Rebirth of You - Rebirth of Miaorong

I really wanted to like this show. I really really did. It started so well with strong male and female leads, with seemingly mature characters and temperaments. I was very pleased that, unlike may other shows, the main couple got married within the first 12 episodes. So I thought that ok, this show will be about how a. young couples love grows over the years and matures like fine wine.

NOPE. Even though the couple's path to marriage was full of challenges, I just can't understand how after so many trials and tribulations (before and after marriage) they can still have such a shallow understanding of each other and be so emotionally stunted. I was so disappointed with the evolution of their relationship.

Everything went insane after the 30-something episode. It was like the screenwriters got drunk, went batshit crazy and wrote the storyline by playing the game "finish the sentence" where you say a sentence and the next person continues the story by saying another sentence and then you get this insane story. This is it. For sure this is what the screenwriters did. While drunk. I mean they had money for FORTY FREAKING EPISODES. They had so much time to deepen relationships and strengthen bonds, but everyone's relationship just remained very shallow. None of the key characters developed very deeply and I don't think any character really evolved over the whole show except for Dong Dong and Qing An. They are the best and most mature couple. Honestly, I would prefer to see a spin-off show just between Dong Dong and Qing An.

There is also so little screen time for the main couple. You hardly see their relationship developing. Maybe that's why they are so easily broken up by other people. Another reviewer said that this whole story should be renamed Story of Miaorong. I could not agree more. Actually, maybe she should be on the cover of the show as the lead actress. I don't understand how she can have so many chances. She is really a cat with nine lives. Maybe the title "Rebirth for you" is referring to her.

If this drama was an alcohol it would be a cheap vodka shot. To be downed quickly, and beware of side effects like annoyance.

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Miss S - Sparking, Sensational & Spectacular!

Miss S is truly such a wonderful series. The attention to detail in the set, costumes and even jewellery bring Miss S and her Republican era Shanghai to life - with much pizzazz. Who could not like murder-she-wrote set in the International Concession during 1920s Shanghai?

I am a big fan of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and this Chinese adaptation really did the series (and books) justice - I dare say it's even better.

The storylines were interesting although they did kind of lose the plot (pun intented) towards the end, I was in it for the characters, the Shanghai immersion and the simmering chemistry between the two leads. Honestly, Ma Yi Li and Gao Wei Guang did SUCH a great job in their roles. Even the supporting staff were not less sparkling. And the cheong sams! The cheong sams that Ma Yi Li wore (and she wore them so well) deserve an award of their own.

An altogether fabulous series.

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I want to go to where the wind is!

I cannot begin to describe how much I love this show. If you haven't watched it - just turn it on now. Stop hesitating!

It begins with Xu Hongdou leaving behind her job in Beijing to travel to Dali, Yunnan because of a personal tragedy she faced. She goes to stay in a homestay in Yunmiao, a village off the beaten path. In the homestay there are other lost souls who have all gathered in this beautiful dreamlike home because they too are running away from reality or from their troubles. You have the beautiful Nana who works in the cafe and harbours a secret, Da Mai, the uninspired writer, Ma Qiu Shan the businessman turned wannabe monk, Teacher Hu / Hu You Yu the wandering unsuccessful musician.

Over three months these guests to the yard grow closer and open up about their struggles and challenges and the most magical thing is they all leave healed - better versions of themselves. Not in some tropey or cliche way - in a way that is close to reality. Healed by time, friendship and self determination.

And of course there is the romance between Hongdou and Xie Zhi Yao played by two of the most popular actors in China right now. Li Xian is perfectly cast as Xie Zhi Yao. The handsome, rough round the edges boy next door with a smile that lights up rooms. Their relationship wasn't hurried. It blossomed - and that's the best kind. It was clear that Xie Zhi Yao was attracted to Hongdou from the start but the screenwriters let them get to know each other better and form a friendship before they grew into a relationship. It was a mature relationship with a strong foundation.

The supporting cast were absolute stars. Each had wonderful character development stories. Xie Xiao Chun, Xie Xiao Xia, even Ah Nai - it was such a joy to witness the growth of their characters. I felt that the magic of this little village in Dali is that nobody stays the same - everyone grows and becomes better versions of themselves, helped along by the people around them.

