also the one behind the indie, Bilibili sensation An Ancient Love Song. AvenueX has a good video on the background of what made An Ancient Love Song so special.

Story: Unique, poignant and kept me guessing all the while
Acting: Good, but not ground-breaking
Camerawork: Good! None of the idol drama silliness with filters and too-bright lights

Final rating: 4 out of 5

Endless Protection (2025) review

A special team, including prosecutors Lin Zhi Tao and Bai En Yu, works to protect children through the legal system. They come across crimes that test their emotional strength, but despite the horrifying cases, they have to fight for justice for one of society’s most vulnerable: the children.

Characters

Lin Zhi Tao (played by TBD): A no-nonsense prosecutor who becomes part of the special Juvenile Crime Division.

Bai En Yu (played by Vengo Gao): A corrections officer at a juvenile corrections facility who later joins the prosecution team.

What I liked

• I really love our main sleuthing duo, and I especially like the gregarious Bai, who adores his wife. What a refreshing character to take on, and I’m glad Vengo Gao got a chance to play him. He’s so far from the usual suave characters I keep seeing him play that I’m delighting in the chance to see him do something else.
  
• I like how multi-faceted the drama is. They don’t portray the juvenile delinquents as irredeemable but show that they’re likely the result of their environment. I find myself unexpectedly rooting for some of them.
  
• I like how each case isn’t predictable. I always think that I’ve pinned down the culprit, only to be surprised each time.
  
• I really appreciate the plain ol’, logical, and good scriptwriting. You do wonder why idol dramas just can’t do this while dramas like these can.
  
• This storytelling is what I love about Endless Protection – it’s never straightforward. There are red herrings, surprises, and layers to every mystery.
  
• All the young actors in this show were absolutely brilliant. If there’s one reason to watch Endless Protection (among many), it’ll be this.
  

What I didn’t like

• The crimes are so… difficult to watch (sobs). But anyway, I really, really hurt when I see young people suffer in any way, even on TV.
  
• Some episodes were slow, and it took me a while to get through them, but the rest of the drama is fine.
  

Thoughts about the ending

It’s pretty fulfilling and satisfying, but it doesn’t exactly give you emotional highs.

The case that made the mark for me is that of the master teen schemer that we are teased about throughout the show.

As our budding villainess stood in the dock, hearing her sentence, she broke down, understanding that everything she did was for the wrong reasons.

The fact that the show enabled me to sympathise with such an infuriating character is a testament.

Kaitong’s arc wasn’t violent, fortunately, nor was it action-packed, but the final scene in the courtroom delivered such a punch: Don’t waste your life. Don’t waste your intelligence on revenge and evil.

Conclusion

Story: This storytelling is never straightforward. There are red herrings, surprises, and layers to every mystery.

Acting: It’s such a delight to watch Vengo Gao in such a good role. I’ve only seen him as an aloof heavenly emperor, an aloof kinda-vampire, and an aloof swordsman—you get the idea. So, to see him just let loose as the brash, hot-tempered but good-hearted corrections officer is such a delight. All the young actors in this show were absolutely brilliant.

Costumes and sets: Viewers of Western crime dramas won’t find anything new in this one, but it will give great insight into how Chinese society works and also the mechanics of law and order in the country.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Generally a positive drama that will uplift you, even if the crimes can be depressing.

Endless Protection (2025) review

A special team, including prosecutors Lin Zhi Tao and Bai En Yu, works to protect children through the legal system. They come across crimes that test their emotional strength, but despite the horrifying cases, they have to fight for justice for one of society’s most vulnerable: the children.

Characters

Lin Zhi Tao (played by TBD): A no-nonsense prosecutor who becomes part of the special Juvenile Crime Division.

Bai En Yu (played by Vengo Gao): A corrections officer at a juvenile corrections facility who later joins the prosecution team.

What I liked

• I really love our main sleuthing duo, and I especially like the gregarious Bai, who adores his wife. What a refreshing character to take on, and I’m glad Vengo Gao got a chance to play him. He’s so far from the usual suave characters I keep seeing him play that I’m delighting in the chance to see him do something else.
  
• I like how multi-faceted the drama is. They don’t portray the juvenile delinquents as irredeemable but show that they’re likely the result of their environment. I find myself unexpectedly rooting for some of them.
  
• I like how each case isn’t predictable. I always think that I’ve pinned down the culprit, only to be surprised each time.
  
• I really appreciate the plain ol’, logical, and good scriptwriting. You do wonder why idol dramas just can’t do this while dramas like these can.
  
• This storytelling is what I love about Endless Protection – it’s never straightforward. There are red herrings, surprises, and layers to every mystery.
  
• All the young actors in this show were absolutely brilliant. If there’s one reason to watch Endless Protection (among many), it’ll be this.
  

What I didn’t like

• The crimes are so… difficult to watch (sobs). But anyway, I really, really hurt when I see young people suffer in any way, even on TV.
  
• Some episodes were slow, and it took me a while to get through them, but the rest of the drama is fine.
  

Thoughts about the ending

It’s pretty fulfilling and satisfying, but it doesn’t exactly give you emotional highs.

The case that made the mark for me is that of the master teen schemer that we are teased about throughout the show.

As our budding villainess stood in the dock, hearing her sentence, she broke down, understanding that everything she did was for the wrong reasons.

The fact that the show enabled me to sympathise with such an infuriating character is a testament.

Kaitong’s arc wasn’t violent, fortunately, nor was it action-packed, but the final scene in the courtroom delivered such a punch: Don’t waste your life. Don’t waste your intelligence on revenge and evil.

Conclusion

Story: This storytelling is never straightforward. There are red herrings, surprises, and layers to every mystery.

Acting: It’s such a delight to watch Vengo Gao in such a good role. I’ve only seen him as an aloof heavenly emperor, an aloof kinda-vampire, and an aloof swordsman—you get the idea. So, to see him just let loose as the brash, hot-tempered but good-hearted corrections officer is such a delight. All the young actors in this show were absolutely brilliant.

Costumes and sets: Viewers of Western crime dramas won’t find anything new in this one, but it will give great insight into how Chinese society works and also the mechanics of law and order in the country.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Generally a positive drama that will uplift you, even if the crimes can be depressing.

Endless Protection (2025) review

A special team, including prosecutors Lin Zhi Tao and Bai En Yu, works to protect children through the legal system. They come across crimes that test their emotional strength, but despite the horrifying cases, they have to fight for justice for one of society’s most vulnerable: the children.

Characters

Lin Zhi Tao (played by TBD): A no-nonsense prosecutor who becomes part of the special Juvenile Crime Division.

Bai En Yu (played by Vengo Gao): A corrections officer at a juvenile corrections facility who later joins the prosecution team.

What I liked

• I really love our main sleuthing duo, and I especially like the gregarious Bai, who adores his wife. What a refreshing character to take on, and I’m glad Vengo Gao got a chance to play him. He’s so far from the usual suave characters I keep seeing him play that I’m delighting in the chance to see him do something else.
  
• I like how multi-faceted the drama is. They don’t portray the juvenile delinquents as irredeemable but show that they’re likely the result of their environment. I find myself unexpectedly rooting for some of them.
  
• I like how each case isn’t predictable. I always think that I’ve pinned down the culprit, only to be surprised each time.
  
• I really appreciate the plain ol’, logical, and good scriptwriting. You do wonder why idol dramas just can’t do this while dramas like these can.
  
• This storytelling is what I love about Endless Protection – it’s never straightforward. There are red herrings, surprises, and layers to every mystery.
  
• All the young actors in this show were absolutely brilliant. If there’s one reason to watch Endless Protection (among many), it’ll be this.
  

What I didn’t like

• The crimes are so… difficult to watch (sobs). But anyway, I really, really hurt when I see young people suffer in any way, even on TV.
  
• Some episodes were slow, and it took me a while to get through them, but the rest of the drama is fine.
  

Thoughts about the ending

It’s pretty fulfilling and satisfying, but it doesn’t exactly give you emotional highs.

The case that made the mark for me is that of the master teen schemer that we are teased about throughout the show.

As our budding villainess stood in the dock, hearing her sentence, she broke down, understanding that everything she did was for the wrong reasons.

The fact that the show enabled me to sympathise with such an infuriating character is a testament.

Kaitong’s arc wasn’t violent, fortunately, nor was it action-packed, but the final scene in the courtroom delivered such a punch: Don’t waste your life. Don’t waste your intelligence on revenge and evil.

Conclusion

Story: This storytelling is never straightforward. There are red herrings, surprises, and layers to every mystery.

Acting: It’s such a delight to watch Vengo Gao in such a good role. I’ve only seen him as an aloof heavenly emperor, an aloof kinda-vampire, and an aloof swordsman—you get the idea. So, to see him just let loose as the brash, hot-tempered but good-hearted corrections officer is such a delight. All the young actors in this show were absolutely brilliant.

Costumes and sets: Viewers of Western crime dramas won’t find anything new in this one, but it will give great insight into how Chinese society works and also the mechanics of law and order in the country.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Generally a positive drama that will uplift you, even if the crimes can be depressing.

Endless Protection (2025) review

A special team, including prosecutors Lin Zhi Tao and Bai En Yu, works to protect children through the legal system. They come across crimes that test their emotional strength, but despite the horrifying cases, they have to fight for justice for one of society’s most vulnerable: the children.

Characters

Lin Zhi Tao (played by TBD): A no-nonsense prosecutor who becomes part of the special Juvenile Crime Division.

Bai En Yu (played by Vengo Gao): A corrections officer at a juvenile corrections facility who later joins the prosecution team.

What I liked

• I really love our main sleuthing duo, and I especially like the gregarious Bai, who adores his wife. What a refreshing character to take on, and I’m glad Vengo Gao got a chance to play him. He’s so far from the usual suave characters I keep seeing him play that I’m delighting in the chance to see him do something else.
  
• I like how multi-faceted the drama is. They don’t portray the juvenile delinquents as irredeemable but show that they’re likely the result of their environment. I find myself unexpectedly rooting for some of them.
  
• I like how each case isn’t predictable. I always think that I’ve pinned down the culprit, only to be surprised each time.
  
• I really appreciate the plain ol’, logical, and good scriptwriting. You do wonder why idol dramas just can’t do this while dramas like these can.
  