Even the village doesn't stay the same. It evolves and grows with the time. In a way, as i think of it now, the village represents the people and the people represent the village. They both grow in parallel.

Finally, I must not leave out the little children - Tuo Tuo, Xiao Hulu, Hu Zi and Guo Bao. Their presence was like the sprinkles on top of an already absolutely perfect sundae. They added such joy, and sometimes strong emotions of sadness, to the show. Their presence really amplified the mood of each scene. If an event was happy, it was doubly happy with the children there; if the scene was sad, it was doubly sad with the children. Such a masterstroke to include the little ones in the show.

Honestly, I cannot think of a show that has excelled at almost everything. I literally cannot find a single thing to fault. And that is so rare when now I see to find it easy to find faults with the hurried scriptwriting.

Absolutely wonderful. An instant classic. I am re-watching it from the beginning because I am not ready to leave Yunmiao yet.

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Welcome to Dystopia

I started watching Joy of Life because of it's epic reviews on MDL. It's rare that a title gets a consistent ranking of 9. Also, I was in hospital and on bedrest so I had nothing else to do. This is a drama that started very very slowly. So slowly in fact that I got a bit bored mid way and watched a few other shows before I went back to it (determined to give it a shot given its high ratings online). I think it only started to pick up after the 30th or so episode.

The cinematography of this show is incredible. Props to the Director and Cinematography team. The colour scheme and music they chose gives you an idea of what to expect. It's overall moody and foreboding and has an almost eerie air. Nothing is as it seems. Suspect everything. Trust no one. I feel that I was in perpetual late autumn / winter in this show. It has a very dark, dystopic aura about it.

Fan Xian is an extremely erudite, precocious and arrogant character. He's smart, but he's not that likeable. To be honest, not many people in this show are likeable. If I have to choose one person to like it's the Emperor. It took me a while to get used to Fan Xian's face and character as it's not normally the sort of face you will see in period dramas. But then this is not your typical period drama. This is in an altogether alternate reality.

I love dramas with smart, witty leads and Fan Xian is no exception (except he's arrogant and not that likeable). He was able to counteract most of the attacks against him. What I didn't like was the weakness of the FL (can we call her that? Maybe just Fan Xian's love interest). With the current trend gearing towards strong FLs who are equal, if not better than the MLs, I was surprised by how weak Lin Wan'Er was. Maybe they will surprise us in the second season. All she does is spend her time cooped up in her room because she's sick with TB (and recovering now thanks to Fan Xian). She sits around pining for him, hoping to see him next or else lying in bed coughing. I really wished that she could be stronger and solve crimes and face challenges with Fan Xian. That would really make me like the second season. Instead she's constantly playing the damsel in distress, waiting for Fan Xian to save her.

I was honestly surprised and disappointed by her character since the entire premise of the show was based on Fan Xian's own mother who everyone revered as ahead of her time. If it's so girl power - how come Lin Wan'Er is so weak? Maybe they will flesh out her character in the next season. I felt that the entire show was written by men, for men (pretending to be feminist but cannot really understand women) and a quick glance at the director, executive producer and writer proved me right.

Overall it's an extremely intelligent show (apart from the very obvious issues of the weak FL) with a fantastic soundtrack (I was happily surprised to hear Li Jian singing the opening song). I surprised myself by actually rating it so highly (because I really don't like Fan Xian that much) but I must say the plot twists and turns (towards the end) kept me going and hooked. This drama really stands out on its own. You'll be hard pressed to find another show like this.

If this series was a beverage it would be whiskey served neat. Not easily enjoyable, but if you like it, you really will.

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She and Her Perfect Husband + Perfect Leeches

Yang Mi and Xu Kai’s acting, chemistry and styling was sizzling hot! Perfect casting with two of the hottest trending actors. It kinda reminded me of You are My Glory with the super popular Dilraba and Yang Yang. But this show fell down because of the script and character development.

It’s like there are only 5 fully developed characters - Qin Shi, Yang Hua, Yao Yao, Yang Hua’s bff and Li Dai.