• This storytelling is what I love about Endless Protection – it’s never straightforward. There are red herrings, surprises, and layers to every mystery.
  
• All the young actors in this show were absolutely brilliant. If there’s one reason to watch Endless Protection (among many), it’ll be this.
  

What I didn’t like

• The crimes are so… difficult to watch (sobs). But anyway, I really, really hurt when I see young people suffer in any way, even on TV.
  
• Some episodes were slow, and it took me a while to get through them, but the rest of the drama is fine.
  

Thoughts about the ending

It’s pretty fulfilling and satisfying, but it doesn’t exactly give you emotional highs.

The case that made the mark for me is that of the master teen schemer that we are teased about throughout the show.

As our budding villainess stood in the dock, hearing her sentence, she broke down, understanding that everything she did was for the wrong reasons.

The fact that the show enabled me to sympathise with such an infuriating character is a testament.

Kaitong’s arc wasn’t violent, fortunately, nor was it action-packed, but the final scene in the courtroom delivered such a punch: Don’t waste your life. Don’t waste your intelligence on revenge and evil.

Conclusion

Story: This storytelling is never straightforward. There are red herrings, surprises, and layers to every mystery.

Acting: It’s such a delight to watch Vengo Gao in such a good role. I’ve only seen him as an aloof heavenly emperor, an aloof kinda-vampire, and an aloof swordsman—you get the idea. So, to see him just let loose as the brash, hot-tempered but good-hearted corrections officer is such a delight. All the young actors in this show were absolutely brilliant.

Costumes and sets: Viewers of Western crime dramas won’t find anything new in this one, but it will give great insight into how Chinese society works and also the mechanics of law and order in the country.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Generally a positive drama that will uplift you, even if the crimes can be depressing.

Endless Protection (2025) review

A special team, including prosecutors Lin Zhi Tao and Bai En Yu, works to protect children through the legal system. They come across crimes that test their emotional strength, but despite the horrifying cases, they have to fight for justice for one of society’s most vulnerable: the children.

Characters

Lin Zhi Tao (played by TBD): A no-nonsense prosecutor who becomes part of the special Juvenile Crime Division.

Bai En Yu (played by Vengo Gao): A corrections officer at a juvenile corrections facility who later joins the prosecution team.

What I liked

• I really love our main sleuthing duo, and I especially like the gregarious Bai, who adores his wife. What a refreshing character to take on, and I’m glad Vengo Gao got a chance to play him. He’s so far from the usual suave characters I keep seeing him play that I’m delighting in the chance to see him do something else.
  
• I like how multi-faceted the drama is. They don’t portray the juvenile delinquents as irredeemable but show that they’re likely the result of their environment. I find myself unexpectedly rooting for some of them.
  
• I like how each case isn’t predictable. I always think that I’ve pinned down the culprit, only to be surprised each time.
  
• I really appreciate the plain ol’, logical, and good scriptwriting. You do wonder why idol dramas just can’t do this while dramas like these can.
  
• This storytelling is what I love about Endless Protection – it’s never straightforward. There are red herrings, surprises, and layers to every mystery.
  
• All the young actors in this show were absolutely brilliant. If there’s one reason to watch Endless Protection (among many), it’ll be this.
  

What I didn’t like

• The crimes are so… difficult to watch (sobs). But anyway, I really, really hurt when I see young people suffer in any way, even on TV.
  
• Some episodes were slow, and it took me a while to get through them, but the rest of the drama is fine.
  

Thoughts about the ending

It’s pretty fulfilling and satisfying, but it doesn’t exactly give you emotional highs.

The case that made the mark for me is that of the master teen schemer that we are teased about throughout the show.

As our budding villainess stood in the dock, hearing her sentence, she broke down, understanding that everything she did was for the wrong reasons.

The fact that the show enabled me to sympathise with such an infuriating character is a testament.

Kaitong’s arc wasn’t violent, fortunately, nor was it action-packed, but the final scene in the courtroom delivered such a punch: Don’t waste your life. Don’t waste your intelligence on revenge and evil.

Conclusion

Story: This storytelling is never straightforward. There are red herrings, surprises, and layers to every mystery.

Acting: It’s such a delight to watch Vengo Gao in such a good role. I’ve only seen him as an aloof heavenly emperor, an aloof kinda-vampire, and an aloof swordsman—you get the idea. So, to see him just let loose as the brash, hot-tempered but good-hearted corrections officer is such a delight. All the young actors in this show were absolutely brilliant.

Costumes and sets: Viewers of Western crime dramas won’t find anything new in this one, but it will give great insight into how Chinese society works and also the mechanics of law and order in the country.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Generally a positive drama that will uplift you, even if the crimes can be depressing.

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Loving Strangers (2026) review

I had always wanted to watch My Mister, but I never seemed to find the time to do it. Then, Lee Sun-kyun sadly passed away. The drama is already heavy to begin with, and the tragic way the actor passed away … seeing him play a depressed character just felt like I’m watching Lee Sun-kyun suffering for real. So, that’s why I kept putting it off again and again.

When I heard that Loving Strangers was being made, I thought it was really daring that they were even trying to adapt it. Because, how do you top Lee Sun-kyun’s award-winning performance? But I thought if anyone can at least match Lee Sun-kyun, it’ll be Mark Chao.

The Story

This is a tale of two people so worn down by life, they just exist. The first few episodes won’t appeal immediately to people — everything is grey. Our characters wear black and grey clothes, no colour in their wardrobe or surroundings. They don’t smile. Basically, they’re very gloomy and depressed.

The drama could have been incredibly depressing, if not for the fact that they added some thriller elements to it. I find that rather refreshing.

Yu’an is a fascinating character. She may be down and out, but she’s incredibly, incredibly smart — like, so smart she should be working for the intelligence agency of China or something, because she knows how to spy on and manipulate people! She would be quite a villainess if she plied her skills towards evil, but like Jiaqi says to her at one point, “You’re a good person.”

The cold exterior is just years of calluses grown over years of abuse — both from a loan shark, from society’s shunning of her, and also from self-flagellation for something that happened when she was a child.

And then we have the dour and gloomy Jiaqi. His work life sucks; he’s actively being undermined by his corrupt boss, Gu Chen. His family life sucks just as badly — the fire has not only gone out of his marriage, it’s ice-cold. By all measures, Jiaqi is the husband any woman would love: responsible, level-headed, calm, cool-headed. He is stability and comfort. Yet, that is not enough for his wife.

Somehow, these two people at the very bottom of their lives find each other.

What begins as mutual suspicion evolves into something more complex and unexpected.

The Characters

Zhou Yu’an: She juggles multiple gigs to care for her ailing grandmother.

Jiang Jiaqi (Mark Chao): A principled but exhausted mid-level pharma manager exhausted by life.

Gu Chen: Jiaqi’s corrupt boss and the central villain.

Yi Jun is Jiaqi’s wife. Yi Jun is an alpha woman feeling confined in an “average” marriage. She has an affair with Gu Chen.

Pang Jian is Jiaqi’s only champion at the company.

What I Liked

The most satisfying thing about this show is seeing Jiaqi grow from a quiet, doormat-ish man in his marriage and workplace, to someone assertive. Like, super assertive. This probably happened because he finally realised that being withdrawn and agreeable isn’t the answer to his problems.

I also love that we’re seeing Yu’an’s more human side.

I like that they didn’t force a romantic story between Jiaqi and Yu’an. That would’ve ruined the story, massively.

What I Didn’t Like

The only thing I don’t like about this drama is the fact that sometimes it segues to the story of Jiaqi’s uncle and his brother. Both are also down and out, but unlike Jiaqi, they are far more cheerful and more hopeful. Even though they bring necessary comic relief and lightness to the drama — or else it would be incredibly heavy and too depressing — I get impatient when the drama switches to their story. I wouldn’t mind them cutting them out completely.

The drama isn’t perfect, of course. It was excruciatingly draggy at some parts and I honestly wished they had trimmed down the show further.

Was Jialu and Uncle’s story necessary? I don’t know. Sure, they exist to show the kind of family Jiaqi wanted and couldn’t achieve with Yi Jun. But beyond that — too much air time was given to them, and I never understood how their storylines benefited the main one.

Thoughts about the ending

What a lovely ending. Jiaqi and Yu’an’s friendship and unique connection is beyond romance, in my opinion.

It’s the understanding of two mutual souls who had been in very desperate situations.

They saved each other — Jiaqi, with his empathy and kindness; Yu’an with her sleuthing, intelligence, and yes, kindness. Two souls that had started out suspicious and wary of each other formed a connection that transcends romantic love — that’s how I see it.

On the whole, I really loved Loving Strangers. A quiet, moving drama with solid performances from our leads.

Final Thoughts

If you’re hesitating to watch this drama because it won’t top My Mister — it probably won’t — I encourage you to still watch it. I can understand why you hesitate, because it’s a very tall order for Loving Strangers to even match it.

Watching this Chinese adaptation is actually a good idea, especially if you have not watched the K-Drama. Treat it like its own show, and you may enjoy it.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Loving Strangers (2026) review

I had always wanted to watch My Mister, but I never seemed to find the time to do it. Then, Lee Sun-kyun sadly passed away. The drama is already heavy to begin with, and the tragic way the actor passed away … seeing him play a depressed character just felt like I’m watching Lee Sun-kyun suffering for real. So, that’s why I kept putting it off again and again.

When I heard that Loving Strangers was being made, I thought it was really daring that they were even trying to adapt it. Because, how do you top Lee Sun-kyun’s award-winning performance? But I thought if anyone can at least match Lee Sun-kyun, it’ll be Mark Chao.

The Story

This is a tale of two people so worn down by life, they just exist. The first few episodes won’t appeal immediately to people — everything is grey. Our characters wear black and grey clothes, no colour in their wardrobe or surroundings. They don’t smile. Basically, they’re very gloomy and depressed.

The drama could have been incredibly depressing, if not for the fact that they added some thriller elements to it. I find that rather refreshing.

Yu’an is a fascinating character. She may be down and out, but she’s incredibly, incredibly smart — like, so smart she should be working for the intelligence agency of China or something, because she knows how to spy on and manipulate people! She would be quite a villainess if she plied her skills towards evil, but like Jiaqi says to her at one point, “You’re a good person.”