In real life, most people are not all bad and not all good. Apart from the four listed - the rest of the characters are all so one dimensional. Seriously did they sub these characters to be written by interns? The supporting characters are almost comedic and trope-y!!!

Qin Shi is all I want to be as a 女强人 (power woman). Smart, beautiful, high EQ (she can adapt to situations quickly and take on a cutesy or tigress persona as needed) and confident as hell. But seriously she’s surrounded by a bunch of sycophants. No wonder she’s so messed up in her personal life. Her parents suck, her big older brother seems nice and stable but why does his wife appear like the housekeeper, the second brother is like the epitome of a leech, her boss is toxic, even her bff is not that great.

Yang Hua is also multi dimensional even though he has a stone cold face most of the time. I love how he supported Qin Shi behind the scenes and secretly throughout the time even when she didn’t know.

I read a few reviews before, during and after watching the show. Many people say skip eps 35 to 40 (until last 10 min of show) if you want to see the happy ending.

Actually, I get why they needed to separate. Qin Shi needed to sort her own complex complicated feelings out. Yao Hua’s love for her was enduring. He was not confused. She was. So maybe she did need the time to sort herself out. I think those episodes also allowed her time to grow and develop. But I feel not enough. And I wished their reunion could have lasted one more episode.

All in all, the chemistry between the leads made this show worth watching but will it ever reach cult status like You are my Glory? No.

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The Strength of a Woman and the Love of a Mother

Under the Queen's Umbrella deserves to win an award for the bold exploration of often overlooked themes. There are so many thoughts and emotions running through my mind while writing this that I will try to distil them as clearly as possible!

1) Firstly, this was undoubtedly a women-driven show. The women were the stars of this show. The men played their complementary roles with charm, but this was a show about women. While it can be said that the handsome young princes were easy on the eyes, the main focus of the entire show was on the Queen, a mother of 5 boys, wife to the King, adversary to the Dowager.

The Queen Im Hwa Ryung was impeccably cast. I cannot imagine a better actress to play the Queen. She was graceful, fierce, protective, benevolent, sassy and vulnerable. She wore every single emotion as elegantly as I imagine a real Queen would. I love how it put an "older" woman as the star. I feel that with the huge number of strong female-lead shows coming out of China and South Korea - we are definitely moving in a more progressive era of entertainment.

The men played fantastic supporting roles. They held up the women so well and let the women actresses really shine like diamonds in this series. The King needed the Queen to help him make right decisions. The princes needed their mother to guide and protect them. The Crown Princess found the love of her life and pursued him. Unlike some older dramas which typecast opinionated Queens as power-hungry (cue almost every other palace drama), crown princesses as wishy-washy and weak and waiting for their prince, this drama portrayed them as women who knew what they wanted in life and went out to get them. It was absolutely refreshing. I really hope more such shows follow this.

2) Secondly, the special unbreakable bond between a mother and her son
This was undoubtedly a show that focused on the mother-son relationship. While some may question why the daughters were not featured in this show, I think for the limited episodes, they made a choice to just focus on the sons.

For such a long time, the mother-son bond has always been ridiculed. Men are called "Mama's boys" if they are too close to their mothers or mothers-in-laws are always stereotyped as "wicked" or "evil" or "selfish". I just loved the relationship between the Queen and the (new) Crown Princess - which was one of mutual respect and even admiration. Although she also had a deep relationship with the (old) Crown Princess. While some of the relationships between a mother and son in the show have brought about tragic endings, the relationships themselves have never been ridiculed or questioned - just the eventual actions and ambitions these women (and sons) have. In fact, for many mother-son relationships, the purity and beauty of their bond was the only redeeming quality for some of the pairs. The director and scriptwriters were very respectful of the bond between mother and son and even at the very end, the King struggled with coming to terms with what his mother did because of the great love and respect he had for her. Every conversation between mother and son was lovingly crafted, every scene and interaction almost sacred.

3) LGBTQ+ issues
I was very surprised to see that even the LGBTQ+ theme was brought up in a way that was extremely respectful and so tenderly. The bond between mother and child made it even more emotional because a mother would do anything to keep her child safe and yet the Queen went beyond keeping him safe, and made him feel seen. In the real world, not to mention that era, most parents would try to keep their own children to the "straight" lane because they think that's the way to keep them "safe" from external harm, but I love how she knew the way to keeping him safe from himself, is to also make him feel seen by himself or his own mother. It was so emotional.

Under the Queen's Umbrella was really one of the best Korean period dramas I have watched to date. The cinematography, script, acting, soundtrack. There is really nothing I can fault. I am also so delighted that these women character driven shows are now no longer the exception, but now, dare I say, becoming the norm! *my inner feminist is doing a happy dance*

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Tragically Beautiful

I just finished Autumn Ballad and all I can say is, what a tragically beautiful work. Beautiful but tragic.

The ML and FL were both very mature in their outlook of life and even their relationship wasn't sudden or random. It happened over time, like most relationships. They grew to love each other for each other's quirks and character and understood each other's weaknesses and strengths. I loved how the FL was the absolute star of the show and grew to earn everyone's respect. She didn't have respect straight away, but she had to earn it and I think that makes it much more meaningful.

The main plot and sub-plots were pretty tight (except for towards the end) and very interesting and I loved the character development in the key characters. This was such a refreshing change from watching the complete shit show Rebirth for You which was also supposedly about a ML and FL working together against adversity. Autumn Ballad had plot twists almost every episode and some I really didn't see coming.

There are so so many layers to this show. The theme of abandonment. The theme of revenge and forgiveness The theme of love and what it really means and how you define it. They played out so well in this show. This show can be compared to Allen Ren's Under The Power (although I have a slight preference for Under The Power just because of their epic fight scenes and Allen Ren is incredible as an actor - but I digress).

The Theme of Abandonment was played out constantly. Almost every character faces their own dark demons of abandonment. Whether from loved ones dying (murder / suicide) or just being abandoned and unwanted and tossed aside as a child. Qiu Yan references her being abandoned by her birth mother constantly throughout the show. It was a real sticking point for her and her birth mother. Her mother (the legitimate wife of Qiu Yi) and her shared a common bond of being abandoned (just that Qiu Yan didn't know this until it was too late). Liang Yi was abandoned by his father when his father died and they talked about him being completely different before and after his father's death. Even Qiu Min had to deal with her own abandonment issues and those issues really came out towards the end. Throughout the series they extrapolate this theme of abandonment and how people deal with the insecurities that stem from it wonderfully.

The Theme of Revenge and Forgiveness. Constantly, Liang Yi talks about revenging his father's death (which he did), Qiu Yan carries her burden of her mother's death and is also constantly looking to settle the score against anyone who crosses her, Qiu Min is also constantly burdened with her own demons and Yuan Long is like the personification of revenge. Even the lesser characters are constantly out for revenge. But then the show demonstrates that there to gain from revenge and revenge just leads to misery. To me, the purest character is Qin Xuan who literally could not hate anyone even though he was constantly being made use of. Yes he tried to hate, but he never took revenge. He was full of forgiveness.

The Theme of Love. There were so many interesting layers to his. The Confucian filial piety of love for one's elders was constantly played out in this show (I guess as in most costume dramas). Of course romantic love. Also, Qiu Yan talks about her own feelings and what she thought was love and what she then discovered was true love. Finally, the final scene made me think that there was some sort of love going on between Liang Yi's mother and the Noble Consort. I am very sure they were more than just best friends. And finally love for country was there. Without going into further detail, it was how Liang Yi appealed to Yuan Long, or Noble Consort appealed to Liang Yi etc...

Yes, most dramas cover these key themes but I feel Autumn Ballad did it well. The writing was very solid and well thought through. The dialogue was good as well. Even the OST was really nice.

I didn't have many issues with the show. The show was fast-paced, well executed, well written and well acted.

But ok, I realised I have three.

First, one minor issue I had was with Liang Yi's MUA. Did he/she not colour match the foundation to his face?? He kept looking so pale and cake-y throughout the entire show it was almost comical!!!!