The cold exterior is just years of calluses grown over years of abuse — both from a loan shark, from society’s shunning of her, and also from self-flagellation for something that happened when she was a child.

And then we have the dour and gloomy Jiaqi. His work life sucks; he’s actively being undermined by his corrupt boss, Gu Chen. His family life sucks just as badly — the fire has not only gone out of his marriage, it’s ice-cold. By all measures, Jiaqi is the husband any woman would love: responsible, level-headed, calm, cool-headed. He is stability and comfort. Yet, that is not enough for his wife.

Somehow, these two people at the very bottom of their lives find each other.

What begins as mutual suspicion evolves into something more complex and unexpected.

The Characters

Zhou Yu’an: She juggles multiple gigs to care for her ailing grandmother.

Jiang Jiaqi (Mark Chao): A principled but exhausted mid-level pharma manager exhausted by life.

Gu Chen: Jiaqi’s corrupt boss and the central villain.

Yi Jun is Jiaqi’s wife. Yi Jun is an alpha woman feeling confined in an “average” marriage. She has an affair with Gu Chen.

Pang Jian is Jiaqi’s only champion at the company.

What I Liked

The most satisfying thing about this show is seeing Jiaqi grow from a quiet, doormat-ish man in his marriage and workplace, to someone assertive. Like, super assertive. This probably happened because he finally realised that being withdrawn and agreeable isn’t the answer to his problems.

I also love that we’re seeing Yu’an’s more human side.

I like that they didn’t force a romantic story between Jiaqi and Yu’an. That would’ve ruined the story, massively.

What I Didn’t Like

The only thing I don’t like about this drama is the fact that sometimes it segues to the story of Jiaqi’s uncle and his brother. Both are also down and out, but unlike Jiaqi, they are far more cheerful and more hopeful. Even though they bring necessary comic relief and lightness to the drama — or else it would be incredibly heavy and too depressing — I get impatient when the drama switches to their story. I wouldn’t mind them cutting them out completely.

The drama isn’t perfect, of course. It was excruciatingly draggy at some parts and I honestly wished they had trimmed down the show further.

Was Jialu and Uncle’s story necessary? I don’t know. Sure, they exist to show the kind of family Jiaqi wanted and couldn’t achieve with Yi Jun. But beyond that — too much air time was given to them, and I never understood how their storylines benefited the main one.

Thoughts about the ending

What a lovely ending. Jiaqi and Yu’an’s friendship and unique connection is beyond romance, in my opinion.

It’s the understanding of two mutual souls who had been in very desperate situations.

They saved each other — Jiaqi, with his empathy and kindness; Yu’an with her sleuthing, intelligence, and yes, kindness. Two souls that had started out suspicious and wary of each other formed a connection that transcends romantic love — that’s how I see it.

On the whole, I really loved Loving Strangers. A quiet, moving drama with solid performances from our leads.

Final Thoughts

If you’re hesitating to watch this drama because it won’t top My Mister — it probably won’t — I encourage you to still watch it. I can understand why you hesitate, because it’s a very tall order for Loving Strangers to even match it.

Watching this Chinese adaptation is actually a good idea, especially if you have not watched the K-Drama. Treat it like its own show, and you may enjoy it.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Loving Strangers (2026) review

I had always wanted to watch My Mister, but I never seemed to find the time to do it. Then, Lee Sun-kyun sadly passed away. The drama is already heavy to begin with, and the tragic way the actor passed away … seeing him play a depressed character just felt like I’m watching Lee Sun-kyun suffering for real. So, that’s why I kept putting it off again and again.

When I heard that Loving Strangers was being made, I thought it was really daring that they were even trying to adapt it. Because, how do you top Lee Sun-kyun’s award-winning performance? But I thought if anyone can at least match Lee Sun-kyun, it’ll be Mark Chao.

The Story

This is a tale of two people so worn down by life, they just exist. The first few episodes won’t appeal immediately to people — everything is grey. Our characters wear black and grey clothes, no colour in their wardrobe or surroundings. They don’t smile. Basically, they’re very gloomy and depressed.

The drama could have been incredibly depressing, if not for the fact that they added some thriller elements to it. I find that rather refreshing.

Yu’an is a fascinating character. She may be down and out, but she’s incredibly, incredibly smart — like, so smart she should be working for the intelligence agency of China or something, because she knows how to spy on and manipulate people! She would be quite a villainess if she plied her skills towards evil, but like Jiaqi says to her at one point, “You’re a good person.”

The cold exterior is just years of calluses grown over years of abuse — both from a loan shark, from society’s shunning of her, and also from self-flagellation for something that happened when she was a child.

And then we have the dour and gloomy Jiaqi. His work life sucks; he’s actively being undermined by his corrupt boss, Gu Chen. His family life sucks just as badly — the fire has not only gone out of his marriage, it’s ice-cold. By all measures, Jiaqi is the husband any woman would love: responsible, level-headed, calm, cool-headed. He is stability and comfort. Yet, that is not enough for his wife.

Somehow, these two people at the very bottom of their lives find each other.

What begins as mutual suspicion evolves into something more complex and unexpected.

The Characters

Zhou Yu’an: She juggles multiple gigs to care for her ailing grandmother.