Also like other reviewers, I was also pretty annoyed by the absolute final plot twist. I mean can't you let them just have peace for 1 second!?!? Although it did show a happy ending in the end FINALLY, the last plot twist was unnecessary and actually gave me a shock. It did also leave me with a lot of question marks. Like why did the person choose to do that only at the very last moment? And she looked perfectly fine and happy before. Even though I truly think the screenwriters were great, they should learn the value of restraint!! Too many plot twists is also not good! Also it seemed like they were probably riding on a high of plot twists by then. The end just pissed me off honestly. And it was out of character of Qiu Yan to do what she did. Like what happened to my fate is your fate!?!?

Finally, since we are talking about what happened in the last few minutes of the show... What's up with all the suicides and people dying?!?! The show is obsessed with death. OBSESSED. And it is obsessed with killing people off for no reason. There were so many unnecessary deaths. You didn't need to kill all these people to propel the story line forward but they did. I mean in the beginning already they kept trying to bury Qiu Yan with the "dead on arrival" groom. It's like literally every character is murder, tried to be murdered, tried to suicide or dies by suicide.

Overall, besides those annoyances, it really was a spectacular tragic romance drama and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes romances!

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Fun and Refreshing!

After being a long time reader of reviews on MDL, I finally decided to write my own because I feel this drama is misunderstood by some. I'm a big fan of romance and mysteries and this series has both.

If this show was a drink, it would be fizzy iced lemonade. Cool, refreshing and sweet with a hint of tangyness (from the challenges they had to face) - but overall refreshing and effervescent. You kind of know what to expect with every sip, but that doesn't make it less refreshing and fun. I would even say it's a little like a chick-flick (nothing wrong with that because people love chick-flicks). Even more so, it's just what I needed during difficult times such as these.

From the very beginning through the upbeat modern opening song (indeed all its OST - but I especially like the opening so so much I hardly ever skip it because it's so fun and uplifting) and opening credits animation, this drama establishes that it is not your usual period drama. It is refreshing, light-hearted and dare I say even quirky? If you are looking for a more serious epic drama mystery romance, I would recommend Under the Power starring Allen Ren. This is quirky, fun and doesn't take itself too seriously. People have commented that it's weird that Zhao Lusi's hair is dyed in the show. I think they probably made an artistic call and decided she looked better with the brown hair and since it's not supposed to be a historically accurate period drama it's ok - and I think that kind of tells you what kind of show it is. Light-hearted and Fun.

The series can be split into two distinct parts - but both I feel work very well together. The first half (until about episode 18 or 19) is about the Imperial College's first female student, Sang Qi. Zhao Lusi shines in this character and I can see why she was casted. She has this bright, happy air about her which she brings to the College. Xu KaiCheng is the perfect ML with his tall handsome strong physique (ok I have a crush on him) and calm aura and I really enjoyed the first half of the show where they established their relationship. The chemistry between both ML and FL was very strong. I think the entire first part of the show was to set the foundation of the various characters (ML, FL and supporting cast) relationships and friendships. Even Yan Yun Zhi, in the 18 or 19th episode alluded, when Sang Qi graduated, that this was not the end but just the beginning.

Indeed, the second part of the show just started to "begin" in episode 19. So that's where things moved from being about Sang Qi and Yan Yun Zhi's happy romance at College to a drama out in the "real" world. I really cannot stand couples that break up a few times in one series over several misunderstandings, rumours or petty problems. Sang Qi and Yan Yun Zhi's relationship was stable and mature and because of it, they were able to face many challenges together. They worked together to solve problems. At times it was Sang Qi who came up with the solution. She was no shrinking violet or damsel in distress. I loved how they practice martial arts together in the mountain (super cute) and fought together. At some times, Sang Qi was the one that rescued Yan Yun Zhi - I felt it was a relationship between equals, which is sometimes unusual for period dramas (like I said it's not your typical period drama). I also like that she fights her own battles. She never needs Yan Yun Zhi to fight for her - in any situation.

If I were to summarise this show it would be the abiding love between Sang Qi and Yan Yun Zhi. It's not really about a girl entering the imperial college - that's the secondary story.

Special mention must be given to the actor playing Zhou Wen Yuan. He was extremely versatile playing the amiable bff in the first few episodes slowly morphing into the villain.

Would I watch it again? Yes! I am planning to. It's been a while since a series made me laugh out loud and was fast paced enough for me not to drop it or get bored.

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Fantasy in 1920s Shanghai

I must admit I only watched Twelve Legends because Jasper Liu was inside. I didn't know much about the show. I like the cinematography, the soundtrack, the costumes, the props. I think they set the scene in Republican era China very well. You had the whole romantic Shanghai in the 1920s feeling (which I'm obsessed with).

I liked how there were so many genres all in one drama. You have the fantasy, the romance, the fighting all set in a beautiful backdrop. Yes there were a lot of plot holes, and the ML and FL characters were quite one-dimensional (I think due to bad script writing), but I think there were a lot of redeeming qualities about it as well. I liked the different stories and back stories of the various demons showing them as beings looking for love too. Each demon love story made the story even more special and interesting. Some of the demon costumes are pretty tacky, but I can overlook them.

What I really hated was the age-old technique of amnesia and Jin Xing Jian's annoying need to constantly protect and look after Ye Ming. I also hated how both Ye Ming and Jin Xing Jian have problems communicating. Like hello? After 500 years you cannot communicate better?? But after I watched the ending, I kind of got it why he was so obsessed and after all he's not exactly human.

Gülnezer Bextiyar is ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS. I think she's one of the most beautiful actresses I've ever seen and she shines well as Ye Ming. She played her character Ye Ming very well. Ye Ming's character is selfish, self-centred and immature but that's just how they wrote it. I guess her only redeeming quality was when she realised too late what Jin Xing Jian did for her (I blame him for removing her memory and not telling her the whole story).

Honestly, I hope this doesn't put anyone off. It's not that bad a drama and it is very different from other dramas out there. It does have its positives. I think the big let down was the script writing honestly.

Would I recommend this? Hmmm... If you like fantasy, 1920s Shanghai and beautiful costumes like me, then yes!

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Destined to be Almost Perfect - but not quite

Destined is divided into three very clear Acts.

Act 1 - which takes place in the then prosperous city of Yangzhou. Where a rich playboy, Gu Jiusi and virtuous perfectionist, Liu Yuru, accidentally get married against their wills. As is the case, things seem to fall into place and they fall in love and the internal chaos turns into external chaos. Act 1 was really enjoyable and the lightest of all the Acts. Along the way, they meet the righteous General Zhou Ye of Youzhou who they become sworn brothers and sister with. The beautiful settings and costumes were just a feast for the eyes and a delight to watch. Gu Jiusi's mother, Jiang Rou, was a picture of dignity and grace and life really seemed like it was too easy and happy.

Act 2 - takes place in Youzhou. This was the MOST enjoyable Act for me and they should have just stopped while they were ahead, honestly. Like I won't begrudge the writers for just stopping the show after Act 2. This wonderful Act saw how the family rebuilt their lives after an external calamity and continued to make good friends around them. The final few episodes of Act 2 were action packed, smart, well paced and thoroughly enjoyable. There were so many beautiful moments of trust, collaboration and cooperation between Gu Jiusi, Liu Yuru, Zhou Ye and Ye Shi An. It was such a joy to watch how they cleverly overcame all the obstacles that came their way.

Act 3 - the most chaotic Act. This takes place in the Eastern Capital. Honestly, half of me wishes I just stopped at Act 2. Suddenly I found myself in a palace drama full of conniving officials. It's like a completely different show just haphazardly stitched together. The drama was unnecessary and weird. Alot of the plot wasn't thought through. It was as though the writers had to find content to finish 40 episodes. The last death of a wonderful character was COMPLETELY unnecessary and let me very dissatisfied. It really didn't propel the plot further. It was just death for no reason. That was quite upsetting to me. Anyway the ending was a good one but it could have been happier if the good character didn't die (you'll know what i mean if you watch it). I also didn't like how Luo Zishang, the villain, was such a trope-y bad guy. He was too cliche. It was too boring. He was like the villain in Under the Power. This entire Act could have been improved. And the good person didn't have to die!

All in all, I really enjoyed it. To me, I would say this was a cross between Under the Power and A New Life Begins. Apart from the chaos in Act 3, I think it was such a refreshing drama and highly recommend it.