Jiang Jiaqi (Mark Chao): A principled but exhausted mid-level pharma manager exhausted by life.

Gu Chen: Jiaqi’s corrupt boss and the central villain.

Yi Jun is Jiaqi’s wife. Yi Jun is an alpha woman feeling confined in an “average” marriage. She has an affair with Gu Chen.

Pang Jian is Jiaqi’s only champion at the company.

What I Liked

The most satisfying thing about this show is seeing Jiaqi grow from a quiet, doormat-ish man in his marriage and workplace, to someone assertive. Like, super assertive. This probably happened because he finally realised that being withdrawn and agreeable isn’t the answer to his problems.

I also love that we’re seeing Yu’an’s more human side.

I like that they didn’t force a romantic story between Jiaqi and Yu’an. That would’ve ruined the story, massively.

What I Didn’t Like

The only thing I don’t like about this drama is the fact that sometimes it segues to the story of Jiaqi’s uncle and his brother. Both are also down and out, but unlike Jiaqi, they are far more cheerful and more hopeful. Even though they bring necessary comic relief and lightness to the drama — or else it would be incredibly heavy and too depressing — I get impatient when the drama switches to their story. I wouldn’t mind them cutting them out completely.

The drama isn’t perfect, of course. It was excruciatingly draggy at some parts and I honestly wished they had trimmed down the show further.

Was Jialu and Uncle’s story necessary? I don’t know. Sure, they exist to show the kind of family Jiaqi wanted and couldn’t achieve with Yi Jun. But beyond that — too much air time was given to them, and I never understood how their storylines benefited the main one.

Thoughts about the ending

What a lovely ending. Jiaqi and Yu’an’s friendship and unique connection is beyond romance, in my opinion.

It’s the understanding of two mutual souls who had been in very desperate situations.

They saved each other — Jiaqi, with his empathy and kindness; Yu’an with her sleuthing, intelligence, and yes, kindness. Two souls that had started out suspicious and wary of each other formed a connection that transcends romantic love — that’s how I see it.

On the whole, I really loved Loving Strangers. A quiet, moving drama with solid performances from our leads.

Final Thoughts

If you’re hesitating to watch this drama because it won’t top My Mister — it probably won’t — I encourage you to still watch it. I can understand why you hesitate, because it’s a very tall order for Loving Strangers to even match it.

Watching this Chinese adaptation is actually a good idea, especially if you have not watched the K-Drama. Treat it like its own show, and you may enjoy it.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Loving Strangers (2026) review

I had always wanted to watch My Mister, but I never seemed to find the time to do it. Then, Lee Sun-kyun sadly passed away. The drama is already heavy to begin with, and the tragic way the actor passed away … seeing him play a depressed character just felt like I’m watching Lee Sun-kyun suffering for real. So, that’s why I kept putting it off again and again.

When I heard that Loving Strangers was being made, I thought it was really daring that they were even trying to adapt it. Because, how do you top Lee Sun-kyun’s award-winning performance? But I thought if anyone can at least match Lee Sun-kyun, it’ll be Mark Chao.

The Story

This is a tale of two people so worn down by life, they just exist. The first few episodes won’t appeal immediately to people — everything is grey. Our characters wear black and grey clothes, no colour in their wardrobe or surroundings. They don’t smile. Basically, they’re very gloomy and depressed.

The drama could have been incredibly depressing, if not for the fact that they added some thriller elements to it. I find that rather refreshing.

Yu’an is a fascinating character. She may be down and out, but she’s incredibly, incredibly smart — like, so smart she should be working for the intelligence agency of China or something, because she knows how to spy on and manipulate people! She would be quite a villainess if she plied her skills towards evil, but like Jiaqi says to her at one point, “You’re a good person.”

The cold exterior is just years of calluses grown over years of abuse — both from a loan shark, from society’s shunning of her, and also from self-flagellation for something that happened when she was a child.

And then we have the dour and gloomy Jiaqi. His work life sucks; he’s actively being undermined by his corrupt boss, Gu Chen. His family life sucks just as badly — the fire has not only gone out of his marriage, it’s ice-cold. By all measures, Jiaqi is the husband any woman would love: responsible, level-headed, calm, cool-headed. He is stability and comfort. Yet, that is not enough for his wife.

Somehow, these two people at the very bottom of their lives find each other.

What begins as mutual suspicion evolves into something more complex and unexpected.

The Characters

Zhou Yu’an: She juggles multiple gigs to care for her ailing grandmother.

Jiang Jiaqi (Mark Chao): A principled but exhausted mid-level pharma manager exhausted by life.

Gu Chen: Jiaqi’s corrupt boss and the central villain.

Yi Jun is Jiaqi’s wife. Yi Jun is an alpha woman feeling confined in an “average” marriage. She has an affair with Gu Chen.

Pang Jian is Jiaqi’s only champion at the company.

What I Liked

The most satisfying thing about this show is seeing Jiaqi grow from a quiet, doormat-ish man in his marriage and workplace, to someone assertive. Like, super assertive. This probably happened because he finally realised that being withdrawn and agreeable isn’t the answer to his problems.

I also love that we’re seeing Yu’an’s more human side.

I like that they didn’t force a romantic story between Jiaqi and Yu’an. That would’ve ruined the story, massively.

What I Didn’t Like

The only thing I don’t like about this drama is the fact that sometimes it segues to the story of Jiaqi’s uncle and his brother. Both are also down and out, but unlike Jiaqi, they are far more cheerful and more hopeful. Even though they bring necessary comic relief and lightness to the drama — or else it would be incredibly heavy and too depressing — I get impatient when the drama switches to their story. I wouldn’t mind them cutting them out completely.

The drama isn’t perfect, of course. It was excruciatingly draggy at some parts and I honestly wished they had trimmed down the show further.

Was Jialu and Uncle’s story necessary? I don’t know. Sure, they exist to show the kind of family Jiaqi wanted and couldn’t achieve with Yi Jun. But beyond that — too much air time was given to them, and I never understood how their storylines benefited the main one.

Thoughts about the ending

What a lovely ending. Jiaqi and Yu’an’s friendship and unique connection is beyond romance, in my opinion.

It’s the understanding of two mutual souls who had been in very desperate situations.

They saved each other — Jiaqi, with his empathy and kindness; Yu’an with her sleuthing, intelligence, and yes, kindness. Two souls that had started out suspicious and wary of each other formed a connection that transcends romantic love — that’s how I see it.

On the whole, I really loved Loving Strangers. A quiet, moving drama with solid performances from our leads.

Final Thoughts

If you’re hesitating to watch this drama because it won’t top My Mister — it probably won’t — I encourage you to still watch it. I can understand why you hesitate, because it’s a very tall order for Loving Strangers to even match it.

Watching this Chinese adaptation is actually a good idea, especially if you have not watched the K-Drama. Treat it like its own show, and you may enjoy it.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Loving Strangers (2026) review

I had always wanted to watch My Mister, but I never seemed to find the time to do it. Then, Lee Sun-kyun sadly passed away. The drama is already heavy to begin with, and the tragic way the actor passed away … seeing him play a depressed character just felt like I’m watching Lee Sun-kyun suffering for real. So, that’s why I kept putting it off again and again.

When I heard that Loving Strangers was being made, I thought it was really daring that they were even trying to adapt it. Because, how do you top Lee Sun-kyun’s award-winning performance? But I thought if anyone can at least match Lee Sun-kyun, it’ll be Mark Chao.

The Story

This is a tale of two people so worn down by life, they just exist. The first few episodes won’t appeal immediately to people — everything is grey. Our characters wear black and grey clothes, no colour in their wardrobe or surroundings. They don’t smile. Basically, they’re very gloomy and depressed.

The drama could have been incredibly depressing, if not for the fact that they added some thriller elements to it. I find that rather refreshing.

Yu’an is a fascinating character. She may be down and out, but she’s incredibly, incredibly smart — like, so smart she should be working for the intelligence agency of China or something, because she knows how to spy on and manipulate people! She would be quite a villainess if she plied her skills towards evil, but like Jiaqi says to her at one point, “You’re a good person.”

The cold exterior is just years of calluses grown over years of abuse — both from a loan shark, from society’s shunning of her, and also from self-flagellation for something that happened when she was a child.

And then we have the dour and gloomy Jiaqi. His work life sucks; he’s actively being undermined by his corrupt boss, Gu Chen. His family life sucks just as badly — the fire has not only gone out of his marriage, it’s ice-cold. By all measures, Jiaqi is the husband any woman would love: responsible, level-headed, calm, cool-headed. He is stability and comfort. Yet, that is not enough for his wife.

Somehow, these two people at the very bottom of their lives find each other.

What begins as mutual suspicion evolves into something more complex and unexpected.

The Characters

Zhou Yu’an: She juggles multiple gigs to care for her ailing grandmother.

Jiang Jiaqi (Mark Chao): A principled but exhausted mid-level pharma manager exhausted by life.

Gu Chen: Jiaqi’s corrupt boss and the central villain.

Yi Jun is Jiaqi’s wife. Yi Jun is an alpha woman feeling confined in an “average” marriage. She has an affair with Gu Chen.

Pang Jian is Jiaqi’s only champion at the company.

What I Liked

The most satisfying thing about this show is seeing Jiaqi grow from a quiet, doormat-ish man in his marriage and workplace, to someone assertive. Like, super assertive. This probably happened because he finally realised that being withdrawn and agreeable isn’t the answer to his problems.

I also love that we’re seeing Yu’an’s more human side.

I like that they didn’t force a romantic story between Jiaqi and Yu’an. That would’ve ruined the story, massively.

What I Didn’t Like

The only thing I don’t like about this drama is the fact that sometimes it segues to the story of Jiaqi’s uncle and his brother. Both are also down and out, but unlike Jiaqi, they are far more cheerful and more hopeful. Even though they bring necessary comic relief and lightness to the drama — or else it would be incredibly heavy and too depressing — I get impatient when the drama switches to their story. I wouldn’t mind them cutting them out completely.

The drama isn’t perfect, of course. It was excruciatingly draggy at some parts and I honestly wished they had trimmed down the show further.

Was Jialu and Uncle’s story necessary? I don’t know. Sure, they exist to show the kind of family Jiaqi wanted and couldn’t achieve with Yi Jun. But beyond that — too much air time was given to them, and I never understood how their storylines benefited the main one.