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The Power of Women

This is truly an epic tale. It deserves all the praise it has received. It's beautifully shot, perfectly cast, wonderfully written.

Firstly, I cannot think of.a better or more standout cast. Allen Ren is perfect as the serious, stoic, upright yet broody Lu Yi and Seven Tan really has her moment shining so brightly as Yuan Jin Xia. They complement each other perfectly. Like other viewers commented, the villain Han Dong with his glass eye was so sinister, even I as the viewer was terrified of him. This is a lengthy drama and I don't think a moment within the 55 episodes was wasted. You can tell all the cast work hard at developing their characters.

This show is really about the Power of Women. I feel Under the Power's English and Chinese name (锦衣之下) does not do justice to this truly powerful epic. Maybe it should be called In The Power of Women. It's all about the women in this drama. Yuan Jin Xia as a woman constable set aside all pre-conceived notions of women and kicked aside all traditions to serve as a female constable. Even the fact that her mother adopted her and raised her as a single parent was admirable. And then you have Shangguan Xi who is the leader of a famous gang and even Dr Lin Ling who saves the day with her knowledge of poisons. Not forgetting the standout emotional epic battle scene which was led BY women. The truly memorable character which should have had a bigger part was the General's wife who fought to protect Hangzhou. Like seriously - one of the few epic battle scenes were led by WOMEN? That is some serious female power!

The women really shine in this show. Don't get me wrong, the men shine too, it's just that this show really lets the women have their moment. I really love how the men are so confident in their own masculinity or just confident in themselves that they are so happy and willing to let the women shine. Yang Yue is the perfect example. He is happy to be the assistant to Yuan Jin Xia, oftentimes letting her take the lead in solving crimes and then later on being the content companion of Shangguan Xi - stepping aside to let the girls fight - but always their to help and to assist and to cook delicious meals. This show allows men to show emotion - shows them cry, shows them have deep feelings of unrequited love / or reciprocated love. It shows them head over heels in love.

This show is truly a gem. I cannot recommend this show more. It's just EPIC. If you are considering whether to watch this show or not - just start. You will not regret it. One of the best shows I've watched. Hands down.

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Where do I begin with the Imperial Coroner? If I were to rank all the shows I have watched this year, this would come up either 1st or 2nd. Almost everything about it is perfect - except I wish it had just a few more episodes. As a friend told me, she was surprised I knew about this drama because compared to many other releases this year, this was rather 冷门 (not popular). I feel it shines as the dark horse show that nobody expected to like.

The FL (Chu Chu) and ML (Xiao Jinyu / An Jun Wang) were perfectly cast. Even though they are literally unknown, they played their roles so well. They had amazing on-screen chemistry. They were able to communicate their emotions even without words, just through gestures sometimes. I am sure after this they will get a lot of calls! This show is basically CSI in Tang Dynasty. I liked how the pair were drawn together because of their dedication to crime solving and truth finding. The storyline was very refreshing and I felt that the fact both ML and FL had no fighting skills very realistic - you can't expect them to be great at everything.

The supporting cast was fantastic as well. Jing Yi, Leng Yue and Xiao JinLi were three characters that really complemented the ML and FL without stealing the limelight they really made the Chu Chu and Xiao Jinyu shine and that's what a good supporting cast does. I feel they made the perfect fabulous five. I really really hope TenCent considers a second season when they are all married but solving crimes in the Dynasty together.

The plot was fantastic. If I could give the screenwriters 12/10 I would. The clues, mysteries and plot twists (without being too dramatic) kept me glued to my screen! They really put in so much thought to every detail and I actually watched this show two or three times just to pick up on some of the clues I missed earlier.

Because there was only 36 episodes (only given that some other shows have more than 50), I felt that the storyline was fast-paced and there was never a dull moment.

While the drama and mystery part took centres stage in this drama, the romance part was a necessary under current that kept the story flowing as well. It wasn't as played out as in other dramas, but I think that's the best. It doesn't need to be. Both FL and ML are mature adults who know their feelings well enough.

Overall, REALLY HIGH RECOMMEND THIS.

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