Thoughts about the ending

What a lovely ending. Jiaqi and Yu’an’s friendship and unique connection is beyond romance, in my opinion.

It’s the understanding of two mutual souls who had been in very desperate situations.

They saved each other — Jiaqi, with his empathy and kindness; Yu’an with her sleuthing, intelligence, and yes, kindness. Two souls that had started out suspicious and wary of each other formed a connection that transcends romantic love — that’s how I see it.

On the whole, I really loved Loving Strangers. A quiet, moving drama with solid performances from our leads.

Final Thoughts

If you’re hesitating to watch this drama because it won’t top My Mister — it probably won’t — I encourage you to still watch it. I can understand why you hesitate, because it’s a very tall order for Loving Strangers to even match it.

Watching this Chinese adaptation is actually a good idea, especially if you have not watched the K-Drama. Treat it like its own show, and you may enjoy it.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

https://www.europesays.com/dk/41529/ Review: LEGO City 60508 Police Train Heist #4Stars #4/5 #60508PoliceTrainHeist #lego #LegoCity #LegoCity2026 #LEGOGroup #LegoTraina #LegoTrains #March2026

Only on Game Day by Kristen Callihan https://thebookdisciple.com/only-on-game-day-by-kristen-callihan/ #4Stars, #FakeRelationship, #Football

Only on Game Day by Kristen Callihan https://thebookdisciple.com/only-on-game-day-by-kristen-callihan/ #4Stars, #FakeRelationship, #Football

Only on Game Day by Kristen Callihan https://thebookdisciple.com/only-on-game-day-by-kristen-callihan/ #4Stars, #FakeRelationship, #Football

He's a Mean One by Lani Lynn Vale https://thebookdisciple.com/hes-a-mean-one-by-lani-lynn-vale/ #4Stars

He's a Mean One by Lani Lynn Vale https://thebookdisciple.com/hes-a-mean-one-by-lani-lynn-vale/ #4Stars

He's a Mean One by Lani Lynn Vale https://thebookdisciple.com/hes-a-mean-one-by-lani-lynn-vale/ #4Stars

The House of Malachite by Rachel Blaufeld https://thebookdisciple.com/the-house-of-malachite-by-rachel-blaufeld/ #4Stars, #DysfunctionalFamily, #ForcedProximity, #OppositesAttract

The House of Malachite by Rachel Blaufeld https://thebookdisciple.com/the-house-of-malachite-by-rachel-blaufeld/ #4Stars, #DysfunctionalFamily, #ForcedProximity, #OppositesAttract

The House of Malachite by Rachel Blaufeld https://thebookdisciple.com/the-house-of-malachite-by-rachel-blaufeld/ #4Stars, #DysfunctionalFamily, #ForcedProximity, #OppositesAttract

Review: LEGO 11372 Autumn Cottage Garden https://www.allforgardening.com/1524521/review-lego-11372-autumn-cottage-garden/ #11372 #11372AutumnCottageGarden #4Stars #4/5 #AutumnCottageGarden #botanicals #garden #GardensOfTheWorld #icons #January2026 #lego #LegoGardensOfTheWorld #LegoIcons #LegoReview #Review

Review: LEGO 11372 Autumn Cottage Garden https://www.allforgardening.com/1524521/review-lego-11372-autumn-cottage-garden/ #11372 #11372AutumnCottageGarden #4Stars #4/5 #AutumnCottageGarden #botanicals #garden #GardensOfTheWorld #icons #January2026 #lego #LegoGardensOfTheWorld #LegoIcons #LegoReview #Review

Ellie Hayes and the Himbos by Vanessa King https://thebookdisciple.com/ellie-hayes-and-the-himbos-by-vanessa-king/ #4Stars

Ellie Hayes and the Himbos by Vanessa King https://thebookdisciple.com/ellie-hayes-and-the-himbos-by-vanessa-king/ #4Stars

Ellie Hayes and the Himbos by Vanessa King https://thebookdisciple.com/ellie-hayes-and-the-himbos-by-vanessa-king/ #4Stars

Bound to the Beasts by Ari Wright https://thebookdisciple.com/bound-to-the-beasts-by-ari-wright/ #4Stars, #ForcedProximity, #MarriageOfConvenience, #Omegaverse, #ReverseHarem

Bound to the Beasts by Ari Wright https://thebookdisciple.com/bound-to-the-beasts-by-ari-wright/ #4Stars, #ForcedProximity, #MarriageOfConvenience, #Omegaverse, #ReverseHarem

Bound to the Beasts by Ari Wright https://thebookdisciple.com/bound-to-the-beasts-by-ari-wright/ #4Stars, #ForcedProximity, #MarriageOfConvenience, #Omegaverse, #ReverseHarem

Ugly Duckling by Lani Lynn Vale https://thebookdisciple.com/ugly-duckling-by-lani-lynn-vale/ #4Stars, #CrazyEx, #SecondChance, #SingleDad, #UglyDuckling

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By the Horns by Ruby Dixon https://thebookdisciple.com/by-the-horns-by-ruby-dixon/ #4Stars, #OneNightStand